God Knows

There's the literary not-so genius at work. For this week's FW entry, I made myself type it on my laptop. I have a hard time typing on that thing, because I am not used to the different keyboard. But I need to learn. Plus, it's been so cold out in the backroom without having the woodburner going for the past ten days! (The backroom is where our other computer is) And we've been in a bit of an Artic freeze for a few days now. Our highs have been something like 10 degrees. So, anyway, Paul had to get a picture of me, actually working on my new laptop, not just checking Facebook or email.

A week ago Ben went to respite care. Like the last time he went, the planned activity was swimming. Well, last time Ben never brought home his towel. So this time, I emphasized the importance to him of bringing home his towel. He agreed that he would. I forgot to pack a plastic bag for his wet trunks, so I instructed him to roll them up inside his towel and then put the towel inside his book bag. So, when I went to pick him up, I felt his bag - yep, there was a towel in there.

Well, the next day, I opened up the bag and discovered that Ben had, indeed brought home a towel. But it wasn't HIS towel! He grabbed some other kid's towel! Argh!!!!! Can you sense my frustration? His mind is just not where it needs to be. To that end, there's a new herbal tincture I want to try on him. My friend Melissa was telling me about it this week. It seems to be helping her spectrum kids, anyway. It's just like the cups. Over and over I have instructed Ben that when he unloads the dishwasher he needs to place the cups to the BACK of the cupboard instead of placing them right at the front. In addition, it is not acceptable to have cups tipped over and laying on their sides in the cupboards. But no matter how many times I tell him this, it still keeps happening! I hope it's pleasant in the little world that he lives in his brain, because it's sure not pleasant for us here with him!

Last week Will commented that Paul and I should go away for a few days by ourselves. His timing was kind of funny because Paul and I had actually just been discussing doing that very thing. I don't think it's going to happen this year but we definitely want to go away in two years for our 20th anniversary, and we might even do something next year since we have this second trip we ended up getting at the home show. So, I said to Will, "That is so thoughtful of you!" He said, "Yeah, I know. Plus, if you go away, then we could order in pizza every night." Well, we know what's important to that kid!

I'm a reader - you all know that. I have been reading non-stop since I taught myself to read around age 4. So, multiply that by 36 years and you have a good idea of how many books I've read - thousands. There are just a handful, though, that I can say have literally changed my life. The first was, "Not my Will" by Franscesca Arnold. The second was, "Redeeming Love" by Francine Rivers. Her Mark of the Lion series might fall into that category, too. Funny thing is, I don't own ANY of those books I just mentioned. Neither do I own the following: Terri Blackstock wrote a 4-book series called the Redemption series - 1)"Last Light" 2) "Night Light" 3) "True Light" 4) "Dawn's Light"

I read the first two in the series the summer I was pregnant with Sam. Wow - what an impact those had on me. The books deal with modern-day civilization and what happens when it all stops. Some sort of meteorological event - they call it the "pulses" wipes out all the world's electricity and anything motorized. Computers don't work, cars don't work, nobody has electricity. The world comes to a complete standstill. Suddenly, people who's former concerns dealt with jobs, shopping, vacations are scrambling to survive. They're tearing up their manicured lawns to plant gardens. They're hunting in the woods, hoping to kill deer and rabbits so they can have supper that night. They're getting to know their neighbors for the first time in their previously tidy neighborhoods. Eventually, they start schools and churches on their own. And in the midst of this literal darkness, the darkness of some men's souls bursts forth. Crime happens like it never has before.

The stories center around the Branning family, an upper-middle class family in an Atlana suburb. Anyway, I have never gotten "over" these books in the 3 yrs since I read them. They changed the way I view so much of my own life. The third book came out a couple of years ago, and I read that one. And then, a couple of weeks ago I picked up the final book at the library.

Oh, my goodness! It is SO good. Not only does the book deal with the on-going aftermath of the Pulses, but the book addresses some very basic, basic questions of Who is God? Where's God when my heart has been ripped out? Why doesn't He prevent all evil, particularly evil done to His children? Is God STILL good when tragedy happens - tragedy that could have been prevented? I cried and cried all the way through the second half of the book. Like I said - life changing. Read the books. You will never be the same again.

I remembered one other blessing from this week and I'll close with this. I was on my way to W. Des Moines Tues. night to go to my mom's meeting. I started scanning through the radio stations and I stumbled across Focus on the Family. The thing is, it was on a station that broadcasts from Pella. Normally, that station won't come in once I get to Carlisle because it's too far north. But by God's grace, I pulled it in strong all the way to the church, clear out in the Jordan Creek area!

The broadcast was an interview with Chuck Colsen and his daughter, Emily. She has written a book about her 19 yr old autistic son, called, "Dancing with Max." I'm going to have to buy it. The broadcast was such an encouragement to me and I know God wanted me to hear it that night. I am not alone. Many, many others are walking the same path we've been placed on. I just praise God for his encouragement at just the right time. He knew about the towel incident and He knew about the upcoming Battle of the Cups. And He even knows about my kids' drippy noses.