We Would Have Never Imagined...

   We are blessed to have a teenage grandson over in Arkansas, a boy with super mental abilities, whom we love very much.

   He did not talk until he was almost four, and, fittingly, his first word was "Papa". He was diagnosed as being autistic, but, as we have found out over the years, that can cover a whole range of abilities. There are some things that he does exceedingly well, and there are other things that are real challenges for him.

   He is mainstreamed in public school and is in the 8th grade right now. He is on his school's quiz bowl team, is a whiz at math, and does well in all of his academic subjects.

   We were amazed when we found out he was singing in the school's chorus and would be having a concert the second week in December. We had to go. We had to see this accomplishment. We had no idea that he was so into music. He has perfect pitch and can write out the music score from just hearing it played. It seems that his music fits right in with his mathematical skill set.

   Fast forward: the night of the concert, we went into the auditorium at the high school, picked up a program and, along with his parents, were surprised to discover that he had a solo part. He had not told any of us this small fact.

   He did well, taking it all in stride, and we sat back glowing.

   We all have spent a lot of time and prayer, wondering how he might grow up and what he might be able to do as he worked toward adulthood. We worried about the things that he could not do, or that he was limited in. School was a question mark. How would he fit in, how would he keep on track, where would he excel and where would he struggle?

   But perhaps we focused on the wrong end of the spectrum. Instead of being anxious about his limitations, as we saw them, we missed the boat by not heralding his accomplishments and the things he was able to do.

   It all came back to me as we sat in the dining room and played Uno. Archer, Cady Gray, his 10 year old sister, his dad and granddad. As we took turns shuffling the deck, and it came Archer's turn, he just passed the cards on to me saying, "I don't do shuffling well, so you do it, Papa".But at the end of the  game, when all laid down their cards to total up the score, he had them all counted and written down before we could even straighten them out.

   Maybe he did not shuffle well, but his math was flawless.

   A lesson here for all of us, both as we move through life and as we watch others do the same. Don't fixate so much on what you cannot do, but celebrate all the things you can do, and do them well.

   God gives to all certain abilities and talents. Those are what we are responsible for.

   Lessons from a great kid.