His voice was a whisper, “What’s up? ” “Not much dude, why are you whispering?” I whispered back. In a guilty voice, the 35-year old father explained to me that he was calling from a closet. He was hiding from his five-year-old son, who was hunting for his favorite Sesame Street DVD. His son, on the autism spectrum, had a tendency to play the same small video segment over…and over…and … [Read more...]
Tired of Trying To Be the Perfect Parent
When it comes to parenting, how are you feeling? Is your family the picture that you had in mind? I know that for a long time I had this picture in my mind of the perfect family; the kind that you used to see on TV shows years ago. However, the reality of kids with special needs and the inability to totally control my life eventually made me take a more realistic look at image I was clinging … [Read more...]
Masterpiece
For my boys, hearing, listening, following directions, and (oh, let me just say it) compliance with others is like pulling teeth. (*Cringe*). When you throw their autism into the mix, it makes for some pretty difficult days. There are many moments when I have no idea how I’m going to make it until the end of the week. The constant demands, the needs, and the challenging behaviors can be like … [Read more...]
What Wonderous Love Is This?
Have you ever wondered why we call the Friday before Easter “good?” What’s good about humiliation, crucifixion and death? We don’t call it good Friday because we want to celebrate suffering. No, we call it “good” because, were it not for Friday, we wouldn’t have Easter Sunday. In order for Christ to conquer sin, death and darkness, he first had to enter into it – wholly and completely. He … [Read more...]
Used Not Useless
A few months ago I had lunch with a friend. The waitress guided us to a booth by a window. John collapsed onto the bench seat. Outside, the skies were turning dark. Clouds threatened to bring a mid-day rain. John leads a Life Group in our church. He’s a deacon and someone who’s also actively involved in an outreach ministry. John’s also a father to a bright-eyed, curly-haired little girl on … [Read more...]
Words Matter
He forgot. Again. I stood there staring at the garbage can in our kitchen. The can was so full that tinfoil was poking out through the hinged opening. You couldn’t have pushed in a used napkin much less squeezed in an empty soda can. How many times had I told my 15-year old to take out the garbage can when it was full? 100? 200? It felt like a 1000. I felt my body tighten. My teeth … [Read more...]