Weeds

My little bug is in LOVE with all the purple flowers she is seeing right now. Part of these are growing in our yard...because they are weeds. Her poor little heart couldn't understand why we were pulling out her flowers. As she sat in my lap, we talked about weeds. How they grew quickly and often were deceptively beautiful. They weren't "helper" plants but actually killed the grass we want to grow. She was soon helping pull them out, but stopped to smell almost every one. *heart melting* 

I took the opportunity to talk with both kids about the weeds in our lives. The things that Satan warps to look good, but ultimately chokes out the true goodness in our lives. They may be young but they listened. Little bear asked if it was like the rumor weed on VeggieTales. (See, I told ya they were listening) 

God was speaking to our little family through those little purple flowers. Calling us to look closely at our lives and find the weeds. Calling us to eliminate the things that occupy our time but serve no purpose in bringing God glory or furthering the kingdom. It is a toe cruncher for sure! 

Dear Lord,

Give my eyes and heart the necessary filter to keep the weeds pulled out. Help us to fill our days with actions to serve your purpose. Thank you for the teachable moments you place before me. Thank you for the beauty you surround is with. 

~*Shelby*~

You're Beautiful

The past few weeks there has been something weighing heavy on my heart and mind. Our actions and words are so very important. So very influential...especially on those little ones we don't think are listening. The things they see and hear are taken out to the world and shared with the world. If those are kind, loving, build people up kinds of things then...AWESOME. Those are the things of life worth living for. Yet, all too often they are not those words and deeds reflected. I'm not talking about heinous crimes or overly blatant wrong things, but those more subtle, some how sharper words that strike.

Recently, my little bear says to me "I guess I am just a weird kid, Mom." Weird? Where in the world did this come from? Turns out a particular non friend at school has been throwing these jabs out at my kiddo on a frequent basis. Now, let me interject a major statement of importance here, I am not OK with being mean or ugly to people, but facts are facts, these things will happen more often than they should in this life. My goal is for my little guy to learn how to handle these breaches upon his self image and come out on top. YET, I do strongly feel that as his mom I have a obligation to teach him to not treat other people that way. My God tells us not to!

Friends have shared various instances when their own, differently-abled little person was treated unkindly. Makes me stop and think we as a society are going about this all the wrong way. In a world that "celebrates" uniqueness in more ways than I can count, a child with a condition that they CAN'T change is ridiculed, mocked, and told to go play somewhere else. Really? It is looked down upon to judge or treat someone differently because of their hair, tattoos, piercings, religious beliefs, or lifestyle choices and yet children are learning to be rude to other kids who are different from them? This is ludicrous.

Please stop and think before you say something about the person standing on the corner. Please stop and think before you speak ill words about the coworker that drives you crazy. Please stop and think before telling your kid "that person is weird/strange." Plain and simple they are just different. I'm different than you and you are different than me, doesn't make us weird or strange, but oddly it makes us normal because different IS normal.

My hopes in this are that my sweet child and those walking a similar journey come away with a peace in knowing who they are. Knowing that they are beautifully and wonderfully made.
Mercy Me shares my thoughts "You're beautiful, You're beautiful, You are made for so much more than all of this. You're beautiful, You're beautiful, You are treasured, You are sacred, You are His. You're beautiful"


Dear Lord,

Please help me to be an example of YOU in my thoughts, actions, and words. Keep me mindful of the little ears that are listening and molding themselves after me. Protect their hearts and minds from the arrows of insults the world throws their way. May they carry the fruits of the spirit. 

Your girl,

~*Shelby*~ 

Cut It Out

There has been a world of progress made since my last post. My little bear is blooming in his own little way. This is not really somewhere I thought we would be this soon. Good things are coming around the corner too!

Occupational therapy is one of the integral steps in helping SPD kids learn to function with the differences in their bodies. We have a wonderful OT that diagnosed our little bear, but she is over an hour away and it isn't feasible to see her three times a week. Since November, I have been praying and searching for a way to make OT happen for us. There weren't any OTs that work specifically with SPD to my knowledge or to the knowledge of the therapy places I inquired. Randomly, I called the first place I checked back, just on a whim to see if maybe something had changed. They didn't have any new staff but did make a recommendation for me. We are now scheduled with an OT here in Stillwater that TRULY understands what SPD is and looks like...her son is sensational too! I can't express to you how important it is to bring your petitions before God....He will deliver when and if the timing is right and in a better way than you can imagine. Never once had I really thought about having a therapist who LIVES with SPD on a daily basis like we do. How much better can it get? Professional, practical, and maternal advice!

I know that most of you have very limited knowledge or exposure to SPD, and in my effort to help bless others through our journey, I would like to share a glimpse of our life with you...

Hair cuts....routine part of life for most everyone, correct? Not a life altering experience, not a physical marathon, just a hair cut...not a big deal, right? As some of you have noticed, I let my little guy's hair grow out pretty long between haircuts. We average 4-5 at most a year. Over the summer, I may not cut it at all. Why? Because it is very unpleasant for him. Does he scream and kick? No. Then what's the big deal? It physically causes him pain and discomfort. His little body perceives all those sensations in such a magnified way. Clippers are really uncomfortable because they vibrate and make noise. Scissors are OK for the most part. We used to go to professionals to get it cut, but it is so much better for him now that I do it at home. We can take as long as we need, do it in sessions, do it over several days, whatever. He is so much less anxious, better able to deal with it here at home. Are my haircuts perfect? No, but they are pretty good for an amateur. 

Anxious to start

Stop and think next time you see someone with a "non-professional" haircut. There may be a whole world of reasons it looks the way it does! 

Dear Lord,

Thank you for my little bear. Thank you for the journey you have put us on. Thank you for helping me acquire new skills, such as hair cutting, to endure the course. Your love is so amazing. How am I worthy to be blessed to be a mother? Please guide me to be a parent to my children the way you are to me. 

Love your daughter,

~*Shelby*~