Worship

Worship isn't lost on the Deaf.  I've known this for a long, long time.

In 1982, while attending a Prayer seminar, taught by Dick Eastman, I remember him asking,
"How many of you worship and praise the Lord, when you're alone?"

During the next break, I went to him, when people were making comments, and/or asking questions, and told him that I appreciated that question.  I mentioned that, being totally Deaf, I can be alone, sitting in a sold out stadium or in a crowd.

I, then, told him that, having what is generally referred to, by the Deaf people, as "head noise," I can sing praises, while nobody, around me hears a thing.

These thoughts came to me, tonight, as I was sitting and the chorus, "Here I am to worship...Here I am to bow down..." began running, like a scratched record, through my mind.

I just noticed that, at the foot of this page, it mentions music and I've told people, for years, that my "music" is Southern Gospel (as well as a few old hymns and some country from the '60's).  This is all listeend to on WGARY, which is my radio statoin.

Still learning

I guess I'm the one, who proves you CAN teach old dogs new tricks, because I'm still learning.

What I mean is, for years, I've known of problems I had (and still have) but never realized that I am not alone.

Then, a few months ago, someone told me about an online group, called TBI, which means Traumatic Brain Injury and I started reading the listserv-like entries.  In the past few weeks,  I've learned that many of the people, who have had Traumatic Brain Injuries, have the same problems.

These problems may range from memory dysfunctioin to out-of-whack sleeping habits (meaning we'll sleep a, normal eight hours and then have to return to bed for another seven hours.  Then, even with 13 hours of sleep, we're still lethargic.

The worst part of a TBI seems to be the fact that "normal" people demand that they know what you need, when, in reality, they don't know a thing.  It's like a person, who can hear, trying to tell me how to read lips.   All it brings is frustration.                                                                                                         

As always, it's 12:38 a.m. and I, along with the owls, am wide awake.

I have about four different blogsites and have been having problems.                                            

The main problem is that I cannot remember the passwords, to get in. 

So, assuming that, one day, I will remember the password (acftually, it's one password for every one of them and I didn't have to enter a password to come into xanga.)

2:44 in the morning

Like it says....It's 2:44 a.m. and I, as usual, am wide awake.

Just thought I'd drop by and write a few lines.

Yesterday may have been the beginning of a new journey, for Helen and me.

Helen may soon be leaving the job she's had for eight years.....four of those being the Director of the local Salvation Army Thrift Store.

If the problems that have cropped up, over the years, aren't dealt with, she may not be staying much longer.

For that reason, I've asked quite a few people to remember this in prayer and I am still hoping that a good conclusion will come from this. 

What I'll Have To Do

I've yet to meet someone, who uses the same methods of memorizing music, as I do.

You see, back in the late '70's and most of the '80's, I'd just get a song and read it, over and over.                         Many people wouldn't be able to do this, but I have a condition, called "head noise," by the Deaf and Tinnitis by the aduiology community.

To put it simply, head noise is a squeaking and it accompanies nerve deafness.  I've had it for so long that I don 't even notice is, most of the time.

However, I also have used it, to "listen" to music, while I've done other things.  Years ago, I'd have a song going, over and over until I memorized it.

The old ways don't work forever...or so I found, when I tried to do this, about seven years ago.

Then, I found another way....The Gaither Homecoming Series was on the old Nashville Network and I taped those hour-long programs.  From one show, I'd find one or two good songs; those would be the two I'd watch, over and over....singing along.

At the same time, I was being asked to do special music, in our home church and I had to have several things, in order for that to happen.

First, I had to have an accompaniment tape.  Then, I had to have my wife standing in the back on the church, to keep me in time with the music. 

I also had to stand in front of the pulpit because, otherwise, I was in danger of falling backwards (another benefit, from this, is the fact that, had I been standing behind the pulpit, most of the congregation wouldn't have been able to see me.

I guess I should go ahead and explain that, if I did this kind of thing, to a Deaf congregation, the majority of those, present, would be bored.  I learned the system of using drama, with music, during the first 3 1/2 years, I served in Deaf Missions.                                                                                                                                                  So, generally speaking, what I do, standing in one place, signing songs, is simply a ministry to hearing people.  It is moving to them, so I'll have to continue as long as I can.