Sometimes, in life, I get so caught up in the task of problem-solving, that I overlook the obvious.
In 2014, our 33 year old special needs son had been struggling with depression and anxiety. We had discussed and tried so many ways to help him find purpose in life, and we were in the process of looking into getting new medication, when 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. She was good at encouraging him to do more than he thought he could. He would complain a little while he was 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. That year, he had really wanted to read the Bible with his eyes, so we bought the largest print one we could find, but at that point in his life, he needed 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 sought independence, I was seeking God’s guidance on what my role as a parent should look like. I had been trying not to give unsolicited advice. On that 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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