Sometimes, in life, I get so caught up in the task of problem-solving, that I overlook the obvious.
Our 33 year old special needs son has been struggling with depression and anxiety. We’ve discussed and tried so many ways to help him find purpose in life, and we’re in the process of looking into getting new medication, but recently, the Lord blessed us with an unexpected breath of fresh air!
I went over to his house to encourage him to walk with his walker (a difficult task for him). One of our daughters, Heather, was there and she’s good at pushing him to do more than he thinks he can. He may complain a little while he’s doing it, but he felt good when he reached his goal. After she left, he read a chapter of the Bible to me and I was excited about how well he did! You see, he has visual problems and has always been an auditory learner, listening to the Bible and other books on CD. This past year, he has really wanted to read the Bible with his eyes, so we bought the largest print one we could find, but at this point in his life, he needs an encouraging audience. Then, he sang several songs to me (singing is one of his strengths).
He received much praise for all three activities and he said this was the first time in awhile that he had really laughed.
As Shon seeks independence, I’ve been seeking God’s guidance on what my role as a parent should look like. I’ve been trying not to give unsolicited advice. On this day, I discovered an answer: be his cheerleader. Make time weekly to do those activities with him. Yes, continue to problem solve, as needed, but make time to cheer him on and rejoice together over his accomplishments!
There’s a time for mourning together, and a time for rejoicing together! (Romans 12:15) May I not get so caught up in the former, that I miss out on the latter! (By the way, Romans 12:15 mentions rejoicing first!
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