That is what serving the community, serving the nation and serving God is all about. KUDO's to you Dave and your friend Loren, for helping to make this country the great country that it is.
That is what serving the community, serving the nation and serving God is all about. KUDO's to you Dave and your friend Loren, for helping to make this country the great country that it is.
Awwww shucks!! It's my job to help in enabling him to live life the way he sees fit.
I was just out for a leisurely stroll on a sunny day, earning a paycheck. :)
(But I do have to admit -------------)
It was really interesting to see the FEAR in my co-worker's eyes,
as she considered (and dreaded) the prospect of going door-to-door.
She actually got mad at me, when I laughed about it because (I guess) --
she thought I was going to make her do it (technically, I'm her boss).
Personally -- I love being *out in the community* with the guys I work for.
I don't care what they are doing, and I don't care what other's think of me
for being in the company of disabled folks, who act a bit different than they do.
So I didn't care if we were going door-to-door, Burger King, the local coffee shop, etc.
And after the WOW program -- this door-to-door here was a piece of cake.
The look of relief on her face was ENORMOUS, when I said I'd do it with him.
And believe it or not -- I had a great time (with some fond memories added in),
of other good times I've had knocking on stranger's doors.
If I'd've had a bible in hand -- I might've felt a bit more apprehensive.
Because I would have been *judged* right there at the doorstep.
But with Loren by my side -- I knew curiosity would rule, and we would win.
That's a really nice thing you did...sounds like it made a difference in more than one person's life.
...and congratulations on being able to merge a paycheck with doing something that's worthwhile...we all got bills to pay...but it's nice to know that you're doing something good at the same time.
That's a really nice thing you did...sounds like it made a difference in more than one person's life.
...and congratulations on being able to merge a paycheck with doing something that's worthwhile...we all got bills to pay...but it's nice to know that you're doing something good at the same time.
Thanks for the compliments (Groucho --- and one and all) ---
However ---- The only thing I did was get my co-worker off the hook,
by my going door-to-door with Loren, instead of her.
Our job (as staff at a group home) is to facilitate the wishes of those who are our clients.
The clients have plans, dreams, and wishes just like the rest of us.
Sadly -- they need help implementing those, and that's where I come in.
Anyone who hires on to work at a group home had best be prepared to do
WHATEVER IS NECCESSARY, to achieve that end.
The only reason I shared (post 1) with you all was not to gain *glory* for myself,
but to share the fun I had that day out and about with Loren in the neighborhood,
knocking on doors for a cause that he believes in.
Sooo -- thanks for the compliments -- but it's my job. It's what I was hired to do.
I say this not really knowing for sure or not as I don't know you very well in ways... but, You probably do not realize or know just how very very important and valued you truly are to all of us here; but most especially Loren and all the other guys or clients in the group home there (and I hate the word clients...it is so impersonal and seems to link all too well to those being in it mainly for the paycheck).
You put your whole heart, love understanding and wisdom into all that you do. You live love! This is very easily seen from whatever distance one is looking from! This, your love, is as you know far more deeply appreciated by uniquely specially gifted people such as Loren. The way they look at the world is uniquely different. They have very few walls or shrouds to protect themselves....But, Thank God they have You; and other men and women with exquisite hearts of love for them. People with special capacities of love particular to what they need. They may not be able express it well by worldly standards of communication; but for someone who sees and opens their hearts with love like You do Dave, It is all understandable and easily read in their eyes and special ways of communication...because you are TUNED-IN with your heart! Tuned in is everything in their lives!
As most Everyone here knows I am a mother of a very uniquely gifted young man. This I hope qualifies me to thank You from the depths of my heart Dave for all you do in behalf of all the the Mom's and Dad's and Families that for whatever reasons have placed or trusted you in the care of such gifted people. For many of them it torn their hearts out to give them up and for many it only lifted a burden they never wanted or could handle. Thank you still in behalf of all of them and the gifted ones!!!!!!!!!!! Particularily, Thank You for all the Ones who beseeched God continually and also upon their impending passage from this world to find them a heart like Your's for their Child or Loved One!
Everyone hopes to be loved and recognized for their true heart and unique value; and my life's dream for Josh is that when or if I am gone from this world, Josh will be loved,valued, enjoyed, cared for and protected by someone just like You!
Josh has had a few people like You Dave in His life that He was broken hearted to lose when they needed to move on. Beau was like You Dave. Just like a brother to Josh. He took him every where. He was proud to have Josh hang out with His friends and His girlfriend. He made room for him in His life. This speaks volumes more.... He taught him new things and helped him over the hard places and fearful things of life. When Beau prepared to leave, He tried as best He could to help Josh through it but Josh's sense of geography and other related factors is so vastly limited; that there was no easy way to leave or no easy way for Josh to be left! There just never will be; which is so common to many like Josh!
Beau gave Josh a Harley T-shirt as a goodbye gift. After Beau left that day and for many months afterward Josh sat every morning leaning up against the door with the Harley T-shirt stuffed into a clean garbage bag. To me that picture said all about the different feelings Josh then felt and what He wanted and just how powerlessly limited He was to change things in His own life!
All the Josh's and the Loren's and all the gifted know just how truly rare and how valuable men and women like you are Dave. They have had a lot of the one's that were in it, mainly for the paycheck. Sometimes You do mean so very much more to them and their Families than You will ever really know!
I know that You are a very humble and a self-less man, who acts from a heart full of love; never looking for the limelight and the glory that you are so truly worthy of, but I cannot contain my love and praises for All that You so genuinely give and do! May GOD especially reward You, for Your love and services to all! GOD Bless and Keep You ever in His Care and Love! Please understand this, I never save my praises or how I feel about anyone; Flowery or not; it is my heart and what I see and I never want to leave anything I wanted to say unsaid...wishing that I would have said it and no longer can!
P.S. Please Everyone pray for Josh now...He has just lost RainbowsChild his adopted sister, as a care provider for the last six year...She needed to go back to Louisiana. He is more devastated than ever before about this loss! They say it will be about 1 to 2 months before they care hire and train in people for Josh. Please Pray that He gets a "Dave Miller" care provider to replace his sister!
OK, I'll spill the beans here with my story. My neighbor has Cerebral Palsy and uses a power chair when he is outside his home. Most of the time I will ride my bike and he travels behind me in his chair when we go places together.
One day we needed to go up to the grocery store to get some Pepsi, which is easily put in his lap on the return trip home. I decided to walk that day though. Keep in mind here we are both 50ish and have the same warped sense of humor. Probably not a good combination. LOL.
It was rush hour when we took off for the two block trip and we live on one of the major roads in town, so it was packed bumper to bumper with cars. As soon as we got out on the sidewalk from the driveway of our complex, I just couldn't resist it .. I jumped on the back of his chair and held on by wrapping my arms around the headrest.
Of course I hadn't pulled my hair back that day, so it was hanging loose. (For those that don't now, it's down to the bottom of my butt now in length and NO David, you still can't have it for your fiddle bow.) People driving home after a long day at work proceeded to get a 'show' of two old farts having the time of their lives, my hair flying in all directions around us and the two of us laughing from the fun of doing it just as they were at seeing such an amusing sight on their way home from work.
We are now thinking about digging out my wheelchair from the closet where I stashed it once I no longer needed it. Mine is a regular one, so I need someone to push me or move it myself. We are going to get a long piece of rope, tie one end to his power chair and I'll hold on to the other end behind him and he will pull me around the block. That should give the homebound rush hour folks a good laugh too we figure. If possible, we are going to try to do it on a day when my soon to be ex hubby is around with his camera, which also does video. Then I could put it up on My Space along with the video I have there now of me on my bicycle at night with all my blinky lights going, so everyone can see I am really very safe riding after dark.
Handicapped people are no different than us, except they are confined to sitting in a chair. They still have the same emotions and thoughts we do and in the case of my neighbor and I, can be a lot of fun to hang out with! I think the only thing I really hated when I was using my chair full time was that smile people would give me as they looked down at me sitting in it. It always felt like they were 'sorry' for me and couldn't think of anything to say, so would smile to cover up that fact. I've heard that from others in chairs too. When I see someone in a chair I will say hi to them the same way I would an able bodied person or at times, if they look like they have a good sense of humor, crack a line like 'well darn, wish I had my chair with me, we could have a race'. That one is a good ice breaker and makes it very clear I don't feel any different about them than anyone else I meet while out and about.
My neighbor's chair died recently (it was pretty old) and they weren't able to find the parts needed to fix it. For now he's using a loaner and they are building him a new chair. I can't wait till he gets it so I can take a ride on it like I did the old one. LOL. A new one will look better in video too when we do our rope pull. His old chair was starting to really show it's age. Hopefully in a couple of weeks he'll have his new one and then as soon as we find a long rope, we'll do our video. If you think Loren would get a kick out of it David, make sure to tell me and I'll send you the URL to where it will be online as soon as I get it uploaded.
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RainbowsGirl
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ChattyKathy
Very cool David and Loren. You both received much more than the money for the cause.
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doojable
No green cards and no face meltings at the end of the day! - Seems like a *win-win* combination!
May God bless the Loren's of the world! (and the dmiller's as well...;))
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Out There
Green Cards.. Did I hear Green cards?... They don't need no stinkin Green Cards
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act2
Dave,
What a great thing to do for and with Loren.
I bet it was kinda strange, though, knocking on doors.
Isn't it fun that we can do things that we enjoy and help people at the same time?
Give Loren my thanks for helping out in his special way.
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Shellon
Amazing man
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coolchef
if loren knocked on my door he would certainly get 10 bucks
good for him and thank you for helping him!
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templelady
That is what serving the community, serving the nation and serving God is all about. KUDO's to you Dave and your friend Loren, for helping to make this country the great country that it is.
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Suda
Bravo to both of you!
Suda
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polar bear
Bravo D.
At least you knew where the money was going. A good cause at that eh!
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dmiller
Awwww shucks!! It's my job to help in enabling him to live life the way he sees fit.
I was just out for a leisurely stroll on a sunny day, earning a paycheck. :)
(But I do have to admit -------------)
It was really interesting to see the FEAR in my co-worker's eyes,
as she considered (and dreaded) the prospect of going door-to-door.
She actually got mad at me, when I laughed about it because (I guess) --
she thought I was going to make her do it (technically, I'm her boss).
Personally -- I love being *out in the community* with the guys I work for.
I don't care what they are doing, and I don't care what other's think of me
for being in the company of disabled folks, who act a bit different than they do.
So I didn't care if we were going door-to-door, Burger King, the local coffee shop, etc.
And after the WOW program -- this door-to-door here was a piece of cake.
The look of relief on her face was ENORMOUS, when I said I'd do it with him.
And believe it or not -- I had a great time (with some fond memories added in),
of other good times I've had knocking on stranger's doors.
If I'd've had a bible in hand -- I might've felt a bit more apprehensive.
Because I would have been *judged* right there at the doorstep.
But with Loren by my side -- I knew curiosity would rule, and we would win.
:) :) :)
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GrouchoMarxJr
That's a really nice thing you did...sounds like it made a difference in more than one person's life.
...and congratulations on being able to merge a paycheck with doing something that's worthwhile...we all got bills to pay...but it's nice to know that you're doing something good at the same time.
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dmiller
Thanks for the compliments (Groucho --- and one and all) ---
However ---- The only thing I did was get my co-worker off the hook,
by my going door-to-door with Loren, instead of her.
Our job (as staff at a group home) is to facilitate the wishes of those who are our clients.
The clients have plans, dreams, and wishes just like the rest of us.
Sadly -- they need help implementing those, and that's where I come in.
Anyone who hires on to work at a group home had best be prepared to do
WHATEVER IS NECCESSARY, to achieve that end.
The only reason I shared (post 1) with you all was not to gain *glory* for myself,
but to share the fun I had that day out and about with Loren in the neighborhood,
knocking on doors for a cause that he believes in.
Sooo -- thanks for the compliments -- but it's my job. It's what I was hired to do.
Even though I enjoy it, and have fun doing so. ;)
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RainbowsGirl
Dear (((((((((Dave)))))))))))),
I say this not really knowing for sure or not as I don't know you very well in ways... but, You probably do not realize or know just how very very important and valued you truly are to all of us here; but most especially Loren and all the other guys or clients in the group home there (and I hate the word clients...it is so impersonal and seems to link all too well to those being in it mainly for the paycheck).
You put your whole heart, love understanding and wisdom into all that you do. You live love! This is very easily seen from whatever distance one is looking from! This, your love, is as you know far more deeply appreciated by uniquely specially gifted people such as Loren. The way they look at the world is uniquely different. They have very few walls or shrouds to protect themselves....But, Thank God they have You; and other men and women with exquisite hearts of love for them. People with special capacities of love particular to what they need. They may not be able express it well by worldly standards of communication; but for someone who sees and opens their hearts with love like You do Dave, It is all understandable and easily read in their eyes and special ways of communication...because you are TUNED-IN with your heart! Tuned in is everything in their lives!
As most Everyone here knows I am a mother of a very uniquely gifted young man. This I hope qualifies me to thank You from the depths of my heart Dave for all you do in behalf of all the the Mom's and Dad's and Families that for whatever reasons have placed or trusted you in the care of such gifted people. For many of them it torn their hearts out to give them up and for many it only lifted a burden they never wanted or could handle. Thank you still in behalf of all of them and the gifted ones!!!!!!!!!!! Particularily, Thank You for all the Ones who beseeched God continually and also upon their impending passage from this world to find them a heart like Your's for their Child or Loved One!
Everyone hopes to be loved and recognized for their true heart and unique value; and my life's dream for Josh is that when or if I am gone from this world, Josh will be loved,valued, enjoyed, cared for and protected by someone just like You!
Josh has had a few people like You Dave in His life that He was broken hearted to lose when they needed to move on. Beau was like You Dave. Just like a brother to Josh. He took him every where. He was proud to have Josh hang out with His friends and His girlfriend. He made room for him in His life. This speaks volumes more.... He taught him new things and helped him over the hard places and fearful things of life. When Beau prepared to leave, He tried as best He could to help Josh through it but Josh's sense of geography and other related factors is so vastly limited; that there was no easy way to leave or no easy way for Josh to be left! There just never will be; which is so common to many like Josh!
Beau gave Josh a Harley T-shirt as a goodbye gift. After Beau left that day and for many months afterward Josh sat every morning leaning up against the door with the Harley T-shirt stuffed into a clean garbage bag. To me that picture said all about the different feelings Josh then felt and what He wanted and just how powerlessly limited He was to change things in His own life!
All the Josh's and the Loren's and all the gifted know just how truly rare and how valuable men and women like you are Dave. They have had a lot of the one's that were in it, mainly for the paycheck. Sometimes You do mean so very much more to them and their Families than You will ever really know!
I know that You are a very humble and a self-less man, who acts from a heart full of love; never looking for the limelight and the glory that you are so truly worthy of, but I cannot contain my love and praises for All that You so genuinely give and do! May GOD especially reward You, for Your love and services to all! GOD Bless and Keep You ever in His Care and Love! Please understand this, I never save my praises or how I feel about anyone; Flowery or not; it is my heart and what I see and I never want to leave anything I wanted to say unsaid...wishing that I would have said it and no longer can!
P.S. Please Everyone pray for Josh now...He has just lost RainbowsChild his adopted sister, as a care provider for the last six year...She needed to go back to Louisiana. He is more devastated than ever before about this loss! They say it will be about 1 to 2 months before they care hire and train in people for Josh. Please Pray that He gets a "Dave Miller" care provider to replace his sister!
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BikerBabe
OK, I'll spill the beans here with my story. My neighbor has Cerebral Palsy and uses a power chair when he is outside his home. Most of the time I will ride my bike and he travels behind me in his chair when we go places together.
One day we needed to go up to the grocery store to get some Pepsi, which is easily put in his lap on the return trip home. I decided to walk that day though. Keep in mind here we are both 50ish and have the same warped sense of humor. Probably not a good combination. LOL.
It was rush hour when we took off for the two block trip and we live on one of the major roads in town, so it was packed bumper to bumper with cars. As soon as we got out on the sidewalk from the driveway of our complex, I just couldn't resist it .. I jumped on the back of his chair and held on by wrapping my arms around the headrest.
Of course I hadn't pulled my hair back that day, so it was hanging loose. (For those that don't now, it's down to the bottom of my butt now in length and NO David, you still can't have it for your fiddle bow.) People driving home after a long day at work proceeded to get a 'show' of two old farts having the time of their lives, my hair flying in all directions around us and the two of us laughing from the fun of doing it just as they were at seeing such an amusing sight on their way home from work.
We are now thinking about digging out my wheelchair from the closet where I stashed it once I no longer needed it. Mine is a regular one, so I need someone to push me or move it myself. We are going to get a long piece of rope, tie one end to his power chair and I'll hold on to the other end behind him and he will pull me around the block. That should give the homebound rush hour folks a good laugh too we figure. If possible, we are going to try to do it on a day when my soon to be ex hubby is around with his camera, which also does video. Then I could put it up on My Space along with the video I have there now of me on my bicycle at night with all my blinky lights going, so everyone can see I am really very safe riding after dark.
Handicapped people are no different than us, except they are confined to sitting in a chair. They still have the same emotions and thoughts we do and in the case of my neighbor and I, can be a lot of fun to hang out with! I think the only thing I really hated when I was using my chair full time was that smile people would give me as they looked down at me sitting in it. It always felt like they were 'sorry' for me and couldn't think of anything to say, so would smile to cover up that fact. I've heard that from others in chairs too. When I see someone in a chair I will say hi to them the same way I would an able bodied person or at times, if they look like they have a good sense of humor, crack a line like 'well darn, wish I had my chair with me, we could have a race'. That one is a good ice breaker and makes it very clear I don't feel any different about them than anyone else I meet while out and about.
My neighbor's chair died recently (it was pretty old) and they weren't able to find the parts needed to fix it. For now he's using a loaner and they are building him a new chair. I can't wait till he gets it so I can take a ride on it like I did the old one. LOL. A new one will look better in video too when we do our rope pull. His old chair was starting to really show it's age. Hopefully in a couple of weeks he'll have his new one and then as soon as we find a long rope, we'll do our video. If you think Loren would get a kick out of it David, make sure to tell me and I'll send you the URL to where it will be online as soon as I get it uploaded.
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coolchef
babe
you sure are a trooper!!
love ya lady
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