Share your H1N1 advice, stories, and plans

It might be helpful for us to share our H1N1 stories, plans, and advice as the virus is spreading, and our chances of encountering it are increasing. Please feel free to post your comments below.

My 10 year old has just been diagnosed with H1N1. We have him secluded in his bedroom, but this has not been difficult to enforce as he is too sick to even get out of bed. We are caring for him while keeping our other son who has special needs as far away from him as possible. Windows are open, hands are washed (and washed again), telephones, door handles, bathrooms and just about every other surface in the house are continuously wiped with alcohol.

The H1N1 vaccine was not available to us in Massachusetts. Clinics planned in our town had to be canceled because the vaccines were never received. We're on waiting lists. But for our family, it's too late. The virus is already here.

Our healthy 10 year old is very sick, a high persistent fever has us on guard and watching him very closely. I try not to think of what could happen to him or our other son should he contract the virus. I work to stay in the present moment. I remind myself that today our 10 year old is holding his own against the virus. Today our other son is not showing any signs of it. Today we are coping. And should this change, I remind myself that the Lord will be right there beside us as we make our way through.

PRAYER: Lord, we know that You are The Great Physician. We ask that Your peace be with all who are suffering from illness this night. We ask You to provide the doctors, nurses, and family members who are caring for the sick, the wisdom and grace to minister according to Your will. We especially thank You for holding those who are alone in their suffering and sickness, and know that You will lighten their darkness this night. Jesus, we trust in You. AMEN.

A Time To Laugh, A Time To Mourn

I am taking an online course through Boston College's School of Theology. One of the questions in this week's assignment reminded me of one of my favorite movies. It is called Lorenzo's Oil.

Lorenzo's Oil is a movie based on the true story of Augusto and Michaela Odone and their fight to save the life of their son, Lorenzo. They are a Catholic family, and their faith in God is front and center in their family's life and plight.

Lorenzo, who was diagnosed in early 1984 with ALD (a then- incurable neuro-degenerative disorder) was beyond the help of conventional medicine. Unwilling and unable to give up or give in, they began their own research into the disease to help find a treatment and cure.

Lorenzo's Oil is about a family's struggle, the quest for knowledge, and the victory of hope through perseverance. For two hours, we witness each battle and each triumph. The Odone's, a family who hold on despite tremendous grief, guilt and pain, strive to help their son (and all boys). They are models of faith, hope, courage, and wisdom.

I have purchased copies of the film over the years for friends and family members because of its realisitic portrayal of a family dealing with their child's life-threatening illness. I frequently watch my own copy of the movie -- it helps me access my emotions when they are closed up tightly, and it has given me strength when I have felt tired or beaten down.

A friend told me a few weeks ago that courage is fear that has said its prayers. So friends, let us join together and pray.

PRAYER: Father, we thank You for our lives. We open ourselves to Your presence. We know that there are times when we must embrace difficulties and pain. You tell us in Ecclesiastes that there is a time to laugh and a time to mourn. We ask that You, our Prince of Peace, remind us that Your hand is always upon us, guiding us through our day. We know that You always have a plan for our lives, even we we cannot see what it is. AMEN.

Love, Theresa

Stigma, Prejudice, and Segregation: When The Public Tone Turns Ugly Against Persons With Disabilities

There it was again in the paper this morning. The headline about special education students taking away money and resources from "normal" children. Interesting that we never see these same headlines about magnet schools or "gifted and talented" children taking away resources from "normal" children.

More and more I seem to be reading stories about children with disabilities being turned away from communities of all kinds -- including the spiritual. There was a recent story of a boy with autism whose church took out a restraining order against him so he would not be able to attend church services with them. There were stories of children in hospitals and residential facilities being denied their church's sacraments. It is all terribly hurtful and disturbing.

When the public tone towards persons with disabilities becomes ugly or unfair, we must take it to the Lord at once. He will tell us the best way to handle it. He might ask us to step forward and publicly speak out, He might ask us to volunteer to help a family in our community, He might call us in a legal direction, or He may ask us to simply pray and meditate. He can, and will, use the situation for good. He always has a plan. Our job is to listen, and to say yes to what He asks.

With God we can stay in the process, even when we encounter unjust, harsh criticism. With Him we can be strong even when we feel timid. We can be courageous. We can teach. We can be still. We can continue getting the road ready for the families that are coming behind us. For isn't that part of why we are here? Jesus came to show us the way. He left us here to help bring His people along that path.

Below is a wonderful sermon by Charles Swindoll in which I think all parents of children with special needs and illnesses can find strength. Peace and love, Theresa

Criticism
by Charles R. Swindoll

2 Timothy 1:7

Looking for a role model on how to handle criticism? It would be worth your while to check out the book of Nehemiah. On several occasions this great-hearted statesman was openly criticized, falsely accused, and grossly misunderstood. Each time he kept his cool . . . he rolled with the punch . . . he considered the source . . . he refused to get discouraged . . . he went to God in prayer . . . he kept building the wall (Nehemiah 2:19-20; 4:1-5).

One of the occupational hazards of being a leader is receiving criticism (not all of it constructive, by the way). In the face of that kind of heat, there's a strong temptation to "go under," "throw in the towel," "bail out." Many have faded out of leadership because of intense criticism. I firmly believe that the leader who does anything that is different or worthwhile or visionary can count on criticism.

Along this line, I appreciate the remarks made by the fiery president of a past generation, Theodore Roosevelt:

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; who does actually try to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.

Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.

To those words I add a resounding amen.

A sense of humor is of paramount importance to the leader. Many of God's servants are simply too serious! There are at least two tests we face that determine the extent of our sense of humor:

• the ability to laugh at ourselves
• the ability to take criticism

Believe me, no leader can continue effectively if he or she fails these tests! Equally important, of course, is the ability to sift from any criticism that which is true, that which is fact. We are foolish if we respond angrily to every criticism. Who knows, God may be using those words to teach us some essential lessons, painful though they may be.

Isn't this what Proverbs 27:5-6 is saying?

Better is open rebuke
Than love that is concealed.
Faithful are the wounds of a friend,
But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.

And let me call to your attention the word friend in these verses. Friendship is not threatened but strengthened by honest criticism. But---when you are criticized by one who hardly knows you, filter out what is fact . . . and ignore the rest!

Nehemiah did that . . . and he got the wall built.

Finding Sleep In Our Heavenly Father's Arms

Doesn't it warm your heart to see a little baby toddle toward the arms of their parent? Their parents' arms represent love, safety, acceptance, and rest. These are the arms that reach out when they are hurt, afraid, or tired. They rock them to sleep, they lift them with joy in the morning.

Sometimes we can feel exhausted by trying to meet all of the needs of our families. Many of us suffer from chronic sleep-deprivation. We seem to become accustomed to it, forgetting what a full night's sleep feels like. Perhaps today we can try to climb into the lap of our Lord and get some rest.

Our Heavenly Father wants to lift us into His loving arms and carry us. He longs to rock us to sleep at the end of our day, for we are his children.

PRAYER: Lord, I come to you today as Your child, as Your little girl.I know You have Your arms wrapped around me and my child. Thank You for reminding me to rest. Help me to find some time to be still, to close my eyes. Relieve me from the burden of fatigue this day. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Love,

Theresa