I think we all know it deep down, but one doesn't realize just HOW MUCH food and holidays go together until, let's say, their child is on a special diet that doesn't allow them to partake in the yummy part of the celebration.
Halloween of course is no exception. Heck, it may even be the rule. When you're young, trick or treating is the coolest, and it's not whipping cream and sticks of butter people give out, it's (of course) candy candy candy.
Last year, with the help of some very special friends, family and neighbors, I arranged a kind of Halloween treasure hunt for Vivian and her friend, Sarah. The girls had great fun, and while I thought about doing that this year, it's wasn't the option that Vivian chose in the end.
Interject funny story.......OK, so many dentists in our area do a "candy buy back" sometime this coming week where kids can come in and get $1 for every pound of candy they "donate" to the dentist. Most dentists are then sending the candy overseas to soldiers fighting in the war.
Well, I thought Vivi would be all over this. She loves nothing more than doing things for others. However, when I presented this idea to her, she became very thoughtful and said "no." When I asked her why not, she said that soldiers who are fighting in the war need to be strong and healthy, and that candy would not help with that. Further, since they're not used to getting candy, they could overindulge (and then there was a reference to her sister) and get sick.
No amount of reasoning could get her to see past this, so sorry soldiers...no candy from Vivian for you. Of course she did talk about sending a picture she will draw instead.
After many options were both placed on the table and knocked off of it, Vivian has decided that she will sell her candy to her Granny for 10 cents a piece. Granny can do what she wants with the candy (probably sent it to soldiers) and Vivian can do what she wants with her money (probably put it in her piggy bank).
Trick or treating is tonight, yes, a day earlier than Halloween, but as a working parent with a child who has a shortened day at school, I'm OK with that.
Can't wait to see how much her bill to Granny is.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
Accepting vs. Embracing
Vivian had a pretty tough seizure this morning. She got through it thanks to God's continual blessing of determination and is now resting peacefully.
I'm always mad after she has a seizure. But today even more so, because she was feeling so good (even she said so) right before...and coming up with lyrics to a song - and then singing them.....all at 6 in the morning.
I delighted in watching her put together her song, quitely encouraging, but as I've learned, observing from a distance. Can't rush these creative types.
"Hey honey hey honey hold on tight. Everything is gonna be all right tonight."
Is it like she knew? And yes, I sang her those lyrics over and over as she came out of her seizure, hoping they'd give us both strength.
And as I laid next to her after the seizure was long gone, something popped into my head.
We're often encouraged to be accepting of people with "differences" or "challenges." But the more I think about it, that's crap.
We should be doing better, doing more than that. We should be embracing those differences.
I recently started reading a blog by a mom whose son has cerebral palsy, brought on by a stroke he suffered right after birth. Like any parent with a special needs child, this mom has gone through the gammut of emotions, and they have lead her to the realization that we need to focus more on what God has given us and less on what we feel that he has taken away.
With our society as it is, this is hard. We compare ourselves so much to one another that we forget to look at those unique qualities that make each of us shine.
Sure, Vivian can't run as fast as other kids, but when we walk through the gates of heaven someday, is that how we're going to be judged? I don't think Father Al has ever alluded to that in any of his sermons on Sunday morning.
We're going to be judged by the size of our hearts and how we use that heart to benefit others. Vivian has the biggest heart of anyone I know.
So when we catch ourselves teaching or practicing acceptance - stop, and look further. Do better. Embrace.
And then celebrate.
I'm always mad after she has a seizure. But today even more so, because she was feeling so good (even she said so) right before...and coming up with lyrics to a song - and then singing them.....all at 6 in the morning.
I delighted in watching her put together her song, quitely encouraging, but as I've learned, observing from a distance. Can't rush these creative types.
"Hey honey hey honey hold on tight. Everything is gonna be all right tonight."
Is it like she knew? And yes, I sang her those lyrics over and over as she came out of her seizure, hoping they'd give us both strength.
And as I laid next to her after the seizure was long gone, something popped into my head.
We're often encouraged to be accepting of people with "differences" or "challenges." But the more I think about it, that's crap.
We should be doing better, doing more than that. We should be embracing those differences.
I recently started reading a blog by a mom whose son has cerebral palsy, brought on by a stroke he suffered right after birth. Like any parent with a special needs child, this mom has gone through the gammut of emotions, and they have lead her to the realization that we need to focus more on what God has given us and less on what we feel that he has taken away.
With our society as it is, this is hard. We compare ourselves so much to one another that we forget to look at those unique qualities that make each of us shine.
Sure, Vivian can't run as fast as other kids, but when we walk through the gates of heaven someday, is that how we're going to be judged? I don't think Father Al has ever alluded to that in any of his sermons on Sunday morning.
We're going to be judged by the size of our hearts and how we use that heart to benefit others. Vivian has the biggest heart of anyone I know.
So when we catch ourselves teaching or practicing acceptance - stop, and look further. Do better. Embrace.
And then celebrate.
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