Autism Awareness Month – Day 1

It is important to recognize autism as a disorder that is bursting at the seams. You may not realize that 1 in 10 children are born with autism.
What is autism? Let me personalize it for you. Autism is a child with no attention span often there is little ability to control emotions. A close friend Sally had twins who were more than busy toddlers. They rarely slept and often could be found during the early am hours literally climbing the walls of Sally’s home. Because of my background working with special needs children, I helped her while she went to endless appointments to get a diagnosis. For years my family and I would  give her  breaks to go grocery shop and nap. It would take my three children and myself to keep the twins entertained. I would have ten activities and a trip to the park and playground schedule for each visit. My 10-year-old son would need to take a nap after the twins went home.
Think of the parent who for years doesn’t know why their child is different; they just know there is something wrong. Think of a marriage and family where everyday  life  is stretched beyond normal bounds.
For years I was Andrew’s friend. For two hours per week I was his barometer. Andrew is a genius but he also has an anger level  past most human beings. When Andrew as a ten year old would get mad, it could take five of us to contain him- Knowing his limits made it more comfortable for everyone. I was his distraction before he got angry. He never got angry at me but he would yell at the world while I looked on.My little friend Alana was in an obsessive mode. because of sexual abuse she would get stuck in replay often.

Needless to say autism covers a spectrum of challenges for the child and the parent. I don’t know how these children are now I do k ow they have each reached adulthood. There will  admittedly be challenges to face as they must daily cope in a world that does not understand or welcome the world of autism.

This sad story may help the outside world realize how crucial support and community assistance is: I was attending a conference last year and meeting with a small group of writers. We all were writing about different aspects of special needs.  I spoke about my heart breaking when I read a blog about a mom who had a gun to her head when here husband found her; She felt she couldn’t face autism. A mother with two autistic children pulled me aside and whispered ” a mother in my autism support group recently hung herself on her son’s physical therapy equipment. She could’t face the reality of everyday.”
Sobering??? Indeed. This is the month to become not only aware but proactive. Parents are doing all they can to cope and get help. Please look for ways to lend a hand; even an hour a week helping with the kids, making a meal…  anything will  speak volumes in the encouragement department.

A Friend

He’s a friend
of mine
always a smile
in line

Rob is
his name
cheering up people
his game

the biggest heart
you’d ever see
just part of
Rob bie

Love you Rob

Hope – we need it!!!

With all the stuff going on in our world, I was thinking about the need for Hope.

Hope is not an easy concept to tackle (at all!!!) It’s abstract and hard to grasp on a good day.

Hope means to believe, desire or trust

Why? Why infuse hope? Without hope despair can tear at the strongest of characters. Each living Haitian needs hope. Why? The man looking for his wife– even a shred of hope is keeping that man going. A mother is aching for the arms of her little one. She has an inkling of hope in the rescuers– in life… The Haitian community has to have hope. They need to believe that the dust can be transformed into charming buildings with trees swaying in the back ground. They need to trust that children will play in the fountains; the marketplace will again be a place to share local gossip. Without that hope, the people in Haiti will give up. Dirt will be layered on top of another layer – paradise will be gone.

People in the disabled community know all too well about the need for hope. A little boy named Gavin just won a silver medal in the Special Olympics. That kid went out that day with the hope that he could win.  He did!

How do we infuse with hope?

How can we infuse hope into our community or in communities that are suffering around our world??? What do you do for a living? What are your hobbies? Are you adept in construction? Help someone (locally) whose house needs repair. Are you creative? Maybe you could make goody baskets for shut-ins. I recently wrote a radio script about a woman, with cancer, who made encouragement baskets for people who were going through difficult times. Are you a teacher? Spend a summer in a third world country teaching English so others can get ahead. Sign up for a league that teaches special needs kids a certain sport.

Don’t Give Up

With the world and the economy in a tailspin, how do we regroup? One earthquake area is patched up and a Tsunami tears through another island. An epidemic hits the world in a matter of months. It would be easy for people to feel like throwing up their arms and saying enough! What more can I do? Some people turn to God in situations like these others to good feelings some give to research or… I have to hold on to the idea that there is a strong, omnipotent being who is taking care of me or I would not be able to get up from the next personal disaster.

Robert would add that there is character building in trials but you can do it!! So if you are struggling with disabilities know there are people who have gone before you who have lived their dreams when people said it couldn’t be done.

Don’t give up– hope while there is still life to hope for.

Coach Cooper (little car with a big heart)

Hi I’m Coach Cooper and I am in the process of putting together a series of stories for children.

As a mini-cooper, I know about being different. Those big trucks always make me feel insignificant and out of place.

Not to worry I’ll stay off the roads and go to the baseball diamond where I can have fun with my friends.

I got involved with a baseball league called the Miracle League. This baseball league was formed so that kids with disabilities could enjoy my favorite sport — Baseball! We even have a special field set up for the league.

You know what? Even though I am different from most of the coaches, they asked me to be third base coach.                                               

I’m hoping that kids will really enjoy our stories. If you are on twitter you can follow me @coach_cooper. My friend Robert will also have things about me too. Robert knows about beating the odds. As a man with cerebral palsy, he has faced some incredible odds. So one of the incredible things he is doing is co-writing these books for kids. Wow — what a guy.

Incredible – 2010

Just a heads up on my Moondustwriter’s blog, I have been doing a series on words starting with I. The “I” s keep impacting  me so I keep writing about them. Hope you like the “incredible one”

I – now what?

Ok so the “I” for my week is Incredible!!!!

It is barely one week into 2010 and it has already been incredible. I like that word a lot. What isn’t there to like unless you are “incredibly sad” – which I am not!

So why Incredible you may ask???? Got an hour???

You gotta dream

Incredible is when your dreams of a lifetime start unfolding before your very eyes. Some are dreams that I had from high school (yes that long ago.) Others have been coming together over the past few years.  When other dreamers come on board, you know you are in for the ride of a lifetime.  It’s incredible! The amazing thing is I have already realized the dreams of one lifetime- I didn’t know there could be more.

Hope Vision and More!

Some of you have read a blog or two about my dear friend Robert. This “incredible” guy has an impressive vision – to reach into the lives of disabled children and give them hope, vision, and determination. He understands what it takes – he has cerebral palsy. The project I am working on, with him, is expanding and solidifying. Amazing thing is we have both had a dream to reach and encourage this group of kids for years – we just met!

One of the “I”s will need to be income to fund all these dreams. One dream is an interactive website  – amazing it just happens to be an “I”. Also incredible is that Robert has such amazing vision – but we know where that vision originates.

I’m telling ya this is my year for “I”s.

Oh I almost forgot a quick recap:

Inept- Maybe I needed to see how inept I was to realize how blessed I am!

Impulsive – yes that’s still me. That’s how I get a lot of these crazy dreams off the ground

oh yes and Insight – need the discernment to know which direction to go next

An Aside

Dear blog reader I hope you have a year that, like the roller coaster ride, has dips and twists- all of them having a thrill factor of their own. Life after all is a wild ride – enjoy all of it!

Introducing my Friend Robert

I am Robert’s friend – Leslie.  I got him into this blogging thing so I though the least I could do is write a beginning blog.

I know you are going to enjoy getting to know my amazing friend. Robert has faced many barriers in his life – the first being born with cerebral palsy. Robert is undaunted by barriers. He looks at them as a challenge and moves forward.

I am learning so much from this guy. For one thing, I am blogging and talking to the networking world. A  few months ago I would have said “no I don’t do the whole networking thing.” Now I have a purpose.

Robert has a vision to see children with disabilities look at life from ‘beyond the fence.’  Let’s help Robert bring down the fence so children with disabilities and their parents can have “a go” at this thing called life.

Our source of encouragement – The Lord Jesus Christ