Walking Through the Brush

I remember as  young boy, spending summers with my grandparents in Upper Michigan. I loved to fish for trout on the streams with my grandpa. We would often walk several miles back into the woods, on what had long ago, been a rail road track or logging trail.  I could never tell where we were, where we were going, and If something happened to grandpa, we would both die because there was no chance of me finding the way home. The only thing for me to do was to stick close and follow Him, because he knew where we where going, he knew the signs to look for that kept us on track. Sometimes we would walk through a swamp, or  brush so thick it could tear your clothes, sometimes we walked in tree plantations, free from underbrush, and sometimes we walked in open fields where lumberjacks used to plant potatoes. Grandpas pace never changed, he moved forward swiftly, it was up to me to keep up, even at 7 or 8 years old. But, I trusted Him to the fullest degree, I knew he would get us to a stream full of trout. The conformation would come as the woods would open up and a beautiful stream would appear, that few had fished, ever!

The last weeks of ministry has confirmed to me to continue on a path. I believe I have been assured that where we are walking and working, is where God wants us to be... right now. Does that shock you? The idea that I am leading a ministry that has existed for 13 years and I am expressing this now? That has been the way of it for the entire 13 years; steps of faith, moving towards what we believe God is pointing to. Then comes a confirmation, yes, this is it, keep at it. Some say that is to haphazard, some say it could lead to many mistakes, some have said its just to much to think about so forget it, some ask, what if we fail, some ask, how do you know? All of these are valid questions, yet in working for Jesus, non of these things matter. 

I have a very small measure of faith, but I don't think think the faith I have is in what  I hear most people at church talking about. My faith looks a little like this: I believe God loves me and He is always good. I believe He has a plan for me. I believe He wants me to be like Christ. I believe He will give me opportunity to grow towards Christ. All I have to do is embrace the circumstance He brings each day, even if it something I don't think I want. Somedays its a hug, somedays a spank, somedays its a gift, somedays its a fight, somedays it hurts bad, somedays it feels great. But that is the way of love, and knowing God loves me makes it all ok. Do I complain, of course! I am a whiner. Do I want it to be different at times, yes. But every time as I turn back to look what He did, it was good for me. That is where my faith is, in that God loves me and wants what's best for me eternally.

God has supplied every need and want we have had over the last 13 years, and we are so undeserving. Thats the beauty of it all, His ways are not ours, He loves us no matter what. We will screw it up, because we are fallin, no good, love rejecting human beings. But, we must try our best to follow His lead and embrace what He brings.

My theology is to simple for most, but I am simple.  It is not a license to do anything I want, but rather a license to embrace anything God brings along. It mostly seems to be a matter of praying for courage and allowing that courage to grow in us. Following Christ is not easy, His pace is quick, He walks us through thick woods at times, but He knows where He taking us is good and that it is worth every step. I look forward to the day when those thick woods clear and we come to that beautiful place where God embraces us and Jesus says, see how wonderful and beautiful, I told you it was worth the walk. I can hardly wait to find Grandpa, on a stream, fishing, I will hug him and thank him for the lessons he gave me walking to a stream.

LT

The greatest preacher I ever met

15 years ago God allowed me to be a counselor at a camp for people with disabilities. I was given a week to spend with David. David is a man who is my age and lives in Minnesota with his loving Christian family. David has Down Syndrome, which has given him a mental disability. Dave prayed for me, with me, one night at camp, long after chapel had finished, and then gave me a two word sermon that are the most profound words I have ever heard. In fact, those two words completely changed my life, and I may think of those words every single day still 15 years later. That night, an hour after chapel ended, Dave led me to the alter, pushed my head down in reverence to his king, and said two words... "More Jesus". Wow. I shutter just typing it. More Jesus, that should be my prayer, that should be my goal, that should be my message. Dave gets it. 

So how do I explain that the most profound sermon I ever heard, the most life changing moment in my life came as God worked through a man the world does not want to see born, that society marks with no value or worth, that is rejected in most churches because he could not take a spiritual gifts test even if he wanted to??? I only have two words to answer that... "More Jesus". In fact I have discovered that is the answer to every question, to every problem, to every situation... more Jesus.

My hearts passion burns for people with disabilities for a few reasons, but mainly because of that experience. Oh how I hurt, because the church misses out on how God uses men and women just like David to change lives. That evening has given me more tools than 15 years of ministry experience, 40 years of being a Christian, daily walking with incredible saints who pour their wisdom into me, than my bible college degree all put together. David uttered the wisest, most loving, most incredible words, not from the pages of a best selling book, not from a shiny acrylic pulpit, but with his head bowed in that dark chapel, in total reverence to His king. I must stop writing now because retelling what God did for me through David, makes me sob, and I cannot type anymore.

Father God, help me... give me more of you and less of my ego, more of you and less of my plans, more of you and less of knowledge, more of you and less of my pain, more of you and less of my ... __________ just fill in the blank.

LT

My Moms a Warrior

 Mother is not a person to lean on but a person to make leaning unnecessary. 
--- Dorothy Fisher

I began this post on Mothers Day, and did not finish it, so today I posted it a few days late!

Most people would not know it, but my mom is a warrior. In fact, the women in our family tend to be warriors. I have been blessed beyond what I can express to you, with a family that loves God and has encouraged, impacted and helped keep me on the right path towards God. My mom has been and is essential to me being what God wants me to be. She has given up much for her children, she has sacrificed her own needs, wants and life throughout her adult life for us. She has followed God into each circumstance He has created with willingness and faithfulness.

As a young woman she gave my brother Steve to a family in adoption. Steve grew up in loving Christian home, and while we only met a few years ago he has traits that would be recognizable as my brother. Many mothers abort and snuff out a life that God created. My mom endured the pain, and it taught us all the power of prayer as she was relentless in her prayer for him, which God honored, as we found out when Steve found us and shared His story. 

My mom then had me, my sister Lora and then my brother Dan. Dan 's disability made her into a caregiver and nurse 24 hours a day. Her commitment to Dans care was beyond what words can describe, Dan lived the long 22 years he did, because of her vigilance. When Dan pursued his call into ministry, mom was right there, also in ministry, being his driver, roady, caregiver, and agent and never stopping being mom. When Dan died, she grieved and the pain was more than a mother deserves, yet she cared for her children's grief as much as her own. As my sister Lora pursued her calling as a mother in foster care and adoption, my mom has been right at her side every step of the way, helping, loving and mothering.  When we began Camp Daniel, I know mom could have looked toward retirement and rest, but she willingly followed as God took us to Athelstane to begin this work. 

I have never known loneliness, or what it is like not to be supported and loved. I have never known what it is like to not have someone praying for me, I have never been in the trench of the battle by myself, my mom has always been right there, ready to charge. Nothing is ever to bad or hard as I know she is there, praying and prodding me to be the best I can be for God. She is a warrior, as was her mother before her. As I said before, the women in our family are just that, warriors, My sister, my aunts, my cousins, they are warriors for Jesus. 

Father God I thank you for my mom, I thank you for her gift of being faithful to you in every circumstance. I thank you for her love which has allowed me to understand just a little how much you  must love us. Help me to be a warrior, like my mom. 

LT

The Sweet Spot

“In His splendid discontent, God made the world.” --Ela Wheeeler Wilcox

I come from a long line of people who tend to see life from the negative side, we ussually think with negative minds. It is a curse to think in that way, as I am rarely satisfied with things as they are. Over the last few years I have realized that my negativeness has a positive and negative side. Some of what would seem negative, stems from a discontenet that swells from my heart. These last few years God has helped me become very aware of the negativeness of my mind , but has also shown light upon a discontent of my soul. this discontent , I believe, is a good thing God has given to help me serve Him.

The negativeness of my mind is flesh problem, wrapped in ego, pain, and selfishness. It is something I must be constantly vigilant in dealing with, consistently praying for help in and always looking for accountability to guard against it.

The discontent of my soul is usually the sign I need to push ahead with an action or decision for God. It is what compels me to action as I can no longer stand to see things go as they are going. I must be tireless in understanding God's direction by listening to others, reading my Bible, and praying for help.

The battle comes as both voices in my heart and in my head, can be loud. I must be able to recognize the difference in these voices if I am to an effective servant for Jesus. If I ere on the negative side I become a sullen, jaded, angry man with depression nipping at my heals. I have often been that man, and have had to climb out of that pit many, many times. Every day I must be vigilant, and yet still I think I lose the battle more than I win.

The discontent of my soul is sweet spot, it is when I feel most connected to God, and the more I am in that place the easier it is to hear that voice. The discontent of my soul is also a painful place, where hurt occurs, where refining is happening. That is where I need to be, where God can grow me. The negativness of my mind is stunting, it is water on the refining process that makes my heart brittle and hard.

I tend to be someone who is often looking at a picture off in the future. The picture that God has given me of where I stand many years from now scares me. I feel unequipped to be the man I see off in the distance, doing what he is doing. So I must grab on to those things that cause me holy discontent, as those are the places of change where God works to make us into usable clay. I want to be His vessel, I want to molded into what he wants. But the devil is always close, waiting to knock me off of God's potters wheel. What a jerk that devil is, God surely could have done better in dealing with that...there I go again, with my negative mind. O God help me hear your voice, give a discontented heart that crys out to you.

LT

God Loves you, God made you, God has a plan for your life

Christ wants not nibblers of the possible, but grabbers of the impossible." -- C.T. Studd

At the heart of what we do in the many ministries of Camp Daniel,  is our belief that people with mental disabilities are created for a purpose by a loving God, who is good all the time. It is the basis for all our ministry and we believe it is essential to teach these truths for the mentally disabled community to even to begin to  grasp the God they need to accept, love, and believe in. Historically, people with disabilities have been shunned by the church and the world. Bad Church theologies have existed right from the Day of Jesus when we are told the story of the man born blind in John 9. Prevailing theology seemed to be this man had sinned or his parents because he was blind. Jesus dispelled this immediately expressing that God made this man and his blindness in order for Gods work to get done. This man whom was saved that day experienced Gods power, and was used to witness to the Pharisees. 

So here is my synopsis of that story:  A man who has a disability meets Jesus, Jesus is doing Gods work, so Gods power is displayed, man is saved, man immediately becomes a missionary going to the Pharisees and witnessing to them. Man is Jesus' inspiration to say that we must be doing God's work, or be missionaries, while we can.

That is powerful, that is exciting, that is our ministry. Raising up ministers and missionaries amongst the culture of mental disability in order that people would get saved. This is a seemingly overwhelming idea, some say impossible, where do we start?

People with mental disabilities have been put in place to believe that God has made a mistake in  creating them, or because of sin, they are created faulty. How do we teach  those who have this experience,  that the God who screwed up,  or  the God that allowed them to have their “condition”  really loves them as  much as someone who is seemingly more “like” God in most theologies? We teach that everyone is purposely made, that we are all made in God’s image, and like Moses, who  questioned God’s plan, that we must accept God’s assurance that He is in control and has a plan for us.  Some deaf, some blind, some talking, some not, but all are parts of the body that God uses to for His  purpose.

So our first step is to create situations where the truth is being peached. Letting people with mental disabilities know God loves them, by the church loving them. The next phase is to bring people to the feet of their creator so they can be saved and accept that God made them just as they are. Thirdly we must instruct people that they are disciples and that Gods purpose is for all people, to share the gospel and see others saved.

The body is not full unless all the parts are present, I ask that if you read this you would commit with me to making sure the body is full, because as long as the devil keeps us divided we will not experience God's power as He has intended in the church.

   

God lives under the bed!

 April 10th is  National Sibs Day every year.  I know they have a day for everything these days, but the fact that it is on Dans birthday is incredibly meaningful for my sister and I. Being a sibling of a brother or sister with a disability is an incredibly unique experience. I have a kinship with most other people who grew up in this circumstance. We deal with many of the same issues, have allot of the same takes on life, and the statistics show overwhelmingly that sibs will spend their lives in the fields that are service orientated like teaching, nursing, social work, working for non-profits and in ministry. I wonder why at times because most of us seem to have issues with the time our parents dedicated to us, having to care give as kids, worrying about things kids shouldn't have to, guilt, control. All things I would think would lead us to places of where these issues would not be present. Yet it is the opposite. I believe that weakness and dependence are two major factors, two qualities God wants from us and many of our sibs have because of life's circumstance. We grew up being taught living lessons of service, faith, hope, love, dependance, and loss of control. Not to say we are better than anyone, I am just saying we have been blessed by the gift of disability. Below is an email forward I received for Sibs Day, it explains some from a sibs perspective on a lesson learned from their brother Kevin.

I envy my brother, Kevin, who thinks God lives under his bed. At least that's what I heard him say one night. He was praying out loud in his dark bedroom, and I stopped to listen, 'Are you there, God?' he said. 'Where are you? Oh, I see. Under the bed...'
Kevin's unique perspectives are often a source of amusement. But that night something else lingered long after the humor.  I realized for the first time the very different world Kevin lives in.

 He was born 30 years ago, with a mental disablity as a result of difficulties during labor. Apart from his size (he's 6-foot-2), there are few ways in which he acts as an adult. He reasons and communicates likea 7-year-old would, and he always will. He will probably always believe that God lives under his bed, that Santa Claus is the one who fills the space under our tree every Christmas and that airplanes stay up in the sky because angels carry them.
   I remember wondering if Kevin realizes he is different. Is he ever dissatisfied with his monotonous life? Up before dawn each day, off to work at a workshop, home to walk our cocker spaniel, return to eat his favorite macaroni-and-cheese for dinner, and later to bed. The only variation in the entire scheme is laundry, when he hovers excitedly over the washing machine like a mother with her newborn child. He does not seem dissatisfied.
   He lopes out to the bus every morning at 7:05, eager for a day of simple work. He wrings his hands excitedly while the water boils on the stove before dinner, and he stays up late twice a week to gather our dirty laundry for his next day's laundry chores. And Saturdays - oh, the bliss of Saturdays! That's the day my Dad takes Kevin to the airport to have a soft drink, watch the planes land, and speculate loudly on the destination of each passenger inside. 'That one's goin' to Chi-car-go! ' Kevin shouts as he claps his hands. His anticipation is so great he can hardly sleep on Friday nights. And so goes his world of daily rituals and weekend field trips.He doesn't know what it means to be discontent. His life is simple.

He will never know the entanglements of wealth of power, and he does not care what brand of clothing he wears or what kind of food he eats. His needs have always been met, and he never worries that one day they may not be. His hands are diligent. Kevin is never so happy as when he is working. When he unloads the dishwasher or vacuums the carpet, his heart is completely in it. He does not shrink from a job when it is begun, and he does not leave a job until it is finished. But when his tasks are done, Kevin knows how to relax. He is not obsessed with his work or the work of others. His heart is pure. He still believes everyone tells the truth, promises must be kept, and when you are wrong, you apologize instead of argue. Free from pride and unconcerned with appearances, Kevin is not afraid to cry when he is hurt, angry or sorry. He is always transparent, always sincere. And he trusts God.
Not confined by intellectual reasoning, when he comes to Christ, he comes as a child.

Kevin seems to know God - to really be friends with Him in a way that is difficult for an 'educated' person to grasp. God seems like his closest companion. In my moments of doubt and frustrations with my Christianity, I envy the security Kevin has in his simple faith. It is then that I am most willing to admit that he has some divine knowledge that rises above my mortal questions.
It is then I realize that perhaps he is not the one with the handicap. I am. My obligations, my fear, my pride, my circumstances - they all become disabilities when I do not trust them to God's care. Who knows if Kevin comprehends things I can never learn? After all, he has spent his whole life in that kind of innocence, praying after dark and soaking up the goodness and love of God.

And one day, when the mysteries of heaven are opened, and we are all amazed at how close God really is to our hearts, I'll realize that God heard the simple prayers of a boy who believed that God lived under his bed. Kevin won't be surprised at all!

Happy Birthday Dan

Today it is April 10th. For most people just another day, this year April 10th is Good Friday. For my family it is a day that I believe keeps us all remembering and mildly sad. April 10th was my brother Dan's birthday. For many years after he died we sent cards to each other on this day. Eventually we stopped, because it seemed less to do with grieving and more to do with habit. But this day always is one I know is coming and like to see going. This week I have been remembering allot about those days growing up. Recently several of our friends with kids with disabilities have had to spend time in the hospital. Hospitals always make me think of Dan and my family.

We did spend allot of time at Children's Hospital in Chicago. On one hand it seemed to be the most hellish place on earth to me. Kids sick, dying. Parents hurting and crying. Brothers and sisters trying to make sense of the fear, hurt, worry, stress, love, tears and hugs. But on the other hand I know that was where I learned to know God. I remember always having to walk through the ER after hours to get into the hospital. Walking amongst those families with kids crying, I remember finding a quiet corner and wanting to be so angry that so many people where so sad and hurting. I remember the baby boy in the intensive care room next to Dan's that no one came to visit. I remember the morning after that baby boy died, crying in the waiting room bathroom because it seemed so unfair that no one was there to love him. I remember my mom so fatigued and sick after so many sleepless nights on the intensive care chair/bed at Dans side that she stumbled when she walked. I remember being so scared as I shut the door on her bedroom that night after I looked in on her when she came home. I remember standing in the hall outside Dans room as we left to go home for the night with Dad, and hugging my mom and feeling her sobs of sadness that Dan was so sick. I remember sobbing  in my bed that night as I wondered if Dan would die, or if my mom would die because she seemed to hurt so bad.

But I also remember spending time in Dan's hospital room watching movies, talking, just hanging out with our family. Sometimes we would get Chicago pizza, or snacks. Sometimes we would goof off and try to scare the nurses. Those where moments most families don't understand, in the middle of the crisis, the middle of the battle, in the middle of suffering and heartache there was peace,love and always time for our family. It was secure, loving, never rushed and no one had anything better to do. Those moments when life in the outside world stopped abruptly and all that mattered was each other. 

This may sound stupid, but Oh how I wish to be sitting in that intensive care room now. With beeps, and buttons, equipment, doctors and nurses in and out, Dan in his iron lung right in the middle of it all and our family gathered round, watching the Cubs game and eating pizza. Those days in the hospital have shaped my life, my belief. It was where I first sensed the God I was learning about in Sunday School and Children's Church. In the calm of the storm, the peace in the intensive care room... I knew God was there with us. It made sense to me then. So now As I try to search out that peace and calm that only God can bring, I find it in Camp, in the hectic pace, extreme heat, suffering people, the long days, short nights, worry, the tears, the loving embraces. 

So how can it be the place I hate the most is place I love the most? It makes sense only if I know the first will be last, the poor will be rich, that I must die to have life. God's ways are not our ways, why is that so hard to embrace?

LT

Bethany

"In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was within me an invincible summer."

Albert Calmus

It has always been interesting to me that Jesus spent His down time, his rest time, in the town of Bethany.  Jesus' friends lived there, people he could relax around, people who seemed to want nothing from him except to listen to him, feed him.

The name Bethany, is translated to be House of Suffering. The people who lived in this little community just two miles outside of Jerusalem where there because they where suffering, they where sick, dying,  and hurting. Those unwanted, unclean, with out value to the Jerusalem community would live there or be sent there. Lazerus died there, with some kind of sickness, Jesus hung out at Simon the Lepers house. Many, many times the Bible refers to Jesus spending his nights in Bethany. In fact I cannot recall right now that the Bible says Jesus ever spent a night in Jerusalem during His ministry, except to be beaten and killed, in other words to suffer himself. 

The incredible power to bring life to the dead happened there, Jesus spent his last days before going to his death there, he ascended to heaven there. Why so much power in a place of so much suffering, why would Jesus choose to be with this community of people regularly?

I have no particular Bibical answer. I can only say that I understand why this was, I know the draw to that place. The people there had extreme faith in Gods power, they loved Jesus, they listened to Jesus, they served Jesus. Those are the people I love to be with, those are the people who have taught me most of what I know about love, compassion, faith,  prayer, honesty, humbleness, serving, and grace. In this community I have seen God's power active in ways I have never seen anywhere else. The spiritual giants in my life have come from this community. What was their common denominator... suffering.I so badly want people to know that a church body cannot be full without this element. We need those who know suffering to be with us. During this Easter season we celebrate our freedom, our victory, our life that was wrought in suffering and rejection, humbleness and love, through the cross. As we celebrate lets commit to those Jesus loved enough to call his friends through his time, actions and power. If we want the church to be all it can be, we must take a walk outside the golden palace walls, to the foot of the mountain, to a place like Bethany and embrace those with leprosy, sickness, and suffering, just like Jesus did.

LT

The Able Attack

Just an announcement:

The Able Church's Special Olympic Basketball Team, The Attack, has made it to the State Finals. They will be playing at 10:00 AM Saturday, April 4th in the semifinals for division 6. If they win they will play for the Gold Medal at 11:30 AM Sunday morning. If they lose they will play for the bronze on Saturday afternoon at 3:30. The games take place at The University of WI in Oshkosh. Come join the cheering section from Camp Daniel. Blue and White Able Attack

T- shirts are available for $16 to support the team.

The Attack took 2nd place in their division winning the silver medal. They are happy.

LT

Does Jesus Love Someone Like me?

I am nine years old. I don't really know any other kid like me. It takes me awhile to figure things out... like when I go swimming I forget not to go in too deep, or when I eat dinner I should use my fork I instead of my fingers. I don't know how to tie my shoes yet or how to tell time. I don't play Little League because the ball comes too fast for me. I don't take summer art classes because when the rest of the class is done with their painting, I'm still figuring out what color to use. At church, I sit by my Mom instead of going to Sunday School. I don't know how to read yet so I can't participate in the Bible verse finding contests, and when the room gets so loud with the other kids' excitement, I sometimes cover my ears and cry. My mom doesn't mind me sitting by her because we spend all of our time together. She says it's okay if I don't have friends at school because she is my friend. Kids at my school are okay, but they don't like to be my partner because they can't always understan I d the way I talk. Usually, a teacher will be my partner or I'll just color at my desk while the other kids work on skits or projects together. Sometimes my mom looks sad because she can't go to the ladies activities at church since she has to take care of me. She says she is not sad, but I hear her let out a big breath like she does when I spill my milk all the time. The other kids at church go to Superkids Camp and say it is the best week of the year. I can't go to that camp. My mom told me about this other camp where I could go and do all the things I seem to miss out on. I can go swimming and someone will swim right next to me to remind me not to go too deep. I can make crafts and take as much time as I want. I can be in a contest and act really silly. I can even play volleyball with a beach ball so I won't be scared of getting hurt. She said the best part is that for the whole week someone will teach me about Jesus. I'll get to sing songs over many times so that I have a chance to learn the words. I'll hear stories that will be about things that I can understand. I'll even get a chance to show others I love Jesus by playing an instrument during worship or being a part of a skit where I don't have to remember any lines. I was so excited when my Mom told me about the camp! I asked if I could go, and she said only if another person volunteered to go, too... to make sure I had someone to hang out with, to help me if I had any problems or got scared, to pray with me at night when she wasn't there at bedtime. I hope someone might want to come with me. I'm trying not to get too excited now, because my mom says a lot of people don't want to give up a week of their time. I heard her talking to my Aunt on the phone. If I go to camp, my mom is going to drive to my Aunt's house for a visit. I heard her say she just needs some rest and relaxation. Sounds boring to me... I'd much rather go to camp! I'm praying to Jesus right now for someone to want to go with me even though I'm different. I wonder if Jesus can understand kids like me? I wonder if Jesus cares about a kid like me?

My sister Lora wrote this post for facebook. God has gifted her as an amazing writer and she loves people with disabilities. Lora and Jason have adopted 5 kids with disabilities as well as having their own four kids.  We get alot of props for what we do undeservingly. Lora and Jason deserve an incredible amount of credit, but get little. 

Everybody needs to see this video... awesome:      

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2CaBR3z85c

My friends James and Jill sent the below link to me and we all should look at it. First is the ridiculous article and then there is a great response to the ridiculous article, it really shows how insane the argument for aborting babies that have disabilities. What is so bothersome is that so many people fall in line with this argument that Minette uses of judging someones worth and therefore their argument for being alive. I will say over and over, the church is the only hope for us, it is the only beacon of hope to save people God made. We need them as much as we need our pastor, our deacons, our mom, or anyone else, without them the body is not full. It is urgent, we cannot afford to battle in the age that is coming without the full body and all gifts that exist there. My point is only one point in reasoning to stop the murder of innocents. Thanks James and Jill for keeping us posted on this incredible ignorance that exists out there, I love you guys.

LT

Read THIS fist:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/minette_marrin/article5258348.ece?Submitted=true

but before you get REALLY upset...read THIS:

http://timesonline.typepad.com/india_knight/

(look for the comment dated November 30th)

A ranting reaction

"It is a mistake always to contemplate the good and ignore the evil, because by making people neglectful it lets in disaster. There is a dangerous optimism of ignorance and indifference." --Helen Keller

I began yesterday by writing a long, long post on the heals of president Obama's ignorant comment on the Tonight Show. I took the night to think and have decided to break up the post into several posts because my response was to much and to angry for just one post. So here is my first post - a reaction to the comments of and the reaction to, the Presidents words. I tend not to be political, and I don't believe the presidents comments have any thing to do with politics, they have to do with ignorance.

I thought twice about posting my disgust with this, but I want to keep this blog honest so I will speak the truth of my heart, or maybe better put, the ranting truth of my heart. So here it goes:

The President called his inept bowling "Like Special Olympics" On the Tonight Show. A simple slip up some say, but I say the fruit of stupid talk that must ensue more places than on national TV. Radio show hosts and the like have already spun it into a political debate, with out care for anyone who has a disability. Tim Shriver, president of the Special Olympics has embraced the Presidents "moving" apology, saying the President did not intend to humiliate this population. He spoke on the news this morning about making sure we talk about people with special needs in "an affirming way"?? In his apology Mr. Obama spoke how the Special Olympics are a triumph of human spriit??? Already a solution for the whole issue has already been decided... The President will get a great photo op, bowling with our reining Special Olympic bowling champion, showing just how much he cares for people with disabilities. The term has already entered slang dictionaries on the web, which will certainly add to the cutting use of the word "retard" heard regularly in any public square. Even if it was just a slip of the tongue, when the most powerful man in the world today says something it becomes a powerful statement. It leads people to a view of people with mental disabilities being bad, untalented, uncoordinated, unathletic, not normal or just plain negative, and that is the least of the damage.

So lets speak to the truth of this, people with disabilities are more threatened now than ever. New policies and the lack of any moral standard has and will wipe out many people before they get to be born and makes it hard for them to live if they are born. People with mental disabilities function in a system we have set up for them. It is designed to simulate the freedoms of real life but in an controlled environment, where they are numbered, funded, and controlled. They go through schools where IEP's falsely address issues that students deal with, In school they learn to be independent and live with rights. Eventually they get out into the real world; a job in a workshop (sorting nuts and bolts for 25 years), saturday night disability dances (aint it cute), Special Olympics (everybody's a winner), and meetings of Handicapped United (they need a voice) and other made up nonsense. Don't get me wrong, there is much good (people and programs) within any of these institutions, but if you look closely they are set up as simulations of what (normal) people feel, looks like real life. Where is the church in all of this? Some are doing compassionate ministry to "the least of these", others are putting them up on angelic pedestals of proof of God's love through healing, overcoming or childlike faith, many still believe disability is the result of sin, and still others seem to ignore them totally. (Again don't get me wrong there is much good going on in a few churches, but look closely and most of the christian world, but they have no idea what to do with disability). So in the end the church is silent to the real need and cruises along without them

We live in a time when it is totally acceptable to reduce a people group to those "we need to speak about in an affirming way". In other words our attitudes, hatefulness and bad intentions should always be covered by sweet words of compassion. The reality is that those in power believe those who have disabilities are a monstrously horrible group that is a drain on society and need to be eliminated even before birth, and thats OK as long as you smile, say affirming words and pat heads when you do it. Meanwhile most people of the world may not agree with that, but we sit by and do nothing so the elimination of this group continues.

There is only one place this advance of evil doing can be stopped, it is the church. We must stand up and realize we must protect those with disabilities. We need them, Our body is not full with out them and will never be full if they do not exist. We live in a time where the "dangerous optimism of ignorance and indifference will lead to disaster", disaster we will shed tears about as we enter heaven having failed to see a gift God had given us ...disability

LT

Depricating?

"It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to be always right by having no ideas at all." -- Edward DeBono

Responses to my blogging have come, some here on this page, some in person, but mostly on the phone and email. One response from a friend expressed that my blog's name (Little Tony's Blog) lacked creativity . So not wanting to be accused of having a lack of creativity I have responded with a new name. I changed it to "Little Tony's Little Thoughts", this seemed boring as well, so I decided upon "The Bantum Blogotorium" it seemed to fit. I am sure responses will now come about the new stupid name I have chosen!

I do not mind being called stupid but do not like being called uncreative or pointed at as having a lack of ideas! This brings me to my second thought this morning, people tell me that I am self deprecating. I thought that had something to do with going to the bathroom in my pants when I heard it, but after looking it up, it means: "I undervalue myself and my talents". So for the sake of keeping this blog honest, I will respond to this!

For public record: I do believe I have gifts and talents; God made me creative, imaginative, unafraid and He gave me the ability to transfer to paper what I see in my mind. Those are my gifts, my talents. Beyond that I am better at some things than others, but nothing in particular stands out as true talent.

When I talk about being average, it is not meant to be self deprecating, it is meant to be truth. I have always felt the need to sniff out truth, It is why I drove my parents crazy asking "why?" all the time growing up. I believe when we overvalue ourselves it hurts others, as expressed in my blog entry below. So I believe we should use our gifts to their fullest potential, but never use our gifts as an excuse to not do something else God has put in our path.

Whatever gifts any of us have, are given for a purpose: God's glory. I have tried to be disciplined and deliberate in giving God the glory since we have been in ministry. The truth is that God is the creative genius behind anything that Camp Daniel has accomplished, but... my giant, inflated ego could easily take credit, "success is an intoxicant" as it says in my blog entry below. Our flesh is capable of things we cannot imagine. I have witnessed great men of God brought to their knees as God has dealt with their flesh. Whatever gifts or talents we may have are gifts from God, whatever we do with them are my gift back to Him.

This blog entry may come under the heading of being "an idea gone wrong", but it's my blog, so as DeBono says, "its better than no idea at all".

Really I wrote all that just to say I changed the name of my blog, what does that say about me??

LT

Trust

"If a commission by an earthly king is considered a honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?"  David Livingstone

Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take him at his word, 

just to rest upon his promise, and to know, "Thus saith the Lord."

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him, How I've proved him o'er and o'er,

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus, O for grace to trust him more

"You are so wonderful to make such a sacrifice being in ministry and doing what you do"... Oh how I cringe at statements like that. We hear things like this often as we tour people around our campus and share the testimony of our ministry. I struggle as people try to make us out as some kind of hero's for being in ministry. I try to let people know we are incredibly average people in in skills, talents, gifts, beliefs and faith among many other things. Our desire is to serve at that feet of the almighty God and honestly, I question whether I am even worthy of that.

I think we often shield ourselves from being servants by lifting others up to a place we know we cannot be in... or if it takes a particular talent to do the things God asks us to do in the Bible, then maybe we can be exempt if He has not given us that gift. My prayer for all of us is that we put ourselves in a place to to learn to trust God and His word, and usually that happens way out on a limb, where we we are uncomfortable and scared and in total need of God's grace.

I again, here, will express that all we have is a willingness to do whatever God sets in front of us and that willingness is based in trust. Not faith, (something I will talk about in the future), but trust.  My most favorite song in the world is written above. Just typing out the words here brings me to tears, because it simply and beautifully expresses all I hope to be in Him, a man who trusts. 

LT

Questions?

"God will not look to see your medals, degrees or awards, He will look for your scars"

Elbert Hubbard

I am a missionary amongst people who know suffering, people who know rejection and pain, people who have scars. People with disabilities are by far the most marginalized and rejected group of people the world knows today. Why, why are the most innocent, loving people in the world the most hated...

I often wonder why it is that Jesus came back from the dead with scars. Most would say simply that he had scars to show who He was. The disciples did not recognize Him as the risen Jesus, but they knew His scars, because they knew His suffering. Was it possible for Him to be bruttalized like he was and not be disabled in any way? Isaiah says about Jesus: "... There were many who were appalled at him—his appearance was so disfigured, beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness" Why, why was the most innocent loving man there ever was in the history of the world, also was the most hated?

LT