I'm Patty, and my husband and I are living with our adult son who has autism and epilepsy. I love sharing lessons learned from life around me, especially life with Aaron.
I simply want to share with you the beautiful sight outside my window from a couple mornings ago. These are rare clouds called Roll Clouds. They were stunning and a little scary to see. We didn’t get a drop of rain but we did get some wind as they rolled over us. They were the precursor to severe storms east of us.
Truly, God does command the clouds above…and what a sight they are!
“…clouds are the dust beneath His feet.” (Nahum 1:3)
Autism 101: Individuals with autism tend to “…have eccentric preoccupations or odd, intense fixations… They tend to follow their own inclinations regardless of external demands…” (Karen Williams)
You got that one right, Karen!
In our home, living with Aaron means that Gary and I also live with his fixations. Sometimes his obsessions are funny. Sometimes they are maddening. Sometimes they are exhausting.
But always, Aaron will…to finish the above title…find a way to fulfill his inner demands of how his life is to be lived.
Like his mealtime routine. Aaron will always, always, always, have multiple utensils or plates or bowls of whatever kind he desires for each meal. Here was his place setting recently as he ate lunch in the family room.
We have come to expect this, and we don’t even try to correct him. He will make sure to have the proper number of knives, forks, or spoons for every meal. I am just very thankful that I have a dishwasher!
How about movie credits? Gary and I watched a movie yesterday. Afterwards, we wondered where the movie was filmed. We watched the credits to find our answer, which happened to be at the very bottom of the huge stream of names and job titles. And we laughed at ourselves, realizing we had become…for that moment…just like Aaron.
Aaron…who watches movie credits with as much focus as he watches the movie.
Aaron loves his Star Light that he turns on every night. It was a Christmas gift from Kyle and Andrea, and he has turned it on every night since then. Aaron very quickly developed his own rules for his Star Light. He wants it turned on just as he is getting into bed.
One night, Gary came upstairs shortly before Aaron was actually getting INTO his bed. Aaron wanted Gary to see his Star Light, so while Gary stood in the doorway, Aaron turned the light on. Gary oohed and aahed, Aaron was very happy, and then off went the light. Maybe two minutes later…tops…Aaron turned the light back on because he was now getting INTO bed and it was the REAL time to turn on his Star Light.
Back to Karen Williams’ quote: Aaron will follow his own inclinations regardless of external demands.
Gary and I are usually the ones making those external demands in many cases.
Let’s talk sweaters…Aaron’s sweaters, to be precise. Of course.
Aaron LOVES his sweaters. Certain sweaters are better than others, and he will wear them until they are worn to bits. He had this old sweater for several years, but it was his very favorite. He wore it or carried it or had it nearby, inside and outside…always.
This year, for Christmas, I ordered him two new sweaters. They are long and flowing, the kind he loves. And love them he does!
He wears one pretty constantly. Inside and outside, his sweater is being worn.
He also wants to wear it to bed, under all his necessary covers…including his new weighted blanket that he loves. This means that sometimes he gets too hot, but he will rarely agree to sleep without his sweater. This happened on Saturday night when he talked about being too hot the night before.
Enter the external demands, made by me. I reminded him that he should remove his sweater before climbing into bed. He was reluctant, but finally agreed to those external forces trying to rearrange his internal inclinations.
We discussed it on his monitor when I went into my bedroom. We discussed it as he stood at my closed bathroom door while I tried to brush my teeth. And he continued to discuss it with Gary after he clomped down two sets of stairs to Gary’s study.
We thought we had won. We were the new KING AND QUEEN OF EXTERNAL DEMANDS!!!!
Silly us.
Soon Gary came upstairs. Aaron called out to him from behind his closed bedroom door, wanting one last word with Dad.
And last word it was…for there lay Aaron.
Wearing his sweater.
On TOP of the covers.
We removed our King and Queen crowns as we climbed into our own bed.
Instead, we wore smiles.
Why fight the inevitable, right?
Aaron will always find a way.
Based on my title, I should just stop right now. That’s because what I DON’T know would fill a large book. What I DO know…quite the opposite.
Unless what I DO know is based on a big book about our big God. Now THAT would fill a big book indeed…actually, it already has.
Something this pandemic has shown me clearly is that there is a lot…a LOT…that I don’t know. I have an opinion about a lot of issues, but I don’t truly KNOW with certainty about most of those things.
The theories and conspiracies surrounding the world’s situation are running rampant on social media. It’s so easy to get caught up in the swirl of it all. Is this article true? Let me research it! But is the research that I am reading correct? Maybe. Maybe not.
I simply, really…all too often…don’t know for sure.
This uncertainty and this holding on to our beliefs leads to so much confusion and so much angst. Right there are two traits that God does not want us to have.
Yesterday I was continuing my slow reading through Psalm 33. I was interrupted by a pretty light out my window, so of course you know what I did. I grabbed my phone, ran outside, and snapped a quick picture of our sunrise. I love how God delights me with the beauty that He creates all around us, especially in the sky.
This moment was the perfect accompaniment to Psalm 33:6:
“By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host.”
All around me today I am reminded of how much I don’t know.
But all around me today I am also reminded of how much I DO know.
The difference in the two depends on where I choose to place my focus.
My desire, more and more during this unsettling time in our world, is to place my eyes on God and on what I know about Him. Just as I know that the sun will rise in the morning, there are some other things I can surely know as well.
I know that God is working in this world right now, today.
“The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He frustrates the plans of the peoples.” (Psalm 33:10)
“God doesn’t keep Himself marooned in creation; He messes in politics. He gets into the dirty stuff of history. This is partly what makes the God of the Bible so unnerving – you simply can’t box Him up in one arena of His world. He simply ‘takes over’ everywhere.” (Dale Ralph Davis)
I know that God’s plan will stand forever.
“God’s plan will stand forever, the design of His heart to generation after generation.” (Psalm 33:11)
I know that God loves the world and gave us His Son to save us from our sin and provide the way to heaven.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave us His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
I know that when I lack wisdom, God has told me to simply ask and He will give me the wisdom I need.
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, Who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.” (James 1:5)
This includes the wisdom to live correctly and to live in His will during COVID-19. Wisdom to make God-honoring decisions. Wisdom to trust God even when I can’t trust anything else that I see or hear.
May I hold on to God tighter than I hold on to my beliefs about non-essential issues.
May I trust God to reveal truth to me, and not let me make decisions that are Biblically incorrect.
May I react with a bent knee rather than a balled-up fist.
May I not waste this moment in history, but may I use every part of it for the glory of God.
I am NOT where I thought I would be this week!
I am NOT where I planned, carefully planned, to be this week!
But I do believe that most of us are in the same boat and could say the same thing. How many plans have been totally disrupted due to all this virus mess and stay-at-home orders?
Trust me, I know that there are some very heart-breaking situations in people’s lives right now – far worse than anything I’m going through.
So, where was I supposed to be this week? Texas. I was to be in Texas this week.
My husband and I were going to the Houston area this week. Our daughter and her husband, Kyle and Andrea, live there. And our son, Andrew, who lives near Indianapolis, was to be there as well. Andrew works for an NHRA drag race team. They have a big national race in Houston every April.
Gary had bought our tickets. I had lined up caregivers for Aaron, who doesn’t attend these events with us. He loves his own version of a vacation, which is to stay in his comfort zone of home and of eating out every night, loving the undivided attention from caregivers…and calling us multiple times every day, just because he always has something to tell us.
On Facebook this week, the memories from this time last year have been popping up on my page. As if I need any help with memories of our fun time we should be having!
We should be doing this:
Enjoying time together:
And watching Andrew work:
I was talking to my friend, Joyce, about it a couple weeks ago. I told her it’s sad not to be going on our trip to see our kids. How it’s OK to acknowledge that sadness, but that I can’t stop and wallow in it. We laughed as we thought about that and laughed even more when Joyce mentioned being like a pig wallowing in the mud.
In the park where Aaron and I like to walk, Swanson Park, there is still a depressed area in the prairie grass where buffalo wallowed in the 1800’s. In fact, there is a plaque there for us to read about it. And it’s simply called a “buffalo wallow.” I had to inwardly smile as he and I stood there looking at it once again the other day.
Then nearby, a short distance from the trail, is this muddy area.
As we looked at it, I could imagine buffalo and wild pigs wallowing in the mud there. I could see them with my mind’s eye rolling and relaxing in the goopy mud, in no hurry to move on.
Much like I am tempted to do as I think with regret about where I thought I would be this week.
Oh, I have reason to wallow. Our kids live far from us and we see them so seldom. In fact, for many reasons, we haven’t seen Andrea and Kyle since last July. Their jobs, Andrew’s travels, Gary still working, the difficulty of finding caregivers for Aaron…all make it very hard for us to up and travel as we would so desire to do.
I could most definitely stop and wallow in my misery. And with each roll in the mud, I could find plenty of reasons to condone and excuse my wallowing!
But there’s this verse that makes me stop my wallowing and listen to God instead.
“God is my allotted portion and my cup; You take charge of my lot.” (Psalm 16:5)
Simply put, this means that God takes care of my circumstances. Things around me may become shaky, but I can be unshaken as I stand firm IN my circumstances.
Why? Because I believe in God’s direction and providence in my life. I love the note on this verse in my ESV Bible: We can have “…contentment with the arrangements of one’s life, seeing them as providentially ordered.”
What a difference it makes to know and to trust God! To know without a doubt that my interrupted plans are because of His plans for me that are far better than I can know or imagine.
Isn’t that what trust is all about anyway?
So, I acknowledge my sadness as I look at what might have been.
Then I move on. I don’t jump in the mud and relish it.
“I have set the Lord continually before me. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” (Psalm 16:8)
And I will not wallow!
Here are more of Aaron’s comments that I have collected over the years. Enjoy!
Aaron and I have been watching all the old NCIS shows, and are now on the season where Ellie Bishop joined the cast. Of course, they call her Bishop.
Then there’s Aaron.
“Mom, is The Bishop going to be on NCIS tonight?”
And ever since then, nearly every time we watch – like last night: “MOM!! There’s The Bishop!!” 😂😂😂
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Aaron was telling me all about the ice cream concoction he had the other day. “Mom, it was chocolate ice cream with chocolate syrup and it only came in one size!” What size, Aaron? “HUGE!!!” And he ate every bite.
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Aaron was very excited to tell me this morning that the Quik Trip near his day group was remodeled. I decided that as a special treat I would take him inside that Quik Trip before dropping him off at Paradigm. Aaron was thrilled!
He barreled in the door, garnering looks from the young ladies in front of us. He rubbed his hands together and gave his deep chuckle of delight.
“See, Mom?!! They differened it!!!!”
Don’t look that work up. Just enjoy it!!
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I was looking at two Penney’s sales flyers when who walked up but Mr. Precision himself.
Aaron: What are you looking at?
Me: Some Penny’s sales flyers.
Aaron (staring down at them for a few seconds): J.C. Penney.
Then he just turned and walked away.
Whatever.
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Speaking of snow, Aaron was looking at some of the areas of snow that still haven’t melted. He asked, “If the other snow has left, why hasn’t the others left?” And I understood this.
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Aaron’s very anxious for me to order him two guide books to some games but I’m waiting because of some disobedience on his part. He called me from his group, asking again about the books, and said, “I’ve had a good day today. And I did good this morning at home, right?” Yes, Aaron. “So how many times do I have to do that?” Hmmm……..not too sure this is gonna work out the way I wanted.
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Aaron was very excited to change his calendar this morning, since we are now in a new month and WE DO NOT STAY ON THE OLD MONTH ONE SECOND LONGER THAN NECESSARY!!!!
He was also looking forward to seeing the new cool animal displayed on the March calendar. We were in a big hurry this morning to get out the door, so we didn’t take time to read the name of the bird. I barely even looked at it.
So this afternoon, Aaron asked me if I would look with him at the bird and see what kind it is. I looked at the small print under the picture as Aaron waited, and then I wished I was not there.
Aaron: What kind of bird is it, Mom?
Me (sighing): It’s a Blue Footed Booby.
Aaron (smile spreading across his face), was suspiciously silent as he walked over to take a closer look.
Me (waiting with dread), wanted to take my leave.
Aaron: Does he have two….
Me (silent gasp)
Aaron: …feet?
Me: Feet?
Aaron: Yeah. Does he have two feet?
I looked, and happily saw that one of his feet was hidden. So we discussed his blue feet as I edged toward the door and made my escape.
Pray with me that we are done with the Blue Footed Booby. 😂
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Aaron, watching me on the treadmill this morning:
“You’re just doing that because you’re fat.”
Not exactly the sort of personal trainer I had hoped for, but this just might work.
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Aaron saw a commercial that must have had a woman wearing a bikini. I wasn’t looking at the television then.
Aaron: Bookinis are weird.
Me: Weird?
Aaron: Well, they’re ugly.
Me: Oh.
Aaron: I mean, bookinis are gross.
Me: I see.
Aaron: Do you want to wear a bookini, Mom?
Me: No!
Aaron: Why not?
Well, Aaron, what about that rain today?
As for me in a bookini, as Aaron calls them….my reluctance might fit in with how he pronounces that word. Pretty scary, me in a bookini.
BOO!!
But I’m not explaining that to Aaron.
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Aaron: “Today someone was in the boy’s bathroom, so I took my chances and went in the girl’s.” Well.
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The city has been repairing our neighborhood pavement, in spots. This morning as we drove out, Aaron asked what the dark stuff was on the road and so I told him it was the new pavement. And he asked, “So are they gonna new pavement the whole road?” I just love how he phrases things!
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And I hope that you have enjoyed these samples of Aaron’s phrasing, as well!
Remember Y2K? How lots of people were afraid that the world as we know it would be so greatly disrupted that civilization would be in chaos? People were storing up supplies of all sorts out of fear that at 12:01 a.m. on January 1, 2000 we would see the beginning of the end.
We were living on Fort Huachuca, Arizona during the time that people were prepping for the possible end. We lived in military quarters. Just inside our back door, the door the kids always used to run in and out, was a pantry/laundry room area. There were multiple shelves there on which I would put canned and boxed food.
You have to understand that I was – and still am to a smaller degree – an avid couponer. I enjoyed finding items that we needed on sale AND with a coupon. My kids can still fill in this blank: “It was on sale and you had a coupon.” As they roll their eyes, I might add.
In fact, one day Andrew told me that he bet I’d feed them rat poison if it was on sale and I had a coupon. I told him it depended on what size box it was. That’s important to know if you want to get the best deal. 😊
Back to our military quarters in Arizona. I had quite a few boxes of cereal that I had bought at the commissary…on sale and I had a coupon. OK. I had LOTS of boxes of cereal on my shelves that were on sale…never mind.
One day, in ran the kids with some friends. One little boy stopped suddenly in the pantry as his eyes focused on ALL those boxes of cereal.
“Mrs. Moore?” he asked. “Are you getting ready for Y2K?”
I laughed and laughed.
“No,” I explained. “Cereal was on sale and….”
You know the rest.
Now here we are, 20 years later, with images of shopping carts overflowing with toilet paper and Lysol wipes and detergent as people were panicked over the Coranavirus. People weren’t just stocking up, and it had nothing to do with a great sale and good coupons.
It was fear. So many people reacted out of fear, for various reasons, and hoarded all the supplies they could find.
It’s certainly understandable, to some degree, that human nature wants to stash away all we might need in case things get really bad.
Did you know that God does some “stashing away?”
Yes, He does!
“How massive Your goodness which You have stashed away for those who fear You, which You have worked out for those taking refuge in You before the sons of men. (Psalm 31:19)
I just LOVED reading that verse this morning!
For those who reverence God and who follow him in trust, God has stored up blessings and goodness.
It’s “…as if God squirrels away stockpiles of His goodness in hidden storage sites. But the goodness doesn’t remain there – God ‘works it out’ for those who take refuge in Him. So it is ‘stashed away’ in reserve but then ‘worked out’ in our experience where it becomes visible.” (Dale Ralph Davis)
I can just imagine God’s shelves stocked full of goodness for each of His children, ready for the time that we need it the most. He is prepped and prepared for every contingency in our lives.
“The overall impression we should have is that we are not left impoverished even in our worst troubles. Provisions are in place.” (Davis)
During this unprecedented time, when literally the entire world has been brought to a stop, I know there are thousands of stories of God’s goodness being poured upon those who fear and trust Him. Sometimes His goodness doesn’t even take the pleasant shape that we would choose. But His goodness is like that – coming in all shapes and sizes and ways that we might not like, but that are always for our growth and our good.
Just soak up the amazing promises in this Psalm:
“Blessed be God! For He has marvelously demonstrated His faithful love to me in a city under siege. But I, I said in my panic, ‘I have been cut off from before Your eyes.’ But in fact you heard the voice of my pleas for grace when I cried to You for help.” (Psalm 31 21-22)
We certainly do feel like we live in cities and towns under siege from an enemy we can’t even see. We may feel cut off from God’s eyes.
BUT!!
God does, in fact, hear our pleas for His grace and for His help. He has plenty of grace, help, peace, promises, and miracles stashed away – ready to be brought out for us when He chooses and when we ask.
On Saturday evening, a pop-up thunderstorm quickly formed over our house. Soon we had a short downpour of rain with a little hail mixed in.
And then, in our front yard and in the street, there appeared a rainbow. It was just beautiful…so near to us and so amazing!
God’s goodness to us is like that rainbow. We had to have the storm and the hail, the lightning and the thunder, in order to see such a rare display of a rainbow right in front of us.
May each of us know that in this storm of COVID-19 and all its effects on our lives, we will also see God’s visible goodness displayed right before us.
Let’s not miss what God wants us to see!
Last summer, Aaron had a dentist appointment…and in his usual fashion, he plotted and planned where we could hopefully eat afterwards.
“Mom?” he asked. “Tomorrow after my dentist appointment, can we eat at Jimmy’s Eggs?”
Yes, he calls Jimmy’s Egg – Jimmy’s Eggs. I mean, who just eats one egg, right?!
The next day found us sitting at Jimmy’s Eggs enjoying a delicious lunch/breakfast. And yes, Aaron did happily eat every bite of all this food!
There was, though, another big reason why Aaron loved Jimmy’s Eggs. Well, it was actually a very little reason that was quite big to Aaron.
Can you see it?
An ant!
Aaron wasn’t alarmed at all by having an ant join us for lunch. In fact, Aaron put a little piece of carrot from his salad on the table so the ant wouldn’t feel left out about not being allowed to order lunch. Next, he added a piece of bacon.
The server was embarrassed by the ant, but I told her not to worry. Aaron loved having the ant company, and it made me happy to watch him trying to care for the little guy.
We haven’t been back to Jimmy’s Egg(s) since then. It just hasn’t been on our dining list, but not because of the ant.
One day not long ago, when the closure of restaurants during this virus was hitting home with Aaron, he thought about Jimmy’s Egg(s).
“Mom?” he asked, “remember Jimmy’s Eggs and how we used to eat there before the virus?”
He said it so wistfully that it made me sad. Like now he measures time as Before Virus (BV) and After Virus (AV).
All of us, though, are having similar thoughts.
Remember when?
Remember when I had a job…was planning that trip I had to cancel…was going to march in graduation…could be with my mother in her nursing home or hospital…was having a huge Easter celebration…could go to church…didn’t fear for my family’s life?
I certainly don’t understand everything that’s going on around us and why certain decisions are being made, but here we are.
What I CAN do is pray, a lot, for God’s wisdom and protection for all involved in this mess. That’s basically the whole world, and for our nation in particular.
When I zoom down to my own life, or the lives of so many that I love, I do find myself at times remembering when…and if I’m not careful, fear and sadness can rule my thoughts.
That’s why yesterday morning, when I read these verses, I was so tremendously encouraged.
“But as for me, I trust in You, Oh Lord. I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in Your hand.” (Psalm 31:14-15a)
The word “times” here doesn’t just mean that my lifespan is in God’s hands. David also meant “…all the kaleidoscope of circumstances that meet him left and right. Calvin rightly draws attention to the plural form – ‘times’, and says that David uses it to ‘mark the variety of casualties by which the life of man is usually harassed.’ (Dale Ralph Davis, In the Presence of My Enemies)
Beside verses in my Bible, I often write a date and sometimes a note to remind me of when and how God especially spoke to me through that verse. I call them my memorial stones.
Beside those two verses above, I had written “Nov., 1994.” I was going through a stressful time concerning a possible health issue and the death of my Grandma. We lived in Leavenworth, Gary was deployed for training in the military, I had three little ones, Aaron’s special needs were getting more difficult, and I was far from home and family. But God reached down in that chaos and stress, and He told me very sweetly and clearly that those times…MY times…were in His loving hand.
Now here I was yesterday, with COVID-19 and all its issues swirling around us and those we love, and I was remembering when…
Remembering when God spoke to me all those years ago in another stress.
Remembering when God filled me with peace.
Remembering when God proved His promise to be my God, then, and is doing the same now.
“How often the truth of this text has proven a bastion and bulwark for God’s servants. Ulrich Zwingli, a reformer in Zurich, was visiting his people, trying to console sick and dying. The plague had some to Zurich in August 1519. By autumn Zwingli himself had succumbed to the disease. Confined to bed and staring death in the face, Zwingli prayed: ‘Do as you will, for I lack nothing. I am your vessel to be restored or destroyed.’ Different words, to be sure, but actually just a paraphrase of ‘My times are in your hand.’ One can rest there even in the plague.” (Dale Ralph Davis)
We can rest in God’s hands and in His times for us individually…for our families…for our friends…for our nation…for our world.
Now, beside these verses, I have added a new memorial note: “ COVID-19, April, 2020.”
May God’s promises and His faithfulness be what I remember when I’m “remembering when!”
This Friday will mark one month that I have kept Aaron home due to COVID-19. To borrow Aaron’s words while I was still able to take him shopping: “You’re getting that because of the Coronavirus, aren’t you?” Said with frustration, I might add, as he has seen this virus as a great deal of unnecessary drama in his life. I think many are feeling that way right now!
The other night he got to video message with two of his friends from his day group. It made him realize how much he misses them and his other friends. I was glad to hear him say that, for getting Aaron to re-enter his former routine may take some doing.
He does love being at home, although some days he is at loose ends. When this first started, I thought of something to do every day that would keep him occupied and happy. Watching some shows during the day, for instance, was a treat for him since it’s something we never do. So many activities we would normally do – eating out, movies, the zoo, shopping – are off limits now, so giving happy moments every day was…and is…vital to Aaron and to ME.
However, Aaron has now become a professional Event Coordinator. 😊 He finds it quite fun to plan our days! But today, after going through the car wash and grabbing a to-go pizza for lunch, I had to say no to driving to a nearby lake. My days are still full of necessary home life, so when added to these fun activities with Aaron, I’m finding myself getting behind. I’m realizing that these are the days I used to wish I had…days at home when I could get so much done…but the “getting so much done” just isn’t happening!
One thing I really wanted to do today…and have wanted to do for many days…is to give a quick update on my stay-at-home life with Aaron. What have we been doing to occupy our time? Let’s see:
Playing Go Fish:
Taking drives and seeing fun wildlife like these turkeys:
Cutting coupons:
Watching favorite programs:
Dairy Queen Blizzards at Lake Afton:
Donuts at Lake Afton (this pattern must stop!):
Walks at Swanson Park:
Practicing with selfies:
Cooking:
Getting a new PC game:
Eating by lantern when the electricity went out:
Pulling Weeds:
And relaxing as only Aaron does, crunching mulch:
We’ve had some moments, for sure, but I can honestly say that Aaron has mostly handled our stay-at-home much better than we thought he would. I know that’s because of prayer, and I am so thankful for God’s mercies and strength and wisdom.
We are truly blessed to have so many options of places to go and activities to do that keep us safely distanced from others, yet able to leave the house and get some fresh air and sunshine, hear the birds, and enjoy this new pause in our lives.
How are each of you and your families doing? I pray that God is strengthening you and that you are being encouraged in unexpected ways during these days.
Let’s keep praying for one another, and for our great country. May God keep us safe and wise, and may we continue loving Him and each other in these unprecedented times.
I’m sure that many of you would agree with me when I say that I feel like I’m on a runaway train. The past month has been unbelievable for the whole world.
COVID-19 has dropped the bottom out of our lives.
Just outside the comfort and safety of my home there lies fear. Uncertainty. Danger.
I don’t understand or know what’s really happening behind the scenes. I know that I need to be wise and to be wary, but I can’t control any of this situation that is swirling around us.
What I can do is pray. Pray for my family scattered here and there. Pray for friends. Pray for our nation and for our world. Pray for our leaders.
I can read my Bible. With my mind on overload it seems that I can only absorb a few verses at a time, but that’s all it takes for me to hear God’s voice so strong and reassuring.
If there’s ever been a time for people to assess their relationship with God, it’s now. I heard a doctor in New York say that this situation is Biblical…epic. The God of the universe has stopped our world and I do believe it’s time for us to stop and to listen to Him for a change.
I’ve been spending tons of time with Aaron for the past three weeks while being mostly home-bound. Every day I try to get him out for a walk or a drive, which he totally loves.
A couple days ago we went to nearby Swanson Park, one of our favorite places to walk and to enjoy a splash of nature in the middle of civilization. Social distancing is not a problem there. Aaron even obeyed me and didn’t stop to pet every dog he saw like he usually does.
There were flowering trees:
Impressive thorns:
Historical plaques that we enjoy reading:
And our favorite little bridge:
As we walked, Aaron talked…a lot! One of his main topics of conversation involved the fact that he was waiting very anxiously for a PC game that Gary had ordered for him Sunday evening. Aaron had earned and saved enough money to buy The Incredible Hulk PC game!!!
That night as Aaron and I were in the kitchen, he was still (of course!) talking about that greatly anticipated game.
“So, Dad ordered the Incredible Hulk out of love for me?” he quietly asked.
And as so often happens, Aaron’s words stopped me in my tracks.
“Yes, Aaron,” I answered. “Dad ordered you the game out of love for you.”
I have thought and thought about that exchange…about the deep waters of Aaron’s heart.
And this picture I had just taken that day in Swanson Park came to my mind.
How God leads our steps! How He directs the paths of His children!
We live in this world and we’re caught up in what He is doing, but we can know beyond any doubt that He is fully aware of our situations during this frightening time.
“It’s from God that the steps of a man have been settled, and He delights over his way. When he falls, he will not be flattened, for God keeps supporting his hand. I have been young; yes, I have become old, but I have not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed asking for bread.” (Psalm 37:23-25)
As the old hymn says, “This world is not my home. I’m just a-passin’ through.”
God is surely at work in this old world, as He has always been since the beginning of time. But I know, beyond any doubt, that God is very aware of me and my little family.
He knows our path and He is holding our hands.
Therefore, I can say with great confidence, “Yes, Aaron, our Heavenly Father also ordered this time out of love for us.”
We who know Him are not forsaken!
He Said What?! 