Fair Days in 2026

My last summer activity most years is attending the Iowa State Fair and volunteering at the gospel outreach booth. I was at the booth on the mornings of Friday, August 14, and the following Tuesday. This year, I actually got into a few conversations with people.

The Saturday before the fair started, the booth organizer asked for help getting everything setup. Dad and I joined other volunteers of various ages and helped erect the steel structure, electric lines, banners, and everything else. I talked with a friend I hadn't seen in person for a few years and another one of the regular outreach volunteers. I knew her face well as we've served together in different functions, but it took a while to remember Mary's name. It was a great time of fellowship with like-minded Christians. Shortly after lunch, everything was complete, gospel tracts and booklets were on display, and the booth was ready for guests.

Friday morning took over 40 minutes to get in the parking lot, which meant Sara and I arrived a little late to our locations. Soon after, three older teen boys caught a glimpse of a million dollar bill gospel tract and picked one up. As they did, I directed to read the million dollar question on the back. Most people walk away as they read, but this group stayed. I waited a few seconds for the young man to read and then asked him, "Would you say you're a good person?" He responded, "I would say so, but they might not."

Using this, I bounced the question to his friends before taking them through a few of the Ten Commandments. They had all broken at least some of the commands, so I continued with all deserving of hell and Jesus paying our fine. It has been a while since I actually got to take someone through the "good person" test one-on-one, but they seemed to understand and take it seriously.

Later in the day, a lady from a neighboring booth stopped over and I noted her cross necklace. She quickly got to the question she had in mind; do I believe the world is flat or a globe? I answered globe and cited the Bible speaks about the circle of the earth. Before I could get to other scientific proofs, she cut me off and responded with her stance on flat earth and we'll just have to find out when we die. I attempted a reply, but she ran off before I received a breath. I have studied the beliefs of flat earthers and how they deny evidence we can test and accounts from Christian astronauts, but this was my first time speaking with one. Tuesday's notable conversation was with an older woman who believed dinosaurs were primarily made up. I gave her passages from Job and volunteer Mary gave her a booklet on the subject.

Regular conversations about the Ark Encounter were had both days with some people wanting to go and others already had. It was a great time though and I'm thankful I was able to volunteer again. Sara and I both commented on Thursday that it's a lot of work, and we don't really see much of the fair, but we already miss not having more outreach opportunities.

This week will be another busy time of doctor's appointments and annual tests. On Tuesday, I'm scheduled to get a temporary crown on one of my upper back teeth. I'm a little concerned how it will affect my stick use, but I will wait and see. It will be another fun time of adjusting in the quad life. 

Made to Deceive

Throughout history, people have tried to deceive each other in various forms. In the Bible, we read that measurements and weights were slightly adjusted to favor the person selling. They could give out less product, but still charge for the full amount.

As the centuries and technology have progressed, so have the ways thieves try to steal and deceive. Phone calls from legitimate sounding companies say you owe them money, but careful observance notices discrepancies. Is they are missed, the victim may be out hundreds or thousands of dollars. This week, I was not the victim of money theft, but misrepresentation of a different kind.

Every week, I get emails from Google reporting on my websites of any errors in their search capabilities. Most of the issues result themselves, so I often ignore the messages. However, one email was different than the rest and concerned my own work site. The message said that might merchant pages were set up incorrectly and needed to be resolved. This would normally sound helpful, but I don't sell anything on my site or have merchant pages. Clicking one of the links on what was supposedly my page brought me to a Chinese website that meant to be selling some products. Investigating further, my actual website was nothing but blank white pages. Even with proper security software, strong passwords, and updated plugins, I had been hacked.

I was also unable to login and access my site to make any edits. For the next hour and a half, I spoke with a customer service person from my site's web host to get the site restored. He did most of my site, but I was still unable to login. My time to sit had long ago expired, so I reluctantly had to quit and solve the issue later.

Tuesday through Friday were very busy days filled with meetings, biking, and my first trip to the fair. However, I managed to squeeze in another phone call and regain access to the site. Even with this accomplishment, major parts were still missing or not working. I also had to clear out 13 people who had added themselves as administrators. In an attempt to recover everything, I reverted to a backup from a few months ago. This resulted in my new login information being removed and I found out how to get myself logged in through a "unique" method.

Unfortunately, the backup ended up returning to blank pages and parts not wanting to function. With very limited upright time, it is difficult to make progress on something I have thankfully not had to deal with before. Monday will be another phone call and hoping everything returns to normal.

As Scripture, the heart is desperately wicked and prone to evil. My caregiver wondered why I wasn't mad on the phone and having heated exchanges. I explained such behavior does nothing and the person I'm talking to is trying to help. However, I do pray that whoever does these types of activities comes to Jesus for forgiveness and repents from such actions. I will see what surprises come up this week.

Zoo Event Day

Living the quad life, I am very familiar with adjusting plans and adapting as things change. This week was an example of unexpected situations, thankfulness, and learning to pay better attention.

For about six years, I have been trying to go to the zoo in Des Moines. I didn't have a particular reason or goal, it was just something I haven't done since around 2000 and it sounded like a fun, local, getaway. Inevitably, I would have a date planned, and something would come up. Either the weather wasn't conducive for me, a more urgent item took importance, health issues, etc. This year, the sticky note on my calendar moved several times.

Finally, this past Tuesday, August 4, looked to be the day it would happen. For several days ahead, the weather was forecast to be partly cloudy, mild temps, and my caregiver Sara and I were doing well enough for health. Two days prior, I first heard about possible thunderstorms and thought it would be delayed again. Tuesday morning still said partly sunny skies with rain in the late afternoon. Therefore, we decided to go and pulled out of the driveway with the sun shining through the clouds.

Less than ten miles after leaving home, it started to rain, and continued with varying intensity for the next 30 miles. As we came close to the exit we needed, rain kept falling and Sara and I tried to decide what to do. Just before the turn off, the precipitation stopped and we decided to find a parking spot and evaluate the situation.

Arriving at the zoo, we found a packed parking lot. The main lot was completely full and the alternate lot looked equally filled. Another van with a wheelchair ramp was ahead of us and we both circled the lot like animals ready to pounce on anything available. We finally saw one regular spot open, but it was sandwiched between two other vehicles. With no other choice, Sara partially parked in the spot, let me out, then parked the rest of the way. I was glad to see the small zoo so popular, but it was not what I expected.

Navigating through the parking lot and sidewalks, I noticed a couple other wheelchair users rolling around. By the looks of them, I guessed a local care facility was also having a zoo day for their residents. As I neared the main entrance, a zoo employee yelled "Sir!" I wasn't completely sure she meant me, but as I continued, she came closer to me and said, "Sir, the event entrance is this way," pointing her hand. I briefly guessed she meant something with the other people I saw, and I answered, "What event?" The lady looked confused, but said we were headed in the right direction. I am used to being a lone wolf and didn't want to join in on a party I hadn't been invited to.

For the next 3.5 hours, Sara and I toured the grounds and saw the African exhibit, Australian area, and all the other animals and attractions available. Everywhere we turned though, we kept noticing more wheelchair users. It was nice to not be the only one, but it still felt strange. I overheard one caregiver looking lady talking to her client saying a few COC groups must have come. The Christian Opportunity Center is a central Iowa organization that serves people with various intellectual disabilities. This made some sense, but I also saw some children that I knew were too young to be COC clients.

The main challenge of the day was finding dry seats for Sara to use. I made sure to stop several times to give her a break and to fully tilt my chair and adjust my pressure. The wheeling crowd seemed to decrease after lunch, but we left before 2:00 and went home satisfied that we did everything and thankful it worked out.

Wednesday morning, I briefly checked Facebook and saw a news item from the previous day. About a dozen disability service organizations had organized a Disability Pride day at the zoo and over 1,000 persons with disabilities had attended. This explained the large number of fellow wheelchair users, no parking, and why the zoo staff was trying to direct me. If I had taken her advice, I would have found a few friends who were also there, but I never saw.

Sometimes, watching local news more be beneficial. However, I didn't miss out on anything and enjoyed the day. One friend said he was there twice as long as we were, which would not have worked for my caregiver's schedule. I don't have plans to return any time soon, but if I do, I may watch more media than just weather guesses. 

Witnessing to Telemarketers and Spammers

I am old enough to remember the days before caller ID and unwanted phone calls. When the phone rang, it was a friend, relative, or someone you actually wanted to talk with. When I went to college and had my own phone in the dorm, that's when I remember changes beginning.

On occasion, I would get a call from a guy that would try to flirt with my nurses, but hung up as soon as he know I could hear. The college said caller ID was available on campus, so I got a special box that hooked up to your phone and might display who was calling. It didn't work well, but the odd calls stopped coming. After college, for the few months I had my own apartment, I received a call from someone looking to get money for some police program. I hung up while being transferred to the money handler and didn't answer the next call.

Now, it's almost a dread to answer the phone as it's rarely an actual person you want to converse with. It may be an automated call trying to get information or sign up for something. Since I still use a land line, some people say getting rid of it would help. However, my main daytime caregiver only uses her cell phone and has the same problem.

Sometimes, if the caller is an actual human that speaks English fairly well, I'll have fun with them. I'll say something along the lines of, "I don't know you, are you a good person?" They'll hesitate, but often say yes. Then I continue with the Ten Commandments, "Let's put it to the test, the 9th commandment is do not give false witness, or don't lie. Have you ever told a lie, or will you in this call? Revelation says all liars will have their part in the lake of fire." By this point, most people stammer and hang up. If they continue to stay on, so do I.

"The 8th command is do not steal. The value doesn't matter, anything breaks the command. Have you stolen anything or will try to in this conversation?" I think I've only had one continue all the way through, but I conclude that all have sinned, but we can have forgiveness through Christ alone, not by works. The person returns to their script and I catch them quickly in a lie of some sort and they hang up.

Recently, I have also been getting emails to help promote my book, but with a small fee. I give the same response and never hear back from most, but a few continue to converse and try to continue with their script.

Even living the quad life and not getting out much allows for witnessing opportunities. I never know where the conversation will lead, but I at least plant a seed. The next call may make them consider their profession more, and that an alternative may be better.

Stick Trouble that Gets Sticky

I have used a mouth stick to interact with the world for more than 40 years. It is what I learned to use when I was originally injured and increased my skills as the years progressed. 

I primarily just use a straight wand that is 18" long and meets most of my needs. However, I have an abundance of other sticks and various sizes and functions. Some are short, some are long, and others can extend and go in between. Further varieties have capabilities of picking up items, holding a writing utensil, or allowing me to interact with a touchscreen. In some ways, you can say I have sticks coming out of my ears!

No matter the variety, they all have one thing in common and that is bite sleeves on the end. They are simple rubber cushions that I use to clamp onto and not have to bite plastic. Unfortunately, this is now become a major source of problems.

For over a year, I have had a hard time finding more sleeves to order. The only thing I could find have square ends that are not comfortable on my tongue. Digging through my collection of sticks, my caregiver found that one of them had brand new ends that had never been opened. The old style cushions are much more durable than those available today and the three sets that she found lasted an entire year. Unfortunately, I used them as long as I could but, had to switch last weekend. The only thing that was available were square tipped ends.

Within the first two days of using them, my tongue and entire mouth were sore by the end of the day. I was hoping it would improve, but it did not changed as the week progressed. I found myself to be forced to use more voice control in order to save extra pain. In fact, this week's entry has been primarily made by using voice control and much editing.

The problem with this method, is that my mouth quickly dries out and I need to get more drinks. I don't always have some one available that can give me a drink, so it replaces one problem with another. I know that various technologies are available for computer control, but I do more that just computer work with my stick. Reading, playing card games, and basically anything else I want to do require stick use.

I will continue to search and possibly come up with a method of making my own. However, that last option is currently completely unknown how it would be possible. I'm aware that I've been living the quad life for many decades and maybe do things a bit differently. Even with that, I do know younger quadriplegics use sticks as well. 

It looks like that one way or another I will be learning something new; either more voice control or how to make my pads. I will wait to see which one it is. 

How Many Times?

One of my endless number of faults is reacting too quickly when I hear erroneous Bible accusations. A few years ago, one of my caregivers had read something about the book of Revelation, She said it was confusing and was certain I hadn't ever read it. While I agree it has several interpretations with various Scriptural support, I reminded her of my routine.

For many years, I have done a morning reading plan from Genesis through Revelation. For about 20 years, I also read 3-4 chapters of the Bible every night which also went cover to cover in a year or less. Therefore, I estimated I read Revelation twice per calendar year and possibly three times depending on my night reading schedule. That schedule had likely been going on for 15 years if not longer. The next question was why I read it so much.

The result of the conversation made me curious though, how many times do I read a full book of the Bible every year? I still do my morning reading routine, so that's an easy calculation of once for every book. Two years ago, I adjusted my night ritual after getting a John MacArthur (JM) study Bible. It has small print with bright white pages, so my eyes can't take it nightly. Therefore, I read it four nights a week and another study Bible the remaining three nights.

Reading all the Scripture and commentary in the JM Bible makes slow progress. However, I started in Genesis late in 2025 and I'm just now starting Isiah. It will take me more than a year to get through, but that's okay. In my other study Bible, I am skipping around some with having read Psalms-Song of Songs/Solomon before returning to the New Testament again. I also read two chapters in the New Testament every day for a month, but that can take a year to read one full book depending on the length.

At this point in 2026, with my various reading plans combined, I have read Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs three times. Isiah's 66 chapters will take quite a while at night, but I feel quite confident I will get through it before the end of the year. By the end of 2026, I'm guessing I will have read all the New Testament twice and likely another 5-6 of the Old Testament beyond what I said earlier.

With all this Bible reading, I don't consider myself an expert or even know where to find every reference. While my eyes are going over the text, my mind isn't always along the same course of study. It's a part of this quad life I enjoy and feel wrong the rare times I miss one of my studies. I'm thankful to live in a country where I can freely read the Bible and have easy access both digital and print format. I may change the routines again sometime, but for now, I plan to continue studying and teach when I can.

Another Loss, am I Now the Oldest?

Last weekend, the US, and other countries, celebrated the country's 250th birthday. While it was a time of celebration for some, it was a time of mourning for others. On July 3, while checking Facebook, I saw that my friend Brett Klusaw had passed away. He was 45 years old and had been a quadriplegic for 43 years.

Brett was one of two fellow quads I knew that had been injured longer than me. The other, Chuck Foss, died in 2024 also after 43 years of living the quad life. With Brett's passing, I no longer know anyone that has been injured longer than me. At 41 years post injury, I do not desire the title of longest living quadriplegic. It's an honor I genuinely hope somebody else holds and we just haven't met each other. Until then, I guess I presume the title whether I want to or not.

Other than being old quads, Brett and I didn't share a lot of similar interests. Nevertheless, he only lived a few hours away in Omaha, NE and I hoped to meet him in person. We tried last year, but it didn't work out due to scheduling. I last communicated with Brett in April and thought this may be the year to meet. However, he was having trouble with pressure sores (sounds familiar) and I didn't want to push anything if he was decreasing sitting time.

Most weeks, I email a friend who is a retired pastor, but had tremendous impact on my church and helped me to get my license to exhort. Even though I am decades younger, we both have the experience of losing friends around our own age. It's for different reasons, but similar feelings. My regret is that I never had a gospel conversation with Brett.

The few times we talked via Facebook messenger, it was generally discussing ideas on how to treat different challenges we were facing. His timeline mainly consisted of sports references or decorating for an upcoming holiday. It's good to see nothing posted bashing Christianity, like some I've seen, but nothing supportive either. While I know it's the Holy Spirit's role to act on someone's heart in conversion, but it has still been in my thoughts in the week since his death.

It is a reminder to never let an opportunity go by that you don't share the gospel with someone. Some ministries advocate friendship evangelism and getting to know the person for several months, or years, before getting into spiritual matters. However, none of us are guaranteed another day or even another minute in this life. Waiting doesn't always work or provide opportunity to share the good news of salvation.

For this coming week ahead, be sure to be mindful to share your faith, even with casual friends. Even though we all sin and are guilty before God, Jesus provided the way of salvation for all who repent and trust in Him alone, not our works. That is what I will try to be more active in doing as well as remembering our limited role.

Weekend of Freedom and Celebration

Yesterday, America celebrated 250 years of becoming an independent country. While no nation has truly been Christian, the US has come the closest.

The founding fathers wrote in the Declaration of Independence that all men are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights. From the country's foundation, God was acknowledged and the reason for our rights. Later on the 1st Amendment guaranteed all citizens the right to practice their faith and not have government force a certain belief.

At the time, the Catholic church was dominant in Europe and held strong influence over nations and local jurisdictions. As the protestant movement crew, Catholic leaders made it so that anyone who didn't follow Catholicism could be arrested, and most were killed for their faith. In this environment, being able to worship freely was indeed a welcome idea.

Today, the so called separation of church and state is taken to extremes. When prayer is allowed at public schools, or the Ten Commandments posted, it is strongly protested. At the same time, humanism is freely taught by saying evolution is the reason everything exists and God has no place in science.

This morning, I preached along a patriotic line using Romans 13:1-7. All leaders, whether good or bad, have been appointed by God. When they make rules that don't go against God's commands, then we are to obey them as commanded. The example I used was obeying the speed limit. Just as telling one lie makes you a liar, or one murder a murderer, so one mile-per-hour over breaks the law. Even if police won't pick you up unless you're much faster, it still breaks the command.

Unfortunately, as America becomes more secular and turns away from her roots and Christianity, not all laws and regulations are biblical. I recently heard of a 5th grade boy who was required to read a book to a Kindergartner about being trans. This went against the boy's belief as a Christian and he protested on reading it. Unfortunately, it is now up to courts deciding the student's freedom of speech.

I am thankful for the 250 years God has blessed this country. I continue to pray that leaders will truly come to Him and live as God commands. Many today twist Scripture to their own desires and not what it actually means.

Have a great remaining time of celebration and may we look to God's law as our basis for government and living. 

Progress Made in Answers

Sometimes, I have to wait long periods for insurance approvals and then see what treatment I will be allowed to use. This week was not one of those times and progress was made on getting questions answered, but not sure on full solutions.

Tuesday was the first visit of the week. Jeff, a technician for my diaphragm pacemaker, flew in to Des Moines and arrived in my bedroom at noon, just as planned. I reiterated what I had experienced and he was soon off to work on my DPS patch.

While Jeff works on the wires, the system doesn't work and I have to breath on my own. I had anticipated a lengthy time of breathing exercise, but just two three-minute periods was all he needed. The old silicon that had become like glue was removed, wires inspected, and new silicon added for protection. He said it usually happens when the patch gets wet. I couldn't think of a time it had, but noted to be more aware of it.

The repair maybe took 10 minutes total. I have seen Jeff a couple times in my 15+ years of using the DPS and we always got along well. After another 30 minutes of getting caught up, he headed back to the airport to catch his flight home. I don't know how his company does these maintenance visits so easily, but I'm very appreciative of them.

Thursday evening, I emailed my wheelchair tech to see if I could get scheduled for a pressure mapping of my chair. After a few messages Friday morning, he was in my room that afternoon with the needed equipment. My day caregiver had called off sick, but thankfully dad was available to move me around.

First, he noticed my chair's seat cushion was low on air, even though it had been pumped up a few weeks ago. Submerging the cushion in my parent's bathtub confirmed no air leaks, so it was dried off and further inflated. After I was sat in my chair, the cushion was partially deflated to its optimal thickness. Testing with the mapping system showed everything looking good.

Unlike last November, I also asked to test my bed while sitting. It took a few tries to get the system properly placed, but it did reveal increased pressure in the area I'm having trouble. The colors didn't look bad to me, but he recommended sitting in bed for 30 minutes at a time, 45 at the most. My usual schedule is 1-1.5 hours of sitting and then flat for the same period. That already makes it difficult to get work done, cutting time down further will be very hard to do. I could possibly do more while in my chair, but my computer and everything else isn't setup for it.

As of this writing, I haven't changed my schedule much, but have shortened upright time a little. I'm scheduled to preach the next two weeks and will have end/beginning of the month items to do for web work. As I always say, living the quad life has challenges. No matter what, I will rely on God's guidance and strength to get through.

What's a Schedule?

In Proverbs, we read that man makes many plans, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails. This week has been one of change and adjustment.

Tuesday, Sara, my day-time caregiver, thought the new skin area was looking worse. Therefore, I called my dermatologist to see if I could get in any earlier than my late July appointment. A few hours later, I had an appointment for Thursday that someone had cancelled. This was good news, but required rescheduling my hair cut. That is actually a challenging task, but was done.

My doctor wasn't too concerned and said it currently looks superficial. However, he doubled a steroid I've been taking to encourage protein absorption. He also ordered a new treatment to the area, but insurance is now debating if they will cover it or not. I'm thankful to be making more effort in this area, but that's not the only problem.

Every few weeks, my caregivers change a patch on the right side of my chest that connects to my diaphragm pacemaker. In the first few years I had it, I had trouble with wires getting damaged and not working. The solution at that time was to put some silicone gel to restore connection. That worked, but other improvements made this need obsolete and everything has been working well for at least a decade.

For about a month, when changing the patch, one of my caregivers said the silicone was getting sticky and adhering to the dressing over it. I consulted with my other caregivers and an expert nurse on the system, and they weren't concerned. Early this week, I had a different nurse change the patch, and he had the same issue, but maybe a little worse. Wednesday morning, I emailed a different technician on the DPS than I did previously to check his thoughts. He now has flight plans and should arrive Tuesday to work on my patch. What one person thought was fine, another says it needs immediate repair.

Things I had planned to do this week didn't happen and what I hadn't expected to do did happen. Late Tuesday morning, I spoke to a class of Occupational Therapy Assistants. One of their questions was if I could work a full-time job. I answered that I did a couple full-time temp jobs after college, but that was 23 years ago. At this point in the quad life, especially with my caregiver schedule, it would not be a possibility. It seems like I spend an increasing amount of time just trying to maintain my health. 

With all these unexpected twists, I'm especially thankful for my dad. He continues to make sure I have a working vehicle I can use and works at least full-time so I can keep medical insurance. As my physical needs change, I also become more dependent on his care when I don't have caregivers.

God has blessed me with great parents that do so much for me. I never know how long we will be able to continue, but am thankful for all the years so far and look forward to another week to come. 

Mounting Pressure or Something Else?

After preaching last week Sunday, I looked forward to a week at home where I could get caught up on work and prepare to preach again today. Monday, I did my regular routine of checking my skin for any problems. Both times, my front side looked fine as far as I could see. I don't often mess with flipping to my side and setup mirrors to see my posterior and often rely on my caregiver's eyes.

Tuesday morning, Sara my caregiver was doing my morning leg stretches and saw a bandage that normally doesn't exist. Further investigating discovered a new open area under my upper right leg that my night nurse must have seen.

It wasn't long ago that I saw my dermatologist about the sore on my left leg that I have had for years. He was elated at how good it looked and to keep up the good work. Since I saw him in late April, I haven't changed any of my routine and did not expect a new area to open.

Therefore, I made sure to bike all three times I could this week. Sara noticed my chair's seat cushion was a little spongy, so she pumped more air into it. I also slightly decreased my evening upright time in favor of laying flat more. Sara said it was looking better on Friday than it did Tuesday, but still existed.

With 41 years of living the quad life, this type of development isn't new. Even with that, it's still frustrating when it happens.

Logging in to write this week's entry, I was reminded of the treatment I had on the same leg just a little over a week ago. I haven't had trouble with treatment before, but the last time was three years ago. It's possible the combination of a few factors caused the issue, but I won't know.

Other than today's preaching, I only have one outing scheduled this week. I'll wait and see if I have to drastically limit activities or if the current changes help make progress.

Even with decreasing my time upright, I was thankful to be able to either complete or make progress on a few web projects. One morning, just before leaving my room to bike, I got a call from one of my clients that they were having email trouble. Of course I prefer everything to stay working, but the occasional need for help is somewhat fun. I get to research and find solutions then see if it fixes the problem. This time, one minor setting change fixed everything and they were back to normal operations again.

In some respects, when things are going well, we may forget to look to God and give thanks for all we have. When a problem, like a new sore, arises, then we call on God more quickly and seek His help in everything. You never know what a week may bring, but I can be certain that nothing is out of God's control. 

Retirement

For most adults, one eve they look forward to is retirement. While working at a job for decades, many people put money away for this milestone and look forward to the freedom it offers. Some professions allow for early retirement in their mid 50's, but not many.

After more than five decades of working various jobs, my mother was finally able to officially retire. It has taken a lot of planning and preparation, but I'm thankful she could reach this achievement. I wish my dad could do the same, but I still need medical insurance from his employer. Various ideas have been proposed, but nothing has come as a perfect solution.

While I'm thankful to see my parents slow down, it's also a hard dose of reality. One of the activities retirees do is help with grandchildren. It may be baby sitting younger kids, attending sporting events, or whatever the family does for fun. Grand children are a regular topic at church and with friends, but it is a blessing my parents, nor I, have been given.

With all the funding fumbles this year, we also have to be careful how my parent's activities may affect my benefits. Most people don't know, or care, about Iowa laws. If/when my mother takes retirement, it changes my government benefits as well and could eliminate some of my caregiver funding.

Unfortunately, living the quad life ends up discovering things that few people know exist. It is also rare that a child injured as young as I was still needs care over 40 years later. More of us are living longer and are realizing problems with the funding systems, but no easy solutions are available. 

This week, I have been following a friend's situation and potential new rules in Ohio. Alex is a fellow high-injury level quadriplegic and is 21 years post injury. His mom, Beth, is basically his only caregiver and as a result, can't have a regular job outside the home. Ohio proposed cutting off payment for family caregivers, such as parents or close relatives taking care of a person's needs. This would stop Beth's only form of income and leave them with absolutely nowhere to go. Thankfully, it appears that this ruling may be scrapped, but it still has potential.

These are times where we must remember God is in control. I don't know what the future holds for my parents, or multitudes of families in Ohio. However, God has said He knows our needs and to bring everything to Him in prayer. It can be hard to be patient and not grow anxious, but God has demonstrated many times that He is in control.

 This morning, I preached at a small church in eastern Iowa. A few days ago, they contacted me that next week was also in need of help and nobody else is available. Therefore, I'm scheduled to preach two weeks in a row. God has put me in a place where I can currently do this, so I am happy to help. It means another busy week of sermon prep, but I'm getting used to it. I will see what else comes my way as June marches on.

Where to Begin?

Unfortunately, this week started with more health issues. Monday morning, my caregiver found a rash on my leg. By Wednesday, I had a cream to treat it, but I was still tired and now running a low grade fever. The leg problem has popped up before as an indicator to infection. My suspicion was confirmed Friday afternoon with a diagnosis of a UTI and I started taking an antibiotic.

Due to the leg rash, I did not get up to bike or even sit in the sun despite nice weather. My caregiver and I didn't want to add further irritation and possibly make things worse. Therefore, I stayed in bed all week, except for one activity.

I have posted before about feeling disconnected from church at times. The best way to get to know others better is through more one-on-one conversations, especially in smaller gatherings. Most groups only meet during the school year though. It would be odd to join for the first month or two, go into winter hibernation, and then maybe return for the final meeting or two. I have done it, but it isn't a great situation.

My church bulletin advertised a men's group meeting this summer in the evening twice a month. I thought it may be good to at least see what it was like, so my only outing this week (other than the hospital lab) was Thursday night with dad at church.

He and I reviewed the Scripture passage and then joined 12 other guys. Most of them were very familiar faces from church and I actually knew the names of several. The Bible study portion took the majority of the time, but we had a concluding time of sharing prayer requests or needs.

As I listened and added requests to my mental check list, I debated what to say, if anything. One of the problems of living the quad life is the isolation and unfamiliarity with frequent concerns. While I consider several of the men friends from church, I don't know much beyond general information of each, nor they me.

I would have liked to add a prayer request about the recent issue of getting hours approved. In order for it to start making sense, it would require an explanation that could get lengthy. As others finished concerns, I also noticed time was getting closer for my night nurse to come. Along with my caregiver needs, I know others in the quad life with great struggles and further need of God's intervention.

In the end, I sat in silence and just listened as a spectator learning the group's routine. Afterword, I did update our Pastor as he is somewhat familiar with what has been going on. Overall, everything went well and I made it back to bed just one-minute before my night caregiver arrived. I don't know if dad and I will be regular attendees, but it was at least one evening out with a week of not doing well.

Next Sunday, I'm scheduled to preach at a church I haven't visited in nearly five years. I pray the medication helps to improve my overall health, but also doesn't cause further problems. Whatever happens, I look to God for His direction and strength.

Down Days

Iowa weather continues to be a roller coaster of variety. A week ago today, it was warm and pleasant weather. However, after more rain, the temps dropped again for the rest of the week. Tuesday through Friday had highs only in the mid to low 60's and lows in the 40's.

On Thursday, I had my monthly hair cut at a place I've been going for years. I ran a few errands, then arrived more than 15 minutes early to my appointment, which is highly unusual. My barber was with another client, so my caregiver and I waited up front.

Just above where I was sitting, a ceiling fan was running on a low speed. Even though I was wearing jeans and a long-sleeve shirt, the cold breeze got to me. I had my caregiver grab my coat, but it didn't help much. By the time my barber was ready, I felt like an ice cube and was absolutely miserable.

Thankfully, I left about 45 minutes after arriving and welcomed the slightly warmer outside air. Even the cloudy day with a temp around 60° felt warmer than inside. Unfortunately, the time under the fan had taken it's toll and even after extended time under blankets at home, my temp didn't even rebound up to 97°. 

Before the outing, I hadn't been feeling the greatest. However, it's getting more difficult to schedule hair appointments and I didn't want to cancel at the last minute. 

Friday was also spent warming and just not feeling great. Saturday was a little better, but still very tired and not feeling right. At church this morning, our pastor had a great message, at least what I heard. I had several times I found myself with eyes closed and head down when few others did! If I arrive early again and can only be under a fan, I think my caregiver and I will pop outside and wait by a nearby bench.

This weekend is also the time to reflect on the ultimate price some have paid to keep America's freedoms. As the country celebrates its 250th year, we cannot forget that freedom is never free. In some areas of the world, a simple thing like getting your hair cut isn't allowed. Quadriplegics, and other person's with disabilities, are often secluded from society in government run health facilities. They are given the absolute basic of care to maybe survive a few years, if even that long.

Thank you to families who remember their loved one who never came home. I greatly appreciate your sacrifices and will not forget them this week, or any other. 

First and Last Schools

The school year is coming to a close in many areas, but this week still had time for two more visits in very different venues.

Late Tuesday morning, I had my first college visit for the year. The class of seven Physical Therapy Assistant students were just two days away from graduation. I got to spend an hour with them and covered items related to spinal cord injuries and general tips for more complex needs.

Even with a small class, they asked good questions and seemed to be engaged in the discussion. I never know where the careers of these young people will take them, but I always hope I give some help. Two days after speaking with college students, I was in front of three classes of second graders.

My local Christian school runs a Spanish immersion program. Therefore, most grades have two sections of regular English instruction and one in Spanish. For the past few years, I have only had each section for 20 minutes. This made for concise visits, but I always felt like I was depriving the students from activities and learning. I requested 30-minute visits this year and it felt like it went much better, just more tiring on my part.

With the full-length time, kids were able to do both mouth and foot writing, briefly discuss other disabilities, and have time for questions. In the first class, one boy in the back of the room asked how they could best help someone with a disability. This eight-year-old asked something more thought provoking than the majority of college students I've had.

I answered that helping to open doors is a good start, but also just to see them like everyone else. If it's another child that has the disability, to play with and interact with them like any other kid, but be prepared to maybe do things differently.

In the last class, another boy was having trouble catching the concept of a spinal cord injury. I more carefully explained it being like a broken wire from your head to your legs. If it doesn't connect, no signal gets through. A few minutes later, he wondered why doctors just don't replace it. I guess my wire analogy was too literal, but just said that medical technology hasn't found a way to do that.

With that, my grade school visits are finished for the year. Not long after returning home, my caregiver and I lamented on it going too quickly. Yes, school visit days get busy, but they're a fun part of teaching the quad life and getting to spend time with kids. One girl asked if I had children and I gave my usual answer that I would like to, but don't. Instead, I just barrow a classroom full at a time.

The next few weeks look to be much calmer with only one note on my calendar for an appointment. Now it will be further concentration on web related work and starting to prep for a sermon in a few weeks. Maybe this fall I'll see if I can get to a few new grade schools so I don't go as long between school visits. Whatever comes, I'm thankful for God's care through it all. 

Thankful for Mom

It was another busy week in the quad life with four days of going out to serve the community.

Tuesday was another grade school visit, with this one in downtown Des Moines. It is an inner city school that I have been to for years, but it is always interesting. The students come from a mix of people groups, but learn as one. These kids also tend to be much more energetic than my other schools, but I have learned how to keep on top of enthusiasm and what to expect.

The last three days have been the annual tulip festival in town with volunteering at a gospel outreach group. A few weeks ago, I made a special request to my church congregation to join me with spreading the gospel. Unfortunately, once again, I was the only representative from a church that said they wanted to do more of reaching the lost.

On Friday, I gave a gospel tract to a woman likely in her early 20's. After asking a few questions, she replied that she just lives for the moment and doesn't think ahead. I drilled a little further, but she was soon off with her friend. This isn't an interaction I've had before and showed my inexperience in one-on-one encounters. Friday night, laying awake, I thought of better responses to be better prepared for the next time.

Saturday did not have any caregivers, but dad agreed to come with me so I could go out on the town. He only went out with me once several years ago, so I was unsure how he'd react. I was relieved to hear he learned from the instructional classes and did pretty well in helping in public. I spoke with a few people after giving out tracts and had basic conversations. One of my team members did very well in approaching others and was able to witness to a Spanish speaking family.

All these activities have been part of my annual routine for many years. On Mother's Day, I am thankful for my mother who instilled in me much of what I do today. I remember mom reading Bible stories as a young child and putting up with my questions.

Forty years ago, online support groups for parents of quadriplegics didn't exist. Even with all the challenges of medical insurance and getting needs covered, she never let me give up. Mom encouraged me to be active and not just sit around and waist the time God has given me.

Thank you mom for everything over the years. I hope to continue to be able to stay active as long as God allows and continue to serve as you taught. 

Anniversary Illness Week

It has been a week of celebration, illness, and busyness all wrapped into one. If someone says quadriplegics don't do much and just play games, they haven't seen this quad life.

Last week's congestion issues continued all week. The frequent coughing, congestion, and suctioning was getting annoying, so I went to see my GP. As I sat in his office with a nose that made noise every breathe, I reported what had been happening. The general practitioner agreed I had sinus infection, but said he normally waits two weeks to see if it clears on its own. For me though, he prescribed an antibiotic with instructions to wait one more day to fill it. Even though my caregiver and I could hear junk in my lungs, he thought they sounded great. I left wondering if the doctor needed a hearing check.

Tuesday night was spent like the previous four with much difficulty breathing and moving nearly every which way to clear my nose and lungs. Wednesday morning, I promptly called the pharmacy and gladly started the new medication. As I write this Saturday night, I have suctioned four times and am still struggling with lungs, but nose not as bad. I slept well Thursday and Friday night also, so at least have some improvement.

Also this week, my parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. In year's passed, they imagined taking a special trip to mark the occasion and spend several days away. Unfortunately, the trip was only able to be two nights and three days. Many other couples have gone to Alaska, Hawaii, or other destinations, but we didn't have enough hours, or people, to cover more time. I felt bad they couldn't do more, but I'm thankful for all the years God has given my parents and hope they'll be able to do more sometime.

The end of every month is also a busy time for web work. I do regular maintenance on my client's websites and provide reports of what I did as well as visitor statistics. Over the last few months, I have, or will be, losing a few clients. However, some new ones have started as well and have pretty much stayed even. With not feeling great and regular quad life needs, it was a challenge to get all sites updated by the end of the month as well as invoices sent out and new virtual paperwork made for May. I just finished Saturday afternoon, but still need to approve my caregiver's hours from April and prepare for May.

This week, I'm scheduled to speak at a school and then have three days of volunteering at an outreach event. I am praying my lungs improve without further assistance, but I am starting to consider how I could reschedule anything. With the school year nearing the end though, I don't see it happening.

Even in all the busyness, I'm thankful I am able to be active. God has allowed me to have loving parents and caregivers that accommodate my various projects. In a few more weeks though, I do look forward to a slight slow down, at least with outings.

Adjustments

It's another week and time for another update. I have been sitting in front of my computer contemplating what what to write as it has been a fairly calm week. However, that doesn't mean nothing happened.

In January, I was notified that my request to continue with my caregiver hours was denied. The decision was asked to be reconsidered, and I have been waiting to hear since February. On Monday, my case manager called to say the hours had been approved, but only for six months. The six months that were approved are January-June. This is the end of April.

Unless I missed something, time travel is still not a thing. Therefore, we can't go back to January-March to increase hours. April's time had to be approved in late March and can't be changed either. That means the approved six months is actually just two. Yet again, more meetings and decisions will be coming.

I also decided to do a small medication experiment this week. Every morning, I take an allergy med that should last 24 hours. About 1.5-2 hours after I take it, I have a hard time staying awake. I therefore thought it may be better to take it at night with my sleep meds instead.

Wednesday and Thursday went by without much noticeable change. Friday morning was also fine, but then I started getting congested. I ended up getting suctioned five times in about six hours along with an extra chest treatment.

In order to keep junk from settling in my lungs, I get turned from side to side as needed. Sara, my daytime caregiver, had a busy day of rolling, repositioning, and keeping me able to breathe. As discomfort in my lungs continued, I started to wonder if I would be visiting the ER.

Thankfully, it started to improve toward evening. Dad did not need to suction, but still had to roll me a few times. Friday night also went pretty well, but Saturday morning had a stuffy nose and slightly sore lungs again.

I was last tested for allergies over 20 years ago and just take the medication as precaution. With this week's testing, I'm wondering if I need it more than I thought. Even though it says it's a full day, it doesn't appear to work as advertised. 

As I'm writing, I'm formulating a plan to get back to the regular time without missing a dose. Sometimes, trying to make a small change to improve the day ends up doing the opposite. Friday's reaction may have been completely unrelated to the medication change, but it's extremely unusual for me. Such is the quad life. I look forward to one more week at home before one with almost daily outings. 

Tax Season

In the US, April 15 is when annual income taxes are due. For the last several weeks, I have been seeing advertising for tax prep and filing services from various providers. Of course, most people do anything they can to avoid paying taxes, or at least as little as possible.

Taxes are not anything new and have been in place for over 2,000 years. Jesus was asked if it was appropriate to pay tax to Caesar and responded in Mark 12 and Luke 20. Paul also wrote in Romans 13:6-7 "For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor."

Christians, following Jesus' teaching, should pay what is due. Taxes are what pay for the majority of government services we receive. Roads, police, Medicaid, Medicare, armed forces, and many more. However, there can be a limit for what people are willing to pay and provide.

Last fall, New York City elected a new mayor who openly campaigned to run the city in a communist fashion. Citizens would receive free housing, child care, bus transportation, and other services through taxing the wealthy. Despite many warnings from around the country, he was elected.

As taxes quickly increased, many of the higher income brackets left the city. The income threshold for "wealthy" was lowered dramatically making it very difficult for law abiding residents to meet basic needs. The promised free services are also very behind on budget and unable to operate. Just as predicted, over taxation does not work and only makes living conditions worse.

I'm not sure what all was covered by taxes in Jesus time on earth, but I believe Roman soldiers were part of it. Since they often oppressed Jews and many others, I'm guessing paying taxes was similar to paying to help persecution. Unlike New Yorkers though, those living in Israel could not as easily pack up and move somewhere with better political leaders.

For the first time in over 20 years, I also paid taxes from 2025. I had conflicting information from different accountants, but it was decided I owed some to the government. On April 14, the final day before everything was due, I signed multiple documents and got everything in the mail.

As another week, and tax season, begins, let us remember what was said in Romans. Give custom, fear, honor, and even tax, to whom it is due. This is God's command and how we should live each day. 

First Visit in 54 Years

In 1972, Apollo 17 was the last manned mission to the moon. The goal to beat the Russians to the moon had been achieved and interest, and funding, dwindled. Since then, human space travel has been limited to low earth orbit and the international space station.

My interest in space is mild compared to some, but I do like the science related to space exploration and how the "heavens declare the glory of God." On April 1, 2026, the Artemis II spacecraft launched with four crew members aboard. The goal of the 9.5 day mission was to go around the far side of the moon and test the various systems of the rocket and capsule. In the process, the astronauts would also travel further from earth than any previous mission.

During the mission, I have been catching various live coverage as well as highlight videos as the four neared the moon. One of the new systems aboard the spacecraft was a bathroom with a more regular toilet. It had a few problems and became one of the top stories about the entire mission. A local plumbing and heating company posted a message saying they were ready to answer the repair call.

Monday, April 6, was the day the craft flew behind the moon. Both astronauts and commentators were running out of words to describe the beauty and sights they were seeing. The views of earth, moon, and solar eclipse were all unique experiences that very few people have seen and the world hasn't done for over half a century. I enjoyed seeing all the pictures that were sent back and finally watching the splashdown live Friday evening during supper.

Since the last moon missions, a group of conspiracy theorists have claimed the earth is actually flat, we've never been to the moon, and anyone claiming the earth is a globe or we've been in space is lying. I saw some comments from them trying to say how videos were fake, just in a studio somewhere, and various other such denials. Many in this group also say the Bible supports their theory, while citing passages out of context. It is sad that they miss out on part of God's glory.

Traveling 252,756 miles from earth is a long distance, but it's nothing when compared to the vastness of space. The sun is about 93 million miles from earth with light taking eight minutes to travel the distance. The nearest stars and galaxies are trillions of miles from earth requiring a distance measurement of a light year, the distance light can travel in a year.

In Scripture we read that God created the stars and knows them all by name. We now know their are billions of galaxies that include billions of stars each. Trying to wrap our mind around such vastness is nearly impossible, but it all points to the awesome power of God who has made all this, but still calls us His sons and daughters.

Some question the reason for space travel and if it's worth the effort and expense. Some new technologies have developed from it that help in different aspects. However, I keep in mind the command given to explore creation and subdue it. The more we see, the more awe we can contribute to God and the abilities He has given us. That is what I choose to do and why I keep at least partial interest in space. I hope you will do the same.