Meet Spencer West an amazingyoung man with a great walk

Separated from the pelvis Spencer used hands as feet.

I came across a story today that that really impressed me, reported on the net today A 31-year-old man from Toronto with no legs has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro this past week. His name is Spencer West, and he was raising about $500,000.00 for charity to help kids in Africa with education and clean water for Africa. Mt. Kilimanjaro is the tallest mountain in Africa. As a young man I remember Reading Earnest Hemingway's collection of short stories. When I lived and served as a missionary, educator who also helped set up a medical clinic my adventures were in the jungles of West Africa. I never made it to east Africa and to  the Mountain. I visited his face book page and his photo journal of his exciting walk.

Spencer is showing his determination as he faces a new day

It took him seven days to reach the summit with the support of his two friends and guide and team of climbers. He used his wheel chair 20% of the time and walked on his hands 80% of the time. They started in the savanna and ended up on the snow capped peaks. You can track his journey at http://www.freethechildren.com/redefinepossible/2012/06/thank-you-from-africa.php His training and fitness is outstanding. I was impressed with his friends, they carried his chair and were with him as he walked. The guides and porters played their part to make sure it happens. What he did was amazing but the wisdom of others played a big part in making it happen.
I have cerebral palsy and if I thought I could raise money to help with education, medicine, making people lives better I be tempted. I can remember walking in 20 mile walks with little sponsorship. As I recall a couple of dollars. Helping those less fortunate I have done all my life. 
Jesus once said "there will always be the poor," And there will always be a problem in Africa. I know it sounds like I have given up. But I haven't. Lately, I have been focused on abuse and helping those recover from that. Everywhere we look there are problems. But in our efforts there is one here and another there who finds help and lives a better life.

Loosing legs at pelvic bone how easy o give up

When I think back on my service in Liberia, did it do any good? I know people we helped with their suffering. I know kids were given a year of education with care. I know I shared the gospel freely and there were those young and old who trusted the Savior.  I know I wrestled a local bully and prevented harm to one of the young girls serving with us. I know I mentored four young men who survived the war and used the intelligence and talents I saw in them. I am proud of my service as a 20 something, I served the King of Kings and we gave everything we had into the work. For me it was a substitute for not being able to sere my country. I actually only had a dollar in my pocket when I returned home. St. Joe's hospital welcomed me back to work and Silver Cross welcomed back Barb and our family was cared for.

You it just easy

Hundreds were treated medically, hundreds were cared for spiritually. Daily we cared for about 50 children in our school and provided a meal for them. School was free and in the clinic we charged 25 cents. No body was turned down, but I believe all came up with the fee.With their 25 cents we paid for all their medicine. Most people suffered from one of five common tropical diseases. #1 on the list even today is Malaria. Spencer wanting clean water which is right up this ally. I got malaria and it is no Small thing. Think of your worse flu, malaria is worse. To top it off it is still in my marrow waiting for round two. My GP has treated tropical diseases and he know my problem. We helped hundreds but soon a bloody civil way would ripped through the fabric of our work leaving easily a half a million dead.
I am impressed with Mr. West determination and skill sets and his friends they mean everything. Walking for him is walking in a chair and at times on his hands. He uses his experiences to motivate people to rethink possible in their lives and be a world changer.

Excellent

Can walking change our lives? Can we move from poor health to good health? Can we lead more active lives as we age and be able to do more things we may want because we get up and move? Because I am walking, will I be able to move around and live one or two years longer than if I don't walk. Can I choose to lose weight and move from obese to overweight, from overweight to within range of a healthy weight. As we get lighter we are gaining more time to walk and move. Is it worth a couple of more years to be independent and active with family and friends. Is it worth decreasing our joint pain? Is it worth improving our fight with heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Walking is one think that helps us to renew our health and turn back the clock a few years.
On a private note personally I a grieving a loss of a friend. Grieving is a hard emotion. I know I don't like it but it will be with for now for a little while. My experience with losses is they never really go away. Tonight weep with those who weep. Keep walking 

Baseball and life

Planetarium that my father made at work on top of JT the
High School I work at

Baseball a wonderful game for just about every rule is created because of the All American Ideal of lets win by getting the advantage over our opponent. Some may call it cheating, but I think it is based on I don't like losing and will be imaginative in inventing news ways to get the edge. When some one does get the edge new rules are made to an ever increasing rule book. And if you don't know the rules, heaven help you. But in truth everybody who loves the game does.
Baseball like know other game creates geniuses. All other sports are over coached and people try it in baseball but it doesn't work. That little ball will always give a bad team at least a 40% chance of winning.
Baseball is the closest sport to life. We want to be 100% sure, but that will never happen. A good hitter hits 300 or better. They also may walk 2 out 10 times to the plate. That means they get on base 50% of the time not counting getting on by errors. As good as they are though they still make outs 50%, 60%% or more. As they age they will make more outs, so at the end all made more outs than on base. Good player hit 270 and many have made a career hitting 220.

Walking around the park

Nobody on this planet would do all they can to be healthier, live longer, cheat death, we all hate losing. Baseball is a wonderful game.
I know we all like an honest game but he nature of baseball is to bend the rules and try to see it in new ways. Competing we try to win and that is how a game is played. Baseball watches with a fine tooth comb. In health there are guidelines just like in the Bible there are principles. But our battle against sickness and the like requires our paying attention to life's stats. Our desire to get an edge isn't bad. But we have to know our limits and our need of faith. Even the best we get 120 years or so one must be ready for eternity. Putting your faith in the one who came back fom death is playing smart.
Barb and I went to Silver Cross Field to watch our Joliet Slammers. Before the game we walked abound the park a couple of time and once during the game to take pictures and enjoy a beautiful night. We got to see a 5 run comeback and good baseball played by talented young players. Minor league fill the park with noise, but they don't let people get into the game itself. Have you ever listened to people responding to good play? It has its' own sound. "Popcorn and peanuts" aren't bad either. Keep walking


Joliet used to be known for the steel mills. I saw this picture
with the sun's reflection so we went for a stroll

Sometimes pictures are seen right away. The one below was easy to take. I loved the golden color on the building and the sun shining off of our gentlemen watching the game. Enjoying life could be just a mile away.
Ken and Linda I am thinking of you.

Thinking thin

OK I am not thin,but I am thinking it

Since I am not a thin person and haven't been for a long time I ran across a video by Dr. Oz who is a thin person and he gave the following 7 habits.

7 habits of thin people

Exercise in the morning *
Smaller meals in the day (not three but more) *
Eat slower *
Eat breakfast
Monitors of their health – journal
Fitness hobbies
Drink water – generous amount

The first three I do not do on a regular basis. I just read though that exercising when you can is what counts. I have always eaten to fast and I know if you eat slower it gives your brain time to tell you your stomach is full. Smaller meals would work and I have improved on portion size. Is there more to the idea of early work or exercise gives a better lifestyle to be thin? So 6 of the points I have accounted for. Can I learn to eat slower? In the last five years Barb and I have traded fat for taste. Could enjoying what I eat change the focus of food to taste rather than amount. Learning to think in moderation and be thankful (enjoy what is eaten and with whom) may be what thinner people do?
From Cooper Aerobics comes  reminder to stay hydrated this summer. While water can come from coffee, tea, soft drinks and food, water remains the best source to keep hydrated. Water 8-12 oz. can immediately improve our blood circulation. This helps our heart, brain, digestion and everything else. Water can improve our skin. Drinking water when you are hungry can help you eat healthier portions. Water can energize you around 2 in the afternoon. Drinking, eating (food has water) 8 glasses a day. Read the article yourself http://cooperaerobics.wordpress.com/2012/06/20/stay-hydrated-this-summer/ .
I was out today for a walk chasing home run balls in the cornfield at my son's game and was reminded how much we sweat on hot days. Drinking  water helps you to stay in an activity healthful. Indoor walking is also great on these days. My aerobic walk today was indoors and a upper body workout.
Today I am thinking thin. Keep walking

Time to raise the bar, joined todayiwill.com

Good idea from todayiwill.com

My walking has grown in confidence with the orthopedic brace. I have been walking 40 minutes in the last week at an aerobic pace with two minute worm ups and cool downs. I saw this idea to do push ups that are doable and give us an upper body work out. We did this at two benches where I did a set of 10 at each bench and Barb did 7 and 5. Barb thought next time she could do 5 at each bench that is 6 benches to work with. How close your feet are and angle adds intensity. Barb showed good form.I was impressed. The two sets of 10 I did added to the intensity of the walk. We may bring some bands with us to get a gym type workout. Next time we will photo our workout as we walk. If we could have 2 band workouts and full body workouts with our walk we would benefit from cross training to help the heart and muscles and bones. Both of us felt good after our walk.
Signed up for the http://todayiwill.com/ program for support and ideas on my weigh loss and fitness goals. Walking the last few weeks has energized me to re look at what I can do to improve in weight loss and fitness. It s run by the cooper aerobic center and has lots of tools and support. Great info, many examples of people like us getting fitter and living better. Easy to sign up and there is something we can do everyday that can make a difference. Barb and I doing push ups, that's something. Hooking up with positive people going the right direction, Pretty cool.
Tonight's walk was hot and sweaty. My body really likes it, it feels good to be loose and strong. Chilled down with cool water and green tea.
Gina Kolata on exercise in the New York Times people are motivated to exercise not be cause of improved heart, blood sugar, or a stronger immune system to fight of cancer. People are motivated for how exercise makes them feel afterwords. A runners high, a strong flexible body, confident. I can tell you I get it. Afterwards muscles worked I feel strong, I feel blood pumped through the arteries that they are cleaner, Oxygen gets to all parts of my body and mind an I feel alive. More inclined to make love and work around the house. Energized yes. Feels great. By the way I am helping against heart disease, diabetes and Cancer. Why do I do it, my Greek friends help me here...OPA! YEAH! LIVE! Keep walking

Happy Father's Day walkers

One of the descriptions of God in Psalms 68: 5a is "a father to the fatherless." Moving through Facebook tonight there were many people I know who remembered  their fathers who passed on. Some spent time with their dads who are still with us. Joe Stowell wrote of his own parenting as, "They craved my time and attention, the provision for basic needs, a love that patiently forgave, and the creation of a safe place for them to grow and mature. It’s a short but very profound list of fatherly duties." It was those things that mattered to his kids. Dads love their kids and provide a safe place for everybody in the family to grow and mature. If we learn to forgive and be gentle and encourage our kids that maybe as good as it gets. Dads come in all shapes and sizes and they are as different from one another as well. Our armor may not be shinny and may have more than a few dents. Perfect no but from what I read most dads were there when it counted.
So happy father's day. I have wrote about Jack, Gordon, Bob, and my own dad, it seems me we see more flaws in our fathers than mothers.  Like George Bailey we often say what is on our hearts late in the game. "Pop, you want a shock? I think you're a great guy. Oh, did you hear that, Annie?" "I heard it.  About time one of you lunkheads said it." In the Field of Dreams what is endearing is a do over to play catch. In Frequency with Dennis Quaid and Jim Caviezel, father and son get to talk in time. Do overs sometimes never happen. For me I take what I have learned and move on to be a dad now. I am secretly in disguise as a grandfather. Most dads arn't Robert Young from Father Knows Best. If you can tell your pop, you want a shock...
I know Father's Day is hard as well. There could be alot of reasons, whether dad is gone or never was there it is good to know we have a father in heaven who loves us and cares. He hears us and provides. He is there and He is not silent as Francis Shaeffer wrote many years ago. Joe Stowell writes, "I find it both fascinating and instructive that when God wanted us to know what He is like, He chose to emphasize His fatherhood...According to Jesus’ prayer, we know that our Father in heaven is available and attentive to us. It is also clear that He provides for us. He forgives us and protects us from evil. http://odb.org/ If parents were less than ideal read this post by Wayne Styles http://www.waynestiles.com/dysfunctional-greeting-cards/#more-288
Why is it s hard to buy a father's day gift, actually it is easy - Father's day gift, take Dad on a walk and tell him, you want a shock...beats socks or underwear anyday.  keep waking

In a moment, thank God for His protection

My beautiful daughter with her kids

Today was like any normal summer day. Pretty hot outside so a walk in the twilight was in order. The breeze picked up and it look like it would be great for a two mile walk. We were delivering somethings over to Becki's place and we knew something was up.
We got a call, thank God for cell phones. Becki, Donavon and Kendall were in a car accident. Their truck was totalled. Had they gone a few more feet into the intersection there may have been some serious injury. In a moment how quickly things can happen.
You know being a grandparent is OK for day to day operations but when something happens the parent thing kicks in. Believe me, I like being a grandparent. But every one knows grandma is still a mom and grandpa is still a father. Holding our breathe Barb and I checked things out and talked it over with Becki. She once again a very strong person. I am really proud of the woman she has become. Donovan saw to his sister's safety and he impresses me when it is crunch time.
Becki and the kids give so much as part of our family. They are things money can't buy. They along with Billy's family and my sister and aunts are my retirement life. I'll travel but family for me is my Florida or Arizona. Tonight as I collect my thoughts, I am a lucky man. But maybe more than that, tonight I am thankful for God's protection and care. I know all the grand kids pick on me, even little Liam, but I wouldn't trade them for the world. Maybe a couple of beach front properties...LOL. We get tested, keep walking

Someday is today



I had a nice view of an oriole that looked a lot like this one.

When you are walking it is often hard to photo a particular bird you see. It is impossible when you don't have your camera with you. We went for a walk about 8:00 PM and about a mile into the walk we saw a distinct colors of an oriole. Barb has see them this year but "dead eyed Reeves finally saw one last night. We followed the bird with our eyes moving in the branches until the oriole finally moved out of sight. The opportunity gave me  Chance to catch my breath and begin again our aerobic walk. The sunset was brilliant and there were places where the light highlighted some wild roses in perfect bloom. Ann Cassidy in her insightful blog, The Walker in the Suburbs writes about the little creatures we see. Walking I think you notice more.
Sometimes we get into the thought of someday. Someday I am going to live in the mountains, someday I am going to live in Florida, Some day I am going to live in the woods. The problem is we could live all of our lives in someday. What ever that some day is for you, don't forget today. One of the blessings I have found is trails ear by that I could walk that every day I can enjoy the familiar. Walkers in all shapes and sizes, trees, marshes, ponds, creeks that give a setting I am familiar with. Each day there are new things to see, flowers, animals, birds, new walkers, shapes and sizes. The way the sun filters through the grasslands or trees, shades and reflective light. and orioles usually first seen by Barb, who then tries to help "dead eye" locate the wonder of it. I tend to focus on the aerobics. Ah someday...but today can be cool too. "This is the day that the Lord had made" Keep walking