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. 

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. 

Do We Recall History

A few days ago, I read Judges 11 as part of my morning reading. In part of the chapter Jephthah debates with a king who was fighting against Israel. He detailed Israel's history of conquering the land in question and even recounted dialogue that took place 300 years earlier.

This year celebrates America's 250th year as an independent country. Can any of my readers recall history from from the 50 years prior to this country's independence? I'm certain that such history is available and some people can likely recount some of it, but it is not common.

We are also living in a time when history is being questioned by many and if it can be trusted. Looking at everyday life, it's easy to find one-sided reporting from news media that spins current event in a particular viewpoint. After a few years, or decades, have passed from some milestone and memories begin to fade, biased reporting can have a lasting impact. This is heard particularly when citing even older history, like 2,000 years ago.

Today is Easter Sunday, it is when millions of Christians around the world celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This event is one that separates Christianity from the other religions of the world. Islam, Buddhism, and other great religious faiths have leaders that have died and never went further. Jesus' death and resurrection paid the fine for our sins so that we may have eternal life with Him if we repent from sin and trust in Christ alone.

However, many today so you cannot trust the Bible and the history it records. Skeptic argue it was written by men well after the events occurred and negates any prophecy. Looking at the four gospels, some also try to say they copied each other in parts and give conflicting information to events that are irreconcilable.

Well, let's look at a few pieces of evidence. First, many of the eyewitnesses were alive when the first books the New Testament were written. Therefore, they could easily correct any errors in the records and refute false information. We also see a great change in Jewish lifestyle.

Centuries of animal sacrifice suddenly stopped and the new religion of Christianity quickly spread despite severe persecution. All but one of the apostles were martyred for their faith and never gave up their testimony. Would that many people be killed for following a known lie?

Testimonies outside of Scripture, such as from Josephus, Tacitus, and Plimy the Younger, recount the happenings around Easter. It is such a well documented event from different sources, that few try to say it didn't happen.

Through recorded resources, eyewitness testimonies, and more, we can be certain of the death and resurrection of Christ. As we go forward from this day, let us remember Scripture's reliability and use it to spread the good news of forgiveness.

Giving Thanks for Progress

Once again, we have reached late November and will soon celebrate the official day to give thanks. Personally, I find the easiest thing to do in prayer is give God thanks for all He has provided. Without Him, we would have nothing, not even the air we breathe, heart beat, or life.

This year, I was thankful to be able to take a trip east to see friends at CHAMP Camp and visit the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter again. The mold in the hotel air conditioner wasn't fun, but it was a reminder to give thanks for times of good health and easy breathing.

A big item of progress happened Friday. I ordered my new wheelchair in May and first sat in it in late October. The chair company completed all the adjustments and brought it to my home. The first order of business was to do a pressure map of the new seat cushion.

Map from 2019 showing issues

Pressure mapping involves sitting on a thin pad full of sensors. It is then displayed on a computer or tablet and shows pressure areas. Light to medium blue is ideal with yellows and reds indicating problem areas, somewhat similar to a weather radar. It normally takes doctor's orders, scheduling an appointment, and traveling somewhere to get it done. This time, it was part of the chair setup and done right in my bedroom. If I had thought about it, I should have tested my bed mattress, but I didn't until well after the technician left. I was thankful it could be done and the new seat tested very well without any changes required.

Some button changes had been made since I last saw the chair, but they were soon adjusted and I had my first opportunity to drive. As I expected, the tiny joystick is much more sensitive than I'm used to and has very little range of movement. Therefore, the slightest change translates into a larger or jerkier movement than desired. As I navigated through my room and down the halls, I kept it in a low speed setting and managed not to hit anything, or anyone. Learning the different seat functions will also take time, but I'm thankful for the technology God has given us to accommodate fallen bodies in this world.

Friday was also fully covered by caregivers and allowed my parents to get away for a full day. Shortly after getting home, dad discovered my new chair is three inches longer than the one I've been using. This could make for a tight, if not impossible, fit for the tie downs in my van. Thankfully, alternate restraining systems do exist, but it would have to be researched and installed. As of this writing, I have yet to test getting in the van.

While more challenges come, the areas of thankfulness can outweigh them. I'm thankful for all the years I have been given and experience God's blessings. May you have a Happy Thanksgiving and see what God has done. 

I Miss Church

Friday night, after dad got me ready for bed, I laid awake with thoughts going through my head. We had hoped to have nights covered this weekend, but it didn't happen. My night nurse will hopefully get released to work soon, but it hasn't happened yet.

Before dad came at 1:30, and while laying flat, I read several pages in Foxes Book of Martyrs. I'm currently reading about the inquisitions of the Roman Catholic church around 1650. Many Christians refused to disobey God by bowing to statues, praying to saints, and other unbiblical requirements. As a result, they were killed in a multitude of torturous ways, but they would not give in.

Being with other Christians can make for encouragement during hard times as well as assurance of faith. I've seen several reports of church attendance being increased since Charlie Kirk's assassination last month. It shows people are curious about his faith, turning to Christ, and looking to learn from churches.

It has been since August since I last attended my home church in person. I preached a few weeks earlier about the importance of fellowship and especially joining with those who can't get out easily. Unfortunately, I've had very little communication from anyone in my congregation during this time. I very thankful for weekly emails between another member and I, but she has mainly been all.

I look forward to being able to sit in the church building and participate in worship again. Not many people talk with me, nor I with others, but it's at least comforting seeing friends in person. As my head meandered through thoughts, I remembered our previous church facility. Waiting for the elevator, it was a great opportunity to fellowship with everyone around and typically see the same faces each week. 

The elevator was primarily used by those with advanced age, so it sometimes was fun to hear their thoughts on different topics. Many of those from the elevator corner have either passed from this life or are no longer able to get out. 

Our new facility is flat and doesn't need an elevator. It's very nice for accessibility, but takes away the gathering spot I was enjoyed.

Hopefully in another week, or two, my family will be able to have full night coverage and can return to in-person Sunday morning worship. Such is part of the quad life, but it makes me thankful for all my remaining caregivers as well.

It Takes a Community

This morning, I preached my last scheduled time for a morning service. It had been scheduled that I wouldn't have help Saturday night. However, as the previous time, my one night nurse was willing to adjust his schedule so I could sleep prior to preaching. Therefore, he took off Friday night and tonight instead of Saturday.

From observing myself and other quadriplegic friends, our families tend to stay pretty isolated. Beyond whatever caregivers a person may have, it is generally the person's parents that take responsibility for care. Unfortunately, this is nearly, or completely, 24/7 care all year long for many years. You often hear well meaning intentions of help from church or other groups, but it rarely happens. The long-term needs and specialized care for some procedures scare most people away. This weekend though, I witnessed a change.

Friday afternoon, I had my usual medical cares done by my caregiver Sara. However, we both forgot I needed an extra chest treatment since I wouldn't get it that night. I could see she was tired from our busy day, so I offered to skip it or see if dad could get it later. No, Sara got it finished so dad wouldn't need to fit it in. It meant an extra 15 minutes to her shift, but she was willing to help.

Before I was born, mom became friends with a couple ladies she worked with. It has been over 45 years, but we remain close friends with these families and my parents have vacationed with some of them several times. By now, they are very familiar with our needs and regular struggles without nursing. Friday night, one of our friends came about 7:30 to help us through the night.

Last week, mom and I showed how we arrange my pillows and table to sit, lay flat, read, and use the computer. Friday night was review that went well. When I went flat for my final time at midnight, mom was able to rest in the other room while our friend and I stayed up until dad took over. It may have been less than 90 minutes, but it still provided a welcome break and further rest for mom.

This Labor Day weekend, let us pause and see who we are laboring for. Do we mainly serve our own needs, or are their areas we can help others more? Living the quad life makes for a lot of work, but I'm thankful for help from those around us. Every Friday and Saturday night in September will be without nursing care. However, on occasion, we may get more help than expected.

Canyon Trip

Living the quad life, I rely heavily on others for help with everything. I have been very blessed with several caregivers, but depend on my parents a lot. After several decades, it gets very hard seeing them miss out on trips with friends or doing what they would like and instead staying home to help me. This week, tides have changed for one special outing.

My dad likes the outdoors, hiking, camping, and anything related. He often talks about dreams of this or that trail and doing some activity. A few years ago, I heard about a creation ministry that did rafting and hiking tours of the Grand Canyon. It sounded like something I would enjoy, but dad especially. However, being gone for 7-10 days would be nearly impossible. This is where I am especially thankful for the caregivers God has provided.

I talked about the trip to my then intern nurse from Arizona. Brenda said if dad really wanted to go on the trip, she would come back and help take care of me even after graduation. After MUCH debate, dad finally agreed to signup for a rafting trip. However, that portion of the adventure was over a year before actually departing. Continued debate has gone on for that year, but dad left this past Thursday with Brenda arriving Friday.

According the videos and brochures, he will be traveling nearly 200 miles down the Colorado River with multiple stops and side hikes. The group will explore the Grand Canyon from a biblical perspective rather than evolutionary and see more of the gorge than you ever could just by hiking. Dad is scheduled to return late Saturday and will likely be full of stories for years to come.

In addition to my regular helpers, Brenda is covering 40 hours this week as well as the last few days. God has blessed us abundantly with help, and I'm very thankful dad could take this once-in-a-lifetime trip. Later this week should also be a busy time for me, but that will be the topic of next week's entry.