Vaccines and autism?

This is big news. The CDC and AAP have long denied any link between vaccines and autism, in spite of the many children whose symptoms of autism showed up after receiving a vaccine. (I can't remember a specific time of dramatic regression with PJ5, just that he seemed to reach a plateau and go no further around 18 months.)

Check out this story on WorldNetDaily.com

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=57629

Small successes

In spite of being sick, PJ5 has said some new words the last few days. While he was sitting with me in church Sunday, I got out my Bible and he said "bi-bu". Yesterday PJ4 was swinging him back and forth from his arms. He stopped and PJ5 grabbed his arms again and said "swee". Also yesterday, he brought me a bottle of bubbles and I told him to say bubbles and he said "ubbus".

He was feeling well enough to go back to school today and NB cried like his heart was broken because I wouldn't let him climb onto the bus with his big brother.

More frustration

Autistic kids can be frustrating, but when they're sick it's even more frustrating. They can't tell you how they feel. They don't like their temperature taken. They won't take their medicine.

Well, PJ5 has "Flu A" according to the doctor. To us that means sore throat, fever, and whatever else may yet happen. They gave us a prescription that is supposed to help shorten the duration, and lessen the symptoms of the flu. But he will NOT take it! We even mixed it in some juice and he took one sip and no more. (We tasted the medicine and it does taste pretty bad.)
So I tried giving him some over-the-counter stuff to at least help him feel better. No success. It doesn't taste that bad---it's made for kids. But he refuses. When I force him to take it, he just pushes it back out of his mouth instead of swallowing. Right now it is in his sippy cup with juice, but he won't even touch it.

If anyone has some ideas, let me know.
In the meantime, us parents just got over a 24-hour stomach bug which has left me feeling weak and tired.
Excuse my rant, but I just had to complain.

Frustration

PJ5 fell asleep after school today, and didn't wake up until it was time to leave for church. Then we didn't get home from church until after 9:00, so we just put the boys to bed. Therefore, we didn't get much of our home program done today.
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I remembered this morning that I was supposed to have the devotional for tonight's meeting. I had been thinking about it last week, but had not written anything down yet.

I don't know where my mind has been. It's just not there...or here.

My list

I really like writing lists. It helps me get things done and stay prioritized. It gives me a feeling of accomplishment to check things off. But it's a good idea to be realistic....

1-Clean the house
2-Find a new house

Word update

I posted some time ago that PJ5 was saying "popcorn" pretty clearly and using the word as a request. Well, he met with such success that now he says "popcorn" any time he wants something to eat---even if it's not popcorn. I know this happens occasionally. A child will get a word or "sign" right and try to use it for everything.
So we're trying to get him to say the appropriate word for what he wants. He has added a few new ones so far: chicken, drink (he could say milk already), apple, and grapes. I should perhaps clarify that he can say these, but it requires some prompting and motivation.
Actually, I think (hope?) that the success of "popcorn" may be motivating him to at least try some other words.

Fun Music

Alright, I have to share this. It's too fun.

I played something close to (if not actually)"boogie woogie" at church Sunday night, and I got away with it!
Not only that, but someone told me that their husband (of an advanced age) was walking back up the church side-aisle, shuffling and snapping their fingers! Oh, the mental image---it's almost beyond my imagination!

Who do you want for president?

For the first time in my life (well...since I turned 18), I am considering not voting. I don't want any of the choices it appears will be on the ballot. But this is only February and a lot can happen in nine months.

Raise Your Hand

This was a random thought that I pursued in a rambling fashion

I was thinking today about "raising your hand". Sometimes we do it tentatively with our hands about shoulder level. Sometimes we just raise a finger. Then sometimes we throw our hand in the air as high as we can. It depends on the situation.

Then I thought about raising your hand in worship (while singing) at church. I know some people who are comfortable doing this, and some people who are not comfortable. Some think it too 'charasmatic' or emotional and just don't do it (especially if you grew up in a church where it wasn't commonly done). But really---why don't we feel comfortable raising our hands at church? (oops--did i just put myself in that category?)

Outside of church, why do we raise our hands? As children, we raise our hands to answer a question, to ask a question, or to volunteer for something; but mainly to get someone's attention. As we get older there is not as much need to raise our hand: perhaps to volunteer to do something, to get the attention of a group of people, to associate yourself with something ("how many people here are under age 30?"), to reach for something.....ah......that's something to consider.

Some people still view raising your hand as an attention-getting device and don't want to draw attention to themselves (which is valid since we want the attention to be on God--not us). (I hate to say it, but some people do raise their hands for this reason---remember the Pharisees?) Maybe some people are afraid that if they raise their hand they are volunteering for something. If you think of raising your hand as associating yourself with something, it might not be bad to raise your hands in worship along with those around you. Now, about raising your hand to reach for something----that just occurred to me as I was writing. Are we reaching for God when we raise our hands during singing? I don't know if that is what people are doing, but we don't have to physically reach out to "get God". (Though sometimes He asks us to reach out or step out in faith and obedience to Him.)

I think when people raise their hands while singing to God, it is symbolic. They are saying "God, this is my offering of worship to You." Or, "I lift my hands because I am giving my whole self to you---everything that I am, that I have, and that I will ever be." Or they lift their hands because the words of the song resonate within their heart. And there are probably some other reasons I can't think of right now.

All that said, I do not criticize those who do or do not raise their hands. Nor do I believe people should be forced to raise their hands, either by peer pressure or by the direction of a worship leader who is trying get people to "feel" a certain way (I have seen this happen). Most people that I see raising their hands in church do so as a selfless act of worship.

I am one of those who did not grow up in a church where everyone raised their hands, but I have grown accustomed to it and now feel comfortable with people doing so. I have even done it myself occasionally, though not often. Why not?? Well, it's kind of difficult to raise even one hand when you are the church pianist----but sometimes I have wanted to :-)

>>>>My son just raised his hands for me to pick him up. I often feel like doing the same with my Father.