The Perfect Gift

            Last weekend was Mother's Day.  If you are a mother, how did you celebrate?  One friend shared that she had her favourite breakfast.  Another received a beautiful photograph of her two youngest children.  What would be the perfect Mother’s Day gift?  A hand-made card, a beautiful necklace, a wonderful dinner at your favourite restaurant, a cruise?

            For many years I have found Mother’s Day to be one of the loneliest days of the year.  My marriage broke up eight years ago.  My two boys are both on the autism spectrum.  There are numerous jokes about men and boys not thinking about special days.   With autism this is magnified.  When the boys were in grade school, they would usually make something for me at school.  Once in a while it would actually come out on Mother’s Day, but usually it was some time later.  Even that stopped a few years ago.  .  It was painful to strive so hard to do my best at being their mom, and to have no acknowledgement – no card, no gift, not even a “Happy Mother’s Day!”  Usually there was nothing special about the day at all. We would at least go. out to dinner so that I wouldn’t have to cook or clean up.  I was certainly guilty of feeling “poor me.”  I know that is not how God wanted me to feel, but my heart was closed to His message of love.

            This year had some similarities.  There were no cards and no “Happy Mother’s Day!”  However, God saved me from falling into the pity party of past years.  Christopher and some other boys in his Asperger’s class have been getting together periodically at school to play various role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons. One of the parents offered to get them together on a weekend. Two weeks ago was the first gathering and it went very well.

            This weekend my oldest also came along.  Caleb has been so disabled by anxiety that he hasn’t even been to school for more than a year.  When he was younger the only future I could see for him was in some sort of prison or institution, as I figured he would seriously injure someone by the time he was 16.  Praise God that didn’t happen!  However he is still a long way from functioning in society. He rarely leaves the apartment he shares with his dad. 

            The boys played for about 3 hours and everyone had a great time!  This was the first time in Caleb’s life that he spent 3 hours with peers and enjoyed the entire time without any meltdowns!  Caleb turns 18 next month!  While the boys were inside gaming at the dining room table.  I was outside with adults enjoying adult conversation.  This, too, was a real treat because I am usually hovering nearby to put out any fires before they turn into meltdowns.

            I am still glowing from the joy of receiving the perfect gift!  That gift was not material.  It was far far better!  It was the gift of seeing my child have victory in an area that has truly caused him so much pain over the years!  It was the gift of seeing my child really happy – at peace with the world.

I will extol the Lord at all times;

His praise will always be on my lips.

My soul will boast in the Lord;

Let the afflicted hear and rejoice.

Glorify the Lord with me;

Let us exalt his name together.

I sought the Lord and he answered me;

He delivered me from all my fears.

Those who look to him are radiant;

Their faces are never covered with shame.

This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;

He saved him out of all his troubles.

(Ps 34:1-6)

Have you ever received the perfect gift?  If not, what would be your perfect gift? PLease sahre by leaving a comment.