Being there in prayer

On any given Thursday night, the conversation careens across a broad landscape from curly hair salon referrals to insider reviews of adult day programs in town. From rating See's candy to tips on adapting pre-vocational skills in your very own laundry room.

Over the past year in the Parent Meeting that runs concurrently with our San Diego Young Life Capernaum Club, we have experimented with collecting prayer requests and even sharing a devotional but, this night was different. I think we've opened in prayer before but, maybe this was the first time we'd actually, literally, invited the Holy Spirit to join us. "We welcome you here Holy Spirit. Will you join our conversation and also be with the kids and leaders. In Jesus' name,...."

As we lifted our bowed heads and opened our closed eyes, I saw a new face across the table--sobbing. A mom just like the rest of us, though we had yet to meet her. "Do we know... Are you... Is this your first...Who...how...what's...," I fumbled over an introduction as someone handed her tissues. She didn't need to go very far into her story of 2 boys with multiple labels and a pending divorce before we mercifully interrupted her, "we just need to pray with you, if that's okay."

Two of us (who could readily recall being there) slipped into an adjoining room with her and then up to the throne room of heaven. We were quickly flooded with words of comfort and promises from Scripture to declare on her behalf. How much better than our own advice! Our new friend left with a dozen new comrades bonded by similar life experience and tears shed of one accord.

When we invite the Holy Spirit, He shows up!

“Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry; Do not be silent at my tears; For I am a stranger with You, A sojourner like all my fathers. Psalm 39:11-13

This is my comfort in my affliction, That Your word has revived me. Psalm 119:49-51

Praise be to the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 Corinthians 1:2-4

Heroes and Miracles

Sitting in the stands spectating at a Miracle League baseball game Saturday morning , Allie and I took a deep breath. Having just handed Reid off to his 1:1 buddy, we knew we'd have 2 innings of relatively uninterrupted talk time. (Quality time comes in various zones.)

At a whisper she confided, "guess what that lady just said to me?"

"Is that your brother out there? Then you are a real hero."

To which she politely replied and wisely corrected, "the real heroes are the ones who sign up and show up every week to make this possible. They choose to be here. We have to do it!"

True. The miracle of this local phenomenon is the dedication, enthusiasm, and sheer volume of volunteers who create a slice of heaven on earth.

Every Saturday 12 teams of special needs kids aged 5-18 of all abilities come bedecked in uniforms ready to play ball with whatever modifications they need. An amazing announcer, Alan Moore, treats each one as an MVP coming up to bat replete with nicknames and stats from the previous season. Whether they bat from a wheelchair, standing or hand over hand, every one has a buddy and everyone gets a hit.

Reid's first time at bat, he connected with a solid hit which Mr. Moore proclaimed "a home run!" With requisite prompting, Reid ran all four bases and enjoyed the applause from the stands. Well, can I tell you, every single time since, he rounds that diamond at full tilt in a beeline back to his seat in the dugout. Whether he's fouled, bunted or slugged it, the precedent has been set. Hit = homerun in his locked tight mind. One time he passed a couple other runners in the process. No worries, no tantrums; every game ends in a tie.

Coaches range from off-duty therapists to high school age siblings. The one on one buddies come out of the woodwork of the community at large to don a flourescent t-shirt and help. Every week I see another familiar face and ask how they learned about it. Parents cheer from the stands or visit like comrades in arms; brothers and sisters are proud; players grin ear to ear.

For that one hour a week, I feel like everything is really going to turn out fine. It is miraculous!

You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. Psalm 77:13-15

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' Matthew 25:39-41

Top 10 Tuesday

Top 10 Antiquated Words to Baffle Your Children

10. pedal pushers

Preferring not to get her cuffs wet or greasy, mom's pedal pushers were perfect for beach combing as well as bike riding.

9. peckish

Pass me a cracker, I am feeling quite peckish having skipped lunch today.

8. shades

Those new shades are just the right shape for your face.

7. frock

I love that new frock on you!

6. get up

That get up is not as flattering as the frock you wore yesterday.

5. succotash

I think I'll whip up some succotash with this summer squash from the farmer's market.

4. co-ed

Here comes a nicely dressed co-ed who might point us to some hot spots on campus.

3. grocery

When the fridge is bare, we must head to the grocery.

2. rap

Wanna rap with me until dinner's ready?

1. cruise the strip

After church shall we cruise the strip or check the surf?

I find a weird sort of pleasure sprinkling these dated expressions into my daily jargon, especially around Allie and her friends, who react with mortified expressions of utter dismay. They look cross-eyed, first at each other then back at me. What is she saying? Where is she from? Is she always like this?

Their reactions amuse and encourage my inner prankster. It's the same sort of glee I get from Anne Taintor's stationery. And since it's summer and we homeschool no more, it's as close as we get to educational lately. History and language all rolled into one. If my sample sentences don't offer enough contextual meaning, feel free to cross reference on Wordnik or A Way with Words.

Am I the only mom who is simultaneously hip and out of it? I think not. Will the rest of you chime in with an antiquated word in comment box. I am running out of material.

Top 10 Tuesday

Top 10 Signs it is Time to Change Schools

10. you have to ask them to reinstate a homework binder

9. music and sensory integration are withheld for poor behavior

8. parents are not welcome to observe class

7. school officials do not reply to emails

6. you have a pit in your stomach sending them each morning

5. child's not invited to be in the talent show

4. IEP meetings extend beyond 5 hours

3. you need two hands to count the incident reports

2. student comes home with bruises that match the weave in his sweater

1. child asks, Is God keeping me safe in the belly of the whale, like Jonah?"

'Nuf said. I have much to report and am grappling with how to best do it. Suffice it to say, for now, that we were painfully aware of autism during April's Autism Awareness month. DId you notice my breadcrumbs peter out? July may just as well be New Life Month then, for all the growth God has brought out of the fire we experienced. I am glad to be back in the saddle, writing and looking for His hand at all times.

But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. Isaiah 43:1-2

People Who Need People: Autism Awareness Month-Day 4

Ahhhhhh........the sigh of relief that comes when you know your child is in competent hands. The shoulders drop and regular breathing resumes. I just carried a tutor's bags and boxes upstairs and came back down to hear their joyful laughter and productive movement through the ceiling. The assurance that for 2 hours, you can safely invest in some uninterrupted personal time is as much the value of the therapist as the therapy itself. The question is whether to zero in on Bible study homework, pay some bills, savor a cappuccino, or start dinner....hmmmm, what will it be?

So many caring and gifted teachers, aides, and therapists have blessed us over the years. With remarkable optimism, skill, and stamina they have deposited buckets and buckets of energy into Reid. An osteopath found it palpable once in an exam, "I can tell he's had some good work." Once upon a time, I took pictures of each hire and laminated them on PECS cards so Reid could learn their names and keep track of his weekly calendar. It's incomplete but here are a few I found. God BLESS them everyone...the saints of God...

April 4

Teachers, Aides, and Therapists

"But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded."
(2 Chronicles 15:7, NIV)

"Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
(1 Corinthians 15:58, NIV)

Pray that those who teach and provide therapy will feel successful and rewarded by the Lord for their efforts.

Harmony or a Gong Show? Autism Awareness Month-day 3

Beautiful isn't it with a gentle breeze off the lake?

Lately, I am noticing our family is like a windchime. Maybe yours is too; a set of individuals closely interacting as a matter of course, striking each other by design, resonating effortlessly and unintentionally. We were designed to make music; but many days it sounds like just noise. A perfect plan run amok almost as soon as it began with Adam and Eve in the garden. Before sundown they were konking into each other in dissonant blame and a cacophony of shame.

At this very moment, my gut is painfully aware of the real stress on marriages where autism is a variable. Even when you embrace it as God's purpose, the windchimes can go off more like fragments in a frenzied tornado than this video depicts.

One member of the ensemble's fear plays against another's panic. One chime's anger crashes into another's grief. Sadness collides with confusion nearly severing the ties that hold them all together. It's messy and tangled; far from what the designer composed.

I pray today's verses clinging to the idyllic image in the video as a metaphor for what God alone can restore in any family.

April 3
Parents and Marriages

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves." (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, NIV)

"for I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power." (Philippians 4:13, TLB)

Pray for the parents of children with autism, that they will have hope and wisdom, and that their marriages be protected.

Top 10 Tuesday

Top 10 Things that Honestly Don't Even Phase Me

(and I wish were more widely accepted)

10. bacon on the dashboard

9. dog hair on the floor

8. open bathroom doors

7. weeds in the front yard

6. stained carpets and upholstery

5. broken electronics

4. strangers staring

3. poop in the tub

2. siren like screaming

1. incessant "Barney" trailers

Unfazed, undaunted, unflappable are modifiers I might like to see on my tombstone. This is not the same as being calloused, stoic, or insensitive, mind you. Au contraire, the unruffled mum remains calm in order to better love, care for and nurture her offspring. It is her tender heart that fuels the self-sacrifice. Her resolute peace instills confidence and security. She is intentionally mindful of higher learning and relational skills that are taking place amidst the seeming chaos.

Like the horses ideal for therapeutic riding programs, we have become "bombproof." Bombproof horses don't freak out when an impulsive rider screams, hits, kicks, or moves suddenly aboard their saddle. Loud shrill noises do not upset them. They stand as rock solid antonyms to the word "skittish." Some are born that way, others trained into it.

With another homeschooling family, we once toured the San Diego Police Department Mounted Police Force stables in Balboa Park. (This was a couple years after they assisted us in finding Reid there one Sunday.) In any case, the fascinating fieldtrip was led by a woman officer who rides and trains their horses. As a trainer she would throw bottles, therapy balls, and other random objects at the horses in order to prepare them for duty in a riot squad duty or at a St. Patrick's Day parade. Blowing various and sundry whistles at close range, she conditioned them for anything and everything. I could relate--to both the horse and the trainer!

I would like very much for "bombproof" to be added to a modern amplified version of the Proverbs 31 woman's list of life achievements.

She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. Proverbs 31: 25

Two Kinds of Teachers

The centipede Kathryn found in her bed brought this vintage song to mind. A favorite blast from the past, The Inchworm song by Frank Loesser takes me right back to the golden homeschool days of snuggling with my babies on the sofa in our jammies reading Five in a Row classics. Science took us to the duck pond and math meant baking cookies.

Watching it now, underscores the diametrically opposed styles of the two teachers. I feel this tension every time I step foot in Reid's current school, tour an alternate placement, or interview tutors. Even as I navigate daily situations, I face the internal dilemma of prioritizing "instructional control" or following his lead.

Reid's days are spent in a sugar-coated behavior mod hell. But hey, it's scientifically based and proven effective!* Through consistent, direct instruction and follow through they have, in fact, helped Reid establish good student skills and extinguish several maladaptive behaviors. I fear however, that his success there dictates a future in some equally rigid, highly staffed environment, which is not what I envision.

In contrast, this very moment as I peck away, Reid is directing the show with a woman who would fly a kite with Danny Kaye all long as the day was long letting shoes pile up at the cobbler shop. With her, his spirit soars higher than the scarves they are tossing in the air. He chats a blue streak, dances a bi-lateral jig, and otherwise fills our home with unbridled joy. There is cooperation, mutual respect, emotion, and creative output in the form of drawing, singing and art.

Which do you prefer: the pinch-nosed marm reciting times tables behind the shutters or Danny Kaye inspecting inchworms after weaving yarns down on the river bank?

Who would you learn more from? What about your child?

Or do we need some of both? That is my quandry this month friends....

Top 10 Tuesday

Top 1o Verses I Pray over My Kids

10. Thank you Lord that you have the power to turn every curse into blessing for those who love you. Deuteronomy 23:4-6

9. Thank you Lord that, you know the plans you have for ___, plans to prosper and not to harm ___, plans to give ____ hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:10-12

8. Thank you that You command your angels concerning _____ to guard them in all your ways; Psalm 91:10-12

7. For God did not give ______ a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:6-8

6. Lord, fill ________ with the fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control...keep ____ in step with the Spirit today. Galatians 5:21-23

5. The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in ____, He will quiet ____ with his love, He will rejoice over _____ with singing. Zephaniah 3:16-18

4. Surely goodness and love will follow ____ all the days of ___ life, and ___ will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalm 23:5-6

3. Thank you Lord, that by Your wounds ______ is healed. 1 Peter 2:23-25

2. I pray that like Jesus, ______ will grow in wisdom, and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Luke 2:51-52

1. Thank you God that you go with _____ and will never leave them nor forsake them. Deuteronomy 31:5-7

Countless helps are widely available to guide us in how to pray for our kids. My standbys are a xeroxed bookmark of 31 Biblical Virtues to Pray for your Child by Bob Hostetler. Can't believe it is still available online since I can't even remember how I obtained it eons ago. It stays on my washing machine.

My Moms in Touch hand outs live at least nine lives and a $3.99 bargain bin copy of Praying God's Will for my Husband by Lee Roberts stays in arm's reach next to my driver's seat in the Eurovan. It's available customized for any family member you can imagine (praying God's Will for my son, my daughter, my grandmother, myself, my marriage). I was too cheap to buy all of them and just smart enough to modify the pronouns and fill in the blanks accordingly, making it a multi-use reference.

I clutch it like a Catholic with rosary beads whenever I have wait time at a carpool or doctor's office. It came in handy last Sunday during Allie's Certificate of Merit test. It is basically a topical list of verses organized alphabetically by keywords like Peace, Worry, Obedience and so on. Bible verses are listed in each category with a personalized fill in the blank (as above).

Praying Scripture back to God became a pattern for me after reading Becky Tirabassi's, "Let Prayer Change Your Life" and Beth Moore's "Praying God's Word." I appreciate the metaphor one of them used of a double stick of dynamite. The fact that we are praying to an Almighty God coupled with declaring the truth of His Word makes for explosive results.

Often enough I am tired or flustered to the point of not knowing what to pray. Rather than flounder around in circles or my own ruminating thoughts, I land on His. Then in addition to knowing he's heard my prayer for a particular circumstance or person, I'm also refreshed.

When I pray God's own words back to Him, I have the surety of asking something I can be sure He already intends. I don't have to wonder if it is just my misguided wishing, projecting or wanting. As you'd expect, certain sections of the book are doggeared and worn from handling. Thus, the Top 10 have emerged as ones I've memorized from overuse. They are my go-to claims, in the moments that I sense the struggle against rulers, powers, world forces of darkness, spiritual forces of wickedness.

Gravitational Insecurity

None of these authors have it! (Though I'd wager each one could define it. They are that vicariously in tune with their kids on the spectrum.)

An anthology of perspectives on parenting, titled Gravity Pulls You In, is hot off the press. Having spent an hour on their website, I have reconnected with some bloggers I'd lost track of, gotten to know my neighbor a bit better, and met a couple new kindred spirits.

As I read the excerpts from editor, Kyra Anderson's Preface, I am flooded with camaraderie and ready to be deserted on a desert island with any of the contributors. She explains the title:

In my cartoon imaginings, I saw us sticking out sideways or hanging upside down like St. Exupery’s Little Prince...

“Gravity, Mom,” he answered for us both. And then he thought for a while. “I have an idea! Gravity doesn’t really pull you down, it pulls you in. So, if you were upside down, it wouldn’t pull you away from the earth, it would pull you in,

toward the earth, toward its center!”

Huh. Gravity pulls you in.

He’s right. It does pull you in, not just to the center of the earth but to the center of yourself, if you let it. Things that are weighty, things that demand a closer look, a new approach, a shift in perspective, those things pull you in. Even when you are spinning, even when you are moving much more quickly than you thought was possible, even when you find yourself in territory where instincts alone don’t feel like enough to complete the revolution.

The circumference of the earth at the equator is about 25,000 miles. Every twenty-four hours, the earth travels 25,000 miles around itself through space. That means we’re going more than 1,000 miles per hour. That’s fast.

And we’re not falling off.

It's centrifugal! Like the roller coaster on the cover art...and that I've mentioned previously here.

Funny how same reference is made in the opening of the movie, Adam.

My favorite children's book is about a little prince who came to earth from a distant asteroid.

He meets a pilot whose plane has crashed in the desert. The Little Prince teaches the pilot many things but, mainly about love.

My father always told me I was like the little prince but, after I met Adam I realized I was the pilot all along.

Here is to the continued journey of love and learning from our kids and other parents in the same boat!

the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. 2 Corinthians 1:3-8

Top 10 Tuesday

Top 1o Time Management Skills

10. Commit to an all-in-one dry cleaner, pharmacy, bank, photo lab and grocer

9. Join a CSA for your weekly produce

8. Shadow Yubo for a day

7. Choose a signature color and make it your uniform

6. Book standing appointments for recurrent events

5. Handle mail (even e-mails) only once

4. Turn all electronics off on Sunday to reboot

3. Get an iPhone and sync it

2. Run yellow lights

1. Just say "no"

My mom requested this list but, I am quite sure I got all my driving technique and organizational skills from her. As high adrenal, achiever types we don't let much grass grow under our feet. Dust bunnies? They're another matter.

Top 10 Tuesday

Top 10 Best Words of Mothering Wisdom I've Received

10. Food works.

9. Keep a journal.

8. Designate a prayer "closet."

7. Listen to your gut.

6. Say "yes" as often as possible.

5.Study your children and you'll know them better than any specialist.

4. I hate to tell you this but, it gets worse.

3. Think of it as a marathon not a sprint.

2. When you want to get someone's attention, whisper.

1. It is more important where my kids are in 20,000 years than in 20.

I am not saying I actually heeded all of this good advice at every turn but, with the bit of hindsight I have, I would say these are the ten that still ring truest.

Each of them has a back story which I'll spare you in the interest of time. Or we could make a guessing game of it: which do you think came from our home program case manager shortly after diagnosis? Which from a fundamental Christian homeschooler? Which as advice for flying cross country alone with toddler twins? Which from another mother of twins when mine couldn't walk? Which from a perfume ad campaign?

Apply it as you may or laugh in acknowledgment.

Do Tell!

It's me again, wanting to know your innermost thoughts.

The holidays are upon us with all they entail. I thought it was genius to get our tree up while the in-laws were still here to help. Not sure they agreed but, it did set the stage for an evening of fireside charades and flute serenades. Everyone was supposed to put on 10 ornaments before they left the room. Let's just say, compliance was an issue.

Nonetheless, a record was set; we were decorated to the hilt before the calendar turned to December. Only the most observant neighbors will notice the odd strand of blinking lights on the balcony; only Allie knows how to regulate the highest string of tree lights so they do not strobe. I love that she turns them on every morning before I come down.

You first this Friday...

Is there something you dread about the holiday season?

Parents Rule!

Kids drool? well, not exactly.

On an hour respite from a trying Thanksgiving weekend, Allie, Kat and I discovered these bracelets. We each picked a different inspirational mantra that suited us perfectly. They seemed custom made expressing our individual approach to all that life was dishing out in the moment. The serendipitous finding buoyed us through the rest of the day affirming our particular piece in the family puzzle.

Allie's says this:

Kathryn's said "Don't Settle for Less."

and mine:

Riding out a wave of medication, scary behavior, and holiday expectations had me feeling like the kindergarten Dutch boy with his finger in the dike determined to hold back the sea. Impossible and solely my responsibility. Now, Monday morning, I am grateful to run across this draft of a post which reminds me of parents who've gone before and Redefined the Impossible...a future for kids.

Check out Berkshire Hills Music Academy, an incredible post-secondary school in a collegiate setting for young adults with disabilities to pursue their musical passion. Living in dorms with support, they learn life skills and academics in a music-infused curriculum. I love the sound of that! And the fact that they take it to the streets and perform in the community. How did it come to be? Parents founded it. Out of necessity, no doubt.

Another example you may have seen last month in Wired, is of Thorkil Sonne, a parent, who formed an IT consulting firm in Denmark called Specialisterne that trains employers how to maximize the unique talents and productivity of Aspies.

My friend, Jody Mlynek created Logan's Friends to help churches around the country be more inclusive. Her business was born through her experience starting a program to serve her own son, Logan.

Do you know others?

In most cases, a parent has the greatest motivation to ensure his child's future. Many fabulous tutors and therapists have circulated through our home, but you know what? They keep leaving to get married, have babies, or get Ph.D's. We remain. I was feeling the weight this weekend of having the kid only a mother could love. It's heavy. And I do. Undoubtedly, parents have the strongest love and most relentless pursuit for their kids' potential.

Indeed, our Father in Heaven has an undying hope for our future. Since He created us, knows us best, and delights in each of us, He is absolutely the one most inspired to prosper us, see that our joy is complete, and give us hope. His is the best plan of redemption for our permanent future: not a special school but a mansion with many rooms awaits. He went to great pains to get us there. He sacrificed a piece of Himself to make it possible. He designed Plan B when Plan A didn't work. He never leaves us or forsakes us.

What a role model. Parents rule. God reigns!

The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. John 10:11-13

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1 John 3:1-3

For nothing is impossible with God. Luke 1:36-38

Introducing....Do Tell!

Sharing our stories can be a healing balm.

Jesus taught in stories. He also listened to people's stories even though he knew how they ended.

C.S. Lewis wrote, "We read to know we're not alone," which reminds me of my impetus to start this blog. I need to tell my story and I need to hear yours.

So, every Friday I am going to post a question that I reckon each of my readers can answer with at least one story. Be practical, be personal, be painful, be my guest by clicking "comments" and leaving a reply. I hope you'll begin to think, TGIF, I can tell someone!

I spoke on a panel last week for Ability Awareness Week at a local elementary school. It was awe inspiring to hear the other panelists and encourage the eager little faces to be tolerant friends to those with differences.

Another panelist was a school principal with ADHD who told her story of talking in class as a youngster, being docked points and eventually denied cupcakes on her own birthday. A mean, uninformed teacher had inadvertently fueled her life's ambition as well as given her ammunition to inspire students and teachers alike some 30 years later with a parable they'll never forget.

As the kids cleared out, those of us who didn't have a class to get to burst spontaneously into storytelling from our own childhoods and those of our kids. Almost refusing to clear the multi-purpose room, we were inspired, uplifted, encouraged and bonded by the resonance of our experiences, realities, failures, and solutions. We need this! And as I like to tease, "I don't get out much!" So, sit back, stay home, anytime of the day or night, and tell me this:

What autistic tendency are you most thankful for?

Lost Again

My favorite-movie-of-all-time is Lost in America. Albert Brooks' cracks me up as he whines, "I can't believe it, I've lost a whole woman. How can that be?" After a fight, his wife has hitched a ride with a redneck stranger to get away from the Hoover Dam and him. ARRGHH!!!! come his non-verbal groans of exasperation and helplessness. What to do now?!??! I know the feeling.

I could, but won't, make a recurrent series of Lost and Found Reid stories, for it happens woefully often. It is not something I'm proud of but, it is emotionally trying enough that retelling seems to be a coping mechanism. Will you oblige me?

Every time it happens, that Albert Brooks line runs through my mind. "I've lost a whole child!" It helps to have someone with me, someone who knows Reid, someone who knows I'm actually ultra-responsible. Just like the sister in Ian's Walk by Laurie Lears, Allie knows how he thinks. She accurately claims to have a sixth sense about where he will be.

I generally don't involve security right away because 9 times out of 10, we're the ones who find him anyway. He returns to where we last saw him like a little doggie wagging his tail behind. Pulling the alarm, seems to attract negative attention and be unnecessary. Strangers, no matter how well intentioned, have actually confused him in the past and set him off his logical course.

However, this time I was alone after the successful Kingsmen gig at the rambling 250,000 square foot Town and Country Hotel and Convention Center facility. Jim had left, the audience had cleared, we were putting amps away. Reid was within eye shot browsing sodas at the lunch buffet...and in the blink of an eye...argghh!...a whole child...@#$%^&!...lost.

This place is a huge maze of ranch-style bungalow cottages, two high-rise towers, courtyards, multiple pools, and at least 964 televisions. After Albert Brooks flashed through my mind, I had a vision of checking all 964 rooms with a pass key in a massive shell game to discover behind which door Reid would be happily watching PBSKids.

The usual protocol is this:

1. Pray

2. Fan out

3. Stay in the spot last seen

4. Wait

5. Enlist help (after a reasonable amount of time--15 minutes?)

In this case, I prayed the standard, "Lord, you know exactly where he is. Lead me to him I pray. And keep him safe from harm in the meantime." Called Jim to do the same. Then jumped ahead to #5 on the list. I didn't want to mess around since we were due in 30 minutes at a drama rehearsal that was 30 minutes away.

Power walking through this idyllic complex without passing go, I grabbed the first uniformed concierge I saw at Registration."I have a lost child, will you call security?" please.

No frantic first timer here, I knew the line of questioning better than she did.

"Yes, right away," as she dialed. I interjected the next piece of information, "He's 15, has autism, and is wearing a bright turquoise sh....

"Wait," something clicks in her mind, "I think I just saw him."

Praise God. Smooth way to answer prayer! Look how You led me right to this particular woman. Who needs security? You are good!

"Just a minute," as she hung up the phone. "I thought that was weird," she was thinking outloud. "He was just on those computers and...let me go check. I wondered why the door was open...."

Sure enough, after tracking her through a couple of keypadlocked doors, we spied him. Shoulders drop...exhale...found.

That had to be the fastest, timeliest, serendipity-est round of lost and found yet! Off we went to the parking structure...arm in arm, Cotillion style...only 5 minutes late for drama. In my mom's famous line to endorse the power of prayer, "You don't think that just happened, do you?"

Everytime, I am reminded of God's control over the details in our lives. He must certainly have extra guardian angels assigned to Reid. And His grace exceeds Reid's curiosity.

Do you have a favorite version of Amazing Grace? Like Albert Brooks and Easy Rider, "I've based my whole life on that song."

If I had a mind to brag a little, I could probably do it without looking ridiculous, and I'd still be speaking plain truth all the way. But I'll spare you.

Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn't get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan's angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty!

At first I didn't think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me, My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness.

Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become. 2 Corinthians 12:6-8 The Message