The thing is, death is permanent.  Suicide is a false solution to their problem.   Problems, even problems that seem overwhelming and beyond a person’s ability to see past it…problems come and go.  Life is full of them…big, small, and in-between problems.   There is hope…but they may need help in seeing it and believing in getting beyond what is troubling them.   However, if a person’s coping skills are influenced by depression, abuse, post traumatic stress, neglect or drug/alcohol abuse then, they may mistakenly think that suicide is a way out.

There is no way around it…destruction is close at hand when a person is to the point of thinking about suicide IF they do not seek professional help to deal with whatever is driving them to this point.  Sometimes, an individual is beyond seeking help on their own power; and a family member, friend or acquaintance is forced to intervene by contacting either a health care professional, a member of clergy or spiritual adviser, or the police in some cases to force a person to seek help.  This is not easy and the laws regarding forcing someone to seek help are different in each state.

It is a hard decision to even consider stepping in.  Most of us don’t want to be put in the position of interfering in another person’s personal life.   In fact, most people will err on the side of caution and allow desperate situations to go on too long.  Out of respect for that person’s privacy we might tip toe around the subject hoping not to offend.  I say it is better to possibly offend a person than to lose them to suicide; if you are wrong and they are not suicidal, you can always let them know that you cared enough about them to risk their upset, rather than risk losing them to suicide.

Still, I bring all of this up because recently it seems that there have been a rash of suicides.  Some of them made the news, some of them were in local communities and some of them affected people that I know.  It makes me sad because there is always a high cost when a person takes their own life; it isn’t only the person who dies who suffers either.

Suicide can affect anyone.  Shock is the most obvious reaction when someone takes their life.  The people who knew them will often say…I had no idea that they were thinking about it.  Suicide can be in the mind of your parent, child, spouse, clergy/spiritual leader, teacher, friend, an isolated elder, neighbor, a member of our military personnel…or, just about anyone who is living or breathing.  Just so you know, it doesn’t matter how much money they have, where they live or who they know…suicide can be lurking in the mind of a person who is having a difficult time in their life.

You see, friends, acquaintances, and loved ones of people who commit suicide suffer terribly in their grief.  They chase their thoughts round in round about what they missed, how they could have helped, what could have been done differently, why they still live when the person who died is gone.  Some even need counseling to deal with their emotions for a very long time.  Many even get to the point where they, too, struggle with finding joy in life because they feel guilty for having moments of joy, laughter, successes or celebrations.

The person who has died does not know this.  They no longer are capable of seeing how their death affects people who are left behind.   Even people in their community who barely knew them.  You see, we all have an impact in this life whether you realize how many lives you touch or not…every life has value.

People struggle in life…we can help those at risk of suicide by trying to be aware of what they are going through.  Most of us are not qualified to help someone through severe depression or feelings of ending it all by committing suicide…but, we can all be more aware of the signs of when someone is in trouble.  We can urge someone to seek medical/emotional/spiritual professional help.  We can be encouragers, listeners and friends.  Get the phone numbers and addresses of counselors, organizations and mental health care providers in your area.  In an emergency, call 911 if you feel someone is in danger.  You might not only save their life…but you might save an innocent bystander as well.

There was a tragic story yesterday of a woman who was involved in an alleged domestic situation where there was great emotional turmoil.  Her Aunt called the authorities after the woman called a family member and said they would all have to forgive her because she was about to do something crazy.  Her children’s father was allegedly cheating on her.  This distraught New York woman, allegedly put her four children into her vehicle and drove two minutes from her home off of a ramp into some water…killing herself and three of her children.  Her fourth child, a ten year old, managed to roll down a window and by a miracle got out of the vehicle alive.  Her very young children never had a chance.  It sounds like law enforcement was there within 17 minutes…but, it only took her two to drive into the water.   What horrible consequences to a temporary situation.

In her apparent desperation, this was her solution to the problem of a cheating spouse.  It made sense to her at the time.  To those of us outside of her situation; we can see how desperate and out of control she had to be to endanger not only herself, but her children’s life.  Whether he really was cheating or not, it doesn’t matter (well it does…but, that is between him and God); but, her belief that he was cheating triggered her suicidal and homicidal response.  This is a tragedy all the way around.

There are survivors…not only the ten year old child who will struggle to have a normal life since he survived and his siblings did not…but there are other relatives, the spouse, the neighbors, the children’s school mates, church members, community members and so on.  This kind of thing leaves a big scar.

I want to share with you information about awareness and the prevention of suicide by printing a link to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Organization.

We live in a time of great stress.  We have wars going on, natural disasters, man-made disasters, terrorism, accidents, financial losses and domestic violence…you get the idea.  Update:  Last night the news shared even more devastating news about the New York mom who drove into the Hudson River with her children in the car.  It seems that after she drove in she realized what she had done was a mistake.  Her 10 year old child said, She kept saying “I made a mistake, I made a mistake”.  This is so sad…but it does illustrate my earlier point…the person in distress doesn’t really want to die or in this case cause others to die…they just want the pain to end.

It seems that two of the children were delivered safely enough by a C-section; but, when the third child was delivered, the Dr. accidently nicked the uterus causing extreme blood loss and her brain was shortchanged of oxygen for a period of time.  She was paralyzed and can’t eat, talk or speak.  Her ex-husband thinks that the children visiting with their mother could be traumatized.  They have only allegedly spent 1 visit with their mother since they were born, from the sounds of it and they will be 5 years old this summer.

Apparently the husband divorced his wife approximately a year after the birth of the triplets.  He is under the impression that she is unaware of her environment.  Therefore, he didn’t believe she would be able to improve so he divorced her and has been raising the children on his own in California.

The grandparents on the mother’s side, who are caregiving, filed for the children’s mother to have a right to visit with her children.  The father has fought it…and now a judge decides.

In my heart, I started to wonder…how does a person who took marriage vows to love, honor, obey; for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health, for better or for worse…how do they then, get to a place where they not only leave the person; but, deny them a right to visit their children that they presumably created together in love?

That is not to say that I don’t understand that the mother’s physical & medical needs weren’t overwhelming at the time of the children’s birth but; still…how do you walk away from the person that you committed yourself to?  I understand that raising triplets and working at the same time is demanding.  It leaves a lot of questions about where exactly a person’s obligations lay.

Do people really understand what those vows mean when they speak them?  What happens if life’s circumstance really do turn out worse than better once you have spoken your vows?  Did or does the husband have a moral obligation to honor his vows?  The judge will decide if he must legally allow visits…but, I am curious about what others think on an emotional level.

At the very least, shouldn’t he allow his ex-wife to see their children?  After all, the young woman who went to that hospital that day to give birth to their three children.  I am sure she had every expectation that their lives were about to change for the better.  They were going to be parents…a family who lived and loved together.  Things did not turn out that way at all…and it begs a person to wonder…when things turn out worse than for the better in a marriage…can the spouses have any level of expectation from the one who professes to love them enough to marry them?  What are your thoughts?

The Good News meaning that Jesus was born the son of God, come into the world to offer hope to a lost and dying world that they might accept him, repent of their sins and grow in their relationship with God the Father and have eternal life with him in Heaven, instead of living a sinful life of destruction and pain.

I have admiration for those who can and have witnessed in that way door to door or on the streets.  It is not for everyone however, and it is not the only way to win souls.  Society has changed and in some ways not for the better.  Personal safety issues are part of the equation.  It simply is not safe to send teens or young people into settings where they are encouraged to step foot into the homes of strangers where they may, or may not, be wanted.  Today’s secular world has little respect for life, or for Christian values.

Today, that type of witnessing still happens on some level…but, times have changed in the way that we deliver the good news.  We still need to honor and perform the great commission (the task of evangelizing) around the world; however, our approach must be different to be considered highly effective.  People’s hearts are hard and their sins are proudly displayed and openly encouraged by the misguided members of our society.

We have to bring the message to where they are; and, many people are online.

The reasons for changing how we deliver the message of Salvation to the lost are varied.  To get the word out to the masses you must take the message to where the people gather together.  The biggest arena today for ministry is the internet; not a superdome or sports arena. This could include websites, blogs, webinars, tele-seminars, social media, tele-casts,news-letters or even, advertising spots.

The opportunities are endless as people are spending untold hours online.  Getting their attention and helping them to live their lives for Jesus in a way that “sticks” is important because they are constantly being bombarded with messages in the media that conflict with a life’s goal of living in Heaven.

Just think about how the enemy, Satan, is reaching out to people online; both the Sinners and the Saints.  The temptations and the opportunities to lead them into a continual life of sin is right there at their fingertips.

There are sinful things online that become addictive and their “drug of choice” is always there waiting for them to connect.  Shouldn’t the messengers of God be there as well?  Why can’t a word, a thought/idea, a scripture or an encouragement to do what’s right in the sight of the Lord be just as available as the sinful content at the click of a mouse online?  It can be if Christian people would join this writing project to encourage people to come to know God and apply his life principles to their lives.

So it is, that the message of God’s love and his plan of Salvation is still desperately needed to be broadcast around the globe so that every ear may hear, and every eye may see, so that every tongue has the opportunity to confess Jesus is the son of God and their own personal Lord and Savior; BEFORE the rapture takes place.

Believe it or not, some have not had the opportunity to know of God’s love.  Missionaries around the world can tell you that from experience.  We must employ every means possible to reach out to a lost and hurting world so that everyone can know the love of God, experience his protective power, and the fullness of living in his service.

Whatever your circle of influence is, if you are a Christian you are called to proclaim the message that Jesus died on the cross and rose again so that each and every person who confesses their sins and sincerely repents choosing to live by God’s commandments will be allowed into Heaven when the trumpet sounds.

Not every person has the personality, the skills, or the Biblical knowledge to knock on doors or able to stand on the street corners and win souls for the Kingdom.  However, by choosing to #LiveSticky in a public way online, you have even more opportunities to have an outreach that you may not have access to otherwise.  Souls can be saved, seeds can be planted, and lives can be impacted in a very real way.

Be a witness, be an encourager, be a good listener and look for opportunities to be a lighthouse.   Lead by shining God’s light and guiding people to him through your online relationships and interactions.  Offer hope to people who have been hurt and lost or broken in life; only God can heal their lives.  Let the local churches and ministries help develop those people to a life of discipleship…but, be a vital part of opening their hearts to the call of God for their salvation.

That is what #LiveSticky is all about.  Won’t you be bold and commit to living your faith out loud online?  I’m going to try to be more bold online.  You can follow me on

Twitter  at      http://twitter.com/WritewhereUr

With the economic disasters of the last decade, there are more people out on the street because they have been uprooted by a sudden change in their finances.  Military veterans often struggle with a return to civilian life and end up homeless.   Runaways also can end up homeless after they have run through the willingness of their friends and family to allow them to couch surf for a period of time.  Sometimes a runaway situation is by choice and sometimes it is out of a need for survival that they leave home.   Again, people become homeless for a variety of reasons; and, it doesn’t have to be a permanent situation.  People living on the street can also become a victim of violence, crime, or intimidation.   Homelessness can be a reaction to a temporary situation in a person’s life.   It does not have to mean a hopeless situation.

Ted Williams says that for the better part of 15 years he was homeless and living on the streets because of his addictions.  Turning his life around and getting sober allowed him to have  a dream.   Growing up he had a desire to get into broadcasting for a career.  The addictions took him on another path.  Recently, he stood along the roadway with a handwritten sign proclaiming that he had a God given voice.  A video was made of him by a reporter as he panhandled alongside the road; that video of him using his God given voice went viral.  Since that time, he has had a whirlwind couple of days with job offers inundating him.  He has the potential of seeing his aging mother who lives in Brooklyn, New York while he is doing all of these interviews with the major news networks.  This opportunity to reconnect mother and son is an answer to both of their prayers.  They both have said that they prayed to see him doing well again in life before she passed away. Their faith was rewarded by this reaction to the viral video.

I am sure that there are families all around the country with that same desire; to see their sons/daughters/fathers/mothers restored to a good place in life.  This feel good story of Ted Williams could be true for many more people who are homeless.  Ted has had an offer to work for the Cleveland Cavaliers and have a home again.  How many other people that are presently homeless have hopes and dreams that could come true if someone took notice of them on the street and didn’t dismiss them as hopeless?  it would be great if all of these opportunities being offered to Ted could be spread around to help others in the same situation.

Don’t get me wrong…I love this story about Ted Williams.  I am happy for him and his family.  I just can’t help thinking about the countless others who are still stuck on the street; caught up in drugs, alcohol, prostitution/human trafficking, or in an emotional/physical prison.   Illegal activities often become a way of life when there is no steady income from a job.   We need to focus some solutions to the problem on helping people to turn their lives around and become happy, healthy and productive individuals again.  Look at what a little positive attention has done for Ted Williams and imagine the same effect on those that you pass on the street in the same predicament any other day of the week.   How can you help?  Donate time, food, blankets, money or your skills to those who work with the homeless.  Employ them or help to educate someone; direct them to a safe shelter or to a counseling program which may be able to help them get back on their feet.  Try to shed a little light into the dark corners of the world where people don’t often feel worthy of a better life!

Players are standing in long lines to purchase their tickets.  Even the “odds of winning” aren’t a deterrent to the most loyal of players…the 1 in 176 millionth of a chance of winning.  Really?  I wonder how someone convinces themselves that THEY are the one who WILL win the jackpot with those kind of odds.  It really is gambling to spend money in the HOPES of taking the jackpot.

Although, there are those who spend serious money to try to even up the odds of winning to their benefit; by purchasing more than one ticket.  Still, when you stop and think about it…doesn’t it really mean when they lose that they will just take a harder hit than the person to spends the bare minimum to purchase one chance to win?

I don’t play the lottery.  First of all, people with my kind of luck just don’t win these things.  Second of all, you hear about some of the winners of these huge lotteries who turn around and say, within a short period of time, I wish that I would have just torn up that ticket at the very beginning.   That is not a high recommendation for praying for “good luck” when playing the lottery.

Those people have either lost their winnings, had the funds mis-managed, or been hit up with one kind of disaster after another, once they did win.  Not to mention, because of winning the lottery; they were subjected to people coming out of the woodwork trying to get a portion of the money; thereby jeopardizing their relationships with many of the people in their lives and their communities.  One of the winners I remember reading about lost a granddaughter to death, was sued by multiple people; and, seemed to have gained more problems than anyone would ever think possible.   Often criminal, emotional, marital, or legal problems persist for winners of lotteries.   Others become addicted to gambling or other high risk behaviors.  For those who believe that winning will solve all of their problems in life; disappointment and disillusionment become a way of life.

Those issues are not an endorsement for wanting to win, right?

Winners are often told that 25% of the winnings go to the federal government.  Forty one states are in on this particular jackpot…and of course, the states will have their own taxes that must be deducted from the winner’s take.  It is highly recommended for people who are not already well blessed with finances and well versed in the world of high finance to seek out and (pay for) financial counselors, lawyers, accountants and investment bankers to advise them.  (There would go another substantial amount of the winnings).   I’ve always been taught that gambling is wrong…sinful, leads to all kinds of trouble.

It would be just my bad luck; if I violated what I’ve always been taught…I would WIN and suffer unbearably!  

Those are all reasons why I am not buying a ticket.  Even though it is tempting to think that all of a person’s financial problems could be wiped away in one moment…I won’t buy a ticket.  I mean, geez; if you won that kind of money, you would always be worrying about losing it somehow.  If you’ve never had it, you don’t have to worry about losing it, right?   > So, it’s official; I’ve decided that no way am I going to risk winning the Mega Millions Lottery Jackpot this evening.  LoL   How about you, are you going to risk it?

When a young person, no matter how troubled, crosses your path and you have the chance to positively impact their life…take it from me..you need to be bold, by doing or saying what needs to be said or done.  What you think may annoy them or offend is not as important as avoiding a potential event if that person has time to think through the things that they are doing with their life.

Not so long ago, such an opportunity came and went.  Several of us tried to touch the lives of the young men who momentarily passed through our youth group.  They had varying degrees of response to the spiritual teachings and to the adults trying to make a connection with them.  One young man was a rubber ball; oh he came back a few times…but he wasn’t there for spiritual guidance.  He appeared to be there for social reasons. 

That isn’t terribly unusual.  What is unusual is that there seemed to be little to no positive impact on his life; his heart was not about to let anyone in deep enough to touch him spiritually or emotionally.  Everything was funny to him or made him angry.  He did not respect authority nor did he appear to have a good relationship with any of the other teens in attendance, even though he went to school with them.

In fact, he seemed to flaunt his defiance and rebellion.   He instilled fear in some of the kids because of his actions and his attitude.  He threatened some, he disobeyed requests to respect bare minimum requests for appropriate behavior.  Mostly, he just put in a couple of  appearances and left the place “untouched or unchanged”.

One of the other two that came was a bit older.   This young man knew scripture and could quote it.  I had no knowledge of this person before he came to visit, the one and only time that he came to the youth group.  However, others knew of him.  He freely admitted that he was not living right (even though his family had taught him about God and living according to his guidelines).  This made me sad; yet, I was hopeful because he seemed to have a foot on both sides of the fence.  He was young, intelligent and had the capability of making the right choice.

Do not be fooled…people can’t live that way indefinitely; eventually, you must get off of the fence and make a choice on how you conduct yourself in life.   It comes down to a choice of living in a Godly way or choosing to do whatever you want regardless of the consequences.   Of course the news story has not yet been tried in court; so we do not know if what is being charged to these young people, is in fact what happened beyond a shadow of a doubt.   However, these young men that visited our youth group are now being charged with a murder.

Initially, as I said the younger man was totally defiant and the first one seemed to be trying to choose which way he was going to go.  I had hoped that he would choose the correct path.  His family I am sure was praying for the same outcome.  They both had been in trouble with the law before and were on probation, they said.  Drugs & alcohol appeared to be a part of the problem.  The older one seemed to be trying to come to terms with how he was going to go forward while on probation; while the other was mocking the system and made light of all of the wrongs they had done previously.  That never bodes well for anyone…to have an experience that is meant to teach us a lesson and to laugh in the face of it. 

While I know that everyone make mistakes; some people turn their lives around and others do not.  What makes the difference???  I don’t know, I wish that I did.   Many lives could be kept from making tragic mistakes that have huge and horrific consequences, if only someone had the answer to that question.

We always tell our teens that God is there; and he is.  He knocks and waits for a person to answer the door.  He patiently and lovingly keeps an eye on you and keeps trying to call your name so that your life is one of purpose and value.  One that is full of promise and hope.  He forgives mistakes and he wants for you to turn to him before life gets out of control; as long as the person truly is sorry for their mistakes and makes an effort to learn from it, when they ask God to forgive he does.  

Even when we make mistakes God never leaves us; he will be there when we need to pick up the tattered remains of our lives.  It is not too late for these young men (or anyone) to ask God to be the ruler of their lives.  It won’t undo the loss of  life, if they were indeed responsible for this person’s death.  However, God can make good come from any evil act or darkness in a person’s life.

Still, let’s not forget that justice will be served.  Forgiveness does not entitle anyone to be exempt from punishment.  There are c0nsequences to our actions…both good and bad.  It is hard to hear but it is a fact of life.

A life was lost and it cannot be returned.   That person’s family and friends will want justice…some will even want revenge.  Things do not have to be this way, a person’s future if you are convicted, is not one of freedom of choice.  It seems such a waste to have a whole life before you, only to throw it away; and for what reason?  A party, a moment of rebellion, a reckless decision, a fleeting moment of pleasure?  A choice that sometimes has a high price for the decision maker; care must be taken not to make choices that will waste the time we have here with our friends and family. 

 The victim had friends and family too, and they will be grieving.   Young men did you take this person’s life?  I don’t know.  But still i wonder, why didn’t you hear him when God called your name?  Or if you heard him, why didn’t you respond in a way that allowed God to be present in your daily life?  If you did, then the murder victim would still be alive, your family would not be facing a life without you in it on a daily basis, you would not be sitting in prison, when instead, you could be having a life full of all of the good things that God intended for you.

Why was your rebellion (of choosing drugs and violence) so much more important than choosing a life of right?  Why is it that the things God meant for you to hear fell away from you like water off of a ducks back?  Having rules and guidelines in life helps keep us accountable and out of situations that can destroy us.  Having parents, teachers, law enforcement, bus drivers etc who give you boundaries to follow aren’t doing it to make your life miserable; in fact, it is just the opposite, they care enough to tell you when you have crossed a line of inappropriate behavior, to help you do what is right.  It really is for your own good and the good of others.

Even though you were not a part of our youth group, on a permanent basis, I grieve that you have been accused of this murder.  I am sad that it is even a possibility that it could be true.  I am heartbroken for the victim’s friends and family.  I am horrified that the victim died a needless death full of pain, only to be discarded like something left behind that had no value.

Our world is becoming too full of these kinds of stories.   Stories filled with a lack of respect for others, violence, lack of accountability, a sense of entitlement, drugs/alcohol, low self-esteem, death, rape, anger, loneliness, sadness, abuse, lack of education, jail/prison, isolation, and so many other negative things that are harmful to our society.  There are too many lives that are destroyed by those who can’t or won’t respect authority and the rules of society; at home, in school, at church, on the streets or in any other environment.  There are too many innocent people who have to suffer from the negative choices that others make.   If we all tried to follow the rules that God set before us then there would be so much less suffering in the world.

My heart wonders if you have had time yet to wish that you had heard God when he called your name.  How many others will find themselves in situations of their own making because they have chosen to rebel and ignore the concerns of their loved ones?  How can we keep those we care about from making choices that harm themselves or others when they are living outside of God’s protection?  What can we learn from these horrible stories?

        These things can be overcome.  Set your mind to helping to heal, correct, comfort, console and bring peace to those around you who are hurting.   Taking that action doesn’t have to cost alot of money, it can be a simple thing like a wordless hug…a small gift… a card sent with personal words of love and support…or clearing your schedule to listen to them vent…offering to share their load if you can. 

         If you know them well enough, you probably know what brings them comfort and peace.   Whatever action you chose to take, do it with love, kindness, and patience…it will be greatly appreciated and eventually rewarded by seeing them overcome whatever obstacle or challenge has come before them.    After all, you never know when your actions might cause a pay it forward kind of moment that blesses others.

        Giving another person hope and encouragement is a wonderful thing.   It can be contagious and become a light in the dark world that sometimes surrounds us.

    Are you on a “trip to Holland”?

         The poem written by Emily Perl Kingsley was cut out and pasted on refrigerator from February of 1992 until we moved to a new home in 1995.  It was titled, “ Welcome to Holland”.  In essence, it was a snapshot of what it is like to being unprepared when you give birth to a child who has challenges, such as medical or cognitive disabilities.

         There is one section of the poem that I read over and over again, “After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, “Welcome to Holland.”     “Holland?!?” you say. “What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I’m supposed to be in Italy. All my life I’ve dreamed of going to Italy.”   But there’s been a change in the flight plan. They’ve landed in Holland and there you must stay.”

My husband and I wanted to go to Italy and ended up in Holland on February 7, 1992.  I should have known that our trip to second time parenthood would be bumpy as we were told that our second born was to be a girl.   “Two girls, so nice”, my OB-GYN told me.  Guess what, we had the first boy born in 28 years in my family when he arrived via emergency c-section.  Not breathing right.  Sugar too low, heartbeat too high.  I could already feel the “plane veer” off course.

       Days later we were allowed to go home only to notice that our little “fella” was turning the color of a Sunkist orange.  Not good.  Not good at all.  Rushed back to the hospital to be told it was simple “jaundice”.  Nope, nothing in the child’s life would be simple, I found out. Days go on and before the first actual tulip bloomed that year we were in intensive care with our young guy.  Jaundice ended up to be a “liver problem” – not yet determined, but possibly very serious and could lead to severe retardation.  Respiratory syncytial virus/ RSV nearly claimed his life.  Reflux choked him every third breath.  Our nightmare continued.  You know you have a very sick baby when you can’t find room in the isolated PICU suite because of the number of doctors, nurses and respiratory therapists working with your child to keep him alive.  You also know your baby is very ill when the nurses come and ask you questions such as, ‘Is there anyone we can call for you?”  Does God have a hotline, I wonder? 

      For any new parent who has a baby you know this is the worst part of the scenario- waiting.   You wait to see if the tests are positive for illnesses that are unimaginable.  You wait to see if the insurance will cover the rare and complicated blood work, machines that are helping your child stay alive or special therapy sessions ordered.  You wait to see if you will ever have a “normal” life again for yourself, your family, your work, etc.  Will your child walk, talk, eat normally, have friends, etc.? You begin truly begin to hate Holland. 

      Then, little by little, the wait can end.  Test results come back.   Therapies begin.  Hospitalizations end and you go home.  But, for many of us, this is when you start a new journey in to the realm of Special Education.  Here is the most ironic part of this story and the reason I am writing it for this blog.  I am a special educator.  I am a full fledge, certified School Psychologist that is trained with helping parents and children with special needs.  All my training flies out the window as my mind is trying to process the months of evaluations, reports and recommendations from specialists.   Ironic indeed.  I have now changed teams!  Instead of being the intervention specialist I now am the one calling our local school district asking for help from the Early Intervention Team!   And I am so grateful when they appear at my door. But, I still have problems with paperwork and understanding all the information.  How can this be?  I do this job everyday and I am still wading through it because my head is so full of grief and confusion.  The team helps me. Everyday gets a little better. Clarity arrives with every meeting or visit from a team member. Family members come on board to help.  We get it grieve through it. 

     Now fast- forward, our son improves with therapy as he starts to talk, walk (actually run) and become quite sociable.  He has more hospital visits but he is deemed fairly healthy.  His liver has a benign disorder and we are told that he shouldn’t go without food or enter in to the military.  We can live with those two stipulations to have a benign liver disorder vs. the alternatives.

 I also become a much better psychologist.  Often I go to our refrigerator and I read Welcome to Holland.  As I do, I imagine my own fears, but also the see the faces and hear the sad, confused and sometimes hopeful voices of countless parents and children I have worked with in the past. I am a better person because I stopped in Holland than Italy.

    As for the little “fella”, he is applying to colleges now. He has had his challenges, but nothing we couldn’t handle without the help of school and healthcare professionals.

     And guess where he suggested we go on summer vacation this year?  Holland.  Well, I’ll be!

Hello Readers:  I would like to take this opportunity to thank Louise Sattler.  Louise is an expert in working with children…as she said…she is a certified School Psychologist.  She also heads up a great business known as Signing Families.  She has a website that you can access here:  http://www.signingfamilies.com.  Louise is available to do workshops and she does speaking engagements as well.  Teaching sign language helps build relationships and opens doors of communication for those with special needs.  Louise and Signing Families has a wonderful DVD which teaches beginning sign language for babies, toddlers and pre-school age children; it has over 100 signs to use. 

      I can say that she is a very engaging woman who is open and willing to share her expertise and her experiences when it comes to educating and helping families succeed in opening doors of communication for their special loved ones.  Thank you Louise for sharing your personal perspective of living successfully with challenges in parenting children with special needs!

        The Crosby Mint Farm has been in their family for almost 100 years and through 4 generations.   That is alot of history of investment into the community and to their customers.  Due to some family tragedies and some bad loan decisions…they could actually lose their business if they do not sell 65,000 bottles of mint oil in the next three weeks, before August 14,2009.  See more info here: www.getmint.com.  I am not affiliated with them.  I make no money from bringing this message to you; I just believe in what they are trying to do, which is keep control of their business and maintain their family legacy!

          Reminder, the goal date is to sell those bottles of oil, or what they call a dram of oil which equals 1/8 of an ounce, is August 14th, 2009.  The drams are either spearmint or peppermint oil.  They are selling them for $5.oo per dram.  The Crosby Mint farm is in St. Johns, Michigan.  The owners are a brother and sister team and they are doing everything they can to sell these bottles of oil so that they can be in full ownership once again.  www.getmint.com.

           Please, if you believe in Americans taking control of their finances and adding to the economy by running their business in a way that cares about their customers and their communities…please go to their website and buy a bottle or two…or, anything else there that they offer.  Help them to stay in business and continue to provide a high quality product.  Mint is good for so many things…health, relaxation, flavorings for foods and candies.  It can be added to massage oil for a refreshing massage.  It can be added to water in a spray bottle to perfume the air and be used as a natural air freshner.  

           Is there a way you can find it in your heart to support a business that is trying their best to be proactive and be a blessing to their community and their employees?  If so, click here to visit their website and make a purchase:   www.getmint.com.

         Right now, many people reading this are saying, yeah baby…more sex!  Seriously though, it is no laughing matter for those struggling to conceive a child and carry a healthy baby to term.  Many tests and techniques for conceiving a child, can take the joy out of lovemaking for a couple.  Often the advice given, takes away the spontaneity for many couples; and, the monthly cycles can truly become an emotional roller coaster.   

         The physical expression of love can become more like a task on the to do chore list, when the pregnancy doesn’t happen as quickly as the couple desires it to.  The  couple’s expectations can include extreme hope and optimisim; and,  it can include the reality for some of  serious doubt and depression.  What seems to happen so easily and naturally for some folks can seem like the impossible for others.  The stress and strain on those struggling with infertility can destroy relationships, with partners secretly and not so secretly, blaming themselves or their partner for the difficulty in becoming pregnant.  Emotions can play a big part in how a couple deals with the stress of fertility issues.

        Hopefully, this new research from Austrailia can help couples not to stress so much under the old restrictions partaining to limiting their physical relationship to every second or third day of the week.  Loving one another when it feels natural to do so, can only help things to feel more fulfilling and spontaneous.  If nothing else, increasing the opportunities for conception to take place may just increase your chances of becoming pregnant.  Whatever techniques and practices that remove second and third parties from the intimate aspect of conceiving must be a welcome idea to those who wish for a birth child.