What fruit do you have? That is what someone asked me once. I didn't know what they were talking about at first. I was thinking real life fruit that I eat? They laughed a little and said, "no the fruit of the spirit." I started to recite out loud Galations 5:22: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control … [Read more...]
Bittersweet Autumn
Bittersweet autumn. The world changing color before our eyes. That certain slant of light, tinging the clouds with violet. The smell and crunch of leaves underfoot. Pulling out all things warm and snuggly - sweaters, hoodies, down comforters, and fleece throws. And yet, the shadow of winter hovers just ahead. Bare trees. Cold winds. Sleet. Ice. Snow. And darkness. So many hours of … [Read more...]
It’s Way Beyond Me …
"You make it look so easy!" This crazy life looks easy? I am so thankful people are gracious enough to tell me that I make caring for Evan look easy. But hold your horses, folks. Most days are a marathon that we have to pace ourselves to get through. This life? It's way beyond me. But I totally get this. Many people who do things often enough are able to make them look easy. Surgeons. I … [Read more...]
I Never Dreamed
This week one of my good friends accompanied his eighteen-year-old son off to join the Marines. Another friend sent his eighteen-year-old child off to college. My son turns eighteen in two weeks. Last night he peed in the bathtub. The gap between our life and the life of a typical family is sometimes so vast that it’s difficult to comprehend. As my wife likes to say, “Sometimes my … [Read more...]
I’ll Never Let Go
I remember holding him in my arms for the first time just minutes after cutting his cord in the delivery room. I would place his sleeping form on my chest, his head gently laying across my shoulder, as we sat in my chair at night. I would rest contentedly when, as an infant, he would curl up against me on the bed and nuzzle his head in the crook of my arm. I would hold him in my … [Read more...]
Understanding the Privacy Gap
For those of you with a son or daughter who requires 24-hour care, you know exactly what I'm going to talk about. It is something that those outside of this demographic take for granted. It is something called "privacy". We have very little of it in our world given all of the caregivers in Ben’s world. Without question, these important team members have helped to lighten our load and give Ben a … [Read more...]