Angels?

“Mom are Angels real?”
“Yes Max, you have angels watching over you right now. You have Grandma and Grandpa Shelton and Grandpa Reynolds.”
After I placed the pan of Lasagna in the oven I felt I should ask him the same question.
He responded with, “Yes there are angels.”
I then asked, “Why do you think they are real?”
He kept focused on the computer while he spoke. “Because Jesus came to earth and died for us and sinned for us.”

Questions that make you think...

I glanced back and gave Max a smile while we drove home from church. I noticed he seemed deep in thought as his eyes glared at nothing. I wondered after I turned forward if he noticed my smile, because he didn’t respond. Then minutes later he broke out with another amazing question. “Mom…Mom when you make a mistake does that mean you are following Satan? Unable to figure out what brought up that question I answered him with a firm, “No”. He looked out the window and said, “You have to be following Satan."

I have autism.

My heart felt like it broke into several pieces when Max looked up at me and spoke minutes before walking into occupational therapy.

“Mom I know why I go to therapy, because I have autism and you want me to be typical.”

I stood frozen unable to move and my face felt like all the blood had rushed to it. Tears formed and a smile developed as I return an answer. “Max I love you just the way you are. You have therapies to learn skills, so you will be successful when you get older.”

He acted low-spirited and gave me a confused expression. “Okay mom, I’ll go.”

Max is still learning how to hold a pencil correctly while using the right amount of pressure. He writes at the level of a first grader. His reading level is almost at third grade and he is proud of the fact he can read at 2.6 grade level. When I took him to the library he was sure to tell the librarian he can read at 2.6 grade level.

God has blessed me with a choice spirit. God has given me encouragement to cope with several long hours of therapies on a weekly base. Yes, I have complained of how tired I am of taking him. I realized today it’s not just challenging on me, it’s difficult on Max. Today I became conscious that he is tired of them too.

I believe the therapies have helped him to function on a higher level than I ever dreamed of. Doctors, and physiologist have told me he would never be able to function above a third grade level. I have faith, if I continue to press forward with determination Max will someday be an intellectual man like his older two brothers.

Max is truly a gift to me from God.

Why Max thinks he is different.

Max quickly dried himself off with a towel while he spoke “Mom I’m different than all the kids at school. You know why I’m different?”
I thought for a moment of why he would ask such a question.
“Why are you different?”
“Because, I shower every day and smell good at school.”