There's an old saying, "Time flies when you're having fun." It hasn't been all fun, but the time has passed quickly. It was five years ago this week when I came to live at Pampa Nursing Center. My life has changed a lot since then -- mostly for the better.
It was 2014, and I had just had surgery for spinal stenosis and had spent three months at a rehab center in Amarillo. I had stayed at Pampa Nursing Center briefly before the surgery and decided to come back to be closer to my family. It was tough leaving my own apartment and really tough giving up some of my freedom, but it has worked out.
After the surgery, I couldn't do much. I had to learn new ways to do things. I couldn't raise my right arm to lift a glass of water or feed myself. I couldn't use the keyboard to type. That was really hard because I depended on the computer so much. With months of therapy and God's grace, I have slowly regained much of the use of my arm.
Today, I'm thankful to live in a good place where people care about me and help me.
I've met some neat people here and also have been reunited with people from the past. My eighth-grade history teacher, Mr. Porter, is here recovering from a stroke and learning to walk again. I learned about the Constitution in Mr. Porter's class, and he had us memorize parts of the Bill of Rights and the Gettysburg Address. I guess you could thank him (or blame him) for some of my political beliefs!
The nurses and caregivers here are really good to me and make my life much easier and fulfilling. When some of the staff found out I use the computer, they started asking me to make fliers for their activities. I also design and produce the center's monthly newsletter, which I enjoy doing very much.
I really have the best of both worlds. I have all the help I need, plus I have the freedom to still get out on my own to take a ride if I want. I'm so blessed! It may not be the ideal situation, but I'm thankful I have this place. It's been a wild ride so far, and I'm anxious to see what the next five years will bring.
Friday, May 17, 2019
Friday, April 26, 2019
Average Joe
If I wanted to vote for a Democrat, which isn't likely, I might consider voting for Joe Biden. I like crazy Joe. I don't agree with his political stance on most issues, but he isn't politically correct, and I like that about him.
People often say they have to vote for the lesser of two evils. In the case of Democratic candidates running for president, Biden is the least crazy of the bunch. He isn't nearly as radical as the other Democrats in the race. Compared to Bozo O'Rourke, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, Biden seems almost normal.
Even though Biden only officially announced his candidacy this week, he's the front-runner in the race for the Democratic nomination. That has made him the target of criticism by members of his own party.
Biden has been attacked for his treatment of women. He can't keep his hands off them! Several women say he made them feel "uncomfortable" when he invaded their personal space to hug them or give them a little kiss. I understand people need their personal space. I don't like it when people get in my space. I don't even like holding hands with people in church.
I don't think crazy Joe meant any harm by his touchy-feely show of affection. He's just being himself.
"I shake hands, I hug people, I grab men and women by the shoulders and say, 'you can do this,' " Biden was quoted as saying recently. "And whether they’re women, men, young, old, it’s the way I’ve always been. It’s the way I try to show I care about them and I’m listening."
Biden is the 20th Democrat who has tossed their hat in the race so far. They're all radical but at least Biden has a little common sense. He doesn't want to ban cars and airplanes as some of the far-left candidates have proposed. Joe Biden doesn't scare me nearly as much as O'Rourke, Warren and the rest of the left-wing loons who are running.
For Democrats, Biden is their best shot in beating President Trump, but Biden doesn't have a shot.
People often say they have to vote for the lesser of two evils. In the case of Democratic candidates running for president, Biden is the least crazy of the bunch. He isn't nearly as radical as the other Democrats in the race. Compared to Bozo O'Rourke, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, Biden seems almost normal.
Even though Biden only officially announced his candidacy this week, he's the front-runner in the race for the Democratic nomination. That has made him the target of criticism by members of his own party.
Biden has been attacked for his treatment of women. He can't keep his hands off them! Several women say he made them feel "uncomfortable" when he invaded their personal space to hug them or give them a little kiss. I understand people need their personal space. I don't like it when people get in my space. I don't even like holding hands with people in church.
I don't think crazy Joe meant any harm by his touchy-feely show of affection. He's just being himself.
"I shake hands, I hug people, I grab men and women by the shoulders and say, 'you can do this,' " Biden was quoted as saying recently. "And whether they’re women, men, young, old, it’s the way I’ve always been. It’s the way I try to show I care about them and I’m listening."
Biden is the 20th Democrat who has tossed their hat in the race so far. They're all radical but at least Biden has a little common sense. He doesn't want to ban cars and airplanes as some of the far-left candidates have proposed. Joe Biden doesn't scare me nearly as much as O'Rourke, Warren and the rest of the left-wing loons who are running.
For Democrats, Biden is their best shot in beating President Trump, but Biden doesn't have a shot.
Monday, March 18, 2019
Supersizing God
Christians should depend on God's promises as much as they depend on the fast-food drive-thru. Think about this...
How many times a week do most of us go through the drive-thru? At least two or three. Some people go every day to get their morning cup of coffee. Compare that with how many times the average Christian reads the Bible a week. For most of us, it's probably not every day. Why is that? Just as we crave that daily pick-me-up cup of coffee, we need a helping of God's Word every day. It will give us the strength we need each day... and it's caffeine-free!
At the drive-thru, we're confident we can have anything on the menu. You would never hear someone pull up to the window and say, "Is it OK if I get a cheeseburger?" You're more likely to hear them say, "Give me a Big Mac and fries!" They know if it's on the menu they can have it by asking.
With the promises of God, though, a lot of Christians think they're not entitled to them. They think the promises must be for someone else. Matthew 7:7 says, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." The Bible is full of great promises, and God wants us to have them. We have to be confident when we ask, and we will receive them.
At the drive-thru, we're not satisfied with a small fries. We want to SUPERSIZE them. We won't settle for small Coke when we can have a 44 oz. drink with free refills. As Christians, we often settle for a little blessing when God wants to give us so much more. John 10:10 says, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
At the drive-thru, we don't sit and wait for them to throw our order through our car window. We reach out and take our order into our hands. It's the same with God's promises. We can't sit around and wait for God to drop them in our lap. We have to reach out to Him. He wants us to come to Him and tell Him our needs.
Finally, at the drive-thru, we're very likely to get the wrong order. How many times have you gotten home to find the order is wrong? God never gets the order wrong. He'll always come through and give us what He has promised.
Our God is a BIG God. We don't have to settle for a happy meal when we could have a steak dinner! Look into God's Word and you'll find everything you'll ever need.
How many times a week do most of us go through the drive-thru? At least two or three. Some people go every day to get their morning cup of coffee. Compare that with how many times the average Christian reads the Bible a week. For most of us, it's probably not every day. Why is that? Just as we crave that daily pick-me-up cup of coffee, we need a helping of God's Word every day. It will give us the strength we need each day... and it's caffeine-free!
At the drive-thru, we're confident we can have anything on the menu. You would never hear someone pull up to the window and say, "Is it OK if I get a cheeseburger?" You're more likely to hear them say, "Give me a Big Mac and fries!" They know if it's on the menu they can have it by asking.
With the promises of God, though, a lot of Christians think they're not entitled to them. They think the promises must be for someone else. Matthew 7:7 says, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." The Bible is full of great promises, and God wants us to have them. We have to be confident when we ask, and we will receive them.
At the drive-thru, we're not satisfied with a small fries. We want to SUPERSIZE them. We won't settle for small Coke when we can have a 44 oz. drink with free refills. As Christians, we often settle for a little blessing when God wants to give us so much more. John 10:10 says, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
At the drive-thru, we don't sit and wait for them to throw our order through our car window. We reach out and take our order into our hands. It's the same with God's promises. We can't sit around and wait for God to drop them in our lap. We have to reach out to Him. He wants us to come to Him and tell Him our needs.
Finally, at the drive-thru, we're very likely to get the wrong order. How many times have you gotten home to find the order is wrong? God never gets the order wrong. He'll always come through and give us what He has promised.
Our God is a BIG God. We don't have to settle for a happy meal when we could have a steak dinner! Look into God's Word and you'll find everything you'll ever need.
Monday, March 11, 2019
Life Is Short
Actor Luke Perry died last week following a massive stroke. He was 52. That's only two years older than I am now. It really hits close to home when someone close to your own age dies. It makes you stop and think. It makes you realize how short this life is and how suddenly it can come to an end. I've been thinking about that a lot lately.
One of my cousins turned 57 last month. That's the same age as her father (my uncle) was when he died. My cousin posted memories of her dad on Facebook and how his life affected her outlook on life. I also have many memories of him. My uncle was a great man who died in the prime of his life. He was one of the finest Christian men around. He loved God, his family and his town (even if it was in Oklahoma), and he loved living. His death shocked us all. I've often wondered why such a good man had to die so young.
My Granddad Altman died when he was only 62. He suffered a massive heart attack. There were no warning signs. He just went to bed one night and had a heart attack during the night.
I was 8 when he died. It was the first time in my young life that I had experienced the loss of someone so close to me through death. I had just seen my granddad the day before and then suddenly he was gone. I didn't understand it.
I still don't understand why some people live a long time and others die so young. If you think about it, even if we live 100 years or more, that's still a short time when compared to eternity.
The Bible says life is like a vapor. James 4:14 says, "You do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away."
We should remember this advice from author Steve Simons:
Life is short.
Too short to waste time.
Too short to hate.
Too short to live with regret.
Too short to give up.
Too short to give in.
Too short to accept defeat.
God’s promises are eternal.
God’s blessings last forever.
God’s love has no end.
God’s favor is boundless.
God’s goodness is limitless.
Life is short. Eternity is long. Live like it.
One of my cousins turned 57 last month. That's the same age as her father (my uncle) was when he died. My cousin posted memories of her dad on Facebook and how his life affected her outlook on life. I also have many memories of him. My uncle was a great man who died in the prime of his life. He was one of the finest Christian men around. He loved God, his family and his town (even if it was in Oklahoma), and he loved living. His death shocked us all. I've often wondered why such a good man had to die so young.
My Granddad Altman died when he was only 62. He suffered a massive heart attack. There were no warning signs. He just went to bed one night and had a heart attack during the night.
I was 8 when he died. It was the first time in my young life that I had experienced the loss of someone so close to me through death. I had just seen my granddad the day before and then suddenly he was gone. I didn't understand it.
I still don't understand why some people live a long time and others die so young. If you think about it, even if we live 100 years or more, that's still a short time when compared to eternity.
The Bible says life is like a vapor. James 4:14 says, "You do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away."
We should remember this advice from author Steve Simons:
Life is short.
Too short to waste time.
Too short to hate.
Too short to live with regret.
Too short to give up.
Too short to give in.
Too short to accept defeat.
God’s promises are eternal.
God’s blessings last forever.
God’s love has no end.
God’s favor is boundless.
God’s goodness is limitless.
Life is short. Eternity is long. Live like it.
Tuesday, March 5, 2019
Watch Your Steps
Life is about learning from our mistakes so we don't repeat them. If you're anything like me, though, you may find yourself making the same mistake over and over. We may even pray “Lord, if you'll get me out of this mess, I'll never do it again.” Then we do it again.
Motivational speaker and columnist Rick Kraft tries to explain why we make a mistake and then turn around and make the same stupid mistake again. He uses author Portia Nelson's book "There's a Hole in My Sidewalk!" to show us how to avoid making the same mistakes.
The book is only five short chapters. Here's a summary:
Chapter One - I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost...I am helpless. It isn’t my fault. It takes forever to find a way out.
Chapter Two - I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don’t see it. I fall in again. I can’t believe I am in the same place, but it isn’t my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.
Chapter Three - I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see that it is there. I still fall in...it’s become a habit. My eyes are open. I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately.
Chapter Four - I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it.
Chapter Five - I walk down another street.
Kraft then analyzes the book by breaking down each chapter. In the first two chapters, he says the writer fell into the same hole each time and claims both times that it's not her fault. In Chapter 1, the writer is surprised she fell in the hole.
In Chapter 2, she pretends the hole isn't there and falls in again. She made the same mistake twice! She could have avoided the second fall if she had learned from her mistake the first time.
In Chapter 3, Kraft points out that the writer takes the first step to overcoming her problem by admitting it was her fault that she fell in the hole. She says her eyes are open, but it has now become a habit. She understands that she is both responsible for falling in the hole and that she has the power to get herself out.
Motivational speaker and columnist Rick Kraft tries to explain why we make a mistake and then turn around and make the same stupid mistake again. He uses author Portia Nelson's book "There's a Hole in My Sidewalk!" to show us how to avoid making the same mistakes.
The book is only five short chapters. Here's a summary:
Chapter One - I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost...I am helpless. It isn’t my fault. It takes forever to find a way out.
Chapter Two - I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don’t see it. I fall in again. I can’t believe I am in the same place, but it isn’t my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.
Chapter Three - I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see that it is there. I still fall in...it’s become a habit. My eyes are open. I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately.
Chapter Four - I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it.
Chapter Five - I walk down another street.
Kraft then analyzes the book by breaking down each chapter. In the first two chapters, he says the writer fell into the same hole each time and claims both times that it's not her fault. In Chapter 1, the writer is surprised she fell in the hole.
In Chapter 2, she pretends the hole isn't there and falls in again. She made the same mistake twice! She could have avoided the second fall if she had learned from her mistake the first time.
In Chapter 3, Kraft points out that the writer takes the first step to overcoming her problem by admitting it was her fault that she fell in the hole. She says her eyes are open, but it has now become a habit. She understands that she is both responsible for falling in the hole and that she has the power to get herself out.
In Chapter 4, she puts herself in danger again by walking down the same street. She realizes she has a choice. If she makes the right choice by walking around the hole, she can save herself from falling in again.
Finally, in Chapter 5, Kraft says the writer now understands that she can avoid the hole altogether by walking down a different street.
Kraft's point is to show us we have a choice. Each day, we have many streets we can walk down. Some streets have holes. Some don’t. It all depends on what street we choose to walk down.
Finally, in Chapter 5, Kraft says the writer now understands that she can avoid the hole altogether by walking down a different street.
Kraft's point is to show us we have a choice. Each day, we have many streets we can walk down. Some streets have holes. Some don’t. It all depends on what street we choose to walk down.
He challenges us to identify the holes that we fall into and learn to avoid them. His advice: Choose carefully and watch your steps!
Sunday, March 3, 2019
Technology
It was 12 degrees when I got up this morning. That's even too cold for me... and I never get cold! I was disappointed because I couldn't go to church. I still enjoyed a live church service this morning because of technology.
More and more churches are streaming their services live on Facebook or YouTube. With a quick scroll through my Facebook, I found about half-a-dozen live church services. I clicked on the page for Accelerate Church in Amarillo and watched a great sermon. It wasn't the same as being there in person, but I was thankful I could watch it right on my laptop.
Technology is great. I normally go to Briarwood Church on Sunday. If I can't make it on Sunday, I can watch it later on Facebook. Sometimes, I like to watch the sermon again in case I missed something. I also can watch other church services on FB during the week.
It's a great way to reach others, too. It attracts people who might never step foot in a church. I've been inviting a friend to Briarwood and she never comes, but I found out that she's been watching it on Facebook. Only God knows who may be watching!
Thank God for technology. I use it for so many things. Besides watching sermons, I read the Bible and devotions all on my computer. It makes it really easy to research and find commentaries on the Scriptures.
Of course, I use it for other things, too. I listen to music, read books and the newspaper and spend way too much time on Facebook. I would be lost without the computer. On days like this when I can't out, I rely on technology, and it gives me a whole new view of the world.
More and more churches are streaming their services live on Facebook or YouTube. With a quick scroll through my Facebook, I found about half-a-dozen live church services. I clicked on the page for Accelerate Church in Amarillo and watched a great sermon. It wasn't the same as being there in person, but I was thankful I could watch it right on my laptop.
Technology is great. I normally go to Briarwood Church on Sunday. If I can't make it on Sunday, I can watch it later on Facebook. Sometimes, I like to watch the sermon again in case I missed something. I also can watch other church services on FB during the week.
It's a great way to reach others, too. It attracts people who might never step foot in a church. I've been inviting a friend to Briarwood and she never comes, but I found out that she's been watching it on Facebook. Only God knows who may be watching!
Thank God for technology. I use it for so many things. Besides watching sermons, I read the Bible and devotions all on my computer. It makes it really easy to research and find commentaries on the Scriptures.
Of course, I use it for other things, too. I listen to music, read books and the newspaper and spend way too much time on Facebook. I would be lost without the computer. On days like this when I can't out, I rely on technology, and it gives me a whole new view of the world.
Monday, February 25, 2019
A Century Old Friend
When I enrolled in the journalism program at WT, the instructors were more than a little skeptical on whether I'd be able to make it. They wondered if someone with a speech problem would be able to communicate well enough to conduct interviews. Honestly, I didn't know if I could do it either, but I wanted the chance to try.
The Prairie gave me that chance. I was enrolled in the newswriting class, where I had to find a news story and write an article each week. I came up with my own method. I wrote out questions before I went to an interview and gave the person a copy of the questions. Then, I wouldn't have to keep repeating the questions if the person couldn't understand my speech.
The newswriting class had close to 30 students, and we were competing for a spot in The Prairie each week. With limited space in the newspaper, only the best articles from the class made it into publication. I was so excited the first time I saw one of my articles printed in The Prairie. It was a dream come true!
I wrote a lot that first year. It was exhilarating to see my stories in the paper or heartbreaking to open the paper and find my article didn't make the cut that week. I just kept writing, hoping to make it into print.
I'd come a long way in that year. The instructors who once had wondered if I'd be able to make it in the journalism program now recommended me for a staff position on The Prairie, and I was hired as the paper's copy editor for the next year. It was a paid position. It was only $150 a month, but it was my first paying job. I was in heaven.
I was copy editor for the fall semester and had planned to stay for the spring semester. But when the editor-in-chief unexpectedly stepped down during the Christmas break, I became the new editor.
I was privileged to lead a talented team of writers and editors. The paper received an All American Award from the Associated Collegiate Press, one of only 12 college newspapers in the country to win the award. One writer on the staff received national recognition for writing the top college journalism story. It was the Pulitzer of college awards for the writer.
I took over during a tumultuous time in the university's history. University President Ed Roach was indicted for diverting scholarship money to meet other budget deficits and later resigned.
The student newspaper serves several important roles. It not only prepares students for a career in journalism but also records the university's history. Knowing that I had a small part in leading the paper through one of the most historic years in the school's history made my time there so rewarding.
With the number of city newspapers dwindling, I'm glad to see The Prairie still going strong after 100 years.
Carry on, old friend. Carry on!
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