Last night my dear friend Alysia called to talk. As a youth group leader I mentored Alysia throughout her middle and high school years. In college, she joined our leadership team. During those years I was raising three sons. Joel, our youngest, was diagnosed with autism on that journey. After graduating with a nursing degree Alysia married and had seven children. She and her husband are … [Read more...]
Prepare The Way
Some of us become parents by chance. Some become parents by choice. But no one I know chooses to become parents of a child with a disability. When that choice was made for us 23 years ago, our world instantly changed. There was no preparation, no training, no idea that anything other than a normal, healthy fetus was developing. From the moment Ben arrived, we were continuously given a laundry … [Read more...]
Mid-September Is a Good Time to Pray
Mid-September. The time of the year when the bloom is off the new school year rose. Lovely summer tans begin to fade. New shoes get scuffed. Spiffy school clothes lose their sizing in the wash. Haircuts go scruffy. The first wave of viruses rips through the classroom. Kids, who have been on their best behavior for days and weeks, begin to crack under the strain, and their true personalities … [Read more...]
Blessed are the Pure in Heart
My son, Joel, who has autism and is 30 years old, has a hard time putting his thoughts into words. Years of speech therapy, music therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy have not done a lot to help him with that. Prayer has helped more than anything else. Prayer and walking. “If you want to get Joel talking,” his adopted sister and best friend Sarah says, “just take him for a long … [Read more...]
The Antidote for Fear and Anxiety: What to Do When You Fear the Future
Everyday, we face situations we cannot control ... We receive a bad report from a doctor. A job (and it's desperately needed paycheck) suddenly becomes unstable. Your child cannot sleep through the night. When anxiety places its cold hand on our shoulder because of a difficult circumstance and the future seems unsure, we are presented with a choice: Keep on struggling in fear ... or choose to … [Read more...]
Back to School: 8 Tips for a Smooth Transition
Back to school ads. They're appearing earlier and earlier in the summer. Early enough to create turf wars between back to school and the Fourth of July industries. While early July is way too soon to think about going back to school, the same can not be said for the end of July in many parts of the country. Like my part of the country where the school year begins on August 14. Yes, … [Read more...]