Daniel

He is our son and he’s been on my mind and in my prayers a great deal lately.

Before he was born we met his mother who was pregnant with him and we arranged to adopt him. We were notified when he was born at Camp Pendleton in California. The first time that we saw him, he was 2 hours old. We saw him continually and took him home when he was 2 days old. That was 23 years ago.

From the time he was in preschool, he had problems but he has always been and still is very dear to us. He is our son. When he went to public school the problems just got worse until finally he was declared Educably Mentally Retarded because he couldn’t read or comprehend beyond the 2nd grade level, and he has always known this.

In addition to that his Doctor also told us that he was bipolar and he takes medication for that.

We have always taught him about Jesus and I baptized him. We have also always taught him about the blessing that we are adopted into God’s family so that he would know that we are all the same: Adopted.

About 2 or 3 years ago, he was crossing a road in Virginia and was hit by a truck which also gave him a Brain Injury.

As he has grown up (he has graduated from High School) though, he only declares himself to be Bipolar, nothing else, and of course he thinks that he can and will overcome that.

So he thinks that he has no problems and neither should I, and he doesn’t understand how a son could/should be a caregiver. It just cuts into what he wants to do and thinks has can do in life, thus he’s leaving me at the end of this month. I have kept him in prayer and Jesus is working with him.

I have come so far! All the way from He’s going to die or just be a vegetable all of his life to actually living on my own in an apartment! And the only reason that I am where I am right now is that it has been God’s choice and His doing!

I am very happy and I love Him with all my heart, soul and being. How could I not? He is in control of life and He gave me mine in the first place and He was right there when I needed Him. And He’s still there!

Yes, I’m a happy guy and I’m extremely thankful for my Savior.

I just had my favorite dinner tonight. It was a salad made with baby spinach, croutons, pieces of grilled chicken, cherry tomatoes, a fork, a large bowl and Kraft Tuscan House Italian and much flavor and joy.

I eat the whole thing and I love it.

Don’t waste water!

For years at Board & Cares I have been told this and my water at the bathroom sinks has always been turned down. At the time I just thought that they were being picky and I didn’t think that I was wrong.

Well lately I have finally learned to turn the water on and keep it on gently until I’m done. Gently! That just blows me away. It’s not because I know how to do it, I just can do it.

That’s the way I am. God loves me so much that not only did I live but I find myself at times doing things that normally would not be possible—but for me they are!

A friend came over yesterday (more friends should do that) and I was eating salad and he was just blown away that I was doing that! I lived on my own for a month before Daniel got here and I cooked, shopped, cleaned and did everything on my own. The Lord has been awesome to me.

No, I can’t do everything and I still need help sometimes but the love, promise and commitment that I receive from the Lord far exceeds all of that. And to think that all of this was planned for me before I was even born! (Psalm 139:16) It’s true that it’s all too wonderful for me to even comprehend.