Beautiful People...Part 2

 

By Dan Getz, Blogger

www.Dance4One.blogspot.com

June 7, 2011 at 6:55 am CST

One or two weeks ago, I wrote my first “Beautiful People” Blog Post, and talked a little about Mother Theresa, a Christian artist and musician, Jason Upton, and my friend Albert Cheng who escaped the Khmer Rouge from the jungles of Cambodia 32 years ago.  Today, I want to continue this theme…

People Groups are made up of People…and well, People consist of Persons…or Individuals.  Some Individuals are Tall…Other’s are short…Some are Big…While many are Small…Some have identifying marks on their body that tell a story…tattoos…birth marks…or scars, while others are quite plain…But then you encounter a person that is often quite different from the rest…TRULY UNIQUE…and a Very Special Person…a person or persons that I have begun to call, as Jason Upton…a song writer…modern day psalmist, and spiritual leader has done in his fairly recent album…BEAUTIFUL…or Beautiful People…

One such Beautiful Person I have had the great honor of knowing for several years is Nate Wood.  Recently, I had the privilege of interviewing his mom…Mindy Wood (writermindyrwood@gmail.com), writer for the Shawnee Outlook Magazine in Shawnee, Oklahoma and these were my candid questions and her replies…

Dan/Dance4One – Mindy, you know I love Nate and have seen what I would describe, at times as a struggle for you, Nate, and your husband, Jarod.  Can you tell me precisely what you know TODAY about Nate’s condition, according to what the doctors, specialists and you personally have observed over the years?

Mindy (Nate’s Mom) - What we know is that Nate has a seizure disorder. In fact what we don't know about him is more than what we do know! With 32 billion synapses in the brain...all kinds of things can get mixed up. According to a master certified neurodevelopmentalist, Nate's brain is “mixed dominant” which basically means he has a very hard time processing what he sees and hears from short term memory to long term memory so he can easily access information. He's 12 and for years struggled to read even simple words and do basic math. He has ADHD, SPD, didn't talk until he was five, couldn't understand him until he was seven! Probably really high functioning autistic but that's not official. I loathe labels. They just stick and do nothing. He has quite an eye for design with regard to space (arrangements of furniture or objects), can find a better way to do anything that has to do with hammers, wood, nails, and cars. Been working with air tools since he was two and I'm not even kidding. Thanks Dad for that.

                                                                                                         

Dan/Dance4One – Mindy, can you relate to me and others what your most memorable experience…either traumatic or very, very good…you recall as a mother with regard to Nate?

Mindy (Nate’s Mom) – It's a hundred little things I think but the biggest thing is Nate's made [one] year's worth of progress in math and reading in less than 9months because of the new program he's on. The little things that amaze me is his simple understanding of God, the things of God (wait maybe that's a big thing!) When he prays I swear Satan himself trembles at his rages. He's a powerful little guy of prayer and very much a prophet so he can be surprisingly discerning and intuitive. He sees what isn't seen, hears what isn't heard. He's the most loving, affectionate child and at the same time the most passionate and stubborn. I'm amazed by things he teaches me. Like the time I was extremely frustrated/angry with him and on the verge of tears. “Mom,” he said. “It's just that when you get frustrated, I get frustrated and it hurts my heart.” Tears fell. “Oh mom, don't cry. It's ok!” It never occurred to me that my frustration made him frustrated with himself and it hurt him. He expressed it so well and yet forgave me immediately!

Dan/Dance4One – Mindy, what would be your #1 piece of advice to give others that have children or loved ones with characteristics similar to Nates?

Mindy (Nate’s Mom) – Don't underestimate the power of God and the wisdom He can give you and others who can help your child. Don't underestimate what your child knows but can't necessarily get out in words. A strong will can be a mighty force against the evil they will face if you teach them to love what is right, teach them to love Christ. NEVER stop searching for help for your child and NEVER settle for a diagnosis. Fight it with everything you have inside but love and accept them as they are. Delicate balance between trying to fix your child and trying to nurture your child to success. Please also check out www.littlegiantsteps.com and I don't care what the diagnosis is, these amazing people can help any child's brain function better!

Dan Getz is Owner & Operator, as well as Blogger for Dance4One, an arts and entertainment company devoted to connecting Art and Business through Faith.  Be Art.  Do Business.  Have Faith.  For more information on Dance4One, you can visit http://www.dance4one.blogspot.com/ which now carries a DAILY BLOG covering Economics, Politics, Religion and MORE, and NOW READ in 22 Nations, http://www.dance4one.com/, or Twitter @Dance4One.