WARNING – This is going to be a bit different from my usual work and with a more informal (and dry) tone as I attempt to do the impossible: weave together Autism, parenting, liturgical living, behavior analysis, and beer bread recipes. For years, scholars and philosophers have failed at this endeavor (for lack of trying), but for the first time ever, all of these aspects of life will be brought together.
I must admit, there is often a lot of shame involved in raising disabled children. So many people have expectations for how children ought to behave and be raised. Grace is rarely extended for how routines and spiritual disciplines may need to be adapted or delayed when raising autistic, ADHD, PDA, etc. children. This is also an area of interest for me.
So true, Cory. Part of my hope is that parents of children who have special needs and/or are very young can feel empowered to do something rather than nothing and to do it heartfully rather than mechanically.
OH. OH MY GOODNESS. Thank you for putting words to the beauty of liturgical living! The passing pointing to the everlasting. Yes!!
I'm also a big believer that God fills in the gaps and is working silently in all those in-between spaces. Isn't it funny how pride drives me to think I must properly/thoroughly curate xyz for my kids to really "get it"? It's a tendency I've been trying to push against for awhile, probably in part due to social media...and a proclivity to want to somehow control experiences. Yikes. That's where paring it down to the basics - are we loving God, loving our neighbor? Is what we're doing helping to foster that, or is it puffing up my pride? - has helped me so much over the years.
Kudos and well-played on the dad joke. Also, I've found that my chemistry knowledge has atrophied too. Ah well!
Loved so many of these ideas. Thank you for the reminder to not let numbers/perfection stop you from starting. For so long with liturgical living I was so focused on it being perfect/doing all of the traditions I ended up doing nothing or doing things with the wrong attitude. Embracing quality over quantity and trusting, as you discussed, in the grace God offers when we try, has made a big difference in this second half of the year.
I must admit, there is often a lot of shame involved in raising disabled children. So many people have expectations for how children ought to behave and be raised. Grace is rarely extended for how routines and spiritual disciplines may need to be adapted or delayed when raising autistic, ADHD, PDA, etc. children. This is also an area of interest for me.
So true, Cory. Part of my hope is that parents of children who have special needs and/or are very young can feel empowered to do something rather than nothing and to do it heartfully rather than mechanically.
OH. OH MY GOODNESS. Thank you for putting words to the beauty of liturgical living! The passing pointing to the everlasting. Yes!!
I'm also a big believer that God fills in the gaps and is working silently in all those in-between spaces. Isn't it funny how pride drives me to think I must properly/thoroughly curate xyz for my kids to really "get it"? It's a tendency I've been trying to push against for awhile, probably in part due to social media...and a proclivity to want to somehow control experiences. Yikes. That's where paring it down to the basics - are we loving God, loving our neighbor? Is what we're doing helping to foster that, or is it puffing up my pride? - has helped me so much over the years.
Kudos and well-played on the dad joke. Also, I've found that my chemistry knowledge has atrophied too. Ah well!
=) Thank you so much Kristin - I don't know if I would have done an article on this particular topic without a prompt from the Sign & Seasons guild.
Loved so many of these ideas. Thank you for the reminder to not let numbers/perfection stop you from starting. For so long with liturgical living I was so focused on it being perfect/doing all of the traditions I ended up doing nothing or doing things with the wrong attitude. Embracing quality over quantity and trusting, as you discussed, in the grace God offers when we try, has made a big difference in this second half of the year.
Thank you, Elise. God delights in and blesses your efforts to bring your family and yourself into harmony with the liturgical calendar.
JOEY THIS IS AMAZING