Raising A Child With Autism

Are you or someone you know raising a child with Autism? I recently published the second edition of my autobiography as a mother of an autistic child. My son, Benjamin, was non-verbal as a small child and was later identified as having High-Functioning Autism.

(Click the book to link to Amazon and find out more about our story.)

 

Here are some excerpts from the book —

“Benjamin continued to bring home daily reports day after day throughout the six months. Comments of “Benjamin does not co-operate” filled each activity page. He would come home from school so despondent every day and head straight to his room. There he played alone for the first two hours after school until he felt ready to join the family. It took my seven-year-old son that long to unwind after the stress of school. My heart ached for his struggle to just feel like a good boy…”

“He had drawn a picture of his teachers and classmates fighting, with guns. Some of them were headless, falling off tall buildings, most of them spurting blood! I was horrified when he showed me the picture. I asked him who the people were and why they were fighting. He still didn’t connect with his emotions well at this age, so I didn’t get a clear understanding of what the problem was. I just knew it was serious. This was not the heart of my little boy…”

Here are some Benjamin quotes from the book —

“I’m very good at delivering a punch line at the time it will be funniest. The problem is that I haven’t yet learned to keep my mouth shut when someone is eating or drinking.” – Benjamin

“It is because of me, but it is not my fault.” – Benjamin 

 

Update on Benjamin

Benjamin is now a published author and speaks at churches and schools about his experience growing up with Autism. You can book him here.

Follow Benjamin on his blog at https://benjaminfrog.com/

benjamin-collier-author-headshot
Benjamin T. Collier/Author and Speaker

Til next time remember you are loved by the One who created you in His image.

Lynne

 

Raising an Autistic Child

I’m currently updating my first published book, an autobiography as a mother with an autistic child. My son, Benjamin, was non-verbal as a small child and was later identified as having High-Functioning Autism. He is now a published author and speaks at churches and schools about his experience growing up with autism. You can still get a copy of the first edition but some of the links in the resources are outdated. Here’s an excerpt from the introduction of the book.

Where do you go to, My Sunshine? 

“You have the most beautiful blue eyes, my handsome baby boy. Why can’t I see you behind them? Where do you go when your eyes wander away from me?

I hold you in my arms and stroke your tiny face, run my fingers through the yellow strands falling across your brow and I search for a glimpse of soul connection, but you are nowhere to be found.

If I let go of your small hand you’ll run away or you’ll walk in an endless straight line and not care where you’re going. You won’t see the people on the path in front of you or the tree that blocks your way. You won’t run excited to play with the other children on the swings because they’re not there in your world.

We walk by the lake. I point at the birds, gracefully gliding, skimming over the lapping waves. A young puppy barks and, for an instant, I see a puzzled frown on your tiny forehead, then it’s gone.

I show you the delicate, colourful blue petals of the Forget-Me-Not and we stop for a while to listen to the rustling of the birch. But you walk where I walk and stop when I stop only because I hold on tightly to your little fingers so you don’t slide down the bank and disappear. You have no response to these wonders around you.

I tell you how God made all these things. How He loves you and created you as part of His masterpiece too. How you have a purpose in this life and how I’ll do my best as your Mummy to help you find that purpose He has planned for you. But you don’t seem to hear a word. You just stare into the distance.

We walk back on the path and I sing to you “Forever Young.” You don’t sing along or dance in circles around me giggling. But oh how I love you my Sunshine.

Where do you go to, my sweet baby boy, when your eyes wander away from me and you’re lost in your autistic world.”

 

The first edition is available from Amazon at a super discounted price:

Raising Benjamin Frog – A Mother’s Journey with her Autistic Son

Get updates on the second edition and other work 

 

For a closer look at autism from Benjamin’s perspective and to see what he’s up to now, visit his blog   benjaminfrog.wordpress.com

https://benjaminfrog.wordpress.com/about/
Benjamin T. Collier/Author & Speaker

Til next time, know you are loved by the One who made you in His image.

Lynne

Happy Valentines/Whatever Day

I wish all of you a very happy day today, be it Valentines Day, Love Day or Tuesday. I don’t for one moment profess to be an expert at any of the above (well, Tuesday I could handle, I guess), so I’m going to hand you over to the experts:

What Is Love?

For the Christ followers out there, here’re a few scripture verses from 1 Corinthians:  (not only for weddings!)

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a New International Version (NIV)

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails.

Just a recap; this was written by Paul to the church at Corinth and is for all believers to remind them that Christ taught us to love one another. It’s a beautiful passage but it refers to the love of all people, not just romantic love. However, I still think it goes well with a couple starting a life together, don’t you?

 

For The Lovers

I’ve met this amazing speaker in person and had the privilege of taking a few of her classes at a writer’s conference. She’s a straight-talking Christian woman who doesn’t mince words. So if you’re looking for that little something extra today, well here’s Sheila’s award-winning book.

The Good Girls Guide To Great Sex book

http://tolovehonorandvacuum.com/
The Good Girl’s Guide To Great Sex

 

The Single Life

And, if you’re single and you’re wondering where that leaves you, here’s an honest post by a single guy on how he feels about being single in a church full of mostly couples.

The Single Christian blog post

https://benjaminfrog.wordpress.com/about/
Benjamin T. Collier/Author

 

Autistic Love 

If you landed on my blog looking for articles on Autism I have a super blog for you. Ben speaks about growing up on the autism spectrum and, yes -love in the autistic world.

Autistic Love blog post

 

So there you are, dear friends. I hope I found something for everyone. May the Lord bless you today and always.

‘Til next time, know you are loved by the One who created you.

Lynne

Finding Love in Unexpected Places

Ben and new friend. using as blog post for HACwC scavenger hunt

Ben with a new friend at the Toronto Zoo

Dancing on the Bus, a short story I wrote about finding love in unexpected places, was accepted to be included in a recently published book called, Hot Apple Cider with Cinnamon, the third in a series of short stories and poems.

My story is about being accepted and loved as a child, by total strangers. Later, as a mother, I saw that same love and acceptance for my own children. (Side note here; the picture is of my son from the story, showing love and acceptance to another child he met that day for the frist time. Paying love forward never fails).

On Nov 27th, 2015, I will be one of the hosts for the Virtual Book Launch of Hot Apple Cider with Cinnamon. If you read this post in time and can join us, the launch is from 12-11pm, Ontario time. I will be ‘live’ from 8.30-9.

Secret Word for the scavenger hunt is: FAILS

Lynne

PS – Although the launch has passed, you can still view it on Facebook using this link.

NaNoWriMo Day 15 – Half Way!

 

Chocolate.  yanin-vismistananda2
The Movie ‘Chocolate’

 

Day 15 I just wrote my first fight scene ever! My antagonist is a female and this was her first fight too. I called upon a friend who’s in the security business to give me some tips on weapons and such. Thank you, my friend – free book when I publish it! I must say it felt good to unleash the inner superhero. And I have two more fights to choreograph with my mighty pen. I’m at the halfway mark and feeling pretty good. On a personal note, I enlisted my son’s help prepping the garden shed for Fall. It was full of stuff we don’t need and I have a vision of a tidy garden shed to work in and store my garden art. So we loaded up the pick-up truck ready for the tip – or dump – depending on where you live. He also helped me choreograph the fight scene ‘cos he’s good at that too. I haven’t quite caught up on my word count, but I’m confident I will. If you’re novelling along with me this month, keep it up. We can do this! (Apparently, by Grammarly standards, ‘novelling’ isn’t a real word – my bad).Word count to date 21,110. Have a good sleep.

Lynne