The Things People Ask Me. #IWEARABRACE

These are just a few of the common questions people ask me on a daily basis. After three years of some type of brace and six months of wearing the IDEO device, I'm pretty used to it now :)

THINGS PEOPLE ASK.

Did you kick someone? Can't even tell you how many older men have asked me this.

How much longer in that? A LONG TIME. :) 

What happened to your leg?

Excuse me, what is that on your leg?

You're still wearing that? YES. 

What branch of service were you in?

Did you twist your ankle? Honestly, does this look like I just twisted my ankle? 

Let me carry that for you. No it's okay, really I'm good! 

Do you need to sit down?

OUCH, that looks like it hurts.

What? You have to wear that forever?

Why is one shoe bigger than the other? Why do you think? 

You look like the bionic woman. Umm.. thanks I think? 

Is that a prosthetic?

Do you have a handicapped sticker?

Did you tear your ACL?   

Were you a soccer player?

Mommy, what happened to that girl? 

Are you okay? Yes...

Do you shower in that? Do you sleep in that? Can you get it wet? Do you have to wear it all the time? Do you wash it? Do you have to wear that sock?

Rollerderby accident? REALLY?

All in all, I really don't mind being asked these questions. I honestly like talking to people and am happy to share my story but sometimes I get a kick out of the questions people think to ask. I've learned in these last few years that people are very inquisitive and they mean well. My only advice is next time you see someone in a brace, wheelchair, whatever it is - just stop and think before you ask, because sometimes they just want to fit in too ;)

A Time for Everything.

The other day I drove by a building being demolished.  Now I realize this is something that happens quite frequently - buildings get torn down all the time.  But for some reason, seeing this building knocked down before me hit me hard.  I'd like to point out there was nothing particularly special about this building and being new to the town I couldn't even tell you what was there before - I just knew I had seen it.  However, seeing the rubble amongst the concrete and bulldozers tearing down everything that once stood tall, I thought to myself - This is life. When we are willing to let go of our plans, God can start His. 

God tears us down in order to rebuild us again. There is a season and a time for everything.  A time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh.  Life is full of moments as simple as this where when we truly take a look at our lives, we can see that God is at work.

Soon, where this rubble lay, a new structure will stand tall.  Just like the building, God takes our many pieces and molds us into the person He wants us to be.  Trust in His plan and take heart knowing there is a season for everything.  In order to grow, we must first be willing to let go of our plans and let God make his :)

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

(Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 ESV)

moms are awesome.

My mom is pretty special. This is a short shout out to my mom for standing by me through thick and thin and for loving me for all that I am. Thank you mom, for being you and for making me into the person I am today. You've watched all my soccer games, taken care of all my injuries (sorry...!), traveled the country with me in search for a solution for my ankle injury, and you never left my side. You always put others before yourself.

A mother is a person who, seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. — Tenneva Jordan

Take time to thank your mom this week. Moms are special :)

Storybook Called Life.

When I was a kid, my grandfather was a preacher
He'd talk about love, yeah he was something like a teacher
He said God only helps those
Who learn to help themselves
He was a million miles from a million dollars
But you can never spend his wealth

Pandora picked this song for me on Monday and I must have literally “YouTube’d” it more than 10x in the last week. It’s called Preacher by OneRepublic. I think there are some songs that speak to your heart and this is one of those to me. 

I had an epiphany and I think part of it came after replaying “Preacher” over and over throughout the past week :) All of a sudden it sunk in how much I have been through in the last three years and I started to get this feeling that I was invincible - like if I can go through all of this, there’s nothing I cannot do. I’ve literally been to the bottom and back again. And then it hit me… It’s not because of MY strength or personal fortitude that I made it through this – it’s because of God and HIS strength. I truly believe that God helps those who help themselves but it’s through trials that we grow stronger in our faith and relationship with Him – not by our own doing but by His. In our weakness He is strong. Adversity is a teacher and in going through trials you may not be able to see how much you are growing but looking back it’s amazing and truly a gift to see how far you’ve come and what you have learned about yourself and your faith along the way. I was literally beaming with joy thinking how much this experience has strengthened and developed my relationship with Christ and confidence to take whatever life throws at me, knowing He is in control.
 
As one of the verses says, “He was a million miles from a million dollars, but you can never spend his wealth.” – I may have been through some really difficult experiences but I can’t put a price on what I have learned in my walk during this time.  It’s the storybook called life.

I’ll leave with a quote that I came across this week:

"At any given moment, you have the power to say: This is not how the story is going to end." ~Christine Mason Miller

Never lose your faith and never give up. Let God write your story by staying in faith and following your heart. Things will happen in life but it’s up to you to decide how you will respond. We can’t always see how the story will end but we can stay in faith knowing who has the pen :)

you can learn a lot in one week.

1. Don't pick up 1-866 numbers, I promise it's not someone you know on the other line. When someone tells you that you've won a car - you did not win a car. There is no such thing as a free car.

2. People die at casino's all the time. Sadly enough, do not be surprised if you see someone have a heart attack playing the slots - EMT's are there on site and within 15 minutes someone new will be sitting at the same slot machine. If going to Vegas, brush up on your CPR skills so that you can help too.

3. If a cab driver tells you he has to take the back roads to get you to the airport and he hands you a slip of paper with his personal email address, get out. If something feels off, it probably is.

4. Do not make eye contact with homeless people. As much as you want to be nice to them, some of them are crazy. To that note, do not look back at someone who you know is staring at you. Just keep walking. They want you to look back - but don't show them that you are scared. If you run into the same crazy person again, RUN. If they then tell you they want to kill you- call the police.

6. If someone asks if they can try to heal you in the grocery store, politely smile and walk away quickly.

7. Pump your brakes when driving on the snow... do not hold the brake pedal down to stop.

8. Not all fire alarms sound the same. Just because it doesn't sound like the normal fire alarm - you should probably still evacuate!

9. Sometimes we just need to stop and be aware of how blessed we really are.

10. Trust that he'll lead you where he needs you :)

Laugh Often. Seek Joy. Have Faith.

Since receiving my IDEO brace in November, my life has changed dramatically. If I look at where I was this time two years ago, or even a year ago, you would notice a huge difference in the activities that I am able to do. I've gone from being able to barely walk around the grocery store to sprinting up bleachers during my lunch break. In every sense of the way, I've gotten my life back. I have learned so much from this experience (& still am) seeing the ways God has made me stronger for what I have been through.

One of the lessons I've come to learn is that no matter what you are facing you really have to find a way to laugh everyday. I am always thanking God for the gift of optimism and cheerfulness he put in my heart. I tend to see the glass as half full (not to say I'm 100% optimistic but I'm pretty close to that!) and it's very much a true blessing to see the world in this way. I think one of the keys to staying so positive is making sure that you laugh everyday. Even during the hard times in life, when things don't seem to be going your way, you have to stay in faith and find something good in everyday.

Look at life with an open heart and ask God to show you how to help others around you so together we can live in Christ's joy and strength. Just as there are ways to make a difference in the world by helping others, there are ways to bring happiness by spreading your smile. Help people to laugh and you will laugh too. Seek joy in trying circumstances and never lose your faith. When you start to see the humor God puts on your daily path, you will know what I mean :)

"For I know the plans I have for you" declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11

Notes to Self from January

1.) Don't try to adjust your seat while driving your car down a hill.

2.) Don't tell someone you like their shirt because it looks like the color of the wall they are sitting next to. Not everyone appreciates the simple things like this :)

3.) If someone asks you to help them jump their car, make sure you know what you are doing before you say yes. 

4.) Espresso is not spelled expresso...

5.) Don't attempt to open the windows in your kitchen during windy weather, your napkins will go flying out the window.

6.) Don't carry your house key in your hand while you are running. If you trip and lose it, that's your only way back in. Better yet, leave a spare key somewhere.

7.) Don't hold your sunglasses in your hand while you are shopping, you might accidentally set them down somewhere and have to travel back to the stores looking for them...

8.) Don't paint your nails before you decide to wash dishes.

9.) When jumping on a trolley, make sure you remember where you got on...

10.) Pink pens make work more fun.

Thanks, Steve.

"Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary." - Steve Jobs

If I'm truly honest, I really don't know much about ol' Steve (other than my direct association with him and Apple) but when I read this quote by him earlier in the week, I decided to take a closer look. I love this message because it inspires us to have the courage to figure out what we want out of life and to chase after it. Steve was a man of many talents but he listened to his heart and went after his passions to make a difference in the world.

I reflected on these simple words of wisdom this week and began thinking about what it is that I feel called to do with my life. If you know me, this is something I've been reflecting on a lot lately. Whether that's because I'm a quarter century old now and older people tend to reflect more... I don't know :) However, for as long as I can remember, I have always loved helping people; it's a true passion. I love making people smile and laugh. I feel good when other people feel good. I love helping people see themselves in a better light and I like making others around me better. I like sending cards of encouragement and I love random acts of kindess :) So while, at 25, I still may be trying to figure out where my true passion lies in life and what I'm called to do... I think it's safe to say I'm heading in the right direction. Recently, as my life was completely changed by my IDEO leg brace, I've felt a special calling to use this experience to help others. It's completely changed my life and meant so much to me that I want to do something to give back and help other people with what I've been through. Who knows where the path will lead, but I'm going to stay open and keep listening to my heart - knowing God is directing my steps. Maybe sometime this week, take time to think about what it is you feel called to do. What is in your heart? Sometimes, just realizing where your natural talents lie can help you to see the innate gifts God has blessed you with and then you may begin to see how you can use those gifts to help others.

So, thanks Steve. I appreciate your words of wisdom. Life is an interesting journey; may we always find the time to be still enough to hear God's voice in our life and in our heart, and may we have the courage to go after it.