Thursday (10/30/2014)

Thought for the Day:

This morning’s devotional thought from Os Hillman was so perfect, I decided to include it in its entirety:

Worship and Work

Romans 14:5   “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike.”

“Avodah (Ah´-voe-dah) is a Hebrew noun used in the Bible that has two distinct yet intertwined meanings: worship and work. It is also derived from the Hebrew verb L'Avod which has two meanings; to work and also to worship. The dual meaning offers powerful wisdom for modern times for how we are to view our work lives.”

“Work, if done with integrity and unto God, is a form of worship in the biblical Hebrew context. There has never been a concept of segmenting our work from our faith life in the Bible. It is in the realm of the sacred to bring God into our everyday life. Hebrews did not set aside a "day of worship," such as Saturday or Sunday, but everyday is a place and time of worship. They did set aside a Sabbath day of rest.”

“It is a western idea to segment one's faith life from our work like. In the Middle East and Asia, their cultures would never separate their faith from their work life even though their faith foundations might clearly contradict Christian beliefs. When someone comes to faith in Christ from this area of the world, they have an easier time of assimilating their faith into their work because they have always done so.”

“God calls us to do our work as an act of worship to Him. Our work is not to be a place of sweat and toil, but an expression of our love, faith and adoration of Jesus Christ. Today, before you work, ask God to help you see your work in a new way--as worship to Him.”  [Os Hillman, Today God Is First (TGIF), on-line devotional, 10/30/2014].

So what differences would it make in your life if you approached your work as a form of worship?  Potentially, I see a change in attitude.  Work as worship removes some of the drudgery and the mundane aspects of the daily 9-to-5 grind.  Its importance is elevated; it is no longer “just a job.”  If I see my work as a part of my worship, my motivation changes.  Perhaps some of my words and actions will need to be changed as well.  Questionable practices would need to be eliminated.  How I look at and treat others might need some revision.  The idea of seeking to “please the boss” takes on a whole new meaning as well.  Work as worship also makes my life a unified whole—no longer segmented into separate and distinct pieces because it would challenge our “traditional” division of life into work, my time (time off), and God’s time.  In reality it is all God’s time.  Our workplace is a part of the specific mission field that God has placed you in.  You don’t have to be a hell-fire breathing, bible thumper who obnoxiously confronts everyone with their spiritual condition.  Instead, your work, your attitudes, the manner in which you speak, etc. would be a part of a “silent testimony.”  Perhaps there would be a few, appropriate opportunities to say a word for Jesus; but your life itself should be a reflection of your Christian faith and be enough to make people question, “Why are they so positively different from everyone else at work?”

I am certain that there would be plenty of other adjustments to make the transition to work as worship.  What others can you think of?

Colossians 3:17  “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Wednesday (10/29/2014)

Update :

As of yesterday, I am wheelchair bound again.  My prosthetic leg is not fitting well and is painful to wear.  Doctors are worried that I will damage my knee or the soft tissue if I continue to wear this one.  So I was told by my prosthetist (makes and adjusts the prosthesis) that I needed to set up an appointment with the Physiatrist (Rehab Doctor) for the three of us.  The prosthetist and I needed to explain to the Physiatrist what was going wrong and what we had tried.  She would write the prescription to build me a new prosthetic leg.

When I called the doctor’s office and asked for an appointment I was given November 19^th, almost three weeks away!  That would mean I would be in a wheelchair for over a month while my new leg was being built.  I asked if there was any chance of getting squeezed in sooner. While I was waiting to hear if there was (the scheduler was doubtful) I started praying for patience to endure the wait.  It is the last thing that I wanted to do but I told God that I would accept the delay.  I just had finished that prayer and the scheduler asked if I could be at the Doctor’s office in 45 minutes.  They just had a cancellation that morning.  “YES!!!”  I called the prosthetist to let her know and check her availability.  Then I flew out of my office.  I had to go by the house to put my prosthesis on and grab some parts for the wheelchair, etc. 

Normally I leave at least 45 minutes before an appointment from home.  I was leaving the office with less than 45 minutes and I had to don my prosthesis and wheel myself through the long hospital corridors to my doctor’s office by myself.  I slid into the waiting room right on time.  Whew!  My blood pressure was a little elevated by the rush but I made it.

I was so grateful that Leah, my prosthetist was able to quickly type up the notes we needed and met me at the doctor’s office.  I am also thankful that the scheduler checked and offered me a crazy appointment too.  Dr. Schmidt told me that the person who had “my” time slot had just cancelled sometime earlier in the morning.  Timing is everything!

I am waiting for a smaller silicone liner to arrive (my current one is a size too large now).  I have an appointment for next Tuesday, November 4^th to have my leg cast.  I’ll get a test socket about a week later (made of plastic and fiberglass).  That can easily be adjusted so that we can perfect the fit before building me another check socket.  Once I’ve gotten a good fit with the test socket (a few weeks) they’ll take that to use as a mold to build the check socket.  So I will be without a leg for another week later in November.

Despite delays and waiting, I am on the way and making progress.  The Physiatrist was rather shocked to see me because just 19 days before I had an appointment with her and had absolutely no problems and here I was back again so suddenly.

I continue to lose weight and gain muscle strength.  Those two things along with the normal reduction in limb size that all amputees go through caused this change.   My doctor was very pleased with weight loss and muscle gain.  She also commended me for not let this current problem go on too long and I develop a skin breakdown or other tissue damage.  I really can’t take too much credit for that.  It hurt too bad to walk.  Even a GUY can figure out that he needs help when that happens!

Tuesday (10/28/2014)

Update:

Monday is my day off and usually I would have gone to work out at the gym and then gone deer hunting in the afternoon.  But my prosthetic leg had different plans.  Last Thursday, I had excruciating pain because of the improper fit of my prosthesis.  Then on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, I chose to minimize walking and see what would happen.  I was in slight pain; but it was bearable.  On Monday morning, I had planned to go to gym but my leg hurt so much and I couldn’t get it adjusted so that I felt like it would do any damage the tissue; so I decided not to go.  I was hoping to get my issues worked out and find just the right combination of socks so that I could go hunting.  Sadly, it became abundantly clear to me that I wasn’t going anywhere that was more than a couple of dozen steps on Monday.

I put a call in to prosthetist’s office letting them know I needed help and then went to lunch with my youngest son, Joshua.  After lunch I got my mother-in-law’s cell phone repaired (she’s on our plan) and then picked up a few items at Sam’s.  Side Note: I’ve got to say that Sam’s has the best handicapped parking and the best motorized carts of any store in the area.

After Sam’s I went to the prosthetic lab for an appointment.  I spent 2 ½ hours there as my prosthetist tried numerous adjustments.  Between each adjustment I had to walk until I was experiencing pain (which didn’t take more than 20-30 steps each time).  Then I had to describe exactly where it hurt and what it felt like.  We did this over and over again for the entire time.  The pain was never excruciating; but it was fairly constant and instead of trying to ignore it, I had to focus on it to describe it—that only intensified the pain.  By the time I got home I was pretty well wiped out from the strain.  I was told to go home and rest the leg for the rest of the evening. 

On Tuesday, I am supposed to try the leg again on the chance that some of the pain was due to all the abuse the leg took on Monday afternoon’s failed attempts.  Most likely I will be in pain and severely limited in my mobility.  I am supposed to keep a journal and then let my prosthetist know all the details each day (I did that over the weekend and she really appreciated the info).  She told me that the next couple day will probably verify that it is time to build a new socket.  My leg is now such a different shape from what it started out as in March that we can no longer make the adjustments necessary to relieve the pain.   Measurements indicate that my residual leg is almost an inch shorter and about 2 inches smaller in diameter since the initial measurements taken in March 2014.  As is normal, the size change is not uniform.  A new socket will be perfectly shaped to fit my leg, so I won’t have any issues with the fit and resulting pain.  The new leg should last 3-4 years.  I am progressing normally for an amputee.  I have added the twist of losing over 40 pounds so far which adds an additional level of difficulty in keeping me fitting well.

So it is time to get serious about finding the t-shirt design for my next prosthetic leg.  I really like how my current leg turned out.  Maybe I’ll just do that one again.   We’ll see if I can find another design that is something I’d like to wear for the next few years.  It is sort of like having a short-term tattoo.

I am grateful for the great care I am getting from my prosthetist and medical team.  Much of what they are doing for me is similar to a sharpshooter trying to hit a moving target while riding on a horse.  I’d be so lost without their expertise and experience. 

Thought for the Day:

With it starting to get into the prime bow hunting, the timing of my leg not fitting properly is a bit frustrating; so I hope that I can still manage to get out to the woods over the next few weeks.  No matter what happens I have been able to get out and enjoy the woods more this year than I did last, so I will be content (yet somewhat disappointed) if I cannot.

Contentment is difficult to obtain at times.  We face disappointments, change of plans, and reversals of fortune all the time.  Things just don’t work out.  People fail us.  Situations change.  Most of these things happen outside of our control.  It would be so easy to become despondent over these loses; but why should we let them do that?  If we did, the end result would be that these uncontrolled events would suck all the joy of our lives out of us.  We’d be left with dried up husk of bitterness and disappointment.

While it is true that we face disappointments and loss, we also encounter moments of joy and beauty.  I believe that by a significant margin these positive aspects seriously outnumber the negative things that happen to us.  We tend to focus upon the negative and forget to notice the positive.  You might have a number of positive things happen to you in a day; but let just one negative thing happen and what do we focus upon and remember?  One of the things we must do is learn to look and remember all the good things that we have encountered recently.  We need to magnify those things and minimize the negative things.

If we choose to focus our attention on the positive, our hearts will be lighter, our thoughts will be brighter, and our outlook will be sunnier.  This is not to say that hard and difficult things are happening to us; but we just don’t benefit by continual introspection and dwelling upon those things.  Although it may feel like it, our lives are not ruined and certainly our lives are not over because of the imperfections we face.

The way most of us go through life is like finding a $100 bill on the ground and then focusing on the fact that it isn’t crisp and clean and it has a slight tear in it, instead of realizing that WE ARE $100 RICHER!!!!!

Philippians 4:8   “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

Monday (10/27/2014)

Thought for the Day:

“Faith is predicated on a strong relationship with God.  In fact, it is a natural by-product of the relationship.  My pastor is fond of saying that it is difficult to trust someone you do not know.  It is his way of admonishing the congregation to continually seek the presence of God.”  [Shundrawn Thomas, Ridiculous Faith].

I had a conversation with someone just the other day about the difficulty of knowing if what a stranger told you about their situation was true or not.  It is much easier to “read” our friends and acquaintances.  We have a frame of reference from which to evaluate their story.  We know if they have a tendency to exaggerate of put a positive spin upon what they are saying.   We’re better able to read their body language, giving us clues about the validity of their account.  We have often shared enough life with them that our “baloney meter” is pretty well calibrated.

But a stranger is usually a tougher read.  Especially if they have good acting and communication skills, they might easily pull the wool over our eyes and get away with a fabricated story. 

All you need is to be burned a few times by being sucked into someone’s story (which you later find to be untrue) to develop a distrust or suspicion of people you don’t know.  After finding out you’ve been lied to a number of times; you just assume that everyone is lying to you every time.  It is a protective measure that is hardwired into most of our brains.

We’ve all heard the saying, “Fool me once, shame on you.  Fool me twice, shame on me.”  After you’ve been disappointed a number of times, you develop a thick skin towards trusting anyone ever again.

That also happens with God.  If you don’t have a close, personal relationship with Him, you don’t really know Him.  You may know stuff about Him; but if most of your knowledge about God and His ways comes secondhand and is only hearsay; that isn’t much of a relationship on which to base your trust and faith upon.  In fact, you may really have a poor understanding about who God is and how He does things.  If you base your evaluation of how trustworthy God on your faulty assumptions, God will never come out looking too good.

Have you ever really enjoyed an actor in a long-term role?  It becomes easy to believe that the actor is just like your beloved character that they portray.  It is quite a shock to see an interview or read something about the actor that seems out of character to you.  For example they may portray a sweet, sensitive, loving person with all the right answers; but in the interview you find out they really are foul-mouthed, obnoxious, and rather vapid.  What happened?  You based your evaluation on some false assumptions about the person.

The same thing happens with God.  People assume that God would act and think a certain way and are disappointed in Him when He does or says something very different.  The problem is that they don’t really know Him. 

So how do you get to know God?  It is more than going to church weekly and going to Sunday School or joining a small group.  Those things are a start but aren’t really enough.  It takes daily time spent together communicating with one another over a period of time.  It comes from hanging around with other people who really know Him and learning from them as well.  It is going through a number of life events together so that you learn from personal experience what He is like.   If you learn to trust Him in smaller events, it really helps you trust Him when something big comes along.

“It is difficult to trust someone that you do not know.”  So if you want greater faith, then seek a deeper relationship.  If you just aren’t certain that He is trustworthy, then spend more time getting to know Him. 

James 4:8   “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you...” 

Saturday (10/25/2014

Thought for the Day:

I’ve started back on my diet attempting to lose my next 20 pounds.  After losing so much weight this summer, I decided to ease off a bit on my food restriction and excessive exercising—give myself a break.  I wasn’t scarfing down tons of extra food but I did allow myself slightly larger portions and I ate snacks (mixed nuts or celery with a little peanut butter) between meals if I wanted them.  I never regained my weight, in fact I lost a little bit more weight still.  But now I am eating until that first moment that I feel the edge of hunger disappear and then I quit.  It really is amazing how little food that takes!  If I ate until I felt full, I would eat a whole lot more (like I’ve done while ‘off’ my diet).

It is interesting what you crave when your diet is limited.  Popcorn, Cheez-It crackers, and the biscuit from a McDonald’s breakfast sandwich are my three cravings right now.  None of them are on my ‘acceptable food’ list.  I know that they aren’t good for me.  They would fill me up quite well I am certain.  But they wouldn’t help my blood sugar levels which I have nicely maintained by diet and exercise without any medications or insulin (This morning’s reading was 91). 

One thing that I have noticed (and remember) about most ‘snack’ food is how rarely they satisfy you.  Eating some of them just seems to make you eat more of them.  If that is what you fill up on, you need something else pretty quickly.  So I stick to my protein, vegetables, and legumes.

This got me thinking about what really satisfies us mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.  There is all sorts of ‘junk food’ out there for us to feast upon.  What are some of the ways we seek to satisfy what seems to be missing in our lives?  Movies, TV, recreation, shopping, various relationships, drugs, alcohol, work, achievement, sports, etc., etc., etc.  Some of these things aren’t really bad in and of themselves—it is just that if we fill up our lives with these ‘empty calories’ we have no room left for what really satisfies: a relationship with God.

John 6:35    “Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”   (ESV).

I am not talking about religion and religious exercise—I am talking about a personal relationship with God.  Time spent in reading His love letter to us (the bible) and then talking with Him (prayer).  I am talking about learning to rely and trust Jesus not only for our eternal salvation, but for our daily needs as well.

I know this might be a bit heavy for some people reading this but think about how satisfied you really are with life.  How much time do you spend trying to feed that hunger that gnaws inside you? Is it like trying to feed the fire in the fireplace when it is bitterly cold?  Sometimes it seems like all you are doing is throwing more wood on the fire; but never really getting warm.  If this is the way you feel, maybe you are filling your life up with too many of the good things and not enough of the most important thing.

I also noticed that I never really realized how poorly I felt when I was filling myself up with high-calorie snacks.  I thought I felt pretty good until I went cold turkey off of them and then started feeding my body the good stuff.  Now I feel much better!  I didn’t realize the difference it would make.  So perhaps you are feeling okay without God being too involved in your life.  Perhaps you don’t know what you are missing and you are settling for second best.

I hope I’ve given you some food for thought this morning.  Wishing you the best!

(the photo is NOT an endorsement of eating candy).

Thursday (10/23/2014)

Update:

I spent the morning at my prosthetist’s office having my leg adjusted.  I was having several problems that needed to be addressed.  Pain under the knee cap, pain on the bottom edge of the tibia (shin bone), pain at the bone head of the fibula, along with my prosthesis getting stuck on my leg. Yesterday, I had taken several doses of Ibuprofen just to make it through the day because my leg hurt so much.

My prosthetist said it is about time to have a new socket made (the part that your residual limb slips into) however because I still need to lose additional weight, we need to hold off.  Weight loss makes a dramatic difference in the fit of the prosthesis.  So it is important for me to be nearer my goal weight so the next prosthesis lasts a good 3-4 years.  So right now we have to work harder at getting a good fit to extend the life of my current leg.  Sort of like trying to keep your old car running after it is really time to trade it in. 

One of the things I am getting better at is describing exactly where a pain or discomfort is located.  Sometimes it is hard to know exactly what is going on; but eventually through trial and error we get it.  Just having experience wearing a prosthesis helps me to know the difference between good pressure (provides good support) and bad pressure (leads to wounds and complications).  Sometimes it is a fine distinction between those two options.

I already have an appointment for next Thursday to see how I settled into the new support pads added to my foam liner.  We may need to add more (or take some out); but multiple small changes are better than one large change.  Right now everything feels pretty good.  I still have some pain under the kneecap but that might be residual pain or it is something that I will get used to over time.

Once we got my issues resolved, it was time to teach me how to take my foot shell off of my prosthetic foot.  It takes an extra-long and extra-strong shoe horn to pop the ends of the “heel” out from under the “tab” on the inside of the foot shell.  I did it once pretty easily (I got lucky once).  Unfortunately it is not an easy skill to develop and is hard to repeat with my brand of foot and foot shell.  The foot is made of carbon fibers and is designed to flex in a number of ways and the foot shell is tightly secured to the foot for stability making removing it more tricky.  The foot shell has to be removed if my foot gets wet so I can dry everything out.  I also was taught how to don the waterproof sleeve to seal the top of the prosthesis from getting water inside of it.  Think of getting a giant, thick rubber band around your leg.  With the new equipment and instruction, I am now prepared to do baptisms by immersion (one of the things I do as a pastor).  Learning how to take the foot shell off and on will also be helpful to occasionally clean debris that gathers in it (think about grass clippings that get in your shoe after mowing the lawn.  I get that “inside” my foot shell. 

I figure that it will take me about 20 minutes to get ready to get in the water and at least 45 minutes to tear my leg apart and get everything dried off after I am out of the water.  Nothing is as simple or easy as when I had the “original manufacturer installed parts.”  But I am thankful for the “aftermarket parts” that I have and how well they function.

Thought for the Day: 

The death of a loved one, divorce, personal injury or illness, job loss, and financial reversals, etc. cause stress.  “Studies show that these can lead to depression, anxiety disorders, and physical illness, particularly heart disease.  Nevertheless Psychologist Jonathan Haidt maintains that there is empirical support for the ancient view that ‘people need adversity, setbacks, and perhaps even trauma to reach the highest levels of strength, fulfillment, and personal development…’”

“Haidt points out three benefits of suffering…often appear in others’ lives as well.  First, people who endure and get through suffering become more resilient…  Second, it strengthens relationships, usually bonding the sufferer permanently into a set of deeper friendships or family ties that serve to nurture and strengthen for years.  But the third benefit is perhaps the most significant—suffering ‘changes priorities and philosophies.’…  And so troubles and trials tend to force up out of certain life agendas and into others.”

“Trauma…shatters belief systems and robs people of their sense of meaning.  In doing so, it forces people to put the pieces back together, and often they do so by [turning to] God or some other higher principle as a unifying principle.” [Timothy Keller, Walking with God through Pain and Suffering].

None of us like pain and suffering.  No one goes looking for stress and trauma.  It is not something that we would longingly choose; but there is truth that these things can make us stronger, better people like nothing else can.  Although I still have plenty of room for continued improvement, I can testify that I am a better man having gone through everything that I have in the last few years. 

There is a saying that trials will either make us better or bitter.  I think it would be sad to knuckle under the pressure and come out worse after going through hard times.  If I’ve got to suffer, I want it to have purpose.  I want it to have some positive, redeeming quality.  I recognize that many times I will never know what my suffering will accomplish; but I’ve got to believe that God knows what it will accomplish and that with His help, I’ll make it through somehow. 

So by trusting God, I haven’t necessarily made sense out of pain and suffering but now it holds promise and has some redeeming qualities.  No matter what I face, I will choose to rely upon God as my sustainer and enabler.  I most likely won’t like what happens; but I know that the things that happen aren’t necessarily the ultimate, important things of life. 

Would I rather have a happy, easy life or would I prefer a life of meaning and purpose where I develop into a better person for all to see?  Honestly, I’d rather have both.  But if I cannot have it both ways, I would rather live a life of meaning and purpose.  So I have to face the pain and trauma that I will encounter with an understanding that there is something greater and more important in life than my personal comfort and happiness.

I want to be a difference maker.  Maybe I’ve muddled the middle of my life; but from this point forward, I want to end well.  That’s all I can hope for.  And along the way, I know that I will have many days of joy and happiness come my way as well.  But those things cannot be my highest priorities if I hope to accomplish something with my life.

Each of us face pain and trauma in our lives.  The question is what will allow all that stuff to accomplish in our lives.  As people look back on your life someday, what kind of person do you want to be remember as?

Wednesday (10/22/2014)

Update:

The weekends have been jammed packed with activities and fall yard chores are upon us.  I knew I needed help with the work, so I asked my boys for assistance.  Tuesday afternoon was when they were available, so I took the afternoon off so we could get the work done.

It was a beautiful day to be outdoors.  We had leaves to rake, the lawn to mow, rearranged the garage for the winter, got the snow blower and shovels out and put the rakes and bicycle away, etc.  They carried my motorized tools downstairs to the basement along with oils and things that would freeze from the garage.  We put a tarp on the woodpile, and cleaned up the flowerbeds, etc. 

It felt kind of strange being outside with a rake instead of a cane.  I worked hard and did well but eventually I tired and my prosthetic limb started aching and I was side-lined to just giving directions.  I don’t remember if last year I felt well enough to do any of the yard work.  I have a feeling that it got done (at least the leaves raked) but I don’t recall if I did it.  I do know that I feel much stronger and more energetic than I did last year.  I continue to see my strength and stamina increase.  I am able to do more things and the list keeps growing as I do more and more.  So overall, there is much to be thankful for.

Right now, I am struggling a bit with the fit of my prosthesis.  It feels like it is loose and I need to add more ply of socks; but the leg is on so tight that I have trouble getting it off.  I’ve had to ask for someone to help me pull my leg off several time over the last week because I cannot do it myself.  It is time to schedule an appointment with my prosthetist and see if my leg can be adjusted somehow.

Thought for the Day:   

I’m posting the entire message from Os Hillman’s devotional message, Today God Is First (TGIF).  This one was a special reminder to me.  Over the last few days, I’ve felt a bit weary and have seemed a little low on my emotional strength when looking forward to the long-haul of life.  Thanks, Lord.  I needed this.

Seeing Backward    October 19 

"O LORD, when you favored me, you made my mountain stand firm; but when you hid your face, I was dismayed" (Ps 30:7).

“It is often difficult to recognize the hand of God when we are in the midst of adversity. We often feel God has hidden His face from us. When the Lord takes us through deep valleys, there will be fruit from the deep valley that we cannot see. You must press into Him with all you have during this time.”

“God uses the deep valley to frame our lives to create a change in our nature, not just a change in habits. The depth and width of our valley is often an indicator of the level of calling and influence we will have on others in the future. Our adversity is not just for us, but others who will be in our future path of influence. This is not very comforting when you are in the middle of the valley, but know this is a truth in the Kingdom.”

“It is often years later when we discover the wisdom of God and why He intentionally led us through the dark valley. Life is often lived forward, but understood backward. It is not until we are down the road and we stand on the mountain looking back at through valley that we can appreciate the terrain God has allowed us to scale and the spiritual deposits He has made in our life while we were there. "He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings deep shadows into the light" (Job 12:22). When you begin to realize this, you sit back and breathe a sigh of relief because you know that God was in control all along. It didn't seem like it at the time, but He was.”

“Do you find yourself in the valley? Now is the time to fully trust Him to guide you to higher ground.”

I trust that whatever valley you might encounter, that you remember that a guide and helper is there right alongside of you every step of the way.  He hasn’t forgotten you.  He hasn’t forsaken you.  The path you trek may be boulder-strewn and tough going; but don’t despair.  Keep putting one foot in front of the other while trusting in the Lord God.

Friday (10/17/2014)

Thought for the Day:

John Maxwell, in his book “Encouragement Changes Everything,” tells the story of Sir Earnest Shackleton who set out to sea in 1914 to attempt the first land crossing of Antarctica.  His ship never arrived having become stuck in the ice for months and eventually sank.   Shackleton and his twenty-seven man crew were stranded 1,200 miles from civilization and drifted on ice floes in the terrifying cold with limited provisions.  Eventually they reached a small island.  Shackleton and a few other men took a lifeboat over 800 miles to a whaling station and returned with a rescue ship.  Every single person survived the eighteen month ordeal mainly due to Shackleton’s constant encouragement and leadership.

“It was Napoleon who said that a leader is a dealer in hope, and Shackleton was a prime example of how one person can keep hope alive.  If you know someone who is in the middle of a difficult trial—a long illness or a period of financial strain—your words of kindness and love, your confidence in them, your ability to lighten their load can bring hope and encouragement to their lives.”  [John Maxwell, Encouragement Changes Everything].

Everyone is lifted up and strengthened in their resolve by encouragement.  Encouragement can give you new energy when you are tired.  It can give you hope to carry on when you are discouraged.  Encouragement can help you achieve what is seemingly impossible.  Encouragement can change your attitude and your outlook.  Encouragement really does change everything.

So we should constantly be monitoring our communication with other people.  “Am I encouraging them or am I discouraging them?”  We should always be asking ourselves how we can encourage those we come in contact with.

A simple word, a text, a tweet, a card, a call, a touch, or a look might be all that someone needs to get through today.  If we look for it, there is always something we can complement someone else for.  Their performance doesn’t have to be perfect to earn a bit of praise. 

Encouragement is something that we can learn to do if we desire.  Some people are natural encouragers; others of us have to work at it.  Like any other task, we get better at it when we practice. 

So make it your goal to encourage at least one person each day. 

Thursday (10/16/2014)

Thought for the Day:

A friend of mine who is a nurse and an amputee herself has written a book dealing with the emotional recovery process following an amputation.  One chapter deals with handling both the long-term and short-term pain of an amputation.  In it she discusses those who consider themselves a “Survivor” and those who see themselves as a “Victim.”  I think her words have application for everyone who undergoes pain or painful situations.

“Being a victim for victim for a short while is not necessarily bad.  It can help in claiming the truth of the loss and expressing normal grief.  However, if we don’t move past being a victim, our life will have an added emotional burden.  This is especially so when we see the amputation as the death of a part of us…  Or we may keep comparing ourselves to how our intact body used to be and hang on to grieving for too long.  Perhaps more frustrating is the comparison of how others’ bodies appear whole and fully functional and the accompanying sense of jealousy.”

“The healthy approach is to become a survivor; grateful to be alive and eager to see what life has yet in store for us.  A survivor can then become an overcomer.  We come to realize that future challenges of life can also be successfully faced and overcome.”  [Dee Malchow, Alive & Whole: Amputation Emotional Recovery].

As I read these words, they rang true for me.  And I wasn’t merely thinking about amputees.  I was thinking about the woman whose husband discarded and divorced her who now has to make ends meet to raise the family.  I was thinking about parents whose young child has died leaving a gigantic hole in their hearts.  I was thinking about the man who lost his job and hasn’t found any work so he can pay the bills.

No matter what has caused a person pain, it is easy to slip into the role and mentality of the victim.  A victim had something bad happen to them.  Being a victim implies that they don’t have any power over the situation and the world is spinning out of control around them.  A victim’s focus is upon what was taken from them and how much that loss hurts.  A victim’s focus is upon the past and what has happened to them.  Usually we think of victims as helpless and hurt.  We picture them cowering in the corner, unable to stand up for themselves, relying upon others to rescue them.  A victim merely exists.  We usually see victims as fragile and emotionally destroyed.

A survivor, on the other hand, has gone through difficult, painful events; they are fighting back and striving to regain whatever control they can.  A survivor’s focus is upon the future and what they can do.  I think of survivors as powerful and able; they are determined and tenacious.  They may have tremendous hurts but they struggle against the odds and fight back.  They aren’t taking anything sitting down—they are fighting back.  They may lose ground; but they aren’t docile about it—they are kicking and scream, clawing and scratching the whole way.  A survivor stands up for themselves and proves to be a beacon of hope for everyone else who finds themselves in a similar situation.

What makes the difference between a victim and a survivor?  I think it boils down to attitude.  In my mind a victim has given up and is already defeated.  A survivor is determined and still has fight within them.  They may end up going down; but they aren’t going quietly!

In facing life’s difficulties, I want to be a survivor not a victim.  I am going to choose not to give up.  I have decided that I will do whatever I can to fight against what has happened to me.  I refuse to accept it as “the way things are.”  I will strive to rebuild my life and make the most of what I have.  I will not wallow in a defeatist attitude or hold a pity party for myself. 

I believe that each of us has within ourselves the ability to choose whether we will be a victim or a survivor.  We cannot necessarily stop what will happen to us; but we can choose how we are going to respond to it.  Events may knock me flat; but I am NOT going to just lie there.  I am going to stand back up and attempt to take another step forward. 

What are you going to choose?

Wednesday (10/15/2014)

Update:

I just had a three-month follow-up appointment with my physiatrist.  After reviewing my health, fitness, and how well I was doing with my prosthesis, she suggested that we not schedule any more follow-up appointments.  If a need arises I should come see her, otherwise I should continue on with life. 

I’m very comfortable with that.  In fact I was going to suggest something like that if she hadn’t brought it up first.  I am still learning and growing in my understanding of being an amputee.  I still face challenges with my prosthetic leg and its daily use.  But I have progressed far enough along that I don’t need the constant oversight and supervision of a rehabilitation doctor.

Currently, things are going well with my prosthetic leg.  As I have said recently, I have to put my prosthesis on for about 30 minutes before really walking on it to allow my leg to settle into the prosthesis.  With my increased health and exercise, my calf muscle has regained some of its shape and size.  I think that is causing my difficulty with a perfect fit.  I am probably about due for a new socket; however I still plan on losing another 20 pounds or so.  Until that weight is gone, they won’t built a new socket for me.  My leg size needs to stabilize so that the next prosthesis will last about 3-4 years, maintaining a good tight fit. 

Right now I am putting on about 3-ply of socks in the morning to get a good fit.  I have to keep adjusting the thickness of socks usually going up to about 9-ply by the end of the day.  I do find it a bit aggravating to have to check my socks every hour or so.  Within another 6 months to a year, my leg size should stabilize some and reduce the need for me checking so often; but right now it is about once an hour.

My remaining right foot requires constant care.  I have to be very care not to develop blisters or other wounds.  A sock slightly bunching up can cause significant damage before I notice it if I am not careful.  Even if all I feel is a slight pinching or irritation, I have to stop and investigate what is causing the discomfort.  What makes this so difficult is that I am a typical man.  “Ignore discomfort.  Don’t pay attention to pain.  Keep working and don’t stop for anything.”  I can no longer live like that. The simplest little thing can cause a problem.  A few weeks ago, while doing my daily foot inspection, I noticed a funny cross-hatched bruise pattern on the bottom of my heel.  My foot was sore and tender when I put weight on the heel.  I took me a couple of days to realize that when I had taken my shower, I had stood on the floor drain and that had caused the bruise pattern in my heel.  Now I have to make certain that I don’t stand on the drain again.  My doctor suggested that I wear a water shoe when I shower to help protect my foot.  Crazy, isn’t it? 

I still have distance restrictions upon how far they want me to walk and they still want me to use a cane to help take some of the pressure off of my foot.  I actually switch the cane back and forth from my left to right hand depending on which way feels better (Right-handed supports my prosthetic leg.  Left-handed supports my remaining foot).  I am walking farther than I have so far; but I continue to conserve the number of my steps so that I have enough left to do the things I really want to do later in the day.  I still ride the motorized carts in stores when they have them.  Someday those restrictions might be lifted but for now they remain to protect my remaining foot.  It is uncomfortable for me to stand for any length of time, so I usually find a place to sit down fairly quickly. 

I continue to find adaptive ways of accomplishing everyday tasks.  The other day at that store my wife bought a 50 pound bag of something she wanted.  The price savings was incredible.  But it was too heavy for her to easily carry and I can’t pick up that weight and go up the stairs into the house either.  So I got my wheelchair and we put the 50 lbs. sack in the wheelchair and pushed it up the ramp and into the house.  J 

My life is certainly different from what it used to be.  But I am so thankful to be alive and to be walking at all.  I’ve got it pretty easy overall.  I just met a man who had been wheelchair bound for the last 22 years.  He’s very mobile and seems to have adapted well to life.  When I see something like that it helps me keep a proper perspective on the slight difficulties that I face.  It also gives me courage to keep striving and stretching myself to see what I can accomplish.  I just saw on Facebook a double amputee who ran a half marathon.  He was pretty pumped to have finished.  I don’t think that in my situation that I will ever do that; but it does encourage me to not give up and seek to enjoy life up to the limits of my abilities.  In one fashion or another, I have resumed all of my old hobbies, I am able to do most things around the house, and I am working at my job.  Can’t hardly ask for more!  I am blessed!

That said, I have had to wrap my mind around some limits and the fact that there are some things that are forever gone from my life.  Going down stairs with a loaded laundry basket or other heavy object is beyond my ability.  My solution: I put my dirty laundry in a laundry bag and throw it downstairs.  I can make it up the stairs by “walking” the laundry basket up a couple of steps at a time.  It takes me a lot more time and energy; but I can get it done.  I don’t think that I will ever climb up into the attic area of the garage anymore.  It would be too easy to take a mis-step and severely injure myself. 

This morning I am headed to the pool to swim for an hour.  It is a tremendous workout.  I am a limp noodle when I get out of the pool.  A few weeks ago I decided to buy some swim goggles.  Now I am determined to learn how to properly do the crawl (if I don’t drown myself trying first).  When I bought the goggles, the sales person helping asked if I needed ear plugs.  “Nope!” I told her. “I have never had problems with water in my ears.”  Famous last words!  Every time I have swam since then I’ve got water stuck in my ear for a couple of days.  So I broke down and bought the earplugs.  I’ll try those out for the first time today.

Note:  When I first typed the last paragraph, I kept typing “googles” instead of “goggles.”  Just a subliminal message imprinted on my brain after using that search engine so much I guess.  And yes, I am a goofball!  But that’s me!

Got to get ready and head to the pool!

Tuesday (10/14/2014)

Thought for the Day:

Is the highest goal in your life to be right or to be at peace?  Do you have to prove that you are right and attempt to get everyone else to believe exactly as you do?  Even on relatively minor issues some people feel compelled to force their opinions upon other people.  I know people who enjoy turning every decision into an argument and seek to decimate their opponents and brow beat them into submission.  Is that any way to live?

“…life is filled with opportunities to choose between making a big deal out of something or simply letting it go, realizing it doesn’t really matter…  Many people, however, argue, confront, and fight over practically anything, turning their lives into a series of battles over relatively ‘small stuff.’  There is so much frustration in living this type of life that you lose track of what is truly relevant.  The tiniest disagreement or glitch in your plans can be made into a big deal if you goal (conscious or unconscious) is to have everything work out in your favor.  In my book, this is nothing more than a prescription for unhappiness and frustration.  The truth is, life is rarely exactly the way we want it to be, and other people often don’t act as we would like them to.  Moment by moment there are aspects of like that we like and others that we don’t.  There are always going to be people who disagree with you, people who do things differently, and things that don’t work out.  If you fight against this principle of life, you’ll spend most of your life fighting battles.”  [Richard Carlson, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff…and it’s all small stuff].

I understand that there truly are some things that you must absolutely fight for; but on the whole we fight way too much.  We think too highly of our own opinions and viewpoints and we are too willing to destroy relationships in order to prove we are right. 

Letting things go is very difficult for me.  I have an unwavering sense of right and wrong.  Usually it is, “I am right; so therefore you must be wrong!”  I must admit over the past year I’ve learned to let a lot of things go and not get all worked up over as many things.  It is hard for me to admit that some things that I fought long and hard over really weren’t worth the battle—I see that now.  I’ve gained a clearly perspective about what is truly important.

I cannot say that I’ve mellowed because things have worked out better or because everyone always agrees with me now.  I just turned a corner mentally and decided that many things that used to upset me shouldn’t have; so I let them go.  Yep!  The same stuff that use to happen is still happening around me; but I have chosen not to let it bother me.  I am more at peace and happier.  I see that life is too short to waste it on being upset and worked up all the time.

Some people are just naturally mellow and don’t let too much bother them.  Others, like me, have to make a decision to develop new habits of response to people and situations that use to “push our buttons.”  What about you?  Do you find that you are getting worked up too often about too many things?  Is it always worth the fight and the emotional energy that you’ve expended battling for victory?  I hope that you’ll learn to let peace flood your soul and you can enjoy the people and the experiences around you more fully.

Monday (10/13/2014)

Thought for the Day:

John Maxwell in His book, ‘How High Will You Climb’ lists a four-step formula to handle fear. Step #3 is that we “Believe God is working a miracle in your life.”

In developing point #3, Maxwell says of Acts 4:30, “Now there was a prayer for God to intercede on their behalf with miracles.  They realized that what had to be done would take their effort plus God’s.  Notice they asked for strength first, and then they requested that God would make up the difference. This must happen in your life.  Place the changes you seek in attitude, thinking and behavior at the top of your prayer list.  Ask God to help you do what is possible to bring about effective change.  Then ask Him to do for you what you cannot do for yourself.”

Let’s face it, there are many situations in life that are just beyond us.  Left on our own, we would fail every time we attempted them. So often then we throw up our hands in failure and frustration, “I give up!  This is impossible!”  This isn’t a sign of weakness.  This is the first step to solving our problem: recognizing that what we hope to achieve is beyond our ability to accomplish; and if we want it done, we’ll have to have some outside help. 

Here’s where we often go wrong and just dump everything into God’s lap.  “Lord, I’ve made a mess of my life—please fix it.”  The answer is not for us to wash our hands of the mess we are in; the answer is in seeking addition resources and help outside of our own abilities.  We might be able to find assistance elsewhere, but for Christians, our help comes from the Lord.   It is Him we should turn to in times of need.  I believe that God often allows us to get into situations that are over our heads so that we are continually reminded that we need His strength, His wisdom, His enabling so that we can accomplish what we face.   If we were up for every challenge on our own, why would we need God?  We would quickly learn to trust in ourselves and in our own abilities and powers.  But since we fail and find ourselves in situations beyond our capabilities; well, that is tailor-made for us to turn to God.

I don’t know about you, but I find that when everything is going well and life is easy that I tend to get a bit slack in my relationship with God.  I don’t feel the need and the intensity of building my relationship by spending time in reading my bible and in prayer.  I should!  But honestly, I don’t and I believe that most people are just like me.  So the adversity and difficulties that we face in the world have a very beneficial effect on us.  They propel us towards God.  Instead of becoming frustrated by those troubling times, I need to remember that they are working in my favor and are being used for my benefit.  As tough as they may be to go through, they help shove me in God’s direction—and that is the very best place to be!

I am grateful that God has decided to include us in solving our own troubles.  Usually we find that it is impossible for us to take care of them on our own—we really need God.  But at the same time, God chooses to include us in the solution and not do it all by Himself for us.  We do our part, as feeble as it is and God makes us the rest, enabling us to do what would be humanly impossible to do on our own.

At the gym, I’ve been observing guys that are lifting an incredible amount of weight.  They always use one or two spotters who stand by ready to help when the need arises.  This guy might be able to lift the weight by themselves once or twice; but their goal is to actually use the muscles to the point of exhaustion—that’s when the most muscle growth occurs.  So the spotters are standing by to grab the bad and give just enough help so that the lifter can complete his repetition.  All the while they are shouting encouragement and challenge to the guy lifting, “Come on!  Just one more! Push! You can do it!”  I envision God loading the plates on the bar and telling us lie down under it and push for all we are worth.  He is going to be there to help us, encourage us, and support our efforts so that we can accomplish what would be impossible for us alone.  Sometimes we might fail…but even then we will have grown in the process.

So when faced with a seemingly impossible challenge—don’t fear it.  Face it with the best support possible.  Ask God to give you the strength, wisdom and ability that you need.  And then ask Him to supply what is lacking so you can be victorious.

Thursday (10/9/2014)

Thought for the Day :

“Recognizing your purpose means everything.  I assure you that you too have something to contribute.  You may not see it now, but you would not be on this planet if that were true.  I know for certain that God does not make mistakes, but He does make miracles.  I am one.  You are too.” [Nick Vujicic, Life Without Limits].

Why am I here?  What do I contribute to life and the world around me? 

Sometimes as we ponder those questions we sink a bit deeper in depression and a sense of personal worthlessness takes over our thoughts.   We have no idea and no ready answers so we assume that we must not have any value and have any contribution to offer. 

Let me ask this question: Is an acorn, a maple key, or a pinecone any good for building a house? Nope! Not really!  But plant them and give them time to grow and mature and suddenly you’ve got trees to make boards from.  All it takes is the right environment and years to develop and suddenly they are very useful.  What would happen if early in their growth, people assumed that the small saplings growing up in the yard were worthless and decided to root them up?  What a waste and what a shame!

Just like trees, people may take time to develop and mature enough that they can make a valuable contribution.  Right now in your life you might not see what that might be, but at the right time and under the right circumstances it will become obvious.

So don’t despair.  Don’t make the false assumption that you are worthless and will always remain worthless.  Keep on growing and become the person you were meant to become.  Our purpose often can’t be clearly seen except in hindsight.

When personal disaster strikes, like the end of a personal relationship, a job termination, or devastating illness or injury; we might begin to wonder, “What good am I now? I am worthless.”  Instead of spending your mental energy there, I’d suggest you should look to the future and visualize what you could become.  Then set your course and work towards achieving that dream.

We may not see the worth of people around us.  We may question the value of people who seem like they have nothing to contribute.  Remember that life is not just about accomplishment and achievement.  The precious smile of a child who gives us a hug around our neck may have given you a precious gift that will warm your heart for days to come.  A child with a medical condition may never be able to hold a job or help the family in any substantial fashion; but a special child can bring sunshine and warmth to the family like no one else ever could.  An aging grandparent may no longer be able to active; but the praise, encouragement, and prayers that they offer may be exactly what is needed by their offspring.

Everyone strives for meaning and purpose in life.  Some are fortunate to find their answers early in life.  For others it may take a lifetime to discover.  But don’t lose hope, faith, determination, and courage.  At the right time and under the right circumstance you are going to shine!

Wednesday (10/8/2014)

Update:

I had a good time at our denomination’s district conference on Monday and Tuesday.  Last year I attended but it wasn’t as pleasant as this time.  Last year I was sick when I attended (in hind sight I shouldn’t have gone to the conference but I didn’t feel too badly when we left in the morning to drive down).  I thought that I had the flu with chills and shakes, headaches, etc.  Probably the infection that was in my foot was already raging (a month later I ended up being hospitalized and having my leg amputated).  So this trip was an encouragement to me as I remembered how badly I was doing last year and how well I feel this year. 

I ended up getting a handicapped room.  What I have found this means (at every hotel that I’ve stayed at so far at least) is that they have a spacious bathroom that works wonderfully, and then the rest of the room is so crammed full of furniture that you cannot maneuver a wheelchair in it.  Usually I have a straight shot into the room.  I cannot turn around the wheelchair, so I have to go backwards to get out.  I cannot turn the corner to get in between the beds so I have to climb up on the bed at its foot and then crawl or roll on top of the blankets to the top of the bed. 

I tell you about the rooms because I am certain that it is because hotels have never thought of it.  I mean who really understands what a handicapped person goes through unless they are one themselves, or have a family member who is.  I’ve become an expert on what someone in a wheelchair would like to see in a room; but I might not have a good picture about what other kind of disabled people need.

I’ve also recently encountered someone who really wanted to help me and wouldn’t allow me to do anything for myself.  I don’t mind getting help when I need it; but don’t ever assume that because someone is disabled that you should do everything for them.  It is rather frustrating!  Ask if they would like help and then just do what they ask.  From a personal standpoint that-* is what I prefer.  Here’s why: I’ve already had part of my “normal” life and activities taken from me.  There are some things that I can no longer do—that frustrates me enough.  But if you come along and insist on doing things for me that I can actually do, well then, I feel a little more emasculated and worthless as a person.  I need to be able to do the things for myself that I can do; but I deeply appreciate receiving help when I need it. 

Let me give you a couple of examples: 

#1 I’m trying to load something into my truck; but you rush up and grab it from me and do it without asking.  Yes, you may have done it faster and more easily than me, but you made me feel a little worthless in the process.  I find joy in doing things that I used to be able to do, so don’t rob me of the opportunity to discover for myself whether I am able to do it or not.

#2 Last night I was going to take some laundry to the basement.  I don’t do stairs well and they are a high energy/high focus task for me.  My wife gauged my energy levels and then offered to go start my laundry for me since I already looked tired.  Normally I’d do it myself—it’s good exercise and It is something I can do to contribute.  But my wife was right; I was very weary and so I gladly let her take that job from my hands. 

I personally am never offended when people ask if they can give me assistance; it does get under my skin when you just assume that I cannot because I am disabled.  If I am ABLE, you just DISsed me (get the play on words from DISABLED?).  Please don’t label me as helpless and unable without first finding out.  One of the groups I belong to is “Abled Amputees of America.”  Their name says it all—don’t dismiss a person as being incapable just because they have a handicap; we still are able to do a lot.  We will never discover our limits if someone always rushes in and insists on doing everything for us.  Think of a parent trying to teach a child to ride a bike.  An appropriate level of help is necessary; but at some point you’ve got to let go and let the child try on their own.  Yes, they are probably going to crash a few times; but eventually they’ll get it if they are given the opportunity.