Update:
Before turning in my test socket at the prosthetic lab, we made a
couple of adjustments that really improved my comfort level. I am looking forward to getting my new
prosthesis on Friday afternoon. Until
then, I am wheelchair bound. It is hard
to go backwards in mobility. I know that
I can make it for five days—but I am looking forward to getting my leg back. While I was at the lab, my prosthetist asked
if I could walk without the parallel bars or my cane. I thought that I could because I have taken
2-3 steps like that at home. I had no
problem walking without any assistance; I walked back and forth for quite some
time. Leah told me that my form looked
perfect; no shoulder droop or swaying.
So I am getting very comfortable on my prosthesis and should continue to
improve on a regular basis. Here's the design that I am having embedded in my new prosthesis:
Jon helped me go pick up my motorcycle from the shop and bring it
home. They called me right after I
turned my prosthesis in to the lab. That
was probably best because I would have ridden the motorcycle without my
doctor’s approval. I know that I could
have done it—but I want to be very wise and not hurt myself by rushing my
progress too quickly. So from that stand
point, I’m glad that I don’t have my leg this week—it removes temptation.
Jon cleaned the garage and I sat outside in my wheelchair and helped
where I could. There is still a lot of
sorting and putting away that needs to be done; but the big work has been
accomplished. I am very thankful for Jon
giving up his afternoon; and to be fair, he made most of the mess in the garage
working on cars last fall and this spring.
Ruth along with Kate and Karen made a wonderful meal for the family Monday
evening. During the meal, David’s wife,
Amelia, got me laughing so hard and long, that food was coming out of my
mouth. I haven’t laughed like that for a
long, long time. After dinner, Jon and
David and I played Scrabble. David has
become a fairly aggressive player and even put Jon to shame tonight.
Tuesday, I need to make good progress on my Sunday message and need to
get some answers to several phone messages and emails that I left with
people. I also plan on doing a serious
physical workout. I probably should make
some notes for my talk I’ll give at Arrowhead Bible Camp’s Men’s Archery Weekend.
Thought for the Day:
Victor Frankl, survivor of a Nazi concentration camp, said, “The last
of human freedoms is to choose one’s attitude in any given set of
circumstances.”
Did you realize that your attitude is a choice? “Our attitudes are formed by our experiences
and how we choose to react to them.
Therefore, as long as we live, we are forming, changing, or reinforcing
attitudes. There is no such thing as an
unalterable attitude” [John Maxwell, How High Will You Climb].
In our early years, our attitudes are preset by our personal disposition
and by our family upbringing. But as we
grow older, we have more and more choice over how we respond to certain
situations. If we want to we can, over
time, change our typical response.
Think of your attitude like the thermostat on a HVAC unit. Maybe you are cold-natured so you set your
thermostat to keep your house warm (what others would say is hot) at 78 degrees
during the winter. But after getting an
expensive fuel bill for last month, you decide to knock the temperature down to
70 degrees. It may take a while but
after a time, your body will adjust to the new normal you have decided
upon. Eventually, you will think that
the house at 70 degrees in the winter is fine.
Our attitudes are very similar.
Suppose you dislike politicians of any type. The moment you see a TV advertisement, or a
sign in a yard, or see campaign literature in your mail, your blood begins to
boil. That is a learned response to certain stimuli—what has been learned can
be unlearned.
Have you ever said something like this, “That person makes me so MAD!!!!” Actually that person didn’t make you
made. Your response to that person or
their actions may have been wrong, hurtful, or stupid; but you got mad all by
yourself. Nobody “makes you mad.” You’ve chosen that response and over time you’ve
reinforced that response so it is what happens when you see that person or encounter
their special brand of stupidity. That doesn’t
mean that the other person’s actions are okay.
It just means you have the ability to choose how you will respond.
For instance, I used to yell at drivers who cut me off. I would have an emotional outburst of anger, “STUPID!!!” A little later I would often accidently do
something similar to another driver and say to myself, “Sorry!” That is when I realized that anger was the
incorrect response to other people’s driving.
Fear and caution might be appropriate or even thankfulness that I managed
to avoided an accident; but raging, burning anger wasn’t a productive response
to those kinds of situation.
Ever get angry at your kid for being childish and spilling their milk
at the table? I quit getting angry when
I realized it was a selfish response on my part to the inconvenience of having
to do extra work cleaning it up. I also realized
that the best way to ensure your kid spills their milk is to react in such a
way as to produce fear of punishment and anxiety over spilling the milk. You can bet that they will be so nervous that
their odds of spilling again have gone up exponentially. Think
about it. Spilling milk is
childish. When you kid is young—what are
they? A child. So a child is acting like a child. What is there to be mad about? We cannot expect them to act like
responsible, mature adults all of the time (Hey, I don’t even act like a
mature, responsible adult all of the time).
Kids will be kids. Don’t cry over
spilled milk. Teach them and train them
how to avoid spilling next time—but curb your anger—it’s often inappropriate
and it definitely isn’t helpful.
Think of any event that gets an emotional response out of you: an
injury, an accident, a flat tire, the washing machine breaks, being late to
work because of someone else, being treated unfairly, or being cheated. You get to choose how you will respond and
what your outlook will be.
I know from personal experience that people don’t like to be around
angry, spiteful, negative people. So if
you recognize those kind of attitudes in yourself why not do everybody around
you a favor (including yourself) and choose to have a different attitude?
At first it will be a constant, mental struggle to not respond the way
you always have; but give it some time and you will be sporting a brand new “tude.”
The bible says “Have this attitude in
yourselves…” (Philippians 2:5) indicating that we can choose our attitude. So take stock of your normal response and
attitude about life’s difficulties. If
you don’t like what you find—change it.
You have the power to choose.
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