When one is chronically ill, and a friend wishes to help her, the first thing that comes to mind is to bring her a meal. In fact, since the most popular gift to bring is a meal, I wrote the book, Beyond Casseroles: 505 Ways to Encourage a Chronically Ill Friend to get people to think beyond food.

Having said, that, however, a meal is a gift of comfort. And even though we may be physically able to cook, it takes a burden off of us so that we can use the energy we would have spent cooking doing something else.

I have discovered that many people who cook for the chronically ill are actually ill themselves. Though it is easy to understand new mommies and those who have just had surgery are in need of meals, those who see a chronically ill friend at the bank and picking their daughter up from school, it’s hard to understand why they would need someone to cook for them.

But those who have a chronic illness understand just how much a meal can make a difference. It makes a difference in practical ways, like not having to cook dinner for your family that night. But it also tells someone, “I acknowledge your (invisible) illness. I recognize how hard it can be to just get through the day sometimes. I know how hard you are trying to do it all and not complain. Let me give you this gift.”

So, in that spirit, here at Rest Ministries we are providing some fun printables to use when you give someone a meal. These can be downloaded and then printed out. You can tape it onto the foil covering a meal, print it on label paper you can get at your local office supply store, or punch a hole and attach it with a piece of ribbon. It makes that special meal a true gift and tells the person you are delivering it to that they are very special!

The circles can be added to any little item, condiment, gift bag of something, etc. with a note from you!

Please feel free to share these, “pin them”, print out and distribute them to people in your support group to use, email the link to your women’s ministry leader–whatever you can do to share. Our only stipulation is that you do not repost them as your own creation. Thanks! You can download these free printable meal delivery labels here or click the image below.

And… leave a comment below and we will randomly choose three winners next Monday of my book “Beyond Casseroles: 505 Ways to Encourage a Chronically Ill Friend, for those who want to go beyond the casseroles!

By Debbi Farmer

One of my favorite hobbies is scrapbooking. I have so many memories that I want to keepsake for others to enjoy down the years. I am often looking for new resources to add to my scrapbooking technique. Perhaps that is why I found this book and web-site to be so fascinating and wanted to share it with you.

Scrapbook Your Christian Faith: The Beginners Guide to Scrapbooking Your Spiritual Legacy by Donna Riner Weber is just one of those many treasures that you have to share with all of your friends. I recently interviewed Donna Riner Weber about her book and website and discovered for myself how to scrapbook my Christian faith.

What is Donna’s story?

One crisp, cool Friday afternoon in September, Donna flipped off the lights in her classroom. She thanked God for the week, her students, and for the upcoming weekend. She didn’t know that she had just taught her last class ever.

Donna had been living with chronic lung diseases which caused her to live a life of doctor’s appointments, medicines, and hospital visits. But with God’s help she had continued to teach.

This time this episode with her illness things were different. This time her life changed. She would never return to her teaching job again. You can read more here on her web site…

Donna, can you tell use about your book and what it is about?

Scrapbook Your Christian Faith: The Beginners Guide to Scrapbooking Your Spiritual Legacy by Donna Riner is presently an e-book (and soon to be in-print book) and was written to help newbies come to understand “how to Faithbook.”

I’m sure you’ve heard the old saying “everyone has a story to tell.” And then there is that old cliché “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Now if you put your words and your pictures together, what do you have? A precious heirloom for your loved ones.

Now, in addition to your words, add some verses from God’s Holy Bible. And now what do you have? A powerful, precious, priceless, love letter for your loved ones and those who will follow you—a keepsake that will last many years longer than you live here on planet earth.

For the Bible tells us “So will the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed. They’ll do the work I sent them to do, they’ll complete the assignment I gave them.” Isaiah 55:11 (The Message)

When I was new to Faithbooking, I was totally overwhelmed. I tried and tried to find resources but at that time I could not find the right book that would provide me with the help I needed. I did not understand the scrapbook language, the tools, and supplies. I didn’t even know what an embellishment was. It was all confusing, and yes, overwhelming to me.

Yet I wanted to do this. . . I wanted to learn how to leave my spiritual message for my son and granddaughter and other future descendants.

You may be thinking, “instead of going to all this trouble couldn’t you just use a journal?” Yes, you can and perhaps that is the way God will lead you. However, if you take a photo of your grandchild, add some of your own words and then add a scripture beside it, he/she will likely take the time to look at it, read your comments and also read that verse.

Numerous Bible verses instruct us to pass on stories of God’s presence in our lives. Some include:

• “One generation shall praise your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.” Psalm 145:3-4 (NASB)
• “Write this down for the next generation so people not yet born will praise God…” Psalm 102:18 (MSG)
• “One generation makes known your faithfulness to the next.” Isaiah 38:19 (TLB)

Knowing this, I realized I wanted to help others learn how to leave their Spiritual Messages for their loved ones without having to go through all the searching and frustration I went through.

So, tell us what you did.

I wrote Scrapbook Your Christian Faith to help beginners to faithbooking learn how to:

• Express love for their family in a priceless keepsake
• Influence the Spiritual Future of their children/grandchildren
• Have a unique way of telling others about Jesus

Scrapbook Your Christian Faith helps the reader seize their opportunity to begin working on one of the greatest gifts they can ever leave their loved ones.

What kinds of stuff does the book teach?

It is about 98 pages and it teaches:

• Basic tools and supplies needed for beginners
• How to incorporate scriptures, prayers and stories into the Faithbook layouts
• Step-by-step lessons on matting and paper piecing
• Examples to jazz up titles
• Scrapbook language

I understand you have some freebie stuff too.

Yes! Readers who would like to learn more are invited to come over to http://www.ScrapbookYourChristianFaith.com. There they can sign up for Free Five Faithbook Lessons. They will also receive Free Faithbook Bits and Pieces approximately once a month.

Ms. Weber; besides a lack of resources, what else inspired you to write this book and start a Faithbook ministry?

“For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good. . . to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 (TLB)

Over the years Jeremiah 29:11 became “my verse.” I often wrote it on napkins for waitresses, scratch pads in hotel rooms, and on mini-cards, shared it with students and preached it to my son. I really believe that as long as we are here on planet earth that God has a plan for us.

This became very confusing to me as my chronic illness and pain caused me to stop teaching. I felt so frustrated, depressed, and non-productive. I would lie on the sofa and cry day after day and ask God but “What is your Plan for me?”

I knew it wasn’t to lie around on the sofa and wait to die. I kept praying that questioning prayer. “What is Your plan for Me?” What is it that a person like me with a chronic illness and daily pain can do?

God did not immediately answer my question—like I wanted Him to. Rather He began to give me little steps and as I took one step He revealed another one to me.

• First, I began to feel God wanted me to write down stories of how He had been faithful to me and my family.
• When my cousin, Nora, from Chicago came to visit our family, she brought her scrapbook. As I flipped through the beautiful pages, I thought it was so wonderful but I’m not able to do that. I’m not an artist. (I didn’t realize it at the time, but God had planted a seed in my heart.)
• I didn’t know what to do with the stack of stories I had been writing. After praying about it, I became interested in going to Christian Writers Conferences.
• That scrapbooking seed God had planted earlier started to sprout. I had never been interested in creating a scrapbook—but I had this notion that I wanted to go to a class and check it out.

These steps happened over several years. And I still did not realize God was going to call me to combine these new interests. As I learned to create scrapbook layouts I discovered a very vital part of my life was not included in the album. They did not show my relationship with God.

How could I solve that problem? I had written some stories, but how can I put them into my layouts?
I attended Christian Writer’s Conferences and Scrapbook classes and conventions. I learned from each one—but nothing taught me how to mesh these two concepts. And I began to search for books to help me combine these new interests. At that time, I could find only 5-6 that were even slightly related to what I wanted to do and none of them solved my problem.

At that point I felt called to write the guide book that I had needed— one that explained how to include our Christian faith in scrapbooking. The result was Scrapbook Your Christian Faith—The Beginners Guide to Scrapbooking Your Spiritual Legacy.

When did the web site come to be?

I learned that in order to market this book I needed a web-site. This was yet another new learning experience for me. But God has continued to lead me step by step through this exciting journey. It is one that I travel at my own pace—a rather slow and at times tumultuous one because of my chronic illness and daily pain.

It amazes me because I did not realize where God was leading me and I still don’t. Even though chronic illness and daily pain keeps me from being what I consider a “normal person” on the work force, I still know that God has a special plan for me—and I anxiously await the next step!

This sounds like a totally fascinating way to scrapbook your family memories! What do you think our readers from Rest Ministries can gain from learning about faith-booking?

I pray that others—especially those like me who are in a different season of their life now because of chronic illness and chronic pain—will be inspired to create their Spiritual Legacy. I pray that their Faithbook will touch the hearts of their loved ones and others who will follow them and that ultimately their scrapbooks about their Christian faith will make a difference on earth and in eternity.

Thank you. And how can our readers get the faithbook lessons?

I would like to invite the readers of Rest Ministries to visit http://www.ScrapbookYourChristianFaith.com and sign up for the “Free Five Faithbook Lessons”. In addition they will receive approximately once a month Faithbook Bits and Pieces which will cover tips, techniques and various related topics on Faithbooking. This is also free. My book is scheduled to also be published in print book form by early fall.

You had mentioned to me you would love to hear from our readers at RestMinistries.com. How can they reach you?

When they contact me, please ask them to identify themselves from Rest Ministries and let me know that they also have chronic illness/pain. I would love to pray for them. They can write to me at donna@ScrapbookYourChristianFaith.com.

I also would appreciate their prayers as I continue to learn and expand this ministry—that it will always be one that honors Our Lord.

Thank you so much for sharing with us Ms. Weber! Your book and web-site sounds exciting and I personally look forward to learning more about Faithbooking my Christian life through your great resources.

You can follow Donna on Twitter @FaithScrapper . Did you catch her article last week here at Rest Ministries You Are God’s Messenger Today For Someone Who is Hurting?

Debbi Farmer, a part-time writer in North Carolina, loves art and finding great resources. She shares her life with her family more creatively now thanks to the Lord’s wonderful and sufficient grace. She suffers from several illnesses including Fibromyalgia. She wishes she could give you all a cheerful hug today and share with you a tiny morsel of hope.

Want to join Pinterest, but need an invitation? Just drop us a note here and we will send you one!

By Lisa Copen

Illness is expensive! Have you noticed? Those doctor bills, medications, rehabs, equipment. . . even when you have insurance it can quickly add up to the thousands of dollars.

There are a variety of steps you can put into practice when shopping on the Internet and locally. Oftentimes we get so busy buying the item we need we simply forget one of the steps and we miss out on additional savings. Here are some of the ways I have been saving extra money recently.

Feel free to print this out and sit it beside your desktop to refer to before type in that credit card for anything.

Ebates. You really do get a check.

Like “rebates” that you have received when you have bought items in the past, you sign up at this web site for free and then get a check in the mail later with bonus rebates. Rest Ministries is partnered with ebates so if you use this link http://ow.ly/9NLKw we will also receive $5 per person plus $40 when 4 people sign up (wow!).

They list the many companies they work with from Target to Vistaprint, Lane Bryant to Safeway, Walgreens to Tracfone; Overstock.com, Bath and Body Works, and even Groupon. You can see how much of the percentage of your purchase price you will get back from ebates.com.

I have been a member since 2000 and I have been able to donate nearly $700 to Rest Ministries from the items I have purchased through ebates, especially with print jobs.

Eating out?

The purchase of the Entertainment book may be worth the price here: entertainment.com . They also have many restaurants that have additional coupons you can print out and use after you have used the one in the book. The coupons expire October 30 of each year, so oftentimes you can pick up a book during the summer for just $5 which you can easily save in a meal. (Bonus tip! If you are going on a trip, you may want to peek online at entertainment.com to see if the deals inside would be worth the cost of the book.)

Have company coming or just want to find local deals?

Many people know about Groupon, Living Social, or Circle Buzz which can be a gold mine for finding local entertainment, movies, restaurants and more at a deal. But what if you missed the deal? There are many web sites that sell these deals after the sale date, by people who purchased it on time, but now are unable to use it.

Here are a selection of these sites:
http://www.dealsgoround.com
http://Couprecoup.com
http://Dealigee.com
http://Dealsgoround.com

I just found a $40 gift certificate for $23 at GNC for vitamins and such. This would be a great deal if I shopped for vitamins there! I also saw a $110 massage for just $24. Too bad massages hurt with my fibromyalgia or I’d be tempted to buy this deal.

Know what is on sale and when

I have become quite a coupon clipper in the last year. I tend to use Sunday paper coupons along with ALL YOU Magazine, coupons online, digital coupons, printable coupons, and store ads. I love the thrill when you end up with a Buy One Get One Free deal and you save over 50% off of the one you have bought!

This page at MommySavers explains the markdown schedule for Target and the Somewhat Simple site shares the markdown schedule of all kinds of stores (I don’t shop at most of these “fancy stores” but I still like to know when Kohl’s is going to mark down some of those outfits.)

My favorite weekly tips, the Weekly Store Deals Round Up comes from Clippin’ with Carrie She has a long list each week of what is on sale where. Where to find the coupons, what items are free, etc. I scan it and see if there is anything I need that I have missed a deal for.

Know your stores’ policies!

Every store has a specific set of rules regarding return policies, discounts, double coupons, etc. among the coupon forums it is said that oftentimes the people who work at the stores don’t always know the policies themselves. It is helpful to keep a copy of the policies of those stores you frequently shop at on your mobile device or printed out in your car.

Be wise!

Just because you can find a razor for $2 doesn’t mean it is a deal if you haven’t shaved your legs for 2 years. You likely don’t need a Power Rangers DVD even if it is just $5. But. . . there are some great coupons and savings for things you may likely need. I have stocked up on food, heated patches for pain, vitamins, and other items that I know I will use in the coming months. Most items at the grocery store that are on sale, go on sale every 4-5 weeks. Other specialty items may be about every 90 days. Buy what you need or else it is really not a savings.

What are your favorite money saving tips?

Lisa Copen is the founder of Rest Ministries and she lives in San Diego with her husband and son. She is gradually learning how to balance motherhood, family, illness, and ministry, but she still knows it will be a lifetime lesson. You can see the books she has written, including, Why Can’t I Make People Understand? at the Rest Ministries shop.

My son, 9, doesn’t like compliments. He says, “yeah, yeah, whatever,” and yet he still needs to know I do notice them. Lately, his attitude and actions have left my husband and I throwing up our arms in desperation wondering what to try next to get through to this growing strong-willed blessing.

Here is one thing I am trying: positive reinforcement! I bought a little 4×6 frame at the thrift store and painted it aqua blue to match our coastal cottage bathroom. Then I found a clipart-style beach background and some sunglasses clipart that I added to the right bottom corner.

I put the words, “YOU ARE A COOL KID” on it in a fun font at the top and printed it out and framed it with the glass.

Did know dry erase markers write easily on glass and wipe off with a tissue? How did I not know that? you can buy them at Walmart, an office supply store, etc for a few dollars.

So each night after my son goes to bed I think of something he did that day that was awesome. Was he extra patient with a friend who needed it? Did he help me with a task that was difficult for me? Did he show good character in a choice he made?

Some days I can think of a few great things he did but I need to just narrow it down to one, remembering boys need fewer words!

And be honest . . . Some days I have to think a few minutes for just one thing (Every mom has days like that, right?)

The irony is I did this for him but it is helping me! Because, when he fights his way from the tub to the bed to go to sleep and I am utterly wiped out physically and emotionally, it forces me to think of all the great things he did do that day. . . And how much I love him. And that he is a good kid, with a good heart, he is just asserting his independence in a lot of ways!

I originally saw this idea on Pinterest.com but the frames said, “I LOVE YOU BECAUSE…” I love my son unconditionally and to say “I love you because… You took out the garbage” or “you helped me bring in the groceries” seems a bit silly. I love him, not for what he does, but because he is my son.

So. . . Think of the possibilities! Get your own little frame and write a new scripture on it each week. Write a note from God –to you–on it, to sit on your nightstand and see first thing when you wake up. Or make up and 8.5 x 11″ frame and put it on a wall you can easily reach and write quotes or scriptures that encourage you, changing them when you need something new to reflect on! And here is your chance to be bold. Get a thrift store frame and paint it bright red, or pale pink, or whatever color you love but are afraid to use in your decorating.

Below is the print I made for my son’s frame. You are welcome to download it and print it out if you want. I have made 2: one for a child, and one with just the beach background.

Beach with “cool kid” words
Beach only

PS: On pinterest? You can follow me at http://pinterest.com/lisacopen or our Rest Ministries pinterest account–which is quite cool I must say.

Lisa

We have a “drug drawer” in the kitchen with a lock. But as the rest of the family has added vitamins and medication over the years, my medications have suddenly become mixed in with everyone elses. So every time I spent 5 minutes going through 15 bottles looking for a particular one I think, “There has got to be a better way!”

And. . . There is! Check this out!

Can you guess what it is? It is a bead organizer from the crafty Michael’s store. Regularly $17.99, it was on clearance for just $10. And as I looked at, my mind started spinning. It looked like a huge pill box!

So, just to be clear, it is not my daily pill box, as it would be a pain (the irony!) to open up every container for 1 pill each day, but this new box is where I dump whatever is left over when I am done with my two weeks which are separated out.

Here is what my 2 weeks of pills look like.

But now this is where I have everything else from Vicodin to Vitamin D.

Now when I am getting low I can visually see that it is time to call in a refill soon.

I also have all of my labels on the back that include dosage information, milligrams, etc.

Here a little video about it if you are a more audio learner!

What clever solutions have you come up with to organize your medication?

Lisa Copen is the founder of Rest Ministries and she lives in San Diego with her husband and son. She is gradually learning how to balance motherhood, family, illness, and ministry, but she still knows it will be a lifetime lesson. You can see the books she has written, including, Why Can’t I Make People Understand? at the Rest Ministries shop.

She is currently writing a book for Christian moms who live with chronic illness. If you are interested in sharing your stories, feedback and confessions for the book, visit her Facebook page at http://MomWithIllness.com .

It needs to be recognized, right up front, that for some of us everyday chores may be impossible. For others, they require cutting back, or taking frequent rest periods. This devotional is intended to encourage you, not make you feel unnecessary guilt.

Earlier this year, after I started coughing up a small amount of blood (and went into panic mode!) this subject came to mind. A few days later a large clot was disgorged, and I made an appointment with my doctor right away. Then I tried to keep my life as normal as possible, and discovered that doing routine tasks was a help. Having to focus on the now, and on familiar things, dampened my feelings of dread.

There’s also the benefit that comes from stretching, and using muscles. It can improve our fitness level and therefore our quality of life. And there’s the satisfaction of having accomplished something worthwhile, contributing not only to meeting our own needs but those of others. Such activities can develop a measure of endurance and self-discipline. But is there a way to make them less like drudgery?

God is helping me to trade my attitude of self-centered resentment for one of gladly serving Him. I have a long way to go, but this is a good motivator. In addition, I can have times of fellowship with Him while doing more automatic chores, by praying, listening to praise music, or mediating on His Word. And it’s possible to make a game of it, or team up with a friend for suggestions and motivation.

How long it takes to do things can be frustrating. But I have found lately that while it’s often hard to begin a task, once I do I’m glad I did.

Prayer: Lord, give us the grace to tackle needful things, even when they give us a measure of pain and frustration. May we be more grateful, as well, for what you enable us to do. Amen.

About the Author:
Beth Cottrill lives in a small town in rural Saskatchewan, Canada, with her retired pastor/teacher husband, Bob, an avid football fan. She finds living with Attention Deficit Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, depression, osteo-arthritis and a stroke of several years ago a challenge, but also training for a ministry to others. She loves nature, animals, music, making cards and, last but not least, being a grandma.

You can now read this on your Kindle. Find out more at http://TodaysDevotionOnKindle.com

Can you give an example of a time when chores (or just one chore) have been a special benefit to you? What do you do to make chores seem less like slave labour?

Sixteen months after I had four joints replaced in my hand I received a large bill that looked like a duplicate of one I had already paid. The name on the bill however, was “Joe.” My husband’s name (who carried the insurance) is Joel. I called the surgery center and explained that I believed there were two accounts and one was a duplicate of the other.

The woman in accounting didn’t believe so.

“That is just how it is addressed,” she explained. The bill is for Joel.”
“No,” I replied. “Everything on this bill says Joe. I won’t be paying this until I receive a bill with the correct name on it.”
“I see here your middle name is Joelle,” she said.
“Yes.”
“Well, that explains it then,” she said with a satisfied sigh.

Did I wake up in another world where logic was skewed?

Dealing with bills of any kind, especially medical ones, can be a frustrating and exhausting process. You have to find a sense of humor or you will quickly feel your blood pressure rise (and then you will have a new set of bills for that.) I don’t envy the people who work in the accounting or collection departments, but I do wonder how they can get so creative in their explanations.

I’ve learned over the years a few tips that help me get the most out of my experience and hopefully cheer up their day too.

1. Be kind. When they answer my call I say, “I know this is not your fault, but you are unlucky person that answered my call. I’d like to explain the situation to you and then seek your expertise on what my next step should be.” If you offer validation and acknowledge their experience they are more likely to help you out.

2. Write down information! For example, ask for his or her name and write it down. Later when someone says, “Who told you that?” you will have an answer. When the person says they are transferring your call, ask, “What is the number in case I get disconnected?” When they say, “I will call you back this afternoon,” ask, “Could I get your direct extension just in case I don’t hear from you.”

3. Be yourself (if you are a happy person). I’ve been on the phone on these important calls when the cat has brought a lizard into the house, my son was covered in chalk dust, and the doorbell wouldn’t quit ringing. If you have a little joy in your voice as you explain a problem, they will be more likely to help you find the answer.

4. Be able to send and receive faxes. Google “free online fax” for many services that have a 30-day free trial. If you are doing a lot of research for a bill, you may find this helpful. These usually work through your email account.

5. Zap the angry emotions. They hear frustration from people all day. Sounding a little flabbergasted is okay. You don’t want them to take advantage of your kindness. But do your best not to get angry and do not ever raise your voice.

6. Expect to wait. Be prepared to wait on hold awhile, so get a headset and a book to read. Call when you have plenty of time.

7. Say thank you. When someone is trying to help you or going the extra mile tell them you appreciate it. I have told many people “You have saved me so much time by doing the research for me instead of just transferring my call around. Thank you for making my day!” When I have received exceptional service I have asked the person how I could let her supervisor know. People rarely hear this. You will be surprised at how much they appreciate it.

8. Share your faith. I naturally tend to find a way to share why I have joy in my life. As a person in accounting looks at a bill and says, “Oh my gosh! You had the flesh eating bacteria?” I may respond, “Yes. It’s by the grace of God I am still here.” Sometimes they will say, “Wow, you sound so cheerful despite all of this,” so I will respond, “Well, God gets me through each day. Thankfully, He is the source of my joy, not the abilities of this body!”

If I have handled the call patiently, with thankfulness extended toward the person, and have controlled any anger about the situation, then when I talk about God I am not being hypocritical. These bill collecters hear from angry, rude people every day, all day, who are bitter about their illness and everything else in the world too. I hope I can be a light in a dark world to show them the reason for my joy.

Lisa Copen is the founder of Rest Ministries and has lived with rheumatoid arthritis since 1993. She lives in San Diego with her husband and son and the author of the much-loved devotional book Mosaic Moments: Devotionals for the Chronically Ill.

I spent yesterday at the hospital bedside of a very close friend who had a stroke that left him completely blind. We spent hours reminiscing about our many years together, and I learned a lesson which I am passing on to you.

My friend had just celebrated his 85th birthday. He was in the D-day invasion in World War II, wounded and later taken prisoner by the Germans. He has a wonderful wife and family.

As he lay there, staring sightlessly at the ceiling, he said, “So many things I’d planned that I’ll never get done.” Tears flowed as he talked (I had a few also but he couldn’t see them).

“I can never see my children and grandchildren and all the things they are doing. I can’t watch them become adults.”
“I have a million things I wanted to do and can’t do them now.”
“I won’t be able to work in my yard, plant seeds and watch things grow.”
“Sure, I can hear the birds but I can’t watch them at the bird feeder.”
“I have shelves of books I planned on reading. . .”
“No more golf,” he said, and the tears kept flowing.

“Most of all,” he continued, “I haven’t shown the ones I love as much as I should. And now I can’t see the expressions on their faces when I do. Will they still love me? Or will I be a burden on them? And what will happen to my friends I’ve known over the years? Will they stay away and be embarrassed in my presence?”

I had to remind him I was there and others would feel as I do and continue their friendship.

“Most of all, I can’t do things like repairs around the house, drive a car, meet friends for lunch, watch TV, read newspapers, walk in the neighborhood, even feed myself without help.”

Then he began sobbing and as I reached for his hand, I choked back my tears. Speaking softly but firmly, I said, “You have survived and have no paralysis. Your family and friends still love you and always will. Let’s talk about the good things that can keep you going.”

I reminded him, “Several places are available that work with the blind. I know a blind man who is a successful attorney. He was coached on how to use his special phone, as well as other daily activities he handles with little or no problems.”

Still holding his hand, I said, “You know your wife loves you. So do your children and grand-kids. They’ve shown that love already. They are anxious to help build your future and will work with you in making your life a thousand times better than you expect it to be.

“Now here’s advice from me, your long time friend. Work with your family. Thank them for every goal they helped you achieve. But most important–and I can’t emphasize it enough–take that recording equipment I know you have. Turn it on and start with your birth and tell about yourself. Talk into the microphone about all you remember as a little kid, your first school days, your childhood adventures, all of your later schooling.

After telling your college experiences, talk about your courtship with your wife, when your children were born, your first job and subsequent career until retirement. I know you’ve been successful; tell how you achieved that success. Pull out memories – good and bad – from your past. Share them all. Talk about your war ordeals and the years you spent as a prisoner of war. You have so many great memories to share.”

He seemed to brighten up at my suggestions and said, “That’s a good idea. I’ll do it.”

He is going home today from the hospital. One daughter and husband are moving into their large home with him and his wife. I am convinced he will have the best of care.

Why am I giving this story to you, my readers? My point is this: You, too, should get a tape recorder and dictate your life story. Or if you feel capable, write it; however, most of us can talk about our past rather than dictating it. Relive and cherish those memories.

I had a brother, now deceased, who joined the Marines in the mid-30′s. He was on Corregidor which the Japanese finally captured after six weeks. He survived the hell of the Death March plus 44 months as a POW. During his final years we convinced him to tell his experiences on his son’s recorder. We listen to his story and laugh and cry. All of us are thankful for those recorded unforgettable memories.

Let’s profit from my friend and my brother. My strong request is for you to record in some way your life experiences before it’s too late! It’s something both you and your loved ones will never regret.

We challenge you to do this this summer! You may look around you and see only the things which you are unable to do. But you have many of God’s teachings and revelations inside you from the suffering you have endured.

So record it. Tell it. Share it. Share about your life. Your favorite memories, of even the not-so-favorite ones that were still instrumental in creating the mosaic you are you today. Ideas? Suggestions? We’d love to hear them.

Denton Harris was in World War Two in the 86th Infantry Division. He attended college in Missouri and relocated to Atlanta, where he married a wonderful lady married in l948 (and is still married!). He has done investments, founded several businesses, including a bank where he was chairman. Currently, Denton us doing personal investments and writing. He has been the director of the largest Sunday School department in his church for over 35 years.

I recently happened upon a delightful surprise. While planning for a family vacation, I learned of an interesting tourist attraction: The Museum of disABILITY History in Buffalo, New York.

“The museum is the result of the desire of Dr. James M. Boles,” said 51-year-old Doug Platt, museum curator, in a telephone interview. “Boles was teaching an introduction to developmental disabilities course at University of Buffalo and wanted to direct his students to a website for a comprehensive look at how people with disabilities have been treated throughout the ages. There wasn’t one. That’s how the museum was born, in 1998.”

Boles also was president/CEO of People Inc., a New York nonprofit providing employment, residential, recreation, community outreach, and healthcare programs for people with disabilities. The Museum of disABILITY became a People Inc. project.

Said Platt, “I’m museum curator and my job is the safekeeping, arrangement, and description of artifacts I have helped collect. We used items we collected to create displays and exhibits that resulted in the way our gallery and website appear now.”

The museum has a website and a brick-and-mortar location in Buffalo. Visitors to the latter include elementary and high school groups, college social work and physical therapy students, and University of Buffalo medical students learning about disability history.

“We want to give people an idea of the role people with disabilities have always played in history,” said Platt, also a 26-year People Inc. employee. The museum’s online version has “wings” dedicated to people with disabilities and events in media, medicine, society, education, and advocacy. One recent exhibit was called Eugenics in America: Perfecting the Population. In part, it explained the history of the 1927 Buck vs. Bell Supreme Court ruling allowing forced sterilization of “unfit” Americans well into the 1960s.

“We have an Invacar, too” said Platt, referring to the three-wheeled vehicle manufactured for disabled British veterans from 1948-77. The museum also features well-known Americans such as President Roosevelt, Temple Grandin, John Elder Robison, and Stevie Wonder.

Platt said, “The museum wants to include a wide range of disabilities. People with disabilities have been marginalized and part of our vision is to create a society accepting of people with disabilities. By our presenting to the public the role people with disabilities have played, perhaps that will better help society understand and accept them.”

Daniel J. Vance writes a weekly newspaper column called “Disabilities,” and should soon be graduating from Minnesota State with a master’s in mental health counseling and becoming a licensed professional counselor. His goal is to combine this new career with being a freelance writer. See his Daniel Vance website or his Facebook Page.

Matt and Rachel

By Matt Horne

Caring for a chronically ill wife is not what I had envisioned when I was working up the nerve to ask out “that hot girl” who would later become my wife. We were in college and she was on the cross country team. She let me know very early on in the relationship that she had a chronic illness.

Nowadays, it’s just part of life. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t know what to do with myself if she were well.

There’s a reason I call her “Super Rachel.” On her good days, she can run circles around me–cleaning, getting things checked off her to-do list, and having tons of fun. She’s amazing.

On top of that, she has the greatest attitude and rarely lets her condition get her down. As her dad says, she’s an “overcomer.” Instead of having a “why me?” attitude, she says “what can I do to fix it?” She also has the tendency to volunteer for more than she can handle, but I digress. . .

Here are some tips about the logistics I’d like to pass on to help other couples who are coping with chronic illness:

Career

Super Rachel can’t work sometimes. A couple years ago, she was working part-time, working on her Master’s degree in Exercise Physiology, and working as a Graduate Assistant at the university (to pay for school). She crashed. We worked it out so we don’t need her income and she can stay at home trying to feel better.

Priorities

She was forced to reevaluate her priorities. Rachel used every ounce of her energy to please everyone else and live up to their expectations. Sometimes she was not physically able to drive home at night and I would have to put on my shining armor and drive my mighty steed (Ford Ranger) to pick her up. We had very little free time as a couple. At that time, she decided to put God first and her family (me) second in her life. School, work, and everything else is important, but not that important.

Now that she’s feeling better, she only works 2 days a week and we carpool, so she doesn’t have to drive herself. Working two days a week at the doctor’s office is the peak of her current physical ability, but she has the opportunity to help others with the same chronic condition she has.

Mobility

I searched on craigslist.org for a walker and a go-cart. (Yes, I call it the go-cart. Yes, I know I’m wrong. It is a mobility scooter. No, I won’t change.) I got the walker for $50 ($175 off) and the go-cart for $300 ($1,000 off). The walker helps her get around the house when she’s at her worst health-wise. The go-cart helps us get the shopping done, among other things.

Shopping

I used to get really frustrated when she said she had enough energy to go shopping, but didn’t. Invariably, when we got just about five items down on the list, she would need to quit and go home. I had probably 25 more things to get. It really made me angry sometimes, but it wasn’t her fault. The walker and the scooter dramatically changed things. Now, for the first time in her life, she actually enjoys shopping.

Independence

To help her be more independent on her bad days, I installed a hand-held shower head in the bath tub and bought a shower chair. Now she can clean herself most of the time.

Comfort

We used to sleep on an incline, so there wouldn’t be as much of a change for her when she gets up in the mornings. This is a common treatment for Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome.

Cooking

It is very important for her to be able to eat when I’m not home, even when she can’t stand up. If you can’t stand for more than a few seconds, you obviously can’t cook on the stove top. We try to get a good number of things pre-cooked and in the freezer for her to re-heat and I’m not talking about “healthy-choice box dinners” either.

We like to do what is called “Once A Month Cooking,” or OAMC. We’re not very good at doing it regularly, but if you do it right, you can have wonderful dinners & lunches for very little cost, and it’s all home made! With OAMC, you create a plan, buy your stuff, cook all day, and then freeze it for later. Sometimes all day Saturday spills over into part of the day on Sunday.

When she’s desperate for some nutrition and doesn’t have the energy to cook, she uses the walker to get to the kitchen, musters what energy she has to get the food from the freezer to the microwave, and then sits down on the seat of the walker (or the floor) while it cooks. After that, she can eat right there in the kitchen. Some days, we use the bar stool in front of the stove or sink so that she can get some work done.

And I almost forgot – I do pick her up and carry her sometimes!

Tomorrow Matt will Share. . .

How a Husband Can Encourage a Chronically Ill Wife – The Spiritual and Emotional Stuff

Matt Horne is the wife of Rachel, who lives with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) and fibromyalgia, among other conditions. They have been married since December 2006 and Rachel is currently pregnant with her first child. Matt is the youth pastor at the First Baptist Church Hebron in Carrollton, Texas. You can visit his web site at http://www.matthorne.info .

“LemonAid Crutches”(TM) is the first company to create lovely designer crutches in rich, vivid colors and gorgeous, expressive fabrics. Being on crutches can be a sad, depressing experience, but this store makes it a bit more enjoyable and a whole lot more cheerful.

On the LemonAid Crutches (TM) web site it shares, “No one wants to be on crutches. They hurt your hands, they hurt your arms and they certainly hurt your sense of style.

Many have tried to tackle the challenge of adding comfort to an uncomfortable item, but duct tape and washcloths look…well…tacky. That’s why we created designer crutch-wear that’s not only comfortable, but fun and fabulous looking.”

Founder Laurie Johnson’s personal testimony to this fact makes one realize that a little bit of encouragement can go a long way in the face of a major crisis. In August of 2002, Laurie was in a small plain crash that took the lives of her husband and small son. Laurie survived, but she found herself with broken legs and was confined to using crutches.

After the first year on crutches, Laurie and her sister decided that a little cheering-up was in order, and they began by painting Laurie’s crutches a bright color! By her second year on crutches, Laurie had mastered her technique of covering the crutches’ pads with vivid colored materials and thus the beginning of “LemonAid Crutches (TM)” was born.

One cannot imagine the devastation another one goes through when losing family members in tragic circumstances. Laurie says that she had much support to help her pick up the pieces of her life even when her life was absolutely shattered beyond repair!

Though living in devastation, Laurie started a “non-profit” foundation called “Step with Hope.” This foundation offers assistance to others who are coping with profound loss in their lives.

What a wonderful place to go to discover that something as “sad” as being on crutches for a prolong period of time can actually be turned into a fashion-statement. Why not check this place out if you know someone on crutches?

A little encouragement and cheering up can go a long way in helping someone recover from pain. And . . . if you personally are one of those who have to endure crutches for awhile, perhaps this is the web-site for you. You might find your ideal look and sense of style, making your crutches fashionable and not nearly as depressing while supporting a fantastic cause in the process.

Have you ever decorated, embellished, or painted an assistive device? Tell us about it in the comments section! How does it make you feel? What is the response of others who see it?

Debbi Farmer is a part-time writer and small business owner who loves to find wonderful sites that encourage the broken-heart. She shares, “My heart goes out to those who are suffering from profound loss such as Laurie went through. I cannot even imagine that kind of pain, but I realize even through the familiar pain of illness, the Lord is so good and I have so much to Thank Him for!”