Update:
My daughter, Kate, dropped me off at the Emergency Services Building in
Altoona last night for the CPR/AED certification. I liked being in the class with firefighters
and police officers whom I come to know and enjoy as the department’s Chaplain. The instructors accommodated my restrictions
by placing the mannequin up on a table and I stood on one leg to demonstrate
the skills. I past the written test and skills test without a problem.
The group last night was all guys and was a bit smaller than the class
held on Tuesday night so it was more relaxed. The instructors enjoyed the light-hearted
banter and the laughs we had. At one
point, we were practicing back blows on infant mannequins that were
choking. I had already had my turn, so I
turned around to watch Scott who was behind me go through the cycle of 5 back blows
and then 5 chest compressions. As the
instructor set the scene she told those with the mannequins, “Your wife left
you at home with the baby while you are watching the Packers’ football
game. You aren’t paying too much
attention and you fed the baby a carrot and she started to choke on it. What do you do?” I had just happened to bring some carrots
along with me for a snack since the class was scheduled from 6-10 p.m. I passed a carrot to Scott who managed to get
the carrot wedged into the mannequin’s mouth.
He then announces loudly, “I can see the object but it I can’t get it to
dislodge.” The entire class looks over
at Scott and burst into laughter when they see the carrot. Scott continues to work on his baby without
success until, while in the process of flipping the baby over to do more back
blows, he accidentally whacks its head on the table and the carrot comes flying
out. He exclaims, “Oh there I got it!” Everyone is rolling with laughter at his
antics and then he receives plenty of derisive comments about him “not being
eligible for the Dad of the Year award,” and “Now we know why you aren’t an EMT,”
etc. It was a light-hearted moment about
a very somber situation. Before leaving the building, I got to spend
some time talking with other firefighters out in the apparatus bay who were
installing some additional lights on the side of an engine. I
enjoyed the evening out.
This morning, after I finish the Update and Thoughts and get them
posted, I’ll do my exercises and read in the bible (I am currently reading
through the gospel of John) and then do some additional reading in my
inspirational/devotional books. I am
planning to go into my office at church again this afternoon to work on Sunday’s
message. I’m “just one tent shy of being
a circus” when someone transports me somewhere.
I appreciate their time and energy.
I cannot lift the wheelchair into the car or truck and get it back out
again, so I am dependent upon the generosity of others.
Karen will come pick me up after she gets done at work and then we’ll
head home to make dinner (she does most of the work while I set the
table). I’ll probably work at filling
out the doctor’s form for my appointment next Monday after dinner. We’ll see what we do besides that; but I know
“going to bed” will definitely be on both of our lists. J
Thought for the Day:
In the 9th chapter of the Gospel of John, Jesus and his disciples pass
by a man who was blind from birth. The
disciples ask a question based upon the common thinking of the day, “Rabbi, who
sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2).
John 9:3 "Neither
this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so
that the works of God might be displayed in him.”
Illness, disease, and death entered into the world
because of sin. But just because someone
is sick, injured, or disabled does it mean that someone’s specifically sinned
and is to blame for the problem. Jesus,
who later in John 9 healed the man, said that he is ill in order to demonstrate
the power and mercy of God by healing him.
The man who was healed was given opportunity to tell
others about how he came to be healed.
His unusual healing was noteworthy and caused quite a stir among those
who knew him and the religious leaders.
It’s obvious that something miraculous happened.
Imagine being blind from birth and all you could do for
income was to beg. I have thought that
it might be interesting to grow a scruffy beard, put on old ratty clothes and go
into Eau Claire for a day to stand out on a street corner with my lower leg
missing and see how much money I could collect; but to have to go out there
every day and have that as my only means of support? No! I am grateful that we have such great
healthcare and as a society we have help for people in need. That along with the loving support of my
wife, family and friends makes my life comfortable.
But this man didn’t have any of that. Begging was all he had to rely upon. And Jesus set him free and gave him the
ability to see. It is no wonder that he
was constantly praising God for what had happened to Him. He was overjoyed and filled with hope and
belief in the one who healed him. They
say that the best advertising is word of mouth and this man was selling
it! No wonder Jesus said that the man’s
blindness would be used by God to display His works. Undeniable miracle! It wasn’t a scam. He hadn’t been faking it since birth. He was blind and now he can see! To God be the glory!
Now most of us will never have that kind of opportunity
to give glory to God through our testimony.
I don’t personally know anybody who has been blind since birth who has
been healed; but I do know a whole lot of people who have been blessed by God
in one fashion or another who could give praise and testimony for what God has
done for them!
Through my amputation, I have been given an opportunity
to give God credit for all that He has done for me. I hope that it is obvious from my
Updates/Thoughts that I am thankful for all that He has done and is doing in my
life. Everyone comments about my
positive attitude. My positive attitude is a direct result of my faith in God. I believe that God healed the leaking heart
valves that were found in preliminary tests but then weren’t leaking at the
last test prior to surgery. I believe
that God prompted my wife to take me to the hospital where they said if she had
waited one or two hours longer that I would have died. God gave me peace, and hope and comfort when
I was afraid and in pain and when I needed it most. My story and my life are a testimony to God’s
goodness and mercy.
One thing that I don’t notice in John 9 is the man
whining about how God could have healed him sooner; of that God could have
prevented his blindness altogether.
There is no hint of this man complaining about how miserable his life
had been or how he had been cheated. I
feel the same way as the man who was healed. Praise God for what He has
done! I was in need and He heard my cry
and answered me. Now I haven’t received a
leg back whole and sound; and I am not really looking for one (although I would
like one fabricated with metal, plastic and whatever they make them out of now
a days). I am satisfied with what God
has done for me. I look forward to
continuing to praise Him as I regain my life.
I will tell my story as long as anyone will listen. My story is a song of praise for a God who
loves me.
What do you have in your life that you could give God
praise? Your life doesn’t have to be
perfect to have something to give thanksgiving for. You also don’t have to have anything dramatic
happen in your life. Every one of us has
things that we could and should be giving God glory for. Don’t be shy.
The man who was born blind told the truth to the religious leaders who
didn’t want to hear it. No matter how
hard they pushed; he stuck to his story and continued to tell it. Be bold (without being obnoxious) and tell
the story of God’s love for you.
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