Looking Back at 40 Years

February is always a month of transition for me. The last major, long-lasting, storms of winter and cold air usually subside and start to give way to spring. As I write this week's entry, a long stretch of sub-zero temperatures has ended and the thermostat is above freezing. February 20 is also the anniversary of entering the quad life. This years marked the 40th anniversary of that journey that started on a cold winter evening.

The last few days, I posted an entry on my Facebook page and a video on my YouTube channel to mark the date. Seeing the comments has relived support from so many over the decades, and memories of all that has happened.

As a three-year-old, I didn't fully realize what was going on with my body. I don't remember waking up to a realization one day, but just gradual acceptance of this was just my life. My parents were told I would be walking by the time I was ten, which was also about how long I would live. More than four times than that has passed, and I'm still here, but not walking.

When my parents won the battle to bring me home again and live a "regular" life, they were warned I would constantly be sick. I went through grade school, high school, and college without any major illness. Pressure sores were, and are, a problem, but that wasn't due to classmates.

Technology has also vastly improved with now using the diaphragm pacemaker, FES bike, and general antibiotics. I greatly miss having uninterrupted speech on the vent, but enjoy having natural breathing.

Unfortunately, I've lost many quad friends that have not been given this many years. I sometimes wonder why God chose to bless me this way, but I try to work for Him however I can. What this next year, and new decade, will bring, I don't know. Whatever it is, I trust God and His lead in everything.

A Year Done, Another Ahead

It is the last day of 2023, we have traveled around the sun and had some fun, as well as challenging times for all. Looking at 2024, some say it could be a year to abhor.

This past year, I was thankful to be able to return to using a trach button again and to finally produce my autobiography. For the most part, I also had nursing shifts covered with only one extended period without help. God has blessed my year again and allowed me to serve Him in various ways.

As with any future time period, we need to remember that God is in control, even though we may not understand why some things happen. However, we may give estimates on what will be in store for 2024.

I recently saw a report about low marriage rates and declining US population. That means jobs will continue to remain unfilled and as more people retire, openings will only increase. Therefore, we'll see more jobs turn to automation and even more self-checkouts at retailers.

It was almost four years ago, but 2020 should still be firm in most people's memory. However, some news media and commercials twist reality by saying things that happened weren't true. Such as being made to get a vaccine, or not work, and threats for those who didn't receive at least one. Now, it's starting to look like lock downs may happen again and even more restrictions for being in public.

In the US, it is a presidential election year. Already, one state has tried to fix the ballot by not allowing a current front-runner to be listed. If restrictions are put in place again, mailing ballots will be highly encouraged, which allows for easy manipulation.

For me, I have a few ideas in mind. Last week, I heard about a course I can take to improve my preaching. It is a college-level close from a school that does still adhere to the Bible. It's also affordable, so the main question is time requirement. I hope to be able to do the course, but just need to balance a few life options.

I'm also having more trouble with my back twisting, either due to physical problems or chair trouble. That needs to be another project to continue on with the new year.

As the quad life continues, I will plan to keep posting each week. May God bless your year ahead and remember to look to Him in whatever comes.

Christmas Eve

It is the day before Christmas, time for final preparations and planning for the holiday. Stores will be closed and many families gather as they celebrate the birth of our Savior. Modern anticipation is fun, but it's nothing compared to what happened 2000 years ago.

Mankind fell into sin not long after creation and restoration seemed impossible. However, God promised to send restoration that would be born from the offspring of the woman. All throughout the Old Testament, more information is given about the coming Messiah, with fuzzy pictures becoming more clear. 

A virgin will give birth to a Child (Isaiah 7:14) who would be born in Bethlehem and be a ruler of Israel (Micah 5:2). A child will have the government on His shoulders and be called the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Many other foreshadows were given about the One who was to come, and His purpose.

After a 400 year silence from any further revelation, the prophecies were finally fulfilled. An angel announced to Mary and Elizabeth their roles in God's plan and how they would be used. Jesus was born in a stable and fulfilled every prophecy exactly as it had said.

Upon His birth, angels sang to shepherds and magi followed His star. Servants in the temple had waited a lifetime for what the Holy Spirit had promised and marveled as they held the baby, and warned of His purpose. Growing up, Jesus' parents and siblings didn't understand who He was and while performing the predicted signs, they wanted to take custody of Him.

About 33 years after His birth, the only sinless person to ever exist was crucified, died, and buried. He rose again on the third day, conquering death that we may have life in Him. All who repent of sin, and trust in Christ alone for forgiveness, not in works, can receive this free gift. As you celebrate Christmas this year, let us always remember the reason for our celebrating.

I have speculated a few times what I would preach at a Christmas service if given the opportunity, and it would likely be a reminder like this. It would mean going against my winter hibernation, but I would for the opportunity. Unfortunately, I found out too late that my home church needed help, but is instead not having a service. Whatever you're doing or life situation, never forget what is the true meaning of Christmas.

Welcome 2023

Today starts another year, a fresh start for another 365 days. For me, the day started with church and beginning a new annual Bible reading plan. For many, it also is a time to start exercise plans or various other goals that for some reason needed to wait until January 1. In the early chapters of Genesis, people lived 700 to over 900 years old. I somewhat doubt they had hundreds of times they wanted to start something new with each year.

However, a new year is not always a joyous time for everyone. It can be the beginning of a year without a close friend or loved one. I like to take the time to reflect on what God allowed me to do in the previous year and what to repeat, or avoid, for another year.

Virtual foot writing

This was the first year I visited with an elementary school virtually. For various reasons, I don't get to as many grade schools as I used to, and I miss it. I love working with kids and this venture was a fun addition and I was able to teach the students about different abilities. I have breached the possibility of doing it again this year, but I'll have to see if it works out.

In 2022, CHAMP Camp had its first in-person camp since 2019. It had strict restrictions on who could attend, and alumni campers were not on the list. I slightly considered trying it this year, but I recently learned it is requiring some shots that I can't take. Therefore, it looks like my camp retirement will be staying permanent.

Last year also hit a new record for preaching, 12 times in seven months. I have started preparing a couple new sermons, but don't know how many congregations I'll get to visit. A church I visited several times in 2021 never asked me to come in 2022, so I will wait and see.

Whatever happens in this year, I know that God is in control. I can't guess what will occur, but I pray I can serve Him wherever I am. Have a great year ahead and I look forward to continuing to write each week!

Looking Back at the Year Past

Just a week ago I was posting about Christmas and now the new year has already started. These are times good for reflection as well as looking forward to what may come.

In 2021, I had my record number of times preaching. I remember early in the year that I was wondering how much I could do with lock downs uncertain. I'm thankful that I had the opportunity and I pray that I will be able to preach more this year as well. However, I may be a little more selective depending on my responsibilities for the service and how many I do in a row.

The second record for the year is one that pretty well only I would care about, but it is still noteworthy. Thanks to the COVID lock downs from 2020 spilling over to the next year, I didn't get out to church in person or hardly out at all in the winter. Combined with a warmer spring, 2021 was the first full calendar year I went completely barefoot.

When cold weather comes, I dread having to put on footwear and endure the increased muscle spasms and frequently getting stuck, unable to move, while my neck is stiff and I can't move. If I can continue to only go out on warmish days, I'll reach two years of being free from footwear in late February. I definitely still have spasms and stiffness when barefoot, but anything I can do to decrease them without more medication is a good thing.

An unfortunate record was the most open nursing shifts that I can remember. Except for one day, it has now been two full months since Sara has been able to work. My other day caregiver took a few extra shifts, but three days a week have mainly just been my parents. Sara has an appointment late this week and I pray she is able to return on at least a limited basis.

This year has started off with a sudden switch to snow and bitter cold with today's church service cancelled two days ago. New Year's Eve had no night nurse, but thankfully she was able to cover last night.

I don't know what God has in store for the quad life this year, but I know it will be according to His plan. I hope to continue to post here every week and keep track of what has been happening. Have a great first week of 2022!

When is Half?

As happens every year, I recently had a birthday. I have now left my third decade of life and am starting the fourth. When some men, or women, turn 40, they go through a mid-life crisis and often purchase expensive cars or other items. However, how do we really know when we are halfway through life? Who on earth gets to decide?

A quick search said the the global average lifespan for men is 70 and American men live slightly longer to 77. Therefore, looking at statistics, the mid-point for men would be around 35-38. Judging by those numbers, I'm already past the halfway point. Family genetics also plays a part in longevity and both of my grandfathers lived to their mid 80's. They were also completely independent and active their entire life. A big contribution to an individual's lifespan though is health.

I could very easily say my midpoint in life was around the summer I was six-years-old. At that time, I had spent half my life without a spinal cord injury and half with. At the time of my injury, my parents were told my life expectancy would be around age ten. Both of these numbers say my mid-life crisis should have happened in Kindergarten. Current statistics on longevity for spinal cord injuries are harder to find. The last I saw, my injury level would have put me to my early 30's.

Studying statistics and trends can lead to endless speculation and guessing with nothing gained. The One who knows our lifespan, from conception to death, is God. He has told us that this life is like a vapor or a blink of an eye. No matter how many years we are given, it's nothing compared to eternity. That was even true for Methuselah, who lived 969 years.

No matter how many more birthdays I celebrate, I know God has tremendously blessed me and given me a much longer life than others in my situation. I try to spend the time I'm given to serve God however I can and always be aware how quickly time progresses. It's something best learned at an early age and remembered every day.

Day of Remembrance

Twenty years ago today, terrorists hijacked four planes. Two of them were flown into the Twin Towers of New York, one into the Pentagon, and one crashed in Pennsylvania. Anyone over thirty very likely remembers where they were on that day and can play out the day's activities by heart.

Photo by Olga Subach on Unsplash

The following days, everyone was glued to their television to not miss any updates. American flags were up on houses all over the country and we vowed never to forget the heroes who died trying to help save others. Not long after the attack, President George W. Bush declared war on terrorism and sent troops to Afghanistan. Unfortunately, much of America has forgotten and gone full circle.

A few weeks ago, President Biden declared that American troops would be completely pulled out of Afghanistan and set a date. Unfortunately, many have said it was the worst possible way to remove our troops. Thirteen were killed trying to protect the airport so people could evacuate. Many civilians that helped the U.S. soldiers were left behind, as well as $85 billion worth of military equipment.

In less than two days, the Taliban took over the country and have been killing those who helped the army as well as any Christians. The terrorist organization now has more black hawk helicopters and equipment than many countries. While this happens, the leaders of the U.S. have been promoting social issues in places like Vietnam, where we also had horrible war results. Watching news from countries like Australia, America has become the laughing stock of the world with allies unsure if they would receive military aid if, or when, needed.

For the last several days, my morning reading has been in the book of Ezekiel. The prophet warned of coming disaster due to Israel forsaking God. In many ways, it echoes what I see happening in much of the developed world.

Today, remember those that died twenty years ago in the attacks as well as soldiers who have been killed fighting for freedom. Also pray the past is not repeated and the country will return to Christ before it's too late.

Reading Many Books has No End

Last year, I posted a few times on cleaning out the basement and some of the finds. My parents have been at it again and found a box of books that were meant to go out last year, but I wanted a picture first. I finally got the picture taken, and books out to recycle.

In grade school and high school, I did not enjoy reading at all. It was a challenge to get a book positioned for me to read and then turning pages could sometimes be a battle between stick and paper. The struggle continues today, but I'm used to it and it's just part of what it takes for me to be able to read.

When I started college, the number of books I had to study increased, as well as their thickness and complexity. However, it was a little more enjoyable as the material was generally something I was interested in learning. After college, as I got into more web development work, I had manuals on how to run some of my software and learn more programming skills.

Now, it has been nearly 20 years since I first read some of those books. New software, and manuals, I was once excited to use are now very outdated and not worth more than the dust collected on the pages. Piled up, the stack goes from the floor to higher than my arm rests. I have read all of it at some point, but it's now useless material. While age may make some books useless, that is not the case for everything.

I have read one book more times than I can count, cover to cover, and still learn more each time. It has been nearly 2000 years since it was completed, but is still relevant today. God's Word, as recorded in the Bible, never changes, but is always up to date for every situation. If I still used, or taught, the exact material from my school books today, it wouldn't do any good. Preaching from Scripture will have no expiration date and will always be useful.

Ecclesiastes 12:12 says in part, "Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh." The next two verses give the purpose of continuing to gain knowledge about God. I'm thankful for the experiences, and wisdom, God has given me over the years in this quad life. Today was week two out of five for preaching and, as long as I preach from the text, I will never run out of material.

Book of Proverbs

Lately, it seems like I keep running out of time to get things done and have to carefully choose what activities get priority. However, I always start and end the day with reading the Bible. It has been a while since I last gave a reading update, but I am currently spending each morning in Proverbs.

King Solomon was given wisdom by God, and was the wisest man to live. This book was written through him in order "to know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding." (Proverbs 1:2) Even though it was written thousands of years ago, it is still very relevant to modern life.

With its 31 chapters, it works well to read a chapter a day every month with 31 days. I have done this practice in January for a few years and start the new year off well. However, many of the proverbs are contained in just one verse and I have seen calendars with daily words of wisdom from this book.

Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." With many people uncertain of the future due to concerns about politics, health, economy, and more, this is good to always remember.

Also in Proverbs 11:2, "When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom." Around the country, and world, some social groups celebrate pride and flaunt it everywhere. In the book of Job, he was proud of his actions and was certain he did no wrong. However, God used a series of questions to humble Job and subdue his pride. Everyone would be wise to remain humble and not let pride in our heart.

When reading the Bible, we need to remember, "Every word of God is pure; he is a shield to those who put their trust in Him." (Proverbs 30:5) Today, many people and organizations try to put doubt on God's Word and cast hatred toward those who follow it. However, living the quad life or any life, our full trust can be put completely on everything written; in the week ahead and all eternity.

Independence Day

It is July 4, 2021, Independence Day in the United States. On this day in 1776, the nation declared its independence from Britain and became a new, free country. As guaranteed by the founding fathers, part of this freedom would include citizens being able to worship God as they wanted and not be forced into one state religion. This morning, I again had the opportunity to preach God's Word in church and focused on this topic.

For over 200 years, much of Western culture (such as the US, Canada, Australia, and more) has enjoyed freedom to attend church, worship God, have easy access to the Bible, and live our faith in every part of life. We have heard about persecution in other countries such as the Middle East and China, but they frequently fade from memory. However, freedom to worship has been changing in the past few decades and especially the last 18 months.

I have been watching a channel called BTWN News that reports on current events related to Christianity. They, and others, have covered much news from Canada as pastors have been jailed for the crime of preaching and their church buildings locked up by officials or, in one case, surrounded by three layers of fencing.

These congregations have been forced to meet in undisclosed locations and taken measures not to be tracked. As of July 1, all restrictions were finally lifted, buildings opened, and pastors released. That is great news to hear, but it also vividly demonstrates a great shift in government and society.

As part of His trial, Jesus told Pilate, "my kingdom is not of this world." (John 18:36) As Christians, we need to submit to and respect all those in authority, but as long as it doesn't conflict with God's commands. Several examples of this are given in the New Testament of Paul and apostles respecting those in power, but following God first.

Throughout this Independence Day and every day, let us remember we are never independent from God and to serve the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Names in Chronicles

It has been a few weeks since I posted on Bible reading, but I continue with it every morning. The two books of Kings finished Thursday and Chronicles started Friday morning. Some parts of the Bible are easier to read than others, but this is the area I find most challenging.

First and Second Chronicles primarily repeat the information given in First and Second Kings. Chronicles was written about the time Israel returned from captivity in Babylon to their home land. One difference between the books is that 1 Chronicles starts off with names, a lot of names.

The first chapter begins with genealogies from Adam, through Israel, and the kings of Israel. After several chapters of reading who had what sons, the book lists various positions held in the kingdom and who had them. Reading lists of names that sound very unfamiliar for several days gets challenging to stay awake, but they have a purpose.

God saw it as important to record each of these individuals, who lived in history, in a way that they would be remembered for thousands of years after they died. Very few people in the last 1,000 years get to have that recognition, let alone a large number of people as recorded in Chronicles. The genealogies also serve to record the ancestry from Adam, the first man, to Jesus. While I read each name recorded in this book of the Bible, it reminds me of more books that God has told us about.

In Revelation, and elsewhere, we read about judgement at the end of time. Books will be opened that have recorded our activities while we lived. Anyone whose name is not found listed in the book of life will be thrown into the lake of fire, where there will be everlasting torment, weeping, and gnashing of teeth.

While it may be difficult to sit and read through so many names, it should remind us that our name has been written down as well. Just as the people recorded in Chronicles have been written for all generations, so have our names been recorded for all of history. Every person needs to repent of sin and trust in Jesus alone for salvation and be written in the book of life. It is one record that will have eternal benefit, and always be remembered.

Samson, Braun and no Brain?

For the last few days, my morning daily reading has been in Judges. The entire book recounts a repeating cycle for the nation of Israel. After the death of Joshua, and his generation, the people abandon God and follow the pagan practices of the surrounding nations. As a result, God follows through on His promises and gives Israel over to oppression and enslavement.

When this happens, Israel cries out to God for forgiveness and deliverance from their enemies. God responds by bringing up a leader, or judge, and restores the nation's freedom through that person. Israel then serves God during the lifetime of the judge, but then quickly falls away again after the leader's death. Then, the entire cycle starts over again with the people forgetting lessons from history.

One of the more well-known judges during this time period was Samson. The account of his service was all of yesterday's reading and part of today's. Before his birth, Samson was to be a Nazirite, set apart by God for a unique service. As a Nazirite, he needed to follow strict laws for behavior and how he lived his life. These rules included not cutting hair, going near a dead body, and much more as given by God through Moses.

While Samson was set apart as a Nazirite, he broke most of the rules during his life. Through strength God gave him, this judge killed many of the Philistines that were ruling over Israel. He also ate honey from the corpse of a lion and lusted after women. As part of the last one, Samson had more opportunity to confront the Philistines, until he met his final wife, Delilah.

Delilah was given over to greed for money and agreed to learn the secret of Samson's strength. He gave her several false answers, all of which Delilah did to him. Samson didn't learn from any of these lessons though and finally gave the answer of his long hair. After a barber cut off the judge's hair, his strength left him and he was captured by the Philistines, blinded, and put in forced labor. However, the Philistines also didn't pay attention and allowed Samson's hair to grow back. At his last act, Samson was strengthened by God one more time to take down idol worship and many of the Philistine followers.

One of the main points of this book is to teach the Bible, God's law, to younger generations. Remembering what God has done, and will do, is a key to fearing Him (which is the beginning of wisdom) and living as God requires. It also demonstrates that God uses people He chooses, no matter how flawed, to serve His purposes.

Therefore, be sure to study God's Word daily and teach others as well. Learn from history, and if you keep giving into temptation, do anything to get away from it before it blinds you and costs your life.

Take Your Pick

It has been a few weeks since I posted about daily Bible reading. The previous entry was commenting on Leviticus and how it still pertains today. Since then, I have read through Numbers and most of Deuteronomy. Today's reading was Deuteronomy 28-29, warning Israel to follow God's laws and ordinances.

The first 14 verses of chapter 28 cover the blessings the nation will receive for obeying God's commands. One of them was financial freedom, lending to nations and borrowing from none. Other blessings were abundance of crops, livestock, and children. However, the curses for not following God are many.

Going from verse 15 all the way to 68, God details what will happen for disobedience. First, the opposite of the blessings will happen, financial problems with going into debt to other countries, lack of crops, and decreased birth rate. If Israel didn't listen to initial warnings, the situation would continue to get worse with starvation, wars, and eventually being taken captive by foreign governments.

When an individual sins against God and does not repent, they receive a sentence of eternal punishment and torment in hell. Everyone needs to repent of sin, turn away from them, and trust in Christ alone for salvation. A nation sinning against God receives an earthly reprimand. Many of the curses listed in Deuteronomy 28 sound familiar to today.

According to the US debt clock, the country is in debt $82 trillion in debt. In less than a year, three bills passed with well over one trillion in expenditures, much of which was to superfluous items. I also recently saw an article that the birth rate in the United States was down from previous years. The echoes of Deuteronomy ring loud.

What can a nation do? It needs to return to following God and His laws. I pray the nations of the world will heed the warning, before more dire consequences come.

Writing Week

The first week of the year is now complete, and it was a busy one for writing. It feels good to make progress on projects, but it also makes for more work ahead.

As the last two entries show, I did write comments on current Bible reading. It is something I have considered doing for a while, but didn't take time for it. With just two posts though, I can already see it will take more commitment than I considered. I read every morning when I get on my computer.

Going through the passage, thoughts come to mind that I want to elaborate on. However, working in time to get them recorded can take longer than I like. Friday's entry was in my head all morning, but I couldn't write until early evening. By that time, I had forgotten part of what I wanted to say and just mainly pushed myself to get it done. These Sunday entries aren't as time sensitive and easier to write. Future Bible commentary will need to be done differently if they continue.

After several years of working, I finally completed the initial draft of my book. I concluded with 2020 and plan not to go further in time. Now, I'm going back to the beginning and starting my first round of serious editing. In just the first chapter, talking about life before my accident, I already added half a page of writing. The book is currently 261 pages long, but I'm afraid to guess a page count after getting edits complete. I'm trying to set a goal on when to have it finished, but I don't know how well it would go with other upcoming projects.

Looking back on my writing changes will likely prove to be the biggest challenge. When life is presenting difficulties, I know it is reflected in the way I write. Making a coherent flow for anyone to understand may require a lot of work. No matter what, I'm thankful I got this far with it. I will see what this week brings in the quad life and what, if anything, I can get done.

Thankful Nights

We are three days into 2021 and, so far, all seems well. I haven't watched the news, and don't plan to start, but I still haven't heard anything major. Today, I am thankful to have a month with all nights covered.

In mid-December, my main night nurse, Jackson, let us know he would be having surgery at the end of the month. Recovery time would be 6-12 weeks and he would not be back until after that time. I only have two night nurses and Jackson normally covers five nights a week. My agency rearranged my other caregiver to work five nights a week, but that still leaves two without coverage, every week.

My parents and I were preparing for a long winter with little sleep, but received an early Christmas present. Jackson researched further, and decided that surgery was worse than the problem he was having. Therefore, he wasn't having the procedure and could work. Instead of having months of late nights, everything is now covered.

He was gone two nights this past week for something else. Tuesday night was after snow and ice all day in my area. Dad had little sleep Wednesday morning when he cleared the driveway and sidewalk, but he got it finished very well. It is always a relief to see a full schedule, and I'm thankful that God has blessed my family with funding and caregivers to help.

I know several other people living the quad life and most only have a few hours a week covered by nursing. The rest is up to family, sometimes a single family member, or volunteers. As we continue through this year, changes will likely come, but I can give thanks for the current times.

This year, I may also blog more often about comments on Bible reading. I'm still considering how it would work and when to write, but it is at least a thought. Looking back at last year, most posts ended up with 20-30 views. It isn't very many to help educate, but anyone is welcome. Until next time, have a good week!

Successful Year

Today marks the last Sunday for 2020. The next regular entry for the quad life will be next year, just a week from now. I have heard many people say they are looking forward to this year being over, along with all the changes. I can understand the feeling, but it has also been a year of success.

It started unintentionally, but I made a goal of including a picture with every post this year. With this final message, I did make my goal. Some of the topics were a little challenging to find an appropriate graphic, but I think it worked well. Looking back on older posts this year, seeing the image helped me remember what I wrote, even before reading anything. I don't plan to continue the goal for next year, but I do want to aim for at least one picture for every 2-3 updates.

With not much work, and no place to go, I have made a lot of progress in writing my autobiography. I don't remember where I was at in January, but I am now to the end of 2017. Originally, I planned to stop with the end of 2015. However, I decided to add one more chapter as a short summary from 2015 to maybe 2019. The problem with an autobiography is that it is always developing as the writer lives. Therefore, I will definitely stop in early 2020 with the 35th anniversary of the accident. If anyone wants to read further, I still plan to keep writing here. Maybe at some point it will have a second edition, but I'll focus on completing this one first.

Nobody planned to have lock downs this year, but it is what happened all over the world. As a result, many schools, and doctors, quickly adapted to virtual classes and visits. I wrote a few months ago about having an opportunity to work with another college as a result. In January, I am planning to try and contact a few colleges and offer to help virtually. I have no idea if it will be a failure or a success, but I'll do what God allows.

Finally, this year taught many people how quickly life can change. It has been a reminder to not wait to repent of sins and turn to Jesus for salvation. The next day, or hour, isn't guaranteed and we need to always be ready. I don't know what will happen from now until the end of 2021, but God is in control and I trust in Him alone.

Finals

Every day around the world, over 151,000 people die. Many of them likely had plans for the next day, but a sudden heart attack, accident, or some other cause took them from earth. We never know when our end will come our when a regular activity will be the last time it's done. In some sense, that is what I feel like is happening before my eyes.

An annual event at church is the candle light service just before Christmas. In order to try to accommodate more people and maintain social distancing, the service was offered on two evenings. I had hoped to attend one of them, but didn't get to either. Therefore, as I have for the past nine months, I watched the service online while sitting in my bed.

For several years, my church has wanted to build a new facility. After much discussion and fundraising, a new building is under construction and is planned to be in use sometime early next year. This summer, it was also voted to change the name of our congregation. The new name will be used starting in January, with the old identity only being maintained in legal records.

Therefore, as I feel, the church I grew up in and learned to come to the Lord will cease to exist. The last church building I physically walked in and have learned to call my church home will be bulldozed to the ground without a trace remaining. Watching the candle light service was the last time it will be done at this facility as the congregation I knew.

Yes, the same people will be worshiping God together, just under a different name. The location of worship is also not important, but it quickly becomes part of the feel of church. After nine months away, it also feels like I'm only an outsider looking in and not an active part of the body of church.

Watching activities, and regulations, around the country, I also see major changes coming in the next few months. I have concerns that church gatherings will have increased pressure not to meet except in very small numbers. Living the quad life, I also wonder how long I'll be able to live at home and have freedom to attend church.

As we head toward Christmas in a few days, remember Jesus came to save the world through Him. He warned about tough times and persecution, but we can look to Christ alone for peace and joy.

Stick Up

Even with mostly being home this year, I have tried keeping up on doing videos about how I do daily life. This week, I showed my attempt at helping decorate my Christmas tree and the different type of mouth sticks I have used.

One of my dresser drawers has become the collection point for everything stick related that I find. It has extra pads for my mouth grips that get replaced every few months. I also have an abundance of tips that rarely replaced, and a few brand new sticks in case of some unforeseen disaster. However, it also contains relics of times gone by.

Over the years, I have tried, and used, an abundance of different types of sticks. Early on, my parents made them from arrow shafts and molded plastic that I used to grip. It was with these that I learned stick skills while playing with toy tractors, trucks, and building Lego structures. Most were just straight rods, but others were more specialized.

In order to help stack blocks, I had a suction stick that was hollow and had a rubber suction cup on the end. I could plop it on a flat surface, suck, and pick up the item. Another allowed me to push on a button, extend a gripper, and pinch an item to pick it up. Still more had the same button, but would just add more length to the straight rod. However, the button would constantly rub between my teeth, so I didn't care for them very much.

More specialized sticks were available that could hold a pen or pencil and allow writing. By the time I received it though, I had already mastered writing with a pen in my mouth. Finally, after participating in a mouth stick study, I received a stick made for use with touch devices such as tablets or smart phones. It's so heavy though that it is very hard to use.

After a few decades of being tossed around, not all of the archival mouth devices have all of their parts. However, they still provide memories of what God has allowed me to do over the years and even with new technology, a simple rod held by mouth still works best in this quad life.

Decorating for Christmas

If you looked at store displays, if you actually can go in, Christmas decorations start in late summer. I know some people that would even like to have their house ready for the holiday all year long. For me, I want to first recognize Thanksgiving, celebrate the day we have been given, and then decorate for Christmas.

In order to distribute responsibilities, I generally have one of my day assistants do my window lights and the other work on my tree. Therefore, my window lights were up the day before Thanksgiving, but I didn't plug them in until the holiday was complete. That way, I wasn't violating my own rule, at least not entirely.

My train tree has been my primary, if not only, Christmas decoration for many years. Mom discovered the first ornament in the late 80's and has been able to get a new ornament every year since. They are becoming hard to find and more expensive, but they keep coming. With the increase in trains, the tree has also had to get larger in response.

I used to be able to set a small, maybe two-foot, tree on my table and I would carefully put each item on the branches. It would take a fair amount of time to accomplish, but I enjoyed it. Now with limited sitting time, the task would likely take me a few days to accomplish. I also can't reach the top of my larger tree, so I now just let my caregiver decorate while I observe. I no longer participate as much, but sometimes I have to decide what is the best use of time.

After the new year has started, everything will go back into the one large box they reside in for eleven months. While I don't have decorations up all year, I do try to daily remember why we celebrate Christmas. Jesus, God's only Son, came to His creation to reconcile us to Himself, so that we may have eternal life with Him. That is something worth celebrating this week, and every day of the year.

Freedom or Loss

Two days from now, Americans will officially cast their ballots to elect the next leader of the United States. While votes have been getting mailed in for a few weeks already, they don't get counted until Tuesday, hopefully.

Photo from Answers in Genesis

Reports of fraud and mishandled ballots have been coming since they started getting returned. The likelihood of a fair election where all real votes are counted seems unlikely, but I continue to pray that the person selected will seek God's will first and uphold the constitution as it was intended. Today's lead story from Answers in Genesis, Voting and the Ark, was originally posted four years ago, but still reminds us of our responsibility as Christians.

For the last two days, my house was without phone and internet. That means I'm actually writing this on the day it goes live instead of a day or more before. However, it also meant a freedom of sorts. It was a break from the frequent political calls that have been coming and also a time of relaxation.

Instead of quickly trying to complete online activities while sitting, I could do other things with my time. I did a fair amount of work on my book and progressed in pixels on my virtual farm. My parents also took the opportunity to watch old videos from 1991 when I was a nine-year-old experiencing camp in Florida. While the temporary adjustment was nice, I wouldn't want it to be permanent.

Many commentators and political experts have said if Democrats win this election, the country will be turned into a communist style of government. It will mean an end to religious freedom, have a drastic economical change, government-run healthcare, and more. As a Christian living the quad life, much of what I do now would likely not be allowed.

Whatever comes this week, or after recounts, will be under God's direction. He is the king of kings and Lord of lords and even though His thoughts and ways may not be what I think, they will be done. I encourage everyone to go vote, and pray for wisdom of all those in power.