Blessings

I've had this article on global autism on my mind for some months now.

How do you begin to make a difference?

Tonight, we watched "Blood Diamond".

How do you begin to make a difference?

Our world is so vast, and so troubled. I serve. I give. I love. I hurt. But, when kids are dying because they can't communicate... when kids are killing because humans can't communicate... I wonder, how do you begin to make a difference?

These kids - hurting, suffering, dying - could just as well be my kids. Each one was certainly two people's child at one point. It's really up to each of us to use every ounce of our abilities to serve, locally, nationally, or globally.

Part of making a difference, I think, is knowing who you are, what you stand for, and where you come from. Please indulge me... as I thank God for this life I live.

I was born to two loving parents; they've stuck with their marriage through the good and bad times and they've certainly had both. They sacrificed and sent me to private school when they felt it was the best option for me. My in-laws are wonderful people and have been nothing but an encouragement to me from day one.

School came easy. I worked at it, but it came easy. I never had to struggle to learn something new.

Jobs came easy. I've never been out of work for more than a month. My mother-in-law landed me my first job in software, a friend got me in the door for the first "big" software job, and it's been onward and upward ever since. I have had the pleasure of working with wonderful people. I have never had a job where I didn't like the people I worked with. I have nothing but good things to say about every single boss I've ever had.

We live at "home". We feel safe. We have no gates to keep the intruders out and "safety" is far down on the list of worries. We have our own pool where we get to play and refresh ourselves anytime we want.

I've never felt in danger for my life. I've never been ridiculed for my skin color, my religion, or my appearance.

My wife loves me (right!?). After nearly 16 years, we are as committed as we have ever been. We've never had a day where we seriously considered ending our marriage. We're on the same page when it comes to faith, marriage, parenting, and family; while there are plenty of things where we're not on the same page, we've been able to get through those things together.

We have 3 amazing kids. I've bragged about them here for almost a year now. Each is a unique and essential part of our family.

We've been blessed with good teachers. We are able to work through IEPs, for the most part, with the school district. Grant's teachers have worked with us as we've tried various therapies and diets.

We've had the same church home for over 20 years now. Through our hard times, they've supported us. The church has given us ample opportunity to serve God. When we had the dream to start up Club Kangaroo, the church was behind us 100% and we've never heard a single negative thing about it from anybody.

Wow, we are blessed. Incredibly blessed. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of hard issues and conflicts that we deal with all the time, but how can I even list such things in the face of the overwhelming list above? Any issue we have pales in comparison to wasting away in an institution, to starving, to killing, to dying. I know where I come from. I know who I am. I am thankful and grateful to God, my family, and my friends for this life that I lead.

To whom much is given, much is expected. Please don't ever let me forget there are kids in my town, in my area, in my state, in my country, in my world who are in dire need of help. Please don't allow me to squander my blessings; push me to make every effort -

to make a difference.