The end of summer is upon us and the beginning of fall is just around the corner. Although I think I would love to live in Hawaii or some tropical paradise, I really do love the change of seasons we have here in Oklahoma, very distinct and different from one another. By the end of one season, I'm longing for the next.

Today I am not continuing my previous blog story because I feel compelled to share this information as a time sensitive issue. We are approaching the one month countdown until a new school year starts and the pressure for parents to immunize their children.

As the rates of autism skyrocket, so have many arguments as to the causes. Of the many speculations, vaccines are one of the top issues raised with fierce opposing views. While the AMA and AAP are determined to stand firm that vaccinations are in no way related or responsible for the rise in autism, parents of the autistic in high percentages relay stories of when they lost their child following a series of immunizations. That is my story as well.

I want to share a wonderful video that was sent to me this past year that I have kept and sent along to those I believed it would bless. Every time I hear it I'm touched all over again.

Yesterday my kids and I enjoyed the afternoon with our best buddies at Martin Nature Park. There is a stream that runs through it where the children love to swim, gather shells, and get very creative in their play. For me, it was a great opportunity to visit with my dear friend and share life together.

Last week our family spontaneously went to see Toy Story 3. I anticipated a great movie, like the other two, with great wit and animation. What I didn't expect was an emotional breakdown as the movie forced me to realize and come to grips with the fact that half of my nest will become empty next year! I will have my oldest graduating from college and the next two younger graduating from homeschool high school! Can you imagine my May?! Not to mention, my oldest will most likely be getting married too!!

Recently there has been much focus on the problem of entitlement in our society. And rightly so! We've unintentionally trained our children to expect and feel entitled to so much.....our government is teaching our society entitlement to the doom of our childrens' future..... and recently I've been enlightened to my own false sense of entitlement. Fortunately, it has left me with a true sense of gratitude in my heart.

There's a morning routine in my house that I love to observe. Usually my husband, Tim, will come downstairs, get his coffee and sit in his spot on the leather couch. He will read and/or watch a little news before getting ready for work. It's not too long until our son, Jace, will be down there to join him, nestled right up under his arm, sipping his own version of coffee (3/4 french vanilla cream, 1/4 coffee).

So how's the "anxious for nothing" going for you? I hope you are walking in more peace than you were yesterday and believing more and more that God is ABLE to do exceedingly, abundantly more than all we could ever ask. I want to give you another example of me, learning and practicing putting my faith into action and choosing to pray about everything....even the small stuff that seems HUGE at the time. God helped me not lose my peace and joy for even a moment during a stressful school morning. Instead, I asked and believed that God would answer my prayer and do what needed to be done.

This seems to be one of the most popular sayings these days, wouldn't you say? I actually use it myself quite often. It can be used, however, in a variety of ways to express completely different meanings.

Most commonly, I hear it being used to refer to the way something is, regardless of how I would like it to be. For instance, someone talking about the state of their marriage or health issues with seemingly insurmountable issues to resolve...it is what it is. Seems to imply a sort of resignation...a settling for...no hope for change.

I've mentioned before that my son who is on the autism spectrum, is more like Aspbergers, which is the higher functioning autistic person. He has always had a unique and simple approach to everything in life, often bringing things down to its lowest common denominator. In other words, what it truly is.

Life is challenging, is it not? Many times in my journey I have thought to myself, "Is it ever going to get easier? A lighter load perhaps? Why so hard?" However, I have been gaining some new insight and truth from God's Word that makes me view my challenges and problems as opportunities!

Easter is another of those Christian holidays, like Christmas, that frustrate me. Our world always adds traditions that detract from the true meaning of the holiday. I have always tried to make sure that we emphasize the "reason for the season" in as many ways as possible. The last two years, we have gone to a local church, Henderson Hills in Edmond, for their awesome Good Friday multi-sensory experience.

In our spiritual journey through life, we go through so many different periods that shape our lives and add to our story. Although I had asked Jesus to be my Savior at the age of seven, it wasn't until my freshman year in college that I fell head over heels in love with Him. I call those my "stairwell days."

April is the national Autism Awareness month and I want to sharewith you some things to think about this month that will give you moreof an understanding of how autismaffects the families in which they live, what special needs the parentshave, and how we as family, friends, neighbors, church members, and thecommunity at large can support, encourage, and be a help to thoseliving with the affects of autism.

Today I want to share with you about a new and inspiring book,written by Kathy Deyer Bolduc, the mother of an adult son with autismand moderate intellectual disability. The book is entitled Autism and Alleluias and was released in February of 2010.

One of the most beloved members of our family is our female boxer, Buster. Lately, she's gotten a little overweight. Since I've been trying to get more exercise, I decided to take her with me for a brisk walk. After about 45 minutes, Buster was panting wildly, tongue hanging out, desperate for water! Just a little ways ahead was a driveway with a flow of rushing water coming down into the street and heading our way next to the curb. Perfect timing! We walked into it and I stopped....

It has been so awesome to see God working in the marriages in our life group! As people are intentionally looking at themselves in their marriage instead of at their spouse, amazing things begin to happen. With one particular couple, God used circumstances that seemed to be the last straw to do bring about miraculous change.

I've been learning about hope over the last few years in variousways. One of the most wonderful gifts God has given me in my discoveryof hope was through anunexpected  and unlikely friendship, divinely given for my hopelessstate.

I mentioned before about my journey of faith through autism. Five yearsago there were much fewer answers and resources for new parents of theautistic, I quickly realized if I was going to help my child, it wasgoing to be largely up to me! I prayed:

As our life group is going through the Love Dare book together (seemy post "The Love Dare" below), I am quickly learning things aboutmyself that I never realized before. I have found that I lovemore often when I am loved by someone else first. I am naturallysomewhat of a reactor.

I read the mood or attitude of a person often first and then decide howto respond to them. Have you ever noticed that about yourself?

Have you ever stopped to realize that anything you've ever done wellor any goal in life that you've accomplished has usually been done bybeing intentional about it?

Because of the lessons I've been learning over the past couple of years, I am choosing to be more intentional in my life.One of the things I am being intentional about are my anxious thoughtsor worry.  It is a common theme running through scripture: "don't worryabout anything,,," and "be anxious for nothing". But if we examine ourthoughts, we will often find ourselves anxious and worried unless weintentionally have a plan not to be!

I haven't really shared much about my journey with autism yet, but I thought I might share something that happened this week in my home that broke my heart for my boys. Don't know about you, but I cannot stand to see my children hurt because of other members of our own family. Let's save mean words and actions for the world, right?

Another one of my passions is marriage. My marriage, of course, first. I have enjoyed 22 years of marriage with a man who has surpassed my imaginations of what a marriage can be. No, it's not perfect, but our marriage has improved year after year. Some years have been so challenging that I know it has been God's grace alone that has helped us through. Other years have been less stressful perhaps, yet as I look back, the greatest blessings we enjoy today were from lessons learned in the hardest times.

I told you in the last blog about getting to go on a hot date with myhusband. One of the things we did was go to a movie. I recommend thismovie to all of you who are married! Lighthearted and fun, Did You Hear About the Morgansis a movie that really has a great message for couples. Just so I don'tspoil it for you, I will try to keep details to a minimum.

For most women, contentment is illusive. Difficult to find, and if found, remaining in that contentment is a challenge. Being in my forties, I have had plenty of time to recognize this in myself and others. This past weekend, I realized that I still have some work to do in this area. As with most problems, recognition is the first hurdle in overcoming, so I am hopeful!

If you're like most Americans, you have determined to loose a few unwanted pounds  and start the year off right!  Well, I am right there too. I usually have good intentions that many times fall by the wayside. However, this year, thanks to my buddy at Braum's, I will have all the motivation I need to start out strong and stay committed!

It was January 2, 2010. Time to restock the refrigerator with milk, so off to Braums I go.  As I'm checking out, a familiar male checker, I'll call "Bill", began checking my items. We started into a conversation about how great the holidays had been, how grateful we were that they had gone, and how we were ready to start a new year.

In the last blog, I mentioned looking back at my journal to review my "personal accounts of God's faithfulness" to me. I want to encourage you to do the same this year, even if you've tried journaling a thousand times before! Believe me, I am one of those "wannabejournalers" who have a drawer full of barely used journals, filled with good intentions and stories never written. The reason I think this happens is because I set my expectations about journaling unrealistically. For me, daily or weekly isn't always possible.  So here's the idea....

As December approached, I felt an eerily familiar feeling...as if I'd been here before...

December was our leanest month financially of the whole year and just meeting the month's basic needs would be a challenge without the added needs of Christmas! During this past year or so, I have learned the importance of looking back at the challenges faced before where God met my needs, answered prayer, and saved the day. It brings faith to believe that if He did it before, He will most surely do it again. I pulled out my journal from this past year and began reading my personal accounts of God's faithfulness. One thing I learned last year was that He is MY Jehovah Jireh, my provider.

I can't believe it's been almost a year to the day when I experienced such a wonderful Christmas Blessing! The memory of it still fills my heart with joy and peace as I approach yet another Christmas season filled with similar stresses and busyness—yet somehow, because of what I experienced a year ago, I no longer approach my challenging life situations in the same way. And it's made all the difference.

It was December 12th, 2008, day of Christmas brunch at my friend Denise's home....