Monday, September 7, 2015

Longing and Gratitude

Since the day I first watched this brief video it has been embedded in my mind. The simple, yet utterly profound, words of this young man living with Cerebral Palsy (CP) have been pondered in my heart over and over.

My child does not live with CP, however, I would dare to say my Boy Wonder, who has FASD & Autism, experiences so many of the same feelings as Roger Flournoy, Jr. when he stated: 

"I want to be everybody's friends and that hurts me because I can't help the fact that I have CP".

Boy Wonder is one of the most handsome young men you will see, therefore, the expectation is that he is typical. However, place him in his peer group and watch as the FASD unfolds itself in his dysmature behavior and social dysfunction.  He did nothing to deserve FASD, and there is no cure for FASD. He will struggle his entire life with the hurt feelings of rejection because of a  neurological disability.

You may not realize that CP and Down-syndrome are visible disabilities that often cause people to shy away because they don't know how to respond to the physical differences they see in someone.

While Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and Autism/Aspbergers are invisible disabilities that often cause people to shy away because they don't know how to respond to the emotional differences they see in someone.

All of these often lead to the same core feelings for our kids: loneliness.

The hardest thing is loneliness. I am my own greatest enemy when I am left to my loneliness.” Roger

My heart weeps when I hear those words! For Roger, for my neuro-typical son, for those who are non-verbal, for all the thousands of kiddos living with FASD.  The loneliness is so real.

Spoiler alert: the wisest words on this 4 minute video are these, "Jesus paid the ultimate price and if I don’t totally worship him it’s like I don’t appreciate him dying for me."  Roger Flournoy Jr

Those are the words I have pondered over and over in my heart the past few days.  Oh, that I would have the simple, deep joy of this young man living his entire life with CP!  Even with his disability, even in his loneliness, he is choosing to be filled with joy that can't be shaken. Gratitude. Overwhelming gratitude.

I hope you will take the time to watch his story unfold and allow his words reflecting the peace and power of Jesus Christ, to fill your soul with gratitude as well.



1 comment:

  1. Wonderful video. Thank you for sharing. My kids have the same desires & the same problems of non-acceptance. It was so wonderful to see & hear them playing together at your house in July. Fun & acceptance. <3

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