Forgiveness. It seems like a 1,000-pound bench press, a crushing load, impossibly heavy to lift. But forgiveness isn’t a one-time heft above our heads to declare our spiritual duty done. It’s more like a marathon. (Or, for those like me, who shudder at the thought of running a 5K, it’s more like a really, really long-distance stroll—preferably with a coffee in hand.) But whether you … [Read more...]
Who Else Wants Their Joy Back?
What does joy mean to you? And how do you know if you've got it? These are questions a fresh wave of challenges with my 10-year-old have pressed on my mind. As I wrestle to have more joy in the struggles---and to recognize it when it's there---I'm finding it's different than I used to think. For me, joy is relief. It's cool grace over a searing heart. It's letting go of heavy burdens. And it's … [Read more...]
Quiz: How Would YOU Handle This Doctor Visit?
The only redemptive feature of hours and hours in doctor waiting rooms is the abundance of fun magazines. Ok, not abundance. More like a handful of worn, outdated family magazines which, to their credit, at least offer some "Oh, I haven't tried that one before" snack-making ideas. But even those magazines can have interesting quizzes in them. As I left the neurologist's office yesterday morning, … [Read more...]
That Feeling You Never Let Yourself Feel
We sat in the car, inching forward in traffic that stretched miles ahead of us. My tween daughter turned on the radio. "Not that station!" I protested internally, but said nothing. She pulled out a granola bar and started eating (by which, I mean she ate 1/2 and ejected the crumbs from the rest around the seat). I looked over, tried to breathe away the annoyed reaction to her mess... Then I saw … [Read more...]
When You Realize You Need Closure
It's not been a typical elementary school era with my oldest. But then, you probably understand that. You're here. We braved kindergarten, making friends, navigating the cafeteria, and learning to read. We managed her first psychiatrist appointment, diagnosis of bipolar w/ADHD on top of her RAD, and discovered this thing called an IEP meeting. Since second grade we've requested, evaluated, and … [Read more...]
When Your Life Is Too Uncomfortable For Others…
The last few months my son has really been struggling. He's dealing with multiple issues that he has had since he was young...and short of divine intervention, this will not be the last time that he deals with these issues, I am sure. Like many of your children, he has co-morbid conditions and multiple diagnosis'...some of them are more accepted than others. He has autism and that is something … [Read more...]