SWEET SIXTEEN

It's a big day tomorrow!  Joshua is turning sixteen!  Our efforts  to celebrate his birthday a day earlier with a fun lake day with jet skiing and tubing grew a little soggy in the constant rain at Lake Placid.  What was supposed to be a party on the dock wound up being an indoor party.  We were all together and it was fun and filled with laughs,  just not what we had planned.

Sixteen years ago when Joshua was born, it began the same way.  It was a celebration, but not what we had planned.  What an extraordinary journey it has been to see this beautiful boy grow into a young man.

 I wish I could have been better prepared for that happy day.  How could I know then that he would teach me more about life and love than anyone in this world.  And, that knowing him would make me a much better person.

 Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."  I believe Joshua sees God everyday.  I don't know about you, but I want that kind of heart.  I have so much to learn from him.  And not just him, but all special needs kids and adults.  If we could all just see through the eyes of God.  This is my prayer each day.

Happy Birthday, Joshua!!!!  God has given you a unique ability to touch hearts.  I thank God because you touch mine everyday.  I love you so much. 



Benjamin

I haven't blogged in forever - and I mean forever.   But, I am starting back up because of a boy named Benjamin.  I met his dad today.  My family and I went to Echo today to their farm day.  While waiting on a family member I began to talk to the gentleman next to me.   We made small talk for ten minutes till I mentioned my son, Joshua.  I explained to him Joshua's special needs and he became very quiet.  He spoke in an almost hushed voice as if revealing a painful, sacred secret. "My son has recently developed .... "  And, he told me the long medical name of the mental condition that had been developing in his son progressively the past two years.   Benjamin was becoming a different person before his eyes and it was scary and sad.  He talked about how he keeps comparing Benjamin to other kids his age and that just triggers more pain.

My family member returned and I promised the man I would pray for him and his son.  I reminded him to see his son through the eyes of Jesus.  Benjamin is a beautiful person and doesn't have to be like anyone else.  Please pray for this family.  They walk unknown territory everyday.  They are the bravest of the brave.  I pray they know they have a God who will walk with them through this journey - as He walks with me through mine.

 

 

 

The Middle of Nowhere

I love being in the middle of nowhere.  Lately it's just been a good place for Joshua and me.

 

We love watching sunsets!

 

Beautiful oaks near LaBelle and more nowhere places in North Carolina.

  There is a place in us that only God can see and hear.  In the quietness of the moment, that realization crosses our mind and suddenly we are aware that we are not alone.  Nowhere becomes a real place where God comes and dwells with us and once again we enjoy the beauty of simply being with Him ... in the middle nowhere. 

We are still nowhere and loving it - more nowhere pictures to come.

JOSHUA AND FAMILY IN GOLDSBORO

After spending a month in and out of hotels and with family;  Allan, Joshua and I are in a town home in Goldsboro which we rent from a Mr. Thomas.  We call this place the "Thomas Trap" partly because we feel stuck in this rather dingy, dark place which appeared a lot cleaner when we first saw it, but the electricity was not turned on so that was our first mistake.  I spent two days cleaning someone elses dirt.  I am too clean.

 There is no yard and we have our 70 pound dog along with kitty.  So dog duty and searching for a good litter box spot are a continuing factor. Did I mention that we are right by the air force base which I don't mind, but our dog is terrified of the sounds from their  "practice" shooting.  If there is any noise when I try to walk her, she bolts back for the house.

My bright spot is the pool right by the town home and we usually have it all to ourselves.  I thank God every time I swim - only He know how therapeutic swimming is for Joshua and me.!!!

Since we don't plan to be here very long we are picking up cheap things to use around the house.  So Joshua and I have been hitting the thrift shops.  Joshua is a very "hands on" kid so shopping with him is challenging.  But, we have done well from our $19 table complete with gum under it to our $5 sunflower picture.

I remember all the fun things we have done this month from hiking in NC mountains to surfing in Melbourne Bch.  We have spent a lot of time at the beach with family and friends swimming, surfing and hanging out!  We played in streams in the mountains and saw deer and saw baby turtles make their way to the ocean.

Joshua is a trooper, though I know he is wondering when we will be going back home, and for the first time, I miss our old house.  I sometimes question if we did the right thing by selling our house.  I think it's not the actual house, but the memories and familiarity of a place we lived for 12 years that I miss. 

When I was walking through the stores in the historic area of St Augustine, I saw a little plague that read, "Home is where your mom is."  Moms work hard to make a house a home by pouring out a lot of love and sacrifice and I hope I am doing that wherever our family finds ourselves be it temporary or permanent.

I guess God has us here right now for a reason.  Joshua and I continue to work on learning more sign language on the computer.  We are still looking at real estate on line for a house near Fort Myers.  We are slowing down our pace and continue to try to live one day at a time and be thankful, although I just heard they are closing the pool after Labor Day. :(

Sometimes it's easy to get discouraged and tired in our walk of faith.  My new prayer is Psalm 119:32 " I will not merely walk, but run the way of Your commandments, when You give me a heart that is willing. "   How great to know that He's helping my hard heart to become a willing heart.  Willing to follow Him and walk in His ways.  Keep us in your prayers as we go through all of these changes and continue to take one day at a time; especially after Labor Day!

Where is Home?

Our family just moved from our home of 12 years.  This was a dramatic change for Joshua and the rest of the family.  When you move, everything is foreign and you long for familiarity and stability.  We have been in a hotel room for the past week looking for a place to live temporarily in North Carolina.  Next week we will be searching for a house in Florida to call our permanent residence.

This experience has caused us all to examine our own lives and determine the direction in which we believe that God is leading.  It has also opened my eyes to see the beautiful presence of God in every situation.  Even though I am in a new place I am also on familiar ground, spiritually speaking, because I read in Romans 8: 38-39 that nothing can separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus.  Nothing! Not even being in an unfamiliar place with people I don't know.


I am amazed and humbled by the people God has brought into my life that have ministered to me in His name.  My friend, Betty cleaned my house one day while a number of other friends picked up every stick of furniture I own and put it into a truck for storage.  My friend, Liza was with me everyday, determined to help me get 12 years of living out of the house.  She is still keeping my dog for me also.  People brought me meals, played with Joshua, encouraged and supported me emotionally.  (There were tears.)  Too many friends to name volunteered, all receiving nothing, but giving anyway.  (Well, there was pizza and doughnuts :))))

I"m hoping this new move will allow me to spend more time helping Joshua.  Our goal is to become much more fluent in sign language and in our use of technology for communication for those who are nonverbal like Joshua.

Moving or change, though difficult doesn't have to be a bad thing.  This morning I read a verse  in Isaiah that is perfect for my  family and I am going to write it on a card and put it on my refrigerator wherever that may be in the near future.

Isaiah 43:19  Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it, and will you not give heed to it?  I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

My prayers is that wherever we are we will always remember that God is with us each moment and when we walk with Him ... we are at home.

PROGRESS?

Some days just seem to run together even though they are full of same and different things.  Slices of life are served up too quickly with an original generic fleeting taste.  Halt the process dear Father in heaven until the juice of truth saturates this frail heart ever holding on.

 

Please pray for Joshua to grow and learn and be all God wants him to be and to be filled with His Spirit.  His mom can always use prayer too!  :)

Blogless in Brevard

For those of you who follow my blog, (a few people I hope, maybe my sister :)) I apologize for not writing anything for the past month.  I'll blame it on computer complications and etc...  Really the time has flown and by the time I get Joshua in bed my brain slips into neutral and that's it for the night.

Joshua started a new school and it has been good for him and for me.  This is a Christian private school that wants to especially help students who may not fit perfectly into a public school.  And, they are so happy he is there and tell me wonderful, positive things about him everyday.!!

You would think I would have so much more time on my hands with him in school for a few hours a day, but there seems to always be a myriad of things to do.  With Allan so busy with his job, a lot of things fall into my lap.  However, I don't want to complain because God takes such good care of us every single day and we are blessed abundantly beyond what we could ask or think!!

watching "Tangled"

This past weekend we had some family come spend the night and I would like to tell you about two little girls that love Joshua and that he loves also.  Trinia and Joyah are my niece, Kristen's daughters.  I think their ages are almost 2 and 5.  They both have beautiful golden hair and contagious smiles.

three on a skateboard

What I love most about Trinia and Joyah is that they teach others how to love unconditionally.  To them Joshua is not a person with special needs, but someone who is fun to be with and they have a great time together.  Joyah told her mom that Joshua "rocks" (literally) "and I like that".

family fun!

I wish  we could all love and accept others like little children do.  Jesus tells us in the Bible to be like that and to come to Him as a child. It was a little like heaven this weekend, and ... I'm still savoring the memories.