Category Archives: Devotion & Inspiration

Life Can Turn on a Dime – Part 5

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This is part 5 of this series about my life change at age 18 when I lost control of my car and became paralyzed from a spinal cord injury.  See part 1 for background.

Puppy Contraband
My mom, dad, and youngest brother, Brian, were my steadfast visitors in the evenings and on weekends at the rehab center, along with many others. One night Mike, a pastor friend, smuggled a puppy into my room. He had read the book Joni which told of her diving accident and spinal cord injury as well as her rehab. She described a time when a friend brought puppies to visit her.

As Mike  prepared to leave work he prayed that he would be able to get a puppy to bring to me and planned to go by the local mall’s pet store to borrow one – when the unimaginable happened…

A lady at the church where he worked was looking for someone who could keep her ‘new‘ puppy for a few hours while she went to a class. He gave thanks to the Almighty and brought the puppy for a visit. What a fluff ball of cuteness and blessing to uplift all! That’s what I call an answered prayer! Today, I still love puppy comfort through my canine helper Twix and other pups.


I love June, my neighbors golden retriever puppy!

More Friends
Charlotte, one of my nurses at Shepherd, strummed the guitar for me and sang when she was off work, and she and her fiance took me to a bible study one Monday night. I don’t remember what was taught, but I remember the love, encouragement, and acceptance I felt from this wonderful, gentle couple as they managed the hassle of moving me in and out of their little car using a borrowed ‘hospital’ fold-able wheelchair.

Most of my friends were busy with their ‘normal’ lives off at a university. Some close friends couldn’t handle a visit, and others needed comfort themselves to deal with their changed friend. Holding tears back during one visit was often all they could take.

Contact was completely lost with some, and I better understand their difficulties now.  Others took the plunge and stood by and supported with energy and grace.  Gratefully, I was pretty much clueless about how disabled I appeared on the outside,  after all, I was still the same person on the inside.

Mary Hall, a friend comes to visit. I wish I had more photos of my precious visitors.

It was awkward for everyone at first!  ‘I used to be normal’,  was one of the first things I’d tell new people I’d encounter after my accident.  For a year or two after my injury, I was on a mission to ensure everyone was as comfortable as possible and knew I grew up walking around just like they did.

Then, at some point I remember having to remind myself that I might want to explain to a new acquaintance about my injury because usually if someone is over 13 or 14 they are too uncomfortable to ask.  Honestly, I would have been the same way had the tables been turned.

There are always the looming questions everyone has: ‘What happened?’ or ‘Were you born this way?’ or ‘What is wrong with you?’

Now, I try to remember to let people know at an appropriate time, but it is common for me to forget to explain because this IS my every day normal.  Really folks, if you have a question, it it ok to ask me!  Believe me, your children will ask!

I have a question for YOU today,  ‘How does it make you feel when you encounter someone with special needs?  What is your ‘go to’ reaction?’

I am not always prepared for others’ in tough situations or with special needs but have never been disappointed when I risked pushing though my discomfort and fear. Now I want my desire for connection to be greater than my desire for protection.  After all, anyone’s life can turn on a dime.

Read on to part 6.

 Blessings to you dear friends. -Madge

Courageous Fathers = Courageous Families

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The men 18 years old and over stood in unison reciting the ‘I Wills’. Indeed they were words read from a piece of paper, “The Resolution”, but they have the power, the potential, to impact generations.

We need our men.
We need our fathers.

The blessing of a father committed and engaged with his family is unmatched.

This weekend our churchcelebrates our fathers with a special ceremony of commitment in all seven services. Amongst the casual attire most often worn by many in our Friday night service was a smattering of coats and suits, as proud men from all walks of life stood with their families reciting their pledge.

With today’s family unit commonly shattered and fatherhood devalued, the release of the movie, Courageous, last fall, was an inspiring must see and prompted our Fathers Day focus. It is a family drama where four men come to grips with a common calling: to serve and protect their families. On this, the eve of Father’s Day, it seems fitting that we revisit our values, honor our fathers and resolve to fight courageously for our families.

Below is the resolution the men proudly recited:

I DO solemnly resolve before God to take full responsibility for myself, my wife, and my children.

I WILL love them, protect them, serve them, and teach them the Word of God as the spiritual leader of my home.

I WILL be faithful to my wife, to love and honor her, and be willing to lay down my life for her as Jesus Christ did for me.

I WILL bless my children and teach them to love God with all of their hearts, all of their minds, and all of their strength.

I WILL train them to honor authority and live responsibly.

I WILL confront evil, pursue justice, and love mercy.

I WILL pray for others and treat them with kindness, respect, and compassion.

I WILL work diligently to provide for the needs of my family.

I WILL forgive those who have wronged me and reconcile with those I have wronged.

I WILL learn from my mistakes, repent of my sins, and walk with integrity as a man answerable to God.

I WILL seek to honor God, be faithful to His church, obey His Word, and do His will.

I WILL courageously work with the strength God provides to fulfill this resolution for the rest of my life and for His glory.

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. —Joshua 24:15

I was intrigued when Brent chose to participate in the ceremony since we don’t have children…he realizes we DO have a family unit, a church family, an extended family and a community in need of courageous men. I am proud to have a husband willing to fight for future generations and to courageously be a father to the fatherless.

Memory verse: As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. —Joshua 24:15

You can find more information and additional resources here

It is never too late for a man – a father – to become a “dad”.

Special honor to all courageous men this Father’s Day…

 

Seven Days in Utopia – More Noteworthy Quotes

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In my previous post about Seven Days in Utopia, I  briefly shared some noteworthy quotes from the book. The film surprised me by how well the movie depicted the book. It is appropriate for all audiences and had a solid quality message about life, not just golf.

Seven Days at the Links in UtopiaThe stage is set as it opens with a quote from Isaiah, “And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.” Isaiah 30:21

Here are some other noteworthy quotes, but take heed, they may require a spoiler alert for the progression of the movie, but I’m not giving away too much and certainly not the ending!

You don’t choose the game, it chooses you.

Day 1 Driving Range
The first step in finding your game is getting some conviction. If you don’t have conviction your confidence can be corroded.

Day 2 Fly Fishing
Rhythm, balance, and patience is what you need.
You must have a calm mindset – and focus on feel rather than outcome. To stay in balance you have to control emotion.

Day 3 Fairway
Don’t be late in life. Time is too precious to waste.
Paint the shot with the eyes first so our bodies can produce it accurately.

Day 4 Washer Throwing Game
Have respect for tradition and passion for the truth.

Day 5 Flying an Airplane
You can’t play in a tournament unless you’re ready for the unexpected.
When a firefly knows it is trapped it won’t light. Freedom is a powerful force.

Day 6 Play Golf
See it, feel it, trust it. (SFT)
You can’t spend your life trying to validate yourself on the golf course.

Day 7 Cemetery
What will your epitaph say? What do you want people to say about you when you are gone?
See God’s face. Feel His presence. Trust His love.
Gifts aren’t meant to be paid for, they are meant to be passed along.

I’ll leave you with a thoughtful prayer that Johnny (Robert Duvall) prayed before a family meal in the movie. My husband and I have used it recently ourselves.

For:
…Food in a world where many walk in hunger,
…Faith in a world where many walk in fear,
 …Friends in a world where many walk alone,
We give you thanks, Oh Lord.
Amen.

Plugged In did a nice job on their review of this movie.  Great book. Great movie.  Read the  book or rent the movie my friends; it surely will provoke some contemplation on life lessons.  – Madge

It’s the Little Things Like Sherbet (scripture memory #11)

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It was just a receipt…an old receipt that I dug out of my purse yesterday as I organized its contents. There were other crumpled receipts I quickly discarded at first glance, but this one gripped me.  I had to save the Walgreens receipt for a pint of orange sherbet.

I bought it after a hospice visit with Dad F. and his son John. John read Ephesians for an hour and we all talked about it…well John and I talked…Dad wrote on his board because he had a tracheotomy and couldn’t speak. I sat next to the hospital bed reading Dad’s comments about the scriptures and his comments about our comments as John sat in the cozy chair across the room loudly reading The Book for Dad’s hearing-impaired ears.

When we finished at 3:00 Dad used his small white board to tell us that he wanted some orange sherbet. Even with his new trach and feeding tube he said Teri his nurse thought it would be fine to try some sherbet. I talked to Teri and rolled across the street to the Walgreens…praying they’d have it so I wouldn’t need to make a trip to the grocery store. I was on a mission for orange sherbet.

The large freezer had what seemed like hundreds of varieties of ice cream. I looked and looked and finally spotted the ONLY sherbet in the freezer – and it was ‘Orange’! I rolled the cold treat to the hospice and gave it to Teri to give Dad later.

Little did I know that the few spoons of sherbet Teri gave him in tiny little pieces that night would be the last earthly taste to his tongue. Later she told me he enjoyed it as they visited that evening. Dad really liked Teri…she has a special ministry.

He was so vibrant that day and the next morning when he got up and shaved and enjoyed bible study and prayer with his best friend, Paul.  Then suddenly, he was in a comatose state for less than 24 hours before he passed.

Daily my prayers include Mom F. and the family as they live here on earth without him.  Since we were reading Ephesians I am sharing some favorite verses for potential scripture memory this time…

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. (Ephesians 1:17 NIV)

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ (Ephesians 3:17, 18 NIV)

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Ephesians 4:29 NIV)

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:14-17 NIV)

He was a father to so many, he knew how to make everyone feel loved and welcome.  I’ll never look at Ephesians or orange sherbet in quite the same way…