My youngest son, Joel, who has autism, turned 30 last week! How to celebrate without over-stimulating his sensory system? Light bulb moment! Throw a party for family and closest friends at our church, The Oxford Vineyard. Joel loves our little church where 40-50 people worship on any given Sunday. No problem negotiating 30 of Joel’s favorite family and friends into that space without overwhelming … [Read more...]
Thanksgiving: Finding God in the turmoil of special needs parenting
My daughter once accused her older brother of opening his eyes during dinner prayer, not realizing, of course, she implicated herself in the process. Classic. But last week the violator of the “Super-Spiritual Guide to Prayer Protocol” wasn’t 10 years old, she was 49. Guilty as charged, I opened my eyes mid-prayer when a woman in my prayer group said a surprising thing: “Thank you, God, for the … [Read more...]
Happy Thanksgiving, Little Town on the Prairie
My husband and I weren't looking forward to our first Thanksgiving as parents of a baby with special needs. The little town on the prairie where we lived was 750 miles from the University of Nebraska hospital in Omaha where our son had already had 2 surgeries, the first when he was less than 24 hours old. The surgeon insisted on scheduling a follow-up appointment before releasing our son after the … [Read more...]
SO Much To Be Grateful For!
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. ~ 1 Chronicles 16:34, NIV ~ Sitting in a meeting with a local business owner, I found myself sharing with him what I share with everyone who seems to feel sorry for those of us raising children with special needs. We are SO blessed to be living at this point in time and in this country. We have SO much to be … [Read more...]
Lord Help Me! It’s Time for School Again!
It's 5:15 am when the alarm goes off, chasing off the last remnants of a beautiful dream of walking on warm summer sands in the light of a glowing sunset. And just like that, Summer. Is. Over. My eyes strain to focus on the ceiling above as I fight an urge to pull the sheets back over my head. But no, I must get up! I must get up because… it's time for school again! I imagine other … [Read more...]
The Perfect Family
It was Sunday—the Lord’s Day—and Mother’s Day. As we sat in the restaurant waiting for our dinner to be served, I glanced across the room and was captivated by a rather beautiful sight: A father and mother sitting at a table with five pretty daughters ranging in age from (maybe) twelve to nineteen years old. They were smiling, laughing and talking. The girls were dressed nicely and it appeared … [Read more...]