Sometimes You Have to Laugh

I had to laugh today. I went in the kitchen today to get a drink and check the Keurig. [It is usually full of water just in case I want oatmeal for breakfast.] Well, it was not full so no oatmeal today, but that is perfectly fine. None of this I am writing about was intentional.  Yes, I know I could have made it in the microwave but the Keurig is much more convenient. So, I go to the refrigerator for a drink and this is what I see. A shrine of Coke, Dr. Pepper, and Yoo-Hoo's that are out of my reach. All I can do is look at them. (Mom sets a glass of tea, and/or a Coke in the door for me).

While this was a bit frustrating for a moment because I could not reach what I wanted; when Mom got home we laughed about it. I was not mad at her. Sometimes, when the little things frustrate you, its best to laugh them off and move along. It is not worth getting mad over. I have many of these moments in my life because I use a wheelchair. I am so glad that I have learned to laugh them off and not get mad.

I would be mad all the time if I let all the little things like this bother me constantly, and that is no way to live life. I see posts about people who feel trapped because they cannot get out and about much...etc. I am so thankful and grateful that even when I get down and out I find a reason to smile through it. I pull myself out of the slump.

Thanks Mom, for the laughs! :)

What little things like this have made you giggle?

Humbled.

Humbled.

Yes. I am. I have been following a fellow blogger for nearly three years now. She and I quickly became cyber-friends after she introduced me to Cerebral Palsy Family Network and asked me if I would be interested in writing for them about living with Cerebral Palsy. Her name is Lisa Viele. 

During the past three years I have learned a lot more about Cerebral Palsy and how everyone's challenges are different; not just the individuals but also their families. I use to always think this kind of life was a "piece of cake" despite the challenges my family and I have endured, but it is not always that way. It is not always as easy as I have been fortunate to have it.

Lisa's daughters' story is a perfect example of this for me. Lizzy is 15 years old. Lizzy cannot speak and is also legally blind. She has seizures. Her mother cares for her 24/7. Remember, I just said that I thought this was easy. When I began to read Lisa's blog and chat with her via Facebook I started to realize that was not the case for everyone. I quickly learned that sometimes it is extremely frustrating trying to figure out what is wrong with your child or to understand what the doctors may be telling you in regards to what is best for your child and their well being. 

I have always bragged on my Mom and what an awesome job she has done over the years regarding my medical decisions growing up. She did the best she could with the information given - just like Lisa has for Lizzy. Today. Today it hit me. It was somewhat easy for my mom and myself because I could tell her when and where I was hurting and what degree of pain I was in. It was not a guessing game for her. She didn't have to hope that medicine worked because I could tell her if it did or not. I am 100% aware of what is going on in the world around me, meaning, the world we all live in and the world of living with physical challenges. I have always known what the doctors were talking about when it came time for surgery and how intense therapy would be. I still know what I need to do to keep myself healthy and am able to fully take care of myself on my own. I will say, this was not a certain milestone for me as my mom was not sure I would be able to do so with certainty until I was in my late teenage and early adult years.

So, today I am thankful and I am humbled to be where I am in my life today. I am so blessed and blessed to have such a sweet connection with Lisa even if only through cyberspace [for now]. I cannot thank her enough for sharing CPFN with me three years ago, and for the friendship that continues to grow. I am thankful to know that it is not always a piece of cake. I am thankful to know it's okay to write about the not so good times. [I always hide those].

Thank you Lisa and Lizzy for humbling me. I love you! May we always find strength in our faith and each other!

You can read more about Lizzy's journey here at: Diving For Healing

Proverbs 20:22,24

I decided to take the blog in a new direction today, to do something different. I have been reading the book of Proverbs [NLT Version]. This morning in my reading these two verses really stuck out to me and I immediately had to share them on social media.

I feel like both verses are something most everyone can relate to at just about any given time.

We have all been wronged by someone and sought to get even with them. I know I have been here. It's a definite struggle. We tend to want to handle things our way, and we learn most of the time that our way is not always best. If we pray and talk to God about something someone has done to us, we need to learn to leave the problem there. He will take care of it for us. Therefore, we needn't worry about it anymore. [Yes, I know, that is easier said than done].

Many times in my reading through Proverbs I have read about God directing our steps or has a better plan for us. I am working on this very thing in my life right now. Trusting where He is leading me and not trying to question or figure it all out. Sometimes, things in our life are not meant to be understood. We just need to sit back and let Him steer for we will not go astray!

Pray For Chattanooga

Today, my city made national news. There was a shooting at a military recruiting office. Five people were injured. Four military personnel are deceased, one police officer is in stable condition at the hospital.

This is one of those times where "It will never happen here." is ringing loud in my head. I always brush off these stories and think exactly that. Today I cannot do that. Today, my city was shaken. Today my city experienced what has happened in other places. Today, my city will come together as one - we will pray.

I will continue to pray in the days yet to come. I wish that we could get answers to all the questions we all have. Unfortunately, that cannot happen. Some questions will remain unanswered. While this is a sad and tragic event, we must be positive and move forward stronger than we were today before this took place.

I posted a Facebook status this morning that began like this:

My God's Not Dead

He is surely ALIVE.

I did not know that this was going to take place today. However, I feel it could not have been posted at no better time. He is not dead. He is alive right now, in this event. I am thankful I can rest in this peace.

#PrayForChattanooga

God Knows What Time It Is: Reaching Others Through Social Media

That's right friends! God knows what time it is. He knows that we live in in time of Facebook,Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest. He knows that we live in a fast-paced world where having a front porch chat with your neighbor is seemingly unheard of.

My last post here was my personal testimony about letting God take control of my life. He has!!

Friends, I gave up the party life to live for Him and I am rewarded daily. I have asked Him to use me. Let me be a light to others. He is!

How you say?

Right now, I am seeing it through my social media outlets. Likes, shares, comments, etc. It is a blessing to me to know that I am reaching YOU through these outlets, even this blog.

He gave me the gift of writing. I have blessed many with this talent over the last 3 years and I am thankful for that and will continue to do so with whatever comes to mind.  My blog posts may not get many comments, likes, or shares.. but that is okay because they reach someone.

If you are struggling today thinking He cannot use you or you feel like you are not doing enough for Him, ask Him to use you and let Him have control and do what He wants to do; not what YOU want to do.

God can use anyone and anything to reach His people. :)

I Let Go, I Let God - My Personal Testimony

We have all heard the phrase "Let Go and Let God." at some point in our lives. I know I have many a time in my life.

Today, I am going to take you on a brief journey of how I have come to know the meaning of this phrase in my own life.

I have always known who God was/is. My grandparents taught me about spirituality and I attended church with them growing up. I began to pray before I was ever saved. At 7 years of age I can remember lying in bed at night with a prayer cloth which had been given to me by a pastor; praying that by Jesus stripes I would be healed. At 9 years of age, I prayed what to me would be my first real, heartfelt prayer. I prayed that God would take care of me and guide my doctors during surgery before going back to the OR (03-10-1993). When I got back to the OR my doctor told me everything would be fine. I knew then that He had heard my prayer. It has been 22 years since I have been back in the OR for any kind of surgery pertaining to my having Cerebral Palsy. Thank you Jesus!

Two years later, the summer of 1995; I asked Jesus into my heart during VBS and was also baptized.

Fast forward to my early twenties. At this time, I had moved away from home and was a college student. Church was not a big part of my life, but this was the time when I began keeping a prayer journal as a means of how I pray. After coming back home, I didn't go to church much at all and was very busy living an ungodly life to be honest.

Now here I am in my early 30's. The last two years of my life have been full of many ups and downs, highs and lows and plenty of soul searching. While I relied on God to get me through this difficult time in my life, I was still looking for love in all the wrong places if you will. In mid April of this year, I decided I was done with that life. I knew that the kind of person I really want to spend the rest of my life with was not going to be found in the places I was hanging out. My sister bought me a Bible I had been looking at for a while and I've read almost every day since. I have started going back to church on a regular basis as well. I have learned so much from my own personal reading as well as church sermons in the last two months. I cannot get enough! It is amazing when you can truly understand what you are reading and what you are hearing. I have also started worshiping through music and sometimes all I can do is cry while I am listening or even writing. Feeling the Spirit and knowing that He is near is the most awesome feeling I have ever felt.

It may have taken me 20 years to get here, but I have no doubt that I am where I need to be. Where I am SUPPOSED to be. I had so much peace with this decision, peace like I've never felt before.

I am so glad to have this outlet, because maybe; just maybe someone will come to know their Savior through reading my testimony.

Hairdo Take 2

My hair didn't quite turn out the way I planned for it to when I got it cut last month. So, a couple weeks ago I had it cut again, and even let mom highlight it! I absolutely love it. Easy to fix. I can spike it or I can leave it flat!

What's your new hairdo for Summer 2015?