Thinking Blogger Award
Seems that Jodi thinks a lot of my parenting skills, at least that's what she said when she awarded me the "Thinking Blogger Award" because of them. I'm not so sure my kids would agree but hey - they aren't the ones passing along an award, so thank you, Jodi.
It is now my job to pass this award on to five of my blogging buddies who make me think.
Andi insists that she is going to make up some random award and pass it out, so be watching for that someday soon. But in the meantime, I suppose I will pass along this award to the following people:
Liz Borbe aka Blessed Mommy Liz has four beautiful children. Her first son, Ezra suffered a catastrophic brain injury at birth and the things that can be learned from watching this family grow do a person good. I'm going to copy one of the recent posts that Liz put up. I kept a copy of it in my saved folder, because it really made me think -- and after all, isn't that what this award is supposed to be dedicated to? So here is the post called "I am The Child".
(author unknown to me)
You cannot conceive my isolation, so complete it is at times. I do not gift you with clever conversation, cute remarks to be laughed over and repeated. I do not give you answers to your everyday questions, responses over my well being, sharing my needs, or comments about the world about me. I do not give you rewards as defined by the world's standards...great strides in development that you can credit yourself; I do not give you understanding as you know it.
What I give you is so much more valuable...I give you instead opportunities. Opportunities to discover the depth of your character, not mine; the depth of your love, your commitment, your patience, your abilities; the opportunity to explore your spirit more deeply than you imagined possible. I drive you further than you would ever go on your own, working harder, seeking answers to your many questions with no answers.
I am the child who cannot talk.
I am the child who cannot walk. The world seems to pass me by. You see the longing in my eyes to get out of this chair, to run and play like other children. There is much you take for granted. I want the toys on the shelf, I need to go to the bathroom, oh I've dropped my fork again. I am dependant on you in these ways. My gift to you is to make your more aware of your great fortune, your healthy back and legs, your ability to do for yourself. Sometimes people appear not to notice me; I always notice them. I feel not so much envy as desire, desire to stand upright, to put one foot in front of the other, to be independent. I give you awareness. I am the child who cannot walk.
I am the child who is mentally impaired. I don't learn easily, if you judge me by the world's measuring stick, what I do know is infinite joy in simple things. I am not burdened as you are with the strifes and conflicts of a more complicated life. My gift to you is to grant you the freedom to enjoy things as a child, to teach you how much your arms around me mean, to give you love. I give you the gift of simplicity. I am the child who is mentally impaired.
I am the disabled child. I am your teacher, if you allow me, I will teach you what is really important in life. I will give you and teach you unconditional love. I gift you with my innocent trust, my dependency upon you. I teach you about how precious this life is and about not taking things for granted. I teach you about forgetting your own needs and desires and dreams. I teach you giving. Most of all I teach you hope and faith. I am the disabled child.
**Now, didn't that make you think of things in a different way?
JMom JMom is a wonderful mom to the cutest set of tender hearted triplets you would ever want to read about. She is doing a great job teaching all of these babies to have a heart for God and others. The things they say never fail to bring a smile to my lips. Jen's love for God shines through in her posts and I am blessed by her writing.
Patricia (I'm not telling her last name OR her social security number OR her husband's social security number, although I have them) (insert hysterical laughter with thoughts of evil running through my mind) (no, really, Patricia, I shredded them) once I committed them to memory. Anyhoo, Patricia is one of the most funniest women I read. She can describe an event so clearly I feel like I've been just about everywhere with that woman in the last few years. I love to hear her voice on the phone - she's got that Michigan accent going on. Of all the blogs I read and people I've met on-line, I know that she and I would be the best of friends if she lived anywhere remotely close. Makes me wish for a teleporter. "Beam me up, Scotty...or at least up north"
Blaine of 5McKids. Blaine's was a young widow who married a young widower and they have children from both of those marriages, their marriage to each other and a beautiful adopted daughter from Ethiopia. Blaine's observations of the world around us -- and around the world are something I look forward to reading.
and my fifth Thinkers Award I will bestow upon my lovely daughter, Andi. Not that I have any thought at all that she will pass it along but it may inspire her to come up with her own award.
