Keeping Cool in the Carpool
Parents of school aged kids
We need you to be the control group of a little experiment. We are asking you to be our control group because we have seen your ability to get field trip forms signed, PTA slips sorted, and lunches packed while simultaneously offering reminders of oral hygiene and tied shoelaces . You are able to control the input and output of many activities so you make the perfect candidate for our data control group in today’s experiment.
Control group, please take note of:
Heart rate
Breathing
Muscle tension
Perceived blood pressure
Fondness toward others
Now, let us know what happens to the above list when you read these words:
Car Pool Drop Off
I’m so sorry. That was cruel.
I bet you were finally relaxed and sipping a well deserved cup of coffee after the hectic morning exodus. Then a profanity came across the screen worse than any four letter word.
You were blindsided with the four words
Car Pool Drop Off
Gah! It happened again! Okay. I promise no more without ample warning.
If you have never experienced the drama surrounding car pool drop off, just trust us. Car pool drop off is a sure fire way to make all vitals rise and all love for humanity decline.
Car pool drop off often requires coping methods such as
Horn honking
Post experience facebook rants
Baileys in the coffee
All of the above on rainy days
My special needs daughter was the cause of many disrupted car pool drop offs when she was in grade school.
When she did not want to comply, she did what was coined as “the plop”. The plop consisted of all 90 pounds of a 10 year old girl completely limp on the ground.
We had occasions where she would plop in the middle of the crosswalk.
I kid you not. She would plop smack in the middle of the street.
Cars would be stopped at all four signs unable to get their kids to the drop off point. The sight of us was not what any parent wanted to see at the (warning….it’s coming again)
Car Pool Drop Off
The middle of the street plops (thankfully) only happened a few times. What was more common was for “the plop” to happen on the sidewalk. Our presence on the sidewalk was met with stares ranging from disgust to polite smiles to one woman who just plopped down and sat with us.
Her name was Michelle.
I met Michelle sitting criss cross apple sauce on concrete and I will forever smile when I think of her.
(Side note – if you can be a Michelle…be a Michelle)
Like all parents who are forced to experience (warning..again..)
Car Pool Drop Off
a significant recovery period was needed for me each morning. While a facebook rant or shot of Bailey’s would have been a solid option, I typically opted for scripture and prayer. A verse kept coming up during this season.
“But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at bringing others to Christ. Complete the ministry God has given you.” - 2 Timothy 4:5
Tremendous ministry opportunities exist for caregivers of special needs individuals. It is hard not to watch us, right? Especially when we are in the middle of the crosswalk during heavy traffic. Heck, I live in the special needs world and still find myself watching!
So what do others see when they watch us?
What would happen if they saw a peace in the midst of the stress that transcends understanding? What would happen if they saw joy in the midst of affliction? What would happen if they saw kindness directed at people who are not kind to us?
What would happen if we had a clear mind in every situation? What would happen if we were not afraid of suffering?
I think there would be a curiosity how it is possible. I think there would be an awareness of something special inside us that can not be the result of our own doing.
I think there would be opportunities to sit criss cross apple sauce on the sidewalk with “Michelle” to talk about what the “it” is.
I am thankful God gives us direction and purpose in the verse of 2 Timothy 4:5.
But you should keep a clear mind in every situation.
Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord
Work at bringing others to Christ
Complete the ministry God has given you.
Easier said than done, but possible when we are abiding and staying closely connected to His source of strength and ability.
2 Timothy 4:5 is at the heart of LOMAH’s ministry.
LOMAH is a community for caregivers of special needs individuals. LOMAH exists to encourage you to go beyond what you can do on your own. We know you CAN rise above your circumstances because of Christ in you. We know you can keep a clear mind. We know it’s not easy and there may be some suffering but,
You have purpose and a ministry.
We must be careful not to allow the unique opportunity of our situation slip away because it’s too hard. That’s the whole point. If we could do the ministry and mission on our own, we might be inclined to glorify ourselves rather than partnering with God and pointing to Him. Sometimes those opportunities are going to happen smack in the middle of the dreaded (here it is…one last time)
