My New Reality

I had to re-post this picture that I saw on Facebook.  It is very much my world, and is for so many others who have had brain injuries.   My personality changed the most when I hit my head a few years after the brain surgery.  Changes like this have surprisingly become my biggest adjustment.  I relate to this picture since I was left brained a majority of my life.  I now acknowledge how right brain dominant I am becoming.   It is new and different, but I am learning to embrace my present reality.

Calvin and Hobbes is the best!

http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/2012/07/16

 

 

 







I had to share Calvin and Hobbes today because it makes me smile!

You are His miracle

With the anniversary of my brain surgery approaching, it always causes me to reflect on life.  I came across a CD of mine from a long time ago called "Never Be The Same" by Tony Melendez . (He was born with no arms and plays the instruments with his feet!)   The song "You are His Miracle" brought much healing to me during that season in life many years ago, and so I wanted to share the lyrics.  They are very powerful and bring a renewed peace to me.  I pray you feel a renewed and fresh sense of God's love for you in whatever season of life you are in right now.  

YOU ARE HIS MIRACLE

Words & Music by: Doug Eltzroth

She fights the crowd of her own town

The very streets her friends walk down

She’s sick, she’s dying, they all know.

Exhausted wisdom of the world

She’s still afflicted, Where is the cure?

“Just touch the border of His clothes…”

There’s no affliction, He cannot ease

There is no captive, He can’t release

There is no wrong, He cannot right

There is no lust, He cannot tame

There is no cripple, He cannot teach to walk,

To run, to dance, to fly. 

Chorus

You are His miracle, keep drawing nearer

You are His miracle, it’s becoming clearer

You are His miracle, a few more steps

Reach out your hand and you will see

You are his miracle, ready to be.

Her fingertips touched garment thread

Her childlike faith at last has led

Her to the very source of health

He turns and looks her eye to eye

It’s God himself and He replies:

“Your simple trust has made you well…”

There’s no heart torn He cannot bind

There is no lost He cannot find

There is no mute He cannot teach to talk

To shout, to laugh, to sing……

There is no storm He cannot whisper “Peace, be still”

There is no giant in His name you cannot kill

And there’s no hold on you He cannot sever

Nothing is too great -not now, not ever

Chorus

You are His miracle, keep drawing nearer

You are His miracle, it’s becoming clearer

You are His miracle, a few more steps

Reach out your hand and you will see

You are his miracle, ready to be.

Happy Valentine's Day!

This was written by a friend of mine (K.S.) and posted with her permission: 

Love…

Love plants gardens in the hearts of people…and doesn’t stop watering even though sometimes it’s a long growing season. Love counts blessings not minutes while standing in line at the checkout lane with a clerk who’s training.  Love walks softly beside feet that are too small to take big strides or too aged and worn to clip quickly along.

Love is patient.

Love rakes the leaves in someone else’s yard.  Love gives the benefit of the doubt.   Love gives not because but before it is asked to.   Love does it whether or not it’s convenient to do.

Love is kind.

Love knows joy and contentment because love trusts in the One who controls all things, and love can cheer watching someone else succeed.  Love knows there is not a limit to the number of dreams that can come true or the amazing things God can do, and love rejoices with those who rejoice.  Love sees through lenses of gratitude not lenses of comparison.

Love does not envy.

Love doesn’t act in order to look like a better spouse or parent or neighbor or person- love acts no matter who is or isn’t watching.  Love doesn’t look back at all it has done- it looks forward to all it can do.

Love does not boast.  Love is not proud.

Love listens…more than it advises,  Love assumes your best intentions.  Love answers the same question- three times without using an “I’ve explained this before” type of tone. 

Love is not rude.

Love asks how it may help more than telling you how it may help.  Love is real good at putting itself right in your shoes.   When love shares a cookie- you get to choose which half you want.

Love is not self seeking.

Love can smile as it digs through the trash can for magnet letters or car keys a child was “putting away”.  Love knows more about perspective than entitlement.  Love knows it’s one thing to feel an emotion but another thing to act foolishly upon it.

Love is not easily angered.

Love is label blind- it does not show partiality- it just acts.  Love is not focused on perfection but more so on grace.  Since love is a way not a contest- there’s no scorekeeping.

Love keeps no records of wrongs.

You cannot outgive love- love come from God and God’s love is infinite.  Not only is it infinite- but it is deeper and higher and wider and broader than you could ever imagine.  Love rejoices for what God has already done and the evidence in this of all He can do.

Love rejoices in truth.

 

                   “ Love is patient, love is kind.  It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs….…(love) rejoices in truth.”   I Corinthians 13:4,5,6b(NIV)

New semester- New class

Well, the Spring 2012 semester has started!   Starting a class each semester always provides me with a little anxiety with worries that my memory will not hold up, I won't be able to balance work and school, etc.  As the years have gone by I am learning to manage it and not be as stressed as I used to in the first few years of going back to school after the brain surgery.

This semester provides an interesting challenge from the start.  My class is Behavior Modification which I am quite excited about for both personal and professional reasons.   I think it will help me with my patients on a daily basis at the hospital, and down the road as I pursue the direction of neuro rehab. 

The project for the class is to change a personal behavior - whether to decrease or increase.   What have I chosen?  To increase the use of my exercise bike!!!!    This means I have to stop using it as a place to hang my clothes!!!   :)

Looking forward to this challenge!  I want it to be more than just a project.  Praying it will be a long term change of positive direction for me and my health!  

Reflection

20 Questions for a New Year’s Eve Reflection

1. What was the single best thing that happened this past year?
2. What was the single most challenging thing that happened?
3. What was an unexpected joy this past year?
4. What was an unexpected obstacle?
5. Pick three words to describe 2011.
6. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe your 2011 (don’t ask them; guess based on how you think your spouse sees you).
7. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe their 2011 (again, without asking).
8. What were the best books you read this year?
9. With whom were your most valuable relationships?
10. What was your biggest personal change from January to December of this past year?
11. In what way(s) did you grow emotionally?
12. In what way(s) did you grow spiritually?
13. In what way(s) did you grow physically?
14. In what way(s) did you grow in your relationships with others?
15. What was the most enjoyable part of your work (both professionally and at home)?
16. What was the most challenging part of your work (both professionally and at home)?
17. What was your single biggest time waster in your life this past year?
18. What was the best way you used your time this past year?
19. What was biggest thing you learned this past year?
20. Create a phrase or statement that describes 2011 for you.

Thinking of 2011 and looking forward to 2012