What first comes to mind when you hear the word treasure? Don’t think too hard . . . in fact . . . I say treasure; you say ___________. Honestly, my first thought was Treasure Planet, a movie my son Jon chose for us to watch recently. Next, I thought of the Disneyland ride “Pirates […]
Category: Family Life/Caregivers
Family Rules
If you ever feel stressed, a bit cranky, or as though you’ve been hit by a bus, this blog post is for you. It was the last day of school, and my son Jon cheered with delight on our drive home. Outwardly, I applauded him for his learning and growth; inwardly, I felt . . […]
Landscape Lessons
Oh, my yard! I love it when things thrive and live and hate it when things wither and die. It all sounds quite simple. However, in the past few years, I’ve found a correlation between beautiful landscapes and beautiful souls. Lovely landscapes don’t just happen. Preparing a beautiful landscape begins long before the flowers arrive. […]
Star Charts
Charts are everywhere. We have navigational charts, weather charts, score charts, charts for accomplishing tasks, and charts for measuring progress. When my kids were little, I would make “chore” charts. When the chore was accomplished, a shiny star sticker was put on the chart . . . and they’d receive two stars if their attitudes […]
Sanctuaries
It was a misty morning in a small, out-of-the-way English countryside village. Hanging flower baskets, timeworn cafes, and antiquated shops lined the cobblestone streets. The town was packed with old bookstores in which dusty, leather-bound or linen-wrapped books were piled from floor to ceiling. Some of the books’ bindings had been repaired with old tape. […]
Homework
Homework . . . need I say more? It had been one of those days, and endeavoring to help my son Jon with his homework was not on the top of my “want-to-do” list. He was tired. I was more than cranky. The combination was not going to provide a successful outcome . . . […]
Despite Your Circumstances
Few people in the first century had a deeper understanding of God’s grace than the apostle Paul. Redeemed from a life of vicious brutality as a rigid legalistic Pharisee, the man turned the corner, repented, and through Christ’s empowering became a gentle soul, gracious and affirming. Understanding. Forgiving. Approachable. He reached the place where he […]
The Question
Some questions are priceless. The other day, someone asked me when am I most proud of Jon, my son with disabilities. I quietly pondered. In this world of ours, most parents could quickly provide plenty of pride-filled moments: blue ribbons, being the star athlete, social recognition, good grades, good looks, or a bit of charm. […]
Robby
My dad told this story in a sermon a long time ago. It’s a heartwarming urban legend, so I’m passing it along in a way similar to how Christ taught using stories, or parables, in Scripture. Parables are story-like word pictures that contain powerful life lessons many of us can remember with ease. May the […]
Acceptance
There was nothing simple about my friend’s situation. One of her three sons was diagnosed with severe autism at age 11; his world and his parents’ world flipped upside down. For reasons only the Lord knows, his behaviors became aggressive, dangerous, and terrifying. For over a year they tried everything, prayed, tried more of everything, […]
The Balance of Laughter and Tears
When I meet wise people, I want the world to know them. I recently met Cindi, who has grown wise through the trials of life. She and her husband, Joe, have a son with disabilities, so they will never enjoy many of the freedoms most people expect in life. But because they have faithfully followed […]
Show and Tell
The stuff had become a problem. Every time my son, Jon, and I headed out for an event, he gathered his stuff; an ever-growing collection of games and toys jammed into an ever-increasing sized tote bag. The time to purge had come. But something interesting happened as we started our reduction plan. Jon’s anxiety increased […]