It's Almost Christmas

Hello, my name is Jasper and although I'm a quad I still look forward to Christmas.  Not in the same way I did as a child but I'm especially looking forward to being with family.  My condition has made me much more affectionate toward family.  Watching my daughters go through Christmas with their kids really gives me a zing.  Watching my daughter prepare Christmas dinner, watching the grand kids run through the house full of joy really gladdens my heart.  Just because you may be in a wheelchair or lost a limb or whatever your condition may be should not damper your spirit about the day Christ was born.  I can hardly wait to be surrounded with all the love that I know is coming.  It is also the time to reflect on past events of your life and knowing how blessed you truly are.  I for one never overlook this point because I nearly lost my life twice.  I know how blessed I am to still be here, to be able to share with family and friends, to be able to interact with the people around me.  This is a season you should have nothing to be saddened about.  The evil deeds in the world are diminished by the outward love people express at this time of the year.  So I say do you join in, forget past differences, love on someone, family or not, and just be thankful for where you are right now.  My name is Jasper, have a blessed holiday. 

Thanksgiving

Hello, my name is Jasper and Thanksgiving for me is a time of reflection. I think back on previous Thanksgivings when we were all joined together as a family. Of course there's the food and the children, and that's something to be thankful for. Thanksgiving to me is a time when you should look back on your life and be thankful for where you are, and then pass on those feelings to someone else. The holiday says "Thanks" -thanks for all that the Lord has given you, all that he's given us, and the second part is the giving. Sharing of yourself- share your joy, share your life with someone else by giving. This holiday is truly much more than just a family meal. It's a time of love and giving that love to family and friends. Sharing and caring is what this holiday is all about.

http://berksvna.org/uploads/children%20hugging.jpg

The Motown Museum

Hello, my name is Jasper and I'm a native Detroiter who has never been to the Motown Museum.  After I began to think about that I felt a bit ashamed that after all these years I had never visited there.  It is truly a Detroit landmark loaded with tons of Detroit history.  As I walked up to the building on West Grand Blvd and I stepped inside, the history began to engulf me.  The tour guides were excellent as they began to describe how the Motown sound began.  They told us about the Gordy family, their holdings, properties they owned, they explained how Berry Gordy borrowed $800.00 from his family and with the idea in his head and the $800.00 Motown began.  It was amazing when the tour guides explained how one star who were then just kids lived right down the street from one another.  When one kid entered Motown he went back and told a friend and eventually Motown had a stable of singers and performers all under 21 years of age.  Right there on West Grand Blvd they were taught how to walk, talk, dress, and act a certain way because the lady who groomed them always told them they would be destined for greatness.  They told us how Motown would take one song and remake it over and over, selling millions of records all over the world.  Berry Gordy was a perfectionist in his craft.  Sometimes he would polish a song for a year or two before he felt it was ready to be released.  The sound studio was very simple.  I walked in expecting to see a lot of fancy equipment but there was none.  They were very inventive in the way they did things back then.  Although, they did have a Steinway grand piano, the Steinway piano eventually wore out and it so happened that Sir Paul McCartney visited Motown Museum and had it rebuilt.  I could go on and on about my feelings being in the Motown Museum and feeling all that rich history but here's what you should do...if you are a native Detroiter or a maybe not you should swing by the Motown Museum on West Grand Blvd to see where it all started.  My name is Jasper and enjoy the trip. 

The Halloween Party

Hello my name is Jasper and although I'm in a wheelchair I still have fun.  The facility where I live gave a Halloween party and to my surprise it was a lot of fun.  Some of the workers dressed up in costumes and it was fun to watch them act a little crazy.  They also had Karaoke, snacks and a costume contest.  I really enjoyed the party and being around the people I live with.  We all had fun.  Wish we could do it more often.  My name is Jasper and have a blessed day. 

It's About What You Believe

Hello my name is Jasper.  I'm a quad.  For the past couple of months I've been attending a church service where they promote self healing through spiritual beliefs.  These beliefs come directly from the bible and you can actually heal yourself, someone else, cast out demons and overall enrich your life if you believe these things.  The gentleman who teaches the class is known as an apostle lee.  he prophesied over me and said that I would hear from the Lord and I can actually speak healing into physical existence.  I was told that these things have actually taken place in church and I have to admit I have been there on occasions and saw people healed right before my eyes.  I choose to believe that everything in the bible is true.  And God is a God that cannot lie.  And if he said he's taken all sins and diseases and paralysis and all sickness, He bore all our sicknesses on the cross.  And it is said by my stripes ye are healed.  I choose to believe that I'm exercising what I was told to do to call those things that are not as though they were.  I don't know when the Lord will heal me but if I act according to His word I believe one day I will walk again.  So hold on to your dreams and your faith, appease God and he may work a miracle in your life.  This is Jasper and these are my thoughts.   

The Fall Season

Hello my name is Jasper and I'm a native of Detroit and although I may complain a little about the change in temperature deep down I do love the fall season.  I just bundle up a bit more and I go out and I enjoy watching the leaves turn on the trees.  You would think that by being a Detroit native I would be used to the change of the seasons but not so.  I complain along with everyone else.  But like I said deep down I do love the change in seasons even winter time has a special appeal.  It's so beautiful to see the fresh falling snow cover trees and bushes.  It's an awesome work of God as he paints a beautiful picture for us.  Things for me are a bit different having to be in my wheelchair.  I can't rustle through the leaves like I used to or go walking in certain areas admiring natures handiwork but still I get out and it's a blessing to be able to see the seasons change.  I don't know where you may live, if you have one season or you don't have the natural growth that Michigan has but I do love it.  Good bye my name is Jasper. 

Be Yourself

Hello my name is Jasper and I'm a quad but still that does not stop me from being who I am.  I don't know who you may have been before your accident.  Sure the accident takes a lot out of us but in time it all comes back.  I'm speaking about your personality, your humor, your spirit, your thirst for life and anything else you may have had going for you.  Sometimes things seem as though they'll never be normal again but be positive, be yourself and in time the wounds will heal.  I go places such as concerts, movies, I'm still waiting to go on a date....ha ha ha, but in time who knows, anything is possible.  What I'm trying to say is life goes on and even though we were sidelined for a moment we're not out of the game yet.  So...be positive in your life, count your blessings, be a blessing to someone else, talk to other people in your condition who needs a pull up.  There are so many things that we can do even in our wheelchair state.  So be positive, be blessed and above all be yourself.  My name is Jasper, good bye.