Sam Ferguson's Blog, page 10
April 17, 2017
2017 has been a bit weird so far...
This year has started off a bit weird!
I ran into a bit of a wall in terms of my powerlifting, so I had to cancel my trip to Atlanta for the National Championship next month. I'm super bummed about that, but it is what it is. Essentially just ran into a cash and timing issue. That's just how life goes sometimes. Still, I do have a couple of gold medals for the state championship and the regional championship, so I certainly can't complain about how far I have come in a little over one year of stepping back into training.
The next thing on the plate is that we're moving. So, the joys of house hunting have been eating up a lot of time. We had thought we would be in our current house for at least a couple decades (I moved around a lot growing up, so I wanted to be a little more stable in my adult life...) but it looks like we'll be moving out this summer.
And then there are the writing projects. Some have been great. I really enjoyed Eye of Tanglewood Forest and I think it brings a lot to the world of Terramyr- and some have not been so great, like needing to redo Fur Trader 2. Then there have been some fun things thrown into the mix that I hadn't been planning on, like a couple new Erik Lokton projects, and a funky new urban fantasy I have been working on. I never thought I would do an urban fantasy book... but it has been a lot more fun than I had anticipated. A little harder too as it requires some research on real world places and legends etc., but fun. There's something about taking the known world and creating a fictional system within it that has been pleasant to experiment with.
And, as if it wasn't challenging enough to work in a new genre, it's going to be in first person, which makes it an entirely different animal from all of the other novels I have worked with. Hopefully the rest of you will like it. I haven't gotten all of my editor's feedback for it yet... so I am not sure what the timeline is for it, but I am hoping it will be nearing the final stages fairly quickly.
Also, I have been asked by several of you about the next Dimwater book. YES, there is more to come... but I don't have a timeline yet. The next Dimwater project is in the early drafting stages and I am not sure when it will come. I can promise I won't be super slow, but it takes a bit of time to develop so it certainly won't be this summer.
And, just because there isn't enough going on right now... there is a game developing company (which shall remain nameless at this point) working on two games set in Terramyr. I don't know all of the details about the timeline, but I was consulted on it and had a lot to do with it's development so far. Both are RPGs that are set in the same location as Jonathan Haymaker... though they are at different periods of time, so they aren't game versions of the books, but rather an extension of the world that uses some of the history and themes from the Haymaker Adventures series. Still cool though. If the larger RPG gets officially greenlighted, then I will be doing the story writing and planning so it will officially fit within the World of Terramyr canon.
I ran into a bit of a wall in terms of my powerlifting, so I had to cancel my trip to Atlanta for the National Championship next month. I'm super bummed about that, but it is what it is. Essentially just ran into a cash and timing issue. That's just how life goes sometimes. Still, I do have a couple of gold medals for the state championship and the regional championship, so I certainly can't complain about how far I have come in a little over one year of stepping back into training.
The next thing on the plate is that we're moving. So, the joys of house hunting have been eating up a lot of time. We had thought we would be in our current house for at least a couple decades (I moved around a lot growing up, so I wanted to be a little more stable in my adult life...) but it looks like we'll be moving out this summer.
And then there are the writing projects. Some have been great. I really enjoyed Eye of Tanglewood Forest and I think it brings a lot to the world of Terramyr- and some have not been so great, like needing to redo Fur Trader 2. Then there have been some fun things thrown into the mix that I hadn't been planning on, like a couple new Erik Lokton projects, and a funky new urban fantasy I have been working on. I never thought I would do an urban fantasy book... but it has been a lot more fun than I had anticipated. A little harder too as it requires some research on real world places and legends etc., but fun. There's something about taking the known world and creating a fictional system within it that has been pleasant to experiment with.
And, as if it wasn't challenging enough to work in a new genre, it's going to be in first person, which makes it an entirely different animal from all of the other novels I have worked with. Hopefully the rest of you will like it. I haven't gotten all of my editor's feedback for it yet... so I am not sure what the timeline is for it, but I am hoping it will be nearing the final stages fairly quickly.
Also, I have been asked by several of you about the next Dimwater book. YES, there is more to come... but I don't have a timeline yet. The next Dimwater project is in the early drafting stages and I am not sure when it will come. I can promise I won't be super slow, but it takes a bit of time to develop so it certainly won't be this summer.
And, just because there isn't enough going on right now... there is a game developing company (which shall remain nameless at this point) working on two games set in Terramyr. I don't know all of the details about the timeline, but I was consulted on it and had a lot to do with it's development so far. Both are RPGs that are set in the same location as Jonathan Haymaker... though they are at different periods of time, so they aren't game versions of the books, but rather an extension of the world that uses some of the history and themes from the Haymaker Adventures series. Still cool though. If the larger RPG gets officially greenlighted, then I will be doing the story writing and planning so it will officially fit within the World of Terramyr canon.
April 5, 2017
Enter the Drawing for a FREE audio book!
All right, listen up! If you like audio books, I have gotten a hold of several copies of Dimwater's Dragon, The Dragon's Champion, and Jonathan Haymaker audio books. I plan on running a drawing at the end of this month to give away those copies!
All you need to do to get your name into the drawing is sign up for my email list. Just fill out the form on the right of this page. Good luck!
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All you need to do to get your name into the drawing is sign up for my email list. Just fill out the form on the right of this page. Good luck!
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March 15, 2017
Dimwater's Dragon Audio Book is out NOW!
I am so excited about this one- I mean, I know I say that about everything, but the production for this audio book is really fantastic. I love it. Hope you do as well. In fact, I would love to hear what you think- even if all you do is listen to the audio sample, I would love to get feedback on the production.
Lots of things are getting wrapped up today and tomorrow. I am still in the best cover contest- made it to the "Elite 8" but now I am up against a really great cover... if you haven't yet, you should go and check out the contest! Then FanX will cap off the week and I can't think of a better way to end this week. (Unless maybe there was a powerlifting meet right after FanX...)
Hope to see a bunch of you there again. I'll be at Burgundy 26! See you soon!
Click here, or on the image to check out the audio book!
March 13, 2017
FanX and a small teaser...
So excited to go to FanX in a couple days!
I will be hanging out at Booth Burgundy 26 pretty much the whole time both days (though I will be stepping out for a couple of quick meetings and things like that). Come by and get your books autographed, or just chat for a bit. I absolutely loved meeting everyone at last year's Comic Con.
If you haven't grabbed a ticket to FanX yet, I would HIGHLY recommend you do so. The event is always fun to be a part of.
Oh... and did I say something about a teaser?
Well then, let's see who recognizes the characters on this image....
March 1, 2017
Best Cover Nomination
Today and yesterday I have spent some time going through a first listen of the audio book for Dimwater's Dragon. I have to say that I am loving it so far! Unlike the other audio books, this one is being produced by a company in the U.K., and I am very pleased with how the narrator reads and voices each of the characters. It has been a lot of fun to listen to. It should be available soon, so I will keep you all posted.
In the meantime, I got a fun little bit of news today letting me know that I have been included in a best cover contest- or more accurately, Flight of the Krilo has been entered into a best cover contest.
You can click on the link here to go and see the other covers and cast your vote if you like. Apparently it's a bit like March madness with book covers paired off into brackets. Those books with the most votes advance onto the remaining rounds until a "champion" of sorts emerges. Not sure if I will win or not, but it's exciting nevertheless.
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February 25, 2017
The Eye of Tanglewood Forest delayed...
I know many of you by now have gotten the email notifying you that the kindle release for The Eye of Tanglewood Forest has been delayed. Now, instead of being released March 1st, it will be March 31st.
First of all, I am sorry to those of you who had ordered it and are waiting for it. Hopefully the reason for its delay will make up for it though. It doesn't happen very often that late in the game I decide on a rewrite, but in the case of this book there was something that was bothering me a lot. I finally hit on a few parts that needed to be changed, and once I had the ideas for changing up the book, I got really excited. No spoilers of course, but I think the changes make for a more exciting read, and opened up a lot of really, really fun possibilities.
However, since I didn't figure out these new ideas until just this week, I was faced with a choice. Rush to get it all done in one week, or delay the release by a month to make sure it is done right. I went back and forth for a while, but ultimately I chose the latter option. I want to make sure that this book is as good as it can be. The changes don't involve rewriting the entire book from scratch, but it does require an overhaul of several parts. So far, I am very happy with how that process is coming along, and I hope you will also be pleased with it.
The last time I delayed a book it was because one of my sons had an accident and was badly burned and needed to go into the hospital (everything turned out all right, but it was a long recovery process), so it is definitely something I try to avoid, but in this case it just boiled down to quality, and I think the new chapters will be much, much better in the end.
First of all, I am sorry to those of you who had ordered it and are waiting for it. Hopefully the reason for its delay will make up for it though. It doesn't happen very often that late in the game I decide on a rewrite, but in the case of this book there was something that was bothering me a lot. I finally hit on a few parts that needed to be changed, and once I had the ideas for changing up the book, I got really excited. No spoilers of course, but I think the changes make for a more exciting read, and opened up a lot of really, really fun possibilities.
However, since I didn't figure out these new ideas until just this week, I was faced with a choice. Rush to get it all done in one week, or delay the release by a month to make sure it is done right. I went back and forth for a while, but ultimately I chose the latter option. I want to make sure that this book is as good as it can be. The changes don't involve rewriting the entire book from scratch, but it does require an overhaul of several parts. So far, I am very happy with how that process is coming along, and I hope you will also be pleased with it.
The last time I delayed a book it was because one of my sons had an accident and was badly burned and needed to go into the hospital (everything turned out all right, but it was a long recovery process), so it is definitely something I try to avoid, but in this case it just boiled down to quality, and I think the new chapters will be much, much better in the end.
February 20, 2017
LTUE is over... so now back to work!
Last week I spent a few days at Life the Universe and Everything in Provo, Utah and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. There were a lot of professional authors, editors, publishers, film makers, and others who shared their knowledge and experience with others. I spent most of my time behind a table, so I didn't get to sit in on everything I would have liked, but that allowed me to interact with quite a few really cool individuals. I met physicists, directors, aspiring authors, and even a former circus performer.
The only thing that I would have liked better would have been the Cosplay they have at Comic Con :) Only one person showed up with a costume to LTUE, and I think they felt a bit out of place. (But it was an awesome costume from Skyrim, where she had a silver cape she could hold out and a large, stuffed dragon on her head as if perched before a battle. I loved it!
I also got some of the best compliments I have ever received for my writing. One was a young teenager who picked up one of my books and began reading. Other people came and went from the table while he continued to flip the pages and stand silently reading. Then, after about fifteen minutes (or maybe ten, I'm bad with time) he slapped the book down and looked at me with a super straight face. No smile, no nothing. I figured he was going to let me know what he didn't like, but he did exactly the opposite. He said he loved the first chapter and was taking the book. After he purchased it and I signed it, he walked away with his nose stuck in the book.
It doesn't get much better than that for a writer. :)
Then there was a young girl. Her father had received one of my comics as part of a promotion on the first day of the convention. The second day he came up and said that his daughter had read the comic about 8 times and he had a hard time getting her to do anything else.
Those two things, plus others, certainly put a little extra vigor back into my creative mind once I got back to writing today. With a lot of effort, and a bit of luck, I am hoping to put out some of my best projects this year, and I am really excited about them. (I almost have a new cover to reveal for the Erik Lokton book I have been talking about.)
In the meantime, be sure to check out The Eye of Tanglewood Forest, book 3 in the Haymaker Adventure series which comes out March 1st.
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February 15, 2017
First review for Flight of the Krilo
I woke up today and saw a nice 4 star review for Flight of the Krilo by The Genre Minx, and wanted to share it. It's always fun to see a good review that is both in-depth, but carefully avoids spoilers!
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[image error] Click here to purchase Flight of the Krilo Review copied from Amazon.
"I am a fan of Sam Ferguson’s writing style. Every character is unique and the world building is always so original. The words just flow and create a vivid story that interests you throughout the tale. This story takes place in a world that has several races all striving to conquer, kill, or survive.
There is a Native American feel for the Varvarr race. They are very connected to the planet and spirits of both their ancestors and natural elements. Where their ancestors were more nomadic the current tribe has been stationary for many decades. They are hunters but year after year there are less animals to be hunted. Their tribe once had a sacred duty but the previous chieftain had turned his back on the responsibility and now the current chieftain is being charged with correcting that mistake. For if they do not make amends their people will surely die.
The Krilo race are a race that descended from seven families that were chosen from the humans at the beginning of the Era of Kings. These families were given the gift of telepathy and became a race of their own. The religious order they follow is called the Way of the Wisdom. This Way was originally taught by an ancient dragon which dictates that all life is precious and that disciples could not lift a sword against others, even in defense of themselves. There are strict rules about what kind of food they can eat or how they can harvest it. These restrictions have led to them needing a symbiotic relationship in order to survive.
In addition, there are also dwarves, orcs, and ghouls. Who doesn’t love a story with orcs?? All these races are mostly in competition with each other as resources are dwindling and everyone is feeling the pressure. Now I say mostly because there is an alliance that has existed between the dwarves and the Krilo. The Krilo cannot defend themselves so they have an agreement in place with the dwarves that meets both of their needs.
These races are represented by various characters and it is through these characters that you get the true heart and soul of the challenges that they face. This is not a story without conflict. The Varvarr are out to destroy the Krilo but this vengeance will not come without a high price for all involved. This story is fast paced with plenty of action, character development, and depth. It is a story that will entertain, surprise, and draw you in."
The Genre Minx reviews many books from various genres, so if you want to check out her page, please click here.
[image error]
[image error] Click here to purchase Flight of the Krilo Review copied from Amazon.
"I am a fan of Sam Ferguson’s writing style. Every character is unique and the world building is always so original. The words just flow and create a vivid story that interests you throughout the tale. This story takes place in a world that has several races all striving to conquer, kill, or survive.
There is a Native American feel for the Varvarr race. They are very connected to the planet and spirits of both their ancestors and natural elements. Where their ancestors were more nomadic the current tribe has been stationary for many decades. They are hunters but year after year there are less animals to be hunted. Their tribe once had a sacred duty but the previous chieftain had turned his back on the responsibility and now the current chieftain is being charged with correcting that mistake. For if they do not make amends their people will surely die.
The Krilo race are a race that descended from seven families that were chosen from the humans at the beginning of the Era of Kings. These families were given the gift of telepathy and became a race of their own. The religious order they follow is called the Way of the Wisdom. This Way was originally taught by an ancient dragon which dictates that all life is precious and that disciples could not lift a sword against others, even in defense of themselves. There are strict rules about what kind of food they can eat or how they can harvest it. These restrictions have led to them needing a symbiotic relationship in order to survive.
In addition, there are also dwarves, orcs, and ghouls. Who doesn’t love a story with orcs?? All these races are mostly in competition with each other as resources are dwindling and everyone is feeling the pressure. Now I say mostly because there is an alliance that has existed between the dwarves and the Krilo. The Krilo cannot defend themselves so they have an agreement in place with the dwarves that meets both of their needs.
These races are represented by various characters and it is through these characters that you get the true heart and soul of the challenges that they face. This is not a story without conflict. The Varvarr are out to destroy the Krilo but this vengeance will not come without a high price for all involved. This story is fast paced with plenty of action, character development, and depth. It is a story that will entertain, surprise, and draw you in."
The Genre Minx reviews many books from various genres, so if you want to check out her page, please click here.
February 11, 2017
FanX and LTUE
Spring is in the air and events are piling up fast! I will be running an author table at FanX in SLC in March, which should be a ton of fun. I loved meeting a bunch of you at last year's Comic Con, and am so looking forward to this event. It's always fun just to connect with people who enjoy the same things.
Stan Lee is going to be making his last appearance too, so if you are a fan, you might want to drop by just for that. But there are also a ton of other people going so it should be a great event. (My wife already has a ticket to meet Weird Al.)
At FanX I am going to be running several drawings. The prizes will range from e-books, audio books, signed paperback books, all the way up to two grand prizes of Skyrim which is my favorite game of all time (at least, until they release ES 6 anyway...). So definitely stop by the booth to drop your name in for the drawings. No purchase will be necessary to enter, just sign up with your first name and a valid email address.
I might also be at LTUE in Provo next week, but we are still working on the details. I got a phone invite a bit late into the game, so I think it will work out, but it isn't 100% certain yet. I'll keep you updated. (If everything works out, then you can double-dip into the drawings I mentioned above by entering at this event too!)
At the moment I am working on the final tweaks for Eye of Tanglewood Forest and The Fur Trader 2, so keep your eyes peeled. Those are both out for pre-order now, but don't officially come out until March.
As promised, I am also working on a new Erik Lokton project. No release date for this one yet. I know a lot of you really enjoyed the Dragon's Champion series, so I want to make sure I deliver a great book with this new release. The cover is nearly done, so I might be able to do a cover reveal soon, which will probably give away a couple of things. For now, let's just say that Erik is leaving the Middle Kingdom, and is going to be encountering some new challenges that are going to push him like never before! I can't wait for this one. (Whoever is working on inventing those plugs from the Matrix, hurry up, I would LOVE to be able to download my stories onto paper directly from my head to speed things up!)
Also, for any of you who haven't read the Tomni'Tai Scroll yet, the kindle version is free today through Monday.
[image error] Click Here to Preview and Order[image error]
Stan Lee is going to be making his last appearance too, so if you are a fan, you might want to drop by just for that. But there are also a ton of other people going so it should be a great event. (My wife already has a ticket to meet Weird Al.)
At FanX I am going to be running several drawings. The prizes will range from e-books, audio books, signed paperback books, all the way up to two grand prizes of Skyrim which is my favorite game of all time (at least, until they release ES 6 anyway...). So definitely stop by the booth to drop your name in for the drawings. No purchase will be necessary to enter, just sign up with your first name and a valid email address.
I might also be at LTUE in Provo next week, but we are still working on the details. I got a phone invite a bit late into the game, so I think it will work out, but it isn't 100% certain yet. I'll keep you updated. (If everything works out, then you can double-dip into the drawings I mentioned above by entering at this event too!)
At the moment I am working on the final tweaks for Eye of Tanglewood Forest and The Fur Trader 2, so keep your eyes peeled. Those are both out for pre-order now, but don't officially come out until March.
As promised, I am also working on a new Erik Lokton project. No release date for this one yet. I know a lot of you really enjoyed the Dragon's Champion series, so I want to make sure I deliver a great book with this new release. The cover is nearly done, so I might be able to do a cover reveal soon, which will probably give away a couple of things. For now, let's just say that Erik is leaving the Middle Kingdom, and is going to be encountering some new challenges that are going to push him like never before! I can't wait for this one. (Whoever is working on inventing those plugs from the Matrix, hurry up, I would LOVE to be able to download my stories onto paper directly from my head to speed things up!)
Also, for any of you who haven't read the Tomni'Tai Scroll yet, the kindle version is free today through Monday.
[image error] Click Here to Preview and Order[image error]
February 7, 2017
Accomplishments and Trials in Life
Warning... this post is mostly personal, and has very little to do with writing.
This past week was quite busy. Of course, I had the USPA 2017 Utah State Powerlifting Championship meet on Saturday. It was a ton of fun and I pushed myself to get a couple new personal records. (You can read about that and see videos here) I have also been putting some final touches on The Eye of Tanglewood Forest, and commissioning art for the World of Terramyr Wikia page as well as overseeing artwork for a couple new books coming out later on this year.
And... I got some test results back that diagnosed one of my sons with autism.
We tried to get my son tested before, back when we first relocated to the United States after resigning from the U.S. Department of State. At the time, the therapist was sure our son didn't have autism, but rather some anxiety and sensory issues. However, after working with anxiety and sensory overload issues for some time, we had him tested again, a bit more thoroughly and with a different doctor. This time the tests showed that he did, in fact, have autism. He is high-functioning, and therefore is able to do a lot of things that many people with autism can't, but that only makes it slightly less scary for me if I am honest.
The upside is there are a lot of resources in our area that can help. Support groups, autism units in schools, and even a full out school for kids with any kind of autism spectrum disorder. But, even with all of that, and the mountain of information the doctors and therapists gave us, I still am not too proud to admit that I spent a decent amount of time crying for my kid.
As a parent, you want to give your kids the best in life. I'm not talking about the latest iPhone, or the trendiest clothes, but about the best quality of life. It has been hard to see him struggle with simple conversations. It's been nearly impossible to explain why he behaves the way he does, or gets literally lost in his own imagination. On the one hand, it's almost nice to be able to name the cause of these and other issues, but frankly I had hoped they were all phases brought on by anxiety, as the first doctor had thought. It's easier now to explain to his primary teachers or school teachers what's going on, but now there are other questions that I can't see the answers to yet. There are fears and doubts that creep in at such times, nagging in the back of my mind and suggesting that perhaps this condition might restrict my son from enjoying the best life has to give. A successful marriage and family of his own. The pursuit of higher education and a career he is both passionate about and talented in. Basic interactions with others as an adult. Unlike my fantasy novels, I don't know how this story will develop, and I can't produce a magical device to save him from this trial.
I got the news last week, but it still makes me tear up a bit if I let myself dwell on the "bad" possibilities.
Of course, I also have a lot of hope as well. My son is unique. He is smart. He is caring. So, instead of shaping my idea of what the best life is, I get to reassess as time goes along and let him show me what the best life for him is. Aside from the fact that he is high functioning, he has a lot going for him. I have faith that as my wife and I do our best, things will work out the way they are supposed to. There is a scripture verse in the new testament (Philippians 4:13) that states "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." I know that I have seen that principle at work in my life. I suppose now I will learn anew what it means as I watch my son grow and develop.
I can't say now what lessons and blessings in life will come from this added trial, but I can say that each of my kids have already taught me so much. Ironic, I suppose, that they should teach me so much when I am the parent, but it's true.
Through them I have learned to be more kind, more patient, humble (especially when my 4th grader understands math that I still don't), and a host of other things. When my boys come into my gym, or watch me at a powerlifting meet, I try harder because I know they think the world of me and depend on me. I suspect I will learn much more from my son with autism. That is, after all, what life is about isn't it-- learning and developing into our best selves. That's why families are so important, especially in a world as chaotic as ours is.
If you have read this far... well, then "good on ya," as a dear friend of mine would say. This likely isn't the kind of post you expect from me, but writing is my outlet, and so this was the best way I knew how to express what I was feeling.
I'm still a bit apprehensive about what the future will ultimately bring for my son, I suppose I always will be, as any parent is concerned for the welfare of their children. I guess what I am getting at, is that we all have trials. Some are less expected than others. Some are more serious than others. Still, kind of like putting extra weight on a bar at the gym, if we meet these trials and put forth our best efforts, relying upon our God to give us the extra bit of encouragement and strength that we need, we'll come out all the stronger for it.
Thanks for taking the time to read this post.
This past week was quite busy. Of course, I had the USPA 2017 Utah State Powerlifting Championship meet on Saturday. It was a ton of fun and I pushed myself to get a couple new personal records. (You can read about that and see videos here) I have also been putting some final touches on The Eye of Tanglewood Forest, and commissioning art for the World of Terramyr Wikia page as well as overseeing artwork for a couple new books coming out later on this year.
And... I got some test results back that diagnosed one of my sons with autism.
We tried to get my son tested before, back when we first relocated to the United States after resigning from the U.S. Department of State. At the time, the therapist was sure our son didn't have autism, but rather some anxiety and sensory issues. However, after working with anxiety and sensory overload issues for some time, we had him tested again, a bit more thoroughly and with a different doctor. This time the tests showed that he did, in fact, have autism. He is high-functioning, and therefore is able to do a lot of things that many people with autism can't, but that only makes it slightly less scary for me if I am honest.
The upside is there are a lot of resources in our area that can help. Support groups, autism units in schools, and even a full out school for kids with any kind of autism spectrum disorder. But, even with all of that, and the mountain of information the doctors and therapists gave us, I still am not too proud to admit that I spent a decent amount of time crying for my kid.
As a parent, you want to give your kids the best in life. I'm not talking about the latest iPhone, or the trendiest clothes, but about the best quality of life. It has been hard to see him struggle with simple conversations. It's been nearly impossible to explain why he behaves the way he does, or gets literally lost in his own imagination. On the one hand, it's almost nice to be able to name the cause of these and other issues, but frankly I had hoped they were all phases brought on by anxiety, as the first doctor had thought. It's easier now to explain to his primary teachers or school teachers what's going on, but now there are other questions that I can't see the answers to yet. There are fears and doubts that creep in at such times, nagging in the back of my mind and suggesting that perhaps this condition might restrict my son from enjoying the best life has to give. A successful marriage and family of his own. The pursuit of higher education and a career he is both passionate about and talented in. Basic interactions with others as an adult. Unlike my fantasy novels, I don't know how this story will develop, and I can't produce a magical device to save him from this trial.
I got the news last week, but it still makes me tear up a bit if I let myself dwell on the "bad" possibilities.
Of course, I also have a lot of hope as well. My son is unique. He is smart. He is caring. So, instead of shaping my idea of what the best life is, I get to reassess as time goes along and let him show me what the best life for him is. Aside from the fact that he is high functioning, he has a lot going for him. I have faith that as my wife and I do our best, things will work out the way they are supposed to. There is a scripture verse in the new testament (Philippians 4:13) that states "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." I know that I have seen that principle at work in my life. I suppose now I will learn anew what it means as I watch my son grow and develop.
I can't say now what lessons and blessings in life will come from this added trial, but I can say that each of my kids have already taught me so much. Ironic, I suppose, that they should teach me so much when I am the parent, but it's true.
Through them I have learned to be more kind, more patient, humble (especially when my 4th grader understands math that I still don't), and a host of other things. When my boys come into my gym, or watch me at a powerlifting meet, I try harder because I know they think the world of me and depend on me. I suspect I will learn much more from my son with autism. That is, after all, what life is about isn't it-- learning and developing into our best selves. That's why families are so important, especially in a world as chaotic as ours is.
If you have read this far... well, then "good on ya," as a dear friend of mine would say. This likely isn't the kind of post you expect from me, but writing is my outlet, and so this was the best way I knew how to express what I was feeling.
I'm still a bit apprehensive about what the future will ultimately bring for my son, I suppose I always will be, as any parent is concerned for the welfare of their children. I guess what I am getting at, is that we all have trials. Some are less expected than others. Some are more serious than others. Still, kind of like putting extra weight on a bar at the gym, if we meet these trials and put forth our best efforts, relying upon our God to give us the extra bit of encouragement and strength that we need, we'll come out all the stronger for it.
Thanks for taking the time to read this post.
