November 4th

These two texts tend to bring two different approaches to the mentally handicapped. The boys next door tend to be a lighter side of things. Showing that these people are innocent and fun. All with there own little quarks. I have actually seen the movie version of this and I love it. I would love if we could watch it in class. But to see the deep personalities each one has is exciting to watch. I love the scene where everyone is hiding their stuff under their shirts. With the donuts under the shirt and the coal under the shirt just makes me want to laugh.  It is just so sweet to think about it from their point of view, that they actually thought it would work. That no one would notice. I find it fully that Sheila calls Norman fat and he says she is no skinny Minnie herself. I will have to say I pull from my memories of watching the movie than actually reading the text. Being able to see it with my eyes is best for me. But I do understand that it is good to leave some stuff up to the imagination.

The text written by Dr. Fettke was interesting to me. I actually have a class with him and he has talked about his son often. His perspective is amazing to listen to and often challenging to my own perspective. I have had little encounter with handicapped people and can see why the church has not done too well with how they deal with the handicapped. My church does have a special class for autistic kids that allow the parents to leave them so they can go attend church without having to focus on the needs of their children. We have to have trained staff and camera but it is well worth it. I feel like something like that is not only helping the person but their whole family. Giving them time to take a breath and just be in God’s presence. I don’t know that there are only like 5 other churches that we know of that do similar things. I do feel the church needs to step it up in this area, and maybe that means pointing my finger back at myself. I heard one pastor say that he never prays for something that he know he can be the answer for. Maybe it will take people like me steeping up and advocating for this cause.