A few weeks ago I spent the day with my daughter in the emergency room. She is 22 years old and her blood pressure was 190/130. Yes, I wrote that correctly—190/130. Thankfully medication brought it under control, but since then our focus has been trying to discover the source of the problem. How quickly life and perspective can change. We discovered the high blood pressure at a routine visit to … [Read more...]
No Two Journeys Are The Same
A grace culture will never exist when we are unwilling to go the extra mile to extend grace without judgment. When someone is not like us, it is so hard to get past the differences and find the grace and love that needs to be conveyed to bring hope and healing. Today, because of the human condition, we continue to struggle with racial barriers, socioeconomic class wars, and stigmas based on our … [Read more...]
Today I Choose To Be Grateful
Today my arm muscles ache, my blood sugar is higher than it should be, my feet hurt, and my heart is overflowing with happiness. Why? Because my dear niece got married on Saturday night. She is my daughter's life long friend, so when she asked her aunties to make forty pies for the wedding reception, I responded the only way an auntie can. "Yes," I said without hesitation, knowing full well … [Read more...]
Oh! The Places You’ll Go!
"I was already on a spiritual journey, but engaging this process with my son and ASD has me on another level!" - Monica, mom of an 8 year old boy diagnosed with autism. The Blissfulness of Same Autism means dealing with lots of the same thing, over and over, and over again, often mixed with compulsion and vigor. My son's high need for control triggers my own and we both study to create as much … [Read more...]
God Has Not Wired Us To Quit
It was quiet. Finally. I had no reason to trust that it would last. Max was in his bed, sleeping perhaps, sweat still on his brow. I was sure the house was moving, or maybe I just couldn’t get my sea legs. There is a part of me that goes numb on nights like this, weeks like this one. My tired brain just can’t yawn open wide enough to let it all in. My precious son; he is gentle of … [Read more...]
Oh, to Be THIS Thankful!
We’ve just moved. We planned it such, that my sister Sue would care for our Joey (special needs age 35) for a long weekend so we could get his room set up. This would allow us to prepare ahead of time for those bumps in the road that happen when BIG CHANGE happens. And when we say CHANGE we often mean CHALLENGE! Joey likes his things just the way he arranges them….like those of us who like our … [Read more...]