The River of Jordan: Looking for STARING STORIES

Friday, October 31, 2008

Looking for STARING STORIES

I'm working on a paper about parents of children with disabilities, specifically parents’ reactions to STARING. I want to explore parents’ reactions, dealing with stares, how it makes them feel, how they react, if they intervene and if so, how, and so on.

If you have any stories to share, please email me at twxee@aol.com. I will not use your or your child's real names, of course!

Also please feel free to pass this around to anyone else you think can help!!

1 comment:

Ettina said...: Could I submit something as an invisibly disabled person about being someone who often stares at disabled children - but not for the reasons their parents typically think?
I have a blog entry about that here:
http://abnormaldiversity.blogspot.com/2008/06/your-octagon-daughter.html; 3:42 PM

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Most Asinine Comments Made About Jordan

1. Mental retardation, heart problems, and die before age 1 (said by pediatrician 1/2 hour after he was born).
2. Your biggest concern now is going to be if your NEXT baby is going to have this (said by ob/gyn who delivered him).
3. What's wrong with him? Oh, was he born like that?
4. He is sooooo handsome. He should be a poster child!
5. That's a walker. Remember when GREAT-GRANDMOM used one after her knee surgery?
6. He was running around like the other kids. It was like the Special Olympics!
7. Why is he WALKING with a WALKer? Can't he WALK?
8. Look at that little boy--he has a walker, and he's HAVING FUN! :O
9. I once knew a kid who walked just like you, but God chose to heal him. BE HEALED!!!!!!!!!
10. Wow, he even carries his own stuff and everything!

THE JORDAN RIVER

The significance of the Jordan River begins when Jacob falls asleep beside it and has the dream of the ladder that goes to heaven. Angels descend and ascend while he is dreaming, as though to say that the power of God, the revelation of God was moving into those waters, making the River Jordan a special place of connection with God. It was as though the river provided the sustenance and the strength that God would have for God’s people. And all through history the Jordan River would water the crops, would provide a boundary for the Kingdom of God, a boundary of safety. It is almost as though it is the vein of God’s power that the people of God could tap....The people passed through the waters of the Jordan to arrive at the Promised Land, a land that was not alienated from God, not far away from God, but a land that was close to God and God’s love. And then there was the occasion of Jesus’ baptism. Jesus walked into the river Jordan. The heavens opened, and the Spirit of God poured into our Lord; and from that moment on, our Lord gave his ministry in this world, healing people, caring for people, providing a willingness to die for people. Likewise, if you would like to have the power of God move into your heart, then you walk into the waters of Jordan, because that is when the heavens open and the power of the Spirit of God moves inside you. From "The Waters of Jordan" by Rev. Samuel G. Alexander