Sacrifice Jay Mason

Sacrifice Sacrifice

“A sacrifice to be real, must hurt, must empty ourselves.” ~ St. Teresa of Calcutta

By Jay Mason

The origin of the word “sacrifice” is very interesting. It comes from two Latin words – sacer (holy, sacred) and facio (to do, to make). Thus, from the beginning, a sacrifice was meant to do something that was holy or sacred. When you think about it, most people who sacrifice don’t always think of their situation as holy or sacred. The experience at first might seem unholy, and they are scared, not sacred.

The most obvious sacrifices around us are those made by the men and women who serve all of us in the military. It is a sacred duty to serve your country, and in this crazy, modern world, it seems that most of our society recognizes that fact. It is a much better climate for our returning veterans than it was after the Vietnam War.

I would guess that many of you have seen the letter from a pilot that has appeared on Facebook and the internet. It is the true story of a pilot named Richard Rodriguez who was informed when he came to work that day that he would be transporting a fallen soldier home. He asked the gate agent if the soldier had an escort, and she replied yes and that he was assigned a seat in the front of the plane. He invited the sergeant escort to the flight deck, and the entire crew thanked him for his service. “You have the hardest job in the military.” The sergeant then went to his seat.

Shortly into the flight, a flight attendant told the captain that the father, mother, wife, and young child of the soldier were also on board. The family was upset that they had not been able to watch the casket loaded onto the plane and was wondering if anything could be done at the next stop where they faced a four-hour layover before the last leg to Virginia. Captain Rodriguez was on it immediately. He called dispatch and told them of the circumstances. Many of the employees in the airline industry are veterans, and they told the Captain they would get back to him. Two hours into the flight, he called back, and they told him the arrangements were made. They told the Captain to thank the family for their service to our country. The family would be escorted to a private place to watch the unloading of the casket, and it would be placed in their sight until it was time to board the next flight.

The Captain informed the attendants (who immediately began crying with tears of joy and sorrow). When they landed, Captain Rodriguez stopped the plane just short of the gate and told everyone on board the story. He asked for a moment of silence for the soldier and requested that everyone remain seated until the family had disembarked the aircraft. Everyone on board did just that. Many people were crying; others thanked the family and offered prayers. The good captain never saw the family again. We cannot thank these veterans and their family enough. We can only offer small acts of gratitude for their sacrifice.

One of the most inspiring stories of sacrifice is that of Maximillian Kolbe, a Polish priest who was murdered by the Nazis in World War II. Everyone should know that approximately 6 million Jews were murdered by the Nazis during the war, but everyone should also know that almost 6 million Christians and non-Jewish people were also slaughtered in the concentration camps because they were unacceptable to the regime or because they tried to prevent the extermination of the Jews. Father Kolbe probably fit both categories. He was arrested twice by the Nazis, and on the second arrest, sent to Auschwitz in 1941. Even there he kept the faith and ministered to his fellow prisoners. His ultimate act of sacrifice came after a prisoner escaped. The commandant normally selected 10 men at random to die in the starvation

bunker as a lesson to the other prisoners. A Jewish prisoner who was selected cried out, “My wife, my family!” Father Kolbe convinced the guards to take him instead. He led the prisoners in song as they died in the bunker. Father was the last to die; the guards injected him with carbolic acid to kill him. He was declared a saint in 1982.

The most important group that makes incredible daily sacrifices are mothers. It is only appropriate that the month of May is dedicated to mothers and that we recall their unending sacrifices for their families. From conception a mother sacrifices for her child. Her body provides the nutrients for the child to grow, sometimes to her own detriment. Pregnancy is full of sacrifices. I have been on the receiving end of complaints on bad days when my wife was tired and throwing up. But most of the time, moms bear the suffering without complaint until birth. When I complain of pain in my life, Kitty’s favorite retort is that I have not experienced the pain of childbirth. No response comes from me on that one.

Happy Mother’s Day!

After the child is born, the sacrifices continue. Some moms give up their career, or reduce their working career for the new career of motherhood. Most single moms continue to work just to feed their family. Dads provide invaluable comfort and assistance in raising children, but a child always lights up when his or her mother appears. It is even true with grandmothers (I know because 12 out of 22 grandchildren are 6 or under, and I have seen this for myself). In recent years I have also seen grandmothers and aunts assume the role of raising grandchildren or great nieces and nephews. Several weeks ago, I had two final adoption hearings on the same day—a grandmother in one and an aunt in the other—adopted children to raise after they had raised their own children. We should thank God every day for these women. Our society would collapse without mothers’ continuous sacrifices for children. They make every day acts holy.

& Speed Training

WE WILL HELP YOU GET READY FOR THOSE SUMMER ACTIVITIES!

LET US HELP YOU IN 2019 REACH YOUR PEAK HEALTH! IF YOU ARE TIRED OF BEING IN PAIN AND OUT OF SHAPE , WE CAN HELP. WE HELP PEOPLE RETURN TO FUN, RECREATION, WORK, FITNESS, AND NORMAL LIFESTYLES! LET’S MAKE LIFE PAIN FREE FOR YOU IN 2019!

Enchantment Physical Therapy 505-863-4199

8am-8pm Monday - Friday

1900 East Highway 66 Suite A in Butler’s Square

NAVAJO OWNED!

• Customer Service • Sports Medicine • Pain Specialists • Movement Specialists • Strength Training • Neurological Rehabilitation • Functional Retraining • Education • Gym Memberships • Athletic Training • Speed Training

Call about Human Performance for strength training, cardiovascular fitness, and speed training. Call to set up Physical Therapy evaluation and treatment! LET US HELP YOU!

Patients have the right to choose their Physical Therapy Provider!

WE ACCEPT: Medicaid, VA, BC/BS, Tricare, Presbyterian, Summit, Navajo Nation, Worker’s Compensation, AHCCCS, Auto, and many other insurances.

SUMMER SAFETY TIPS

PROTECT YOUR SKIN

Protect your skin and help prevent diseases.

• Put on sunscreen with sun protective factor (SPF) 15 or higher and with both ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B (UVA and UVB) protection. Reapply sunscreen after swimming and excessive sweating. • Seek shade and consider wearing a wide-brimmed hat. • Cover up with clothing and sunglasses. • Avoid using tanning beds and sunlamps. • Put on insect repellent with DEET or Picaridin to protect from mosquito and tick bites. • Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water even if you don’t feel thirsty.

LISTEN TO YOUR BODY

Even after following all the necessary precautions, you should still be on the lookout for overexertion. Overexertion accounts for about 3.3 million emergency room visits a year in the United States and symptoms can be heightened in the heat.

Stop and take a break if you experience the following:

• Dizziness

• Sore or painful muscles • Pulse higher than recommended exercise pulse for your size and physical condition • Feeling very hot and sweating profusely • Low abdominal pain • Nausea

If symptoms worsen, call your doctor immediately.

LIGHTENING AND STORM

SAFETY Lighting kills about 51 people in the U.S. each year. When a storm approaches, it is important to take proper safety precautions. • Be aware - Check the weather forecast before participating in outdoor activities. • Go indoors Remember the phrase, “When thunder roars, go indoors.” Find a safe, enclosed shelter when you hear thunder. Safe shelters include homes, offices, shopping centers, and hardtop vehicles with the windows rolled up. • Avoid electronic equipment • Avoid corded phones

• Crouch close to the ground and separate. Do NOT lie down.

Lightning causes electric currents along the top of the ground that can be deadly over 100 feet away.

Crouching down is the best combination of being low and touching the ground as little as possible. • Separate

If you are in a group during a thunderstorm, separate from each other. This will reduce the number of injuries if lightning strikes the ground. • Do NOT bathe, shower, wash dishes, or have any other contact with water during a thunderstorm because lightning can travel through a building’s plumbing. • Avoid windows, doors, porches, and concrete.

CAMP SAFETYCAMP SAFETY

Camping is a fun way to get family and friends Camping is a fun way to get family and friends together to enjoy the outdoors. together to enjoy the outdoors. • • Ask your health care provider if you are Ask your health care provider if you are up-to-date on recommended vaccinationsup-to-date on recommended vaccinations before your camping trip. Make an before your camping trip. Make an appointment to get them if needed. appointment to get them if needed. • • Pack healthy snacks, water, adequate Pack healthy snacks, water, adequate clothes, and a first-aid kit.clothes, and a first-aid kit. • • Never leave a campfire unattended. Never leave a campfire unattended. Before you leave, be sure you put out Before you leave, be sure you put out your campfire completely. your campfire completely. • • Put on protective gear, such as helmets, Put on protective gear, such as helmets, sturdy shoes, and life jackets, dependingsturdy shoes, and life jackets, depending on the activity.on the activity. • • Prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Never use fuel-burning equipment, suchNever use fuel-burning equipment, such as gas stoves, heaters, lanterns, and as gas stoves, heaters, lanterns, and

charcoal grills, inside or near a tent, charcoal grills, inside or near a tent, camper, or other enclosed shelter camper, or other enclosed shelters. s. • • Some wild animals carry diseases thatSome wild animals carry diseases that are dangerous to people. Enjoy watching are dangerous to people. Enjoy watching wild animals from a safe distance in wild animals from a safe distance in their natural surroundings. their natural surroundings. • • Put on insect repellent containing 20% or Put on insect repellent containing 20% or more DEET.more DEET. • • Wear light colored clothing so you can Wear light colored clothing so you can see ticks better. Check yourself, your see ticks better. Check yourself, your family, and your pets for ticks, andfamily, and your pets for ticks, and remove them promptly. remove them promptly. • • Protect yourself from the sun. Put on Protect yourself from the sun. Put on sunscreen with at least SPF 15, and sunscreen with at least SPF 15, and cover up with clothing, a wide-brimmedcover up with clothing, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses. hat, and sunglasses.

SWIM SAFETYSWIM SAFETY

Swimming is a fun, active, and healthy way to Swimming is a fun, active, and healthy way to spend leisure time. Take a few minutes to keep spend leisure time. Take a few minutes to keep health and safety in mind to help prevent illness health and safety in mind to help prevent illness and injury.and injury. • • Ask a buddy to join you when swimming Ask a buddy to join you when swimming so you don’t swim alone. so you don’t swim alone. • • Choose swimming sites that have Choose swimming sites that have lifeguards.lifeguards. • • Avoid drinking alcohol before and during Avoid drinking alcohol before and during swimming.swimming. • • Don’t swallow pool water. Don’t swallow pool water. • • Don’t swim when you have diarrhea.Don’t swim when you have diarrhea. Germs can spread in the water and make Germs can spread in the water and make other people sick.other people sick. • • Take a shower and wash your child before Take a shower and wash your child before swimming.swimming. • • Take your kids on bathroom breaks every Take your kids on bathroom breaks every 60 minutes, or check diapers every 30-6060 minutes, or check diapers every 30-60 minutes.minutes. • • Change diapers in a bathroom or a diaperChange diapers in a bathroom or a diaperchanging area and not at poolside. Germs changing area and not at poolside. Germs can spread in and around the pool. can spread in and around the pool. • • Wash your hands after using the toilet or Wash your hands after using the toilet or changing diapers before getting in the changing diapers before getting in the pool.pool. • • Watch children in and around water at all Watch children in and around water at all times.times. • • Make sure to keep your ears as dry as Make sure to keep your ears as dry as possible to help prevent swimmer’s ear. possible to help prevent swimmer’s ear. • • When kids areWhen kids are inin or near water (includingor near water (including bathtubs), closely supervise them at bathtubs), closely supervise them at all times. Because drowning happens all times. Because drowning happens quickly and quietlyquickly and quietly; ; adults watching adults watching kidskids inin or nearor near waterwater shouldshould avoid avoid distracting activitiedistracting activities. s.

NN Health Education Program/Division of Public HealthNN Health Education Program/Division of Public Health Gallup Service Area Gallup Service Area 516 E. Nizhoni Blvd., Gallup, NM 87301 516 E. Nizhoni Blvd., Gallup, NM 87301 Phone: 505-722-1741• Fax: 505-722-1189Phone: 505-722-1741• Fax: 505-722-1189

Family Name

Street Address, Address 2, City, ST ZIP code Phone – (555) 235-0125 Fax – (555) 235-0125 E-mail address

Family Name

Street Address, Address 2, City, ST ZIP code Phone – (555) 235-0125 Fax – (555) 235-0125 We’re on the Web! Citations: Five Minute Weekly Tip: Protect Your Skin Retrieved from E-mail address See us at: Web site addresshttps://www.cdc.gov/family/minutes/tips/protectskin/index.htm Summer Safety Tips National Safety Council Retrieved from http://www.ecsinsure.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Summer-Safety- Tips.pdf Lightning: Lightning Safety Tips Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/family/minutes/tips/protectskin/index.htm Five Minutes or Less for Health Weekly Tip: Camp Safety Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/family/minutes/tips/camping/index.htm Five Minutes or Less for Health Weekly Tip: Swim Safety Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/family/minutes/tips/swimming/index.htm

We’re on the Web! Citations: Five Minute Weekly Tip: Protect Your Skin Retrieved from See us at: Web site addresshttps://www.cdc.gov/family/minutes/tips/protectskin/index.htm Summer Safety Tips National Safety Council Retrieved from http://www.ecsinsure.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Summer-Safety- Tips.pdf Lightning: Lightning Safety Tips Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/family/minutes/tips/protectskin/index.htm Five Minutes or Less for Health Weekly Tip: Camp Safety Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/family/minutes/tips/camping/index.htm Five Minutes or Less for Health Weekly Tip: Swim Safety Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/family/minutes/tips/swimming/index.htm