Read below for a guest post from Lamar Hardwick. Growing up there were two great influences that shaped my life. The first was that my father was in the army, which meant we moved around quite a bit. Anyone who was raised in a military family knows about this experience. The second is that my father was also a pastor. Both of these things shaped my life in profound ways because at a very … [Read more...]
6 Disability Lessons Learned from a Kitchen Knife
About six weeks ago, the knife I was using to remove the label from a container slipped and severed the tendon in my left thumb. After waking up from repair surgery to a left hand swathed and immobile in a ginormous splint, the surgeon outlined a list of restrictions. No lifting with the left hand. No driving. No getting the splint wet. Those three restrictions plunged me into the world of … [Read more...]
7 Steps To Transform Your Holidays
I don’t know about you, but I’m already beginning to feel pressed by the approaching holiday season. The expectations of others have already commenced their slow, grinding, painful squeeze on my psyche. Will Grandma be in suitable condition to leave assisted living for Thanksgiving? Does Auntie need a ride from the airport? Where is everyone staying? Who has off of school or work and when? Why … [Read more...]
In EVERYTHING Give Thanks?
Confusing? Wrong? Let’s see what God’s word has to say: Ephesians 5:18, “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” As a young mom of a son with special needs, it was hard for me to be thankful for the condition of my son. I wanted him to be “normal” like everyone else seemed to be. I wasn’t outwardly or inwardly angry at God nor did I dislike, hate, or not want … [Read more...]
Obsessive-Compulsive Deliverer
We tend to think of OCD, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, as a bad thing. But I'm choosing to remember that I have an Obsessive-Compulsive Deliverer to see me through it. Yes, in its extreme form, OCD is not easy. It can affect so many different areas of life and people in different ways. Many people think they have OCD. There are so many jokes about it. I get it. I know there are varying … [Read more...]
The Power of a Smile Can Change the Conversation
Communication. It’s a skill few of us are very good at. The written or spoken word is often far too simplistic to help us say what we really mean. And yet, effective communication lies at the heart of all relationships. The conversations we have with each other, whether face-to-face, online, or by text message are an integral part of our daily lives and, indeed, what most of us take for granted. … [Read more...]