Monthly Archives: July 2008

Life experiences, Ministry

I GOT THE CHAIR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yesterday was a first for me.

I preached my first sermon from a wheel chair.

Over the past 28 years as a pastor, I have been able to experience some unique ways of giving people the Good News. Yesterday was another opportunity of doing it  from a different vantage point.

Life from a wheel chair is a totally different view as oppossed to standing up on two feet.

Here are some of my observations of life from the chair:

– Children can talk to you face to face.

-You depend on people to “PUSH” you around.

– Stairs are not your friend.

– Narrow hallways and furniture are a hassle.

– Doorways are never wide enough.

– It takes you twice as long to get from point “A” to point “B”.

– Minor cracks in parking lots are a major pain.

– You look at how other people in wheel chairs, on crutches and walkers are adapting to  alternative transportation”.

And probably the biggest thing I have noticed is this, What a gift walking is.

 

These are just a few observations I have been able to notice as a novice person who just got the chair. I’m sure that there are many, many more.

“The chair” is teaching some good stuff about what other people  go through everyday of their lives that I have taken for granted.

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family

A FOOT CENTERED FAMILY?

For more than a quarter of a century Brenda and I have taught people in seminars, in marriage and family sessions, this very important principle: “Become a family-centered family”.

Selfishness can cause us as families to get so out of focus and off track.  You see, it can creep up on you without you even knowing it.

What do I mean? Well, when you first get married you fall in love with the most importantant person in your life, right? Your spouse becomes the most important person in your life.  Then….a few months can go by and instead of staying a family-centered family, we get the new job and we become a “JOB-CENTERED FAMILY“.  Not on purpose,it just becomes the most important thing.

Then we buy a new house and we become a “HOUSE-CENTERED FAMILY“.

Then we have children, and it seems everything else gets put on the back shelf because the children have so many needs that are so urgent, so we become a CHILD-CENTERED FAMILY.

So many things get us off track from staying a FAMILY-CENTERED FAMILY… where every member of the family countsand no one becomes more important than anyone else in the family.

In our family, we always joke about becoming a “DOG-CENTERED FAMILY” because we have two golden retrievers that seem to get alot of our attention a lot of the time. They are important to us but not more important than the human members of the family.

Anything can get in the way of the most important thing. (boats, bikes, mortorcycles, hobbies, you name it).

These past few days because of my injury and surgery, my pain levels have been off the charts and everyone in the house (even the dogs) know not to hit dad’s foot.

I laughed a couple of hours ago when my two adult children, Brenda,the dogs, and the cat were in our bedroom and there it was larger than life……my big fat throbbing, aching, hurting, suffering foot!

 

There it was in the middle of the room and everyone was concerned about the foot to make sure IT was o.k. and IT was comfortable.

I laughed and told everyone that we had become a “FOOT-CENTERED FAMILY”.

 

One of my goals during this recovery season is going to make sure we don’t become a “FOOT CENTERED FAMILY” …..but we stay a  “FAMILY-CENTERED FAMILY” where everyone counts and everyone matters.

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Life experiences

BROKEN

Sorry for the weblog delay but last Saturday morning I took a detour from normal life.

The morning was a great start to a group mountain bike ride through one of my favorite Arizona single track trails.

We started at 7:00 AM up the 396 climb and two hours later came to the end of our venture with one last episode.

At 9:00 am I bumped the riders wheel in front of me and in a matter of three seconds found myself laying on trail 396 with what doctor Pfluger later told me was a Broken Ankle – Displaced Trimalleolar Fracture.

In everday language, I broke three bones in my right ankle.

From the time of the ankle break to the xray taken at the hospital pictured below was 56 minutes.

I want to thank the four mountain bike buddies for the excellent way they handled my outdoor emergency.    

Robert middlemore for the carry out to the SUV and excellent 4 wheel
out.
Scott Lopeman for the carry out to the SUV.
Billy Reagan for the ride to the hopital.
Robert Coomsie for the help and encouraging words.
YOU GUYS SAVED THE DAY FOR ME.

My docter tells me that I have two plates and seven screws holding my right ankle together and the recovery process could be 10 to 12 weeks before I could start to get back on my bike again.

I will keep an update about the recovery process as the days go along.

Just for kicks, here is a medical diagram of the surgey doctor Pfluger did on me this past Saturday.

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