A Guy's Perspective

Dear Readers,

I came across this website as part of my Google Alerts. Honestly, I was quite surprised; not only because this was the first guy's perspective on having a disability. Sure, I've had stories of young boys growing up, but never teenagers. I will be reading this blog for a while.

http://wheelchairjunkie.wordpress.com/2009/10/16/cerebral-palsy-as-steroids/

Encouragement: Dog Helps Paralyzed Boy Surf

So,

I came across this one article that shows another positive of service dogs. Kind of entertaining, don't you think?

http://www.gnn.com/article/patrick-ivison-and-dog-ricochet-surf-to/720774?icid=mainaimdl5link3http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gnn.com%2Farticle%2Fpatrick-ivison-and-dog-ricochet-surf-to%2F720774

Another ministry abroad

Welcome Back,

As I'm writing this, I continue to be behind on posts. It's Saturday and I'm just now starting on the week. I know I haven't written much lately as I explained on previous blogs; my health issues have made it difficult for me to have enough energy and patience to write. In writing, I feel like I have a certain amount of responsibility to you my readers to provide the most positive, up-to-date disability news and tips.

I don't feel as if I've been living up to that lately in terms of my personal life. A lot has been going on with me, causing me to wonder once again that the purpose of my life as well as this blog. I know everybody is prone to doubts; they can provide a defining moment in a person's life to which direction they should go. A sort of crossroads. If I'm being honest, I find myself there once again- trying to remember who I am and who God is. Don't get me wrong, I still believe in God, but our relationship has changed. I'm to blame for that; I know I'm the one that moved. But now I'm trying to change that, I want to get to know him better than I do now.

For the past couple of months since we moved, I've noticed a difference in my perspective. Not only am I a lonely in a physical sense, but in a spiritual sense as well . The yearning and fire in my life has kind of gone out. I'm strong enough to know that something is missing in my life, but I don't know what to .

That's some of what has been going on with me lately. Despite everything, God is doing great things in the lives of my friends and family. For instance, I talked to my friend Christel in the Panama; they are doing well as part of the Lutheran ministry there . Her husband recently traveled to Peru to check on the country's status.

Many of you may remember that this month is Breast Cancer Awareness Month . Tomorrow, (10/18), my mom will be participating in the Annual Walk in Ohio. When she gets back, I will update you with how much money was raised. I think my grandmother would be pleased knowing that her daughter is doing this.

Anyway, it's interesting to know that strides that are being made in a effort to share the news of Jesus Christ. A while back, I came across this website that shows how the Ministry is growing across the country

Take a look..

Http://leslieburch.blogspot.com/

Not feeling well

Hey Guys,

I realize this is the first time in weeks I've written on this blog ; I apologize. I just really haven't felt up to it. I've had persistent stomach problems for a while now and can't seem to get a handle on it. I've been to several doctors and they say my condition is quite normal for someone with a disability. I've tried my best to get more water and fiber into my diet because that is a contributing factor. But in the end, I always come back to feeling bad again.

These digestive problems are to be expected though; it's a downside to taking baclofen, I guess. My lack of exercise may have something do with it too. But come on, who has the time to measure out 15 grams of fiber and drink two bottles of water. According to the doctors, that's the normal amount a person should have to maintain good digestion. I'm no dietitian, but that's a lot of fruits and fiber bars.

That being said, I am not at my best. But I intend on catching up with some posts this weekend.

Encouragement: Resiliency

Hey Guys,

It's Wednesday, time for an "Encouragement Post". As you may have noticed, I talk a lot about resiliency on this blog. Resiliency is the ability to pick yourself up when you're down, to keep going despite the severity of life's circumstances and always believe in yourself no matter what.

I came across this website which provides another Outlook on resiliency
http://resiliencyfirst.com/2009/10/05/believing-in-your-resilience-will-set-you-apart/

The importance Of the Church

Welcome Back Everyone~

Since moving here, I have found it hard to connect with people outside my family. I realize this may have a lot to do with not being as familiar with the area as I'd like, but I really do feel like I'm missing something. Coming from a household with many different preferences, it has been difficult finding a church we can all agree on. However, I realize its importance in our lives. Not only because the church is supposed be a source of emotional support, but it's also food for the soul. I pray I never lose sight of the yearning in my spirit then tells me that things are supposed to be different than they are.

That being said, I thought this article was very interesting. It's about a church specifically devoted to parents of people with disabilities. The idea is cool, but I don't know how I feel about it. After all, the diverse perspectives sometimes help us out..
http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2009/09/14/church-2/4919/

Confusion

Welcome back,

As I write this, I realize I am another two weeks behind. I am sorry for this; it seems like I have too much on my plate right now. For the last two weeks, I have had a lot more time to myself for things such as my book writing etc. because my personal assistant was on vacation. I was able to finish chapter 4 of my book. So it seems to be coming along pretty smoothly. Although with all of that time, I found myself more distracted by Facebook.

My personal life has also been busy. My family has encountered some difficulties that have kept my mind unfocused and worried. Please keep us in your prayers

Anyway, I am back and going to try this again. For a while, my posts will just include links until I get back into the swing of things. As with previous posts, I have discussed the importance of representation in terms of disability in the media. While I find it necessary and inspirational, some people think it can be taken to the limit.

Take for example this blogger,

http://blog.sojo.net/2009/10/05/disability-as-entertainment-so-you-think-i-cant-dance/