It was a verbal game of chess. Winner takes all. If my son won the argument, we would return home. If I won, we would get out of the car and walk into the church. When John added a new reason why he didn’t want to go inside, I was sure he’d made a fatal mistake. He said he felt “stood up,” as he attended church each week. I countered with a correction, “’Stood up’ means showing up and no one is … [Read more...]
Power In The Body of Christ
Have you ever had one of those days (weeks, months) where you just felt like giving up? Yup. I thought so. We all have days, weeks or months like that. Especially those of us who live with children or adults with significant disabilities. Our son Joel, who has autism, has been having a rough time lately. A hospitalization for depression last fall. A 6 week manic spurt this spring that … [Read more...]
Wednesday Breakthrough {Guest Post}
Read below for a guest post from Sheila Temple. Madison would always answer the cursory questions Dr. Jim asked her. For example: Dr. Jim: How is school going? Madison: Good Dr. Jim: How are you getting along with your friends? Madison: Pretty good Dr. Jim: Are you having any trouble sleeping? Madison: A little Dr. Jim: Today do you feel angry? Madison: Yes This … [Read more...]
When Life Is Not a Hallmark Card
It’s true. Misery loves company. And probably the reason one of my favorite shows is The Middle, a sitcom about the misadventures of a mid-western family not very unlike my own. Duct-taped appliances? Special needs teens and a seat-of-the-pants mother? Check. It’s a show that makes me laugh because the Hecks (or rather their script writers) “get it”. Life is a daily walk into the precarious … [Read more...]
Fierce Trust
Do you ever wonder if you’re selling your kid short? Even though my son isn’t exactly a “kid” anymore—he’s 29-years-old—I sometimes tend to shortchange him when it comes to my expectations of his capabilities. It’s hard to tell with autism exactly what your child knows or doesn’t know. Especially when he or she doesn't have a lot of language. Even though Joel has moderate cognitive … [Read more...]
101 Ideas for Keeping Your Child with Special Needs Busy All Summer
Already wondering how you're going to fill those long summer days? We've got 101 fun ideas to keep you and the kids (or grandkids) busy! Plant a garden Find a pen pal Start a new collection Climb a tree Make crock-pot apple sauce Play in the sprinkler (affiliate link) Pick strawberries Water balloon toss Try essential oils (tips on using lavender from My Blessed … [Read more...]