PARKER'S STORY (with extras)

In honor of Autism Awareness Month, I am posting a devotional from my book about my son, Parker's Story: Essays on Autism and Awesometism.

KEY VERSE:

He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted. Job 5:9

ESSAY:

            “There’s something wrong with his brain.” Those were the words my wife shared with me on the telephone more than 6 years ago. Her doctor had called two days after a routine ultrasound to give her the bad news. Actually there were a bunch of somethings wrong with his brain. My wife bravely relayed the medical information to me. But of course all I focused on was, “THERE’S SOMETHING WRONG WITH HIS BRAIN.” I tried to remain calm and reassuring, reminding her that people would pray. God was in control. But as soon as she hung up I startled my co-workers with my sobbing. I couldn’t talk I was so overwhelmed. All I could get out was “There’s something wrong with his brain.” I was 38 years old and this was my one chance to be a parent. My wife had already had one miscarriage and the doctor told us it would be difficult to conceive again. And then, miracle number one, we did. Now it seemed it was all slipping away. But it didn’t, it just got more difficult. Most things in life worth fighting for are more difficult. There were multiple ultrasounds, MRI’s, heart monitorings, surgery consultations. Our son had more doctors than the state of Kansas and he wasn’t even born yet. And we weren’t sure he ever would be. But now the rest of the story. Six years ago today, after a long and arduous pregnancy, my beautiful wife gave birth to our son Parker, miracle number two. Then came every miracle after that – sitting up, crawling, feeding himself, walking, talking. The miracles have become too numerous to mention. But we must mention them. People say God only performed miracles in the Old and New Testament. They are wrong. God still performs miracles today. I have one living in my house. He calls me “Daddy.” Maybe the reason we don’t see more miracles is after one tough phone call, we abort the miracle process. And when we do it’s because there’s something wrong with our brain.

APPLICATION:

            My hope is that there are two lessons to be learned from this essay. The first lesson is that God is still in the miracle business. God’s ability to perform miracles is just as alive and well today as it was in the time of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The second lesson is that life itself is a miracle and as Christians we should celebrate and protect all life, even unborn life. Even the life of the (potentially) disabled. Today find a pro-life organization that you can support with your prayer, time, talent and/or money.