The Gift of Speech

I’ve been busy writing lately…just not blogging. 😊Most of my writing lately is in the form of speech therapy notes, but I love it and am thankful to give in this way.

“Early Intervention may be one of the most positive experiences that parents of children with disabilities will encounter.”

I was completing some continuing education a couple of months ago and I read the quote above in a research article. It is one of the main reasons I am thankful to be a speech therapist (part-time) in early intervention. I love helping kids with special needs and their families. That and because I know first hand what it is like to have a child with a disability.

Today, I was able to experience hearing a child say one of their very first words! I also heard from another mom today that their child is using some sign language and saying 2-3 words now. Both of these kids were not speaking when I first saw them. I am absolutely not taking all the credit for this…the majority of the credit goes to the parents and caregivers who work with their baby every day. I give them some suggestions on things to try and they put it into practice. Experiencing the excitement the family feels when their baby begins to talk, despite a delay or disability, is such a gift. It is a blessing to be a part of that process. It’s something I would probably never have experienced if not for having a child with a disability myself. God works all things together for good. I’m thankful for that. ❤️ If you’re in the middle of a really hard season of life and things don’t make sense right now, just hang on and trust God to use it for good in your life. He won’t let you down.

Your friend,

Tiffany

Right Where God Meant For You To Be

2022…wow. For me it was filled with extremes. There were some truly pain-filled moments…like super painful. Yet, there were some unbelievably amazing, “God, I can’t believe this is happening” experiences. All took place in 2022. I honestly would have been fine with 2022 being more smooth sailing, calm, and even boring, but God had other plans. So, no, I really would not want to repeat this year! 😂 However, I am humbled and amazed at how God allowed the pain to bring about some truly good things.

Sometimes it takes being hurt and completely dependent on God to make new decisions and choices that open doors to some of the best things.

Even if a painful situation happens to be caused by another’s poor choices and behavior, God will cause all things to work together for our good if we trust Him.

I know how hard it can be to walk by faith. Hopefully, 2022 taught me how to become a little better at that. 😊

The things that hurt this year:

-harsh words and actions of others

-realizing those who you thought were your friends, weren’t

The things that healed this year:

my part-time job as a speech therapist in early intervention
learning that others actions are a reflection of who they are and that those actions have nothing to do with me as a person
Watching God, situations, medicine, and better choices truly change someone for the better, even when it seemed hopeless to me.

Whether you are hurting, healing, or hunky-dory, I pray you are able to sense God’s very real presence in your life in 2023. He is the only one who has truly been with you through it all- the good, the bad, and the in between. He’s led you right to where you are. Others may say they love you, but Jesus loves you much, much more. There is no end to the depth of His love and it won’t let you down. Jesus is a faithful friend who won’t fail you even when you have no idea how things will work out. Trust Him. Walk by faith even if it isn’t easy in 2023. God can and will work things out for good for you if you hang on, persevere, and keep pushing forward. You’ll be a stronger, better you as a result. May you always know that where you are is right where God meant for you to be at this time.

Never forget you can and will do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

I pray your cup overflows with blessings and Jesus’ love surrounds you today and every day of the new year.

Your friend,

Tiffany

Unexpected Blessings

Thank you to everyone who prayed for Landon’s dental surgery Friday. I could really feel all the prayers. ❤️ I honestly thought I would be inspired to write because of the difficulty of the experience of Landon’s dental surgery, but that isn’t the case. God blew me away with His goodness and kindness. I know the unexpected blessings were answers to specific prayers because they were little miracles that would normally not happen.

Unexpected Blessing #1

When we were checking in, a nurse came over and told me she had a son with autism. She told me it would be about a three hour wait until it was Landon’s turn. She understood how hard it would be for Landon to sit and wait so she suggested we ride around in the van and said she would call me when it was his turn to go back. The waiting time was one of my concerns as Landon gets really anxious when having to wait in a new place.

Unexpected Blessing #2

Murry and I rode around with Landon for about an hour. He had nothing to eat or drink since the night before at about 8:00pm. If you know Landon, you know he LOVES to eat. 😂 During the van ride he only asked for chicken nuggets twice AND he never had a meltdown. We told him he would have to wait until we ”got the boo-boos in his teeth fixed” to have food. Usually he gets really upset when he’s hungry, so again, I have no doubt God was answering that specific prayer. He only asked for chicken nuggets a couple of times but never got frustrated.

Unexpected Blessing #3

When the nurse called us, we drove back to the hospital and walked Landon back to a private room. They immediately gave him a medication to calm him hidden in a small amount of Sprite. (The only slight hiccup we had was that two doses of meds didn’t put him to sleep. The anesthesiologist seemed a little surprised. I imagine he’d probably never met anyone quite like Landon who has the strength and resolve of a much larger person.😂) However, they did not put his IV in until he was asleep. Answer to prayer right here! During the last (attempted) blood draw at the doctor, Landon was fighting so hard a vein blew immediately causing a golf-ball sized knot on his tiny arm. So my concern about that was totally resolved!

Unexpected Blessing #4

When they took him back, he settled down and did great with the anesthesia. The dentist X-rayed his teeth. The x-ray revealed he had 9 cavities…more than we thought! The dentist filled them, cleaned his teeth, and sealed his teeth. She said we shouldn’t have to do this again for several years or maybe not ever.

Unexpected Blessing #5

The nurses warned us that patients often are combative when waking up from anesthesia. Landon wasn’t! They even removed his IV without much fuss.

Unexpected Blessing #6

When Landon was awake enough to sit in the wheelchair and be taken out to the van, the nurse and my husband easily moved him into the van. I drove home, Landon slept in the van and remained asleep as we tucked him back into his own bed. Again…no meltdown!

Unexpected Blessing #7

Landon woke up several hours later. He was happy, smiling, and wolfed down two hotdogs and some water. He never got nauseous or sick from the anesthesia!

Unexpected Blessing #8

The next day, I decided to attempt to brush Landon’s teeth. Normally he fights me…big time. But he didn’t. He allowed me to brush his teeth without a fuss!

Then it hit me.

The thought that maybe part of the reason he had been fighting and so upset about having his teeth brushed was due to the fact that he had so many cavities!

Maybe his teeth were sensitive and hurt!

He couldn’t tell me his teeth hurt!

All he could do was scream and try to get me to stop brushing.

I still can’t get this thought out of my head! God knew all along that Landon’s teeth were sensitive and causing him pain. I’ve never had a cavity in my life. Not one. I don’t know how it feels. We don’t know how long Landon has had undetected cavities. But God knows. Landon’s surgery had to happen. To make him better. To remove and cut away the deteriorated part of his teeth. The parts that were causing Landon pain. Pain we couldn’t see. Pain we couldn’t fix.

How many times do we have something in our life that is hurting us? Maybe it’s something God wants us to let go of. Could it be He wants to remove some things that we aren’t even aware of so we can heal? Things only He can see.

I‘m so thankful God loves Landon. He loves each unique individual, more than a parent loves each of their own children. Although we do live in an imperfect world full of “cavities” at times, the Holy Spirit is always present in our lives- comforting, guiding, and helping us. He uncovers hidden hurt and pain and leads us towards healing where we need it. He’ll even send us unexpected blessings to remind us He’s there through it all. He wants us to have abundant life. Not because we earned it or deserved it. But because He loves us in an unexplainable and beautiful way. Simply because we are His.

Blessings.

Your friend,

Tiffany

PS As I am writing this, the song You’re Carrying Me (Vineyard Worship) began to play on Pandora. I really felt I should share the lyrics. No matter what pain or burden you might be carrying, remember God is carrying you. Trust Him.

Unexpected kindness, I turn my face to You
Surrounded by Your mercy, I’m falling into You

I’m waiting, You’re running and I lean into You

You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me
And I choose to trust You, Lord
You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me
And I choose to trust You, Lord

I don’t know the future but I place my hope in You, hm-mm-mmm
As You call me forward, I’m falling into You

I’m waiting, You’re running and I lean into You
My burdens are falling as I lean into You

You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me
And I choose to trust You, Lord
You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me
And I choose to trust You, Lord
You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me
And I choose to trust You, Lord
You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me
And I choose to trust You, Lord

I’m waiting, You’re running and I lean into You, woah-oh-oh-oh-oh-ohh
My burdens, they are falling as I lean into You, oh

You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me
And I choose to trust You, Lord
You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me, You’re carrying me
And I choose to trust You, Lord

I trust You, I trust You, I trust You, hm-mm-mm-mm-mm
I trust You, I trust You, I trust You

Perspectives

Perspective is a very interesting thing. We do not see things as they are; we see things as we are.
~Benny Perez

Measure not God’s love and favour by your own feeling. The sun shines as clearly in the darkest day as it does in the brightest. The difference is not in the sun, but in some clouds which hinder the manifestation of the light thereof.

~Richard Sibbes

Hope lives under the cloud of impending good. It’s up to you to choose your perspective. How you look at tomorrow directly impacts the way you live today.

~Katherine Walden

It is so easy for me to “get stuck” in seeing circumstances from my viewpoint. However, my view is so limited. All the while the Holy Spirit is high above all the circumstances capturing the entire, enormous beautiful picture. He sees the vast expanse of all of the good and the bad and how it fits together to make a magnificent masterpiece in the end. The storms don’t discourage, rattle, and upset him the way they often affect me. Yet He understands my humanity and is with me always to comfort, guide, counsel, and encourage. The following devotion is from Discover the God of More, Benny Perez on the topic of Holy Spirit Perspective. I pray it is an encouragement to you, also.

Your friend,

Tiffany

Holy Spirit Perspective

When we are facing battles, navigating the storms, and walking through the valleys, we must seek the Holy Spirit’s perspective. Getting a revelation of His perspective of our circumstances has the power to change what’s happening on the inside of us, which changes what’s happening on the outside of us.

Perspective is a very interesting thing. We do not see things as they are; we see things as we are. Depending on how you are, you may not see something the way it really is. How you process what’s happening in your life depends on where you are at in your life.

You need to know that regardless of your upbringing, by God’s Word and grace, you can begin to look at life the way the God of More wants you to look at life. That ancient Greek word used for ‘transform’ in the original text is metamorphosis—the same word that is used to describe the process of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly. Our perspective needs to transform from a natural view to a supernatural view.

If we want to see things from a Holy Spirit perspective, then we need to be spending time reading and studying the Word of God. If God has spoken a dream into your heart, the Holy Spirit will remind you of it when you are in the middle of a storm. If you are frustrated and discouraged because you cannot see the fulfillment of a dream yet, the Holy Spirit will give you the strength and wisdom to endure.

We must view our storms and valleys from the perspective that God is above them. And if God is above it, and you are in Christ, and the Holy Spirit dwells within you, then you will surely arise from it and get to the other side.

The Holy Spirit is above all things, so we need to get the same perspective the Holy Spirit has over the situation, rather than the perspective that I have over the situation. No matter what voids are there, what darkness is there, what the enemy is trying to do in your life— the Holy Spirit is hovering above your situation. The God of More is about ready to turn it around on your behalf!

Setbacks

Life is moving so fast it’s hard to keep up lately. I’m so thankful that we are over all the sickness at our house, but ready or not life is at full throttle now. With co-op/homeschool classes for the oldest child, homeschool for the middle one, and the youngest in public school, (not to mention 2 dogs, the husband’s busy work schedule, and basic day to day stuff) it can be a wild ride!

Unfortunately, lately Landon (our child with autism), has had some setbacks. His aggression at school is ramping up despite taking a combination of five different medications. It has taken us literally years and suffering through multiple trial and error attempts to get the right combination of meds that help him the most. Unfortunately, his symptoms and behaviors are curbed only for a short time before he grows, his body becomes accustomed to the meds, and things have to be tweaked or changed completely.

I really can’t adequately describe the helpless feeling I have when I get a note home about him hitting other students and teachers, having multiple crying spells, not staying dressed due to his sensory issues, etc. I don’t know what to do other than reach out to his doctor, make her aware of the situation and pray. At home he is not necessarily aggressive, but extremely hyperactive. To me, it seems the hyperactivity and sensory issues are what cause him to hit, etc., it isn’t necessarily anger. Those factors combined with the fact that he is primarily non-verbal contribute to his difficult behaviors….and boy are they seriously difficult!

I don’t remember what it feels like not to be bone tired. I wake up tired, push through the day tired, and go to bed exhausted. Despite all of this, I like to find the good in each day and consciously remind myself that God sees it all and is in control.

Friend, if you are struggling with an extremely hard situation, please know that you are not alone in your circumstances whatever they may be. Let this be your reminder that God sees you and is with you. He is reaching down to you and is aware of everything going on in your life. He has the hairs on your head numbered and promises to work all things for your good. The setbacks aren’t forever even if it feels that way. I truly believe God has a plan and purpose for everything in life. However, I know how hard it can be to find the positive parts of life when it feels like wave after wave of negatives come crashing in. So today, I chose to think about some positives instead of worrying about the not so good aspects. Here are a few pics of “good” from the last few days. What are the positive snapshots from your life lately?

Blessings.

Your friend,

Tiffany

Right Here

As I was going for a walk today, the song Right Here by Jeremy Camp, came to mind. I haven’t heard that particular song in a long time, so when it came to mind like that, I felt like I should share it.

No matter how you might feel, the truth is you are never alone. God’s presence is always with you. Think on that if you are facing difficult circumstances. No matter what goes on in our lives, He is always there. The problems we face do not scare Him away.

Your friend,

Tiffany

All the world is Watching
All the world does care
Even when the world weighs on my shoulder now,
These feelings I can bare
Because I know,
That you’re here, Everywhere I go,
I know you’re not far away,
You’re right here
You’re right here, yeah All these thoughts I’ve wasted,
All these thoughts I fear,
Even when these thoughts have faded,
I still know that you’re here,
So I can rest my hope in you Many of times that I have felt alone,
Many of times that I have felt the world was crashing down upon me,
You always stood here by my side,
You were always thereEverywhere I go,
I know your not far away,
You’re right here
You’re right here, yeah

Missing Peace

I can’t take credit for today’s blog title. 😊 It was the title of my daily devotion on YouVersion Bible App. As you might imagine, the devotion was about peace and how it is so often missing.

The thought came to my mind as I was reading that we can never create our own peace. Even if we seem to be able to, the time of peace is fleeting. The hour long relaxing bubble bath, the week long beach vacation, an 8 hour uninterrupted night’s rest, etc.

So how do we experience full-time peace? By continually fixing our minds on something (or someone😊) other than our circumstances. That someone is Heavenly and we are currently in the season of celebrating His appearance on Earth as a baby. Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-8 (Amplified Bible)

6 Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God. 7 And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours].

Reality moment here. Every single Christmas season, I get majorly stressed out. I’ve got to attend this Christmas party, or that Christmas gathering. I have to bake, decorate, shop, wrap presents, on top of the regular day to day activities. It. Is. Always. Too. Much.

Now before you quit reading and assume I am The Grinch, Scrooge, or another similar character, I will assure you that I am not. 😊 Why do I get stressed to that point every year? It is not because I don’t enjoy Christmas parties or Christmas shopping or wrapping presents. It is because I become completely absorbed in nothing else.

I don’t spend enough time with Jesus. The One who the season is for. The Reason we even have Christmas. Oops. I’m sure I’m not the only one. 😊 I’m not saying all this to heap guilt on my self or anyone else, but simply to point out the way back to peace. True Peace.

True Peace is never found in our circumstances but in our One True Friend. Only when we make time for His presence and fix our thoughts and minds on Him, will we experience lasting peace. All the ”stuff” and material possessions fade and fluctuate, but True Peace is found in a person, Our Savior. It is only when we make time for Him in our hearts and minds that we experience true, lasting, non-fluctuating peace.

Peace is connected to trust. I’ll admit it. I have a hard time believing in and trusting certain people, and trusting situations life presents to me. But if I’m honest, when I don’t fully trust and give the situation over to God, I don’t experience peace. So without trust, we won’t have peace.

Life constantly bombards us with chaotic scenarios which destroy peace pretty quickly. At least it feels that way to me. What should we do when we life presents less than peaceful circumstances? We should try and harness the worrisome and anxious thoughts and focus our minds back to God and His very real presence in our lives. Yes, it is much easier to do this on some days than it is on others but the effort is probably needed more on the hard days! We have to remember that we live in an imperfect world. We are going to experience anxiety, stress, and less than peaceful thoughts. However putting forth the effort in focusing our minds back to the Holy Spirit’s presence in our lives will be worth it! Peace that results is far greater than we can understand or imagine.

Isaiah 26:3

“You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You—in both inclination and character],
Because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation]

I definitely have some work to do in this area. However, for me, just sitting and writing this connects my heart to the Lord’s and helps me to focus, trust, and believe Him for the peace that only He can give! Peace that passes all my human understanding!

I’m praying for you today, friend. Especially if you are stressed out, frazzled, burned out and feel anything but peace. I pray you will be able to spend some time in the Lord’s presence and experience peace as you focus on Him today. He loves you and wants nothing more than to spend time with you and fill your mind with His peace.

Your friend,

Tiffany