This Tuesday, most people will be celebrating Halloween with kids going around collecting candy and adults watching scary movies. Before the commercialization we know today, October 31 was reformation day. This year marks an anniversary for the reformation that is unlikely to be in the news.
On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany. This started what we now know as the protestant reformation. Luther saw how the Roman Catholic church was not following God's Word and boldly declared his work on the church door.
In the 500 years since the reformation, many denominations have started and are now based on God's word. The other reformers such as John Calvin, William Tyndale, John Wycliffe, and others worked to get the Bible into a language that everybody understood and made it possible for all to read. Some paid with their lives and we see the results of their efforts today with Bibles freely available in most countries and languages. However, we're getting close to needing another reformation.
In many of today's churches, we water down areas that talk about a need for repentance from sin. People sitting in church pews (or chairs more often) are often just their for an hour of entertainment and anything that just feels good. It's also common for churches to abandon early parts of Genesis to secular interpretation with evolution and just say to trust in Jesus.
As in Luther's day, the church is following man's ideas and not scripture. Modern evangelism touts God as love and will fill a God shaped hole in your heart. The hearers then just add on Christian to their title and don't lead a changed life.
The world has now invaded the church instead of the church influencing the world around us. I pray that the 500 year anniversary of the reformation will help to remind the Christian church about its roots and start digging back to them. I'll see what opportunities I get in this coming week of the quad life.
Sunday, October 29, 2017
Sunday, October 22, 2017
Perspective
Everyone is familiar with your own point of view. Certain activities, phrases, and actions are normal in your own view and those around you. When you experience an outside perspective, some items that you're familiar with may look odd.
This week, I received an email version of the New Mobility magazine. One of the articles was about a quadriplegic who has made a living with assistive technology. The opening picture is of him using a wireless head set for his phone and chin controlled wheelchair. My first reaction was curiosity in what he was using and that it looked cool. Thinking for a second, that's what I look like with my phone.
Looking through my eyes, I don't see the stuff I use or how it looks like when I'm using various devices. In my early years as a camp counselor, one of the campers was also a high level quad. As I rolled by his bed one morning, I looked down and saw he wasn't moving and thought he had fallen asleep again. I commented to another counselor and she corrected me that he was actually dancing to the music. Looking again, yes his head was bopping around to the stereo that was running, exactly the same as I do.
The problem was I looked at his chest and arms for movement and didn't look up to his head. I have seen others using a mouth stick for various activities and think it looks challenging. Once again, I only need to look in the mirror to see the exact same scene.
Getting outside of our own viewpoint can sometimes be very helpful to better understand a topic. It's what I try to do in classes and when I study apologetics. Seeing it from multiple angles helps to work with someone that has a different point of view.
As you go throughout this week, try to look at problems from a different perspective. It is interesting in the quad life and helps to better understand the world God has given.
This week, I received an email version of the New Mobility magazine. One of the articles was about a quadriplegic who has made a living with assistive technology. The opening picture is of him using a wireless head set for his phone and chin controlled wheelchair. My first reaction was curiosity in what he was using and that it looked cool. Thinking for a second, that's what I look like with my phone.
The problem was I looked at his chest and arms for movement and didn't look up to his head. I have seen others using a mouth stick for various activities and think it looks challenging. Once again, I only need to look in the mirror to see the exact same scene.
Getting outside of our own viewpoint can sometimes be very helpful to better understand a topic. It's what I try to do in classes and when I study apologetics. Seeing it from multiple angles helps to work with someone that has a different point of view.
As you go throughout this week, try to look at problems from a different perspective. It is interesting in the quad life and helps to better understand the world God has given.
Sunday, October 15, 2017
Teacher Hunt
As is pretty normal, last week was a fairly busy week again. Tuesday was my regular biking in Des Moines, Thursday had a meeting for Medicaid renewal and a church meeting, and Friday was speaking at school.
This was my last scheduled school for the year, but I'm hoping to get a few more for spring. If I do, I hope they are a bit calmer. My last visit for the year was with my biggest school, three classes of second graders back to back. By the end of the day, I was having trouble remembering what I had said where, but each class was unique.
During my presentation, I show the students how I write with my mouth and then let them try it on there own. When older kids see me, this is usually the part they remember the most and it's a fun activity. The first class went as usual, but the second group had a bit of a difference.
After I did my demo, the kids started to give it a try. However, just as one girl got the marker near her mouth, she put her hand over her mouth, ran to the trash can, and threw up. The teacher was helping another fidgety student, so I got her attention and she quickly ushered the student, with trash can, out of the room.
Thankfully, the rest of the class didn't seem to notice and I just continued on as usual. During the remainder of my presentation, the teacher kept busy wiping down the door knob, student's desk, and area where the trash can had been. I pray the young lady is feeling well again and won't have memories of a different kind if we get to meet again.
My church's pastor search team started up again, so I'm back to listening to sermons during my flat time. I was also asked this week to preach at a church next month, so I started writing my own sermon to present. With ideas running through my head and listening to multiple preachers, I'm not sure which thoughts are original anymore.
As I continue to learn in the quad life, I never what to expect in any situation. My only scheduled activity this coming week is biking again, so hopefully it will be just the routine. God is in control of it all, even sudden illnesses.
This was my last scheduled school for the year, but I'm hoping to get a few more for spring. If I do, I hope they are a bit calmer. My last visit for the year was with my biggest school, three classes of second graders back to back. By the end of the day, I was having trouble remembering what I had said where, but each class was unique.
During my presentation, I show the students how I write with my mouth and then let them try it on there own. When older kids see me, this is usually the part they remember the most and it's a fun activity. The first class went as usual, but the second group had a bit of a difference.
After I did my demo, the kids started to give it a try. However, just as one girl got the marker near her mouth, she put her hand over her mouth, ran to the trash can, and threw up. The teacher was helping another fidgety student, so I got her attention and she quickly ushered the student, with trash can, out of the room.
Thankfully, the rest of the class didn't seem to notice and I just continued on as usual. During the remainder of my presentation, the teacher kept busy wiping down the door knob, student's desk, and area where the trash can had been. I pray the young lady is feeling well again and won't have memories of a different kind if we get to meet again.
My church's pastor search team started up again, so I'm back to listening to sermons during my flat time. I was also asked this week to preach at a church next month, so I started writing my own sermon to present. With ideas running through my head and listening to multiple preachers, I'm not sure which thoughts are original anymore.
As I continue to learn in the quad life, I never what to expect in any situation. My only scheduled activity this coming week is biking again, so hopefully it will be just the routine. God is in control of it all, even sudden illnesses.
Sunday, October 8, 2017
No longer very good
A week ago today was another mass shooting in the U.S., this time in Las Vegas. The conspiracy theories abound on what took place, but the fact remains that another 58 people were killed and hundreds of others were injured.
In Genesis 1:31, God looked at creation, everything in the universe, and called it very good. If you look to the original wording, He said it was exceedingly good, or perfect. It doesn't take much observation to see the world we live in today is not perfect by any means.
Large massacres of people by gunmen is almost starting to become common. However, smaller sometimes more personal tragedies such as cancer, suicide, and young children sustaining life altering injuries in car accidents are things we experience almost daily. Even when Jesus was on earth, we read in Luke 13 about people being killed by the governor and when a tower fell on them.
The question most people ask is why do these things happen? What is wrong with this once perfect world? The answer goes back to Genesis 3 when Adam and Eve, the head of all people, sinned against God. They said by their actions they wanted to do things their way and to leave God out of it, and the consequences were given.
As a result, God withdrew some of His sustaining power and allows some sins to occur. Now, all of creation groans as in childbirth until the present time (Romans 8). As the world continues to go against God's will, we continue to see sin and its results increase.
What should be our reaction when these events occur? As a consequence of sin, death entered the world and it is appointed once for every person to die, and then the judgment. Jesus' response to the tragedies He was asked about was to repent, or you will likewise perish. Therefore, these events should be a reminder that our time will come, most likely when we least expect it.
As I tell grade school students, living the quad life is not part of the original very good creation. However, God has not left us as orphans and we can still serve Him and follow His commands. May everyone continue to do this in the week to come as well as whatever time we have been given.
In Genesis 1:31, God looked at creation, everything in the universe, and called it very good. If you look to the original wording, He said it was exceedingly good, or perfect. It doesn't take much observation to see the world we live in today is not perfect by any means.
Large massacres of people by gunmen is almost starting to become common. However, smaller sometimes more personal tragedies such as cancer, suicide, and young children sustaining life altering injuries in car accidents are things we experience almost daily. Even when Jesus was on earth, we read in Luke 13 about people being killed by the governor and when a tower fell on them.
The question most people ask is why do these things happen? What is wrong with this once perfect world? The answer goes back to Genesis 3 when Adam and Eve, the head of all people, sinned against God. They said by their actions they wanted to do things their way and to leave God out of it, and the consequences were given.
As a result, God withdrew some of His sustaining power and allows some sins to occur. Now, all of creation groans as in childbirth until the present time (Romans 8). As the world continues to go against God's will, we continue to see sin and its results increase.
What should be our reaction when these events occur? As a consequence of sin, death entered the world and it is appointed once for every person to die, and then the judgment. Jesus' response to the tragedies He was asked about was to repent, or you will likewise perish. Therefore, these events should be a reminder that our time will come, most likely when we least expect it.
As I tell grade school students, living the quad life is not part of the original very good creation. However, God has not left us as orphans and we can still serve Him and follow His commands. May everyone continue to do this in the week to come as well as whatever time we have been given.
Sunday, October 1, 2017
Transition
At the end of every month, I do an activity that I somewhat dread, billing. Looking through how much work was done for each client and sending out invoices as appropriate is a task I quickly get tired of doing. I did originally start college in an accounting field, but I'm thankful every month that I did not continue.
I find it somewhat odd that the monthly fun, as I'll say, is still referred to as doing paperwork. However, paper is rarely involved in any of it. Everything is tracked electronically and emailed to each client. I wonder if some day we will transition away from the term paperwork to something more specific such as invoicing, or another term as yet to be invented.
With the beginning of October, it signals the end of my time with one of my long-term, and busier, clients. I worked with them through another company (I was the middle quad) and they are now moving to another web developer. We may still work together some, but still not sure what that will become. When you only average about six to eight hours of work a month, any decrease is noticed.
For a long time now, I keep having a feeling that a major transition is coming. With my very limited time upright, decreasing web development work likely isn't a bad thing, at least temporarily. However, the question keeps running through my head of changing to what? I had one new college class ask me to come, but it was on a day that didn't work. Since that initial contact, I haven't heard back from them.
Speaking more would be great during the warm months, but I couldn't do too much and increase my time sitting. Do to weather concerns, I don't schedule anything from Thanksgiving through about St. Patrick's Day. It's only about three months, but that's still a long time period not to be productive.
If a transition comes some day, I know God has it all in His hands according to His time. I'm not one that just live the quad life and sit or lay around all day and not do anything. As always, I will wait and see what the weeks and months ahead will bring. Fall is starting to become more evident in Iowa, so time of hibernation will soon be upon me. For now, another week and more scheduled activities are ahead!
I find it somewhat odd that the monthly fun, as I'll say, is still referred to as doing paperwork. However, paper is rarely involved in any of it. Everything is tracked electronically and emailed to each client. I wonder if some day we will transition away from the term paperwork to something more specific such as invoicing, or another term as yet to be invented.
With the beginning of October, it signals the end of my time with one of my long-term, and busier, clients. I worked with them through another company (I was the middle quad) and they are now moving to another web developer. We may still work together some, but still not sure what that will become. When you only average about six to eight hours of work a month, any decrease is noticed.
For a long time now, I keep having a feeling that a major transition is coming. With my very limited time upright, decreasing web development work likely isn't a bad thing, at least temporarily. However, the question keeps running through my head of changing to what? I had one new college class ask me to come, but it was on a day that didn't work. Since that initial contact, I haven't heard back from them.
Speaking more would be great during the warm months, but I couldn't do too much and increase my time sitting. Do to weather concerns, I don't schedule anything from Thanksgiving through about St. Patrick's Day. It's only about three months, but that's still a long time period not to be productive.
If a transition comes some day, I know God has it all in His hands according to His time. I'm not one that just live the quad life and sit or lay around all day and not do anything. As always, I will wait and see what the weeks and months ahead will bring. Fall is starting to become more evident in Iowa, so time of hibernation will soon be upon me. For now, another week and more scheduled activities are ahead!
Sunday, September 24, 2017
Return to Normal
Normal is a very relative term that is different for every person. My normal day is very different from most people, but it is my version at last. This week felt more like a return to normal.
After completing my exam, it was a relief not trying to study every free moment. Not long ago, a new web client approached me about moving their site to a new location and making some updates. It felt good to make progress on the site and get back to doing some actual web work.
On Friday, I had my first grade school visit for the year. Doing my regular presentation and hearing the kids' questions and reactions was somehow calming. It has been nearly a year since my last school, but my presentation is almost permanently in my memory and it doesn't take much review. However, the week was also a bit abnormal as well.
My parents were able to go on their annual fall trip and returned Friday evening after ten days away. Watering flowers and taking care of the house isn't my regular routine, but it developed fairly quickly. Whenever I get the house to myself it feels like when I lived on my own in Des Moines. Getting groceries and planning meals is the normal thing to do for most people and one I enjoy for short periods. Now that they have returned, everything seems back to the regular routine.
The bad part about a return to normalcy is that I have trouble getting out of it. There are times when a change can be good and break up daily routines and may be helpful to someone else. The remainder of September and most of October look to be pretty busy in going to schools and web work, so I don't think it will be an issue.
For nearly the past year, my church has been looking at merging with two other congregations in town. The final vote whether to merge or not is scheduled for tomorrow evening. My prayer is that everything will stay as we are familiar with, but it may be getting used to a new normal as well. The quad life continues on and I will see what God has in store for another week.
After completing my exam, it was a relief not trying to study every free moment. Not long ago, a new web client approached me about moving their site to a new location and making some updates. It felt good to make progress on the site and get back to doing some actual web work.
On Friday, I had my first grade school visit for the year. Doing my regular presentation and hearing the kids' questions and reactions was somehow calming. It has been nearly a year since my last school, but my presentation is almost permanently in my memory and it doesn't take much review. However, the week was also a bit abnormal as well.
My parents were able to go on their annual fall trip and returned Friday evening after ten days away. Watering flowers and taking care of the house isn't my regular routine, but it developed fairly quickly. Whenever I get the house to myself it feels like when I lived on my own in Des Moines. Getting groceries and planning meals is the normal thing to do for most people and one I enjoy for short periods. Now that they have returned, everything seems back to the regular routine.
The bad part about a return to normalcy is that I have trouble getting out of it. There are times when a change can be good and break up daily routines and may be helpful to someone else. The remainder of September and most of October look to be pretty busy in going to schools and web work, so I don't think it will be an issue.
For nearly the past year, my church has been looking at merging with two other congregations in town. The final vote whether to merge or not is scheduled for tomorrow evening. My prayer is that everything will stay as we are familiar with, but it may be getting used to a new normal as well. The quad life continues on and I will see what God has in store for another week.
Sunday, September 17, 2017
Progressive Week
The past few weeks have felt like I keep working toward eventual goals, but never get anywhere. This week was a nice change with a lot of work seeing completion.
In May, I was fitted for a new back rest and in August it still hadn't arrived. Thankfully, after more than three months, I received the new cushion. After getting it fitted, I sat much straighter than before and more comfortably. It will take a while to get adjusted to sitting correctly again, but this is a great step in the right direction. In talking with the technician though, he said his company has changed policies and it usually takes 3-4 months to get anything done. Therefore, I will be very thankful for times of having a working chair.
The biggest milestone came yesterday morning. I have thought about getting my license to substitute preach for a few years, but never pursued it. In July, I finally felt led to go ahead and try for my license and get tested. Yesterday morning was finally my time for examination.
It consisted of three parts, first giving a short sermon for devotions, then questions about my spiritual journey, and finally questions on church doctrine. The final section was my most concern as I do not spend any time studying doctrine. After a full hour of talking and answering, the structured section was complete. A few questions were asked by the general audience and I tried my best to get everything answered.
Afterword, I was asked to step (roll) out while the delegation discussed my fate. I barely got out the door and adjusted my seat before I was asked back in. It was a unanimous decision to allow me to have my license to exhort.
At church this afternoon, I barely arrived on time for our annual outdoor picnic. Shortly after getting a place to sit I was told that I would be leading the congregation in prayer for our lunch. Maybe one minute later, it was my time to lead already. I guess I learned to always be prepared to be asked to lead.
I don't know where this new venture will take me, but I will continue to follow God's lead. I'm somewhat excited and nervous about what may come, but I know He will be with me and let it work for His purpose.
In May, I was fitted for a new back rest and in August it still hadn't arrived. Thankfully, after more than three months, I received the new cushion. After getting it fitted, I sat much straighter than before and more comfortably. It will take a while to get adjusted to sitting correctly again, but this is a great step in the right direction. In talking with the technician though, he said his company has changed policies and it usually takes 3-4 months to get anything done. Therefore, I will be very thankful for times of having a working chair.
 |
| Speaker Joel |
It consisted of three parts, first giving a short sermon for devotions, then questions about my spiritual journey, and finally questions on church doctrine. The final section was my most concern as I do not spend any time studying doctrine. After a full hour of talking and answering, the structured section was complete. A few questions were asked by the general audience and I tried my best to get everything answered.
Afterword, I was asked to step (roll) out while the delegation discussed my fate. I barely got out the door and adjusted my seat before I was asked back in. It was a unanimous decision to allow me to have my license to exhort.
At church this afternoon, I barely arrived on time for our annual outdoor picnic. Shortly after getting a place to sit I was told that I would be leading the congregation in prayer for our lunch. Maybe one minute later, it was my time to lead already. I guess I learned to always be prepared to be asked to lead.
I don't know where this new venture will take me, but I will continue to follow God's lead. I'm somewhat excited and nervous about what may come, but I know He will be with me and let it work for His purpose.
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