The 30 Day Journey For Hope

Monday, November 8, 2010

He Takes My Breath Away

A few weeks ago, Chappy's office manager gave us tickets to attend the Frist Gala. Chappy dressed up in his penguin suit...I made my best effort to get gussied up for the event...and we prepared to leave our children behind for a fancy evening out on the town.

***

Caleb, our 16 year old (and the oldest of the kiddos), stood up when I entered the great room where he was watching a football game.

His exact words are etched on my memory and will never be forgotten: "My mom is gorgeous." As I caught my breath and willed tears to not come forth from my eyes, he stood and took three gigantic steps across the great room floor, bent down to give me a delicate hug, and then pulled away to just look at me with a smile.

***

Determined not to cry, I grinned for a moment, then as Chappy walked into the room, Caleb followed with a: "You guys have fun!" and took his place in front of the TV again....back into football.

***

I could not speak for thirty minutes. I knew if I said a word I would weep like a baby and end up looking like a raccoon for the evening. Chappy was so busy trying to get us to the Gala on time, he didn't notice how quiet I was. Finally, I gained my composure enough to say: "You are never going to believe what happened tonight before you came out of the bedroom." Chappy's reply: "Hmmm....what happened?" as he continued to speed down I-65.

***

My voice cracked as I told him: "When I walked into the great room tonight, Caleb stood up and said: 'my mom is gorgeous'". As I recanted Caleb's words to Chappy, all the tears I had been holding back came gushing.

***

Laughter from Chappy. I gave him a sideways glance through my blubbering and swiping of tears. More laughter from Chappy. Very out loud laughing!

***

"Why are you laughing?" I asked, still half crying but with a bit of an edge to my normally somewhat sweet southern accent as I rifled through my purse for a spare tissue.

***

"I am laughing because I know Caleb is going to be incapable of doing anything wrong in your eyes for a very very long time dear." Then he smirked....that kind of look Chappy gives when he realizes something has happened to make me very happy.

Of course he was right. In my 42 years of life, it is quite possible sweeter words have never been spoken to me than those coming from my sixteen year old, 6 foot tall, athletic boy who is dangerously close to becoming a man. On October 7th, 1994, a seven pound, three ounce little boy with big brown eyes took my breath away. Sixteen years later, he is still taking my breath away.

***

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

LOVE This Time Of Year

Our family chooses to celebrate the holidays by raising money to help an orphan each year. Instead of buying gifts for one another, we find creative ways to earn money to help a child in need. This is a time we look forward to with great anticipation.

Last year, Lydia (along with her big brother and sister) raised nearly $30,000.00. The majority of that money was used to bring Darya home from the Ukraine to live with her new family (the Fick family) in Florida, and the remainder is being used to bring Evangeline home from a Russian orphanage to live with her new family in TN (the Hook family). Both Darya and Evangeline have Down Syndrome, and both are treasured by their forever families.

This year, we will once again set up bake sales, offer babysitting services, and rake leaves to raise money for the little angel girl we have chosen this year: her name is Carlene, she too has Down Syndrome, and she is living in a Russian orphanage. Unlike other orphans, an orphan with Down Syndrome is routinely placed in a mental institution, tied to a bed, and left to die following his/her fifth birthday. Carlene is five.

I have put together a book to help raise money for Carlene, and it can be viewed by clicking her adorable picture on the sidebar. Every cent of profit earned from the sale of the book will go to Carlene's adoption fund. If you purchase this book, or if you go straight to the http://www.reecesrainbow.org/ website and make a direct donation to Carlene, you are literally paying a ransom for her. Without our help, she will likely die very soon. Overwhelming statistical data shows orphan children placed in mental institutions only last a few months before going home to be with Jesus. Tied to a bed and never held or touched again, their death is a tortuous one. Carlene deserves a chance at life, don't you think?

The book is full of photos of orphans who are available right now on the Reece's Rainbow site. I have introduced the book as a ten day project for families to enjoy together over the holidays. Full of yummy recipes, the idea is that a meal will be cooked each day in honor of the child that is listed on the recipe page. Gathered together around a table, an empty chair will be used to symbolize the child who has never known the joy of eating a family meal. Prayers are said for the child and orphan awareness enters the minds of all those gathered around. It is so easy to be thankful for what we have when we become mindful of what others are lacking.

In scripture, Jesus fed the multitudes while He taught them about His way. It is my hope that families will hear from the Lord as they make this ten day project a priority during the season we are entering....the time of year when our Savior came to earth and adopted us, orphans as we once were. He wiped away the sin from our lives....never noticed our disabilities and failures.... He then took us by the hand and asked: "Won't you be mine?" I praise the Lord for His invitation to all who will come to Him!

Monday, November 1, 2010

Thank You!!!

Tomorrow is November 2nd....Election Day! I am thrilled my campaign efforts end tomorrow, because I am exhausted from the hoop-lah!

I want to sincerely thank each of you for sticking by my side while I have waded through this uncharted, often storm laden, water. In running for State Senate as a write in candidate, I believe I have somewhat successfully taken a stand for not only Hope and Charlie, but for every special needs individual in the state of TN. Channel 5 and The Tennessean Newspaper were kind to run stories on my efforts and have helped me get the message out about restraint and isolation practices in our state. Hopefully I can be a part of a movement for more favorable legislation toward the special education students in the near future.

I will not be victorious in the eyes of many tomorrow when the announcement is made that Jack Johnson has been elected for a 2nd term, but in my eyes, I am a huge winner. Scared out of my mind, I managed to step out of my comfort zone to speak out for those who cannot speak up for themselves. I have been made fun of, heckled at, and chided by many....but through it all, I have kept the faith and have found the strength to stand.

Thank you again for being the truest of friends. You could have turned away and decided that politics was not of interest to you....but you didn't. May the Lord use this experience to draw us all closer to Him. May we come away more bold, and radical for the cause of Christ! It is all about eternity and standing before Him worn out, ragged, and disheveled, knowing we gave it all.

Sincere Love And Warm Hugs To You This Evening!

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Take 5 Minutes To Stand For The Weak!

The article below was on the front page of our paper today! I am asking every person who is willing to take a five minute stand for the weak to type the following comment at the end of the article: "Disabled children should never be locked in isolation rooms at school!"

I am not a politician, but I have received a big dose of political "smoke and mirrors" during this process. For instance, Jack Johnson proposed a bill that can be read online at the TN State Legislature site by simply typing in SB2517. The bill (that has been tabled) very plainly states that it would allow educators the right to physically restrain and lock special education students in isolation rooms at school based on the total subjectivity of what teachers would consider to be "emergency situations".

The current TN restraint and isolation laws , proposed and successfully passed by Jack Johnson, allow physical restraint and isolation rooms for special ed students. Johnson's addendum (SB2517) proposed early this year would have added a LOCK on the isolation room door....basically making the school a prison cell and the teacher a police officer.

If you read the Tennessean article, however, Johnson states he is against restraint and isolation rooms. What???

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20101031/WILLIAMSON10/10310312/2040/WILLIAMSON10

PLEASE, consider taking the time to post a comment on the article. If our voices are heard, perhaps legislators will think twice before proposing reckless legislation that impacts the most vulnerable of our society. To post a comment, you will have to register (it is free and quick)...and you will be allowed to use a fictitious name as well. Scripture calls us to stand for the weak. This is an easy stand to make!

On behalf of little Hope and Charlie....Thank you!