A Funny Dude

I am taking a class on Disabilities in America.  It essentially discusses the disability civil rights movement that continues today.  It breaks down stereo types and social stigmas of people with disabilities.  My teacher himself has a disability and although I know it to be Cerebral Palsy, he never mentions it by name.  In fact, even when we are discussing the treatment of and social stigmas of people with disabilities he rarely talks about himself.  Which I find intriguing and admirable.  He does not want attention or pity, he wants to be an equal and that means to not draw attention to his disability and set himself apart.
   He showed a video of a comedian, Josh Blue, who has CP also.  Josh was on last comic standing a few years ago and simply hilarious.  A large portion of his comedy comes from his experiences with CP and how people treat him.  I think through his humor you can see a glimpse of how people with disabilities are made to feel by most of society.  They do not want our pity, they just want to be one of the guys (or girls).
  Youtube Josh Blue. You will crack up and will probably watch several of his routines.  I spent over an hour watching different videos of him on Youtube after class on Wednesday.

Silly Opher, Plans are for Kids

I had a discussion with a friend the other day about how when we were leaving high school we thought we had everything figured out.  We thought we knew how everything would go in college and had a plan for our lives.
HA HA
Well, at least on my part, I could not have been more wrong.  I thought that I would come to Toledo and be some hot shot Young Life leader.  I figured I would date some great girl that was also a YL leader and then get engaged my senior year and get married after I graduated.  I thought that things were going to go super smoothly and that I would be a popular guy amongst the YL community...

Well things did not go this way at all. 1.  I was placed as a wyld life leader (middle school lads) and this immediately deflated my big head.  Often times I have struggled to even get 5 or 6 kids to come to events.  But after 3 years of being a WL leader, I have developed some great friendships with a few guys.  And I now realize that it does not matter if I have 50 kids or 1, God is still going to shine his light through me and I would not trade the friendships I have gained for 50 kids or 1,000 kids.
2.  I am extremely single.  And other than a relationship my freshmen year, have not had much luck in that department.  Now, that makes my plan of being married in like 8 months or so very unlikely.  And I say to that, GOOD.  Gosh, what was I thinking when I made that plan.  Yes, I would not mind dating a great Jesus loving girl but at the same time I am comfy being single.  It allows me much more time and fewer distractions from the Lord.  One day I will find me a girl and I look forward to that, but for now, I enjoy being who God has made me to be, and Opher.  3.  I have found that life is not smooth and predictable.  I am getting close to graduation, (next December) and I have had to really think and pray about what God wants me to do.  This has been difficult but amazing.  I have made some decisions in the past few weeks and have committed mself to certain things for the next couple years at least.  Things are happening.  I have always known what area the God has put on my heart and what he has given me a passion for and I have been frustrated in the past by having to be patient for things to happen.  Well, things are happening now and it is very exciting.

So I say this, throw our your silly life plans and expectations and live life for today, live it for the Lord.  The rest will fall in place.
-Opher-

Like Brother Like Sister

   People often tell me that my little sis is very similar to me.  Now, I would never wish for anyone to be put in relation to me.  But her facebook status the other day was how she walked into a glass window thinking it was a door...  Now this has happened to her a few times and I have been blessed enough to witness one of the moments.  I say this because as clumsy as she is, I can match her pretty well.  The same day she walked into the window I fell TWICE walking to and from class.  Now, I slipped on ice but still.  And tonight I wiped out again while attempting to slide on ice in a parking lot.  I constantly fall up stairs and when I am hiking I seem to trip over every stick on the trail.  I also sprained my ankle playing basketball with junior high kids...
   So in that aspect my sister is similar to me.  Unfortunately for her people think we are alike in other ways.  They say we look alike, sorry sis.  She is just as awkward as I am as well.  So, yes, we are similar.  But, I just felt like sharing how the clumsy trait is passed down from brother to sister.  Oh, and if ou ever meet her/talk to her, call her either L'opher or Opherina, she loves it!

Food + People = memorable times

    Over the past few days I have had several meals with various people.  Thinking back on this has made me realize how much more a meal can mean to someone than just a time to eat.  Now, anyone who knows me that a key part of my inner "Opher" revolves around food.  And this is very true, I love my food.  But I find that I love the conversation and community that comes from meals and food more so than food itself.  The power of a meal is strong.
    Whenever I am having a serious conversation with someone it is often times over a meal.  Whenever I am catching up with a friend it is often times around a meal.  Meals are a center point of my social life.  I have good, tough, fun, bad, sad, and every other types of conversations around food.  In the past week I have had a very tough conversation, two casual and fun hangouts with food the focal point, another tough but loving conversation, a goofy and fun taco bell run with YL guys, and a hangout/catch up lunch with an old friend.  Now you may read that and think "WOW, he eats out a lot."  And yes I do, but I rarely eat out alone.  It is almost always with other people.  In fact I already have a lunch planned for tomorrow with a good friend of mine.  All these conversations are necessary, some more than others.  But through food we can share stories, laughter, love, anger, concerns, and what ever else we need.
   In fact, the idea of conversations around food is nothing new.  Read through the gospels in the Bible.  You will find that Jesus was often times inviting people to have a meal with him or he was providing a meal to show his love and compassion.  Even when it seemed he did not have the means to do so, he did so.  (The Feeding of the Five Thousand)  And this tradition has carried on.  And I carry this on.
   So, eat some food with people, let the conversations flow.  If you have a meal with me you will probably have an awkward but enjoyable time.  I believe you can learn a lot about who someone is by having a meal with them.  At least, I scare alot of people off at meals.  My awkwardness and odd sense of humor, oh and my lack of attention span and weird tendencies.  (My YL guys have pointed out that when eating tacos I alway break of pieces of the shell and eat them before I eat the taco.)
   Well, this was just a random thought of mine.  I hope it finds you well.  And if you do not eat food, have coffee with someone.  Does the same thing.
Peace out!!

Art+Opher = Certain Disaster.

This semester I am taking an art class.  Art for special education or something along those lines.  I am kind of excited but at the same time art and Opher do not mix...  As the prof was going over the syllabus and the class and such I was sitting there wondering how this will turn out for me.  You see, in 8th grade and 9th grade both I was kind of banned from the art room. (Was also banned from doing labs in chemistry in 11th grade...)  I got my credits because I eventually convinced the teacher to allow me to stay in the class.  

    Everyone who knows me knows that I get distracted very easily.  When given room to be creative, well I get creative.  And apparently my creativity is not appreciated much in the world of art.  Clay gets catapulted across the room, peoples portraits that I draw have a few extra details added and so on.  My attention span and lack of maturity in my sense of humor do not mix with art.  

  So, how this will turn out remains to be seen.  I like art, I really do, but it does not like me.  Thankfully the class involves art projects but is more geared towards adapting them to fit the special needs of students.  That I can handle.  Although our individual project entails us making a weaving or something like that.  And that will not end  well.  I mean when I did my Methods last spring and spent 125 hours teaching, the only negative thing my supervisor had to say was "my hand writing is extremely bad and my students will pick up on those habits."  So I had to practice hand writing, yes, literally I had to trace letters and learn how to write "correctly."  So, that goes to show that anything that is being transfered from my hand to paper will not come out very good.

   But when I began to create my masterpieces I will be certain to upload some pics.  And don't worry, no one will get any ears in the mail.

The Year of the Rabbit

   Just some quick thoughts here on the New Year and such.  First, I noticed a lot of people on facebook where making status similar to this, "2010 was a crappy year, lets hope 2011 is better!"  And I do realize that some people had very rough years.  Several friends of mine lost loved ones and that alone would be enough to make for a rough year.  But I also think it is what you make it.  Things are going to happen, some things will be worse than others.  I think it is important to realize that life is up and down.  We have to be mature enough to handle the hard times and not get to comfortable in the good times.  One friend of mine suffered a huge loss in her life but yet she stays positive.  No doubt was it a very tough year for her but she has decided to fight it and push on.  We all have that choice, and believe me, you will be much happier if you take stuff for what it is and just stay positive.

    Also, I am not big on New Year Resolutions.  I am normally not motivated enough to keep up with them.  But  I was reading in the gospel of Matthew recently and came across one of my favorite verses. 5:41 "If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles."  If we could live true to this verse just think how much better other peoples' years could be.  Its simple, go the extra mile, help people out.  If a friend is having a rough time be sure to do what you can to better that time.  I do not always do a good job of following Jesus' lead on this one but I do hope to better in this new year.  

    But I do hope you all have had a good start to your years.  I spent the first day of this year watching football and then took two of my old Wyld Life boys, Bobby and Quinn, to T-bell.  I love finding a reason to eat T-bell even if it means my car is going to get pelted with hot sauce packets...  But, I enjoyed the time and look forward to the rest of the year!!  After all, I graduate in 11 months!!!

Opher