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GOD LIVES UNDER THE BED... Kevin's Story...


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#1 WreckWench

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Posted 14 May 2012 - 01:01 PM

GOD LIVES UNDER THE BED

I envy Kevin, My brother. Kevin thinks God lives under his bed. At least that's what I heard him say one night.


He was praying out loud in his dark bedroom, and I stopped to listen, 'Are you there God?' he said. 'Where are you? Oh, I see. Under the bed....'

I giggled softly and tiptoed off to my own room. Kevin's unique perspectives are often a source of amusement. But that night something else lingered long after the humor. I realized for the first time the very different world Kevin lives in.

He was born 30 years ago, mentally disabled as a result of difficulties during labor. Apart from his size (he's 6-foot-2), there are few ways in which he is an adult.

He reasons and communicates with the capabilities of a 7-year-old, and he always will. He will probably always believe that God lives under his bed, that Santa Claus is the one who fills the space under our tree every Christmas and that airplanes stay up in the sky because angels carry them.


I remember wondering if Kevin realizes he is different. Is he ever dissatisfied with his monotonous life?

Up before dawn each day, off to work at a workshop for the disabled, home to walk our cocker spaniel, return to eat his favorite macaroni-and-cheese for dinner, and later to bed.

The only variation in the entire scheme is laundry, when he hovers excitedly over the washing machine like a mother with her newborn child.

He does not seem dissatisfied.

He lopes out to the bus every morning at 7:05, eager for a day of simple work.

He wrings his hands excitedly while the water boils on the stove before dinner, and he stays up late twice a week to gather our dirty laundry for his next day's laundry chores.

And Saturdays - oh, the bliss of Saturdays! That's the day my Dad takes Kevin to the airport to have a soft drink, watch the planes land, and speculate loudly on the destination of each passenger inside. 'That one's goin' to Chi-car-go! ' Kevin shouts as he claps his hands.

His anticipation is so great he can hardly sleep on Friday nights. And so goes his world of daily rituals and weekend field trips.

He doesn't know what it means to be discontent.

His life is simple.

He will never know the entanglements of wealth or power, and he does not care what brand of clothing he wears or what kind of food he eats. His needs have always been met, and he never worries that one day they may not be.

His hands are diligent. Kevin is never so happy as when he is working. When he unloads the dishwasher or vacuums the carpet, his heart is completely in it.

He does not shrink from a job when it is begun, and he does not leave a job until it is finished. But when his tasks are done, Kevin knows how to relax.
He is not obsessed with his work or the work of others. His heart is pure.

He still believes everyone tells the truth, promises must be kept, and when you are wrong, you apologize instead of argue.

Free from pride and unconcerned with appearances, Kevin is not afraid to cry when he is hurt, angry or sorry. He is always transparent, always sincere.

And he trusts God.

Not confined by intellectual reasoning, when he comes to Christ, he comes as a child. Kevin seems to know God - to really be friends with Him in a way that is difficult for an 'educated' person to grasp. God seems like his closest companion.

In my moments of doubt and frustrations with my Christianity, I envy the security Kevin has in his simple faith.

It is then that I am most willing to admit that he has some divine knowledge that rises above my mortal questions.

It is then I realize that perhaps he is not the one with the handicap. I am. My obligations, my fear, my pride, my circumstances - they all become disabilities when I do not trust them to God's care.

Who knows if Kevin comprehends things I can never learn? After all, he has spent his whole life in that kind of innocence, praying after dark and soaking up the goodness and love of God.

And one day, when the mysteries of heaven are opened, and we are all amazed at how close God really is to our hearts, I'll realize that God heard the simple prayers of a boy who believed that God lived under his bed.

Kevin won't be surprised at all !


When you read this, say a prayer or meditate or fill your hearts with good thoughts. That's all you have to do but if we all do this, it is powerful.



FRIENDS ARE ANGELS WHO LIFT US TO OUR FEET WHEN OUR WINGS HAVE TROUBLE REMEMBERING HOW TO FLY .......

Just thinking about a friend makes you want to do a happy dance, because a friend is someone who loves you in spite of your faults." — Charles M. Schulz

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#2 Sharklover

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Posted 15 May 2012 - 08:55 AM

We have a Kevin in the family. He lives trapped in his body without the ability to speak or move freely. We never thought we would have him this long, but after some last ditch and very experimental surgery a few years back, he is now 14. Hard to know what goes on in his mind, but he is thought to be cognitively intact for the most part.

He is innocent, happy, content and lights up everyone around him.

Here is a video of his Make a Wish trip in 2006. Hard to believe he is still here with us. God is good. Hang on to the end, you will see the smile of an angel.


Edited by Sharklover, 15 May 2012 - 08:56 AM.

For whatever we lose (like a you or a me), it's always ourselves we find in the sea....ee cummings

#3 WreckWench

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Posted 15 May 2012 - 09:47 AM

Tears flow as I watch that beautiful clip... :thankyou: for sharing! And yes that smile was an :angel2:

Contact me directly at Kamala@SingleDivers.com for your private or group travel needs or 864-557-6079 AND don't miss SD's 2018-2021 Trips! ....here! Most are once in a lifetime opportunities...don't miss the chance to go!!
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"Imitation is the sincerest flattery." - Gandhi
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Kamala Shadduck c/o SingleDivers.com LLC
2234 North Federal Hwy, #1010 Boca Raton, FL 33431
formerly...
710 Dive Buddy Lane; Salem, SC 29676
864-557-6079 tel/celfone/office or tollfree fax 888-480-0906

#4 Sharklover

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Posted 15 May 2012 - 10:15 AM

Tears flow as I watch that beautiful clip... :thankyou: for sharing! And yes that smile was an :angel2:


Then I am sure that God will forgive me for using topics like pooping, farting, belching, and frogs to get that smile out of him. It's strange, he has never been in regular school, he has no brothers,has two sisters, a very girly mother, and somehow he is ALL BOY.
For whatever we lose (like a you or a me), it's always ourselves we find in the sea....ee cummings




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