I used to ask myself, "Why am I even alive?" on a regular basis.

Then, one day I remembered an inspiring animated story that I had seen years earlier about a young child named Oblio. The villagers didn't approve of Oblio because everyone else had a pointed, cone shaped head. Oblio was the only person in the village that didn't. His head was round. So, the villagers banned Oblio to the pointless forest. Time went by. Then one day Oblio returned to the village.

He was asked, "Have you learned anything?"

Oblio replied, "I've learned that we don't have to have a point, to have a point". Sure enough, when he took his hat off there it was. He had a point!

Translation, "We don't have to have a point to have a reason. However we all need to have a reason. If not, what's the point??"

We all need a reason. If not, what's the use? It's not enough to sit around moping all day complaining about what we've lost and thinking about what might have been. Instead, thank God for what you have left, and for being here now! It could have been worse, or you wouldn't be reading this. You already have something most people never get, a second chance. Use it wisely!!!

Think about things that interest you or something that you've always cared about. Now's the time to get involved. It doesn't matter how small or insignificant it may seem. Start small and grow. No excuses. Just do it!!!

God gave us little horseshoe nail crosses as our reason. Others may view them simply as crosses that we sell to make a buck. However they are much more than that to us! We view them as mental and motor-skill therapy and our reason! Maybe you can too!

It all began awhile after my NDE when a preacher asked me to speak in front of the church. I said that I couldn't do that because I had nothing to say. The preacher told me to just tell my story. He believed that is why I was given a second chance and to tell my story to everyone that would listen. I declined to speak, but that's when I started to try.

Believing, "Build it and they will come", our first page was the one about my stroke. It took us 4-6 months to get the first visitor to our website. Now we get hundreds daily - (We've never hit 1000 but have came very close several times) We began receiving Inspirational Emails from the visitors. As acknowledgement, we began including them on the website. We began to receive so many that we had to create a library to put them in. There were so many links that the library took way to long to download; so we divided the page into two etc. Now it has snowballed into well over two hundred articles in four Inspirational Email Libraries and we are backlogged with many more that someday hope to catch up and include. (Not bad for someone with a severe brain impairment, had no talents and knew virtually nothing about the Internet or websites.)

We planted a seed five years ago, and watch it grow. It's not about the money; riches don't always come as wealth! My NDE is the true reason for our website. The crosses are only there to fund it. We are on a fixed and limited income and use the cross and ebook sales money to pay the associated hosting expenses. Sometimes I am actually happy that I got hurt. Because if I hadn't I would have never slowed down, found the time to serve Him, make so many friends and affect so many lives. I just wish that I'd learned it sooner but never took the time. Now if there's one thing I have, it's time. It's how I use it that matters.

Throughout history, Christians have suffered and have asked themselves the same questions that we do today. I believe that we'll get our reward when the time comes. Until then, we must be strong. It's not a popularity contest!

Before ending I feel obligated to tell you that my wife Evelyn reads almost every one of the emails that I receive and I hers. That is why we often go by the name EvRi1. (Evelyn + Rick) We have been married for over 39 years. I have a lot of trouble conveying my thoughts, word association, typing with one left finger (was right handed) etc. so we talk, then she writes.

As long as we have something to keep us busy we don't have the time to think about ourselves. I was a very mean and bitter person. I took it out on everyone, until I went to the psyche. (see story) I've learned that it helps to view problems as "opportunities in disguise" , attitude truly is everything and... Never give up!!!