You guys have no idea how freakin' tired I am of hearing that. I've been hearing that ever since I became a Christian. What an insensitive thing to say to a person with a disability.
I mean, I know God can heal me, but I also know that He can choose not to if it will bring Him greater glory. Just because I have a disability is not reason to assume that I do not have faith or am a weak Christian --correlation does not always equal causation.
What about Paul's "thorn in the flesh"? He pleaded with God to take it away, but God didn't. Does that mean that Paul didn't have faith? No, it means that God chose not to remove it --to keep Paul humble,
Man, am I sick of hearing that speech. That, and the people that say "Oh bless your heart!" when they hear of my disability. What the heck, people? Way to be patronizing! Yes, I have a disability, but that's no reason for you to treat me that way. I want to be treated the same as everyone else and should be treated that way.
Yes, I do have more difficulties than "able-bodied" people, but whatever. God can do what He wants --He made me the way I am for a reason --and if it can bring Him glory and bring people to Him, then so be it.
- Mood:A bit ranty
I've spent so much time worrying about things I have no control over. So many "what ifs." What if I don't find a job? What if Pebbles has to retire? What if the surgery doesn't go well and she has to be put down? And so on.
Today I really felt God asking me --"If these things do happen, will you trust Me? Will you still follow Me?" It convicted me.
I have spent so much time worrying about the "what ifs" that I forgot that, even if those things do happen, God is still God --He is still on His throne and is still worthy of worship. Even in the midst of suffering and all the crap that happens in life. God doesn't make mistakes or let us down --everything that happens is for our own good and for His glory.
I've been so wrapped up in myself that I completely forgot that. So now I am going to try and see what God is teaching me through the things that are going on --what He wants me to understand and grow in. Hindrance and suffering is really a help in life.
- Mood:
optimistic
Turns out the Craigs List car that I sent money for and the third party (Business.com) agency we were doing business through was a cleverly disguised scam. I think somebody was using the Business.com logo and related things to make it look all okay.
So now I am out $2,490 and will get no car. I was really depending on getting this car. I've saved for months and now I have nothing to show for it.
Expensive mistake. It all looked so legit. I was so excited about finally having a vehicle after walking everywhere for 4 1/2 years that I've been in college. I'm graduating in May and I need a vehicle to get to work --I was looking forward to being able to go to the grocery store and not having to not get things because I had to carry them back home. I was looking forward to finally being able to go to the doctor (the doctors that take Medicaid are in other towns).
I called UPD and an officer is coming by on Tuesday morning to get copies of all the emails/the invoice/the listing to use for a report. I also sent an email to Business.com themselves and sent a copy of the invoice to make them aware that someone is using their logo. I pray that this all works out somehow
So now I am out $2,490 and will get no car. I was really depending on getting this car. I've saved for months and now I have nothing to show for it.
Expensive mistake. It all looked so legit. I was so excited about finally having a vehicle after walking everywhere for 4 1/2 years that I've been in college. I'm graduating in May and I need a vehicle to get to work --I was looking forward to being able to go to the grocery store and not having to not get things because I had to carry them back home. I was looking forward to finally being able to go to the doctor (the doctors that take Medicaid are in other towns).
I called UPD and an officer is coming by on Tuesday morning to get copies of all the emails/the invoice/the listing to use for a report. I also sent an email to Business.com themselves and sent a copy of the invoice to make them aware that someone is using their logo. I pray that this all works out somehow
- Mood:
pissed off
Hi everyone! I just got a new computer from DAR asks. Included with this new computer is dragging NaturallySpeaking software. I am enjoying it, but there seem to be some problems. It's obviously misunderstanding/misinterp
This is a little experiment to see if I can write a note speaking and have the software gets it mostly right.
I think the software's doom pretty good, don't you?
Let me try to read a Bible verse. This is one that has really been encouraging me lately.
Psalm 103 versus one through five
Bless the Lord of my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name lest the Lord of my soul and forget none of its benefits departments all your iniquities who heals all your diseases who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with loving kindness and compassion who satisfies your years to get things set your youth is renewed like the eagle
Psalm 2 the Lord is my light and my salvat whom shall I f the Lord is the defense of my l whom shall I let you will do worse came upon me to devour my fl my adversaries and my enemies they stumbled and f the hosting camp against me my heart will not f Filmore rise against inside this I shall be confi looking I have asked from the Lord that I shall than we do on the house of the Lord all the days of my l to behold the beauty of the Lord and meditate in his tem or the day of trouble he will conceal me in his taberna is your place of his tent he will hike he will lift me up on a and now my head will be lifted above my enemies aroun now offer in his 10 sacrifices who shouts of Allah saying yes I will sing praises to the L hero Lord when I cry with my voice and be gracious to me and answer me set my face my heart said to you your face the Lord shall seek to not hide your face from me to not turn your server and weighing an event that might h do not abandon me more for safety of God of my salvat for my father and my mother have her sickened that the Lord will take m teaching your way to Lord lead me in a level path because of my f to not deliver me over to the desire of my adversar for false witnesses have risen against it such as read-out viol I would've despaired unless I believed I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the liv before the L be strong and let your heart take courage yes wait for the Lord ord ing ence me ies oes e up me ion elp chor me ord joy d me up rock me cle ple ife see dent me ear ell esh dr? ead ife ear ion 7
Well, the software still needs a bit of work. I have no idea what it was doing th or why it keeps randomly splicing my paragraphs to pieces er seri XML can help me get the software to work correc I will love you forever tly ou, sly I need to write papers wit obviously if you write papers like this I will fail ale say a h it please somebody h. elp I think this softw is going crazy are e
This is a little experiment to see if I can write a note speaking and have the software gets it mostly right.
I think the software's doom pretty good, don't you?
Let me try to read a Bible verse. This is one that has really been encouraging me lately.
Psalm 103 versus one through five
Bless the Lord of my soul and all that is within me bless his holy name lest the Lord of my soul and forget none of its benefits departments all your iniquities who heals all your diseases who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with loving kindness and compassion who satisfies your years to get things set your youth is renewed like the eagle
Psalm 2 the Lord is my light and my salvat whom shall I f the Lord is the defense of my l whom shall I let you will do worse came upon me to devour my fl my adversaries and my enemies they stumbled and f the hosting camp against me my heart will not f Filmore rise against inside this I shall be confi looking I have asked from the Lord that I shall than we do on the house of the Lord all the days of my l to behold the beauty of the Lord and meditate in his tem or the day of trouble he will conceal me in his taberna is your place of his tent he will hike he will lift me up on a and now my head will be lifted above my enemies aroun now offer in his 10 sacrifices who shouts of Allah saying yes I will sing praises to the L hero Lord when I cry with my voice and be gracious to me and answer me set my face my heart said to you your face the Lord shall seek to not hide your face from me to not turn your server and weighing an event that might h do not abandon me more for safety of God of my salvat for my father and my mother have her sickened that the Lord will take m teaching your way to Lord lead me in a level path because of my f to not deliver me over to the desire of my adversar for false witnesses have risen against it such as read-out viol I would've despaired unless I believed I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the liv before the L be strong and let your heart take courage yes wait for the Lord ord ing ence me ies oes e up me ion elp chor me ord joy d me up rock me cle ple ife see dent me ear ell esh dr? ead ife ear ion 7
Well, the software still needs a bit of work. I have no idea what it was doing th or why it keeps randomly splicing my paragraphs to pieces er seri XML can help me get the software to work correc I will love you forever tly ou, sly I need to write papers wit obviously if you write papers like this I will fail ale say a h it please somebody h. elp I think this softw is going crazy are e
- Mood: amused
www.assistancedogsinternational.org/vide
I'm on their website to order a new ADI Guide to Assistance Dog Laws. We're required to carry it in our dogs' pack at all times --and I've had mine for almost 2 years --since I got Pebbles. It's pretty worn out, it's been rained on (Pebbles didn't have a raincoat at the time --it rained buckets suddenly), and the cover has fallen off. Thankfully, we've only had to use it 2 or 3 times in businesses.
Most people are great about knowing the law and not giving us any trouble. I've had to use the law book to explain Texas law about service animals in the following places: Taco Bell here in town (but the manager came out and told the girl who was telling us to leave that we were allowed there) and Wing Stop in Houston (asked for a glass of water at the counter and was told I could not bring my "pet" in the restaurant--but she still gave me the water and let us go--so hopefully she is now more educated.
It's a handy thing to have. Never know when you may encounter an access challenge--but those have been very rare for Pebbles and I. Even small mom and pop restaurants in tiny towns have welcomed us --we even had our picture taken to put on their wall at one restaurant --Pebbles was their first service dog to visit.
We've stayed in several hotels and they've all been great --no problems. We've been to theaters in Houston --also no problems and they've been so helpful! And, of course, she is welcome anywhere on campus --I swear, so many people know her and love her and they know me because of her. People are always asking me how she's doing --which is awesome. I'm glad she and I are both welcome here. She lives in the dorm with me (so I'm the only person allowed to have a dog), but I think it helps other people who maybe are missing their dogs at home. She does, after all, get to visit when she is not working. :D
So, I'm glad to say, my experiences with businesses as a service dog partner have been overwhelmingly good. For the most part, I'm treated like everyone else --which is exactly how it should be.
- Mood:tired, but with some insomnia
The Department of Justice is proposing amendments to the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) that include changing the definition and scope of a service animal. I was wondering what you guys thought about all this.
I personally agree with IAADP's stand, but some people do not --I belong to the Service Dogs group on Dogster and they are all about protecting people with Psychiatric Service Dogs and keeping the amendments as proposed. I think that there should definitely be more stringent regulations about PSDs so people will be prevented from passing off untrained dogs as service dogs when in reality they are nothing more than ESAs (Emotional Support Animals) who are not entitled to public access.
Yeah, people passing off these horribly behaved dogs off as service dogs have really hurt the public response to legitimate service dog teams. Which is why there should be more strict training standards.
I also have other problems with the Service Dogs group on Dogster, but I will save those for another time. :D
The organization that I got Pebbles from (Canine Partners for Life) has not posted an official response to the proposed amendments, but I will post those when they let us know. (By the way, CPL's website is www.k94life.org if anyone would like to take a look and learn more. They are an organization accredited by ADI (Assistance Dogs International) and are an amazing group of people --they have been such a great support for Pebbles and I during our almost 2 years together. They're like family.
But anyway, back on topic. Here is the IAADP brief and accompanying articles/statements:
I personally agree with IAADP's stand, but some people do not --I belong to the Service Dogs group on Dogster and they are all about protecting people with Psychiatric Service Dogs and keeping the amendments as proposed. I think that there should definitely be more stringent regulations about PSDs so people will be prevented from passing off untrained dogs as service dogs when in reality they are nothing more than ESAs (Emotional Support Animals) who are not entitled to public access.
Yeah, people passing off these horribly behaved dogs off as service dogs have really hurt the public response to legitimate service dog teams. Which is why there should be more strict training standards.
I also have other problems with the Service Dogs group on Dogster, but I will save those for another time. :D
The organization that I got Pebbles from (Canine Partners for Life) has not posted an official response to the proposed amendments, but I will post those when they let us know. (By the way, CPL's website is www.k94life.org if anyone would like to take a look and learn more. They are an organization accredited by ADI (Assistance Dogs International) and are an amazing group of people --they have been such a great support for Pebbles and I during our almost 2 years together. They're like family.
But anyway, back on topic. Here is the IAADP brief and accompanying articles/statements:
IAADP
International Association of
Assistance Dog Partners
Support The Assistance Dog Community - Your Comments are Urgently Needed!
The International Association of Assistance Dog Partners (IAADP) represents more than 2000 disabled program graduates and owner-trainers who work with service, hearing and guide dogs to increase their independence. Seven years ago we formed a coalition with Assistance Dogs International, which represents more than 100 non profit assistance dog training programs in the USA. Other members include the Council of U.S. Dog Guide Schools and Guide Dog Users, Inc. Together we petitioned the U.S. Department of Justice to develop a better definition of a Service Animal as soon as the regulations for the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) came up for review. All of us were very worried about the future of the assistance dog movement due to widespread misunderstandings about the service animal definition.
The good news is that the US Department of Justice (DOJ) has finally proposed a new definition of a Service Animal, in an attempt to correct the problems with the old definition. Before finalizing the new Definition, its Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) on the ADA regulatory language is seeking comments from the public on three Questions pertaining to service animals. IAADP has also identified a fourth issue we see as critical.
This is the assistance dog community’s long awaited opportunity to try to shape a better future. Please join us! There are good things in the new definition of a Service Animal, but we also foresee serious problems and want to try to fix them before it is too late.
IAADP would very much appreciate your support for one or more of our positions on the 3 Questions and 4th topic, “the Do Work” part of the definition. After you read the information we provide, either the short version or our Public Comment with much more detail, please submit your opinion by email to the Public Comment website for the ADA NPRM. You can discuss just one topic in your own words or let them know you support all four of IAADP’s position statements, if you wish.
Thank you for considering this request. Time is of the essence, as the deadline for you to submit a public comment on the ADA Definition of a Service Animal is August 18, 2008.
Please let your friends know about this chance to help us. The more public comments submitted by individuals in favor of our community’s position on these issues, the more political weight those comments will carry when reviewed by officials who have the power to amend the proposed Definition.
The Links below will provide plenty of information. Please participate!
With great appreciation,
the IAADP Board of Directors
LINKS
- IAADP’s Four Positions....the Short Version! Will you support us? click here
- IAADP’s Public Comment with our Four Positions ....3 pages. click here
- DOJ's ADA NPRM Public Comment Submission Website. click here
- The new proposed Service Animal Definition. click here
- Other Info & language changes pertaining to Service Animals in the NPRM. click here
- Position Statement from the Coalition of Assistance Dog Organizations. click here
- Mood: calm
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