Covalence and Miracles

I SHOULD have been paying attention in church today...and I did, mostly...but as usual, my brain took a hiatus into other verses...and bounced in and out of comments and science...yeah...I would explain it if I could, but it's almost as much a mystery to me too, so let's hit the highlights, shall we?

There was a Venn Diagram that was put up in church as an illustration that caused it all, I believe...

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I remembered a comment on my last blog post about strengths/weaknesses/similarities/compliments and Down Syndrome and "typical" folks...I was dragging my psychological feet over the "just like you campaign" and my brilliant commenter, Angel, validated my irritation that NO ONE is "alike"...and she made the comment, that she likes to think of people like Venn Diagrams, and I very seriously couldn't agree more.  We have similarities and strengths like hundreds of other people, but no one ever is really a carbon copy of the core of anyone else.  No one brings the exact strengths, with the exact history, with the exact experiences, with the exact perspectives of anyone, ever.

 

And because I was in church, I was struck for the thousandth time of the whole the church is the Body of Christ passage.  Even the One who made us, knew no one was the same.  Everyone brings different skills and abilities, which is why it is the Body of Christ. There are hands, feet, eyes, ears, and arms...and they all have the responsibility to report in needs, and the responsibility to do something about them.  Each part is interlinked, but they all have specialities.  I mean, check me if I am wrong, but I need my eye and my foot, but for entirely different purposes...and I need both to function smoothly in my life.

 

"One Body with Many Parts

¹² The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. ¹³ Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles,^[e] some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.^[f]

¹⁴ Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. ¹⁵ If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?
¹⁸ But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. ¹⁹ How strange a body would be if it had only one part! ²⁰ Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. ²¹ The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”
²² In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. ²³ And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, ²⁴ while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. ²⁵ This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. ²⁶ If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.
²⁷ All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it."
~1 Corinthians 12:12-27

If you don't want to go the Bible route, feel free to go the Covalent Bond route. 

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In order for our world to function, you have millions of different combinations of atoms making up billions of different molecules that make up EVERYTHING.  But in order to make up different molecules, they bond together to strengthen weaknesses and make amazing and unique things.  An atom of Hydrogen is terrific.  An atom of Oxygen is superbly important.  But just as imperatively, we need water for life.  And so on...

 

And when Jesus was on Earth, he was called on to heal people's illnesses and injuries.  He was called to protect people's bodies from medical conditions that were damaging them.  He was never called on to "heal" someone of differences.  Never did he choose to do so to make their relationships easier or so someone else was less judge-y.  He was not called on to heal the kid who looked funny.  Or the man that behaved like a child.  Or the woman who flapped her hands in excitement.  He called on everyone not to judge and write someone off.  He gave requests according to abilities.  He asked for your all.  Not for all he wanted to get done.  Just your portion.  Just your talents.   I assure you we all have different talents.  I can further assure you, that everyone has one.

 

Find your speciality.  Use your talent.  Change someone's world.  Because if you see a need, you have everyone else's abilities to help make a miracle.





Red and Green

As it's been a little bit since my last post, I figure I'll do my usual recap blitz.

Elise went back to school. Which is why I've been a little MIA. When we went to open house, she learned that while she had the same teacher and some of her same friends, it was in a different room, and she was missing one of her crucial buddies. She thrashed a bit and growled and was angry about the new room. Thankfully, after sitting and filling out sheaves of paper for Amelia's (little sister) Kindergarten Open House in a miniature chair, I decided to beg for Elise's sheaf of papers from her teacher to take care of at home, in a normal sized chair. So she kind of got 2 open houses and was significantly okay-er than if she had only gone to the new classroom only once.

She is currently testing (hazing) her new para-pro. She is pushing the envelope to see if this para-pro is willing to step up and be a power-player. Because Elise is a very strong personality she always checks her boundaries...and frankly, is unfailing successful in assessing the situation. She ALWAYS knows. It appears that Ms. M is winning because after only one "yellow" day, Elise has fallen back into better choices and is having "green" days.

In other news, Charlotte (baby sister) has been and is being tested for allergies. (Tiffany's Science Theater is back.) Red 40 has come forth as one of her primary allergies. We will be testing for Yellow 5 and Blue 1 in the next couple of weeks. While this is a massive pain in the neck and will make for some really difficult social situations, it is probably not all bad. There are a LOT of anecdotal studies that have been done on the impact of these dyes on kids with Autism and ADHD. (Google it, I couldn't begin to decide which one to link!) Do I think there is a absolute tie? Maybe not. Do I think it can contribute? Absolutely.

I think it is probably linked like vaccinations and autism. Do I think vaccines cause autism? No. Do I think there is an underlying propensity that is triggered by vaccinations and environmental factors? Absolutely.

So, all this said. I am SO not excited about the constant label reading. SO.NOT.EXCITED. But I do think that reading the labels and avoiding these dyes may turn out to be positive thing for our family, most particularly Elise. As I have started reading the labels in our pantry, I have been honestly horrified about what is dyed. I mean, seriously, do we need 3 shades of Yellow to dye our TAN, "natural" colored wheat cereals? Not probably. Holy smokes, like we need more chemicals in our food!!

Elise's ADHD meds appear to be working for now. An answer to prayer. She has matured a lot over the summer, and while this medicine isn't terribly strong, it is taking the edge off and does all that is needed for now. So we are in a holding pattern...Not a bad place to be.

Also, I finally turned in my application for the Handicapped Parking plate and hang tag. I filled out the application at the beginning of the summer. I have been torn over filing it for 2 or 3 months. But after a particularly heinous parking lot wrangling after Open House, I gave it to the pediatrician for his John Hancock and notarization and got it back in less than a week. We took it with us to pay our car ad valorum taxes and tag fees, and for no more than our usual fees, it came home with us the same day. I was amazed, I honestly thought it would be a bigger deal. I haven't had to use it yet, and I'm hoping that it works as an insurance against bad days....you know, like bringing a jacket or umbrella means you won't need it?

So now you are all caught up. Hope your start of school goes as smoothly as ours...it has never gone this well and I cannot begin to tell you how much I appreciate boring. It is SO lovely!!