Saturday, February 13, 2010

huttriver - Lower Hutt, New Zealand

huttriver - Lower Hutt, New Zealand

THE KIWI RIVERMAN POST

THE KIWI RIVERMAN POST

James ParkinsonImage via Wikipedia





Brain Day 2010: Unlock the secrets of your brain:


Mark 20 March 9am-4pm in your diary as the day you get practical tips to encourage optimum brain health for yourself and brain development for your children. All for free!

The Centre for Brain Research and the Neurological Foundation are to present a free public open day as part of International Brain Awareness Week.

Neuroscientists, clinicians and community groups invite the public to learn more about everyone's greatest asset, their brain. As well as the pratical tips seminar, the event features talks from New Zealand's leading brain experts discussing the latest research and treatment trials for brain health and disease.

Visit a science lab

The Science Lab is a rare treat for children and families, offering free science experiments and demonstrations. Practising psychologists, clinicians and neuroscientists will encourage hands-on interaction for kids - and big kids too! Fun sensory games, brain teasers and activities will round the experience off.

A Community Expo will provide advice and support for people living with brain and sensory disorders. Around 20 community support groups will be on hand to answer any questions families and whānau may have. See the full list of lectures and community groups.

Where is it being held?

The University of Auckland Business School, Owen G Glenn Building, 12 Grafton Road, Auckland. Easily accessible, Serviced by public bus services 50, 348, 487 and LINK Undercover parking for $5 all day.

The event is organised by the Centre for Brain Research at The University of Auckland in association with the Neurological Foundation of New Zealand.

More about brain disorders

It's estimated that one in five New Zealanders will suffer from brain disease in their lifetimes. Disorders such as stroke, epilepsy, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and deafness affect hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders every year.

Neurological diseases are among the top five most common causes of death and long-term disability. The cost to families and society, both financially and socially, is enormous.

It is not until you have a family member sufering fro mental illness, you become aware and sympathetic to the needs of those with various mental disorders.


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Sunday, February 07, 2010



The Empty Chair...


The following story touched me so much I decided it would be the feature story for the week here at THE KIWI RIVERMAN POST. Please enjoy it as much as I did:



A man’s daughter had asked the local pastor to come and pray with her father. When the pastor arrived, he found the man lying in bed with his head propped up on two pillows and an empty chair beside his bed. The pastor assumed that the old fellow had been informed of his visit.....


“I guess you were expecting me,” he said.

“No, who are you?”

“I’m the new associate at your local church,” the pastor replied.

“When I saw the empty chair, I figured you knew I was going to show up.”

“Oh yeah, the chair,” said the bedridden man. “Would you mind closing the door?”

Puzzled, the pastor shut the door.

“I’ve never told anyone this, not even my daughter,” said the man.

“But all of my life I have never known how to pray. At church I used to hear the pastor talk about
prayer, but it always went right over my head..”

“I abandoned any attempt at prayer,” the old man continued, “until one day about four years ago my best friend said to me, ‘Joe, prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with Jesus. Here’s what I suggest. Sit down on a chair, place an empty chair in front of you, and in faith see Jesus on the chair. It’s not spooky because he promised, ‘I’ll be with you always.’ Then just speak to him and listen in the same way you’re doing with me right now.”

“So, I tried it and I’ve liked it so much that I do it a couple of hours every day. I’m careful, though. If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, she’d either have a nervous breakdown or send me off to the funny farm.”

The pastor was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old guy to continue on the journey. Then he prayed with him, and returned to the church.

Two nights later the daughter called to tell the pastor that her daddy had died that afternoon.

“Did he seem to die in peace?” he asked.

“Yes, when I left the house around two o’clock, he called me over to his bedside, told me one of his corny jokes, and kissed me on the cheek. When I got back from the store an hour later, I found him dead. But there was something strange, In fact, beyond strange-kinda weird.

Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over and rested his head on a chair beside the bed.”

Unknown Author

Acknowledgements: THE OLD GEEZERHere