Me too *smile*.

Brad
on 07:54 AM 8/11/2005, Sharon Hooley said:
Thanks, Brad.  I needed that.

Sharon
----- Original Message -----
From: "Brad D" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, August 10, 2005 10:01 PM
Subject: If you don't use it, you'll lose it


 > "But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who
delude
 > themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is
 > like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has
 > looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind
of
 > person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law
of
 > liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an
 > effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does." -- James
 > 1:22-25
 >
 > Years ago before I had need for Braille and other blindness skills, I
knew
 > I would eventually have need for them and so sought out a proper
training
 > facility. I had gone to visit a facility in my state, spent a week in
 > evaluation. I didn't really get much out of the first week, and
 > so   ignored the definition of insanity, that is, doing the same thing
 > over and expecting different results. I had stayed on an additional
week
 > to see if that facility had any warm and fuzzies to come out of it as
 > blindness training is concerned. It didn't. I then visited a facility
in a
 > neighboring state, one in which blind folks ran and taught along side
some
 > sighted teachers, and equality and motivation were a mainstay. I knew
this
 > was the place I needed. So I had tried to get my state to rehab me in
the
 > neighboring state as their facility was subordinate to the one I truly
 > felt would help me. After much talks with counselors, meeting with a
 > supervisor, meeting with the supervisor's supervisor to appeal and
finally
 > an administrative review. I did lose the battle and they would not help
me
 > rehab via this training facility which had a reputation of being "boot
 > camp" for blind folks. I was really jazzed about the idea of going
there
 > and so I left my wife and kids and took residency in the neighboring
state
 > to achieve this training. One thing that motivated me was during the
 > meeting with the counselor's supervisor's supervisor, he sat across
from
 > me and told me I didn't need Braille as I could yet read print.
Obviously
 > this man was a  few brain cells short to think I wouldn't eventually
need
 > Braille with my deteriorating retina disease. What stood out to me so
 > arrogantly, and motivated me all the more is he told me I didn't need
it
 > because "if you don't use it, you'll lose it". I very much despised
this
 > man because he was very arrogant and I was told he called himself "Rod,
 > the rehab god". Hmmm, I'd rather be me anyway. Despite my dislike for
him,
 > he spoke a principle that is very true and in which has motivated me to
 > keep up on  my Braille over the years even though I do not use it for
 > leisure reading, I do use it in my business and casual reading. The
 > principle of "if you don't use it,  you'll lose it" is not an idea
coined
 > or created by this man but can be seen in the above scripture. We're
told
 > that if we  only hear the Word, and do not use it or put it to
 > practical  daily use, we forget what kind of a man we are. In other
words
 > by simple daily application of the Word, the precepts are engrained in
us
 > so we have no choice but to know who we are in Christ. Can you think of
 > something you haven't done in years? Play an instrument, a song? Knit,
 > crochet, work out a mathematical equation? For me it is spelling. I use
to
 > be a great speller but spell checkers and the speech have spoiled me so
 > that I have need to actually think about how to spell certain words. I
 > also use to sit and play some finger picking songs on the guitar while
 > watching TV. I figured I'd never forget them because I played them over
 > and over and over and over and over while watching TV at night. Today I
 > can't even remember how they start. Back then I didn't even need to
think
 > about them while totally engrossed in a TV program while playing them.
I
 > can imagine this rehab person telling me that I don't need   the Word
 > because if I don't use it I'll lose it, and he'd be right. Along with
 > putting faith to work is continually seeking to learn more. The word
says
 > to gain knowledge, acquire wisdom and in the acquiring get
understanding.
 > We don't stop seeking, reading, learning and doing just because we
became
 > a Christian, at least I hope that is not the case. But we do run across
 > times in our life when we stagnate, become complacent in life, or too
 > busy. All of which is a poor excuse to forget the Word of God and in
truth
 > is all the more reason to dig deeper. This is something I have realized
 > recently in my own life and digging in, sure is refreshing and a breath
of
 > peace no Life Savor flavor can match in freshness. If you are finding
 > yourself to be too busy, too caught up in other activities, too
 > complacent, or just unmotivated, do yourself a favor and crack open the
 > Word, look up, ask God for a new fresh desire for his Word, mean it,
and
 > begin reading. You, and those around you will be glad you did.
 >
 > Brad
 >
 >