Max SOLVED a PROBLEM!

A couple of weeks ago while I was looking at vacuums, Max scrutinized over a carpet cleaner that had a chipped part. He interrupted me several times while I was reading a label. “Mom they can’t sell this. It shouldn’t be here.” I gave up on reading and left the area. Max was so fixated on the broken piece and he sounded like a broken record as I shopped. “Mom we have to tell a worker.” After fifteen minutes I decided to take him to a worker. Max squeezed his hands and gawk at the employee. He spoke faintly and pointed. “You can’t have that vacuum over there.” The worker seemed baffled. I spoke up and told her Max’s concerns. She then smiled at Max. “Thanks for letting me know.”
As Max walked away he held his head up as though he had solved a problem that no one else could

Can I pray for Jesus?

Last Sunday, while I was preparing dinner, Max spoke loud from across the room with a unique question. One I had never thought of. Often he brings up questions that pierce my soul and this question genuinely did.
“Is it okay for me to pray for Jesus? Because, I prayed for Jesus today, and I also asked him to forgive me.”
I pulled my hands out of the soapy water, dried them, and walked out of the kitchen over to the computer desk.
“What did Jesus need to forgive you for?”
Max turned towards me, looked up with a half smile and one side of his mouth drawn up.
“For all the stuff I have done wrong in this life. He will forgive me, and answer my prayers.”
Max focused on the computer screen and spoke with a firm voice.
“Praying is important.”

How many of us have the same perspective as Max?
How many of us value prayer?
How many of us pray for Jesus?

As I walked into the kitchen, I thought of Max and my conversation. How blessed I have been to be given a son, who has taught me patience, love, and sacrifice. Peace filled my heart as I played back the words spoken from Max.

Years of Max running out onto the main highway…darting out the front door…throwing his shoes at me while I drove down the freeway…waking me up several times during the night.
As I look back on those trials, I begin to see how blessed I have been with a loving son who has taught me what mattered most …a relationship with our Heavenly Father.
Yes, I plan to pray for Jesus.

Utters and Breast...

I, Trent and Max took our Bichon Frise for a walk. Max’s hand held tight to the red leash that Pennie was connected to. After we had gone about three blocks Max started in on some questions and I tried to hold back from laughing.
“Mom does Pennie have utters?
“Kind of…they are called breast.”
“Oh what are they for?”
“To give puppies milk.”
“Do you have breast?”
We stopped at a corner and waited for a lady walking her German shepherd walk by. “Yes, I do?”
“Oh what are they for?”
“They are to feed babies when they are little.”
“Oh just like cows give us milk.”

Silence filled the air and Max kept walking as if he owned the world with Pennie by his side. Once we started heading back home, Max asked two more questions, but I can’t remember one of them, but the one I can remember is.
“Mom are we Mammals?”
“Yes, Max we are mammals.”
As we crossed the road Max spoke loud due to noise car that had just passed by. “What are mammals?”
I told him and he seemed please with my answer.

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.”