One of the inspiring people we met was a pastor in a wheelchair. He fell from a ladder while painting a house. His injury left him totally paralyzed below his neck with absolutely no use of arms or hands. But his physical limitations didn’t paralyze his heart or his spirit, and he’s served as senior pastor of his church for several years.
Continue readingSemi-Regular Newsletter 12.7.2011
Amazing–it’s already time to begin writing about Christmas. I invite you to check out the latest edition of Rich’s Semi-Regular Newsletter. I hope the season is a time of peace and joy.
Continue readingWhat Would You Change?
If you could go back, what would you change? Occasionally someone asks a question something like this: So much good has come from your injury. Knowing that, if you could go back and change that day would you do it? I generally don’t like hypothetical situations. It’s too easy to take an extreme, non-negotiable position when you […]
Continue readingResponding To A Gift
It’s been a month since we reached New Orleans. Thanksgiving’s past, and many of us are focused on Christmas. And Christmas, of course, is all about gifts—or at least that’s what the culture wants us to believe. As I distill the experience of Rich’s Ride, one central notion keeps popping into my head. I sense […]
Continue readingAnniversary
Happy Monday! Today’s a special day for me, a day worthy of a special word-of-the-week… ANNIVERSARY Twenty-four years ago today, December 5, 1987, I got out of bed and walked downstairs. That night I slept fitfully in a special ICU bed, my neck immobilized to prevent further spinal cord damage from three shattered vertebrae. Today’s the anniversary of […]
Continue readingSecrets Of Success
Sometimes I need simple reminders. Here’s a three-minute review of stuff we all know but tend to forget.
Continue readingWho Decides?
Imagine traveling a deserted, desolate stretch of crumbling highway past abandoned commercial facilities and dilapidated shacks. Snarling dogs chase you; wind and sun turn your skin raw; people stare at you as you pass. Imagine rolling along a quiet country back road on a bright, sunny morning. The cotton harvest provides unfamiliar, interesting activity. Prosperous-looking […]
Continue readingWho Belongs?
Note: as I process my experience from Rich’s Ride I’ve been writing some of my thoughts about accessibility and inclusion. Previous articles include Ain’t No Normal and An Able Bodied World? One of the surprises we encountered during Rich’s Ride was a church with a designated seating area for folks with “special needs.” We weren’t […]
Continue readingAn Able Bodied World?
Rich’s Ride provided countless rewards and a few challenges. One significant test arrived in the form of a question. A Christian disability-advocacy group invited me to a meeting. I began as I often do with a small audience, by asking what they wanted me to talk about. After a short pause, a lady began the […]
Continue readingAin’t No Normal
Before the ride began I did my annual physical, including lab tests on various fluids and functions. When we discussed the results the doctor handed me several papers. Each item listed my results and a range that’s considered “normal.” I’m fortunate—aside from the whole paralysis thing I’m quite healthy. In all important categories on the […]
Continue readingWhat Is Character?
What’s your personal understanding of “character”? I appreciate questions. I guess that’s one reason I still love teaching—I enjoy the challenge of creating an environment that fosters open, frank discussion. I value tough, sincere questions even though I often don’t possess answers. A few weeks ago during Rich’s Ride I tossed out a statement that […]
Continue readingRoutine
Happy Monday! Returning to “real life” after Rich’s Ride offers another perspective on today’s word-of-the-week… ROUTINE I’d guess that for most of us, “routine” has a somewhat negative connotation. Routine often means boring, repetitive, same-old-same-old. Most folks don’t dream of accomplishing something routine. However … Sixty-four nights of hotel rooms, restaurants, new places and people […]
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