June's End in 2020

For the last few days, I have been wondering what to blog about this week. I biked three times, got a hair cut, and made another video for my vlog. However, nothing seemed very notable or out of the ordinary, until Saturday. I watched another conference through the organization of Living Waters called Evolution Exposed.

Over the afternoon, several speakers gave 15-minute long presentations covering different aspects of evolution and creation. One of the presenters, Mark Spence, was sitting in his car, parked at Huntington Beach, California. A small memorial was taking place for a surfer who recently died and that was being followed by a rally for Black Lives Matter. After his session, Mark planned to go out with others giving gospel tracts and talking with people.

As the session went, he took the subject of why any life matters. It doesn't matter what shade of skin someone has, what sins they struggle with, age, or any other category. Mankind is made in the image of God, and therefore all have God-given value and needs to be respected.

From the evolutionary standpoint, life is just an accident and isn't anything special. A person doesn't have any more value than a dog as the two just developed differently. In Darwin's book, The Descent of Man, he said that different races existed on earth. His thought was that as mankind developed from primates, some are more evolved than others. The most modern, and civilized race was represented by the caucasians of Europe and America. The lower races, such as Australians and African tribes, were less advanced and further down the evolutionary tree.

Many publications, such as Little House on the Prairie, have been removed from schools and libraries for being to racist. However, the teachings of Darwin still continue to be heard in classrooms throughout the country.

The only answer to the problems we now experience is to return to God and His word. I'm thankful for the freedom to study Scripture and apply it to this quad life. I hope to help others in the coming week to see the source of truth as well.

Father's Day 2020

In May, we observed Mother's Day while being quarantined at home. Restrictions have mostly been lifted since then, at least in Iowa, but we will still be staying at the house for this holiday.

Most years, I am at camp on Father's Day and it goes by with little notice. At camp, and weekend days, dad is responsible for doing most of my daily cares. This year, we are at least in the state, but I can't really give him much of a break unfortunately.

For all my life, and especially since starting the quad life, I have been very dependent on dad for help. Through his employer, he has given insurance that allows me to stay home as well as provide financial support for my family. When a nurse calls off sick or due to weather, he is the one that does whatever physical care I need and gets little sleep, along with mom. The last few months have added extra tasks to him as well.

Normally, I track my own needs for basic supplies such as toothpaste, paper towels, etc. When I'm getting low, or run out of something, my caregiver and I go to the store and purchase what I need. However, I haven't been shopping since at least February, if not earlier. Mom also regularly gets groceries and similar items on her own, although dad does sometimes help with this. Now, with the pandemic, dad has been the one to brave the stores for all of us. I give my list along with my parents and he goes out, with a mask, attempting to avoid close contact with other people. It has become part of the routine now, and one I don't see changing soon unfortunately.

Jesus said in Matthew 23:9 to not call anyone on earth father, for we have one Father who is in heaven. A full explanation could take another post, but that is why I generally just use the term dad. No matter the name, I easily see an example of our heavenly Father in my dad. Just as God provides for us all our needs, dad does all he can to provide for mom and I. It hasn't always been easy, especially the last few months, but dad keeps working as he can.

This week, be sure to thank our earthly parents for all they have done, either passed or present. Also remember look to our Father in heaven who has provided us a way to be reconciled to Him through His son, Jesus.

Non Camp Week

In 1993, I started going to CHAMP Camp. I had seven years as a camper and 2019 was my 15th year as a counselor. The last two summers have been physically very hard on me. Therefore, this is the first year since 2003 I didn't apply to be a counselor. Today, I normally would have been in Indianapolis welcoming campers, but things changed.

When you have been involved with an organization for a large chunk of your life, it becomes part of your regular life. I knew that this week would be hard with seeing pictures from my friends doing what I enjoy, helping kids. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, camp was cancelled. In some ways, it was almost a relief knowing I wouldn't be missing out, but I knew how devastating it would be for the campers and fellow counselors.

One of the older campers is a friend on Facebook, as well as several other counselors. When cancellation was announced, he started sharing how much it would be missed and ideas to beat the virus and save camp. While nobody will be physically together, several online events have been planned this week. Best yet, everybody can join in with the virtual camp. I won't get the camp t-shirt, but I can at least participate even though I didn't think I could this year.

For many of the kids, they frequently hear that they can't participate in an activity with their peers due to their medical needs. CHAMP Camp is the one week of the year that everything is available and you're not the only kid with a trach, wheelchair, and ventilator. That feeling will be different this week, but we still get to see kids actually interact with each other more than usual.

A few days ago, my pressure wounds received their 60-day status check. One was about the same, one bigger, and the third is basically healed. This has been part of what gave me trouble in previous years. I somewhat hope that I can return in 2021, but also know it would be a major challenge.

No matter what happens in the future, I'm thankful I can participate this year and give my dad a break from helping and taking me. I look forward to observing his day next week as well, but that will be the next topic.

Getting Distracted

In high school, and especially in college, I could read a few paragraphs in a text book, look up from it, and not remember what I read. My mind would wonder somewhere else, if I stayed awake, while my eyes continued reading. I would like to say it has improved as I have gotten older, but I'm not much better.

For many years, I never read unless I had to as part of an assignment or my nightly Bible reading. It takes work to setup a book for me to read and some books can be a battle to keep pages open. However, in about the last ten years, I have increased reading via computer. I also now regularly read books on creation and confirming the accuracy of Scripture. It's a topic I enjoy and helps pass time while I'm flat in bed.

It's easier to keep my concentration on the books I read during the day, at least by not letting my head drift away (drifting asleep is still an issue). However, my caregiver that I normally have set me up with a book loves to talk, about anything. So that can make it challenging, but I still learn.

The biggest struggle is at night when reading the Bible. I want to concentrate on God's Word, but that's when my head goes off to other topics. I may start to think of what the tabernacle looked like and end up thinking of what to say during a school talk, sermon, or even on here. What is pictured in my head usually has nothing to do with the text.

Before long, I can be half a column away from where I last remembered and have to go back and read again. It can frustrating, especially when it continues on to when I should be sleeping. I always come up with my best writing or talking points at odd hours in the night, away from my computer.

A lot of distraction has also been happening in the world the last few months. First, the news primarily only talked about virus updates and statistics. Just as that was starting to clear up, now the main focus is on riots and who is doing what against someone else. If I hadn't watched it live on YouTube, I don't think I would have heard anything about the first maned rocket to space from the U.S. in nine years last week.

It can be difficult, but be careful not to get distracted from God's saving work on the cross. It is what the world needs the most, but will focus on anything else. It's not just a problem in the quad life, but something everyone can spend time on this week.