Update:
I went to my regularly scheduled prosthetist appointment on Wednesday
morning. We worked on getting the
prosthesis to allow me to kneel on one leg, and alternate legs on stairs that
were higher and narrower (like those at home).
Leah also modified my orthotic in my right shoe to alleviate some pain
in the heel. Leah said that we are
really close to making my first final socket—it will be lighter, thinner, and stronger
(made of acrylics). She ordered what she
believes will be my permanent foot. I
get to try it on and see if I like better than my current foot. It’s a carbon foot that helps transfer energy
back into my step. I quipped that “I
thought everyone was trying to lower their carbon footprint.” She said the foot costs $4,000. Wow! I’ve
gotten into an expensive hobby!
Jon was at the house working on David’s car, so I brought lunch home
for us and we ate together. Jon went out
to continue working on the car; and I went to my office to work for the afternoon. I had a good time chatting with the ladies at
White Cross before settling down. There
was a package left on my desk that was addressed to me. I didn’t remember ordering anything so I
wondered what was inside? A book? A DVD?
I opened the box and there was a stuffed parrot! I’ve been teased a bunch for becoming a
pirate—peg leg with my prosthesis and wearing an eye patch after eye surgery,
so a friend purchased a parrot for me and had it sent to me. He says that I have to wear the eye patch and
the parrot on my shoulder at church this Sunday morning. I might just do it for a little fun. Thanks Dan and Eva for the good laugh!
At church, Randy V. has had a number of contractors come out to work
out some bids on possible small additions that we are considering. I had been told by my physical therapist that
I was ready for a little “off road adventure” so I should try walking in the
yard. When the guy came to locate where
the phone lines were, I walked around the outside of the church building with
him. I made it without a problem but I
really felt it in my right hip and I was breathing harder when I was done. Who would think that walking in the grass
could be such hard work? So it was a
successful stroll into new territory; but it showed me once again how much work
I have to do to regain what I have lost.
I just keep putting one foot in front of the other—taking one step at a
time. If I keep that up I know that I
will eventually arrive at my goal.
I stopped by the Fall Creek Police department and chatted with the
Chief. I got his approval to start
riding along with the officers again. So
I scheduled some rides over the next month and a half. I’ve been looking forward to spending time
with the men and women on duty again. I
am so grateful that I can resume this part of my life as a chaplain to the
department.
Two of my sons, Jon and David, helped me get my 16-foot long trailer
out of storage in the afternoon. Karen
needs my assistance loading scenery into the theatre on Friday afternoon for
next week’s Easter drama. Getting the
trailer out usually requires 2-3 guys.
They were able to get it out with minimal help from me. Friday evening, I’ll play the part of a
Teamster and let the other people do all the heavy lifting (I’ll drive; they’ll
load and unload) as we get scenery from the University and Banbury Place and
take it to the State Theatre.
After dinner with Karen, I took my prosthetic leg off, watched a little
TV, did about 45 minutes of exercise, and then it was time to tuck myself into
bed.
Thought for the Day:
I’m reading a book called “David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and
the Art of Battle” by Malcom Gladwell.
In the book, Gladwell has a whole chapter devoted to basketball teams
without talent and ability, who had no hope of winning their game, who relied
upon the full court press and brought down their Goliaths. Many coaches came to study what these
surprising winners are doing so that they can take their winning strategy back
home. But that rarely works. Why?
Because those coaches come from teams that are mediocre or average. They have some talent and the ability to win
some games in the traditional fashion.
In other words, they are not desperate enough to work, train, or play
that hard. Done well, the full court
press is exhausting and practicing to execute it for an entire game is
grueling.
“To play by David’s rules {full court press} you have to be
desperate. You have to be so bad that
you have no choice. Their teams are just
good enough that they know it could never work.
Their players could never be convinced to play that hard. They were not desperate enough.” [Malcom
Gladwell, David and Goliath].
This made me think of the life of faith. It seems that most people approach God with
the idea that “I’m not perfect; but I’m pretty good.” People don’t want to make any radical changes
in their lives—they just want a little boost that will push them across the
imaginary line where God would accept them.
They want the benefit of a relationship with God and the blessings of
heaven; but they don’t really want to change that much or alter their lives too
much to achieve it. “I’ll go to church
as much as I can on Sunday and even throw a few bucks in the offering plate—that
should be enough.” These people are
living under the delusion of “almost being good enough.” I once looked at the life of faith in a very
similar fashion. “God will take and
weigh my good and bad deeds on scale. If
my good deeds outweigh my bad deed then God will accept me.” Think about that very common notion for a
moment. Do you really think God will
accept you if you are 51% good? I think
we’ve settled on that concept because we feel that we might stand a chance of
achieving that 51% threshold. “This
might work!”
In contrast to this common belief, the bible declares that a much more
difficult standard for us to achieve is required for God to find us acceptable
and welcome us into heaven: 100%. That
is right; God demands absolute perfection—nothing less. 99% won’t do.
100%.
If you are honest with yourself, you know that you have failed to live
by a perfect standard for your entire life.
Even if it was possible for you to live a perfect life from this day
forward; you have all your failures from previously in your life which would
disqualify you. The somber realization
is that on your own; you have absolutely 0% chance of being found acceptable to
God based upon your life and what you’ve done.
Like the little teams with no talent and no hope of winning the game
played by the standards that others employ; we have to realize that this common
approach to win God’s favor will never work for us. If we think we have a shot at making it in
our own power—we will never do what is necessary. We have to be desperate to really do what God
has required.
We cannot trust in ourselves; our religious background; the good deeds
we have done; the prayers we have offered; the cash we have contributed; none
of our good works really matter because they will always add up to less than
100%.
All that we can do in our desperation is to throw ourselves at God’s
feet and beg for His mercy and forgiveness.
Admit that we are helpless and that we need a Savior. Acknowledge that Jesus paid the price for our
sins and by faith accept that God now finds us acceptable and welcomes us into
His family.
It needs to be clearly understood that it is not our good deeds plus
faith in Christ. It is faith alone. That is hard to accept because it is so
humbling. In God’s sight there is not a
single person good enough to enter His presence on their own merit. I can admit that I have a few flaws; but to
say that every good thing that I have done is worthless—that’s harsh! If I am not desperate enough, I will never
turn to God in that way—totally and completely trusting in Him.
If I think that I stand the slightest chance of winning God’s favor; I
will never surrender myself to those terms.
In the end, by clutching tightly to the things I think will help me; I
miss the opportunity to latch onto the one thing in all of eternity that really
will.
Please think and ponder on these thoughts. Go to the bible and see what God has
said. After all, it is His world, His
Heaven, His creation—so it’s His rules.
This is one game that you don’t want to lose!
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by
grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is
the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (ESV).
Galatians 3:22 “But the Scripture imprisoned
everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be
given to those who believe” (ESV).
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