"What About Paul?" How I Gave Up My Broken Dreams

Writing Another Book!!!

2011-03-21T09:25:00.016-05:00

Oh Boy, here we go again...I am
writing well, actually compiling
another book!!! It will be a book
of some WONDERFUL poems. I have
been LOOKING and LOOKING to find
helpful and comforting poems that I
hope are a real blessing to you and your family. Most of the
poems will be about the disabled or handicapped child. My book
already has a title, most of all poems and pictures that I am
going to use have already been gathered. Now, it is just going
to be organizing of all of my efforts. Of course, it will need
to be proofread too. SO...excited about our NEW book!!!

I also will have more pictures of the kids as they were
growing up. It is amazing to look at the pictures and
remember them at that age. Although because of Paul's
disability and all of his issues that we had to deal with
it seems like we didn't always have time to enjoy the
different stages of life.

Genesis 50:20...but God meant it unto good

2010-09-10T14:53:00.014-05:00

The Cover To Our Book.
(Click it to enlarge the picture.)

Our Story Hits the Newspaper!!!

2010-09-10T14:00:00.066-05:00

" What About Paul?"
Book Chronicles Merrillville Family's Journey With Autism

By Carrie Rodovich-Times Correspondent nwi.com
Posted: Sunday, December 5, 2010

Jad Terrebonne, shown with his son,
Paul, 27, said he wrote the book "to
encourage (other families) to not feel
guilty, or to have self–inflicted doubt.
I also don't want people to lose their
faith in God that kept us going."

When Jad Terrebonne's son, Paul, was
diagnosed with autism more than two decades ago, Jad felt like
someone had taken a hammer and shattered all his dreams.

"It was a shock to us," Jad said. "I grew up in a 'boys world'
and had that dream of hunting and fishing with him, like I did
with my father. I really struggled with that for a long time."

Jad Terrebonne recently self–published "What About Paul?
How I Gave Up My Broken Dreams" detailing his family's
journey with Paul, now 27. Terrebonne's wife, Rachelle,
and his daughter, Amy Terrebonne Luarca, also contributed
chapters to the book.

The book is available through Amazon.com.

After the initial surprise of Paul's diagnosis wore off,
Terrebonne said the family made it a priority to help Paul
get all the services he needed.

"I said I was going to fight to see that he could reach
all of his potential," he said.

The title "What about Paul?" came because the question was
one that was constantly asked over the years.

"Everything was centered around him," he said. "If we wanted
to go on vacation, it was, 'What about Paul?' It was a central
question in our marriage."

He said he decided make his family's story into a book to
encourage other families who are struggling with children
with disabilities.

"I want to encourage them to not feel guilty, or to have
self–inflicted doubt," he said. "I also don't want people
to lose their faith in God. That kept us going."

Prayer Requests For Brother, Craig

2010-09-10T13:00:00.029-05:00

We now have Craig in a new facility. It is about 5-7 minutes
from us, and just a minute away from the hospital. Craig has
been having MANY infections. Please PRAY that the doctors
can control the infections and get him back on track. Craig
has been more in the hospital for the last 5 months than he
was at the nursing home...

Prayer Request-
I have a brother that has
Cerebral Palsy and a few other
health issues. His name is Craig
and he is 54 years old. In the
last couple of years his health
has Really gone downhill. I want to move him to closer to us.
Please pray we can get through all of the red tape as he lives in a different state so that we can help him better. He is not ambulatory at this time and lives in a nursing home.

Prayer Request-Answered (Amen and Amen!)

My brother is now here by me!!! Praise The Lord! Thank You for all who prayed. Craig and I are very happy for this answer to prayer!!!

My Dad's Death

2010-09-10T12:00:00.025-05:00

(A picture of my family)
Update on my Dad-
My Dad died this past April 2,
2011. The whole month of
March my Dad had been really
ill. The two weeks before
he died he became real
lethargic and could barely move around. The last week
that my Dad lived he was taken to the doctor by my sister,
Sherry. The doctor told my Dad that there was nothing he
could do for him. My Dad died 5 days later.

The ONLY regret that I have is that
I was not sure of my Dad's salvation.
I found out at my Dad's funeral that
he and my Grandpa and Grandma were
Presbyterians many years ago. I
started doing some reseach on the
Presbyerians beliefs and I found out that
the Presbyerians do believe in salvation. My Dad went to that church until his teenage years. I am HOPING that my Dad accepted Christ as his personal Saviour!

My Dad who is now 86 is living in a nursing home. In the
last month his health has REALLY declined. He still has the
Congestive Heart Failure, but now has an addition problem.
He is at Stage 4 Kidney Failure. He has stated that he does
not want dialysis done if it would be required. Please Pray
that my Dad would be saved soon. I have been praying for my
Dad for over 35 years. His name is Wayne. Please pray that
God would show Himself to my Dad in a big way and I would
have the opportunity to lead him to the Lord!!! This is my
hearts desire!

Our Book Is Now Available

2010-04-14T14:00:00.009-05:00

Our book "What About Paul" has
now officially been published.
A big thank you for all of your
prayers and support during this
project. May it be a blessing
to all who reads it!!!

OUR BOOK IS OFF TO THE PRINTER!!!

2010-04-14T13:30:00.011-05:00

Our book should be out in about 2-3 weeks!!! Oh My Soul!!! One of our
dreams for Paul is about to come true!!! Thank You Jesus!!!

THE MANUSCRIPT IS DONE!!!

2010-04-14T13:00:00.062-05:00

Chronicles 4:10
And Jabez called on the God of Israel,
saying, Oh that Thou wouldest bless me
indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that
Thine hand might be with me, and that
Thou wouldest keep me from evil, that
it may not grieve me! And God granted
him that which he requested.

Please pray that God would use this book for HIS glory!!!

Updates:

Please pray for my Dad, Wayne.
While we were on vacation, we
learned that my Dad has
Congestive Heart Failure. Please
pray that God shows His Love to
my Dad in a BIG way. Please pray
that my Dad would get saved!!!

Our book is about 85% completed.
Amy is still working on her chapter
and Jad is editing our manuscipt.
We would like the book to be
completed by Pastor School 2010.

An Additional Update:

Amy has now completed her chapter,
and Jad has just a few more chapters
to go through and it will be off to
the proof readers!!! Oh Glory to God!!!

One other bit of information,
my Dad is doing a bit better
now. He has FINALLY retired
from work at the age of 85
years! His health has improved
some. PLEASE continue to pray for the salvation of my
Dad!!! I would appreciate it SO...very much!

More updates:

There is still much to do to
publish this book:
1. Proof reading
2. Selecting the right pictures
3. Printing

Please pray that God will bless
the completion of this book!

Another update:

Jad and I have now selected the
pictures we want to be used in
the book. Also, the book is now
in hands of the proof readers.

More...updates:

We have decided to go to
Larry Titak's studio to have the
cover photos done. Also, the title
is now officially copyrighted!
There is so much to do when you
are writing a book! It has made us
very grateful for every Christian
author that sets his goal of
writing a book!!!

Even more...updates:

We are now working on adding pictures
to this blog. We have a ton of pictures
to go through so...be patient.

Another Update...

We have so...many more pictures in our
book about our journey with Paul. I
hope you enjoy the ones on our site.

More Updates...

Well...as you all can see the book
has not been completed yet. I talked
with our editor and she said that she
could not finish the book before PS
because of all of the other books that
she had already taken on. I saw her
last week and she said that she was
working on our book now. Please pray
that the book will be completed soon
and that God would use this book to
help others see the need to open a
Christian facility for Paul and others
like him.

Additional Update:

Jad talked to the editor and she said
the book is almost almost done! A dream
of our is almost ready to be born. Jad
is now working on the cover design of
our book! It is looking beautiful!!!
Soon off to the publishers! Glory To God!!!
Can you tell I am excited???

Another Update:

Today we went to Picture People at our
local mall and got another family picture.
Paul and the rest our the family took some
great pictures. We hope you will like them
also.

Even More Updates:

Today we got the Final Draft of our book.
We are hoping that by this next Monday
or Tuesday this next week we will have our
manuscript in the hands of our publisher.
Thank You Jesus!!! We hope and pray that
this book will be a blessing and an
encouragement to all that read it.
Luke 1:37 For with God NOTHING shall be
Impossible.

Additional Updates:

Our book is now officially in the hands
of a printer. In about 2-3 we should
have our book published. Thank You Jesus!!!

Another Update:

Yesterday we got the Proof Book from our
printers. They sent it to us just to
make sure this is exactly what we want
our book to look like. Oh Glory, next
week we will have the COMPLETED book
in our hands!!! Praise The Lord!!!!!!!!
Please pray for the success of this book!

2010-04-13T13:30:00.004-05:00

My Prayer For You

2010-04-13T12:30:00.000-05:00

Jesus,

Bless all of my Family & Friends
in whatever it is that You know
they may need this day!
And may their lives be full of Your
Peace, Prosperity, and Power
as they seek to have a closer
relationship with You.

~In Jesus Name. Amen

May this site be a blessing to
you, and may see that with God,
All Things Are Possible!

Lord willing, we will be completing a book about
our life story very soon. The journey has taken
us through many mountain tops, but also through
many valleys. Jad and I have been so blessed these
passed 30 years of marriage. God has given to us
many privileges over the years as we have tried
to serve Him. One blessing has been our son Paul.
Although he is handicapped and will never have a
normal life, he has been God’s gift to us. Jad and
I want to tell you our story about our son, and the
journey that God has allowed us to travel on. Our
hope and prayer for you is that our journey will
be a guide book or a map for your family. May you
prayerfully travel our journey with us.

Our prayer to God is that He would multiply our five
loaves and two fishes.

God Bless You,
Rachelle

-Special Prayer Requests For Paul-

2009-01-15T14:00:00.053-06:00

I have a special prayer request for Paul.
I would like you to pray that God would
continue to care for all of Paul’s needs
and that He would use Paul’s life in a
Mighty way!

Right now Paul is being well care for by
a couple that is in our church. John and Diane Wilson
have worked with handicapped children and adults for
many years. John is the manager of many handicapped
adults. They do activities and work on their needed
skills. We are praying for a permanent location for
them.
My husband and I appreciate ALL the care they have put
in our son. Anyone who knew Paul before can see that
Paul has made so much progress under John's leadership.
(Thank you so much John and Diane!)

I would like for you to pray about our church starting
a special needs home. There is a real need for it, and
I do feel that God would bless the work that would be
done there. Please pray that God would open a door with
the finances to help start one! There are so many adults
in our church that could use the service. My prayer is
that God would open a place like the Shepherd's Home in
Union Grove, Wisconsin, Jacob's Village in Evansville,
Indiana, or Lamb's Farm in Libertyville, Illinois; but
have a special needs home with our churches standards.

I AM ASKING GOD FOR A MIRACLE!!! That God would
show His love and mercy and OPEN up a facility for Paul
and other handicapped adults where they may live and
work. I want this with All my heart for Paul. I want
the peace in my heart to know that Paul will be cared
for properly in a Christian atmosphere when Jad and I
are no longer here. Please pray that Somehow, Someway
God would OPEN UP A DOOR!!!

Philippians 4:19
But my God shall supply ALL your need according to His
riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Luke 1:37
For with God NOTHING shall be impossible.

Psalms 37:5
Commit thy way unto the LORD; TRUST also in Him;
and He shall bring it to pass.

Matthew 7:7-8,11b
-Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall
find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
-For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that
seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall
be opened.
-How much more shall your Father which is in Heaven
give good things to them that ask Him?

Ephesians 3:20
Now unto Him that is able to do Exceeding Abundantly
Above All that we Ask or Think, according to the
Power that Worketh in us.

Thank you for your prayers and concern!
God Bless You,
Rachelle

Our Dream For Paul-Someone To Catch The Vision!

2009-01-15T13:45:00.022-06:00

The Rainbow~a symbol of one of God's many promises.
Faith ~ the courage to trust in His promises.

Jad and I feel that God has BIG dreams and plans for Paul.
We are praying that God would open up a facility for Paul
and others like him. A place where they can live and work.
We are praying about some options. Please pray with us:

1. God would bring open business (a company) in our area
that our handicapped adults could work at.
---OR---
2. We could open our own business and generate enough
funds that it could be successful.

Isaiah 43:19
Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring
forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way
in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

--God Will Make A Way--
God will make a way
Where there seems to be no way
He works in ways we cannot see
He will make a way for me
He will be my guide
Hold me closely to His side
With love and strength for each new day
He will make a way
He will make a way

To contact us: jad826@gmail.com

Genesis 41:32
And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh twice;
it is because the thing is established by God, and God
will shortly bring it to pass.

Lord, Teach Me To Pray

2009-01-15T13:00:00.002-06:00

Parable of the Widow
Luke 18:1-5
And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men
ought Always to pray, and not to faint;
Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not
God, neither regarded man:
And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto
him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
And he would not for a while: but afterward he said
within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her,
lest by her CONTINUAL coming she weary me.

Parable of the Friend at Midnight
Luke 11:8-9
I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him,
because he is his friend, yet because of his IMPORTUNITY
he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.
And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; Seek,
and ye shall find; Knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

Importunity-Meaning
1. the state or quality of being importunate; persistence
in solicitation.
2. importunate solicitations or demands.

Hebrews 11:1,6
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the
evidence of things not seen.
But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he
that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is
a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

Jesus, please hear our prayers. We Need You!

God Bless You,
Rachelle

Won Another Soul To Christ

2008-12-27T13:00:00.015-06:00

I was in Crown Point and I was talking with a very
nice gentleman about a certain situation that I was
involved with. As we were almost ready to conclued
our conversation, the Holy Spirit told me that I
should witness to him. Within a very short time I got
the privilege of leading a man around 50 years old
to the Lord!!! Thank You Jesus!!!

Proverbs 11:30
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and
he that winneth souls is wise.

God Bless You,
Rachelle

How I Gave Up My Broken Dreams

2008-12-26T13:00:00.022-06:00

I was sitting in the doctor's office
while I held my fifteen month old
son, Paul. The doctor finished his
examination of Paul and said to
me, "You know that Paul will be
develpmentally delayed all of his life." His words were like
a hammer shattering a mirror into a million pieces. My wife
and the doctor both realized that Paul was not developing like
other children his age. However, I did not want to accept the
idea that Paul was going to be disabled. My father, who is now
in Heaven, and I were very close. We did everything together
including hunting, fishing, and playing catch in the backyard.
When our son was born, I looked forward to the day that
I could have that same cherished relationship with Paul. The
fact that he was going to be disabled all of his life changed
everything.When we arrived home from the doctor's office,
I put Paul on the floor in our living room and bowed my head
and prayed, "Dear God, I dedicate my son to you today, Please
use this for your glory." After struggling with this for
several months, I finally accepted the fact that Paul was
going to be handicapped all of his life.On my way to work
one day the phrase "Who did sin?" came to my mind. After
work I opened my Bible to John 9:1-5 "And as Jesus passed
by, He saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his
disciples asked him saying, 'Master who did sin, this man,
or his parents, that he was born blind?' Jesus answered,
'Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that
the works of God should be manifest in him. I must work
the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night
cometh when no man can work. As long as I am in the world,
I am the light of the world."God wanted to teach me several
lessons about time and eternity:
1. God meant it for good. "And we know that all thing work
together for good to them that love God, to them who are the
called according to his purpose." Rom 8:28 Paul's suffering
was meant for good. Yes, it hurt and all my dreams for Paul
were broken. But God had a greater purpose than mine and
Paul's disability was meant for the greater good in the lives
of other people.The hard part was letting go of my dreams and
trusting in God's purpose for my life through the suffering
of Paul. I had to let go and let God have His way in my life.
2. God's comforts and strengthens us with His word. "Let thy
mercies come unto me, O Lord, even thy salvation according to
thy word." Psalm 119:41 This is my comfort in my affliction:
for Thy word hath quickened me." The word of God gives us
strength and hope while we face sorrows and broken dreams.
Through the years, it has always been the Bible that has shown
me God's faithfulness and His love for my family. Whenever, I
was discouraged God would always have a verse or a special
sermon from my preacher that gave me the strength to keep
serving Him.
3. Paul's suffering is temporary. "For our light affliction,
which is for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding
and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things
which are seen: for the things which are seen are temporal;
but the things which are not seen are eternal." II Cor 4:17-18.
My son will endure a lifetime of suffering. Paul's doctor
once ordered a CT scan of his brain. As I held up the film of
the CT scan, I saw all of the abnormalities in Paul's brain
that caused his problems. The abnormalities that I saw that
day are temporary. The Heaven I cannot see is eternal.The
sorrows we bear on earth bring a great and heavy burden in
our lives. But God will use them to work for us in bringing
about an even greater weight of God's glory when we get to
Heaven. God's glory in Heaven will far out weigh the
afflictions we bear here on earth.The Holy Spirit said it
well in Romans 8:18 "For I reckon that the sufferings of His
present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory
which shall be revealed in us." What God is saying here is
our present suffering cannot be compared to the glory of God
in Heaven. It is like trying to compare apples and oranges.
In other words, God want to use the sufferings of our present
time as a vessel to reveal the wonderful glory of God which
shall be reaveled in us when he comes to take us to Heaven.
When Paul gets to Heaven, he will no longer be handicapped.
He will have a glorified body and a sound mind. And together
we will share a glorious eternity with Jesus Christ our Lord
and Saviour. Thank you and God bless you.
Jad Terrebonne

We Had A Baby

2008-12-26T12:45:00.044-06:00

Jad and I had been married
for a couple of years and
we decided it was time to
start a family. Jad was
still trying to get his
degree from Hyles-Anderson College and both of us were
working a full time job, so times were hectic. On top
of everything, I hurt my back while working at a nursing
home as a CNA, and had to wait a few months for it to
heal. Afterwards I got a job taking care of a twenty
year old handicapped woman named Carrie. Her mother had
a very successful business and needed help with her
daughter so that she could take care of her business full
time. Carrie had an older sister that had two sons I
watched during the day also; needless to say, I was busy!
I thought I was pretty flexible until I found out Jad and
I were expecting. I was constantly sick in the bathroom,
after while it seemed like my favorite spot (ha-ha). I
needed to keep the job, so I went to the doctor hoping
to find some relief from the morning sickness. Jad worked
at a hospital, so he found me a good OBGYN doctor. When I
told the doctor of my continuous morning sickness he
prescribed me medications to help with the nausea. I did
start to feel better and was able to function from day to
day. At that time Jad was working three to elevens while
he still was in college so our schedule was kind of crazy.
On my due date around 10:45pm my water broke. Jad would
be home in about 45 minutes, so I decided to take a get
ready (take a bath, put on my makeup) before leaving for
the hospital. When I called him to let him know he rushed
home from work early. When he got home I was finishing
getting ready and he wanted to leave right away. I told
him I had to finish my makeup, which he obviously did not
understand, and 20 minutes later we were on our way to the
hospital.

Because Jad worked at the hospital, I was able to get in
right away when we arrived. Jad was able to stay with me
and was allowed a few more privileges, which were a blessing.
They brought our meals into the room and we were able to
talk directly with my doctors and nurses. I felt very
comfortable thanks to the great staff at the hospital. Well,
I went in labor and actually did quite well, (maybe it was
the Lamaze class) but I didn’t have any major contractions
until 12:00 p.m. the next day. Paul was born June 21, 1983
at 5:51 pm. He weighed 7-9, and his length was 20 inches
long. His name would be Paul Michael Terrebonne.

He looked like a healthy baby boy, or so we thought...

Isaiah 43:1-2
But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob,
and He that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have
redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art
mine.When thou passest through the waters, I will be with
thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee:
when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be
burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

God Bless You,
Rachelle

Heaven's Very Special Child

2008-12-26T12:40:00.000-06:00

A meeting was held, quite far from Earth!
It's time again, for another birth.
Said the Angels, to the Lord above,
This special child will need much love.
His progress may be very slow,
Accomplishments he may not show.
And he'll require extra care
From the folks he meets down there.
He may not run or laugh or play,
His thoughts may seem, quite far away,
In many ways he won't adapt,
And he'll be known as handicapped.
So let's be careful where he's sent,
We want his life to be content.
Please Lord, find the parents who
Will do a special job for you.
They will not realize right away
The leading role they're asked to play,
But with this child sent from above
Comes stronger faith and richer love.
And soon they'll know the privilege given
In caring for their gift from Heaven.
Their precious charge, so meek and mild,
Is HEAVEN'S VERY SPECIAL CHILD.

by Edna Massionilla

Special Children

2008-12-26T12:15:00.001-06:00

God gave this child to you to guide,
to love, to walk through life beside.
A little child, so full of charms,
to fill a pair of loving arms.
God picked you out because He knew
how safe His child would be with you.
- Author Unknown

-The Special Child-

The Child, yet unborn, spoke with the Father,
"Lord, how will I survive in the world?
I will not be like other children, My
walk may be slower, my speech hard
to understand, I may look different.
What is to become of me?"

The Lord replied to the child,
"My precious one, have no fear, I will
give you exceptional parents, They
will love you because you are special,
not in spite of it. Though your path
throught life will be difficult, your
reward will be greater, You have been
blessed with a special ability to love,
and those whose lives you touch will
be blessed because you are special."
-Author/Source Unknown

Our Journey Begins-

2008-12-26T12:00:00.008-06:00

As Paul began to grow,
it became more and more
obvious to me that Paul
had something wrong. The
first thing I noticed was
that Paul had something
wrong with his eyes, he didn’t look directly at Jad or me.
Most of the time when you nurse or feed a baby, they
watch you. They look into your eyes as you talk to them, but
Paul never did. Then the second thing I noticed was that he
didn’t keep up with his milestones such as sitting, rolling,
playing with toys and other children as a normal child would
do. Jad and I lived in an apartment near two other couples
that also attended Hyles-Anderson College. Their babies were
doing far more than Paul was. I became very concerned about
Paul and could see that Paul just wasn’t keeping up with
other children. Whenever we would take him to the
pediatrician, I always dreaded it because he was always behind
the curve. The nurse would ask the same mounds of questions
that the pediatrician doctor would ask, such as, Does Paul sit
up by himself? Can Paul roll over? Has Paul ever tried to pull
up toa stand?...on and on. Paul wasn’t doing any of these
things, or if he was, he was way behind compared to the other
children. Jad would always tell me, give Paul time he will
catch up to the other children, but in my heart I knew
something was definitely wrong…

Genesis 33:12
And He said, Let us take our journey, and let us go, and I
will go before thee.

God Bless You,
Rachelle

"God does not
give you strength
for the journey;
He gives you
strength for
the next step."

Dr. Jack Hyles

The Doctors Examination

2008-12-26T11:45:00.014-06:00

Finally after 15 months of debating
about what we should do to help
our son Paul, our pediatrition
suggested for us to take him to
a center that deals with handicap
issues. Paul was there diagnosed as having Cerebral Palsy.
They told us that would be a generic term right now for Paul,
so that he could start getting help from the state and
therapist right away. They ran all kinds of tests that day.
The doctor and therapist examined Paul. We were there for
several hours. We could see that Paul had many issues. He
wasn’t even walking yet. He was so far behind all of the
milestones that a young child should be. We felt very
frustrated about the whole situation. I had known that Paul
had something wrong from the start, but now it was becoming
more of a reality. When Paul was first born he looked so
healthy, so cute, and so normal. As I have previously said,
I already knew something was not right, but I never realized
how much was wrong with him. This was becoming a pill that
was getting Very hard to swallow!!!

Psalm 56:3
What time I am afraid, I will Trust in Thee.

God Bless You,
Rachelle

Physical Therapy

2008-12-26T11:00:00.002-06:00

Paul started physical therapy 3 times a week after seeing the doctor. I would stand by the therapy room or sit with the other Moms and allow a therapist to work with Paul alone. The physical therapist would give Paul a complete workup and I would watch them working with him. All of the therapist did a wonderful job helping Paul with improvements. I was very grateful that Paul was getting the help he needed, but I didn’t like it that we had to be out in the world. From the very beginning of having Paul I wanted him to be in a Christian environment. Never realizing all the ups and downs of life that we would have to face because of his disabilities. Jad or myself would take Paul to therapy. Paul did improve, and by 19 months he began to walk and we were so very happy about that. There were so many milestones that Paul needed to reach, and to be honest, as you will find out we were still going to face more battles.

Good advice-Keep On Keeping On!!!
Deuteronomy 1:30
The LORD your God which goeth before you, He shall fight for you

God Bless You,
Rachelle

Soul Winning

2008-12-25T13:00:00.003-06:00

I remember there were times when Paul was in therapy,
I would sit with the other parents. We would be waiting
for our child and we would talk. I would ask God to
help me to talk to a Mom or Dad so that maybe I could
win them to the Lord. As I got to know the parents, we
would talk about our children, their disabilities, and
just about life itself. I remember with some of the
Moms, tears coming to both of our eyes because at times,
life got a bit overwhelming. I got to lead several parents
to the Lord at the therapy center. God Always uses people
and their circumstances to help them realize their need
of Him. No matter whatever happens in life, It Is
ALL Meant For Good!!!

Genesis 50:20
But as for you, ye thought evil against me, but God meant
it unto Good.

John 3:16
For God So Loved the world, that He gave His only begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but
have everlasting life.

Romans 10:13
For Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord Shall
Be Saved.

God Bless You,
Rachelle

We Had Another Baby-

2008-12-23T13:00:00.040-06:00

During the time we were going
to the physical therapy center
for Paul, I got pregnant again.
The problem I had was,
morning sickness, but
unfortunately mine would last all day. I decided not to take
the morning sickness pill because I was afraid that was caused
Paul’s birth problems. The bathroom became my favorite room
of the house again. I suffered this time, the whole nine months.
My pregnancy would last 3 weeks beyond my due date. Jad
helped out so much with everything, even taking Paul to the
therapy center when he could, in which I was very grateful.
Jad’s Mom (Juanita) came up here to Indiana again to help
when the baby was born. Mom was so Great! I appreciate her
knowledge and her willingness to be so helpful with everything.
On October 5th, at 3:30 in the morning, I went into labor and
had a baby girl baby 6 hours later. We decided to name her
Amy Rachelle Terrebonne. She weighed 8-4.5 and was 19
inches long. I want to give a special thanks to Jad’s Mom
for ALL of her sacrifices she has made for our family.
She has been a Wonderful Mother-In-Law. I love you Mom!!!

James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and
cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no
variableness, neither shadow of turning.

God Bless You,
Rachelle

Would Our Second Child Have Problems?

2008-12-20T12:45:00.006-06:00

After having Amy I know I became an anxious Mom. I was
worried at first, would Amy be handicapped also? I did
believe that the medicine I took when I was pregnant for
Paul was the reason why Paul was disabled, but I wasn’t
100% for sure. I know I pestered our children’s pediatrician
to death at first, because I was so afraid that Amy would
not be normal. After I had Amy, and while we were still
in the hospital, I asked the doctor several times, does Amy
look OK, does she appear to be normal??? I was just overly
worried that Amy could have something wrong with her.
Finally, after a few days I realized that Amy’s life would
be that of a normal little girl, in which I was very grateful
to God.

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto
thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him,
and He shall direct thy paths.

God Bless You,
Rachelle

Thank You Lord

2008-12-20T11:00:00.001-06:00

This New Day-

Each morning...before
I put my feet
On the floor
I softly say
"Thank You, Lord
For this new day
You've given me,
And, We'll review it
Tonight
Before I go to sleep.
I tenderly place
The seconds, and minutes
And hours
In Your Hand
And, We'll walk it through
According to Your Plan
And, my only request
All day through
Is...for You To Know
"I Love You."

What Do You Know For Sure-

Every Night, Before I Go To Sleep,
I Talk To God, and, Hear Him Speak.
His Dear Words, May Bring The Tears,
As His Sweet Presence, Calms My Fears.
He Puts Me To Sleep.
He Wakes Me Up.
He Says On You, I'll Never Give Up!
He Sees Me When I Kneel And Pray.
He Even Tells Me What To Say.
He Walks Beside Me Every Day.
He Leads Me In His Loving Ways.
In Life, The Question is What Do You Know For Sure?
And, I Say Lord, I Only Know I'm Yours.

How Far Away is God-

How far away is God?
He's as close as the raindrops
falling on my head.
He's as close as the warmth of the sun
shining on my face.
He's as near as the wind
blowing through my hair.
He's as close as the morning dew
when I walk barefoot across the grass.

How far away is God?
How far is He ... from me?
He's as near as the air
that I breathe.

How far away is God?
How far are we apart?
He's.......RIGHT HERE
IN MY HEART!

How far away is God?
He's as near as ... a tear,
a prayer, a thought, a song,
a smile, a glance, a handshake,

How far is He ... from me?
He's as near as I want Him to be,
BECAUSE HE LOVES ME.

Authors unknown-

Quotes

2008-12-20T10:00:00.013-06:00

"Strength lies in Unity."

‎"God is most interested in Christians with FAITH
in a GREAT God."

"The Christian life is not about a rule you keep or
a sin you avoid; it is about a Person you love."

"As long as the Christian have life's problems solved,
then God is on constant trial as to whether or not
He is Good."

"There is no area of life in which we act more foolishly
than in the area of obeying God."

"The more a Christian judges other people, the less
obedient he becomes."
-Dr. Jack Schaap

"I never had a trial I wanted to have, but I never had
trial I wasn't glad I had."

"Faith is asking. Faith is believing. Faith is doubting.
Faith is stepping out anyway."

"The fire doesn't make you what you are; it reveals what
you were."

"The thing that God wants from us more than anything else
is our dependency on Him."

"Preaching is teaching with a tear in the eye."
- Dr. Jack Hyles

"A holy life will produce the deepest impression. Lighthouses
blow no horns; they only shine."

"Of one hundred men, one will read the bible; the ninety-nine
will read the Christian."

"I never met a man(woman) who has given me as much trouble as
myself"

“God never made a promise that was too good to be true.”

*Sin will keep you from this book, or this book will keep you
from sin."
-Dwight. L. Moody

"The Lord gets his best soldiers out of
the highlands of affliction."

“As sure as God puts His children in the
furnace He will be in the furnace with them.”

"It has been said that our anxiety does not empty tomorrow
of its sorrow, but only empties today of its strength."

"Sincerity makes the very least person to be of more value
than the most talented hypocrite."

"Trials teach us what we are; they dig up the soil, and
let us see what we are made of."
-Charles Spurgeon

"I believe the Bible is the word of God from cover to cover."

"We have a God who delights in impossibilities."
~ Billy Sunday

It's In the Valleys I Grow

2008-12-18T12:00:00.009-06:00

-Author: Jane Eggleston

Sometimes life seems hard to bear,
Full of sorrow, trouble and woe
It's then I have to remember
That it's in the valleys I grow.

If I always stayed on the mountain top
And never experienced pain,
I would never appreciate God's love
And would be living in vain.

I have so much to learn
And my growth is very slow,
Sometimes I need the mountain tops,
But it's in the valleys I grow.

I do not always understand
Why things happen as they do,
But I am very sure of one thing.
My Lord will see me through.

My little valleys are nothing
When I picture Christ on the cross
He went through the valley of death;
His victory was Satan's loss.

Forgive me Lord, for complaining
When I'm feeling so very low.
Just give me a gentle reminder
That it's in the valleys I grow.

Continue to strengthen me, Lord
And use my life each day
To share your love with others
And help them find their way.

Thank you for valleys, Lord
For this one thing I know
The mountain tops are glorious
But it's in the valleys I grow!

Have a blessed day!

-----------------------

"The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor."
"The one who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything."
"If your problem is bigger than your GOD, then you are serving the wrong god."

"Remember... knees that bend don't shake! " -- Dr. P. L. Williams

Blessing-May 23, 2009

2008-12-16T14:00:00.003-06:00

My neighbors on both side of us
are now saved. I had the privilege
of leading the 2nd neighbor's wife
to the Lord today. The husband got
saved a couple of weeks early!

Praise The Lord, God Is Good!!!

Romans 10:13
For whosoever shall call upon the
name of the Lord shall be saved.

God Bless You,
Rachelle

Special Olympics

2008-12-16T13:00:00.005-06:00

A few years ago, at the Seattle
Special Olympics, nine
contestants, all physically or
mentally disabled, assembled
at the starting line for the 100 yard dash.

At the gun, they all started out, not exactly in a dash,
but with arelish to run the race to the finish and win.
All, that is, except one little boy who stumbled on the
asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times,and began to cry.
The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and
looked back. Then they all turned around and went back.
Every one of them.

One girl with Down's Syndrome bent down and kissed him
and said:"This will make it better." Then all nine linked
arms and walked together to the finish line. Everyone in
the stadium stood, and the cheering went on for several
minutes. People who were there are still telling the story.
Why? Because deep down, we know this one thing: What
matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves.
What matters in this life is helping others win, even if
it means slowing down and changing our course.

Author Unknown

-God Grant Me-

God Grant me the Strength I need to face the things life has dealt.

Grant me the Patience to make it through another day.

Let me have the Courage to stand up for my child and I.

Help me to accept the things I cannot change,

Wisdom to understand and provide the very best care for my child with Special Needs.

Most of all God Grant me the Serenity I need to be the best Mother and Friend to my Child.

-Author Unknown

The Ten Commandments For Parents of Handicapped Children

1. Take one day at a time, and take that day positively. You don't have control over the future, but you do have control over today.

2. Never underestimate your child's potential. Allow him, encourage him, expect him to develop to the best of his abilities.

3. Find and allow positive mentors: parents and professionals who can share with you their experience, advice, and support.

4. Provide and be involved with the most appropriate educational and learning environments for your child from infancy on.

5. Keep in mind the feelings and needs of your spouse and your other children. Remind them that this child does not get more of your love just because he gets more of your time.

6. Answer only to your conscience: then you'll be able to answer to your child. You need not justify your actions to your friends or the public.

7. Be honest with your feelings. You can't be a super-parent 24 hours a day. Allow yourself jealousy, anger, pity, frustration, and depression in small amounts whenever necessary.

8. Be kind to yourself. Don't focus continually on what needs to be done. Remember to look at what you have accomplished.

9. Stop and smell the roses. Take advantage of the fact that you have gained a special appreciation for the little miracles in life that others take for granted.

10. Keep and use a sense of humor. Cracking up with laughter can keep you from cracking up from stress.

Author Unknown

Puppies For Sale

2008-12-16T12:30:00.003-06:00

A store owner was tacking a sign above his door that read "Puppies For Sale". Signs like that have a way of attracting small children, and sure enough, a little boy appeared under the store owner's sign. " How much are you going to sell the puppies for?" he asked. The store owner replied, "Anywhere from $30 to $50." The little boy reached in his pocket and pulled out some change. "I have $2.37," he said. " Can I please look at them?" The store owner smiled and whistled and out of the kennel came Lady, who ran down the aisle of his store followed by five teeny, tiny balls of fur. One puppy was lagging considerably behind. Immediately the little boy singled out the lagging, limping puppy and said, "What's wrong with that little dog?" The store owner explained that the veterinarian had examined the little puppy and had discovered it didn't have a hip socket. It would always limp. It would always be lame. The little boy became excited. " That is the little puppy that I want to buy." The store owner said, " No, you don't want to buy that little dog. If you really want him, I'll give him to you." The little boy got quite upset. He looked straight into the store owner's eyes, pointing his finger, and said, " I don't want you to give him to me. That little dog is worth every bit as much as all the other dogs and I'll pay full price. In fact, I'll give you $2.37 now, and 50 cents a month until I have him paid for." The store owner countered, " You really don't want to buy this little dog. He is never going to be able to run and jump and play with you like the other puppies." To this, the little boy reached down and rolled up his pant leg to reveal a badly twisted, crippled left leg supported by a big metal brace. He looked up at the store owner and softly replied, " Well, I don't run so well myself, and the little puppy will need someone who understands!"

By Dan Clark
Weathering the Storm from Chicken Soup for the Soul
Copyright 1993 by Jack Canfield & Mark Victor Hansen

"What About Paul?"

2008-12-16T12:00:00.000-06:00

Jad and I did not always see eye to eye
on everything about Paul. Paul was
becoming the center of attention in our
family. The phrase "What about Paul?”
started becoming a sticky point in our
marriage, because he needed so much
attention.

I felt bad that Paul had this disability, and I wanted his life
to be as comfortable as possible. Jad did also, but he felt that
our marriage should come first, which I did agree with, but it
was hard for me split my attention between the both of them.
Jad and I had a few moments of debating on what we should do
about Paul.

Having a special needs child puts a lot of pressure on the
parents. It is definitely a give and take situation. God
doesn't write a manuscript for a handicapped child and there
are many ups and downs. We went to see Bro. Hyles a couple
times about a decision concerning Paul that we needed some
advice on. Thank God for Bro. Hyles' and Bro. Schaap's
wisdom.

James 1:2
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation (adversity):
for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life,
which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him.

God Bless You,
Rachelle

People Need The Lord-Mrs. Beverly Hyles

2008-12-11T12:30:00.003-06:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEEnT2Vbpfo

Happy Birthday Mrs. Beverly Hyles!

2008-12-11T12:00:00.011-06:00

-February 14-

I wanted to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY
to our church's former first lady,
Mrs. Beverly Hyles.

What a GREAT LADY! She is 80 years
old today. Happy Birthday, Mrs. Hyles.
I Love You!!!

God Bless You,
Rachelle

Happy Birthday Mrs. Cindy Schaap!

2008-12-11T11:30:00.018-06:00

-November 30-

I would like to wish a
Happy Birthday to our new
first lady, Mrs. Cindy Schaap.

I believe I know her age, but
I wonder if she might be the same age as me, 29!!! I have
birthdays, I just don't get any older. Isn't that amazing!

And, I would also like to say Thank You for being our first
lady. She has done a Wonderful Job!!! I love you too!

Such a beautiful picture of her! She is as beautiful on the
outside as she is on the inside!!!

God Bless You,
Rachelle

Autism Symptoms

2008-12-11T11:15:00.000-06:00

Autism - Symptoms
Core symptoms
The severity of symptoms varies greatly between individuals,
but all people with autism have some core symptoms in the
areas of:

Social interactions and relationships.
Symptoms may include:
Significant problems developing nonverbal communication
skills, such as eye-to-eye gazing, facial expressions,
and body posture. Failure to establish friendships with
children the same age. Lack of interest in sharing enjoyment,
interests, or achievements with other people.Lack of empathy.
People with autism may have difficulty understanding another
person's feelings, such as pain or sorrow.

Verbal and nonverbal communication.
Symptoms may include:
Delay in, or lack of, learning to talk. As many as 40% of
people with autism never speak. Problems taking steps to
start a conversation. Also, people with autism have difficulties
continuing a conversation after it has begun. Stereotyped
and repetitive use of language. People with autism often
repeat over and over a phrase they have heard previously
(echolalia). Difficulty understanding their listener's
perspective. For example, a person with autism may not
understand that someone is using humor. They may interpret
the communication word for word and fail to catch the implied
meaning.

Limited interests in activities or play.
Symptoms may include:
An unusual focus on pieces. Younger children with autism
often focus on parts of toys, such as the wheels on a car,
rather than playing with the entire toy. Preoccupation with
certain topics. For example, older children and adults may
be fascinated by video games, trading cards, or license plates.
A need for sameness and routines. For example, a child with
autism may always need to eat bread before salad and insist on
driving the same route every day to school. Stereotyped
behaviors. These may include body rocking and hand flapping.

Symptoms during childhood
Symptoms of autism are usually noticed first by parents and
other caregivers sometime during the child's first 3 years.
Although autism is present at birth (congenital), signs of
the disorder can be difficult to identify or diagnose during
infancy. Parents often become concerned when their toddler
does not like to be held; does not seem interested in playing
certain games, such as peekaboo; and does not begin to talk.
Sometimes, a child will start to talk at the same time as
other children the same age, then lose his or her language s
kills. They also may be confused about their child's hearing
abilities. It often seems that a child with autism does not
hear, yet at other times, he or she may appear to hear a
distant background noise, such as the whistle of a train.
With early and intensive treatment, most children improve
their ability to relate to others, communicate, and help
themselves as they grow older. Contrary to popular myths
about children with autism, very few are completely socially
isolated or "live in a world of their own."

Symptoms during teen years
Autism - Symptoms
During the teen years, the patterns of behavior often change.
Many teens gain skills but still lag behind in their ability
to relate to and understand others. Puberty and emerging
sexuality may be more difficult for teens who have autism than
for others this age. Teens are at an increased risk for
developing problems related to depression, anxiety, and
epilepsy.

Symptoms in adulthood
Some adults with autism are able to work and live on their own.
The degree to which an adult with autism can lead an
independent life is related to intelligence and ability to
communicate. At least 33% are able to achieve at least partial
independence.Some adults with autism need a lot of assistance,
especially those with low intelligence who are unable to speak.
Part-or full-time supervision can be provided by residential
treatment programs. At the other end of the spectrum, adults
with high-functioning autism are often successful in their
professions and able to live independently, although they
typically continue to have some difficulties relating to other
people. These individuals usually have average to
above-average intelligence.

Other symptoms
Many people with autism have symptoms similar to attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). But these symptoms,
especially problems with social relationships, are more
severe for people with autism. For more information, see
the topic Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

About 10% of people with autism have some form of savant
skills-special limited gifts such as memorizing lists,
calculating calendar dates, drawing, or musical ability.

Many people with autism have unusual sensory perceptions.
For example, they may describe a light touch as painful
and deep pressure as providing a calming feeling. Others
may not feel pain at all. Some people with autism have
strong food likes and dislikes and unusual preoccupations.

Sleep problems occur in about 40% to 70% of people with
autism.

Other conditions
Autism is one of several types of pervasive developmental
disorders (PDDs), also called autism spectrum disorders
(ASD). It is not unusual for autism to be confused with
other PDDs, such as Asperger's disorder or syndrome, or
to have overlapping symptoms. A similar condition is
called pervasive developmental disorder-NOS (not otherwise
specified). PDD-NOS occurs when children display similar
behaviors but do not meet the criteria for autism. It is
commonly called just PDD. In addition, other conditions
with similar symptoms may also have similarities to or
occur with autism.

Helen Keller Quotes

2008-12-11T11:00:00.001-06:00

"I thank God for my handicaps, for through them,
I have found myself, my work, and my God."

"Alone we can do so little; together we can do
so much."

"Although the world is full of suffering, it is
also full of the overcoming of it."

"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet.
Only through experience of trial and suffering can
the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and
success achieved."

"Faith is the strength by which a shattered world
shall emerge into the light."

"I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but
it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as
if they were great and noble."

"Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look
the world straight in the eye."

God Is So Good

2008-12-11T10:50:00.000-06:00

There is a word for God I know
And speak I often should

It is a word our world must hear
That God is often good

He's good when things are going well
The lost can even say

But it takes a child with tested faith
To say it everyday

The crowd proclaims how good He is
When there is money in the bank

The trusting soul in poverty
Still bows and give Him thanks

It's easy to sing "God is good"
When things are always right

But real faith shines when we can sing
On a dark and stormy night

Some days are dark I also know
But hear me if you would

No matter how dark and rough the way
Our God is always good!

Dr. John Bishop
www.godissogood.net
_________________________________

Dear Readers:
If you want a real blessing get to know
this man, John Bishop. He and his wife
have gone through so much and have a
sweet and sincere testimony for the Lord.
We had him at our church a couple of years
ago. God is SO...Good!!!

God Bless You,
Rachelle Terrebonne

Another Parent's Point of View

2008-12-11T10:45:00.000-06:00

Judge If You Want To
by Patricia Saunders

Go ahead and judge me. I know what you are thinking. You are thinking look at that child, he is way too old to scream like that.

I realize you think I am a bad parent. I know you think that my son should be able to sit quietly at the table. And not bother you at the next table while you eat at the restaurant.

I am aware that you look down on us as we take my son around in his special stroller. I am conscious of the fact that you think he should not flap around at his age. I realize that you think that I should not take my son out if I cannot control him.

There is one thing you must know.
I DON’T CARE WHAT YOU THINK!!!

I love my son and he has the same rights as anyone else. So unless you think your stares or glares are going to cure his autism leave us alone.

I want you to be aware of one more thing. People with autism do not judge. They do not play mental games, and they do not lie. Autistics take people at face value. What you see is what you get. We could all learn something from them.
------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Readers:
I found this article and I just wanted you to know how other
parent's feel. It is Very difficult at times when you are
dealing with a handicapped child. I added this article
on this website just to ask you for some patience with
families that have handicapped children. Believe me, it is
not always easy to know how to handle every situation that
comes up. Please, try to Walk in their shoes for a while!

God Bless You,
Rachelle

What You Should Know About My Child

2008-12-11T10:00:00.004-06:00

Remember that he is, first of all, my child.
Let me see him smiling in his sleep and let
me think about how handsome he is and not
about how delayed that smile was in coming.

Help me not lose sight of my son in
the shadow of his limitations. I
know that you care for my child and
that you work hard with him. I need
your expertise to help him become all that he is capable
of being. You need my help in understanding who he
really is and in following through at home with things
that are important. Remember, though, that you send
him home at night and have weekends off and paid
vacations.Let me have the luxury of having a vacation,
sometimes physically, sometimes just emotionally, for
a day, a week, a month, without your judging me. I will
be there for him when you are long gone.I love my child
with an intensity that you can only imagine. If on a
given day I am tired or cross with him, listen to me,
lighten my burden, but do not judge me. Celebrate with
me, rejoice in who he is and who he will become, but
forgive me if from time to time I shed a tear for who
he might have been.

-Author Unknown

Why

2008-12-11T10:00:00.002-06:00

"I don't have
to know why;
I know Him
who knows why."

Dr. Jack Hyles

God Has A Positive Answer

2008-12-10T14:00:00.000-06:00

BIBLE VERSES

You say: 'It's impossible'
God says: All things are possible
(Luke 18:27)
You say: 'I'm too tired'
God says: I will give you rest
(Matthew 11:28-30)
You say: 'Nobody really loves me'
God says: I love you
(John 3:1 6 & John 3:34 )
You say: 'I can't go on'
God says: My grace is sufficient
(II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)
You say: 'I can't figure things out'
God says: I will direct your steps
(Proverbs 3:5- 6)
You say: 'I can't do it'
God says: You can do all things
(Philippians 4:13)
You say: 'I'm not able'
God says: I am able
(II Corinthians 9:8)
You say: 'It's not worth it'
God says: It will be worth it
(Roman 8:28 )
You say: 'I can't forgive myself'
God says: I Forgive you
(I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)
You say: 'I can't manage'
God says: I will supply all your needs
(Philippians 4:19)
You say: 'I'm afraid'
God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear
(II Timothy 1:7)
You say: 'I'm always worried and frustrated'
God says: Cast all your cares on ME
(I Peter 5:7)
You say: 'I'm not smart enough'
God says: I give you wisdom
(I Corinthians 1:30)
You say: 'I feel all alone'
God says: I will never leave you or forsake you
(Hebrews 13:5)

Welcome To Holland

2008-12-10T13:00:00.001-06:00

By-Emily Perl Kingsley
c1987 by Emily Perl Kingsley. All rights reserved.
(This is excellent)

I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......

When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."

"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."

But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.
But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.

Holland

2008-12-10T12:30:00.003-06:00

Dear Readers,
Jad and I live in Holland also. We have been there
for 27 years. At first it is hard to believe that
you are there, but God does give you grace:

2 Corinthians 12:9-10
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee:
for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly
therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that
the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches,
in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's
sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

God Bless You ALL of you in Holland!
Rachelle

Celebrating Holland-I'm Home

2008-12-10T12:00:00.012-06:00

Celebrating Holland- I'm Home
By Cathy Anthony
(my follow-up to the original \Welcome to Holland\ by Emily Perl Kingsley)
I have been in Holland for over a decade
now. It has become home. I have had time
to catch my breath, to settle and adjust,
to accept something different than I'd planned. I reflect back
on those years of past when I had first landed in Holland. I
remember clearly my shock, my fear, my anger, the pain and
uncertainty. In those first few years, I tried to get back to
Italy as planned, but Holland was where I was to stay. Today,
I can say how far I have come on this unexpected journey. I
have learned so much more. But, this too has been a journey
of time. I worked hard. I bought new guidebooks. I learned a
new language and I slowly found my way around this new land.
I have met others whose plans had changed like mine, and who
could share my experience. We supported one another and
some have become very special friends.

Some of these fellow travelers had been in Holland longer
than I and were seasoned guides, assisting me along the
way. Many have encouraged me. Many have taught me to
open my eyes to the wonder and gifts to behold in this
new land. I have discovered a community of caring. Holland
wasn't so bad.

I think that Holland is used to wayward travelers like me and
grew to become a land of hospitality, reaching out to welcome,
to assist and to support newcomers like me in this new land.
Over the years, I've wondered what life would have been like
if I'd landed in Italy as planned. Would life have been easier?
Would it have been as rewarding? Would I have learned some
of the important lessons I hold today?

Sure, this journey has been more challenging and at times I
would (and still do) stomp my feet and cry out in frustration
and protest. And, yes, Holland is slower paced than Italy and
less flashy than Italy, but this too has been an unexpected
gift. I have learned to slow down in ways too and look closer
at things, with a new appreciation for the remarkable beauty
of Holland with its tulips, windmills and Rembrandts.

I have come to love Holland and call it Home.

I have become a world traveler and discovered that it doesn't
matter where you land. What's more important is what you
make of your journey and how you see and enjoy the very
special, the very lovely, things that Holland, or any land,
has to offer.

Yes, over a decade ago I landed in a place I hadn't planned.
Yet I am thankful, for this destination has been richer than
I could have imagined!

Cathy Anthony is a parent, advocate and presently the
executive director of the Family Support Institute in
Vancouver, BC (www.vcn.bc.ca/bcacl/fsi.htm)

To The Handicapped By Dr. Jack Hyles

2008-12-10T11:30:00.001-06:00

On Sunday morning sitting on the platform I
looked out over our congregation to love my
people. I looked over to the deaf people,
then to the blind, then to the retarded and
others; I love them andrealized the things
they cannot enjoy. Suddenly it dawned on me
there are special things that they CAN enjoy.
The next day, whilesitting in a motel room in
Hagerstown, Maryland, I wrote the following
words to the handicapped:

YOU ARE DEAF
You CANNOT hear
the whipperwill
The orphaned rill,
The gossipy Bob While;
Your loved one's voice,
Mom Nature's noise.
The cricket's tune at night;
The dripping rain,
The choir's refrain,
"I love you, from a friend;
The Baby's goo
His "I wuv oo-oo";
The whistle of the wind.

You NEED NOT hear
A sufferer's cry
Bereavement's sigh,
Or words of hate and blame;
Complainers whine,
Or gripers pine,
Or cursing of God's name.

But, you CAN hear
Your Father tell
His "Peace be still",
The language of the soul,
"Son, do My will,
And serve me till
The rapture makes you whole.
Can be your choice
To hear My Voice
Until yor race is run;
You can draw sigh
Not hindered by
the static of the tongue."

YOU ARE BLIND.
You CANNOT see
the stars at night,
The moon's soft light,
A busy mountain stream;
A daffodil,
A friendly hill,
A lover's eyelight gleam;
A pretty face
Some dainty lace,
A nervous autumn leaves;
The peacock's fan,
The desert sand,
The golden harvest sheaves.

You NEED NOT see
A bloody crash,
Or messy trash,
A world destroyed by man;
A dirty book
A bitter look,
A messy garbage can;
A stormy cloud,
A quiet shoud,
The sullen cynic's frown;
The lewd, the rude,
The nude, the crude,
The filthy part of town.

You ARE NOT hampered by
Two healthy eyes
Employed by those who're whole,
Which oft incur
A hazy blur
To vision by the soul.

But you CAN see
Sweet Jesus' face,
Salvation's grace,
And dreams of having sight;
And you CAN view
Some truths that few
Can see who walk in light.

And you CAN see
Eternity
When kneeling on the floor;
You CAN see stars
As far as Mars
When staggered by a door.

YOU ARE MUTE.
You CANNOT SPEAK
A word of cheer,
"I love you dear,"
A sermon from the Book;
But you CAN smile a little while,
A give a loving look.

And you CAN speak
With warm embrace,
A happy face,
A squeezing of the hand;
To God above
You can speak love,
And do the best you can.

YOU ARE THE EDUCABLE SLOW,
You DO NOT KNOW
What isn't so,
The theory of evolution;
The professor said
That God is dead,
And we need revolution.

You CAN know
His perfect will,
Salvation's thrill,
That Heaven is you own;
And know the way
To kneel and pray,
And linger at His throne.

You CAN know
From here below,
That Jesus died for you;
And understand,
And hold His hand
Until His face you view.

YOU ARE POOR
You CAN'T AFFORD
The sleeping pills,
And liquor's ills
Tomorrow morning pain;
The cocktail sip,
The addict's trip
The misery of gain.

You CAN afford
Salvation free,
And liberty,
The blessedness of health;
To you CAN come
Deliverance from
The poverty of wealth.

Decisions About Paul

2008-12-09T12:30:00.007-06:00

After being in preschool for a couple of years
we decided that Paul just wasn’t making enough
progress. He was still not toilet trained, and
we felt he should be able to do more. I decided
to go see our pediatrician tell him about our
concerns about Paul. Our pediatrician's worked
with handicapped children and I trusted his judgment.
I asked him about a place in New Albany, Indiana
that our social worker told us about. He agreed
that this might be a good place for Paul. I wasn’t
sure what to do because I didn't want Paul that
far away from us. Jad thought it was the right
thing to do. Paul would be 4 hours away, and we
would only be able to see him about once a month.
We decided to see Bro. Hyles to help us make the
right decision.

Proverbs 13:20a
He that walketh with wise men shall be wise

God Bless You,
Rachelle

Our Meeting with Bro. Hyles

2008-12-09T12:00:00.018-06:00

After I had gone to see the pediatrician and talked
to him about the situation with Paul, I came home
and talked to Jad about what the doctor had said.
Jad was in agreement with the doctor and our social
worker, but I didn’t feel comfortable with the decision.
Paul was only 5 years old. He would move 4 hours away
from us. Jad and I decided to get counsel from Bro. Hyles.
We decided to take Paul and Amy with us on the day of our
appointment. As Bro. Hyles, Jad and I were talking about
the situation with Paul, Paul did his normal behavior that
he always did, getting into everything. Paul got into
Bro. Hyles’ books, turned on and off his lights, and just got
into a lot of Bro. Hyles’ things. I felt bad that Paul had
done this, but it gave Bro. Hyles a first hand view of him.
Bro. Hyles asked us, “Does Paul behave like this all the time?”
We responded, “Yes, all the time.” Bro. Hyles sided with Jad
on this. He thought that Paul really could use the extra help.
I agreed, but I still felt bad that Paul would be so far away
from us. Now I had Jad, Bro. Hyles, and the doctor all in
agreement. I knew that I was wrong and out voted. About 2
weeks later we headed off to New Albany to check out Paul's
temporary new home.

----------------------------

Dear Readers:
An additional comment on Our Meeting With Bro. Hyles-
It has been 20 years since Paul was at this facility.
I am 100% for sure that we made the right decision in
placing him there. Thank you Jad and Bro. Hyles for
helping me see and do the right thing for Paul. I have
seen the results of families that refuse to make the
needed changes for their child, the child and their
family suffer because of it. The child never grows
to all that God would allow them to be. Sometimes you
have to allow others to help you make the right decision
and you have to learn to trust so that God can do the
"Impossible" things for you.

God Bless You,
Rachelle

Visit Possible New Home For Paul

2008-12-09T11:50:00.003-06:00

We drove down to New Albany to visit the Silvercrest
Development Center. Upon our arrival, we were given
a tour of the facility by one of the social workers.
The buildings were once used as a tuberculosis sanitarium.
The social worker also told us what Paul would be doing
there at the facility if he was accepted into the program.
While we were talking with the social worker, Paul went
for an evaluation from one of the instructors. We would
have to wait to see if Paul would be able to attend this
facility.

God Bless You,
Rachelle

Paul Was Accepted At Facility

2008-12-09T11:45:00.012-06:00

About a month later they called
us from the facility where we
had visited with Paul. They did
accept Paul into the program.
About two months later we
packed Paul's clothes and headed down to New Albany,
Indiana. Paul would live there for 13 months.

God Bless You,
Rachelle

Look Through It And See God

2008-12-09T11:00:00.000-06:00

"Don't look at it
and be bitter.
Don't look away
from it and
refuse to see
reality, Look
through it and
see God."

Dr. Jack Hyles

Prayer Quotes

2008-12-08T13:00:00.006-06:00

The Greatest gift we can give to others is
our prayers.

"Man may spur our appeals, reject our message, oppose our argument, dispise
our person, but they are helpless against our prayers."
-Sidlow Baxtor

"Always respond to every impulse to pray. The
impulse to pray may come when you are reading
or when you are battling with a text. I would
make an absolute law of this – always obey
such an impulse."
--Martyn Lloyd-Jones

“I would rather teach one man to pray than ten
men to preach.

”Groanings which cannot be uttered are often
prayers which cannot be refused."
Charles Spurgeon

"Pray often, for prayer is a shield to the soul,
a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan ."

"He who runs from God in the morning will scarcely
find Him the rest of the day."
--John Bunyan

"Pray, and let God worry."
-- Martin Luther

“Prayer is where the action is."
--John Wesley

"Shut the world out, withdraw from all worldly
thoughts and occupations, and shut yourself in
alone with God, to pray to Him in secret. Let
this be your chief object in prayer, to
realize the presence of your Heavenly Father."
--Andrew Murray

"Prayer is not learned in a classroom but
in the closet."
--E. M. Bounds

God warms his hands at man's heart when he prays.
~ John Masefield

"God uses men who are weak and feeble enough to
lean on Him."

"It is possible to move men, through God, by
prayer alone."
~Hudson Taylor

"Every great movement of God can be traced to
a kneeling figure."
D. L. Moody

"The vigor of our spiritual life will be in
exact proportion to the place held by the
Bible in our life and thoughts."
~ George Mueller

"The Bible fits man for life and prepares him
for death"
~ Daniel Webster

"My own definition of the grace of God is this:
the unlimited and unmerited favor given to the
utterly undeserving."
~ R.G. Lee

Another Problem Occured-A Brain Tumor

2008-12-05T13:00:00.015-06:00

I started having constant headaches about 2-3 months after
Paul was enrolled in the special school. I wasn't sure why
because I hardly ever got headaches. I used to feel so bad for
my younger sister, Starr, because she always got headaches
and the headaches usually would end up as a migraine. I went
to my doctor and he examined me and he found out that I had
a sinus infection. He gave me an antibiotic, I took it for the
recommended 10 days, but I still continued having headaches.
I went back to my regular doctor and told him that I was still
having headaches, and he suggested I go see an allergist.
Maybe I was starting to have a lot of allergies. I made the
appointment; the doctor examined me, no allergies. I went
back to my regular doctor, told him that I had no allergies.
My regular doctor then suggested that I go see a Neurologist.
I made the appointment and Jad and I went to see him. The
Neurologist had me do all kinds of tests. The test included
touching my hands to my nose, walking a straight line,
remembering items, etc, etc. He finally decided that
I seemed OK, but he then suggested that I get a CAT scan
just to be on the safe side. Well, I went for the CAT scan and
on the scan they found a... brain tumor.

Job 13:15
Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him.

God Bless You,
Rachelle

Storms

2008-12-05T12:30:00.000-06:00

"When the storm
is coming toward
us, we'll get
through it quicker
if we keep
marching
into it."

Dr. Jack Hyles

God's Timing

2008-12-05T11:30:00.011-06:00

God knew that the tests would
show that I had a brain tumor.
God knew that Paul needed to
be in a safe place when I would
have the surgery. God, I believe, orchestrated the whole event with Paul going down to New Albany so that he would be cared for as I recovered from brain surgery.

Psalms 18:30
As for God, His way is perfect: the word of the LORD
is tried: He is a buckler to all those that trust in Him.

God Bless You,
Rachelle

Why Me?

2008-12-05T11:00:00.012-06:00

Have you ever asked God,"Why?"
I know that I have, and probably
too many times. I have questioned
God many times about my
circumstances in life, my family’s
history, and about all of Paul’s disabilities. I have also
questioned God about my brain tumor but I no longer question
Him. In Romans 8:28 the Bible says, “And we know that all
things work together for Good to them that love God, to them
who are the called according to His purpose.”

I have decided in my heart that God Knows Best!!!

-GOD KNOWS BEST-
Our Father know what's best for us
So why should we complain-
We always want the sunshine
But He knows we there must be rain-
We love the sound of laughter
And the merriment of cheer
But our hearts would lose their tenderness
If we never shed a tear...
Our Father test us often
With suffering and with sorrow,
He test us, not to punish us,
But help us meet tomorrow...
For growing trees are strengthened
When they withstand the storm,
And the sharp cut of the chisel
Gives the marble grace and form...
God never hurts us needlessly,
And He never wastes our pain,
For every loss He sends to us
Is followed by rich gain...
And we count the blessings
That God has so freely sent,
We will find no cause for murmuring
And no time to lament...
For Our Father loves His children,
And to Him All things are plain,
So He never sends us pleasure
When the soul's deep need is pain...
So whenever we are troubled,
And when everything goes wrong,
It is just God working in us
To make our spirit strong.
-Helen Steiner Rice

Psalms 62:8
Trust in Him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart
before Him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.

God Bless You,
Rachelle

Anointed With Oil

2008-12-04T13:30:00.009-06:00

Before my surgery we asked Bro. Hyles to anoint me with oil.
Bro. Hyles always said that God should be a part of your of
all of your life, and we wanted God involved with my surgery.
On a Sunday morning after the church service Jad and I went
to Bro. Hyles' office and asked him to anoint me with oil.

James 5:14
Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the
church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil
in the name of the Lord.

God Bless You,
Rachelle

Surgery Day-January 31, 1990

2008-12-04T13:00:00.020-06:00

This was the day I was scheduled
to have brain surgery. Jad and I
spent the night before at a hospital
up in Chicago. Early the next day
the nurse's came in to prep me for
surgery, they also started an IV on me. Jad came down
with me to the holding room we said our goodbyes, said
our last prayer to the Lord together and then he gave
me a kiss. I am sure he was wondering if I would come
back the same person I was before the surgery. After
Jad left and the transporter took me into went inside
of the holding room the nurse came by my bed and
checked that everything was correct before I was to go
into the surgery room. After she had gone, and I was
by myself, well there was others in the room with me,
I prayed again by myself. I asked the Lord to give
extra wisdom to the doctors as they performed surgery
on me. I had a husband and two small children I
needed to still care for. I asked the Lord, "Please
bring me back whole."

II Corinthians 12:9-10
And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee:
for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most
gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities,
that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches,
in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for
Christ's sake: for when I am Weak, then am I Strong.

God Bless You,
Rachelle

Thank You Starr

2008-12-04T12:45:00.004-06:00

There is so much in our story that I want to
tell you, but we are still in the process of
completing it. I want to give a very special
thank you to my sister, Starr. She came from
California and cared for me and my family after
I had my brain surgery. She stayed with us for
2 weeks. She cooked, cleaned, and did the laundry,
she basically took over all of my duties. Thank You
so much Starr, I Love You!!!

God Bless You,
Rachelle

Thank You Sherry

2008-12-04T12:40:00.003-06:00

My Dad is now 85 years old. He is still doing well
with his health. He also is still very independant
for his age, in which I am very grateful! I want to
thank my sister Sherry for all her help with my Dad.
She lives the closest to my Dad of all my siblings.
I am very grateful that he has my sister to help him
with all his needs. She takes him to the grocery store,
and doctor appointments, and cleans his apartment.
Thank you so much for the good care of our Dad. I
know that he appreciates it, but I do also.

Love,
Rachelle

Trust

2008-12-04T12:30:00.000-06:00

"If you can't
see His goodness,
you can trust
His goodness."

Dr. Jack Hyles

GOLD

2008-12-04T12:00:00.000-06:00

Job 23:10

But He knoweth the way that I take: when He hath tried me,
I shall come forth as gold.

Ron Hamilton-Patch the Pirate

2008-12-04T11:30:00.004-06:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyDOtcBX8M8

Trust And Obey-My Favorite Hymn

2008-12-03T11:00:00.005-06:00

This song is sung a bit different from the way I am used to,
but the words are the same. What a GREAT song! What a
Great way to live, Trust and Obey! I love the arrangement
of the song, what a blessing!!!

God Bless You,
Rachelle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2vIybBlM1U

Other Sites That I Have Found

2008-12-03T10:00:00.008-06:00

1. lambsfarms.org
2. shepherdsministries.org
3. jacobsvillage.org
4. beverlyfarm.org
5. comop.org

Please look and see the possibilities for
a Christian Facility...and Pray!

God Bless You,
Rachelle

-We Have A Vision For A Christian Home For Adults With A Disability-

These are two sites that we have found that have a vision
to care for disabled adults...It is our prayer that one day
we will have one for Paul and others like him.

1. Heart of Georgia DDM

2. The Story of Stephens House