Help from the state

Welfare. 

It's an ugly word. 

What does it consist of.

What does it mean to say "we are on welfare"?

Until the day of Josh's accident, we paid money into the state of Michigan, our federal government and social security. I never even considered what the money was for, I just knew that we had to.

I keep reading notices on Facebook that say "drug testing for welfare recipients" followed by totally negative feedback about the people who partake in the welfare community.

I am on welfare.

When you say that people on welfare should submit to drug testing you are saying that I should submit to drug testing. 

I submitted to drug testing before working at a nursing home and before I worked in a public school. I never thought it was a big deal. I think I have the issue because it was a given that you passed the test.

I think people act like if you're on welfare, you probably do drugs, because you are that low, you are a lesser part of our world. 

I'm on welfare because my husband is a quadriplegic. He does not have the ability to work 40 hours a week. If he did work 40 hours a week, he would make enough money that the State of Michigan would take away the money he receives for his care. He needs 3 hours of care in the morning and 2 in the evening. If he had a full time job, he would have to agree to no care.

I disagree.

If having insurance for our family (we still have to pay for it) and care for Josh means that we are on "welfare", then so be it.

Being on welfare does not mean I should submit to drug testing. It does not make me lesser, evil or a mooch. It does not mean that I live on the system, I depend on the system.  I depend on a system that I paid into for many years, kind of like an insurance policy. You pay into "in case", only "in case" came true for us. 

So, when the state of Michigan starts providing and paying for an addict to go to extensive rehab, and will pay for the care of their said family while the mom/dad/caretaker is in rehab (they won't), I will not submit to drug testing. 

It doesn't make me a drug addict. It makes me someone who will stand up for my own rights. 

Live Radio Interview

We here, over at our family ministry, do NOT think we are cool; we are pretty much dorks. So when official people call us and ask us to participate in their ministry, we always feel flattered.

Tomorrow morning, Monday, the 22nd, from 10:00 to 11:00 Eastern, we are doing a phone interview with 90.3 WBCL in Ft. Wayne, IN. This is quite a large Christian music station in the Midwest. You can also catch it streaming live on links below, or on their website.

We make no promises as to what this will look/sound like. Please know, we are not professionals and we are sort of goofy, but above all else, we love Jesus and want His name to be proclaimed.

iphone streaming link

Desktop streaming link

Android streaming app

http://www.wbcl.org

 

Sweet Kate

Many of you know about my dear friend Holly and her daughter Kate. She was just diagnosed with her third brain tumor in five years. My heart aches for the pain that Kate is experiencing as she is now old enough to understand what this diagnosis means. Even more, my heart aches for my dear friend Holly who is dealing with so much more than any mother should be expected to.

And yet we know God has a plan; an ultimate plan that is greater than any we could ever imagine or dream of. My prayer is of miraculous healing, a little girl who goes back to living the life of a 10 year old, who is more concerned with school work and who can come over to play. 

Kate is currently in surgery at LA Children's hospital where they are removing the tumor from her brain. Please pray for the doctors who are participating in this surgery, that they may have meticulous hands, that you would fill their minds with unprecedented ideas on how to remove this deadly thing. 

Please, pray that as Kate wakes up, that she has peace. Pray for her mommy and daddy to have peace that can only come from you. 

They are currently streaming a live prayer service at prayforkate.com  from 12:30 Eastern on. 

An Innocent Boy With Autism

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Having a 12 year old with autism has brought boy joy and pain. When Noah is happy, there is extreme joy; when Noah is upset, it is extreme as well.

When he was born, 12 long years ago, something told me from the very start that something was very wrong. His daddy thought I was being paranoid, and did not want to consider that something could be wrong with our first-born.

After many years tests, having more children, we both became convinced that Noah was different than his peers. It was heartbreaking as his mommy and daddy to have to adjust our hopes and dreams for our son, to realize that what we had thought would be a typical childhood and adult years, seemed so far from our grasp.

Over the years, Noah has had many ups and downs. 

Today was his first day of 6th grade. Next year he moves on to the middle school/high school where he will come into contact with many people who have not seen him develop in elementary school. The elementary school and kids in it have all grown up together. Thankfully his 6th grade friends now understand that Noah needs some extra help and many have been willing to reach out to him.

It was not always like this. Kids are cruel, even when their parents are raising them not to be.

So many times, I would hear kids taunt and tease Noah, knowing that these children were being cruel, but Noah never understood. Noah has never been invited to a birthday party for one of the boys in his classroom, in 6 years. He's never been invited on a play-date to spend one-on-one time with a friend. As his momma, this just breaks my heart. It hurts to the deepest depths of my soul, knowing that Noah is different, loving him even more fiercely, but knowing that I cannot "fix" this for him.

And so we enter into 6th grade, relieved that his peers are maturing and becoming more compassionate, but knowing that there is rejection and pain around every corner just because Noah is different.

It makes us redefine our goals as parents. I used to think that being a successful parent meant children who loved Jesus, well-adjusted children, college, jobs and children of their own. Wow, was my desires for my children off.

For our children, our hopes our two-fold: to loves Jesus as much as their brains and hearts can understand and to find a career or job that makes them feel fulfilled. If Noah is fulfilled by something very basic, well then praise the Lord! He can be content and find fulfillment in this. If Zoe or Ephram want to do something completely different, than great. I want she and Ephram to be committed followers of Christ and to find joy and satisfaction in life.

Please be praying for us as we continue to be molded into the parents God calls us to be. Pray that we can see the long-term truths we are trying to instill in them as well as the joy they bring us just being children. My biggest prayer today is that Noah's heart continues to be completely oblivious to the hurt and rejection going on around him, that he finds joy in playing with his grandpa, joy in his swing-set, joy in the everyday parts of life. God is able.