What Makes a Day “Good”? 
It is such a common sentiment. “Have a good day.” Comedian George Carlin had a field day with this one, wondering in many ways how one could measure a day’s “good-ness” and how dare someone saddle you with the burden of their expectations. “What if I don’t feel like doing anything good? If I am then no good all day, have I met my goal and had a “good” day? “ Carlin mused.
I know what makes a day good for me. Now a decade past my expiration date, every day I awake is a good day. I need help to move, I eat and drink through a tube in my stomach, and I can’t go to the bathroom by myself, yet every day I get to see my wife’s eyes is a great day. I rarely get out of my house, yet every day I get to see my children, grandchildren, and the life outside my window is a great day.
Today is more than a great day. It is beyond-words spectacular. Why? Today I get to do all of those things plus something else. Today I was asked to help someone else. As part of the ELCA Disabilities Ministry team, a request came from a pastor who has a congregation member with severe life-long disabilities, including speech disabilities. This person living with disabilities has for years wished to preach. 
Although I have no voice, technology helps me speak and hopefully we can find a way to help this man say what is on his heart. Thank you to the pastor willing to seek out ways for him to witness. Thank you, pastor, for asking me to help. 
This is such a great day because people with disabilities have valuable things to say, and we are too often silenced. Today we start to change that for one person. This is a great day because people with disabilities have gifts to offer others, and we are too often ignored. Today that was changed for me.