Thin Places - Latest Comments

Re: Talking with 100 Huntley Street about parenting, Down syndrome, and transformation

Armstro3 — Tue, 15 May 2012 15:09:57 -0000

Great interview! I loved what you had to say! It's helpful to know you had the same fears that I faced and am still working through. It's nice when someone you respect and look up to shares that they felt that way too. Thank you! And you looked lovely!

Re: Isabel and Sam: Friends without Labels

JP — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:55:19 -0000

Lovely post. What jumped out at me was Isabel's comment that Sam never said mean things about other people. When my son (who is developmentally disabled) was in kindergarten, one of his classmates told her mom, "Jonathan is never mean. He makes mistakes sometimes but that's okay cause that's how he learns." I just thought that is a pretty neat way to be characterized.

Re: Talking with 100 Huntley Street about parenting, Down syndrome, and transformation

JP — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:35:47 -0000

Enjoyed this interview very much -- thank you! I haven't read your book yet but I hope to do so soon. I have a 9-yr-old son who is developmentally delayed because (probably) of extra material on one of his chromosomes. It's very challenging. Thank you for sharing your story.

Re: Things I Love About Being a Mother

Patricia Crews Tice — Sun, 13 May 2012 23:01:03 -0000

Been busy and missed you...

Re: Dreaming about Fashion Faux Pas and Going to Canada

Michelle — Sun, 13 May 2012 20:51:59 -0000

Thank you for your trip to Toronto, Canada. Your talk was heart-warming and inspirational. Michelle

Re: Things I Love About Being a Mother

Elizabeth Nordquist — Sat, 12 May 2012 11:06:18 -0000

and you were another of the Patheos Peeps who inspired my own blog this week! Blessings and grace on this Mother's Day!

Re: Things I Love About Being a Mother

mayme — Sat, 12 May 2012 07:08:16 -0000

Beautiful article. Thank you. Here is a great documentary by the BBC on Christ that is important to Christians. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

Re: George Will’s Son, Rick Santorum’s Daughter, and Penny

Darlene — Fri, 11 May 2012 23:25:30 -0000

I fiished your book and looked up to see Kristina, my daughter, deciding whether to jump off of the diving board after her swim skills/drills class at the rec center toight. I walked toward her and encouraged her to go -- but the real encouragement came from her coach. They walked out together, and Kristina jumped in. The first time since her devastating stroke just 2-1/2 years ago. Awesome. So much more I would like to share with you. Thanks for your great book -- so many parallels that I could totally relate to. You said so many things in your book that mirrored my feelings. Bless you!

Re: Things I Love About Being a Mother

Tim — Fri, 11 May 2012 13:18:01 -0000

"And I love the moments when I realize that this mothering gig is a privilege."

Absolutely, Amy Julia, and I would add being a Dad too. And the parenting doesn't stop as they grow up; it just looks different. My son just finished university this week and is now on the road to visit our daughter who invited him to stay with her for a few days. She's in her second year at UC San Diego, so I'm not sure if he's excited about seeing his sister or hanging out at the beach.

So neither of them will be home for Mother's Day this weekend, and that's where some parenting came in. My wife is from San Diego, so we encouraged our kids (especially our son, since he's the one coming into town) to spend some time with their grandparents, and it seemed like Mother's Day would be a good time to do that. So they are now going to have Mother's Day dinner with their grandmother and the rest of the family.

Parenting: the adventure never stops!

Tim

Re: Dreaming about Fashion Faux Pas and Going to Canada

Tim — Thu, 10 May 2012 11:12:35 -0000

How funny, because I just had a dream a couple nights ago about going to a speaking engagement and being severely underdressed and trying to fix it on the fly to no avail. Maybe it's a good thing we work through these anxieties in our dreams and not in real life!

Praying for a great, and greatly grace-filled, trip!

Tim

Re: Our Good and Perfect Gift

Tim — Thu, 10 May 2012 11:07:19 -0000

With time I could see that the "real" Penny was right in front of me ... That happens in so many relationships, doesn't it Amy Julia? It can take me a long time to get past my preconceived notions of who someone is and get to know the real person. Thanks for giving us this glimpse into your family.

I also loved this conclusion: Ours is not a narrative of, “I once was really sad about it and now we’re okay.” It’s not, “I once experienced this as darkness and now my life is simply gray.” It’s not, “We’ve gone from negative to neutral.” But rather, from darkness to light, from sorrow to joy, from fear to wonder, from doubt to faith, from bitter to sweet. It's a perfect description of finding life in Jesus too, joining John Newton in saying "I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see."

Tim

P.S. Awesome pic of the kids cuddling in bed!

Re: Dreaming about Fashion Faux Pas and Going to Canada

Missdeborah42 — Thu, 10 May 2012 09:27:15 -0000

I know how much she loves flip flops.

Re: Dreaming about Fashion Faux Pas and Going to Canada

Helen Lee — Thu, 10 May 2012 09:23:22 -0000

Have fun in Canada! The people at 100 Huntley are wonderful. You will do a great job!

Re: Can Kids with Disabilities Make Friends?

blackbird — Wed, 09 May 2012 12:15:08 -0000

Thanks for writing Amy.

Re: Our Good and Perfect Gift

Lisa — Tue, 08 May 2012 13:10:37 -0000

Thank you for your life-giving posts.

Re: The Ethics of Reproductive Choices: An Interview with Ellen Painter Dollar

Tim — Mon, 07 May 2012 17:56:29 -0000

"Technologies such as IVF and PGD are designed to alleviate suffering and bring about happiness." For some people, technology is not only expected to provide the means to achieve happiness and avoid suffering; it becomes a type of religion, where these technologies and their developers are the gods. Don't get me wrong. I love medical advances. But if anyone is looking to technolgies like IVF and PGD for happiness, they're headed for a rude awakening.

First, these technologies do not guarantee success. Even if you have a healthy child, that child can become a source of heartbreak. Just look in my courtroom any given day and you'll probably see a parent in the audience wondering where they went wrong with the child sitting in custody at the table next to their attorney.

Second, even when there is a relatively well-adjusted family there is still no true happiness in the eternal sense. That only comes from a relationship with God. Technologies can obscure the need for God as we fool ourselves that the next big breakthrough will provide health, happiness, fulfillment.

Which leads me to the real value of a book like Ellen's. It gets people thinking and talking and discerning as they search for answers. It may just be the type of search that God uses to draw people to him. And that's not just valuable; it's invaluable.

Thanks for bringing us this Q&A, Amy Julia, and thanks to Ellen for continuing to put yourself out there and being vulnerable for all of us.

Tim

Re: Reproductive Choices in a Broken World: Reflections on Ellen Painter Dollar’s No Easy Choice

Rachel Stone — Mon, 07 May 2012 16:05:46 -0000

I loved your review of Ellen's book @ the CT women's blog, and am looking forward to more Q&A with her.

Re: Can Kids with Disabilities Make Friends?

Mary Alice — Sat, 05 May 2012 22:26:15 -0000

One of the greatest things about Special Olympics and other sports programs is the friendships that build there -- just as I love the friendships that my sons develop in Little League. There are life long friends made in our ski program, for the children (eventually adults) with Down Syndrome and also for the family members. Even for siblings, it can be a relief to spend some time in an environment where everyone just understands and values your family.

Within a family and for siblings, skiing also becomes a "level playing field," something that you can enjoy along side your sibling in a really normal way, just being out together and enjoying it.

Re: An Unexpected Friendship by Anna Broadway

Tryn Miller — Fri, 04 May 2012 18:31:36 -0000

Thank you ever so much! That is very moving! made me tear up a bit! I truly value yours and my friendship with great importance, love, and gratitude! I love you with all of my heart

Re: An Unexpected Friendship by Anna Broadway

Rachel Stone — Fri, 04 May 2012 11:29:20 -0000

So good. LOVE this story. Thanks, Anna, for sharing!

Re: Friendship: A Family that Cannot be Broken by Tryn Miller

Abcd — Fri, 04 May 2012 10:13:27 -0000

Tryn, I hope my children grow up to be as wise and understanding as you are. I also hope that they are able to make good friends such as you and Anna. Please continue to share your thoughts with us as you journey through life.

Re: Friendship: A Family that Cannot be Broken by Tryn Miller

Tryn Miller — Thu, 03 May 2012 14:12:23 -0000

Thank you so much for allowing me to share my writing skills and your warm comments on this piece. Writing always has been a strong skill of mine

Re: Friendship: A Family that Cannot be Broken by Tryn Miller

fostermommy — Thu, 03 May 2012 14:03:57 -0000

This is a very good article. I am glad you had a close friend.

Re: Friendship: A Family that Cannot be Broken by Tryn Miller

alison hodgson — Thu, 03 May 2012 12:22:23 -0000

Thank you for describing your friendships, the great, as well as the not so wonderful. Building a beautiful friendship is a big work.

Re: Friendship: A Family that Cannot be Broken by Tryn Miller

Megan Landmeier — Thu, 03 May 2012 12:05:12 -0000

Beautifully written!