The New Year

Like a lot of people I look forward to the coming year.  Somehow it makes me feel that I'm starting my life all over again.  I don't make resolutions because most of us don't keep them anyway but I think that you should think differently with each coming year.  Plan some new things, plan a new vacation, make a goal to get a promotion on your job, get closer to family members or friends.  In other words, don't let one year be like the previous year.  When you have the blessing of seeing a new year come in it's like a blessing from God.  He's allowing you to get it right one more time.  There are so many different things, new things that you can come up with for the upcoming year.  It may surprise even you.  I'm a quadriplegic and I have plans for the upcoming year.  Do some new things, be outgoing.  I don't plan on letting my circumstances keep me from doing something new.  So think about it.  How do you want to live your life?  Doing the same thing year after year or do you want this year to be something different in your life.  This is Jasper and these are my thoughts. 

Christmas Day

Here it is again, Christmas day is upon us. I pray that all is well with your family on this day. I don't know what Christmas day means to you- to some I know it's a chance to go spend a day at your family's house, get drunk on free liquor. I've seen families have a very festive time. Everyone loving everyone, everyone getting along and thanking the Lord. I think of my own family during Christmas day- my girls whom I adore watching how they've grown. Remembering how I used to hold them close to me when they were babies, remembering how I used to just lay my baby on my chest and watch her go to sleep. Now they have babies of their own and it's fun to watch them too. They're loud, they're rude, sometimes they're cruel, but they're always fun to watch. Those are babies- those are children. Let them play and be who they are. So I just want to say have a happy and blessed Christmas day. Remember what Christmas is all about. It's not about gifts, it's not about you, it's not about your big car or even your family, you know it's about Him.

Thank you- this is Jasper and these are my thoughts.

Hats off to Special Tree

I would like to tell you about the place I live at. It's a neurological injury facility. I've been here now a little over 2 years and I want to speak about the staff. Whenever my friends visit here that's one of the first things they notice is the courtesy of the staff. I feel they do an outstanding job and in their eyesight the client comes first. If something goes wrong with the client they come running because they seem to take it personally if you're hurting. I know when I do things or something's going on with me man, word gets around, and they watch me just to make sure I'm ok. Now I'd like to speak about this beautiful building that we built for Special Tree. It's very lovely and spacious. I especially like the way they blended the colors of the walls and different things. It has a real homey feel and look to it. Once you come into the building you can tell there was a lot of thought put into this building. Judging by the furniture and other little things they have you can also tell money was well spent. and it's not only to make the client comfortable, I feel it was designed for the girls also. I could really appreciate a company like that who thinks about their workers and tries to improve their working conditions. So, my hat's off to you Special Tree. Keep up the good work, because there are a lot of people that need you.

Thanksgiving

Sometimes I wonder if people really understand what Thanksgiving is all about.  I'm sure we all have our own idea about it and this one is mine.  Thanksgiving is a time to forgive, it's a time to get closer to your family, your children, your spouse.  Thanksgiving is a time to worship.  As a matter a fact, He has to come first.  Thank the Lord, first of all, for being here.  You woke up this morning, but somewhere in the world someone didn't.  Thank Him.  Thank Him also for keeping you all these years, guiding your steps, opening doors for you, and making your life sweet.  Give the Lord thanks for His mercy and grace.  We don't deserve what he does for us, but he does it out of his love for us.  Thanksgiving is a time to sit back and reflect on your life with friends and family and how fruitful your life has been.  You have a lot to be thankful for even if you don't think so, think a little longer. 

Love One Another

My name is Jasper and I have a friend who is a Minister and she attended an event where love filled the room.  I could just see the joy in her eyes when she spoke about how everyone prayed and hugged each other.  This event called for Ministers and Saints from all over the country and from all over the world.  It was an awesome event as she told me how people were instructed on how to give forgiveness.  She said things that were hidden deep in our hearts were brought out as a result of this spiritual event.  I wish I had had an opportunity to be there.  It sounded like a good time to cleanse ones heart.  This event was held at Ford Field.  She said the stadium was packed, letting me know that there are many people seeking spiritual relief.  God is the way.  There is no other way than by him.  If you have an opportunity to go to a spiritual retreat or a conference where love and spirituality will overflow you must attend.  You may get there and the Holy Spirit can reveal to you you're not quite as holy as you think.  But you have an opportunity right at that time to change, to grow for the better.  I believe in these events.  It's like going to a counselor.  He can only help you if you allow Him to.  My name is Jasper and these have been my thoughts.  Love you, God bless you and be a blessing. 

Halloween

Hello my name is Jasper and I have an opinion concerning Halloween.  I'm relieved to see so many parents have decided to do Halloween in a different manner than when I grew up.  You have to recognize and understand the times that we're living in are often dangerous.  When I was a kid we would go in the streets and go to the all the stores we could and all the houses even if you didn't know the person who lived there.  Everything was safe.  No one really tried to hurt you in the street or there were no safety pins in the apples or any poison in the candy like it is today.  That's the reason that I'm so happy to see that parents have taken an active interest in their child's safety.  I've been hearing things such as a parent won't take their child to a house unless they know the person who lives there.  I don't hear a lot about going to different stores but rather sometimes your company who will give a Halloween party or someone you do know will host a Halloween party where you can go in and feel safe.  My Halloween days are over but it's fun to watch my daughters Halloween their kids.  The kids love dressing up in the different costumes, especially the girls who are little princesses on Halloween.  So bare in mine what type of world we live in and take your child out and Happy Haunting!  

Family And Friends Are A Blessing

I recently attended a dinner that my cousin cooked for me.  What was so interesting was getting my wheelchair into the house.  We had to do some twisting and turning but my family was determined to get me and that wheelchair into the house and to my surprise they did.  It was a labor of love because they really wanted me there.  I felt blessed because I know there are plenty of people who don't have anyone that care for them like that.  They wanted me there and they were gonna get that wheelchair in no matter what.  After getting into the house another friend of mine who knows the family took time out of his schedule to come by to see me and bless the house.  It felt good being there because I hadn't seen them in so long and their mother cried to see me there.  She was filled with emotion.  When it came time to go, a second friend of mine had come by to see me and my cousins.  He said he wasn't leaving until I left and he didn't.  When it came time to leave they pitched in again and tackled that wheelchair.  My friends all but manually picked up that chair and turned it around so I could get out of the house onto the porch.  The driver of the van did a special thing for me by putting the ramp on the porch rather that the ground and that was special to me because I could not have done it without her doing what she did.  And again I had a very special feeling about friends and family.  Real friends and family - they just don't let you down.  They are there for you when you need.  Some of these people I hadn't seen in 20 years.  Love never dies.  So you are blessed to have some family who you know cares about you.  If you may have a friend or two who always come when you are in need you are indeed blessed.  This is Jasper and these are my thoughts.  Be Blessed.   

Go Detroit!!

I'm not much of a sports fan.  I like football and this seems to be a magical season for the Lion's.  Imagine not winning one game last year.  You were below the basement, but the key is never give up and look where they are today.  Undefeated so far!  I don't know how far the Lion's are going to go but they are off to a fantastic start.  Congratulations to the Lion's! 

Also I'm not an avid watcher of baseball but I go ahead and watch the Tiger's.  I always make a rule to root for the home town team and I have to say I'm proud of our Tiger's.  They were at the bottom for so long and now they are a team to reckon with.  You can't just push the Tiger's around anymore.  They are playing class A baseball and I congratulate them.

A Place Called Special Tree

My name is Jasper and I'm a quad and I live at a place called Special Tree.  It's a neurological rehab but it looks more like the Ritz Carleton when you come inside.  It's a brand new building that was built from the ground up and all the clients moved from the old building to the new.  There are paintings on the walls and elaborate clocks and fixtures and sometimes I begin to think that a lot of what was done was done with the clients in mind.  Our rooms are bigger, all the beds are new, the grounds are very eye appealing, all the rooms have flat screen TVs.  They even put white robes in the bathrooms for the clients.  They could have just left it at that, but they also added DVD players.  Being a client myself I don't take this building for granted.  In my opinion there are a lot of things I see that are designed for the client and I understand they didn't have to do that.  They didn't have to put DVD players in the rooms or they didn't have to put so much thought into making this building comfortable.  Each room has it's own thermostat.  There are a lot of things that I see that are comfortable for us that they didn't have to do.  I don't know about you but I'm very happy to be here at Special Tree because I understand there are a lot of places such as this where you're not treated as well, you don't get the patient care that you get here at Special Tree.  Sometimes when I get sleepy I get tired of them coming in my room but I understand they're taking blood pressure, rolling me over, checking me.  Those are the things that need to be done for a person like me.  So I think that Special Tree is a very special place and if you're here as a client or you are a staff member I think you are very fortunate.  Just dig a little deeper.  This is Jasper and these are my opinions. 

Don't Accept Everything Life Throws At You

Life can sometimes throw you a curve that seems totally unfair to you but you have to learn to accept certain things and certain things you don't.  For instance, there's a Bill that wants to kill No-Fault Insurance.  Don't lay down and accept things like this.  Rather...fight back any way you can.  You may be jobless but you got to keep pressing forward and sooner or later something will open up for you.  I've been there, I know.  I'm a quad in a rehab.  I got through a series of treatments everyday.  I believe that one day my body will be strong enough to use some of the limbs I used to have, such as my arms and hands, and perhaps even my legs.  I have not just laid down and accepted this situation I'm in.  I tried to be as active as I was before the accident.  My outlook on life is good.  I don't know what I may do next.  If you want to give up and wallow in your misery, God will allow you to do that.  If you pray and press forward tell Him what you need and He'll provide it for you.  You have to believe that.  Once again, this is from Jasper Matthews.  These are some of my thoughts.

Be Active In The Political Arena Because It Affects You

My name is Jasper and up till now I've never really thought seriously about what goes on in politics, but now being a quad in a facility, which my auto insurance pays for, I am feeling how seriously this will affect me.  There's a Bill that's in the house and a long story short they want to do away with No Fault insurance.  This would affect me directly because without the auto insurance I could not maintain the life that I'm living right now.  Even if they switched me to Medicaid or Medicare I would not receive the personal attention and care that I get now.  They even want to put a ceiling cap on the money that they spend on us.  They want to give us, if you are seriously injured, $50,000 to work with.  Well if you know anything about the ER or if you have ever stayed in a hospital you know that $50,000 can be spent with one test or one operation.  Going through the ER you could spend $50,000.  Think very seriously about this Bill because it's going to hurt a lot of poor people if it gets passed so I urge you to get into the political arena and pay attention to what the politicians are trying to do.  You may find that it affects you.  This is Jasper, may God Bless You!  Good bye. 

Life Is Too Short

My name is Jasper and although I'm a quad I attended my high school reunion.  It was a beautiful day and also it was a beautiful reunion, getting to see people I hadn't seen in years.  My daughters were there along with my grandchildren and it just made for a beautiful family day.  I really want to send out this message that if you're crippled, or you are going through some type of rehab and you're thinking that your life is over because you can't do the things you used to do - think again.  Life is too short to cut yourself out just because you have a set back.  And that's all that is, a set back, because with the technology they have today you can still live a full life but there are some things you have to do.  First of all, take an attitude check.  Make sure you have a positive, uplifting attitude about yourself, then surround yourself with positive people, doing positive things.  The worst thing you could do is be around a bunch of negative, stand still people, never doing anything different.  I had a wonderful time at that reunion and two weeks before that I went to a church picnic and I had a wonderful time there and I have no control over my body, but I have tons of support.  These are the things you have to do if you can't do things for yourself.  You can still live a joyful life.  Put yourself in the hands of God and go on living your life.  He'll make a way for you.  So don't be discouraged.  It's not the end of the world, not yet.  Put a big smile on your face, take an attitude check and live your life. 

They have friends. They need parents.

I remember when I was a kid, growing up it seems like my mother was always just around the corner.  She had rules when I was little.  A lot of things I couldn't do or places I couldn't go if she didn't know what was there or if it was safe.  I remember thinking, "Wow, to be a boy, she keeps a tight leash on me.", but I come to understand she was just doing her job, being a parent.  She was always watching out for me.  Being a single mother perhaps she was a bit over protective but again I realize that was her job as a parent.  I notice this younger generation, they don't have that same nurturing spirit I guess.  You could pass through a neighborhood and see 3 and 4 year olds wandering about all by themselves.  Even in the house the kids sometimes tell the parents what to do.  When I was a kid I wasn't aloud to close my bedroom door because my mother wanted to see what was going on in there, what was I doing.  Young parents today don't seem to think that way.  A lot of kids are growing up with some of these computers I guess and electronic gadgets.  They're not learning to interact with each other.  The parents don't take time to teach their kids proper manners.  Again, when I was a kid it was "yes ma'am, yes sir" and you learned to stay in a kids place.  Now young kids just jump in your conversation as if they're on your level and no one says anything about it.  They come and go as they please, as if they're paying rent.  I know it seems like a good idea and we do want to be friends with our children growing up, but don't forget they don't need you always as a friend, they need you as a parent.  Learn how to stand firm with your decisions and guide them the right way.  That's my opinion.     

Someplace Special

My name is Jasper and I had a car crash in April 2009, which resulted in me being a Quadriplegic. After having gone through intensive care and Physical Therapy, I landed here at a facility called Special Tree. Actually, my daughters picked it out for me. They said "you'd really like this place". Everyone here is so friendly and it's clean and nice. After I got here I isolated myself- I wouldn't come out of my room for days on end. But this place is more like a huge family rather than just staff. They knew what I was going through and they were very patient with me. I want to focus on a group they have here called Therapeutic Recreation. They urged me time and time again to get out and mingle with the other residents, think of happy things to do, and think of different places to go. Later I discovered it's designed that way to get you back into society. This group (TR) has helped me tremendously. They taught me how to mix and mingle with other people. They even taught me how to laugh again. One thing I'll never forget is the patience and caring they have with me. I go bowling, I play card games and I play family games. Life right now- even though I'm a quad- can still be sweet. So I hope you never find yourself in a position like mine, but if you do, come to Special Tree and they will put your life back together.

My life as a quadriplegic

On April 28, 2009 my life came to a turning point.  It changed in an instant.  My Jeep fell off the down ramp and flipped 2 or 3 times and I broke my neck in two places and from then on my life will never be the same.  I went through Intensive Care, after that I went through Rehab for about a month and a half, then I was transferred to where I am now, a Neurocare Center specializing in Spinal Cord Injury.  In the beginning I felt alone.  I wouldn't come out of my room and participate in any activities.  I felt that my life was so limited because I couldn't move.  I felt like I could never be the man that I was so I let go of my relationship with my girlfriend.  I isolated a lot, but I never forgot what part God played in this.  I was warned over and over to change and stop doing the things that I was doing that were negative toward God.  I believe that in this injury God saved my life.  He is the supreme Father and he chastised me.  Slowly I began to change.  I started participating in some of the activities they offer.  I found that I could do new things.  The Lord put me exactly where I needed to be.  I take therapy sessions and I have a lot of professional people that really care.  If I had to give another quadriplegic any advice the first thing I would say is don't give up on God or yourself.  Take a new outlook on life.  Life is worth living even in the condition that you are in.  Hold your head up and be a man.  Your life is not over, it just took another turn and we have to learn to deal with it.  It's as simple as that.

Friendship

I have been blessed to have life long friends.  People I have met in the course of my life that I've bonded with that we just remained close friends.  I believe that friendship is a blessing.  I also believe that I am blessed to have more than one life long friend.  I have some friends that we've been together over 50 years.  It's a blessing to watch each others families grown up.  When something happens to me my friends are right there on the spot.  We look out for each other, our families and we give each other opinions and advice. If you think friendship is not so important, talk to someone who's never had one. I have noticed through the years some people don't understand the closeness we have, but what can I say, we're like family. And family checks on each other, talks to each other, and tells each other the truth about what they see. I've had friends of all ages, one friend I adopted as my second mother. We've been just that close. I even had one good friend, a co-worker in fact, that we kind of had a disagreement. I didn't curse him, he didn't curse me, but we didn't speak to each other for about a year. Then, one day, by chance, we ran into each other. The friendship started all over. See, if a friendship is true from the beginning, you may go through some bumps, but the friendship is still there. That's because God put it there. I also think a lot of my friendliness comes from my mom. My mother knew somebody everywhere- everywhere she went, she'd make a friend. Some people are so private they cut themselves off from being social. My mother used to say you can't live in this world by yourself.

Time

Time is a precious thing.  Most of us waste a lot of time doing things that make no sense.  Time should be used always in a positive manner.  The Lord did not waste time.  He rose early in the morning and started his business.  He was always seeking to do something meaningful.  Can you say that about yourself?  Do you waste your time doing childish things or do you spend your time helping others - family and non-family?  When was the last time you helped someone you didn't know? Time is a very fleeting thing.  It moves on and it will pass you by if you don't use it wisely.  In my position, being a quad, I try to be on the move whenever I can.  Even though it's a little exhausting I love to stay busy doing my therapy.  I look forward to them each day.  It lifts my spirit and makes me feel like I'm doing something positive for myself.  Take a look at yourself and decide whether or not you use time in a good manner.  What do you do to put time to good use? 

God Knows

So many of us are walking through this world blind.  We go from place to place, we take all kinds of chances with our lives.  But God loves us so much that He watches over us whether we believe it or not.  If we were living in a world without God you would quickly see the difference.  The Father knows what his children need.  He provides for those who have lost homes, He heals and mends broken bodies and hearts.  He always comes to us baring gifts.  For instance, I broke my neck in two places but still He allowed me to live, not only live, He allowed me to keep my right mind.  Some folks believe things just happen or they believe in coincidences.  I don't.  I believe that the Father's always watching over us.  Being a quadriplegic gives me time to think about my purpose in life and gives me time to recall a lot of my past experiences and I can see where if I had served the Lord some more I may not be in this situation.  It's written that He chastises those who He loves.  He took time and slowed me down so I could focus on Him and my life.  So if you are going through some turmoil in your life right now I suggest that you just do nothing or find a quite place and meditate on the Lord.