When we went to Disney World a few years ago- one of the highlights of our trip was a big family luau- On the wall of the entrance was a big sign

3

O H A N A

s

Because of watching Lilo and Stitch (see- watching movies with children are educational 😉 )  I knew right away that the Hawaiian word meant:

Ohana- means “family”

3

and family means no one gets left behind.

s

As Bethany approaches the teenage years, I’m embracing “REALITY”.

3

When she was 18 months and learning sight words, continually meeting every milestone with success, I was “high” with the possibility that she might be the “exception”.

Then we began home schooling; as she began learning to read and do basic math, memorizing the Pledge of Allegiance, the solar system, and the books of the Bible in order- my excitement grew!  Her speech and articulation continued to improve!  She excelled at memorizing her dance routines!

3

I can’t pinpoint the moment

that her progress started slowing down.

~

3~

(while proof-reading this, I’m laughing & feel compelled to insert that I also can’t pinpoint the moment I began slowing down 😉 If we live long enough, the younger pass up the older and slower comes to us all. )

3

I remember teaching Finley how to read when she was 4 and realized that by the time she went to kindergarten she could already read as well as Bethany- who is 6 years older than her.  Then, at the end of Finley’s 1st grade year, she started learning multiplication!  Hard not to compare, but Bethany can use a  calculator for multiplication and division. Not that big of deal but it was one “moment” when I realized I needed to “streamline” what she “needed” to know vs. what she didn’t really “need to know”.

3

I could go on about the widening gap of achievement and success. But I won’t- 🙂

BECAUSE the point of this blog is this very important concept:

E

Committing yourself in and to a family-

I’m so thankful our reality is OHANA-

Family- our family is committed to leaving no one behind!

3

I believe God doesn’t want anyone to have to go it alone– He created the families for a reason! Genesis declares- God saw it was not good for man to be alone!  If your own family is dysfunctional or doesn’t really “get” you– for heaven’s sake, find someone to belong to!!! There are so many lonely people out there just wanting to share in life- BUILD your clan or tribe! In fact, ask God to create a family for you!

[Tweet “If you’re lonely, ask God to #create a #family – a place of #belonging.”]

( God sets the lonely in families…Psalm 68:6)

4

FAMILY- OHANA

The REALITY is this:

 

[Tweet “Ohana- In a #committed #family- No One Gets Left Behind! #Unity”]

 

4

God puts us in Families so we won’t be alone, isolated, abandoned, cast off, ignored, forgotten, or left behind.

He wants us to learn His Father’s Heart toward us- His Father love for children who can’t equally love Him back.

Family is where we learn to be  patient with those who seemingly slow down our journey- realizing that there is beauty in slow, steady, rhythms of life!

Family is where we learn to love unconditionally, even when someone might be limited in equal loving:

For example; we lavish love on a baby or toddler in spite of the tremendous amount of commitment and work, or an aging parent whose strength or mind is diminished by age, or someone like Bethany, who will be passed up in intellectual achievements by potentially every grandchild we’re blessed with.

[Tweet “#Family is where we encircle each other with #care and #prayer.”]

Because of OHANA- no one gets left behind-

I’m not worried about Bethany “keeping up” –

I’m not going to stress when my grandchildren “pass” her up.

Because we’re Ohana- Family

We’re all on this journey together

We’re all headed toward the same place

We all are committed to helping each other get there

– and NO ONE is going to be left behind!

Surprising Treasure: OHANA

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bethany, children, disabilities, downs syndrome, encouragement, family, home schooling, inspiration, limitations, living between the trees, ohana, perspective, transformation