I have often heard; ‘Never pray for patience or God will give you plenty of opportunities to practice it.’ Life has its ways of teaching us…if we will pay attention and learn. Just yesterday I posted a blog sharing a personal testimony that is important to me. It was the story of how divine intervention in the form of a kidney stone helped doctors find three aneurysms that were about to shorten my life ten years ago.
Today I got up ready to head to the office for just another day However, if we will keep our spiritual eyes open no day is just another day. God is always showing us something, often in ways we don’t expect. My wife woke up feeling bad due to fluctuating blood pressure problems. So the first plan was for her to go to school for necessary preparation to leave class early and go to the doctor as soon as they could see her. I would check in from my office later. The plan changed as soon as she saw her car with a flat tire. Now I would also be leaving my office early to take her to the doctor and then fix a flat tire.
Feeling tired and frustrated after the events of the day, my plans, were interrupted; I was finally headed to the tire dealer with a flat tire in the bed of my truck. It was then that God reminded me of a verse I memorized years ago. “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Did God just forget my circumstances? All my plans for the day were shot due to the circumstances. Why is it His will for me to give thanks?
He knows that giving thanks unlocks spiritual eyesight to see and enjoy His grace. OK! Let me start giving thanks in my circumstances. First, I am thankful that the flat tire occurred in my garage rather than out on the road perhaps leaving my wife stranded. Second, I am thankful that I know how to change a tire and have the physical ability to do so. There are lasting benefits that come from owning my first car, as a teenager, that cost only $50 and five used tires for $4 (not each but $4 for all five used tires). In those days changing tires was almost a normal part of starting the car for a drive. I used to change tires so often I could have worked in a NASCAR pit crew.
I continued to give thanks in my circumstance. I took my tire to our tire dealer, who is a good friend, and talked to his wife who is running a 10 K soon. She beat cancer and became a runner. She smiled reminding me that this circumstance was not a big problem, it could have been worse. It is hard to think about ‘difficult circumstances’ when you are talking to a cancer survivor who has a bright smile. I am thankful that Cathy’s health situation is something that only required a change in medication. I am thankful for our health. As we talked about life circumstances, I smiled and said “Hey, we could be living in Libya!” It was my way of reminding me that we are blessed with all our freedoms and also a reminder to pray for those who are oppressed. I began to realize how blessed we are in so many ways.
I drove home with a repaired tire in the back of my truck and continued to count all the circumstances in my life for which I can be thankful. God’s will for my life is to continue to give thanks in all circumstances. As I continue to do so I see His hand in so many things that are beyond my patience and understanding. When we begin looking we can find there is truly something in which we can give thanks in ALL circumstances. There is an old church hymn that reminds us to count our blessings “when you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, count your many blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.” There is no better way to transform the day than giving thanks in all circumstances and counting blessings.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
Ten Years Later
I am taking the day off to play golf with some friends. Ten years ago I was planning the same but I had a life changing or should I say lifesaving experience. For the past ten years I have celebrated an anniversary on February 26. I celebrate my one and only kidney stone. On February 26, 2001 I woke at 2 AM and began a journey that saved my life. My ‘alarm clock’ that morning was a mild and unusual kidney stone. I never had a kidney stone before or since. The doctors told me that men rarely have their 1st kidney stone at ‘my age’. I hate it when that phrase becomes part of the dialogue! The scan showed a calcium deposit that led to another doctor (remember this pattern). There was an aneurysm on my renal artery. Other doctors and scans later revealed other aneurysms outside both kidneys and a very rare renal artery disease called Fibro Muscular Dysplasia. This is not the way one wants to learn new vocabulary words. One also does not like to hear doctors say, “This is now more complicated than my area of expertise.”
Now we move to see special doctors in other states. Nothing gets your attention like a talk with the most prominent specialist in the field in the nation and hearing, “I don’t like the looks of this.” I will spare you details but there is not much that can top lying in a hospital room after having prayed with your family and seeing them walk out the door and then knowing you will have lengthy and dangerous surgery from where you will wake up either in the recovery room or Heaven. There is a reality check!
I wound up with two life saving surgeries. The first was in June. I could not have the second until I recovered enough strength for the following surgery in November. Major artery reconstruction was preformed and three aneurysms were removed. I was told how serious the condition was with both surgeries but that truth really set in after my 2nd surgery in November. The patient who followed me with the next surgery that day with the same condition and the same surgeon, died in the bed next to me in ICU. My doctor told us that in most situations such as this they do not find the aneurysm(s) until the autopsy, after it ruptures causing death with no warning or symptoms. He said, “Obviously, God still has some work for you to do here!"
So, ten years later, I begin each day ‘admiring’ the 25 inch scar around my 33 inch midsection and go through the day with no feeling in that area of my abdomen. It is my reminder to that I should have died ten years ago. I now seek to make the most of each moment that I have the gift of life. I do admit times of frustration I when I see people throwing away the precious fragile gift of life wasting time, fussing, fighting and arguing over petty matters. I am amazed at the ways we find to become angry and unhappy when we live in such a blessed country and are so blessed by God.
Do you know that your garbage disposal ‘eats’ better than much of the rest of the world? People in many countries who are caught worshipping Jesus are beaten or killed. We have total freedom to assemble and worship the risen Christ and a spring shower is enough to keep many away from church. Others go to church and fuss about anything and everything that displeases them rather than finding the unity in Christ that He prayed for just before going to the Cross (read John 17:20-26).
I am reminded of a slogan from of an old TV commercial for cell phones. They end the commercial saying, “We’re part of the AT&T wireless network…and we get it!” I often think we could do a similar commercial but we would have to change the words and say, “We are Christians living in America, saved by the abundant grace of Christ, living in a free nation to enjoy life at the fullest…but we don’t get it!” I Thessalonians 5:16 commands us to “Rejoice always” yet we often sit in the middle of God’s blessings and frown.
The next time you think you are having a bad time, remember the blessings you have here in America, read I Thessalonians. 5:18 and move on. You could have been born in India as an ‘untouchable’ (how would you like a life of cleaning out sewers with no hope of bettering your status in life?) or in you could have been born in Pakistan or Cambodia and not had the freedom or blessings that you have. John 10:10 says Jesus came to give abundant life. Let other stuff go and live! If I can rejoice over a 25-inch scar and celebrate the 10th anniversary of a kidney stone, you ought not to look too far to find your own reason to rejoice and make the most of each day!
Now we move to see special doctors in other states. Nothing gets your attention like a talk with the most prominent specialist in the field in the nation and hearing, “I don’t like the looks of this.” I will spare you details but there is not much that can top lying in a hospital room after having prayed with your family and seeing them walk out the door and then knowing you will have lengthy and dangerous surgery from where you will wake up either in the recovery room or Heaven. There is a reality check!
I wound up with two life saving surgeries. The first was in June. I could not have the second until I recovered enough strength for the following surgery in November. Major artery reconstruction was preformed and three aneurysms were removed. I was told how serious the condition was with both surgeries but that truth really set in after my 2nd surgery in November. The patient who followed me with the next surgery that day with the same condition and the same surgeon, died in the bed next to me in ICU. My doctor told us that in most situations such as this they do not find the aneurysm(s) until the autopsy, after it ruptures causing death with no warning or symptoms. He said, “Obviously, God still has some work for you to do here!"
So, ten years later, I begin each day ‘admiring’ the 25 inch scar around my 33 inch midsection and go through the day with no feeling in that area of my abdomen. It is my reminder to that I should have died ten years ago. I now seek to make the most of each moment that I have the gift of life. I do admit times of frustration I when I see people throwing away the precious fragile gift of life wasting time, fussing, fighting and arguing over petty matters. I am amazed at the ways we find to become angry and unhappy when we live in such a blessed country and are so blessed by God.
Do you know that your garbage disposal ‘eats’ better than much of the rest of the world? People in many countries who are caught worshipping Jesus are beaten or killed. We have total freedom to assemble and worship the risen Christ and a spring shower is enough to keep many away from church. Others go to church and fuss about anything and everything that displeases them rather than finding the unity in Christ that He prayed for just before going to the Cross (read John 17:20-26).
I am reminded of a slogan from of an old TV commercial for cell phones. They end the commercial saying, “We’re part of the AT&T wireless network…and we get it!” I often think we could do a similar commercial but we would have to change the words and say, “We are Christians living in America, saved by the abundant grace of Christ, living in a free nation to enjoy life at the fullest…but we don’t get it!” I Thessalonians 5:16 commands us to “Rejoice always” yet we often sit in the middle of God’s blessings and frown.
The next time you think you are having a bad time, remember the blessings you have here in America, read I Thessalonians. 5:18 and move on. You could have been born in India as an ‘untouchable’ (how would you like a life of cleaning out sewers with no hope of bettering your status in life?) or in you could have been born in Pakistan or Cambodia and not had the freedom or blessings that you have. John 10:10 says Jesus came to give abundant life. Let other stuff go and live! If I can rejoice over a 25-inch scar and celebrate the 10th anniversary of a kidney stone, you ought not to look too far to find your own reason to rejoice and make the most of each day!
Friday, February 4, 2011
Significance
The excitement is building. In a few days the Super Bowl will be played to determine the champion football team in the NFL. There has been and will be massive promotion, marketing and business opportunities as people try to exploit this special time. Many have been planning well in advance to be ready for this unique opportunity. News agencies reported a fear that there could be a shortage of ‘exotic dancers’ for those who will be looking for a certain avenue of celebration. It is sad to think of some patrons having to settle for dancers of a less but all that is another subject for another day.
The previous example is simply to show that many of life’s events have different meaning for different people. The Super Bowl is an event that has long been promoted and hyped beyond exaggeration. Years ago I thought the simple comment one person put it all in proper perspective. In 1978 the Super Bowl was played in the Louisiana Superdome for the first time. At that time this new structure was the largest indoor stadium. Here was the ‘Super’ game played in a ‘Superdome’! It could not get much better. It was also still a time when Walter Cronkite was the most respected and trusted voice in the nation as the original ‘Anchorman of the Nation’. An excited reporter had the opportunity for the ultimate commentary as he asked the respected man for his thoughts on such a spectacular event. Walter Cronkite had cut his teeth reporting during battles in World War II, he had been the calming voice for a country when a president was assassinated, as well as other historical events. We had become accustomed for Mr. Cronkite to look into the camera and put everything in proper perspective. He smiled and said it was interesting to see such excitement over something that has “no historical significance whatsoever!” The reporter, who had also fallen for all the hype of false importance, did not know what to say! I have always been a sports fan but this has to be one of my favorite moments. Putting things in proper perspective is extremely important in the more important game of life.
We are often guilty of giving too much attention to the wrong things or people. I find it interesting when we see who and what has been given historical significance. People like Jessie James, Jack the Ripper and Lee Oswalt are easily remembered while the majority of hardworking people in their day, who did their job with integrity, raised moral children and remained faithful to their spouse as they quietly went about being good citizens, remain obscure as others are celebrated or noted in history. One can easily grab a headline today by bad or outrageous behavior, some of which may have ‘no historical significance whatsoever’.
The real matter in life is significance or meaning rather than notoriety. My father & mother never were not famous but the way they lived and taught me to live still have historical significance for me. They showed me what it meant to be loved, how to love others and how to behave in a responsible manner. That may not cause them or me to go down in history but that IS significant. My heavenly Father verifies this through His son as Jesus summed all proper and significant behavior in Matthew 22:37-40. The more people who love and live responsibility as they love God and their fellowman, the more this may impact the world and have historical significance. In today’s mixed up world superficial events, like football games, and irresponsible behavior may gain headlines and even be recorded in history and considered important by many. However, when we follow the words and teachings of Jesus we will gain significance that is eternal. Now, THAT is significant!
The previous example is simply to show that many of life’s events have different meaning for different people. The Super Bowl is an event that has long been promoted and hyped beyond exaggeration. Years ago I thought the simple comment one person put it all in proper perspective. In 1978 the Super Bowl was played in the Louisiana Superdome for the first time. At that time this new structure was the largest indoor stadium. Here was the ‘Super’ game played in a ‘Superdome’! It could not get much better. It was also still a time when Walter Cronkite was the most respected and trusted voice in the nation as the original ‘Anchorman of the Nation’. An excited reporter had the opportunity for the ultimate commentary as he asked the respected man for his thoughts on such a spectacular event. Walter Cronkite had cut his teeth reporting during battles in World War II, he had been the calming voice for a country when a president was assassinated, as well as other historical events. We had become accustomed for Mr. Cronkite to look into the camera and put everything in proper perspective. He smiled and said it was interesting to see such excitement over something that has “no historical significance whatsoever!” The reporter, who had also fallen for all the hype of false importance, did not know what to say! I have always been a sports fan but this has to be one of my favorite moments. Putting things in proper perspective is extremely important in the more important game of life.
We are often guilty of giving too much attention to the wrong things or people. I find it interesting when we see who and what has been given historical significance. People like Jessie James, Jack the Ripper and Lee Oswalt are easily remembered while the majority of hardworking people in their day, who did their job with integrity, raised moral children and remained faithful to their spouse as they quietly went about being good citizens, remain obscure as others are celebrated or noted in history. One can easily grab a headline today by bad or outrageous behavior, some of which may have ‘no historical significance whatsoever’.
The real matter in life is significance or meaning rather than notoriety. My father & mother never were not famous but the way they lived and taught me to live still have historical significance for me. They showed me what it meant to be loved, how to love others and how to behave in a responsible manner. That may not cause them or me to go down in history but that IS significant. My heavenly Father verifies this through His son as Jesus summed all proper and significant behavior in Matthew 22:37-40. The more people who love and live responsibility as they love God and their fellowman, the more this may impact the world and have historical significance. In today’s mixed up world superficial events, like football games, and irresponsible behavior may gain headlines and even be recorded in history and considered important by many. However, when we follow the words and teachings of Jesus we will gain significance that is eternal. Now, THAT is significant!
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