VOLUME 27 / ISSUE 4

MagazineWinter 2012

Memories and Traditions

What do you love about Christmas?

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Leadership

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Lift on the Horizon

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Crafting Community

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Mom’s Moments

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Caregiver Conversations

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A Parent’s Thought

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Fitness

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Community Lifts

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A Pastoral Lift

regular features

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With lights strung across the town and carols flooding the radio stations, it is hard not to feel the excitement of anticipation for Christmas. For some this can be a stressful time,

but for children it is nothing but joy!

Do you remember waiting for Christmas to approach as a child? Was it all you could do to keep from unwrapping the gifts under the tree, or perhaps looking for the hidden ones in the attic? As I think about the memories of my childhood, Christmas was always a favorite. Like decorating cookies or stringing popcorn for the tree, or how about those salt dough ornaments we used to make? For some of us it was several trips to the sledding hill or ice skating rink to burn off some of the energy we were building in the anticipation. My mother tried hard to instill the true meaning of Christmas in everything we did. There are some traditions I still value to this day. Like singing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus or taking time away from focusing on ourselves to provide Christmas to a family in need. How about you? What memories do you have?

This issue is filled with memories from our writers. We hope you will find time to think about your own memories and traditions or perhaps start some new ones.

From all of us at Lift Magazine, we wish you a memory-filled Christmas season.

Enjoy,

Rhonette HukillEditor in Chief

Editor’s Letter

Memories and Traditions

EDITOR IN CHIEF Rhonette Hukill

SENIOR EDITOR Dr. Mike Beates

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Caregiver Conversations Rhonette Hukill

Community Lifts Jim HukillCrafting Community Leanne Goddard

Fitness Heather Pennington Lead Jim Hukill

Life on the Horizon Chris Maxwell Mom’s Moments Nicolette Samuel

Outdoor Adventures Doug GoddardA Pastoral Lift Dr. Ken Dignan

Lift Disability Network PO Box 770607

Winter Garden, FL 34777 407.228.8343

Vision Statement: Elevating Life in the Disability Family

Mission Statement: Our mission is to unite in Love, connect to Learn and empower to Lead

Value Statement: We value the supremacy of Life

Copyright © 2011 Lift Disability Network. No part may be reproduced without written

permission from publisher.

EDITORIAL COMMENTS & SUBSCRIPTION QUERIESPlease e-mail magazine@liftdisability.net

Phone 407.228.8343. Or write to: Lift Disability Network

PO Box 770607, Winter Garden, FL 34777

Magazine

THERE’S MORE TO SEE ONLINE.Check out our website at

LiftDisability.net

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http://www.liftdisability.net/breakaway.asp

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Lead

It is the greatest story ever told. A babe lying in a manger, father and mother nearby with

animals looking on and a brilliant star lighting up the night. Multitudes of angels fill the sky and shepherds tremble below with a call to action, “go find the babe.”

This is the story of God coming to earth in the form of a little baby. A human in need of care, vulnerable and weak. God giving His son to a world that had turned its back to Him. It is the story of grace, of reconciliation, of love. It is the story of God redeeming mankind.

Even though all of that seems to be great in and of itself, and should be considered the most amazing thing ever, I believe the story is even greater than that. For you see, the story

is one that doesn’t stop. In reality it didn’t even begin with this setting. It began generations and generations before that special night and the unfolding story will never be complete throughout eternity. That’s amazing!

The special part of this story is that each of us is a part of the story being told. Every per-son in history has some connection, is repre-sented in some form within the microcosm of this small unfolding event that we now celebrate as Christmas. As one reflects upon this humble beginning, every human can see their own weaknesses in that little baby lying on a pile of hay.

When I was asked to share one of my most memorable Christmases, it became difficult

A Special Memory of

ChristmasBY JIM HUKILL

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JIM HUKILL is the Founder and Director of Lift Disability Network. Throughout his life Jim has rolled his wheelchair past one barrier after another and the result is a schooled life in overcoming limits.

Lead

A Special Memory of

Christmas

for me to pull out of my memory a moment that stuck out beyond all the others. I remem-ber the excitement of lying in bed the night before Christmas hearing a set of drums be-ing arranged by Santa. I remember the great race car track one Christmas that came after a major health incident in my life. I remember the first Christmas I had with my incredible wife. I remember Christmases with huge fam-ily gatherings and very special Christmases with just two or three family members. All of them are amazing.

Christmas has always been the most fa-vored time of the year in my life. I had the for-tunate opportunity as a child to be a part of a family where Christmas was celebrated with

great joy and excitement. God gave me an additional family through my wife who cel-ebrate Christmas with amazing creativity and love. I must say here, I am so grateful for my wife who loves Christmas so much that she makes it special for everyone who walks into our home this time of year. I love that about her and about the season.

But what makes Christmas special is the on-going story of life. It is the story being told through me. It is the story being told through my family. It is the story being told through your life. It is the story of a weak, frail, vulner-able individual who needed someone to care for and love them so that they would not be overwhelmed and crushed by the big world in which they lived. That is my story.

Jesus, a tiny baby lying in a manger, is the story of a small child with a disability des-tined to live in a world that would eventually crushed Him. But because the story included Jesus, the outcome changes. It is “Joy to the World”: for where there had been helpless-ness, there is now hopefulness. This story of Jesus gives us an eternity with nothing but “LIFE” with big letters to live.

Now that is a special memory of Christmas.

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The Music of Life

BY CHRIS MAXWELL

Life is like a song – or, ac-tually, it’s like a collection

of songs. Sad songs follow joyful melodies. Painful tunes merge into a set of songs about romance or regret or hope. When facing and en-during difficult seasons of life, those songs aren’t so pleasant.

But there are ways to re-spond. We can choose to add a few new songs – through at-titudes, prayers, friendships, forgiveness, acceptance, laughter, optimism – so that our lives can be a collection of hope.

Briana Kay uses an analogy of music to describe her life on the horizon. Briana’s expe-rience hasn’t been easy. Still, her understanding of life as a song can help sing a melody of hope for us all.

Briana says: Life is like mu-sic. Your life is the beautiful melody God creates. Some-times there are sharps and flats (highs and lows) that throw an unwanted kink in your melody.

Life on the Horizon

Majors and minors, as well as different keys, help make your melody what it is. To sum it up, pretty much, your life is like a scale. A scale is steps that ei-ther go up or down in a melody and they’re made up of all that I just talked about. My life has been an interesting scale.

Born August, 1993, I weighed 1 pound 9.6 ounces. I almost died twice. I was a perfectly normal baby (besides being premature) until one day I got a leak in my brain which gave me what I have now: Mild Ce-rebral Palsy – it affected the left side of my body. Due to my pre-maturity and the CP combined, I had eight surgeries within the first six months of my life. I’ve now had twelve surgeries. “Ce-rebral Palsy” may seem like just words to you, but it’s a life for me. The doctors said I would never be able to walk, but when I was two, I learned to walk. I had poor balance, but I could walk.

Growing up, I just knew I couldn’t do some stuff that

other kids could. During mid-dle school and high school years, I became self-conscious of my body. I still struggle with those issues today.

I had thought that my CP was a “curse.” I absolutely hated my body. It took me till just a few months ago to realize that the CP isn’t a curse, but a blessing. Now, I can’t see myself not hav-ing it. I can’t see myself being “normal.” I mean, sure I need help with stuff sometimes, have back trouble and struggle with strength and balance issues. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. I just learn to live with it, I guess. I wonder at times, if my middle name is Faith for a rea-son. The Bible says in Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the sub-stance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Briana Kay’s smile is con-tagious. So is her life song. I can’t sing like her. I don’t face the same struggles. But I want to learn from her music of life. Don’t you?

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CHRIS MAXWELL

is an Author, Pastor & Director of Spiritual Life

www.chrismaxwellweb.com

Life on the Horizon

Author and pastor Chris Maxwell’s latest book is Pause: The Secret to a Better Life One Word at a Time. Take time to relax, pause, read the book and experience God in every-day life – one word at a time.

Lift Your PaddleOn April 27, 2013 Lift Disability Network will hold their 3rd Annual Paddle Challenge, a fund-raising event to sup-port the ongoing mission to elevate life in the disability family.

Jump in the canoe, grab a paddle and help out a good cause!

To join in the fun or to find out more about how you can par-ticipate contact our Community Relations Manager, Jeff Ka-plan, at jeff@liftdisability.net. Watch for more information on our website: www.liftdisability.net/paddle.asp.

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Crafting Community

One of my favorite Christmas memories from childhood was making our annual Christmas deliveries each year. We would have a baking day a week or so before Christmas and

spend the day in the kitchen making a variety of goodies. I always looked forward to helping my mom select what items we wanted to bake as well as actually baking together. Then we would assemble plates of goodies for the list of friends who lived in our town and wrap them in colorful cellophane tied with coordinating ribbon.

On delivery day we would map out our route and pack all the assembled plates into the car and head out for a day of deliveries. It was exciting to ring someone’s door bell and see their faces when they saw us with a plate full of goodies just for them! I’ve tried to continue that tradition as an adult. My mom now comes to visit me for Christmas, but we still enjoy baking together and making a few deliveries. In recent years we’ve moved quite a bit and living in bigger cities my circle of friends live further away from me which makes this kind of gift giv-ing more of a challenge than the days of living in a small town. But there are always neighbors or the door man in our building or the wonderful folks at the post office who help me year round or others who will be blessed by an unexpected plate of goodies and a wish for a Merry Christmas.

If you aren’t a baker, the goodies don’t have to be homemade. There are lots of books and ideas out there on mixes you can assemble and give for the recipients to make when they are ready, everything from drink mixes to cookies to soup! Use your imagination and get the whole family involved in the process. These kits are fun to make with your children as they can help with decorating labels, tying ribbons, or helping to assemble the kits by scooping the ingredients into jars. It is wonderful to teach children at a young age the JOY of giving instead of always being on the receiving end of things.

So take time this year: make a list, check it twice, and spend some time with your family blessing the folks on your list with plate full of goodies and a visit from you. You will be glad you did!

Christmas DeliveriesBY LEANNE GODDARD

LEANNE GODDARDis Co-Founder of Access-Life.

To find a Crafting Community in your neighbor-

hood go to www.access-life.org

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Coco Mix

21 oz. box powdered milk

1 box powdered sugar

3 T. cocoa

11oz. Coffeemate

1 lb. Nestle’s Quick

Mix thoroughly. Add 2T per cup of boiling water. Store mix in air-tight container. Fills 11 jelly jars.

Crafting Community

Spice Tea Mix

2 C Sugar

2 C Tang

½ C Instant Tea

1 Pkg. Lemonade Koolaid (without added sugar)

2 tsp. Cinnamon

1 tsp. Cloves

1 tsp. Nutmeg

Mix and store in airtight container. To serve mix 2 T. in 1 C of boiling water.

Makes 4 8oz. jars of mix for gift giving.

This craft and more ideas found on pinterest.com

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NICOLETTE SAMUEL has been married 14 years to her husband Shaker. Combined they have 3 chil-dren. With her husband as Pastor, Nicolette finds herself very involved in church ministry. Over the years she has learned many lessons, many of which come from her daughter, Hannah, who has Down syndrome.

It’s Not Fun Anymore, I’m a Mess!BY NICOLETTE SAMUEL

Mom’s Moments

One Saturday afternoon this Fall Hannah and I were outside raking leaves. I was

back and forth between burning some and mulching others. After just one jump in her pile, Hannah was done helping and sought out something different to occupy her time. After a few other entertaining, but short lived activities, she settled down on the cement at the edge of the carport with her basket full of bubbles and wands.

That held her attention for quite some time. When finally I glanced over at her, I noticed that she had, in an unsuccessful attempt to fill small trays with bubble solution, poured most of it on the cement and she was now sitting in a large puddle of soap and water. She didn’t seem too concerned at the time, and was still enjoying blowing bubbles using the trays she did fill. It was a little cool, so I asked if she was ready to go inside and clean up. She replied, “No, I’m Fine.” So I started to organize myself, figuring I would give her a few more moments and then we would head in.

Soon enough she called out to me and I looked over. Now one sleeve of her sweat-shirt was soaked. This somehow bothered her more than sitting in a puddle, so she ex-claimed, “I need a bath!” Once inside I was helping her get out of her saturated clothing and she looked at me in all seriousness and asked, “What happened to me?” I asked her in response, “What do you think happened to

you?” To which she replied, “You did it!” After much laughter, mostly on my part, she looked at me calmly and said, “It’s not fun anymore, I’m a mess!”

Now usually bath time for Hannah is not an easy thing by any means to transition into, and rarely is she the one to suggest it. But when it is obvious that she is in great need of a bath, she is very anxious to be clean. I got to think-ing about how much sin is like this scenario of our day. At first it might not seem like that big of a deal, the little areas of sin in our lives that we allow to creep in. Soon we are sitting in a pile of a mess of our own making and it’s not fun anymore. And how often do we ask, “What happened to me?”

Christmas is a time when we can all joyfully celebrate the solution to our sin. Our Savior put on flesh and dwelt among us, walked among us, and then died for us. Emmanuel, God is with us!

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Santa and Reindeer Truffles Makes: 24

Ingredients24 truffles (such as Ferrero Rocher or Lindt) 2 cups light cocoa candy melts, melted 3/4 cup pink candy melts, melted 1/2 cup white candy melts, melted 3 red fruit slices, halved crosswise 1 cup mini marshmallows, halved crosswise 17 brown and 4 red M&M’s Minis 48 mini chocolate chips, tips removed 36 mini pretzel twists

Preparation1. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Dip 18 truffles in melted light cocoa candy melts; al-low excess to drip off. Transfer to baking sheet. Spoon remaining melted light cocoa candy melts into a ziplock bag; seal bag 2. Dip remaining 6 truffles in melted pink candy melts; allow excess to drip off. Transfer to baking sheet. Refrigerate until set, about 5 minutes 3. Spoon melted white candy melts into a ziplock bag; seal bag. Snip very small corners from the ziplock bags that contain white and light cocoa candy melts. Pipe white candy onto the pink-coated truffles; attach half a red fruit slice to each as a hat. Attach marshmal-lows as the trim on each hat and as the beard and mustache. Cut 3 red M&M’s Minis in half and attach 1 to each truffle as a nose. Attach the mini chocolate chips for the eyes. 4. Pipe small dots of light cocoa candy melts on chocolate-coated truffles; on top of the melted dots, affix pretzel twists as antlers. Add brown and remaining red M&M’s Minis as noses. Pipe small bits of white candy and attach mini chocolate chips as eyes. Refrigerate truffles until set, about 5 minutes. Originally published in All You, December 2010

B GNIKA

Mom’s Moments

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Our purses. Oh, our purses. Yes, they hold our keys, our wallets, and our iPhones. But our purses are like a stash of secret weap-ons. Mothers – sorry to tell you this, but your diaper bags – they have nothing on our purses. We have straps and straws and pills and catheters. And bottles of water and sani-tary wipes and allen wrenches. We have our husbands’ wallets, phones, and sunglasses. We don’t always have to carry those purses, though. We almost always have a handlebar to hang those on. Or a lap to sit them on.

Oh, that lap. That is our favorite place. We have a built in seat when we are waiting in line at a restaurant or at a concert or waiting for the train. Did you know that that lap is dancing headquarters? No, not in that kind of lap-dance kind of way. Well, maybe some-times. That’s the best place for a lot of things. We don’t get to walk hand in hand with our husbands on the beach. Or sit on their shoul-ders in the pool. Some of us don’t even get to ride beside them in the car.

Sometimes we cry. We are held. Sometimes we hold our husbands while they cry. Some-times we laugh so hard our stomachs hurt. Because if we didn’t, we’d just cry again.

We are the wives of quads.

We may have taken the biggest risk of our lives, much to the dismay or hesitance of our family and friends. Or, we may have survived the scariest thing of our lives – al-most losing the men we love, but getting them back this way.

We prop legs up on pillows, turn them, stretch them, and straighten them out in our sleep. We may or may not also put our hot or cold feet on those hot or cold legs in order to warm up, or cool off. We pull our husbands around on pads in the bed. We snuggle up in their armpits and rest our heads on their chest. We love to hear their hearts beating. We may or may not put our husbands’ arms around ourselves, if we have to so we can be held. Because the very beginning of the day, and the very end of the day, that’s the only chance we have to be really close. Without any titanium or rubber or aluminum be-tween us. Without getting run over by little wheels or big wheels or power wheels.

We have toe calluses. And amazingly quick feet, like the feet of running backs when those wheels take a turn towards our toes.

We slip forks and spoons into straps so our husbands can feed themselves. We feed them sometimes to be sweet, or to just hurry things along. We may or may not occasional-ly bend up restaurant silverware. Or, maybe we travel with our own bent-up silverware in our purses.

We are...BY DANA RITTER

Caregiver Conversations

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Caregiver Conversations

We are weightlifters. We lift grown men into beds and wheelchairs, onto chairs and couches, into and out of pools, and into cars and SUVs. We lift them over curbs, push them up hills, brace them down hills, and we can even lift them on to those really tall examina-tion tables at doctors’ offices. Why are those so tall? Geez!

We are masters at dressing. Anyone can dress themselves. They may or may not do that well, that’s on them. But, we can dress a body that is not our own, that has almost no control of itself, and make it look good. We put jeans and khakis and shorts on our man, all while he is lying down. We push and pull that body side to side and tuck pockets in and make sure leg bags are straight (and closed!) and button buttons and snap snaps, and buckle belts and tuck things in and pull them out just enough so that it’s comfortable and doesn’t cause a pressure sore. We do this with impeccable strength and grace day in and day out and we nail it. It is a science. It is not easy. Because if you screw up, your man can end up looking like a saggy bag of potatoes in a cart. But if you tug and push and pull, and align those jeans and that shirt just the right way, he is comfortable, and he looks good and he has that confidence that he looks good.

And we like that confidence.

So, no matter how tired we are, or how much our backs already hurt, we do this dressing dance every morning. Then, we make the bed and make breakfast. And prob-ably lunch. And eventually, dinner. We can clean up any type of bodily produce imagin-able. Without breathing. We do more laundry than anyone else we know. We multitask. We

are landscapers, maids, and mechanics. We are drivers and nurses and wheelchair repair-men.

In fact, we can drive, talk on the phone, eat fast food and feed french fries to our passen-gers, simultaneously. That “mom hand” that goes out when you’re braking hard, so that your passenger doesn’t end up on the dash board? We have that. We use it all the time. Even when we’re told we don’t need to.

We have strange encounters with strang-ers. We’re either stared at or ignored, or looked at like someone is saying with their eyes, “bless her heart.” We roll our eyes. We smile with forgiveness. Because we are taken care of too.

We are deeply loved. We get massages with pointy elbows and soft, warm hands. We get the BEST kisses in the world. We are appreciated. We are honored. We are a part of a team. We are bonded to our husbands in such a deep, intimate way.

And sometimes, despite the hard work and frustrations, we are thankful that we are forced to love this way, because we are also loved this way. Just as fiercely. Just as consis-tently. Just as sacrificially.

We are.

DANA RITTER and her husband Michael share their experiences in life and marriage with a disabled spouse through their blog, www.lovelikethislife.com. Dana is a television news producer and care-giver for her husband, a C5/6 quad-riplegic because of a Spinal Cord Injury. They live outside Washington, DC, where Dana covers the White House for CBN News.

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Our family tradition each Christmas Day is to carol

at area hospitals with a con-genial group of folks orga-nized through a local non-profit organization. Here’s a necessary explanation why:

Our second child, Mac, was born in October 1995. The day before his birth, our ob-stetrician determined Mac was in grave distress and might not make it through the birth process. But make it he did.

Two weeks later, he had his first of now more than 30 surgeries or procedures under anesthesia. A team of specialists determined that Mac had “Congenital Bilat-eral Perisylvian Syndrome,” but he was strong enough to withstand surgery to place a trach and feeding tube so he might fight his uphill battle a bit more easily.

We were thrilled he was such a fighter, while at the same time showing a sweet disposition about all he was asked to endure. He had a

bright twinkle in his eyes and kicked his one free foot. The rest of his little body was held down with a tangle of tubes, wires, and casts.

Over a short course of time, Mac had many critical events maintaining his breathing and heart rate. Finally, just three days before Christmas, a group of physicians met with my husband to say they felt Mac was losing the battle for life. It was predicted he would probably not live to see his first birthday, that he would never learn to walk or talk, and he would not have any “quality of life.” We were given the choice to place a “do not resuscitate” order, or to place Mac on a ventilator.

Through tearful prayers we made the only decision we could, and asked that Mac be placed on a ventilator. Then we made plans to spend Christmas at the hospital.

Mac’s big sister, Emily, was only two-and-a-half at the time, and was tackling some medical and disability-relat-

A Tale of Two Christmases

A Parent’s Thought

ed issues of her own. None-theless, she excitedly helped pick gifts for her baby brother and marched into the PICU, presents in hand. Mac was as bright eyed and happy as ever! We opened gifts, sang carols, and read a child’s ver-sion of the Christmas story as a family.

It was a blessed Christmas day -- difficult and teary at times, but we were so joyous to be together as a family to honor another special Baby born so very many years ago who came to save Mac, us, and the world.

Our son defied all the doc-tors’ predictions and all the odds man placed on him. Although he still has a trach and g-tube, uses technology

BY LINDA STARNES

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A Parent’s Thought

to communicate, and has a bit of an unsteady gait, Mac is all boy.

He is fully included with his peers at Lake Mary High School, is a percussionist with the marching band, and is a “B” student. Mac and Emily earned their third de-gree black belts together in Tae Kwon Do. Most impor-tant, Mac is a happy, posi-tive young man who made his own decision to come to Christ when he was six years old. Several years later, he asked to be baptized, and so he was in our family pool -- trach and all! We are blessed to have him as a part of our family. We feel the world is all the better for his being here, too.

Fast forward to last Christ-mas, sixteen years after our most memorable Christmas. We celebrated Christmas as a family, worshipping at our church. This advent season our pastor had a series of ser-mons on “the cast of unusual and unlikely characters that precede Christ’s birth in the Christmas story.” This par-ticular Sunday Pastor Hunter recounted the story of the angel Gabriel and Mary, and how Mary was totally unpre-pared for the news she would bear the Son of God, then how she handled this surpris-ing circumstance.

Just prior to the sermon was a rendition of a beautiful song “A Baby Changes Every-thing.” It is a touching piece, first sung by Faith Hill.

As the tender song ended, Mac turned to me and said (signed): “Mom, I know why you are crying -- because I’m just like the song. When I was born I changed your life in a big way, didn’t I? I’m kind of like Jesus.”

This teenage boy who has dealt with so many chal-lenges over the years, and with whom we are working through yet more of life’s “surprises” just this past year,

once again brought me a small miracle moment in his very unique way.

And Mac was absolutely correct. I was thinking of both him and his big sister, Emily, at that very moment. From the day they were born, they changed our lives in so many ways for which we were totally unprepared, but very much for the good. We pray for them, and we believe they have the capacity to help change many more lives in a positive way in the years to come . . . just like Jesus.

As we are told in Psalm 139:14, “I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonder-ful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well.” Mac and Emily, like all of us, are most “fearfully and wonder-fully made.”

LINDA STARNES is a mom of two kids with disabilities. She serves on the President’s committee for Intellectual Dis-abilities and is an influential leader in Disability Ministry in Central Florida.

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One of my fondest childhood memories of

Christmas is a rather strange memory to recall as “fond.” It was a Christmas Eve service at our church when I was sick with a terrible fever and cold. My sister was playing the bells and besides that, our family just didn’t want to miss the Midnight Service on Christmas Eve.

So, there I was all dressed up in the holiday garb, trembling with fever and curled up on a pew in the hallway at the back of the church. So miserable, but able to hear the pipe organ and voices carrying songs of wise men, shepherds watching over sheep, and the Babe in a manger through the rafters. My sweet dad realized how ill I was and without hesitation, took off his suit coat and covered me from head to toe as I was rounded in a small ball to maintain warmth. I remember immediately relaxing a little bit as the warmth of the worn coat draped over my shoulders and slowed the shudder. As

I rested there for a moment, I will never forget that the climax of the service was about to occur.

My favorite moment, the lighting of the candles and the sounds of “Silent Night, Holy Night” were resonating through the end of the aisle and to the back of the church. What peace and what rest as I lay COVERED by my Father’s care. What further embedded the moment in my mind was the sound of that beautiful chorus, “Sleep in Heavenly Peace…” That memory reminds me of the meaning of Christmas, His peace sent to lovingly cover the Earth through Jesus. I love the image of a loving Father covering His children in grace and love by sending His Son to live on the Earth. His Word emphasizes this Promise in Psalm 91:4, “He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge, His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” Just like my Father covered me with warmth, love, and care, our Heavenly Father covers us

Fitness

with His love and grace so that we can experience Life in Christ. It all started with Jesus’ birth and the Blessed time of Christmas.

So, in light of our Christmas memory theme, my hope and prayer is that you have an experience this Christmas of that “Covering of Your Heavenly Father’s love and peace” as well as a HEALTHY and happy holiday season. To emphasize that HEALTHY aspect, here are some tips to stay “cold and fever free” as much as possible:

1. Wash your hands. Sing “Jingle Bells” while

you wash – loud so all can here! Cold and flu viruses may be spread by indirect

Covering of a Father’s LoveBY HEATHER PENNINGTON

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HEATHER PENNINGTON MA Ed, CSCS; Personal Training and Fitness Plan-ning/Consulting.

hmp@bellsouth.net

Fitness

contact. Someone who is sick may touch a door knob or a countertop. When you touch the same surface, you can catch the bug.

2. Try to elbow cough. It’s an easy technique

to practice and to teach to children. Just cover your mouth with your elbow instead of your hands.

3. Disinfect common surfaces. Do you know

what the most “germy” item in your house is? You may never guess, but it is the remote control. Viruses and germs that cause colds can live on surfaces for up to 72 hours. So, wipe the germs away often, and don’t forget other common shared surfaces like door knobs, glasses, etc.

4. Drink Water! Water helps all the processes

in your body run smoothly, especially strengthening your immune system. And if you do get sick, water can help get rid of toxins much faster than if you don’t have enough fluids. Here is a check on your water intake – drink 8-10 glasses a day and if your urine is a striking yellow color you are not drinking enough. It should be almost clear. Source: www.webmd.com

5. Exercise! You knew I had to get that one in here.

Cardiovascular (walking, pushing or rolling, biking, swimming, etc.) exercises get your heart pumping blood and help your lungs by increasing your breathing. Even sweating can help flush the body to get rid of germs.

6. Eat bright colored fruits and vegetables.

They contain many good nutrients and vitamins that boost the immune system and keep those flu and cold germs at bay.

7. Relax! So, put in the favorite Christmas movie,

gather the family around a fire, or relax by reading that Christmas story of Jesus’ birth. Evidence shows that relaxation causes an increase in interleukins -- leaders in the immune system that fight against cold and flu viruses. Source: www.cdc.gov

May the Lord bless you and keep you and may His Love Cover you this Christmas.

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Community

Mill Neck Foundation Appoints Rev. Thomas Dunseth as it Looks toward Global Growth

Mill Neck Foundation for Deaf Ministry is pleased

to announce that Reverend Thomas Dunseth has joined the Lutheran Friends of the Deaf (LFD), a Recognized Service Organization of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod and part of the Mill Neck Family of Organizations. In his role as Associate Di-rector for Deaf Ministry, Rev. Dunseth will assist in expand-ing the mission of LFD, both here in the States and inter-nationally.

Rev. Dunseth’s appoint-ment four months ago result-ed from the Mill Neck Foun-dation’s continual efforts to broaden LFD’s ministry to Deaf communities regionally, nationally, and at the interna-tional level. As a worldwide organization already operat-ing in several global areas, including Africa, Dr. Mark R. Prowatzke, Ph.D., Mill Neck’s Executive Director, sought to extend outreach to regions in Asia, beginning with China.

Rev. Thomas Dunseth (right) and Rev. S.R. Schumacher, Director of Deaf Ministry for the Mill Neck Family of Organizations, visit the Mill Neck campus.

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Community

The Pastor, who speaks and signs Cantonese, was tapped to assist in the efforts in Asia and is currently coordinating the translation of Mill Neck’s Bible Story Project into Chi-nese. These Bible stories, geared toward both hearing and Deaf children, use a com-bination of written language, expressive artwork, and il-lustrated sign language. Sev-eral books (of a planned 12) have been published and all will eventually be translated into other written and sign languages, such as Spanish and Russian, in addition to Chinese. In China, to which he travels about three times a year, Rev. Dunseth is Presi-dent of the Board at a Deaf school, where some of his duties include giving com-mencement addresses and overseeing the organization’s policies, both internally and

externally. He also plans and chairs general meetings.

A pastor since 1993, Rev. Dunseth says he never met a Deaf person until he began his work in the Lutheran mis-sion in Macau, where there was a Concordia School filled with children who were Deaf. When principal and pastor Reverend Louis Jasper retired, Rev. Dunseth began working as the school’s chaplain.

The Pastor is looking to-ward assisting the Mill Neck Foundation with LFD’s expan-sion in Asian regions. “There are many Deaf graduates and students who have no access to a Lutheran church and the word of God. Our goal is to establish the first LFD Deaf Center in Asia, and help start the church from there. Fol-lowing the success of this first location, LFD Asia will look for a second location.”

“Over the years, we have given grants to other Chris-tian organizations to do Deaf ministry. We have now decid-ed to reactivate our found-ing organization, Lutheran Friends of the Deaf, and we’re going to create new projects ourselves,” said Dr. Prowatzke.

A mission of Mill Neck Founda-tion, Inc., Lutheran Friends of the Deaf provides support for edu-cational and evangelistic outreach to Deaf people of all ages through-out the United States and World. To date, over $7,000,000 has been granted to a variety of church-relat-ed ministries here and abroad. Mill Neck Foundation, Inc. and Lutheran Friends of the Deaf are part of the Mill Neck Family of Organizations, a not-for-profit group dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for peo-ple who are Deaf, or who have other special needs, through excellence in individually designed educational, vocational, or spiritual programs and services. For more information, please call 1-800-264-0662 or visit http://www.millneck.org.

...There are many Deaf graduates and students who have no access to a Lutheran church and the word of God.

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A Pastoral Lift

I recently read a popular quote that bears repeating, “We

were all born originals, most of us will die copies.”

Wow what a true statement. God knit us together in our mother’s womb to be uniquely one of a kind (Psalm 139:13-14).

Why do so many want to copy someone else? When you get to Heaven God won’t say, “Why weren’t you like so and so?”

You were created to be your-self, the gifted person God wants you to be, conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, re-deemed and renewed by His Holy Spirit.

Individuals with a disability whether it’s a physical, cogni-tive, or both, usually have a hard time accepting and believ-ing that God created them for a reason. It is understandably dif-ficult for those of us with a dis-ability to embrace that we are unique, special, one of a kind individuals.

I know how difficult it was for me to accept my deformities and physical limitations. As a

A Game ChangerBY REV. KENNETH M. DIGNAN, Th.D.

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REV. KEN DIGNAN, Th.D.is the Lift Disability Ministry Pastor and Founder/Director of THC/Ken Dignan Ministries. Ken and Joni have been married for 34 years and have 4 sons, Andy, Patrick, the late Ryan, and Britt.

www.thcmin.org

teenager I desperately wanted to fit in with the cool crowd. Yet I had a severely deformed right arm, curvature of the spine and a limp, which everyone could see.

I walked with a serious limp and my scoliosis caused me to bend over as I took steps. Sure I was glad I could walk, even if it was only for a short distance.

Still I wanted to run, jump, roll on the ground, and pop to my feet. Yet the closest I came to that was in my dreams. I’ll never forget when I was 18 years of age, telling a neighborhood girl that I wanted to take her on a date. She told me, “Ken, you’re a nice guy and I am glad we’re friends, but I can’t date you because you’re crippled.”

My heart got stuck in my throat and I could hardly keep talking. I dropped her off from my car and drove home crying all the way. I thought, “Why did God make me so ugly?” I felt like the Hunchback of Notre Dame in France, Quasimodo; like the Phantom of the Opera; like the prince turned into a frog look-ing for a kiss from a princess to break the spell.

It was not easy having a disability while I was growing up, at least honesty from my perspective at the time. Then something hap-pened, a game changer. I came to know Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord.

I began to relax more and accept that I could be the person God designed me to be, the original not a copy. I felt better about myself. If God created me like I was, He must have had a purpose and reason behind it.

A Pastoral Lift

Moses was told by God to speak to Pharaoh of Egypt to let His people go. But Moses com-plained that he had a disability. He said he had a speech impediment and stuttered ter-ribly so he couldn’t do what God told him.

God wouldn’t take that as an excuse. In Exodus 4:11 God says, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or see-ing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?” God allows some to suffer with a disability to show forth His glory and strength through their lives.

The disciples heard Jesus say that a man born blind was born in order to show forth the glory of God in John 9. The Apostle Paul knew about this as he suffered with a, “thorn in the flesh,” that God would not remove in order to, “show that His strength is made per-fect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:7-11).

This Christmas season, if you have a disabil-ity or a serious burden, or trial you’re going through, surrender it to the Lord and learn to praise Him despite your suffering. Give God the glory and praise by your life. Let God use you to show forth His power and strength.

Echo the words of Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Him (Christ) who strength-ens me.” Have a wonderful Holiday season.

elevating life in the disability familywww.liftdisability.net