Media Fast

Our kids got punished by grounding from all electronics--no TV, movies, video games, MP3 players, CDs, computer, etc.  I am absolutely loving no electronics. I know it was meant to be a punishment, but I’ve been watching the kiddos be so creative and have such a great time working together, I think I might just have to have a media fast every now and then. Right now, they are working on spy training.  They have already recreated a couple of trucks into army vehicles by changing parts around and gluing pieces on (as well as coloring with markers). I don’t remember the last time they played so well together. I guess when you don’t have electronics to entertain you, you have to play with your sibling. J



Car parade

I remember when Eric and I went to a retreat center and were on a media fast. It was not a problem for me to have no TV, magazines, cell phones, computer, etc. No computer would certainly put a damper on my blog, but that is OK. We talked about coming home and instituting a media fast every now and then. I don’t know what happened to that idea, but we didn’t do it. OH yeah, we explored Kansas every weekend last year. That was sort of a media fast in itself.   Well, I’m thinking we should start and occasional media fast now and maybe break it with family movie night.

I know people often talk about the "good 'ol days," sometimes with fondness.  I for one am totally fascinated by technology and the ways I can use it to help compensate for my disability issues.  However, I find myself fascinated with the creativity happening around here this weekend.  Maybe when we turn off electronics that think for us, we are forced to think more creatively for ourselves.  Maybe without the distraction of electronic entertainment, we are forced to engage with others in our lives for entertainment.

What do you all think?  What role does media play in your life?

Self care

This is not a great day so far. I am so ready for a nap and I hope when I wake up it is a do-over button. Many days I groan when my alarm goes off, but I still get out of bed and by the time I’m ready, I’m really ready. Well, today, I hit the snooze button not one time, but three. I went through the motions of getting ready, getting the kids to school, working out, doing laundry, etc. thinking I would at some point wake up and feel better and awake and alive. Well, it hasn’t happened yet. I really have fuzzy brain today and NEED a nap.

I have been working through the book Write for Life: Healing Body, Mind, and Spirit Through Journal Writing by Sheppard B. Kominars, PhD.  One of my tasks has been to create lists of how to care for myself Body, Mind, Spirit, and Emotions.  I am just going to share them with you here.

Body
1. Exercise 2.Healthy food 3. Stretching foot 4. Inspecting foot/foot care 5. Occasional hair appt/manicures 6. Banana clip 7. Nap 8.Weight watching

Spirit
1. Devotions 2. Church 3. Prayer time 4. Music 5. Focus on the Family 6. Nap 7. Teaching

Mind
1. Logic Puzzles 2. Reading 3. Music 4. Teaching  5. Nap 6. Good food 7. Exercise 8. Conversation 9. Technology 10. Kindle 11 Library 12. Play games 13. Blog

Emotions
1. Journal/blog 2. Reach out to others 3. Learn to depend on my friends 4. Veg with a comedy or funny TV show 5. Nap 6. Snuggle with hubby or kiddos 7.Get massage 8. Pamper myself (hair, nails, chocolate, etc)

There are my lists.  I want to hear all about your lists.  What should I add?

Rejoice in Trials

I listen to Focus on the Family almost daily and it usually gives me interesting tidbits to ponder, but that's about it.  Well, today's episode really effected me.  I listened to it more than once, recomended my Wednesday night class parents and fellow teachers listen to it, and ordered the Family Kit for our family.  It was titled "Helping Kids Hide God's Word In Their Heart" and the special guest was Gary Smalley.  I know it is vital for helping kids and I definitely have been looking for parenting tools/suggesstions to keep them from getting swept up by the world's influence, but these are great principles for anyone.  I think we would all do well to follow these four principles:  1.  Humble yourself
                                                           2.  Love God
                                                           3.  Love others
                                                           4.  Rejoice in trials
The last principle is the one that really got to me.  We (especially in America) have decided life is supposed to be free from struggles and EASY.  I think most of us would like an easy button to get through life and not really have to put forth effort for much of anything. 

1 Peter 1:6&7 says "In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trial.  These have come so that your faith--of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire--may be proved geniune and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."

It is no fun to be refined by fire, but God knows what He is doing.  And, once I'm throuogh the fire, I feel more genuine--as God knows I will.  May I always offer him the praise, glory, and honor He deserves.  Nothing great happens without effort and trial.  I hope I can remember in the midst of trial that I am being refined and greater things are waiting--in eternity, if not before.

If we all live by the principles: 1.  Humble yourself
                                             2.  Love God
                                             3.  Love others
                                             4.  Rejoice in trials
the world will be a much better place.  May I keep my priorities in check and realize it's not all about me.

Blessings

I was working on my lesson for church tonight and one of the optional activities was to "borrow" disability related items like wheelchairs, splints, crutches, etc. to help the kids experience life with a disability.  We are learning about Jesus' healing ministry tonight.  Well, what other teacher is just going to have that stuff laying around the house.  Not every teacher can discuss healings not always being completely noticeable to the human eye and not always what we as humans are expecting.  I realized what a blessing it is to be able to teach this lesson and what a blessing to have props so readily available.  So, I decided to make a list of some of the other blessings in my life because of my disability.

• the ability to take naps everyday and everyone expects me to :)
• the chance to meet wonderful, exciting people that may not have entered my life otherwise (Ms. Wheelchair, doctors, therapists, SKIL, Working Healthy, Voc Rehab, PCAs, etc)
• being forced to handle life at a much slower pace
• decreasing my shoe shopping budget (they have to fit with my brace)
• taking better care of ALL my medical needs
• the kiddos learning more responsibility for helping with things I cannot do for them
• showing people I meet what I AM capable of even with disabilities
• being able to empathize with piano students who have difficulty making their hands work the way they want and being able to find solutions
• needing to read and re-read something to remember it (makes me diligent about spending more time doing devotions)
• clothes shopping time is much quicker (and tall pants can be ordered from Christopher & Banks and sent directly to my house)
• must make shopping lists to remember what I need which makes shopping quicker and cuts down on impulse buys
• must meal plan in advance which creates time to make healthier meals and have ingredients on hand
• Meals on Wheels 
• Researching, finding, and "needing" new technology
• Rock Star Parking
• Rock Star treatment at places like Disney
• No holding grudges because I forget why I was mad in the first place

This is not all inclusive, of course, I can't think of everything at once.  Please feel free to comment and add blessings that you think of.

Ode to my GPS

My husband got a new GPS today which we've lovingly named George.  Well, that means GiGi gets to come live in my vehicle.  I couldn't be happier.  No more aimlessly wondering around thinking oh where could my location be?  No more hoping there is a restroom somewhere along our journey.  Now, I can just program in where I want to go and she will not only give directions, she will redirect if we make the wrong turn.  I couldn't be happier.  I have loved having GiGi in the family car and will love having her in my own vehicle.  When you are hungry, you just program that you want something to eat and she tells you exactly what is around you and how far out of the way.  :)  Oh, I am so thankful for the technology available today.

Ode to my GPS
Program my journey
Lead me where I want to be
Happy I'm not lost

Is Christmas ever really over?

I have been what I call “de-Christmasfying”. I had gotten everything else put away last week and just dreaded tackling the tree. It doesn’t help that there is no way that is something I can do by myself and I’ve had a lot of alone time lately. It’s also not something my children can help see to completion. They are only 7 and 10 and not quite tall enough to reach the very top. Well, I am very pleased to say my PCA and I put away the decorations today. The tree itself is just waiting for my husband to get home from work to put away. And, I managed to get it done before they took the tree down downtown. J That is my measuring rod. As long as I am done before the city, I am still OK. Plus, if you start the 12 days of Christmas on Christmas Day they weren’t over until the end of last week anyway. So, all of you out there who think Christmas is over on December 26, I’m here to tell you you’re wrong. Christmas is never over at our house. We celebrate the birth of Christ all year round. My nativity scenes are up all year and so are my husband,s Santas. We do live in the Christmas City of the High Plains after all. J It’s just dealing with the drat tree that causes some stress. I love it up the day after Thanksgiving for as long as I can keep it up. But as long I get it taken care of while Christmas decorations are still up downtown--I feel good about myself.

Gotta love the Peanuts

Beginning the Journey

I had such a good time blogging about our Kansas adventures, http://kansas150th-150thingstodoinkansas.blogspot.com/ I decided I couldn't stop blogging just because our journey is finished.  So, I spent a lot of time trying to decide what to do next.  I have decided to start a blog based on my day-to-day life experience.  There is no theme to the blog except a wheelchair mobile wife and mother of two with a traumatic brain injury living life. I decided to title this blog "Memories Forgotten" as a tribute to my TBI (traumatic brain injury).  I am hoping by recording some of my thoughts and experiences, they won't be memories forgotten.  The blogs will be random thoughts based on my current experiences.  So, join me on this journey and I'd love to hear comments as we travel this road together.