"Brats," "idiots," and "morons." These are a few of the words that WOR New York Radio commentator Michael Savage used to describe children with Autism. He also called Autism a "fraud and a racket." (See Fox News: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,387662,00.html).
I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that Michael Savage doesn't have a child with Autism or have an intimate relationship with anyone living with it. If he did, he would have weighed his words much more carefully. (He is now backpedaling and saying that kids who are misdiagnosed with autism are the "brats, morons and idiots." But I object to calling any child such vile things.)
Here is his retraction:
"My comments about autism were meant to boldly awaken parents and children to the medical community's attempt to label too many children or adults as "autistic." Just as some drug companies have overdiagnosed "ADD" and "ADHD" to peddle dangerous speed-like drugs to children as young as 4 years of age, this cartel of doctors and drug companies is now creating a national panic by overdiagnosing "autism" for which there is no definitive medical diagnosis!"
Really?
Obviously, he has no idea how difficult it is to obtain a diagnosis of Autism. He has no idea the pain we went through for four years trying to get doctors to listen to us and notice the self-injury our twin sons were doing to themselves when they banged their heads on concrete sidewalks and bore scars of bite marks they gave to themselves and each other.
He is going to awaken us to a misdiagnosis? Uhm, when my children were screaming nonstop from the time they woke up in the morning until they fell asleep exhausted at night, I had a little bit of a clue that something wasn't right about my children. I didn't need to be awakened. I didn't even really need a diagnosis to know that something was wrong. I needed the diagnosis to be able to help them appropriately.
It's the medical community that needs to be awakened. There's a generation of kids whose nervous systems are wrong and families who are drowning just trying to survive the next five minutes. We want to know why.
I challenge Michael Savage to come spend a day with a child with Autism and then tell me who the moron is. Come tell a mother of a child who bangs his head and bites himself and screams everytime something is out of place that the diagnosis of Autism is just a racket for her to get some money. What money? I want to know where the money is! If it's a scam and a racket -- why aren't families with Autism rolling in the dough? Why are their houses mortgaged three times to pay for therapy? WHERE IS THAT MONEY?
If Michael Savage has true answers to the Autism thing, then I welcome it! I want it! Because Autism has stolen much from me, my family, my marriage, my other children, and my children with Autism. I want to recoup that loss. I want to look into my handsome boys' faces and know they are going to grow up and fulfill all their dreams. I want to see them behind those blank looks, looking back at me with their presence, not their emptiness.
It must make Michael Savage feel mighty important to pick on people who can't speak for themselves. I didn't hear my boys speak for eight years. It was eight years before they could say Mama. It was eight years before they were out of diapers. It was eight years of cleaning feces off the walls, and facing urine soaked pajamas and beds every single morning. Wake me up? How much more awake do I need to be to deal with such things?
Tonight on the Larry King Live show, Glenn Beck was the host (filling in for Larry). I'm not a Larry King fan, but I am a regular Glenn Beck watcher, and I usually agree with much of what he says. But tonight it was clear to me that the public has a misconception about how medication helps children with severe neurological disabilities.
Risperdal gave us our life back.
Glenn Beck purports that medication will change their personality. On the contrary, medication gave my sons the ability to stop screaming and begin living. I am thankful every single day for that medication. Without it, they would not have made the progress they have made. Without it, they would not have been able to be themselves at all. They'd still be sitting in a corner rocking, screaming, biting and hitting their head against the wall. My boys are two of the blessed ones. Many, many children with autism have no positive results from medication at all. I thank God everyday for the people who invented Risperdal.
I have friends who never go out to eat or participate in extended family holidays because their children with Autism can't eat flour or milk products. They spend a fortune on gluten-free food to help their children. A racket so parents can get into special programs? Who would want to have to live like this? And trust me, no one is paying for these kids' special diets except the parents. There aren't any programs for that. Insurance won't pay for it.
I have another friend who is always trying new protocols to help her children with autism. It is grueling and demanding to measure this and measure that and give this supplement and not that one. She is an amazing woman with six children, two of them infants -- and she fights everyday to help her children with autism through diet and supplements and schooling them at home. (See her blog at http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/hugs4Him/564210/) She is constantly saying "no" to her children: "no" to ice cream; "no" to dessert; "no" to a slice of bread. But according to Michael Savage, we all just need to be better disciplinarians. He has no idea how many times parents of children with Autism have to say "no" to their children! "No" is a constant mantra!
And who is rolling in the dough in these family's houses? Who is doing all the hard work? Not the government. Not the medical community. How can it be a scam when we are all so alone in our fight?
Who is cheering on these moms and dads fighting for their children's lives, hoping against hope that they will find a cure, a breakthrough, a way to reach their disappearing children?
Not Michael Savage.
According to the Harvard School of Public Health the cost of caring for a person with autism for their lifetime can be as high as $3.5 million. Oh yeah, some racket us parents are involved in.
Guess what I get paid to homeschool my children with Autism?
$0.00
And have my boys with Autism made progress?
You better believe it. They have made so much progress that people who knew them before I pulled them out of the public school program they were in (another article for another time) that people don't even recognize them. They have made so much progress that people who watch TV programs on Autism tell me "how lucky" I am that they aren't as severe.
Luck had nothing to do with.
God's grace, and hard work -- without government money to pay for their education, mind you -- has allowed my boys to at least be able to go into a restaurant and blend in with other people there, to attend church, to go on field trips like other kids. Yes, they used to have severe autistic behaviors. But they aren't as severe anymore. My boys are making progress. They are joining me in my world more and more every single day.
Do we still have meltdowns? Yep. Do we still have self-injurious, aggressive behavior? Oh yeah. But it's so much better now. We have a long way to go, but we've come a long way, too.
We don't live in a perfect world, and I know that it is possible some children are misdiagnosed and may even be overmedicated. But just because a few children are doesn't mean all of them are. In fact, it just proves how ignorant people really are about disabilities, and how important it is for people to have a better awareness of what families living with disabilities are dealing with.
I am regularly overwhelmed with daily survival. My children require 24-7 supervision. I can't be spontaneous, have company over to my house, or even CLEAN my house because I have to watch my boys. I can't just decide to run to the store to get lettuce without making elaborate arrangements for their supervision.
How on earth can a lifestyle like this possibly considered a racket? (Unless of course it's the sound of the twins tearing the drywall off the walls. . .)
Michael Savage, my house bears the scars of raising these children. If I am involved in some kind of racket, please explain the holes in the walls, the ripped up linoleum, the stained carpets, and the freshly "painted" doors in my house.
At first, I was so angry at Michael Savage, I wanted to call him the same names he called my children. But then I realized, he is just ignorant. He is unaware. He simply has no clue what it means to live with Autism. I have to believe that because I can't embrace the idea that someone who really knows what this condition is like could possibly say the things he did.
So, I forgive him.
But I won't forget.
This has shown me that somehow, someway, we parents and caregivers in the trenches have to find a way to be heard. I am hoping that God will use this to bring the truth to light about this disease. We have to educate people about the truth of Autism, so that people don't embarrass themselves with their blatant ignorance of this overwhelming disorder.
But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Genesis 50:20
One of the most positive things I've done for myself this year has been to become a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW.com).
As my loyal blog readers know, I am always writing some sort of novel, especially during National Novel Writing Month (November). Right now, I'm working on a novel about a pastor's wife who rides a motorcycle. Hm, sounds familiar, doesn't it?
On May 31 I got to meet some of this country's best Christian fiction authors (all from Indiana), and I just have to share their pictures with you! Just imagine, little ol' me, rubbing shoulders with the big girls (and guys). I was star struck. Some of them were signing books, and I bought at least one from each of them. I will be reviewing them on this blog soon! (I have already read several of them!)
I have to tell you, they are some of the nicest people you'll ever meet. Not only are they gifted and talented but they are also generous. I am impressed with the way Christian authors support one another and encourage us newbies.
Left to Right: Cara Putman, Diann Hunt, Colleen Coble, Denise Hunter, Brandt Dodson
It is my privilege to introduce you to the authors who were signing books. In the near future I will be reviewing their books on this blog. I bought a lot of books that day! It was hard not to!
Cara Putman is an impressive young woman and author. Not only is she a busy wife and Mom of three beautiful children, she is also an attorney, a ministry leader, and an ACFW board member. She has written three historical romances -- a series set in Nebraska during World War II. Her fourth book is a suspense. Go to her website to purchase her books and meet this lovely woman! http://www.caraputman.com/books.shtml I purchased all three of the books below and have peeked inside and can hardly wait to finish them!
Diann Hunt is someone you fall in love with just reading the titles of her books. She claims to see the world from a slightly different angle than most, and will do just about anything for chocolate. Some of the titles she has written include Hot Flashes and Cold Cream, RV There Yet?, Hot Tropics and Cold Feet and her newest release, For Better or For Worse. I wanted to purchase all of her books, of course, but budgets being what they are, I purchased the one below. Clicking on it will take you to her website, or go to http://www.diannhunt.com/books.html . I have peeked inside this book, too, and it's hilarious. I am so looking forward to sharing it with you!
Colleen Coble is an enormously talented best-selling and award-winning author of at least 30 books. I was so excited to get to meet her and hear her speak after the book signing. And I found out that she lives about 30 minutes from my house! (But not for long, unfortunately.) So far this summer I have read two of her books: Without a Trace and Abomination. I still plan to read another book I bought that day at the book signing, Anathema. I can hardly wait. I love suspense and this is what Colleen is really good at. She jokes that once she was riding on an airplane discussing with a writer friend different ways to kill someone. The passengers were relieved when she explained to them that she was a writer! You can learn more about Colleen on her website at http://www.colleencoble.com.
Denise Hunter is an award-winning author with at least thirteen books to her credit. I thoroughly enjoyed her book, Surrender Bay and can hardly wait to read her newest release, The Convenient Groom. She lives in Indiana (like me!) with her three sons and her husband who claims to be her inspiration for her romance novels.
I am really looking forward to posting my review for Surrender Bay. It is a book that has stuck with me. I love books like that! Her website is http://www.denisehunterbooks.com/books.html .
And yes! Guys write, too! And one of them signing books that day was Brandt Dodson. Dr. Brandt Dodson to be precise. I am always fascinated when doctors write novels. I guess if you're a writer, it doesn't matter what you do for your "day job." There are just stories inside of writers that have to come out! I purchased The Root of Evil at the book signing because it's set in Indianapolis and I thought it would be fun to recognize some landmarks. I also sent an autographed copy to my Dad for Father's Day. I am really excited to meet Brandt and to read his books. Suspense is one of my favorite genres. Brandt comes from a long line of police officers, spanning several generations, and was employed by the FBI before leaving to pursue his education. A former United States Naval Reserve officer, Brandt is a board Certified Podiatrist and past President of the Indiana Podiatric Medical Association. He is a recipient of the association's highest honor, "The Theodore H. Clark Award." It's just so cool that in spite of all his success as a physician -- he wants to write Christian novels! You can learn more about his books at http://www.brandtdodson.com/brandtdodson_007.htm .
I'll be posting book reviews soon! Do yourself a favor and read a good novel. It's a stress reliever, and it takes you places you may never get to go any other way. As an educator, sometimes I get far too involved in nonfiction to remember to read for pleasure. Reading the above books, I promise, will bring you hours of wholesome pleasure! Enjoy!
I am trying to simplify things so instead of posting book reviews over on my book blog, I think I'll just post them here where I have made myself most at home.
I have a delightful new resource for you. If you have a youngster in your house or church who is considering baptism, then this book will be a treat. It's called BiC's Baptism and it's written by Robin Khoury (Miss Robin). You can easily order it on Amazon here:
I love this book and so did the kids I read it to. It sparked intelligent curiosity among the youngsters and we were able to talk about Baptism in a fun, easy to understand way. In fact, we discussed baptism for nearly an hour after reading the book!
The book is a nice picture book size with bright large pictures. So it's easy to read to a group. The type is big, too, so I didn't have to use my reading glasses.
The children I read it to were enthralled with BiC who prays to become a Christian. After he prays Disciple Dan calls him BiC which stands for "Baby in Christ."
Disciple Dan takes BiC to church with him and on that Sunday BiC sees someone is getting baptized by Pastor Windy. BiC's tummy begins to tickle when he worries what might under the water. When he gets home, every time he thinks about the baptism, his tummy tickles just as if he were riding a roller coaster.
The book gently teaches the children why baptism is important.. It also discusses the symbolism of baptism: buried with Christ in baptism and risen to walk in newness of life. It made perfect sense to the children when I read it to them. The pictures make it very easy to understand.
BiC, still afraid of being baptized, goes to Mr. Owl. and confesses that he is afraid that Pastor Windy might drop him or that there are monsters in the water. And Mr. Owl reminds BiC that He can trust in God when He is afraid. Mr. Owl prays with BiC.
The next Sunday, BiC is baptized by Pastor Windy. "Being baptized is like putting on your Christian uniform," he says. "It does not make you a Christian. It just shows everybody that you are one."
While BiC is being baptized, Disciple Dan and Mr. Owl are in the congregation praying for him to be brave. And BiC is baptized.
It is an endearing book, and when I finished reading it to a room full of children who had not yet been baptized (but had accepted the Lord as Savior) they all decided they wanted to be baptized "next Sunday!"
(This is when I explained to them to tell their parents and have their parents contact me or the pastor.)
If you are a Children's Pastor, Evangelist, Sunday School teacher, Children's Church worker, Pastor or parent, this book is one you are going to want on your shelf. It would be good for every pastor to own. It would help them counsel young souls about the meaning and importance of baptism.
I give this book five stars! I wish I would have had this book when my kids were young. Now I'm glad it's here for my grandchildren!
I have seen this video before, but tonight when I watched it, I saw something different. I saw God as my loving Father, and I as the crippled child, running the race together. I am not alone. And in spite of all my flaws, frailties, weaknesses and sin, He will not stop running with me. He will carry me when I cannot walk. He will push me up steep hills, and sail me across rough waters. In every tribulation and challenge, He is with me.
If this earthly father will do so much for his frail son, how much more will our Father do for us?
In this video, you will see a father competing in an Ironman Triathalon just because his son asked him to do it with him.
Watch and see: our Father is a good Father. And He loves us even more than this father loves his son.
http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=8cf08faca5dd9ea45513
"If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" (Matthew 7:11)
I am in the Smokey Mountains riding my motorcycle so I wrote this blog entry before I left. I appreciate all the prayers for my safety! Thanks for praying!
My son, Noah, had a sleep study done last month. When I get back from my motorcycle road trip with my girlfriends (see my last post) he has an appointment with a sleep specialist. They told me on the phone that the results showed that Noah is pathologically sleepy. He doesn't have sleep apnea, so that's a good thing. I just wonder what "pathologically sleepy" means. (I do know it has something to do with his nervous system. I have always known things were wrong there in some way. He has essential tremors, ADHD, hypothyroidism and other stuff.)
The sleep study was done at Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
First, they take you in a room and have you get ready for bed. Then they hook you up to all kinds of wires. (Take note of those rockin' Incredible Hulk PJs. )
Noah had a lot of fun posing for all the pictures. He was pretty fascinated with the whole thing. So was I.
I slept in another room so that they could keep his room really dark. It worked great for me because I got caught up on some summer reading and graded papers the next day.
They had him take four naps during the day the next day. So we were there about eighteen hours in all.
I don't know how he could sleep with all that stuff on. But apparently they know how to measure what's going on anyway. I'm really curious to find out what's going on with him and if there will be a way to help him feel better and perform better.
We just got back from Joni and Friends Camp! I will be posting about it when I get back from my biker chick trip with my two girlfriends Melinda and Susan.
We got home from camp on Friday. Today is Saturday and I am busy doing laundry and packing to leave for the Smokey Mountains! It will be 1200 miles round trip on my motorcycle. I'm so excited! It will be good research, too, for the novel I'm writing: THE PASTOR'S WIFE WEARS HARLEY BOOTS.
In the meantime, I thought I would share a few pictures from our Mother's Day banquet at church. Lilacs and Lily of the Valley are my favorite flower in the spring!
Our theme was "Pearls and Lace." It was just a really lovely time.
Our pond in our front yard teems with wildlife every spring and summer. I love it! Here are some pictures of my "pet" Canadian Geese. The parents come back every spring. They are so adorable and it's so much fun watching them grow up. I only pray they don't end up on someone's table over the other months of the year! I feel like a mother sending them off to college or something whenever they leave every year. Aren't they cute?
Here are some pictures of my twin boys, age 13, in the Special Olympics! Below is a poster made for my boys by a First Grade friend of theirs. Isn't it cute?
Isaac throwing shot put:
In Shot Put Isaac won a bronze and Isaiah placed 4th!
Below are the boys in the 200 Meter race. I was screaming my fool head off for them. Remember -- just last year all they participated in was a short WALK race. So I was absolutely thrilled for them to be running this year. Isaac got the gold, and Isaiah got the silver!
This picture is of Isaac winning the silver in the 400 meter race. That's a trip around the entire track! He was so disgusted with the boy in the green shirt -- if you look closely you can see. After the race Isaac said, "Mom! That boy ran too fast. I not catch him in time. He need slow down! That not very nice!"
Below is a picture of the boys' relay team. The boys' coach, James, is the on in the gray sweat suit. The guy on the right, Richard, is FAST. The young man in the middle is the young man the boys have practiced with the past two years. They won the silver in the 400 Meter relay!
The boys did an awesome job and I was thrilled for them. Their coaches were impressed with how hard they worked this year. I was, too! Isaac is especially into competing. He seemed to "get it" this year. After school everyday he would run around the church for practice.
It was so windy that day, but it acted like it was going to rain. It didn't! Their shirts are really big and loose on them but they look like they are too tight because the wind is blowing them against their skin.
Below is a cute picture of the boys with their coach at the end of the day. He is a student at Manchester College. The boys thought it was hilarious that he kissed his girlfriend in front of them. That's what they're giggling about.
Some of the members of our church also participated in the Special Olympics that same day but in different events. This is a picture of my good friend, Mike. He is so precious to us and so faithful at church. He loves to fish and loves the Special Olympics! He uses sign language to communicate and he keeps me on my toes practicing! He always has a happy attitude, and loves to help. He is very dear to my heart, as close as a brother.
And here's a picture of Lee, another one of my friends at church who participated in the Special Olympics. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see them compete but at least I got their picture! Lee gives me a high five every time he sees me.
As a mom, the Special Olympics is a day when my kids get to shine. Everyone is a winner there, and there's nothing like the spirit of the athletes. They all try so hard.
One of my favorite parts this year was the runner who kept encouraging himself as he ran down the track.
"C'mon!" he yelled. "Go, go! Faster, faster! You can do it! Don't quit! Go fast! Run!" He just kept cheering himself on all the way to the finish line.
Oh yeah, I learn a LOT from these people. What a beautiful spiritual message that is. It's exactly what we're supposed to do through reading God's Word and meditating on Him! What encouragement we give ourselves when we do that. It's how we are supposed to talk to ourselves instead of entertaining thoughts of defeat and dread. I learned a spiritual lesson last year at the Special Olympics, and I learned one this year. God is always speaking to us if we keep our ears and eyes open!
More people should come and catch the spirit of these athletes. There's nothing more pure and joyful than their attitude of true optimism. It's contagious. If you're ever feeling low and need a pick me up -- go to the Special Olympics. You will never be the same.
My heart is so broken for the Steven Curtis Chapman Family in the loss of their little daughter. I cannot imagine what they are going through right now.
The devil hates our children. And he hates families. He will stop at nothing to destroy us.
Please pray for this family. Please pray for Steve and his wife. Not only have they lost their daughter, but now their son has this tragedy to cope with for the rest of his life. I am praying that our prayers will hold this family up in such a way that God will be glorified and the devil will NOT have the victory!
I know from experience that what the devil means for harm, God will turn around for good. Right now we can't see how God could possibly make this situation better, but He can and He will.
I took the students out for pizza and ice cream. It was a lot of fun. One of my little students is very creative. She made me a chic designer purse, a sparkling bracelet and a heirloom brooch all out of paper! I wore them all proudly.
Recently I took my students to the Children's Museum in Indianapolis and we stayed at the Holiday Inn Caribbean Cove. There was an indoor water park. We had a BLAST!
But I think the kids had the most fun at the hotel water park:
What I don't have a picture of are all the HUGE water slides! There were three of them, and they were three stories high and went outside the building in tubes! The kids had a blast. We raised the money to go -- the entire trip cost us $2300.00. God was good! People donated, we sold stuff, and the kids brought in all their spare change. It was so much fun, and has been a dream of mine for my kids for a long time. This is one of the advantages of cottage schooling. Pooling resources creates many more opportunities for my children than they would have if we were homeschooling just our own kids.
We get to share Jesus and home school values with other kids, and their families get to share expenses with us! It's a win-win deal! Praise the Lord!
Soon to come: pictures of Special Olympics! My boys were winners!
First of all, I apologize for the funky layout and the fonts being all messed up in this post. I couldn't get it to cooperate when I copied and pasted this from my original notes.
My husband asks me to present the sermon each Mother's Day at our church. Here is part 2 of my sermon this past Sunday.
~~~~~
Mother's Day Sermon 2008
part 2
I will admit, I am not without regrets.
One of the things I DO regret is the time I have spent and do spend worrying. Pretend you have a backpack full of stones labeled stress, pressures, anxiety, questions about the future (will they go to college? who will they marry?), sickness, needs, safety, future plans, house, kidnappers...Are their teeth going to come in straight? What if they get picked on? Oh, there are many, many "what ifs!"
If I could do things over again, I would try harder to cast all my care upon Him, because He cares for me as it says in 1 Peter 5:7.
I regret carrying burdens and worries so long by myself when Jesus was always ready to take them from me and carry them for me.
But I can't go back. All I can do is from this time forward, is make a decision to give to God every single thing that is bothering me. Imagine Jesus coming along beside you, and taking all the weight of worry that hinders you.
Cast off that backpack of worry! Throw it AWAY.
When Blind Bartimaeus came to Jesus to be healed -- he cast aside his garment. Why? Because that garment was something he was required by law to wear that identified him as a beggar. Also in those days, people used their cloaks as blankets for sleeping. Imagine! This man throwing all that he owned aside, realizing before He received his miracle that he was a beggar no more!" (Matthew 10:50-52.)
We, too, can cast away that garment of worry that tells the world, God and the devil that we have no faith.
Sure, you can wear it if you want to. It's comfy. It feels familiar and safe.
But really, it's not safe at all. Worry = fear = lack of faith.
We are living in scary times right now. We've heard this our whole lives. However, I truly believe we need to be on our knees praying for the next leader of these United States.
But we don't need to be afraid.
Don't do what I did. Don't live a life of worry. Don't be like the disciples in the boat WITH JESUS and scared of the storm all around you. "Why are you fearful?" Jesus asked.
NO!
Instead, live as Bartimaeus did. CAST OFF that garment of fear and heaviness and worry!
Keep your eyes off of the storm, and keep your eyes on JESUS!
Do it now! CAST IT OFF!
The Bible tells us to cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:5).
Realize this: if you don't cast if off -- you are in disobedience. It is a command. To say that your problem is bigger than God is a lie. So when you are casting down imaginations you are casting down all the "what ifs" that you can imagine; When you are "casting down the high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God" you are casting down that voice in your head that says it's too big for God. When you exalt that circumstance above God, you are, in essence, worshiping that circumstance instead of God. You MUST bring into captivity every thought to the OBEDIENCE of Christ!
OBEY HIM NOW AND CAST ALL YOUR CARE UPON HIM FOR HE CARETH FOR YOU!! (1 Peter 5:7)
The devil wants to be scared. He wants us to wonder: what will happen to our country if a godless leader is elected? What if gas goes up to $5.00/gallon?
I'm not God. I don't know what will happen. But He knows the future and He won't be surprised. To worry about it is a "what if." I'm not supposed to worry about that. It's God's problem. I will do my part, yes. I will pray for a godly leader, I will pray that our country remains sovereign, I will pray that God will provide for my family when food prices skyrocket. But then I will do my best to LEAVE IT THERE.
DO NOT WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW!
"And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof" Matthew 6:28-34.
"I don't know about tomorrow,
I just live from day to day.
I don't borrow from it's sunshine,
For it's skies may turn to gray.
I don't worry o'er the future,
For I know what Jesus said,
And today I'll walk beside Him,
For He knows what is ahead.
Refrain
Many things about tomorrow,
I don't seem to understand;
But I know Who holds tomorrow,
And I know Who holds my hand.
I don't know about tomorrow,
It may bring me poverty;
But the One Who feeds the sparrow,
Is the One Who stands by me.
And the path that be my portion,
May be through the flame or flood,
But His presence goes before me,
And I'm covered with His blood.
Refrain
Many things about tomorrow,
I don't seem to understand;
But I know Who holds tomorrow,
And I know Who holds my hand."
"Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you!" Peter 5:7
CAST IT OFF!!
Cast OUT those devils of worry and fear and put ON the sheild of FAITH!
But, you say, my faith is small. The Bible says in Luke 21:4 that the little widow cast more than anybody because she cast all that she had. So CAST it! CAST it! Give that faith to Jesus -- and He will make it grow.
"But my child is in prison." Cast it on Jesus.
"But my grandchildren's parents don't go to church." Give it to Jesus.
If we would pray as much as we spent time worrying, our faith would grow. And Jesus would carry our burdens because we would sense His peace.
"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Phil. 4:6-7
God is there for you. His love and acceptance is even greater than a mother's love and acceptance:
As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem. Isaiah 66:13
My husband has a tradition at our church of letting me present the sermon on Mother's Day. Below is an excerpt of my sermon. I will post the other parts of it later. I'm sorry for the formatting this time. I'm not sure why the margins and fonts are all funky. I tried to fix them to no avail.
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When I was young -- and more stupid than I am now -- I swore I would never be a parent. I had helped raise my brothers and sisters and I had had enough with dirty diapers, screaming uncooperative kids, and the mess that comes with it. I never realized or had been taught in public school that children are a BLESSING not a BURDEN.
"Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward" Psalm 127:3.
Of course, that changed when I got married and became a step-mother to the most adorable three-year-old girl I had ever met then or now. She was captivating.
I also started working with other people's children as a Kindergarten teacher. I soon realized I loved children and wanted children of my own. We waited three years before deciding to have a baby, and I didn't expect to have fertility issues. But I did. My oldest son came along, and though we wanted more children sooner, more kids didn't come along until five and a half years later when I went on fertility drugs to have my second son. Four years and several foster children later, because of my difficulties bearing children of my own, we adopted the twins.
I loved being a mother then and I love being a mother and grandmother now. Motherhood is the most important job I've ever had.
Has it been hard? It's been the most difficult thing I've ever tried to do.
Did I do it right? Do I do it well? Probably not. That's been hard for me to accept. I wanted to be Mother of the Year. I wanted to be the kind of mother that people write about in poems and famous people talk about in interviews with Oprah.
I wanted to be that mother spoken of in Proverbs 31:28: "Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. '
I wanted to be the Queen of all Mothers. But instead, I discovered that I was the Queen of all imperfectness.
If there was a mistake to make in mothering, I probably made it. If there was an opportunity not to be missed, I probably missed it. But one thing I did do was try. I tried with all my heart to be a good mother just as most mothers do. And I have no regrets for trying. So here are a list of things about my experience with motherhood that I do not regret:
1. I don't regret being a home school mom and being home with my children. I have a vast storehouse of precious memories to comfort me in my lonely hours. I have told this story before, but I'll share it here again. When my oldest son was three years old, he came into the house with a stick. He asked me to plant it as a tree beside where he was working on his tricycle so the birds would come and sit on it. I explained to him that birds are scared of people and wouldn't come. But he insisted if I planted that stick, the birds would come. So, I planted the stick. A few moments later there was a little sparrow sitting on it, right beside where my son was standing. I tapped the window gently to get his attention -- he hadn't seen the bird yet -- and pointed to the little bird. He smiled at me and went right back to his work. It wasn't a miracle to him. He already had enough faith to believe that if he planted a stick, a bird would sit on it. But it was a miracle this mother ponders in her heart to this day. And because I was home, I didn't miss it.
2. I don't regret going without fancy things so I could stay home with my babies.
3. I don't regret wearing the same shoes for ten years or driving an old, beat up, loud car so I could watch my children learn to read and write and memorize scripture.
4. I don't regret being a foster parent or adopting children who are cognitively disabled. Sure, I regret, perhaps, how I handle the stress sometimes, but do I regret being their mother? Have you seen how those boys love me? How could anyone regret getting that kind of love?
5. I don't regret bringing my children up in the fear and admonition of the Lord. It's a tough world out there. I don't know how anyone does it without having their kids in church and in the Word of God.
6. I don't regret making my children go to church every time it was time for church.
7. I don't regret that people thought I didn't have a "real job" because I was a home school mom.
8. I don't regret graduating from being Karla to being "Noah's Mom," or "Jesse's Mom." or "Isaiah’s and Isaac's Mom" or Melissa's "Step-mom."
9. I don't regret keeping my marriage together even when it was very, very difficult, only because I wanted my children to have their father. The tough times passed. We made it through. And, as long as abuse is not involved, I do believe that children are a very good reason for a marriage to remain intact. Sometimes that's what it takes to get through the hard times.
10. I don't regret leaving a career behind that would give me an ego boost in order to be "just a mom." There is nothing more important that I can possibly think of doing.
11. I don't regret being home to see all the firsts that my babies experienced: their first tooth, their first word, their first steps, their first reading book. I relish all those memories and ponder them in my heart.
12. I do not regret reading my Bible often and teaching the Word of God to my children in the comfort of our home. I have many wonderful memories of our long Bible study discussions while snuggled up on the couch in our pajamas.
13. I do not regret reading to my children. These, too, are some of my favorite memories. We scaled castle walls and conquered fortified cities for hours in the pages of books.
14. I don't regret teaching my children the verse in Exodus 20 v 12 that reads: “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee” Exodus 20:12. (We always joked that this scripture meant that I wouldn't kill them as long as they did what I said!)
I don't have many regrets, but that doesn't mean I didn't make mistakes. It also doesn't mean my children turned out to be perfect angels. Why, the nerve of them for not having the desire to run for President of these United States! How will Oprah ever find out what a great mother I am? (Just for the record, I never watch Oprah.)
I can waste my life pondering how I could have done things differently, or I can forgive myself and move on. That doesn't mean I don't grieve over my mistakes and repent of them. But God is not a God of yesterday. That is, when we do repent and come to Him for forgiveness, He forgives us. The Bible says that He casts our sins "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us” Psalm 103:12.
And so, no matter the status of our children -- whether they are Governor of Indiana, or on death row, or by God's grace, somewhere in between, God has forgiven our mistakes as Moms.
Now, we can either wallow in self-doubt and self-pity thereby pleasing Satan himself, or we can learn from our mistakes. All that learning is why the Bible tells the older women to teach the younger women -- because we have made mistakes and if we were teachable, we learned from them. Now we are able to share our wisdom gleaned from the school of hard knocks with others:
“The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed”Titus 2:3-5.
This scripture shows us that we can be TAUGHT to be good mothers and wives.That it isn’t necessarily something that comes naturally.What a relief!
It is difficult, though, to teach someone who thinks they know everything. So younger women (and older women, too) should keep their hearts teachable, ready to learn, and not so high minded to think they have nothing new to discover; or be afraid that someone will think less of them because they don't know everything. No one can know everything. There is always something more to learn. I am learning all the time. I learn everyday.
Before the twins, I was extremely self-reliant. It was a real blow to my self-image to realize that I could not raise these little boys by myself. I wasn't used to not doing everything by myself. I was a home school Mom. Home school Moms in those days were rugged pioneers. There was no Internet, no support groups, and not even many curriculum companies in those days. Nobody we were related to had ever home schooled.Nobody in our community home schooled or had even heard of it.We early home schoolers were made of tough stuff. By golly, we were independent, self-governing, free-spirited do-it-yourself women. My library was full of countless books on the subject of home schooling and child rearing. I was sure there was little I did not know about how to raise kids.
But just when I thought I knew it all, God threw me two curve balls named Isaiah and Isaac. Then, he tackled me with a little thing called Autism.
I'm so glad He did. Because if He hadn't, I wouldn't have learned all I know today.
One of the things I wouldn’t have learned is that God really does use imperfect people. I would have continued to think I had the market cornered on this motherhood thing. (Of course, the kids would have grown up and then I'd realize I didn't, but back then I needed a wake-up call.)
We are simply vessels that God works through if we let Him. And if we are perfect, without any imperfections, light can't shine through us. Like a perfect pot, with no cracks in it, the light can't get through.
"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” 2 Corinthians 5:7.
If only we who are so imperfect, will let God shine through us, His Light will shine through all the cracks of our imperfection. And we need to let it. Instead of hiding how imperfect we are, we need to get out there, get real, and let people see we're not perfect, and that it's OK with God. It's not like it's a huge revelation to Him. He didn't die for a perfect world. He died for an imperfect world.
It's OK for your kids and grandkids and all the church ladies and other home school moms to know you aren't perfect. Because then God will shine through.
Matthew 2:18 says, "In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not."
There are millions of mothers today weeping for their children. Some of these children have died from hunger or illness or violence or disease. Others weep because their children are lost -- perhaps missing, or runaways, in prison, or not serving the Lord. Maybe you are one of those mothers.
If you're not a mother who is weeping today, remember the mourning mothers in the world.Remember that they need you to help them get through this season in their life.They need your prayers.
It's easier to hide and not let anyone see our imperfections. But we need to minister to these mothers so that they can see the light of God shining through. And maybe, just maybe, if we step out and help -- that light will reach them, and there will be less weeping by mothers in the world.
We have been reading BEOWULF as a school this past week and last. We had an interesting spontaneous debate today before lunch. We weren't even reading the book at the time! Don't you just love it when your kids are so engaged with literature that they talk about it during the day?
Anyway, all eleven of my students debated whether or not BEOWULF fought Grendel's mother under the water.
I just assumed that he did fight her under the water because he goes down, down, down into the lake and is attacked by all kinds of sea creatures on his way to Grendel's mother's cave. But the kids brought up that maybe it was an underwater cave that wasn't completely full of water. Maybe you had to swim underwater to get there, but when you got there, you stood up in the cave and there was air.
What do you think? Send this to all your blog friends who are familiar with BEOWFULF and have them leave me a comment! I'm curious to learn their thoughts!
So, I have decided to change my look. I have been doing that lately. I got a short hair cut a few weeks ago, and in a few more weeks, I think I'm going to go all the way and get a short, short cut -- perfect for motorcycle riding!
What do you think about the rearranging? I'm not sure yet. I know it's easier to look at as far as the side bar goes. But I miss my typewriter. ;-)
I also wanted to add a window for subbing to my blog!
So, tell me what you think? Do you hate it? Or is it a nice change? Or do you even care? LOL.
I have had an amazing couple of weeks. The week before last I took my son to Ohio to check out a Bible College. We had a great time. Then this past weekend I took my cottage school to Indianapolis to the Children's Museum. We stayed two nights at the Holiday Inn Caribbean Cove -- an indoor water park -- and the kids had a WONDERFUL TIME. We had such a blessed, blessed time. I am grateful. I'll be posting some pictures soon -- I hope. I'm still having major computer issues, so have to get in my computer time when I can get access to my husband's or son's computer! (And they aren't very good at sharing. LOL.)
What are you up to lately? Leave me a comment and don't forget to subscribe to my blog!
Have you felt the crunch yet? With oil over $115 a barrel, gas prices have increased 81 percent from 2003 to now, and according to the World Bank, global food prices have increased over 83 percent. I don't know if you've experienced high food prices where you are, but I have where I am.
I am not a farmer's wife. My husband is a pastor and we don't live on a farm. We get our meat and groceries at the nearby grocery store. Sometimes we make a run to Wal-mart. I would like to go to Aldis more often, but there is not one nearby. The nearest Wal-Mart is 30 minutes away, so I don't make the trip unless it's once a month to do a big monthly purchase of supplies.
I still have three teenage boys living at home and a husband with a healthy appetite. (Not to mention my own!) It is costing me $200.00 a week right now to feed them, and trust me, we ain't eatin' steak.
Now, unlike a lot of other families, my family eats all three meals each day from food from our house. So I feel that I do a pretty good job of feeding us on that amount of money each week. But it is beginning to get harder and harder to do. Prices in rural Indiana are sky high.
What do you pay for a gallon of milk? Here a gallon of milk ranges from $3.25-$4.00 a gallon depending on which kind of milk you buy. I can remember just one short year ago that I could get milk at $2.49/gallon and I thought THAT was high!
Cereal: $5.00 a box. So, we don't buy cereal unless it's on sale. We usually eat oatmeal. Not the flavored kind, the kind you measure out and make yourself.
I am learning a thousand different ways to make a potato and a thousand different ways to make an egg. We will not starve. I grew up hungry, and I know how to make a meal stretch. Americans will probably not go hungry, but I worry about other people in the world.
Did you know that the USA is importing WHEAT now!? US! The breadbasket of the WORLD! And if we are importing wheat -- what are other people in the world going to eat? Do I trust wheat grown elsewhere? No, but I don't really trust any food grown anywhere to be honest, unless it's grown by a local organic farmer. And even then -- there is no guarantee the food is safe. (Which is why we pray for God to bless our food, right?)
Dan Glickman, the former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture says that "global wheat supplies are at their 30-year low, and U.S. wheat supplies are at their 60-year low. Now, I don't think we're going to run out of food in this country, but I do think there are going to be severe shortages outside the United States."
Hmmm. Am I the only one who can hear the strains of "I Wish We'd All Been Ready" in the background?
"A piece of bread can buy a bag of gold....I wish we'd all been ready..."
Jesus said in Matthew 24:5-8: "Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows."
Doesn't all that sound familiar?
I'm curious. What are you doing to get ready for a food shortage? Anything? If you're like me, you might not have disposable income to store up anything at all.
But I am not afraid. I know that the Word is clear: "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread" Psalm 37:5.
I really and truly believe, that if we put our TRUST IN THE LORD, He will not forsake us. He will deliver us. And who are the righteous? Nobody. That is, unless you have Jesus as your savior. Then, when God looks at you -- He sees His son and not your sin. Oh! What blessed hope!
In the meantime, if we are compelled by the Holy Spirit to store up dried goods -- we would be disobedient not to. Perhaps we as believers should pray about buying dried goods now before the prices go up even more so that we can share with those who don't have anything to eat later. It's just a thought.
What have I done? So far, I have one medium sized rubbermaid tote and in it I have some water, beans and rice. I don't have anything else yet. A pastor doesn't make a boatload. But you know, my Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills. And I have no doubt, He will take good care of me, no matter what my situation. As long as I do my part, am a good steward, and obey Him when He tells me what to purchase -- we will be just fine. And if I miss His voice? I still believe that God will make a way when there is no way. If He could provide mannah in the desert, then he will care for me, too.
We have a winner! Tammy (svoca2008) has won a book from bramleybooks.com and the Karen Kingsbury novel, OCEANS APART. Congratulations, Tammy!
Many of you had questions about my cottage school and my work with children with disabilities, so I will be taking this blog in that direction for a while. Please post your questions about what I write and I will try and answer them. I also hope to have more contests as we go along, too!
On the home front: I got a tooth pulled today. I'm feeling old because now I will have to get a partial for that part of my mouth as I have lost three teeth in that area. I'm in a little bit of pain, but not excruciating. At least the worst part -- getting it removed -- is over! Now if only I could get my husband to make me some pudding. . .
I hope you all have a wonderful spring and a happy April! (No foolin'!) :-)
Today I'm posting some questions for my readers to answer. Those who leave their answers will be entered into a drawing for FREE BOOKS!
The winner will receive a free copy of their choice of a collection of biographies that feature my writing. Your can choose from either What Really Happened in the Middle Ages (with my chapter on King Wenceslas), or What Really Happened in Ancient Times (with my chapters on Daniel and Noah) or What Really Happened in Colonial Times (my personal favorite with my chapter on Catherine Ferguson)! (Click here to see these awesome books.)
The winner will also receive the book, Oceans Apart by Karen Kingsbury! (I love Karen Kingsbury's books!)
Please copy and paste the following questions in your comments box. Thanks for participating and come back soon! I hope to have more contests in the future.
I will post the winner of this contest on April 1. And feel free to send your friends here to take the survey and enter the contest, too!
1. What types of books do you enjoy reading? (Non-fiction, fiction, history, science, homeschooling, Christian self-help, biographies, etc.)
2. What book or kind of book would you like to see published that isn't already published? (What type of homeschool book, self-help book, deovtional/bible study book, fiction, etc.)
3. I have 25 years experience as a homeschool Mom and educator. I currently homeschool in a cottage school setting, where I homeschool my own three children and eight others. Would you like to know anything about cottage schooling? If so, what?
4. I am a pastor's wife have children with disabilities, ride a motorcycle and love animals. What would you like to know about my experiences?
5. What type of Christian fiction do you like to read? (sci-fi, romance, historical, chick lit., suspense, etc.)
Thanks for your help! Don't forget to leave either a link to your blog or an e-mail address so I can enter you in the drawing!
Unlike many of my friends, I have countless warm memories of my grandmother's clothesline. In the summer, she would wash her clothes in the old wringer washer out in the "wash house." I loved that wash house. It was really a shed, painted the same dark red as the barn and the chicken coop, and it held so many old treasures that I loved rummaging through: old advertisement signs for motor oil, coca cola (my grandpa owned a bike shop) and more; old glass bedpans (my grandmother never let any of her elderly relatives languish in a nursing home); old tools, dishes and more. I miss that old shed!
But what I miss the most are the memories of washing clothes with Grandma. She even made her own lye soap, and the clothes came out of that ringer gleaming and stiff.
We would wipe off the clothes line, and hang up the clothes. I had a little apron to wear that held the clothes pins. Grandma even embroidered a clothes pin bag that hung on a hanger. Everything was special in those days.
Sometimes it was a race with the clouds to get the clothes off the line and into the house before the sky exploded with sweet summer rain. It was always my job to rescue the clothes and I relished it. It made me a heroine in Grandma's eyes.
There was nothing like sliding into Grandma's sun-drenched sheets, all stiff and clean and welcoming after a long hard day of caring for chickens, weeding the garden, snapping beans and picking cherries.
I haven't had a clothes line most of my married life and I miss it. I remember when my kids were babies how much I enjoyed being out of doors, hearing the birds sing, listening to my babies laugh in the laundry basket as I hung up the clothes or gathered them in. There's something centering about those menial chores. Sure, it took longer, but it gave a person time to think. It gave a person a chance to smell the nurturing sweetness of a Mom and Grandma and the sun that shone from God's blue sky.
As you know, I love hokey poems. Here's the poem that reminded me of those precious days with Grandma!
The Clothesline Said So Much
A clothesline was a news forecast
To neighbors passing by.
There were no secrets you could keep
When clothes were hung to dry.
It also was a friendly link
For neighbors always knew
If company had stopped on by
To spend a night or two.
For then you'd see the fancy sheets
And towels on the line;
You'd see the company table cloths
With intricate design.
The line announced a baby's birth
To folks who lived inside
As brand new infant clothes were hung
So carefully with pride.
The ages of the children could
So readily be known
By watching how the sizes changed
You'd know how much they'd grown.
It also told when illness struck,
As extra sheets were hung;
Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe, too,
Haphazardly were strung.
It said, "Gone on vacation now"
When lines hung limp and bare.
It told, "We're back!" when full lines sagged
With not an inch to spare.
New folks in town were scorned upon
If wash was dingy gray,
As neighbors raised their brows,
And looked disgustedly away.
But clotheslines now are of the past
For dryers make work less.
Now what goes on inside a home
Is anybody's guess.
I really miss that way of life.
It was a friendly sign
When neighbors knew each other best
By what hung on the line!
Today was a snow day! I love snow days. We've had our fair share of them this winter, and I couldn't be happier! The reason it makes me happy is that it gives me a reprieve from the day to day grind and allows me some time to do really homey and cozy things around the house.
Today I put a gorgeous roast in my roaster with potatoes and carrots. I haven't done that in so long I can't remember the last time I did!
I am hoping for one more day. (Greedy, aren't I?) I just can't think of anything more delicious than a fire in the fireplace, plenty of books to catch up on, hot cocoa and being HOME!!
Speaking of books, my husband bought me the entire system from Dr. Don Colbert's The Seven Pillars of Health. It was his Valentine's gift to me. It's a box full of books, DVDs (including one to exercise to), a workbook and a journal plus a hardback book to read. Whew. So, I have my devotional material to read for the next 50 days. (It's a 50 day program.) I will let you know how it is!
I am so amazed at God's timing because I had already been trying to eat more whole foods as opposed to processed foods. God is so good. My husband ordered this for me on Valentine's day. He hates to read, so I know he wants me to read it so I can share the info with him.
The government is so perplexed as to why American's are obese, and I can easily tell them why. It's because the average family can't afford whole foods. Processed foods are so much cheaper. I paid 33% more for groceries last week because I bought raw veggies and fruits. Normally we don't because of the cost. Not to mention the cost of meat. And in the little town we live in, it's outrageous. It's difficult to justify spending so much for food, but really, food should be a priority above everything else. But for a lot of families, shelter and fuel have to come first, don't they?
But God whispered in my ear that if I was faithful, He would be faithful to provide. So I need to try very hard to do this.
Will you pray with me as I begin this journey?
Other books on my reading list: The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands by Dr. Laura Schlessinger
Boundaries by Dr. Henry Cloud
And I have a Kingsbury novel I want to break into. I don't get to just sit and read fiction very often but since I enjoy writing fiction, I want to learn all I can from other writers!
And I also have a tall pile of books on literature and publishing I hope to get to. Too many books -- so little time. (I even have a tote bag that says that LOL.)
Well, the natives are asking me for dinner, and thankfully I have been cooking all day (okay, my crockpot has) so I guess it's time to feed the troops!
My oldest is going to be 28 this year, and my babies (twin boys) just turned 13. I think that means I am getting old.
We spent all day Saturday at the mall looking for Heelys big enough to fit them. They have autism, and since Heelys are all the rage with their friends -- who are younger, by the way -- they want Heelys, too.
Well, the mall didn't have any. So, I am on a search for Heelys in men's size 11. I am discovering they are very rare. If you happen to know someone who can help me, let me know!
Here's a poem from one of my favorite poets, Edgar A. Guest, that sums up how it feels to invest in our children yet store within our hearts that knowledge that they are God's -- not ours alone. My babies are growing up. And that's as it should be.
I'll Lend You For A Little Time A Child
I'll lend you for a little time a child of mine."He said. "For you to love while he lives, And mourn for when he is dead. It may be six or seven years, or twenty two or three. But will you, till I call him back, Take care of him for Me? He'll bring his charms to gladden you, And shall his stay be brief, You'll have his lovely memories as solace for your grief.
I cannot promise he will stay, since all from earth return, But there are lessons taught down there, I want this child to learn. I've looked the wide world over, In search for teachers true, And from the throngs that crowd life's lane, I have selected you. Now you will give him all your love, Nor think the labor vain, Nor hate me when I come to call, to take him back again?
I fancied that I heard them say: "Dear Lord, Thy will be done." For all the joy thy child shall bring, The risk of grief we'll run. We'll shelter him with tenderness, we'll love him while we may, And for happiness we've known, Forever grateful stay; We'll brave the bitter grief that comes, And try to understand.
)
