IT COULD BE WORSE

I think to myself, "it could be worse" and it helps me feel better.

I could be waiting at a corner bus stop somewhere. I could be driving a Carol Brady station wagon. I could be back in high school. I could be pregnant (been there, done that). I could be giving a talk in church (*struck by lightning*). I could be a scientist working with lab rats (*shiver*). I could be camping (don't mind nature, it's just so much work with a family and a child that eats dirt). I could be swimming (well, drowning is more like it). I could be homeless without purse or script. I could be dressed up as an animal mascot outside a fast food chain. I could be in prison with......(I'll leave it at that). I could be blind. I could have cancer. I could be living in Antarctica. I could be in an asylum for the mentally ill. I could be at an "all you can eat buffet" with my father-in-law.

I feel better now. Life is not so bad.

NEW FOUND FRIENDS

We went to the Homecoming Parade yesterday. I love to people watch. We sat up a couple of chairs behind everyone and sat down to "watch".

Soon the parade began. The boys had their sacks ready. The croud pushed forward; stepping onto the street by several feet. There were alot of people attending. (Later I found out that they had a record turn out.)

Once the candy began to fly the kids started scrambling, jumping and waving. I was surprised at how many adults got into it, picking up candy, cheering, and waving.

Hunter and Mason tried to make their way to the front to catch the flying candy. They are timid by nature and non-competitive. Suddenly a lady elbowed Hunter out of the way and said, "You can't come up this way, this is our kid's spot!" I was shocked! The boys came back by me and wanted to go home.

Bill put Ryder onto his shoulders and took the boys down the street until they found a spot away from that lady. It was a spot right in front of a bar. There were some bikers there smoking. Each time the parade floats passed by the bikers would holler and wave until the people on the float threw the candy or toys at them. Then they would pick it up, and give it to the boys.

Isn't interesting that the stereotype is to avoid people who are different than you, who may look scary, or believe differently than you--but they are the most genuine and kind. They accept all. One of the bikers even said that he had a nephew with autism.

I think I'll join the Hell's Angels.

THE ANT & THE CONTACT LENS

The following is a true story I received in an email:

Lori was almost halfway to the top of the tremendous granite cliff. She was standing on a ledge where she was taking a breather during this, her first rock climb. As she rested there, the safety rope snapped against her eye and knocked out her contact lens . "Great", she thought. "Here I am on a rock ledge, hundreds of feet from the bottom and hundreds of feet to the top of this cliff, and now my sight is blurry." She looked and looked, hoping that somehow it had landed on the ledge. But it just wasn't there. She felt the panic rising in her, so she began praying. She prayed for calm, and she prayed that she may find her contact lens.

When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the lens, but it was not to be found. Although she was calm now that she was at the top, she was saddened because she could not clearly see across the range of mountains. She thought of the bible verse "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth." She thought, "Lord, You can see all these mountains. You know every stone and leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me."

Later, when they had hiked down the trail to the bottom of the cliff they met another party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff. One of them shouted out, "Hey, you guys! Anybody lose a contact lens?" Well, that would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it? An ant was moving slowly across a twig on the face of the rock, carrying it!

The story doesn't end there. Lori's father is a cartoonist. When she told him the incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he drew a cartoon of an ant lugging that contact lens with the caption, "Lord, I don't know why You want me to carry this thing. I can't eat it, and it's awfully heavy. But if this is what You want me to do, I'll carry it for You." I think it would do all of us some good to say, "God, I don't know why You want me to carry this load. I can see no good in it and it's awfully heavy. But, if You want me to carry it, I will."

God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

TENDER MERCIES

Last night, working on a prompting, I took Ryder into the doctor just to have his ears checked. Sure enough, both ears were infected. His tubes fell out about 2 months ago, and I was hoping that he had outgrown this problem. Guess not.

On the way home, my right ear started hurting. I thought it was just sympathy pains for Ryder. As each hour passed, the pain became worse. After taking some Tylenol, then 2 hours later Ibuprofen; I was able to sleep. I slept for 30 minutes when I woke up with excruciating pain radiating down my jaw and to the nerves of my teeth. I prayed, boy--did I pray hard, and then I asked Bill to give me a blessing. As he was about to administer to me, my ear popped and gurgled and sounded like a witch's cauldron. The pain subsided. I prayed again.

I am grateful that Heavenly Father answers our prayers in desperate times. I am glad he is mindful of me. Another tender mercy in my life.

(Oh, BTW, the popping was my ear drum breaking. OUCH!)

LET GO AND LET GOD

I have been waiting for Ryder's birthday for a long time. When we found out he had autism, I told myself to give it until his 5th birthday--to push really hard with therapies and dr appointments, etc. I feel like I have done everything within my power to help him. Now it is time to "Let go, and let God".

Ryder doesn't show much emotion, but he did show a side to him on his birthday that I have never seen before. It was a wonderful birthday present to me on his special day.

We decided to take the kids to a park that we had never been to before. When we arrived, the kids exploded out of the van and ran to the swings. I hoisted Ryder up into the toddler swing and started pushing him. I must have pushed him too high, because he actually spoke. He wasn't too happy, but he said, "Mama--Noooo Noooo--Mama!" I was stunned. I quickly stopped pushing him and got him out of the swing. (I had to squelch the desire to push him even higher just to hear him speak again!) I took him over to a blanket that we had spread out on the ground. I had my camera and started taking some pictures. He was so attentive and alert, it was wonderful to see this side of him. I said, "Smile for the camera!" and he kept giving these cheesy smiles. Everytime we would put the camera in front of his face, he would smile.

He was happy on this day. And so were we.

These are moments that are so cherished and so rare.