times they would take it upon themselves to see to his comfort while I was
busy seeing to theirs by preparing dinner,
doing laundry, or doing any number of
other daily tasks that make a household
run smoothly and efficiently.
Of course, there were times—
particularly when we were unable to attend
some event or function because of Justin’s limitations—that I felt that perhaps
my “normal” children were made to
suffer because of the daily challenges of
living with a special needs sibling. Sometimes I worried that because Justin’s care
consumed so much of my time, I was not
able to give the amount of time I wanted
toward their education, but I was often
reminded that they were learning lessons in compassion and self-sacrifice
that were perhaps more valuable than
anything they might learn in books.
Although life sometimes seemed
unfair, I never allowed them to use
their brother as an excuse to feel sorry
for themselves. Sometimes we would
have to look hard to find something to
be grateful for in each situation, but a
grateful heart is a thankful heart and
self-pity never survived long in an attitude of gratitude.
It was true that our family was “
different” because we had been blessed with a
special needs child, but when we gathered together at night to read, pray, and
enjoy one another, we didn’t consider
ourselves to be different—we considered
ourselves blessed. We often talked about
the unique opportunities Justin provided
. . . Self-pity never
survived long in an
attitude of gratitude.
for our family. Specifically, I would point
out to Jennifer what a blessing it was that
Justin’s handicaps prevented her from the
usual doting and indulgences that may
have come her way as the youngest and
the only girl, and that by serving Justin,
she was developing a sweet and tender
spirit that was willing to serve. Or I would
remind them that Justin often prevented
us from over-committing ourselves to
outside activities and the stress that might
accompany those commitments. Once we
began to name our blessings, it was usually easy to think of many.
Sometimes, however, it was difficult
to find good in a situation, but we were
careful to keep in mind that we served
a sovereign God who worked all things
together for good even when we couldn’t
see the good. We remembered that God
had uniquely placed each child—and
each parent—in our household for a purpose and that the experiences and challenges we faced within our household
served to grow and prepare each of us to
glorify Him.
Sheila Campbell began homeschooling in
1991, and after the death of her husband
in 2001, she homeschooled as a single parent. She also was the parent of a special
needs child whom she cared for at home
until his death in 2004. These difficulties have strengthened her walk with her
Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and it is
her prayer that her words will encourage
and inspire others. Sheila resides in Hale
Center, Texas, and recently left her job
with the Texas Home School Coalition
to pursue her writing goals. Sheila invites
you to visit her blog at pausingtopraise
. wordpress.com.
www.TheHomeschoolMagazine.com
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