DAVID - THE POLITICAL ACTIVIST!!

Today, SouthSTAR Services (the workshop David attends) took a group of people to downtown Chicago to protest the proposed budget cuts the state of Illinois is considering making to groups and agencies that serve the disabled.  These budget cuts are more cuts in a series of cuts over the last few years.  Services are already at very diminished levels and many agencies have not received payments from the state in several months.

Anyway, I volunteered to go downtown to help support the cause.  I brought David with me, and we enjoyed the van ride down with several other clients.  Once we got downtown, there was a group of people gathered at the State of Illinois building carrying signs and bonding over a shared concern.  Once the speakers got up, the crowd starting chanting in unison "This budget is upside down!"  Now, I'll be honest; David just sat in his wheelchair and didn't do much of anything.  I, however, got into the spirit and was chanting with everyone else!  Another speaker got up and had the crowd chanting in Spanish!

All of that to say that we become what the crowd we run with is.  I am by no means an activist.  I normally would not go anywhere and chant and yell and carry on.  It's not my natural personality.  But I was with a group of people who did, and guess what, so did I!

We have to be so careful the crowd we hang around and with whom we associate.  If we want to live lives that are clean and pure, we should have as friends people who are clean and pure.  If you never go to a bar, if you never are around people who drink, and you avoid that atmosphere, it's pretty likely you will never take a drink.  However, even the person most against drinking would probably end up drinking if they spent all their free time in a bar.

So today I've taken a look at what I want to be in this life and I've looked at the friends I have to ensure that they are what I want to be.  What do you want to be?   

You messed up? We'll help!

This post isn't about any specific behavior of David's.  Rather, it's because of a comment someone made to me recently. 

A little background:  We have two dogs.  Zeus, a champagne shepherd, is 7 years old.  In the last year, Zeus has had a couple of strokes.  The first stroke left him unable to walk normally.  He staggers like a drunk after a long weekend.  The second stroke has left him partially blind.  Zeus still is a happy dog, but he needs a little extra attention.

Our second dog, Trudie is a schnauzer-yorkie mix. Trudie is fourteen years old.  Trudie came to live with us just a couple of months ago when her human had a stroke, ended up in the hospital and then in a nursing home.  Because of Trudie's age, she has a lot of "accidents," and thus, wears a diaper.  She also has an eye that just gunks all the time and requires cleaning several times a day.

We have three cats.  The oldest cat, Lucy, is about ten years old.  Lucy has no difficulties, she's just demanding and wants constant attention. 

Ditto is our second cat. Ditto is about seven years old and has a TON of attitude.  She's downright mean if she doesn't like you, and she really doesn't like anyone except me and Rich, and there are times she doesn't like us either. 

Cleo is our third cat.  Cleo is also about seven years old.  Cleo is very schizoid.  She wants attention, but she's afraid of everything. She also doesn't groom herself very well and often needs assistance to get the mats out of her fur. That is challenging because she doesn't like to be held.

Of course, if you've read this blog at all, you know that David has his quirks and habits that make life more interesting.  I'm not going to divulge all of my or Rich's weaknesses or unique personality traits.

So, we are a house full of misfits and challenges.  A friend recently commented to me that she felt like we are always taking care of someone or something.  I laughed with her, but I've since thought about it a lot.  On Sunday, our pastor made a comment about how Jesus was a servant and every person He met He looked for ways to help that person.  I would like to think that we do the same thing. Yes, we take care of our pets that have special needs, and we do it happily - we love our pets.  We take care of David and his special needs, and we do it happily - we love David very much.

The question is, do we look for others who have special needs to help them?  Do we look for the people with broken hearts to offer them the comfort Jesus can offer?  Do we look for the people with anger and loneliness and offer them the never-ending presence of a calming Christ?  Do we look for the people who exhibit behavior that chases people away and show them the unconditional love of a Saviour? 

We are not perfect and we don't always want to get involved in the hurts of others.  It takes a lot of work and effort, and it's exhausting.  But we realize how much has been given to us and how much we owe to those who took the time to help "fix" us when we were broken and didn't even realize it.

So, we are going to continue offering the help we can give through the Master Fixer, Jesus Christ.  There is nothing He can not fix and make better.  We promise.

LET'S GIVE SOME CREDIT...

Rich is a BIG FAN of old TV westerns.  The other day, Rich was watching an episode of Wagon Train from 1959.  David came out of his room just as the show ended and the show credits started rolling.  David stopped in front of the TV and just stood there fascinated.  He didn't move until the last credit had scrolled by.  He does the same thing with his old cartoons, or anytime credits scroll down the screen.

I'm not sure why David is so fascinated with watching credits, but let me tell you how his behaviour has provoked my spirit...

I have no idea what it takes to put together a TV show, or any major production.  I do know it takes scores of people doing so many things that I will never realize.  The only acknowledgement those people receive is to have their names run across the screen so quickly you can't hardly read it. 

Each of us have scores of people who have made investments in our lives.  Some people - maybe dad and mom - have starring roles and receive prime "billing" in our lives.  We tell stories of the things they have done or said that made a difference.  Some people are primary characters in our lives and receive acknowledgement at times.  But there are scores of people who have played a role in making us who we are.  There are Sunday school teachers, school teachers, friends, parents of friends, and so many others who are important to our life story but are never really acknowledged by us.  These would be the people whose names are listed at the end of the show.

I would love to say that I remember every person who has made a difference in my life, but I can't.  I would love to say that I could recount every moment of my life and tell you how a particular interaction helped make me who I am today, but I can't.  Our God knows all of the details that I can't remember.  Someday, our God will give credit to all the people who deserve it, and I'm looking forward to that day.

In the meantime, I am trying to be attentive to the people who are cast members in my life.  Each person has a vital role in my life's story and I am thankful for the part they play in making me who I am!