Memorial Day 2024

It somewhat come up without me noticing, but it is already Memorial Day weekend. For the past week or so, I have been preparing to preach this morning and the holiday just slipped my notice. The sales ads have been going to my inbox and trash can, but I kept thinking it was far off.

No matter if I pay attention to the world or not, time keeps moving on. Most schools have finished for the year and this weekend is the unofficial start to summer. Rather than just an extra day to grill and mow the lawn, we need to remember what this day was set apart to remember.

My maternal grandfather was drafted into the Army to serve in the Korean War. This conflict started only five years after World War II and was during the long Cold War era. Thankfully, my grandfather returned home safely and went on to continue farming and raising his family. However, that was not the case for everyone.

Whether they volunteered or were drafted, many soldiers went off to fight for their country and never returned home. Some families will never even know what happened to their loved one except that they went missing and never returned.

Since America became a country, we have been part of several conflicts. Some have helped free countries from cruel dictatorships and ensure the Western world is free to enjoy many liberties we take for granted. Unfortunately, tides change as politically forces shift and do what they think is best.

A few years ago, American forces abruptly left the Middle East and abandoned several billion dollar's worth of equipment. Some of the top military leaders have also foregone God's creation in gender and become more concerned how men can wear women's uniforms than keeping the country safe.

What will happen to the US in the future is totally under God's control. Whatever will come, I'm thankful for what I have been blessed with and will try to use it with the true cost in mind.

Two Decades of Awareness

In 2004, I gave a disability awareness talk to second-graders at my local Christian grade school. I had seen a few months earlier that their course on disabilities consisted of watching a 30-minute video. I hoped I could improve the course by being a live person the students could interact with and who was local. This year marks two decades since my first school, and I still enjoy it.

Like every endeavor, it takes time to learn and see what works and what doesn't. Sitting in-front of 20+ eight-year-olds requires practice in patience as well as staying active. My very first class was a learning curve, but I have hopefully improved over the years.

Trying to teach kids about paralysis and other disabilities is a challenge. Since my first class, I always have the class write with their mouth, just like me. After 2020, in anticipation of mask requirements, I added in foot writing as well. These two activities show how I write and how someone without arms may write. No matter the method, the same activity gets done. God uses all different abilities to serve Him.

Now that I have been to schools several years in a row, it's fun getting recognized by older students. Recently, I left a third-grade classroom after my presentation and rolled directly into the fourth-graders during library time. I was quickly the focal point and was pelted with questions about the visit I just had and heard several, "I remember..." It has now been long enough that I could start getting a second generation of kids, but I don't think it has happened, yet.

My regular presentation is well embedded in my memory, but I still feel a bit rusty with my first group every year. I also change a few things depending on time and how interactive the class is. This year, I focused more on how someone with visual impairments may read, and some years it's how hearing impaired may use a phone. Even with that, my speaking memory issues came up in my last class.

This school likes me to include a favorite Bible verse as part of my talk. I remembered halfway through, but couldn't recall the reference or half the verse. While going home, Jeremiah 29:11 came to me easily again, but long after I left the students.

I love working with kids and am thankful for this opportunity God has given me. I don't know how long I'll be able to continue, but I plan to while I'm able to get out and remember what God has allowed me to speak.

Mother Ascension

Sunday, as the first day of the week, is when Jesus conquered death and rose from the grave. In memory of this, the early church met on Sunday and the practice has continued for 2000 years. In some sense, it replaced the Jewish Sabbath day. It isn't quite the same, but not something I'll dive into for this post. Most Christians rest on Sunday and use it for a break before returning to work. However, some Sundays end up being busier than a work day.

Today is Mother's Day, the time set aside to recognize mothers and all they do. Mothers have the extreme privilege, and challenge, of helping to raise the next generation. One child can grow up to make major changes in the world, for good or bad, and the early years of a child's life are when they need to be taught correctly. I'm very thankful for my mom not only in how she raised me, but also everything she continues to do to support me so that I can remain active and live at home.

In the first chapter of Acts, we read that Jesus was on earth 40 days after His resurrection and then ascended to the Father. This year, ascension day was May 9, making today ascension Sunday as well. This is an event that has fallen off of many church calendars, but is something we can't forget. Jesus said He would return in the same way He left, but as a judge for all people. As that day continues to come closer, we need to be sure we are doing God's work and serving Him in every part of life.

Finally, I also preached this morning. It was at a local church, but it still requires extra work in the morning to get me ready and then setting up what I need at the church itself. Part of our afternoon also will consist of visiting my one grandmother who lives in a care facility.

With all this going on, it makes for a busy day in the quad life. By the time evening comes, my family will be ready to sit and relax. Even though it makes for a long day, I'm thankful I still have a mother and grandmother to recognize and the freedom to openly worship God and His gifts. Some day, none of this may be possible, and it is good to not neglect the gifts we've been given.

Outreach without Reaching Out

May has arrived, and with it my annual volunteer time with the Tulip Gospel Outreach. I had the same time constraints as last year, but with a few different twists.

As what seems to be the norm, weather during Tulip Time was quite cool for most of the festival. Thursday started out with thunderstorms that continued for most the day. Dad dropped Sara and I off at church so we could stay dry and picked us up again over five hours later. Due to weather, the first parade was canceled and some of the events were moved inside to where we were meeting.

Gospel outreach volunteers moved to the basement and had a demonstration of sidewalk painting that leads into a presentation. The group's leader was very nice in getting lunch for Sara and I so we didn't have to battle the rain, but it meant we never left the chilly church. It was a good day of learning and fellowship, but I went home well before any outreach activities happened.

Friday morning was the best weather of the week with clear skies and temps in the low 70's. After the morning lessons, Sara and I headed out to lunch. Afterward, we returned to the church parking lot for a demonstration of good street preaching, not street screeching as some ministries do. By the time it finished, we had about 15 minutes until it was time to leave. Therefore, instead of going to our designated location, Sara and I returned to the van and home. We handed out two gospel tracts at lunch and three while going to our vehicle, but that was all.

Saturday was the final day of the festival and another soggy morning with full cloud cover. After dad brought Brenda and I to town, we listened to a couple excellent messages given by Mark Spence of Living Waters. During his first presentation, I looked at my chair's computer screen and realized I forgot to have someone plug it in overnight, it was only 50% charged. That meant I only lost three levels of charge over the previous two days, so I figured it would be okay.

Once again, we headed out to find food after coordinating plans with my team. I drove a little over two blocks from church, found a nutritious meal of strawberry funnel cake, and parked beside a nearby picnic table. While eating in the frigid air, I noticed my power level now read empty and displayed a message "recharge batteries." I gave out one tract to picnic table neighbors, who I could barely see, before informing my team I would have to leave. Brenda then pushed me, all 500+ lbs, through the bumpy sidewalks to the van.

Over three days of the outreach, I gave out six gospel tracts and had zero conversations. I did help my team in practicing conversations and gave out eight of my books, but that was it. The question I answered the most was, "Aren't your feet cold?" It was definitely a quad life experience, but I pray the very little interaction I had will result in eternal benefit for someone.