Church

JUST SHARING…

IN RESEARCHING MY YOUNG WOMEN’S (YW) LESSON, I FOUND SOME GREAT STUFF I JUST WANTED 2 SHARE (REMEMBER, I PLANNED 2 LESSONS, & THIS IS STUFF I COULDN’T USE):

“In that hour I think I can see our dear Father behind the veil looking upon these dying struggles; . . . His great heart almost breaking for the love that He had for His Son. Oh, in that moment when He might have saved His Son, I thank Him and praise Him that He
did not fail us. . . . I rejoice that He did not interfere, and that His love for us made it possible for Him toendure to look upon the sufferings of His Son and give
Him finally to us, our Saviour and our Redeemer. Without Him, without His sacrifice, we would have remained, and we would never have come glorified
into His presence. And so this is what it cost, in part, for our Father in heaven to give the gift of His Son”
(in Melvin J. Ballard . . . Crusader for Righteousness [1966], 137).

“How can you and I really expect to glide naively through life, as if to say, Lord, give me experience, but not grief, not sorrow, not pain, not opposition, not
betrayal, and certainly not to be forsaken. Keep from me, Lord, all those experiences which made Thee what Thou art! Then let me come and dwell with Thee and fully share Thy joy!” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1991,
117; or Ensign, May 1991, 88).

I’M HERE STILL!

IT’S BEEN AWHILE, & I HAVE 4 REASONS WHY. & SINCE THE KIDS ARE BEING ENTERTAINED BY MK’S PARENTS, I THOUGHT I’D TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THHE EXTRA TYPING TIME 2 SHARE WHAT’S BEEN GOING ON:

1. I TRIED OUT A NEW MEDICINE, BUT IT MADE ME SO TIRED, THAT FOR 4 DAYS I COULDN’T EVEN DO THERAPY OR TYPE! (EVEN IF I’M SICK, I CAN TYPE A LITTLE!) MY “HELPER,” ANGIE, BRINGS HER BABY/TODDLER TO WORK (WHO I LOVE 2 BITS!), & I JUST LEANED BACK & LET HIM ENTERTAIN ME, WHILE ANGIE WORKED! LOL
2. I’VE BEEN RESEARCHING & TYPING A YW LESSON INSTEAD…I TEACH THIS SUNDAY, & THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION, SO I ENDED UP PLANNING 2 LESSONS!
3. I’VE BEEN ENJOYING SOME NEW-FOUND INDEPENDENCE, SO I AM ON THE COMPUTER LESS, DOING THESE THINGS:
• I CAN NOW FEED MYSELF MOST THINGS, WITH OR W/O UTENSILS (I PREFER MY HANDS, BUT I DID PRE-STROKE TOO!)
• I CAN USUALLY MOVE MY OWN BUTT RIGHT, BACK, OR 4WARD (I “STEER” W/MY HEAD)
• I DRY DISHES, CLEAN COUNTERS & DRAWERS, CLOSE CABINETS, & MOVE LIGHT-WEIGHT FURNITURE
• I PUT IN & TAKE OUT CDS, THUMBDRIVES, & MEMORY CARDS ON MY COMPUTER
• MY WORDS ARE GETTING SO CLEAR THAT OTHERS UNDERSTAND ME!
• SOMETIMES I CAN LIFT & MOVE MY LEGS RIGHT
• I’M GETTING STRONGER: IF LAYING (THOUGH IT CAN BE DIFFICULT), I CAN RAISE MY LEFT ARM OVER MY HEAD W/THE USE OF MY RIGHT ARM
• I CAN UNWRAP CERTAIN THINGS (LIKE THINGS TWISTED CLOSED, SEALED WITH A TYPE OF LIGHTER “FOIL”, ETC.)
• I CAN LEAN 4WARD & SCRATCH MY ANKLE,, ADJUST A SOCK, OR RETRIEVE THINGS THAT FELL & LANDED ON MY FOOTREST
4. I NEED 2 FIND MY NEW BALANCE! I OPENED UP A FACEBOOK (FB) & PINTREST ACCOUNT. I WAS WORRIED ABOUT HOW I’D SPEND MY TIME ON BOTH, KNOWING I MIGHT LIKE THEM, & SPEND TOO MUCH TIME ON THEM (INSTEAD OF DOING THINGS W/MY FAMILY), SO I AVOIDED JOINING FB & PINTREST. HOWEVER, IN TRYING 2 DO MY CHURCH CALLING BETTER (WHERE I TEACH TEENAGE GIRLS), & SO I COULD CONNECT BETTER W/EXTENDED FAMILY & MY TEENS, I FINALLY GAVE IN, & JOINED FB, & I DECIDED THAT IF I WAS GIVING IN TO ONE, I MIGHT AS WELL DO BOTH, & GET IT OVER WITH! LOL

THE 1ST FEW DAYS WERE BAD! LUCKILY, THOUGH, I HAD “PREPPED” BY READING A CHURCH ARTICLE, SO I WAS AWARE WHEN I WAS SPENDING WAY TOO LONG ON THERE, HAVING A BETTER RELATIONSHIP W/MY KEYBOARD. & I KNEW WHAT I NEEDED TO DO 2 FIGHT IT…THERE ARE SOME GREAT STROKE SUPPORT GROUPS ON FB, & I LOVED FEELING MORE INVOLVED IN THE LIVES OF FAMILY & FRIENDS, BUT BEING PART OF THEIR VIRTUAL LIVES, IS NOT THE SAME AS FACE-2-FACE, & I DO GET LONELY, EVEN THOUGH I’M “TALKING” 2 PEOPLE!

I REALIZED THAT AFTER I JOINED FB, I WAS HAVING A HARD TIME “SQUEEZING IN” ANYTHING SPIRITUAL INTO MY DAY, BUT I WAS MAKING ROOM 4 FB JUST FINE! SO, I MADE A NEW COMMITMENT THAT I WOULDN’T DO ANYTHING ON FB UNTIL I’VE READ THE SCRIPTURES OR THE CHURCH MAGAZINE, THE ENSIGN….& I’M JUST STUBBORN ENOUGH 2 DO IT, & 2 FORCE MYSELF 2 STAY COMMITTED! LOL

I GO THROUGH SPURTS READING MY SCRIPTURES, & AT 1ST, IT MOTIVATED ME ENOUGH 2 READ ANYTIME OF DAY (I USE READTHESCRIPTURES.COM, BECUZ THEY DAILY SEND YOUR SCRIPTURE READING FOR THE DAY, IN AN EMAIL, & I GO ONLINE, SO IT CAN BE ENLARGED, HIGHLIGHTED, & READ ALOUD). NOW, WHEN MY HUBBY TEACHES SEMINARY, I READ EVERY MORN., WHILE HE TEACHES.

BUT, I FELT GUILTY IF I READ MY SCRIPTURES FOR 15 MIN., & THEN SAID THAT I’M FREE TO SPEND HOURS ON FB! SO, I WANTED 2 TRY TO BE FAIR, & READ SOMETHING SPIRITUAL EVERYTIME, BEFORE I EVER GET ON FB. IT WAS EXHAUSTING, BUT WORKED WELL!

HOWEVER, I STILL CAN’T SEEM 2 FIND A GOOD BALANCE W/FB OR PINTREST—EITHER I’M ON TOO MUCH, OR I AVOID IT, SO I WILL ACCOMPLISH OTHER THINGS, & AM HARDLY EVER ON. LATELY, I PREFER 2 NOT BE ON, BECUZ I ACCOMPLISH LESS WHEN I’M ON, & I DID FINE W/O FB B4! PINTREST IS A BIT STICKIER, BECUZ I DO NOT BROWSE—JUST THE INITIAL SET-UP IS TIME-CONSUMING, BUT BOTH FB & PINTREST CAN EAT UP YOUR TIME!

I THINK THE KEY IS TO JUST DO THESE AS A “REWARD” OR SOMETHING, ALLOTTING THE TIME 4 OTHER THINGS THAT KEEP U BALANCED (& FOR ME, I NEED TO WORK ON MY SPIRITUAL SIDE, AS MUCH AS MY EMOTIONAL SIDE!)

MY NEW PBA MEDS

THIS SUMMER I SHARED HOW IN THE 1ST WEEKEND OF JUNE, I WAS ON A FAMILY VACATION IN PADRE ISLAND, TEXAS. DUE TO MY PBA (EMOTIONAL LIABILITY, WHICH MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL MY EMOTIONS), I DECIDED TO LEAVE A STORE ALONE. UNFORTUNATELY, I WENT OFF THE CURB & FELL OUT OF MY CHAIR, LANDING ON MY KNEES & FACE, IN THE PARKING LOT…I SAID THE FOLLOWING:

“IT IS A MIRACLE THAT SOMETHING THAT COULD’VE KILLED ME, ONLY ENDED UP W/A BROKEN NOSE (WHICH GAVE ME 2 BLACK EYES), & SOME CUTS ON MY FACE, KNEES, & 3 FINGERS ON MY RIGHT HAND! ONLY GOD COULD’VE PROTECTED ME SO WELL! SIMPLY AMAZING THAT MY TEETH ARE FINE, MY RIGHT HAND ISN’T BROKEN, I GOT NO STITCHES, & MY SKULL WASN’T CRUSHED! WHAT MERCY & LOVE I FEEL! “

IT WAS FOLLOWED BY THE MOST MIRACULOUS WEEK OF HEALING! (I WILL POST A SCRAPBOOK PAGE, CALLED “MY RECOVERY,” SHOWING THE HEALING PROCESS.) THE KNUCKLES ON MY RIGHT HAND ARE STILL HEALING & RED, & MAY BE THAT WAY FOR YEARS, BUT MY FACE LOOKS FINE. MY NOSE HASN’T QUITE HEALED, BUT THAT ALSO FEELS LIKE AN ODD BLESSING, BECAUSE THE WAY THE NOSE IS CROOKED, IS HELPING MY SPEECH!

AS I SAID LAST JUNE, “I’M AMAZED HOW GOD FINDS WAYS 2 TURN BAD SITUATIONS INTO GOOD. I KNOW HUNDREDS OF WAYS THAT MY STROKE HAS BEEN TURNED INTO A BLESSING. THIS WAS NO DIFFERENT: I HAVE WANTED A NEUROLGIST 4 QUITE SOMETIME (ODDLY, MOSTLY SO I MAY TRY THE NEW MEDS 4 PBA!), & THE HOSPITAL WE WENT TO WAS ONE OF THE FEW THAT SPECIALIZE IN STROKE NEUROLOGY. MY DR. WAS A HUGE PART IN SETTING UP THE STROKE UNIT. SHE GAVE ME A REFERRAL TO SEE A GUY NEARBY TO ADDRESS SOME THINGS THAT MAY BENEFIT ME IN THE LONG RUN.”

IN THE PAST I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO ATTEND MANY THINGS THAT ARE TOO EMOTIONAL. MY CHILDREN ANTICIPATE THAT I WILL CRY & EMBARRASS THEM AT ANY CHURCH OR SCHOOL FUNCTION WHERE I FEEL PRIDE, OR ANY OTHER EMOTION. SPIRITUAL THINGS, LIKE ATTENDING A BAPTISM, A FUNERAL, SHARING MY TESTIMONY AT CHURCH, OR GOING TO THE TEMPLE ARE EXTREMELY HARD. IN FACT, THERE ARE TIMES THE LOAD I HAVE TO BEAR FEELS TOO BIG, BUT AFTER A HEART-FELT PRAYER IT SOMEHOW BECOMES BEARABLE

LITTLE DID I KNOW WHAT A HUGE BLESSING THE NEUROLOGIST WOULD BE! HE GAVE ME MEDICINE FOR MY PBA (EMOTIONAL LIABILITY), WHICH IS ONE OF MY BIGGEST STRUGGLES! THE MEDICINE HAS CHANGED MY LIFE!
WITH THE HELP OF THE MEDICINE, I HAVE FELT HAPPIER, MORE RELAXED, & IT HAS HELPED MY MARRIAGE & FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS. & I HAVE NOT SHYED AWAY FROM ATTENDING EVENTS THAT ARE TOO EMOTIONAL—IN FACT, I RECENTLY ATTENDED THE LATTER-DAY SAINT (LDS/MORMON) TEMPLE 2 SUPPORT A MEMBER OF THE WARD (CONGREGATION). IT WAS SCARY ENOUGH THAT IT WAS IN THE TEMPLE, & 2 SUPPORT SOMEONE I KNEW, BUT I ALSO WAS ABLE TO DO MORE, THAT I HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO DO IN THE 8+ YEARS SINCE MY STROKE!

ONCE A YEAR, THE PRIMARY (3-12 YEARS OLD) SHARE WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED THROUGH WORDS & SONG. IT IS CALLED THE PRIMARY PROGRAM. SINCE I WAS THE PRIMARY CHORISTER AT THE TIME OF MY STROKE, THE PRIMARY SONGS HELPED ME THROUGH MY FIRST YEAR POST-STROKE, & THE PRIMARY PROGRAM HOLDS A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART. CONSEQUENTLY, I HAVE A SUPER HARD TIME ATTENDING THE PRIMARY PROGRAM EACH YEAR, SO I ATTEND THE PRACTICES IN ORDER TO “GET OUT” MY TEARS, & “NUMB” MYSELF. HOWEVER, THIS YEAR, SINCE I AM ON THE PBA MEDS, I DIDN’T GO TO THE PRACTICES.

THE PROGRAM WAS SUNDAY, & MY TISSUE STAYED DRY–THE CLOSEST I GOT 2 TEARS WAS WHEN THE PRIMARY PRESIDENT/LEADER SPOKE, & WHEN THEY SANG MY FAV. PRIMARY SONG (“I’M TRYING 2 BE LIKE JESUS”)…SO I DISTRACTED MYSELF, TRYING 2 REMEMBER THE ASL FOR THE SONG! I MADE IT THROUGH THE PROGRAM, THOUGH, W/O A TEAR!

MY SPEECH & MY YW CALLING

IT’S BEEN A CRAZY SUMMER, BUT THINGS ARE SLOWING DOWN A BIT.
II HAVE 2 TELL U HOW MUCH THE SPEECH PROGRAM, SENTENCE SHAPER, IS HELPING ME, EVEN THOUGH THE SUMMER HAS BEEN TOO CRAZY FOR ME 2 USE IT! WHAT IT HAS TAUGHT ME IS THAT MY WORDS RUN TOGETHER, MAKING ME SOUND LIKE THE TEACHER ON CHARLIE BROWN! BUT IF I SAY THE WORDS SLOWLY & SEPERATELY, LIKE I DO FOR SENTENCE SHAPER, I MAKE SENSE!
MY DAUGHTER, SOPHIA, CAN SOMETIMES FIGURE ME OUT WHEN I SPEAK FAST (AMAZING), BUT IF SHE CAN’T, SHE HAS ME BREAK IT UP WORD-4-WORD, LIKE IN SENTENCE SHAPER. IN FACT, THE OTHER DAY, SHE WAS IN HER CLOSET & COULD NOT SEE ME, BUT WE HELD A CONVERSATION. IT WENT LIKE THIS:
ME: HI
SOPH: HI! HOW ARE U?
ME: GOOD. (PAUSE) DO
SOPH: DO
ME: YOU
SOPH:YOU
ME: KNOW
SOPH: KNOW
ME: I(F)
SOPH: IF
ME: YOUR
SOPH: YOUR
ME: (P)IANO
SOPH: AGAIN? (SHE CAME OUT TO SEE MY LIPS)
ME: (P)IANO
SOPH: WHAT WAS THE 1ST LETTER?
ME: I SIGNED “P”
SOPH: OH! PIANO! SAY IT AGAIN?
ME: PIANO (PAUSE) TEA(CH)ER
SOPH: TEACHER
ME: I(S)
SOPH: IS
ME: LD(S)?
SOPH: LDS
THEN SOPH ANSWERED MY QUESTION.
AT THE END OF MAY, I STARTED HAVING “NO SIGNING DAYS”, & I CAN ONLY TALK FOR 6 HOURS DURING A DAY/TIME THAT I PICK. I HAVE QUITE A BIT OF ANXIETY, SO I HAVE HAD A TOUGH TIME, BUT OCCASSIONALLY, I AM “ANXIETY-FREE” & HAVE EMPLOYED THIS SAME TECHNIQUE WITH MY OTHER 2 KIDS, & HUSBAND. IT WORKS EVERYTIME!
SOMETIMES I LIKE NOT BEING UNDERSTOOD, BUT FEEL SATISFACTION SAYING IT (LOL)…BUT IF I WANT 2 BE UNDERSTOOD (& I WASN’T UNDERSTOOD), I SLOW IT DOWN, & TRY 2 PAUSE BETTER BETWEEN WORDS! (I LEARNED THAT FROM SENTENCE SHAPER)
IN OTHER NEWS, IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I’VE READ THE ARTICLE I PUBLISHED IN THE LDS (MORMON) CHURCH MAGAZINE, THE ENSIGN (SEPT. 2008, Primary Songs Blessed Me):
http://www.lds.org/liahona/2008/09/primary-songs-blessed-me?lang=eng&query=jennifer+lynn

HOWEVER, THERE WAS A PART THAT STOOD OUT 2 ME:
“We may not always understand why the Lord has given us a particular assignment. Even so, we must trust the Lord and put our faith in Him and His promptings. “

WHEN I WAS GIVEN THE ASSIGNMENT 2 TEACH THE YOUNG WOMEN (YW), I HAD NO CLUE HOW I’D DO IT—I COULDN’T TALK & I COULD BARELY MOVE, BUT IT WAS MADE CLEAR 2 ME THAT THIS WAS AN ASSIGNMENT FROM THE LORD. & I HAD THE FAITH THAT GOD WOULD FIND A WAY TO MAKE IT WORK….& HE DID!

I DON’T THINK I’VE EVER ATTEMMPTED 2 EXPLAIN HOW I TEACH THE YOUNG WOMEN (12-18 YEAR OLD GIRLS), ONCE A MONTH, BUT I WANT TO DO SO NOW:
GIRLS VOLUNTEER 2 BE MY TRANSLATOR THAT MONTH. THE TRANSLATOR SPEEAKS & ACTS 4 ME (WRITING ON THE BOARD, HANDING THINGS OUT, CALLING ON PEOPLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, CLARIFING WHAT I AM TRYING TO SAY, OR ADD INPUT TO THE LESSON AS WELL.)

SINCE I WAS A TEACHER PRIOR 2 MY STROKE, & SINCE AM “HYPER-ORGANIZED,” I HAVE A VERY DETAILED, COLOR-CODED LESON PLAN. (WHAT THE TRANSLATOR SAYS/DOES IS 1 COLOR, WHAT I SIGN IS ANOTHER COLOR, ETC.) I TYPE OUT WHAT I PLAN TO SAY, BUT IT CAN CHANGE, SO THE GIRL’S REALLY DO READ MY SIGN LANGUAGE!

HOWEVER, WE HAVE A PRACTICE THE WEEK B4, SO THEY ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE LESSON, WE CLEAR UP ANY QUESTIONS OF WHAT THEY’LL BE DOING, & THEY KNOW MY MESSAGE. I ALSO TRY TO LIMIT MY SIGNING BY:
• USING THE SPEAKING MACHINE ON MY IPAD (IT SITS IN MY LAP, W/SPEAKERS ATTACHED 2 MY CHAIR) TO ASK QUESTIONS
• I OFTEN HAVE A POWERPOINT OR A VISUAL ID THT “SPEAKS” 4 ME
• THE GIRLS READ A LOT FOR ME (STORIES, SCRIPTURES, & SOMETIMES THINGS ON THE POWERPOINT SLIDES)
• AS MY SPEECH IMPROVES, I TRY 2 USE MY VOICE MORE

MY DAUGHTER, JESS, TURNED 12 IN FEB. SHE READS MY ASL FAST & CAN HELP IF THERE IS THE NEED, & SHE IS A “BACK-UP TRANSLATOR,” BUT SHE HAS ONLY BEEN NEEDED ONCE AS MY TRANSLATOR!

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS ASSIGNMENT, & I AM LUCKY 2 WORK WITH THE GIRLS 1-ON-1, SO I GET 2 KNOW THEM! I AM SO GLAD THAT I ACCEPTTED THE ASSIGNMENT, EVEN THOUGH I HAD NO UNDERSTANDING OF HOW I WOULD ACCOMPLISH IT!