This week has certainly been a doozy with sexting, con artist scams + getting suspended at work!
Among the things that Dane fell victim to this week include a girl asking him what he likes on his penis (and him of course not having a clue why she would ask this) to a Nigerian scammer stalking him to wire $1000, then at work he memorized a pretty girl’s name on her debit card and looked her up on Facebook. Hammer fell and he is suspended for 3 weeks. I’m in favor of the punishment out of respect to the business and I see the liability issues and honor all of that. But as for my autistic son, he actually just pulled off a pretty cool neuro-typical dude move and I was secretly feeling proud and cheering him on!
Overnight all the lines have become blurred again. Who is who? What’s right? What’s wrong? What’s real? What’s not? How do I even begin to relay all of this harsh reality to him? His language skills fall according to his most recent report reading comprehension at 1st grade level & his social skills are about the same.
Anyway you get the picture. I think it’s hard for me to comprehend this evaluation of him becuase I see his ability to get shit done on the computer and handle his finances. I am talking about a kid who at 16 opened a 3 inch 3 ring binder of fraudulent accounts. He is clever as shit. But the real world is so complicated!
Anyway this week has paralyzed me with fear. How do I handle this? What do I do? Can he learn from this? Can I just drop him off at adult day care and be done for 8 hrs. every day and get on with my life?
As I tortured myself on the elliptical trying to burn the cheese off my ass from all my stress eating and drinking, I remembered that God has a plan. He has a plan! Sit down, shut up and listen.
The doors opened again and opportunities were made for Dane to have some success today. He went off with a friend that owns an ABA business, to help her with her office work. Turns out she found him very useful and he will go back next week. Next stop - Sifted LA, the coolest new shop opened by another friend. It’s the hippest junk shop doubling as a mentoring/vocational skills training/life-coaching center for young men like Dane.
With this bit of letting go and trusting that God has my back the most amazing things always happen! Even if it’s only for a season, all of this promises growth and progress for my boy. With these two new opportunities he’ll gain his confidence back because I can see he is confused and a bit sideswiped this week. But I also see in 24 hrs he sees the light and we’ll be okay. I thank my Mom each and every day for giving me a faith that is unshakeable! I thank her for teaching me to believe in God and trusting His plan for my life. No matter how far I fall He is always there to scoop me up.
I was on that damn elliptical today and I felt this feeling that goes with the verse Isaiah 40:31 - Those that hope in the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles they shall run and not get weary they shall walk and not faint. I stand on this today and everyday that has passed and every day forward. My life is very challenging but I have hope! And within that hope I am blessed.