The Wisdom of the Christian Youth

Welcome back~

In preparing for today's post, I came across the blog of a 16-year-old girl named Maddie. Her writings really speak of her commitment to Jesus as well as sharing her testimony with others. Her story reminded me of the verse in 1st Timothy 4: 12. It states, " Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity."

You can follow her journey of growth here:
Http://www.sweetteaandme.com/

Encouragement: A Different Way Of Looking at Therapy

Okay,
So as most of you know, I have been going to occupational therapy two times a week over the last couple of months . I have documented my progress in my previous posts. But today, I would like you to join me as I look at my therapy in a different way. I've often heard PT and OT referred to as the "lemonade factory"-a place they turn "lemons" (a negative situation) into "lemonade" (something positive). This can be something as simple as a change of perspective to receiving a positive outcome in therapy.

I have been reminded of this several times throughout my own experience in OT. Not only that, but in one of my favorite episodes of Highway to Heaven entitled "A Fresh Batch Of Lemonade" starring Ken Olandt and Bart Conner along with others. In this episode, baseball hopeful (Ken) dreams are dashed when he is paralyzed in a car accident. As a result, he has trouble adjusting to his new life as a disabled person. But his friends show that there is life beyond his disability. I have included two of my favorite clips below. The first being, the people should never use their disability as a crutch for not achieving their dreams.


the second one is one that I also refer to in the previous posts about making yourself a promise and keeping it.

Music and CP aren't supposed to mix, but don't tell Chris Hendrick or my friend that.

Okay, 

So I'm caught up with my blog post and I was searching through my website list and came across this article. It's quite interesting, really, because most people don't equate music and CP going well together because of the usual speech impairments that go along with the disability. But don't tell guitarist Chris Hendrick that.

Take a look

http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/06/20/540431/singer-chris-hendricks-is-living.html#storylink=addthis

Or for that matter, don't tell my friend Lauren that who is a speech pathologist as well as a music minor back in college

Encouragement:10 Min. Interview with Joni Eareckson Tada regarding Her New Book on Suffering

Welcome back,


My apologies for not posting this link sooner. If you follow Joni Eareckson Tada, you may have heard about her recent experience of Breast Cancer. She underwent surgery and chemotherapy and is doing well. In response to the experience, she wrote yet another book on suffering. You can read her 10 min. interview on the book here:

http://www.religionnews.com/index.php?/tenminutes/10_minutes_with_joni_eareckson_tada1/

Karen Kingsbury Live Webcast to Spread the Word about Autism

Okay,

I have been meaning to write a blog post about this for a while ago. There has been much buzz about Karen Kingsbury's latest book "Unlocked" and it's focus on autism. So much so, that she has created a webcast providing new insight into the disorder and giving it a face behind the name, by sharing personal stories of those who have autism. I have included the part one below. The rest can be found by searching the name of "Karen Kingsbury" in YouTube.



I hope you enjoy!

Update on therapy

Hey Guys~

It just occurred to me that I haven't updated you on my therapy adventures in the last several weeks. I am slowly making progress, gaining several degrees in my arm by stretching with the help of dry heat.. I have continued to use my original purple splint during the day to mainain my wrist extension. Here is a picture of what it looks like:

In terms of nightwear, I adorn a specially molded brace out of plastic that keeps my arm stretched out. his is supposed to allow the muscles to get used to being pullled out and stretched, that eventually they will stay that way. With this kind of daily wear, the muscles are less likely to fight against the brace and learn to be that way. It is a slow and gradual process, but I have already seen an increase in the amount of degrees my arm can be stretched out without pain. Keep in mind, this is the second time my brace has been refitted to the new position.

As I have reported in earlier posts, the night brace causes occasional discomfort waking me up
with muscle cramps in my arm. This is because it tightens and releases.


Many of you may be asking yourselves, "What Is The Deal with The Ring? To answer the obvious question, no I'm not engaged. The ring was a present from my parents, in anticipation of all the hard work I was going to have to go through with the surgery. It also provides a constant reminder to me of why I did the surgery


1) to make myself more approachable to both men and women. I realize people often looked at and didn't know what to think. Can she talk? Is she mentally there? This way, my appearance is a little more less threatening and welcoming. They know they can shake my hand now.
2) to remind me that there may in fact be, a man out there waiting for me.
3) to remind me of God and his promises for my future. Whatever may come. Also, to remind me how far I have come in my life.

Here is another pic

True for My Reflections: Expectations of the 20th Century Woman

Okay,

So I've covered this subject many times before, for some reason though, the subject has been on my heart this week. Like most of my friends, I continue to struggle finding my place in this world. After all, I am thirty years old. I should be settled by now, right? Independent, working and let's not forget, married. These are the typical expectations of every young woman in today's society.

It's sad but true. These expectations send the wrong message to young women who are still trying to find themselves; they can also lead single women to question the way that they experience life. I'll be honest when I say I feel totally inept as I see my friends (those that are married or about to be) experiencing the trials and tribulations of real-life. What can I say to them? Nothing. My words won't do it justice. Because I haven't experienced it myself... At least that's what society puts in our heads.

And sometimes, we as 20 century women, believe it! This is just one of the storylines that Karen Kingsbury focuses on in her Above the Line series.

There's no denying the frustration that comes with watching your friends and family achieve their goals so easily. But don't forget, it's not as important that you experience life, only that you hold yourself to God's standards, remembering that he is controlling your comings and goings. In his timing, if it be His will, you may meet your future husband. Some may not, but that doesn't mean you are not worthy. It just means that you are prepared to do God's work as a single woman. After all, the Bible does not say "All women should wed", it says instead that "Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion." (I Corinthians 7:8-9)

"After the Fall" premieres on Hallmark Movie Channel

Okay~



So I was flipping through the channels this week and came across a interesting original movie the will premiere on Saturday. Unfortunately, though, the movie is only available to those people that receive the Hallmark Movie Channel. I am going the movie will premiere on the Hallmark Channel itself soon because it looks like a great movie. "After The Fall" tells the harrowing story of a show jumper's struggle to get back into the ring after a tragic accident that caused her paralysis.

See the following website for more information:

http://itsawonderfulmovie.blogspot.com/2010/02/after-fall-hallmark-channel-movie.html

or
http://www.hallmarkmoviechannel.com/

Encouragement: Karen Kingsbury's new book,"Unlocked"

Hey Guys,



So as many of you know, I am a big fan of Karen Kingsbury. She has a way of shedding light on the everyday struggles of Christian people trying to make a difference in today's society. She tackles the tough issues, like balancing faith in the work place, following your passion but knowing when to stand up for yourself as well as those around you etc. Her writings are entertaining, yet they really make you think. Her newest book "Unlocked" is no different; it features a topic near and dear to my heart, disability (more specifically autism). The following YouTube video gives you a sneak peak at the storyline, the music by the way is provided by Karen's son and will be available on a CD entitled "Songs that inspire Karen Kingsbury" on November 22. This book looks like there will be a good one!

Transportation Woes

Welcome Back~

Living in Virginia, I have encountered some small problems regarding public transportation and accessibility. Not only is it a hard to find door to door service, but I am limited by the bus routes and city limits. Several months ago, I was talking to a friend regarding bus trainers where she lives. These are individuals who travel with you, teaching you the in and outs of the bus system. I found the idea quite compelling and so I did some research. Here is another article regarding bus trainers.. I don't know how easy they are to find or whether they're available in all areas.

http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2010/06/28/bus-trainers/9210/