I don't know any parent of a special needs child that lived with a burning desire for one prior to birth.  We spend countless hours and more than a few dollars to be sure our child is healthy.  Even the parenting classes before birth do not touch on what happens if something goes amiss.  My first reaction to my son being born was to count fingers and toes just as I did with my first one.  It would be about three years before a diagnosis was made for us to accept a new reality.  You know by now that life would be very different from that day forward.

My youngest will be 18 in six months or so.  He changes each day in one way or the other.  My little guy is now a young man should you ask him.  He seems to try and wish his early years away.  There are times my explanation for not being available or free to do things revolves around him.  Some believe it to be an excuse.  My temper holds pretty even but it did boil over a few times when someone said that.  Sure he can do lots on his own but he still calls for much attention.  The same kid who can vanquish any foe on a video game still needs help making sure he gets his shower.  One reason my last two bouts with health were so grueling is my desire to remain healthy as long as possible.  It's not that he needs me as often as I need him.

I'd worked with special needs kids before in Louisiana.  We even started a ministry just for them in our church.  Who knew all of that interaction would be so relevant in my family.  Please do not get me wrong.  We are not so good that we didn't deserve an autistic child.  The truth is he is still among the best gifts ever given me by God.  Life may be more frantic, more frustrating but it is also much more full with his presence.  It still bugs the daylights out of me when so called normal people stare at him.  It is as if he is an interruption in their perception of reality.  So there is a deep breath taken along with a prayer these indignant few would realize they too are weird.  The good news is I haven't dropped any of them yet with my limited boxing skills.

Not a single person on this planet is normal.  Scripture says that sin does a number on all of us.  Even the best of us is far from what God originally intended for us.  Normal is an illusion that is overrated.  It is birthed in denial and matures into short sighted pride.  My son knows an infinite amount more than I when it comes to computers and such.  He may not always talk your ear off in the usual fashion but maybe he knows the less you say the better it goes.  I doubt he even knows much less cares that he is different.  Life is life to him.  How many of us can say that about our approach?

Bro. Trey