I - N - N... INN

For years, David has known how to finger spell his name and give his phone number in sign language.  He also knows a few other important signs, such as potty, eat, pop, help, etc.  I am now trying to teach David finger-spelling of all words.  This isn't really a difficult task because David enjoys looking at magazines and has often asked us to verbally spell specific words (shampoo, hotel, for, never, Chevrolet, etc.)  My goal is to help David learn to communicate with us better.

One day, while running some errands, we were stopped near a LaQuinta Inn.  Now, if you know David at all, you know that he loves vacations and he loves hotels, motels, and inns.  Anywhere he can lie down on someone else's bed and watch TV is a good thing to him.  So, here are we waiting by a LaQuinta Inn and David wants to spell it out.  Instead of just verbally spelling it, I take the time to teach him how to finger spell each letter.  The LaQuinta part didn't stick, but the Inn part did.  David is constantly (at least from my perspective) spelling I-N-N.  David wants to go on a vacation, and this is his way of communicating that to me.

On Saturday afternoon, Rich, David and I went out to lunch with our older brother John.  We were sitting at the table talking about nothing special when all of a sudden David starts spelling D-A-Y-S   I-N-N.  Days Inn is David's most favorite hotel chain.  He finds their ads in his magazines and comes running to show us and to spell the words out.  So, back to the restaurant.  We spelled  D-A-Y-S   I-N-N  for David several times.  When done, John just starts laughing.  He comments about how David's thoughts are fixated on hotels, and Days Inn in particular.  There was nothing about our conversation that would have prompted David to think of vacation or travels.  Days Inn was just on his mind.  John even related David's behavior to a Far Side cartoon where a man is having a conversation with a dog, but the thought bubble over the dog's head shows the dog is just thinking "woof, woof, woof."

For nine and a half years, our pastor has been trying to get our church to incorporate the very real person of Jesus Christ into our everyday existance.  Bro. Schaap is trying to teach us that Jesus should be a part of every thought we have, every action we take, etc.  Last night I realized that David is more aware of the presence of Days Inns and the joy they give him than I am of the presence of Jesus Christ and all He gives to me.  I was very convicted.  So, my goal is to start walking around thinking about J-E-S-U-S and making Him a part of every thought and action.  Will you join me?