Until this week I did not know that it was possible to have my heart so broken and so filled with pride at the same time. I spent this past week at the Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas. I was there with my son who had been injured in Iraq the week before. I, along with his mother and his wife, sat with him, talked with him and prayed with him through the difficult decision of having his foot amputated, and the recovery from surgery that followed.
Along the way we saw and heard many stories both inspiring and depressing, but far more were inspiring. I was amazed at the flow of young men and women coming in daily from Iraq and Afghanistan. I noticed that they were no longer being referred to as “soldiers” but were now being called “warriors,” and “heroes.” These are the stories too small for the evening news but nevertheless life changing for the warriors and their families. I saw people with a new appreciation for life and motivation to celebrate things that most of us would have difficulty celebrating.
I met a young man who celebrated only losing some fingers instead of his whole hand. We met a mother and son who celebrated life even though he was covered from head to toe with gauze because of the burns he received when he was the lone survivor of an explosion. Joyce and his mother praised God as they quoted Jeremiah 29:11 together:
“For I know the plans I have for you…plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (CSB)
The phrase, “life-changing experience,” holds new meaning for me today. I have used it many times for sharing the gospel, but have never had to apply it to my life in such a drastic way as now. Our lives can change in an instant, a flash, a phone call, a decision. Yes, Eric’s situation is life-changing, but isn’t that how it should be in our walk with the Lord. Each and every day with the Lord is to be celebrated. When we accept Him as Savior, we have only begun a journey that is filled with life-changing experiences. We have the option to go forward or “wallow” in things that come our way.
Our son has chosen to go forward, to embrace the future in such a way that He can still make a difference in this life. To us, he is truly a hero, a man that has sacrificed a lot for our freedom. These past two weeks have touched us in a deep way, and our lives will never be the same. We are thankful for the gift of life – we intend to celebrate each day in our walk with the Lord. How about you?
Bro. Robin
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
A Pond Project Parable
This weekend I finally got started on a project I have wanted to do for a long time. I started on the waterfall in the backyard. It is more like a mini-waterfall, not very big, and the pond it will fall into will only hold fifty gallons of water. It will be just off the back porch, which is close enough to enjoy while I sit and read or talk to Joyce in the evening.
My daughter and son-in-law are staying with us for a few weeks so it seemed like a good time to do an outdoor project while he can help. On Saturday we dug the hole, covered the area with plastic, and set the plastic tub for the pond. A few days later we filled in the spaces with sand and started laying the rock around it. We carefully leveled the pond as we supported it with sand and put a few heavy rocks in the pond to keep it anchored. Then last night it rained, big.
This morning we looked outside and to our surprise the pond had floated, rocks and all. It looked like some kind of barge that was sunk at a crazy angle. The plastic lined hole had apparently filled with water at a faster rate than the pond and as it rose the sand around it filled in under it. There was nothing we could do but pull it out, bail it out, dry it out, and try again.
We laughed when we saw it. What else could we do? Life is filled with unexpected events. But, most of the unexpected happenings in life are not funny, just the opposite. We all live in fear of that phone call or bad decision that changes the course of our life.
Job was a man in the Bible whose life is associated with trouble. Actually the events of the book of Job were only a small part of a life that was otherwise nearly perfect. When trouble came on him it nearly destroyed him to the point that all he had left was his faith in God. At the beginning of his troubles he said, “For the thing I feared has overtaken me, and what I dreaded has happened to me.” (Job 3:25, CSV)
Job endured his troubles because of his relationship with God. Later in his story he said, “As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth.” (Job 19:25, NAS) God will rescue us. God has rescued us. Our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, lives. His presence is with us now and always.
As Jesus said to us, “And remember, I am with you always…” (Matthew 28:20 CSV)
Bro. Robin
My daughter and son-in-law are staying with us for a few weeks so it seemed like a good time to do an outdoor project while he can help. On Saturday we dug the hole, covered the area with plastic, and set the plastic tub for the pond. A few days later we filled in the spaces with sand and started laying the rock around it. We carefully leveled the pond as we supported it with sand and put a few heavy rocks in the pond to keep it anchored. Then last night it rained, big.
This morning we looked outside and to our surprise the pond had floated, rocks and all. It looked like some kind of barge that was sunk at a crazy angle. The plastic lined hole had apparently filled with water at a faster rate than the pond and as it rose the sand around it filled in under it. There was nothing we could do but pull it out, bail it out, dry it out, and try again.
We laughed when we saw it. What else could we do? Life is filled with unexpected events. But, most of the unexpected happenings in life are not funny, just the opposite. We all live in fear of that phone call or bad decision that changes the course of our life.
Job was a man in the Bible whose life is associated with trouble. Actually the events of the book of Job were only a small part of a life that was otherwise nearly perfect. When trouble came on him it nearly destroyed him to the point that all he had left was his faith in God. At the beginning of his troubles he said, “For the thing I feared has overtaken me, and what I dreaded has happened to me.” (Job 3:25, CSV)
Job endured his troubles because of his relationship with God. Later in his story he said, “As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth.” (Job 19:25, NAS) God will rescue us. God has rescued us. Our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, lives. His presence is with us now and always.
As Jesus said to us, “And remember, I am with you always…” (Matthew 28:20 CSV)
Bro. Robin
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