I want to wish a very Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I probably will not have a chance to blog the next few days. Tomorrow will be very busy and on Saturday I will be giving my daughter-in-law Phyllis a shower. They know for sure now that they will be leaving for China on the 6th of December and returning on the 20th. If all goes on schedule, they will have their son in their arms the 8th of December. Oh happy day!!!
I have so many things for which to be thankful. First and foremost, I am thankful for my salvation. I am so glad that God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for me. When I was seven years old, I knelt beside our bathtub, and with my mom's guidance, I accepted Jesus Christ as my own personal Saviour. The most wonderful thing in the world is knowing that some day I will be in heaven with Him.
I am thankful for a hard-working godly husband, six beautiful children, and 10 (soon to be 11) grandchildren. I am thankful for terrific friends. I am thankful for food on my table, a roof over my head, and shoes on my feet. I am glad that I have a God who hears and answers my prayers. I am especially thankful for my Bible, that has all the answers to life's problems. It is through His word that He speaks to me. We serve a living Saviour!
Thank you dear God, for all you have given me!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
We Continue to Teach
A few months ago, when our Pastor asked someone to read a Bible verse, Trent volunteered. I was shocked at how poorly he read, and how poorly he pronounced words that I knew he could pronounce. Don and I had been noticing a decline in his abilities and, quite frankly, it scared me. I have known for sometime that there is a connection between Down Syndrome and Alzheimer's, and since my mother had Alzheimer's, it only makes me more anxious. I think, though, that I have discovered the reason for the decline.
As we parents get older (and more worn out), we no longer feel like teaching our child with special needs. Somehow we feel like we should be finished with that part of our lives. I became busy with other things--good things--things such as serving God in our local church and reaching out to parents who have children with special needs. In doing that, I neglected my own son. It was just a few weeks ago that I realized something needed to be done.
I began to have him read to me a few times a week and then I ask him questions about what he has read. I also encourage him to pronounce the words correctly. In just a few weeks time, I have seen a great improvement.
Last week I saw a mom in the grocery store who also has a son with Down Syndrome. I hadn't seen her for years. Chuckie is four years older than Trent. Her words to me were, "Chuckie has really gone down. He doesn't do as well as he use to do." I think that we just accept that fact that because their life expectancy is shorter than ours is, this decline in their mental ability is normal. I told her of our experience and what I was doing with Trent and that he was already showing some improvement.
Quite frankly, there is not much out in the world for our children with special needs. Of course there is special rec, and there are some jobs available. But the jobs and the recreation are usually just a few hours a week, leaving our children with many hours of doing nothing worth any value whatsoever. The four hours Trent works a week enables him to bring home a paycheck, which he loves, but it does nothing to motivate him. Let's face it! If we don't use it, we lose it! Our children need to be mentally challenged!
Look for a church that has a special needs ministry. Trent always learned well under the pastor's preaching and teaching, but our own special needs Sunday School class has helped him also. We have only a few in attendance, but it gives us time to discuss some of the things that are pertinent in their lives. If there is an opportunity, let your child serve in the church somewhere, even if you have to walk alongside of him to train him.
I want to encourage parents of grown children to constantly work with them. Have them read. Ask them questions. Make them count money. I am going to have Trent go grocery shopping with me as he use to and give him a certain amount to spend. In short, everything I taught him when he was young, I must continue to review. I guess we are home schooling again, in an abbreviated form.
Once a mother, always a mother!! I'm glad that I am needed! Never will I be able to use the words, "I'm bored!" Praise God!
As we parents get older (and more worn out), we no longer feel like teaching our child with special needs. Somehow we feel like we should be finished with that part of our lives. I became busy with other things--good things--things such as serving God in our local church and reaching out to parents who have children with special needs. In doing that, I neglected my own son. It was just a few weeks ago that I realized something needed to be done.
I began to have him read to me a few times a week and then I ask him questions about what he has read. I also encourage him to pronounce the words correctly. In just a few weeks time, I have seen a great improvement.
Last week I saw a mom in the grocery store who also has a son with Down Syndrome. I hadn't seen her for years. Chuckie is four years older than Trent. Her words to me were, "Chuckie has really gone down. He doesn't do as well as he use to do." I think that we just accept that fact that because their life expectancy is shorter than ours is, this decline in their mental ability is normal. I told her of our experience and what I was doing with Trent and that he was already showing some improvement.
Quite frankly, there is not much out in the world for our children with special needs. Of course there is special rec, and there are some jobs available. But the jobs and the recreation are usually just a few hours a week, leaving our children with many hours of doing nothing worth any value whatsoever. The four hours Trent works a week enables him to bring home a paycheck, which he loves, but it does nothing to motivate him. Let's face it! If we don't use it, we lose it! Our children need to be mentally challenged!
Look for a church that has a special needs ministry. Trent always learned well under the pastor's preaching and teaching, but our own special needs Sunday School class has helped him also. We have only a few in attendance, but it gives us time to discuss some of the things that are pertinent in their lives. If there is an opportunity, let your child serve in the church somewhere, even if you have to walk alongside of him to train him.
I want to encourage parents of grown children to constantly work with them. Have them read. Ask them questions. Make them count money. I am going to have Trent go grocery shopping with me as he use to and give him a certain amount to spend. In short, everything I taught him when he was young, I must continue to review. I guess we are home schooling again, in an abbreviated form.
Once a mother, always a mother!! I'm glad that I am needed! Never will I be able to use the words, "I'm bored!" Praise God!
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Please Pray for Bill!
Yesterday I received news that one of our Wonderfully Made people from our former church is in the hospital with a bowel obstruction. The doctors expected that she would not make it beyond Sunday. She is in a coma.
Diane is in her 50's and the best way to describe her is that she is a little mentally slow, and yet has been able to function in a "normal" world. Until recent years, she was able to hold down a full time job. She is also able to drive. Diane is married to Bill who is in his 60's. Bill had a stroke as a young child and it left him with a permanent mental disability. About two years ago, Diane had a recurrence of a hernia that the doctors refused to operate on until she lost some weight, and in spite of how hard she tried, she hadn't lost enough. It seems the hernia caused other problems, and then a bowel obstruction. She was rushed to the hospital on Friday, with great pain and with her blood pressure being extremely low and now she is in a coma. Only the immediate family can see her, and they believe she has brain damage.
My heart is broken--not only because I will miss Diane, but because Bill will be lost without her. Diane drove him everywhere and helped him in everything that he did. In spite of her limitations, she did a good job of taking care of him. They dearly loved each other. Please pray for him, as he will probably have to go to a nursing home when Diane is gone. My heart aches for those who have special needs when there is no one left to take care of them. I always relate it to our own son Trent. Oh how we need some good Christian homes! In spite of everything we have done, we are at a standstill. We need a couple with the same faith and the same desires that we have to be on our board so that we can file for a not-for-profit license. That is the first step and we can go no further until that is done. We have prayed and God has not yet opened that door. Please pray with us.
Diane was a happy, lively individual who one couldn't help but love. I know that when she leaves this earth, she will go to be with her Jesus! Praise God! Bill knows the Lord too, but what a difficult time ahead he faces! Only the great Comforter can help him.
Please keep praying that God will send us the people we need to help us out in this ministry to which God has called us.
Diane is in her 50's and the best way to describe her is that she is a little mentally slow, and yet has been able to function in a "normal" world. Until recent years, she was able to hold down a full time job. She is also able to drive. Diane is married to Bill who is in his 60's. Bill had a stroke as a young child and it left him with a permanent mental disability. About two years ago, Diane had a recurrence of a hernia that the doctors refused to operate on until she lost some weight, and in spite of how hard she tried, she hadn't lost enough. It seems the hernia caused other problems, and then a bowel obstruction. She was rushed to the hospital on Friday, with great pain and with her blood pressure being extremely low and now she is in a coma. Only the immediate family can see her, and they believe she has brain damage.
My heart is broken--not only because I will miss Diane, but because Bill will be lost without her. Diane drove him everywhere and helped him in everything that he did. In spite of her limitations, she did a good job of taking care of him. They dearly loved each other. Please pray for him, as he will probably have to go to a nursing home when Diane is gone. My heart aches for those who have special needs when there is no one left to take care of them. I always relate it to our own son Trent. Oh how we need some good Christian homes! In spite of everything we have done, we are at a standstill. We need a couple with the same faith and the same desires that we have to be on our board so that we can file for a not-for-profit license. That is the first step and we can go no further until that is done. We have prayed and God has not yet opened that door. Please pray with us.
Diane was a happy, lively individual who one couldn't help but love. I know that when she leaves this earth, she will go to be with her Jesus! Praise God! Bill knows the Lord too, but what a difficult time ahead he faces! Only the great Comforter can help him.
Please keep praying that God will send us the people we need to help us out in this ministry to which God has called us.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Matthew Will Be Here Soon!!
We found out yesterday that Chet and Phyllis will be leaving for China around the 6th of December. That means they should be back around the 18th! What a Christmas present!
When my children were growing up, I had a song that I sang to the boys before they went to bed. It was a song I had heard on a record when I was young. I continued to sing this to my grandsons (and the words can be changed to cowgirl for the girls). It wasn't long ago that when my nine-year-old grandson Andrew stayed overnight, he said, "Grandma, please sing the cowboy song to me again." Our only daughter, the second from the oldest of our children, sang it to her boys; in fact, she recorded it on a teddy bear that her youngest son, Landen, made.
I thought it was so precious that this little "tradition" has carried on. I'm sure I'll have the opportunity to sing it to Matthew.
It goes like this:
Good night daddy's little cowboy,
It's time to round up a dream.
So good night daddy's little cowboy,
Hitch up your sky riding team.
The Lord is the driver and all the night through,
He'll help you round up a dream to come true.
So goodnight daddy's little cowboy,
It's time to round up a dream.
I always let my children and grandchildren finish the last two words.
I sing "It's time to round up..."
And they say, "a deam!" Cute, huh?
Matthew, your grandma looks forward to singing this song to you.
When my children were growing up, I had a song that I sang to the boys before they went to bed. It was a song I had heard on a record when I was young. I continued to sing this to my grandsons (and the words can be changed to cowgirl for the girls). It wasn't long ago that when my nine-year-old grandson Andrew stayed overnight, he said, "Grandma, please sing the cowboy song to me again." Our only daughter, the second from the oldest of our children, sang it to her boys; in fact, she recorded it on a teddy bear that her youngest son, Landen, made.
I thought it was so precious that this little "tradition" has carried on. I'm sure I'll have the opportunity to sing it to Matthew.
It goes like this:
Good night daddy's little cowboy,
It's time to round up a dream.
So good night daddy's little cowboy,
Hitch up your sky riding team.
The Lord is the driver and all the night through,
He'll help you round up a dream to come true.
So goodnight daddy's little cowboy,
It's time to round up a dream.
I always let my children and grandchildren finish the last two words.
I sing "It's time to round up..."
And they say, "a deam!" Cute, huh?
Matthew, your grandma looks forward to singing this song to you.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Without Faith It Is Impossible To Please God
Last week I had the privilege of teaching the Ladies Bible Study. The subject was "Why do I keep going around that same mountain?" We studied the Israelites and the reasons why they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years when the trip should have taken days. Then we looked at the relevance of their wanderings (or going around the mountain) to our own lives.
Just days before my teaching on this subject, we had three discouraging things happen to us. On Tuesday my husband came home and told me that he would be laid off after the first of the year, leaving us without medical insurance. On Wednesday, Trent and I were rear ended while coming home from the chiropractor's office. (How ironic!) We both suffer from neck, head and back injuries, but are thankful to God because it could have been a lot worse. Then we received some bad news from one of our sons. My faith started to quaver and I could almost hear the Holy Spirit say, "Sure, go ahead Cindy. Teach the women how to stop going around that mountain while you take another trip around it!"
As we study the Israelites, we see how they grumble and complain at everything that happens instead of trusting God. This scenario keeps repeating itself. Each time God becomes angry, but Moses goes to bat for them and God forgives and answers Moses' plea. When the spies were sent to check out the promised land, they came back with their reports. Yes, the land was great, the fruit was spectacular and surely the land was flowing with milk and honey just as God had said, BUT...the people were giants. They were afraid to go into the land because (Number 13:33) "...we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight...." What was this? It was a LACK of FAITH! The result was that the people had to wander for 40 years and anyone 20 years of age or older would die during that time, never entering the promise land. Caleb and Joshua were to be the only exception, because they had faith and trusted in God.
What a lesson that is for me! With all this uncertainty that is happening in our lives, we must have faith in God. Hebrews 11:6 says, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him...." That means that we can't even begin to please God without faith.
I think of those of you out there who have a child with special needs. If anyone needs faith in God, it is a parent of one of God's precious gifts. (And, by the way ALL children are precious gifts.) The future is unsure, and even somewhat scary at times. How wonderful it is to be a child of God and to know that He will take care of my child!
Just days before my teaching on this subject, we had three discouraging things happen to us. On Tuesday my husband came home and told me that he would be laid off after the first of the year, leaving us without medical insurance. On Wednesday, Trent and I were rear ended while coming home from the chiropractor's office. (How ironic!) We both suffer from neck, head and back injuries, but are thankful to God because it could have been a lot worse. Then we received some bad news from one of our sons. My faith started to quaver and I could almost hear the Holy Spirit say, "Sure, go ahead Cindy. Teach the women how to stop going around that mountain while you take another trip around it!"
As we study the Israelites, we see how they grumble and complain at everything that happens instead of trusting God. This scenario keeps repeating itself. Each time God becomes angry, but Moses goes to bat for them and God forgives and answers Moses' plea. When the spies were sent to check out the promised land, they came back with their reports. Yes, the land was great, the fruit was spectacular and surely the land was flowing with milk and honey just as God had said, BUT...the people were giants. They were afraid to go into the land because (Number 13:33) "...we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight...." What was this? It was a LACK of FAITH! The result was that the people had to wander for 40 years and anyone 20 years of age or older would die during that time, never entering the promise land. Caleb and Joshua were to be the only exception, because they had faith and trusted in God.
What a lesson that is for me! With all this uncertainty that is happening in our lives, we must have faith in God. Hebrews 11:6 says, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him...." That means that we can't even begin to please God without faith.
I think of those of you out there who have a child with special needs. If anyone needs faith in God, it is a parent of one of God's precious gifts. (And, by the way ALL children are precious gifts.) The future is unsure, and even somewhat scary at times. How wonderful it is to be a child of God and to know that He will take care of my child!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Matthew Wyatt--What a Blessing!!
Yesterday, the school where my daughter-in-law teaches, had a baby shower for her. It was such a joy to share that experience with her, and a special experience it was.
Phyllis and my son Chet have been married for 12 1/2 years. They both LOVE children and the children love them. They have wanted children for a long time, but God has had them on hold. In a few weeks they will leave to pick up 16-month-old Matthew Wyatt in China.
At the end of the shower, Phyllis thanked everybody. With tears in her eyes she said, "I just can't believe this is for me!" How many, many showers she has attended over the years and this time the shower was for her. I cant' even begin to imagine the joy she felt! I know the joy I feel as the grandma-to-be of this very blessed little boy. I also think of how many lives my two wonderful children, Chet and Phyllis have influenced. I have no doubt that they will be great parents and will continue to go on influencing the lives of other children. May God bless them! We love you Chet, Phyllis and Matthew!
Phyllis and my son Chet have been married for 12 1/2 years. They both LOVE children and the children love them. They have wanted children for a long time, but God has had them on hold. In a few weeks they will leave to pick up 16-month-old Matthew Wyatt in China.
At the end of the shower, Phyllis thanked everybody. With tears in her eyes she said, "I just can't believe this is for me!" How many, many showers she has attended over the years and this time the shower was for her. I cant' even begin to imagine the joy she felt! I know the joy I feel as the grandma-to-be of this very blessed little boy. I also think of how many lives my two wonderful children, Chet and Phyllis have influenced. I have no doubt that they will be great parents and will continue to go on influencing the lives of other children. May God bless them! We love you Chet, Phyllis and Matthew!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Veterans Day
Today is Veterans Day! I hope that everyone takes the time to thank a vet who served our country. What a wonderful life of freedom we have had, thanks be to God and to those who so willingly gave of themselves. Some made the ultimate sacrifice by giving their lives. Many came back physically and emotionally mangled and scarred for life.
Thank you to all who served this wonderful country and so freely gave of themselves so that we could enjoy our lives!
Thank you to all who served this wonderful country and so freely gave of themselves so that we could enjoy our lives!
Monday, November 10, 2008
Wonderful Sunday!
What a day we had in church yesterday! We had 20 some men from the Pacific Garden Mission come to our church to sing and give their testimonies. What an experience to see the joy on their faces as they sang praises of our wonderful God!
When my dad was a pastor on the south side of Chicago, we went to Pacific Garden Mission once a month. My dad preached and I sang. I was only about seven years old, but I remember it so well. What a lesson that was for me! My wonderful dad taught me how to serve God at a very young age. He has been with the Lord for 24 years now and I look forward to the day I will see him and my mom again.
When my dad was a pastor on the south side of Chicago, we went to Pacific Garden Mission once a month. My dad preached and I sang. I was only about seven years old, but I remember it so well. What a lesson that was for me! My wonderful dad taught me how to serve God at a very young age. He has been with the Lord for 24 years now and I look forward to the day I will see him and my mom again.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
What A Day That Will Be!
Some years ago, a very precious friend of mine told me that her daughter, who was about nine at the time, asked her the following question.
"Will Trent have Down Syndrome when he gets to heaven?"
Trent, on several occasions has said to me, "I hate having Down Syndrome." This was said when his Down Syndrome had limited him or people had made fun of him.
I always reply, "You won't have Down Syndrome when you get to heaven."
We will all be HEALED when we get to heaven. We will all be perfect in heaven--no more aches and pains--no more problems. And yes, those who have had life-long disabilities will be healed!!! And best of all, we will see Jesus--the one who died for all! What a day that will be!!
"Will Trent have Down Syndrome when he gets to heaven?"
Trent, on several occasions has said to me, "I hate having Down Syndrome." This was said when his Down Syndrome had limited him or people had made fun of him.
I always reply, "You won't have Down Syndrome when you get to heaven."
We will all be HEALED when we get to heaven. We will all be perfect in heaven--no more aches and pains--no more problems. And yes, those who have had life-long disabilities will be healed!!! And best of all, we will see Jesus--the one who died for all! What a day that will be!!
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