JUST IN PASSING...

If your prayers are not being answered, there are those who might suggest the possibility that you are beseeching the wrong deity.  They might also say that you are making your supplications in an inappropriate fashion.  Personally, I do not think that there is a wrong way to pray.  There is a wrong way to wish for things, however.  Sincere wishes, expressed in a spiritual way and given over to God's universe, are similar to the act of praying and have every possibility of being granted.  If that possibility makes you feel uncomfortable, you may be well advised to wish (or pray) for something else.

I like what someone said about addictions the other day...We all have them, right?  We might readily allude to the "little" addictions in our life, but some are not quite so little.  We might think, "I'm fond of my coffee in the morning."  But on that odd morning when we run out of coffee, we realize that we are more than fond of it, in fact we are hooked on it.  My friend suggested that situations like that can present opportunities for us.  "It is just when we realize just how reliant we have become on something that we are blessed with the greatest chance to learn how to overcome that dependency."  Certainly, we do not need to feel trapped by anything in life, but if I'm going to be "hooked" on something I'll take coffee every time.

Vote for Madison Brennan - Harrow, ON in the 2013 National Mobility Awareness Month "Local Hero" contest!

NOTE FROM DICK: I am supporting highly-deserving teenager Madison Brennan in conjunction with a National Mobility Awareness Month initiative. Madison is the granddaughter of a friend, Robbie Davis of Southampton, and the daughter of Jay and Carol Brennan of Harrow, ON. A vote for Madison could help her win a 2013 wheelchair accessible vehicle. Just look for her (*Enter to Win...Find A Local Hero) on the National Mobility Awareness Month web site at www.nmeda.com. You can also Google "Madison Brennen, Harrow, ON." to gain access to the voting site.

MADISON BRENNAN

Madison is a bright, sociable, enthusiastic 17-year-old girl. She has overcome and surpassed countless obstacles in her life. She was born at 24 weeks, weighing only 1lb 10oz and was given only a10% chance of living. She is profoundly deaf and has Cerebral Palsy which has completely confined her to a wheelchair and is unable to move independently. She has faced many adversities but still has the most contagious smile and laugh you have ever seen or heard. She struggles with the day to day things in life that we take for granted and at the same time you’re inspired by her strength and persistence. Madison enriches the lives of everyone she meets, but as she gets older and bigger she is having increased health issues such as severe chronic tone pain for which she receives regular injections to control the pain and is only comfortable using her electric wheelchair.

Even though she tries to look beyond her disabilities and fit in, she still feels the frustration of her limitations regularly. Now only being able to feel comfortable in her electric chair she is limited even further because school and home are the only places she can go in her electric wheelchair. This vehicle would enrich Madison’s life tremendously. It would help her be able to live a productive life. She would be able to go places like the mall with her friends and out in the community to dances and other events and even to doctor’s appointments in comfort. It would also give her back some of her independence and freedom and help her live her life to the fullest and enable her to continue to inspire and enrich everyone she meets.

Gramma Robbie thanks you in advance for supporting Madison with your vote...I do too!  Note also that you can vote for Madison every day until the contest closes.

YOU COULD HELP SAVE A LIFE

During a BBQ, a woman stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) ...she said she had just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes.

They got her cleaned up and gave her a new plate of food. While she appeared a bit shaken up, Jane went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening.

Jane's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00 PM Jane passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Jane would be with us today. Some don't die. They end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead.

It only takes a minute to read this.

A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within THREE hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within THREE hours, which is tough.

Thank God for the sense to remember the "Three Steps", STR. Read and Learn!

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.

Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

S *Ask the individual to SMILE.

T *Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently)
(i.e. Chicken Soup)

R *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call emergency number immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.  NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out their tongue. If the tongue is crooked', if it goes to one side or the other, that is also an indication of a stroke.

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this message sends it to 10 people; you can bet that at least one life will be saved.

I WAS JUST SITTING HERE WONDERING...

...When the hell is spring coming?