Carolyn McWilliams Brown describes the origin of the story, All You Want and Then Some.
When Katie was three years old, we welcomed the arrival of Parker and eighteen months later, Cash. Parker was a happy baby but very busy and just before his second birthday, he experienced a seizure in his highchair. He was diagnosed with epilepsy and the developmental disorder, PDD-NOS. In the months that followed his seizures increased and with his limited vocabulary, he would often exclaim, "Eye hurt big." This concern, compounded by a newborn and an attempt to keep life normal for Katie, led to severe sleep deprivation for my husband and me.
It was then that God sent a special neighbor, a nurse-grandmother-disciple, to serve us during our time of greatest need. Although she was fighting her own battle with cancer, she loved us unconditionally and as a seasoned parent, could anticipate and act upon our needs well in advance. She spent quality time with Katie creating childhood memories and became the vehicle for modeling a servant's heart. As her relationship with our family grew, the humble, Christlike attitude of this remarkable woman became so apparent that even Katie (age 4) noted, “Jesus must be a lot like Bella.”
When a landscaper had a fatal encounter with a speeding car in front of our home, we felt that we could no longer remain on that street since by this time, Parker was prone to wandering. God led us to a new house and blessed us with neighbors that were compassionate and willing to rally around our family to keep him safe.
As per the divine plan, we moved next door to a family who was making arrangements for the anticipated passing of their severely disabled one year old son. We were given a chance to share what we had learned from Bella, and prayed for and ministered to that hurting family. That little boy clung to life however, and five years later, we cheered him on and tearfully celebrated God's glory when he walked unassisted across the kitchen floor.
About the Title
As I was putting my ideas for this book into writing, my father passed away unexpectedly and once again, Bella was a source of emotional support. The title, All You Want and Then Some, was a phrase my dad frequently used when referring to the volume of food at the dinner table, his supply of duct tape, rope, baling wire, Old Spice aftershave and anything else he kept in excessive quantity. I wanted to remember him in my first publication and this phrase, which he never delivered with any spiritual meaning, made the connection I was looking for between Bella and Christ: our Lord faithfully provides for our needs, and because He is a loving and generous God, is eager to satisfy some of our wants as well - even if it’s just squishy marshmallows that float.
His blessings are abundant! |
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