A "virtual friend" in my autism world is struggling today. I've been there thousands of times. The pain, frustration, confusion, and helplessness is overwhelming. I'm so fortunate to have an amazing support system. Some of these incredible moms (and dads!) I've been able to meet and hug, others it's virtual support and understanding. Just knowing that someone else has walked or is walking in our same worn, tattered, but loved shoes is such comfort. When I was putting Luke to bed tonight and listening to music with him (which he is very into doing right now), I heard this song "Blessings" by Laura Story and it was exactly what my heart needed to hear. It made me think of Valerie & her precious Merritt, and of our sweet Sam, and of all of the amazing Warrior parents and children that both battle and breathe autism every second of every day. The song made me stop and rethink the frustration we've felt with Sam's behavior this week and the frustration we've had with autism and his bewildering OCD. Below are the lyrics.
We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things
Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?
What if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?
We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
And all the while You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe
Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?
And what if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise
When friends betray us, when darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It's not our home
Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the achings of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst
This world can’t satisfy?
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?
