By all the usual measures, I was winning the game. Some would say I was even running up the score. A man usually defines himself by where he is in his career, his earnings level, and how he compares his life to others. It’s how men are taught to keep score. Read More…
Superman Turns 17
“Good night Superman.” Last night, like I have every night since I can remember, I uttered those words to my son as we tucked him into bed. When I have finished praying over him for the night, I pull him up out of his bedroom swing, and I hug him. Then Read More…
Cheated?
“Don’t you feel cheated about the life you imagined you and your son would have? Don’t you feel like you have been robbed of so many blessings by having a child who can’t talk, can’t walk, and can’t really do any of the things a typical child can do?” “Don’t you Read More…
One More Night With The Frogs
photo credit museum.wa.gov.au The rhythmic croaking was strangely melodious. I would mentally filter out all the other background noise that flowed out of the woods adjacent to our house. The birds, the crickets, all the other sounds would fade away until I could only hear the frogs. They croaked in a harmonious Read More…
Help Wanted
Next week another Father’s Day arrives. This will be my 16th as the father of a son with special needs. I was thinking today about all the new dads of children with special needs who will be celebrating their very first Father’s Day this year, and the ones who just received a diagnosis Read More…
Sometimes Better Follows Worse
“No deposit, no return.” My father-in-law whispered those words to me as he gave me his daughter’s hand at our wedding. This Sunday will be our 23nd wedding anniversary. Ironically we will spend it leading a marriage retreat for couples raising children with special needs. I don’t know if I believe in love Read More…
My Letter to Autism
Dear Autism, I’ve been meaning to write to you for quite some time but thanks to you, I’ve been pretty busy as you can imagine. Today is World Autism Awareness Day so it seemed a good time to finally write this letter. Of course as the parent of a son with autism, every day is Read More…
The 43 Hour Vacation
Photo credit gatlingburg.qsmvrq.com “I think I will move to Australia.” So says the young boy Alexander in Judith Viorst’s award winning children’s book, “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.” That was one of my personal favorite books as a child. Now here I was, sitting on the edge of the bed Read More…
The Story Teller
Maybe it’s because I grew up in a small rural town in the South myself. Maybe it’s because I share so many of the same values, morals, and ideals that the show portrayed. Maybe it’s just because I love old-school comedy and quirky characters. For whatever reason, I have always been, and still remain, Read More…
A Valentine Letter to Mom
No chocolates, no flowers, not even a card. You say to yourself “that’s OK, what I really wanted was a nap anyway.” But you didn’t get that either. The dishes still lay untouched in the sink. The baskets of unfolded clothes are stacked on top of each other like planes circling the airport. Another Read More…