Thoughts from My Corner of the World
Weaker and Stronger I was trapped. I stretched my little hands as hard as I could, trying to swat at the ants swarming all over my face. My head was stuck on the other side of the headboard in the bed I shared with my sister Vickie. We were very young. I was a toddler,... Continue Reading →
In A Tale of Two Churches, Pt 2, I wrote about Zion Chapel, a church in Axtell, built in 1931 to be accessible for all disabled persons, decades before the ADA regulations of 1990. I thought this in itself was remarkable, and indeed it was. But then I learned something more today that expands on... Continue Reading →
Unexpected Changes Let's leave the 60s behind and fast forward to the year 2000, the start of a new century. So much had taken place in our family and in both of our lives in the decades leading up to this story. Those stories are waiting to be told. Here is a quick summary of... Continue Reading →
The Basement A little earlier this morning my sister called and asked what I was doing. I was reluctant to share that I was writing this piece for my blog, but then changed my mind. I flipped my phone camera towards my laptop to show her the photo of her baptism displayed on the screen.... Continue Reading →
Who Defines Normal? I am surprised in my study on disabilities by the prevailing claim that those who desire health, healing, and independence for their disabled loved ones just might be members of a cult of normalcy. Maybe you're familiar with this cult, or know friends who are trapped in it, and desire a way... Continue Reading →
Milking Time I pushed back my laptop so she could see the opened notebook and pen in my hand. “Ok, I'm ready. What is your first story?" "Barn." "Me watch dad milk cows!" It took me by surprise how easily she recounted an event from over sixty years ago. Clearly this was an enjoyable memory... Continue Reading →
"More book!" Her big smile greeted me on the FB screen early in the morning. She was so excited to tell me something, that I barely had time to say hello. "What's going on?" I asked, anticipating a tidbit of gossip about someone at the manor. "More book!" She said, grinning from ear to ear.... Continue Reading →
My phone rang early in the morning about a week or so ago. I knew it was a FB Portal call from my older sister who resides at a Manor in a small town in Nebraska. Around the beginning of the Covid pandemic the manor purchased a Facebook Portal for her room. This device is... Continue Reading →
Telling Stories. In my last post, A Worthy Life, I wrote about my desire to write my sister Vickie's story -- of her long life from a wheelchair. As soon as I uploaded to my blog, several questions began to swirl in my head. Who has the right to tell our stories?Do I have the... Continue Reading →
The subject of 'disability theology' came up a couple days ago in a FB group I'm in. I had not heard of that specific category of theology. I've done lots of thinking and reading on suffering, all within the category of theodicy—that space where we defend or reject God's role in the evil that plagues... Continue Reading →