Apr 28, 2009
Apr 26, 2009
ABC-Autism Class Potluck Dinner
To be quite honest, there have been so many things going on in life right now, that I couldn't bring myself to write. I'm going to try to work through this over the next few days, and catch up here.
Trent has gone to school through the public ISD system since he was 3 years old. He turned 10 a few weeks ago. Thursday, was the ABC Class potluck dinner. They have this dinner every year, and we haven't missed one yet. My potluck contribution is the same, year after year. $5 Fast and Ready Pizza from Little Caesar's! Real creative cooking!
The ABC Class is the autistic or mentally challenged group of children. The cafeteria at the school was packed, so that tells you how many of these children attend our school. Children in our school district, but are zoned to other elementary schools attend this school for their special needs.
Next year, other elementary schools will open and have the ability to meet the children's needs. I am very sad to see the class of children that Trent has been with since he was three years old, split. All of us parents are stressed over the idea. The children don't realize what is about to happen. When they return to school next year, their worlds will have changed.
Families of all types have children with special needs. There are all type of ethnic groups, and economic groups that attend Trent's school. Since we live next to Texas A & M University, there are children from all over the world in our neighborhood. I have seen that professors and students from other countries that are attending the university are not immune to the autism disorder.
This year was the first year that I was able to watch the slide show presentation of our children throughout the year without crying. I choked back the tears for a brief moment, but was able to pull myself together. I question why I want to cry. Is it sadness for my own child, or sadness for each of these children.
I sat surrounded by other parents with the same battles as my own, but yet, it is still a lonely place to have a child with special needs. Perhaps it is lonely, because I feel the loneliness of my child. He has had some HUGE battles fitting in different places this year.
I watched the slide show and studied the children's faces, and the varying expressions. Some of the children are full of expression and smile, connection made. Others have blank eyes, looking at the camera, but holding no expression on their face. How come there are so many levels of autism? What makes one child with autism finally connect, and another struggle to do so?
The children have grown so much. It amazes me how much I know these children that I hardly communicate with, but isn't that somehow like it is with us and God? He knows his children even when we don't speak audibly with him. We know Him without words. We know his spirit, and his presence without a verbal word.
Trent has gone to school through the public ISD system since he was 3 years old. He turned 10 a few weeks ago. Thursday, was the ABC Class potluck dinner. They have this dinner every year, and we haven't missed one yet. My potluck contribution is the same, year after year. $5 Fast and Ready Pizza from Little Caesar's! Real creative cooking!
The ABC Class is the autistic or mentally challenged group of children. The cafeteria at the school was packed, so that tells you how many of these children attend our school. Children in our school district, but are zoned to other elementary schools attend this school for their special needs.
Next year, other elementary schools will open and have the ability to meet the children's needs. I am very sad to see the class of children that Trent has been with since he was three years old, split. All of us parents are stressed over the idea. The children don't realize what is about to happen. When they return to school next year, their worlds will have changed.
Families of all types have children with special needs. There are all type of ethnic groups, and economic groups that attend Trent's school. Since we live next to Texas A & M University, there are children from all over the world in our neighborhood. I have seen that professors and students from other countries that are attending the university are not immune to the autism disorder.
This year was the first year that I was able to watch the slide show presentation of our children throughout the year without crying. I choked back the tears for a brief moment, but was able to pull myself together. I question why I want to cry. Is it sadness for my own child, or sadness for each of these children.
I sat surrounded by other parents with the same battles as my own, but yet, it is still a lonely place to have a child with special needs. Perhaps it is lonely, because I feel the loneliness of my child. He has had some HUGE battles fitting in different places this year.
I watched the slide show and studied the children's faces, and the varying expressions. Some of the children are full of expression and smile, connection made. Others have blank eyes, looking at the camera, but holding no expression on their face. How come there are so many levels of autism? What makes one child with autism finally connect, and another struggle to do so?
The children have grown so much. It amazes me how much I know these children that I hardly communicate with, but isn't that somehow like it is with us and God? He knows his children even when we don't speak audibly with him. We know Him without words. We know his spirit, and his presence without a verbal word.
Apr 7, 2009
Apr 2, 2009
Your Time Is MY Time
I have an obsession with coupons! It is a mindless hobby that has cut my grocery bill from $1,200 a month to about $400 a month! With 6 boys, 5 living at home, it became a necessity to use coupons this summer. I like cutting, organizing, and hunting coupons! I place them in organized baseball card holder sleeves that are held in a 3", three ring binder. The binder is bulging!
Saturday, I thought I would sit at the park and place my coupons in the binder while the boys played. I really study the coupons and the details of each one. No sooner than I had started, I clearly heard the Lord telling me to, "Be quite!" Not that I was making any out loud noise, but while organizing my coupons I am thinking about the store sale ads for the week, and how much each coupon is worth at Kroger when it is doubled or tripled. I'm thinking about the price of different items, when the product was on sale last, and if I think it will be on sale again before the coupon expiration date.
"Oh, I'll just finish the toothpaste products before putting the book away," I thought to myself.
"Be quite. Quiet your mind, Katherine," God said. I gently laid my hands down and closed my eyes.
"Be quiet. Stop thinking. Stop the meaningless, clutter talk in your mind and rest," God said. So, I did. I closed the book and walked towards my car to put the book away.
The weather was just perfect. The sky was beautiful with the sun setting. The wind faintly blowing. As I walked towards the car in silence, God spoke to me again. He said, "Your time is MY time."
"Oh, wow, you're right, God." I committed to following His calling on my life as a writer, and how quick and easy it is to fill my mind with clutter. If my mind is not clear to listen to Him, and if it is not rested, I can't do what He has asked me to do. Write.
Yesterdays message, "Take Five," was really the predecessor to today's word from my God. "Take Five, but remember, this time that you're calling your own, is really MY time." I don't take it as a selfish demand of God. It's an understanding that I have from Him. I asked Him to let me write for Him. He said that it was in His plan all along. I realize that I have no ability to write outside of Him providing the way for me. It isn't my talent. I'm just willing.
So many times I see my relationship between me and my children reflected in my relationship with me and my God. I ask them to do something, and they say, "Hang on. One more minute."
I was telling God the same thing when I just wanted to place one more item in the coupon book.
When He asks me to do something, I should give him the same respect that I expect from my children, an immediate reaction. Every minute is His minute!
Saturday, I thought I would sit at the park and place my coupons in the binder while the boys played. I really study the coupons and the details of each one. No sooner than I had started, I clearly heard the Lord telling me to, "Be quite!" Not that I was making any out loud noise, but while organizing my coupons I am thinking about the store sale ads for the week, and how much each coupon is worth at Kroger when it is doubled or tripled. I'm thinking about the price of different items, when the product was on sale last, and if I think it will be on sale again before the coupon expiration date.
"Oh, I'll just finish the toothpaste products before putting the book away," I thought to myself.
"Be quite. Quiet your mind, Katherine," God said. I gently laid my hands down and closed my eyes.
"Be quiet. Stop thinking. Stop the meaningless, clutter talk in your mind and rest," God said. So, I did. I closed the book and walked towards my car to put the book away.
The weather was just perfect. The sky was beautiful with the sun setting. The wind faintly blowing. As I walked towards the car in silence, God spoke to me again. He said, "Your time is MY time."
"Oh, wow, you're right, God." I committed to following His calling on my life as a writer, and how quick and easy it is to fill my mind with clutter. If my mind is not clear to listen to Him, and if it is not rested, I can't do what He has asked me to do. Write.
Yesterdays message, "Take Five," was really the predecessor to today's word from my God. "Take Five, but remember, this time that you're calling your own, is really MY time." I don't take it as a selfish demand of God. It's an understanding that I have from Him. I asked Him to let me write for Him. He said that it was in His plan all along. I realize that I have no ability to write outside of Him providing the way for me. It isn't my talent. I'm just willing.
So many times I see my relationship between me and my children reflected in my relationship with me and my God. I ask them to do something, and they say, "Hang on. One more minute."
I was telling God the same thing when I just wanted to place one more item in the coupon book.
When He asks me to do something, I should give him the same respect that I expect from my children, an immediate reaction. Every minute is His minute!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
