Coincidences? Luck?

          Life is filled with many unexpected events.  Many folks will say these events are just luck or coincidences.  But those of us who claim to know the Lord Jesus Christ know that our life events are part of His plan for us and not just coincidences.  Maybe they are even special miracles.  During the past three months we have had many of these special events which have been orchestrated by the Lord.

         If you have been reading my recent blogs you may be aware of the discovery of a very serious spinal condition that could have led to paralysis or even death if it had not been discovered.  A trip to the ER for expected heart issues led to this diagnosis.  A special surgeon who is normally booked many months in advance agreed to see me almost immediately.  This led to unexpected cervical spine surgery which replaced two discs, removed calcium behind three discs which had compressed my spinal cord and the removal of a spur.  Even the surgeon didn't anticipate this much damage and wasn't sure if he could correct it all.  But we prayed and he was able to do it all in 4 1/2 hours.  Coincidence?  Luck?  No, just a special intervention by the Lord.

         Now I had numerous limits following surgery, including not being allowed to drive.  I still can't lift more than 15 lbs. and complete healing may take up to a year.  Three days after my surgery my wife had her annual colonoscopy required for her ulcerative colitis.  Numerous biopsies were taken.  PTL, they all came back negative.  And the Lord was continuing to be in control with special blessings or even miracles.

          Several weeks ago, about 15 hours before my appointment to get cleared to drive again, Dianne passed out while we were putting a puzzle together.  We should have called 911 but she revived quickly and didn't want to go to the ER.  The next morning we went to her doctor who thought it might have been a TIA or a brief seizure.  He wanted to send her to a neurologist but I suggested that she see her heart doctor instead.  Then we found that the first opening with her heart doctor wasn't until September.  I wanted her seen right away so they set us up with another doctor in the same group.  He ordered more blood tests and a 24 hour monitor and promised to call as soon as he got the results.

          When he failed to call back we asked to see another doctor in their group and this one reviewed the test results with us and then ordered a chemical stress test.  They wanted it done in their facility but couldn't do it there for two weeks.  So I suggested checking with the hospital and they were able to take her, would you believe, at 7:15 the very next morning.  The Lord was continuing to work things out because when her test began we were surprised and pleased to find out that her regular heart doctor was actually on duty in the hospital that day.  He then was able to monitor her throughout the day.  I must admit that this surprise boosted my confidence and reminded me how that the Lord was really in charge.

          There were some problems with the stress test so the doctor suggested that while she was already there they should do a heart cath. If they found a blockage they would keep her overnight and do surgery the next morning.   But when the tests came back fine he then suggested that her electrical system should be tested.  We were then able to schedule another doctor in their group and see her July 3, the day before we were headed to Pinebrook and she was leaving for vacation.  And we were able to schedule Dianne's heart test the day we both returned home from our vacations.  Timing and availability a coincidence?  No!

          So on that Monday, at 6 am, she entered LGH where they went into her heart and examined the electrical responses.  About an hour into the test they called me and said that she actually needed a pacemaker.  I told them to go ahead and they implanted one while she was still out.  Later they did find some sort of glitch happened exactly at 11:51, probably from an external source and they never could figure out what caused it but her pacemaker was right on otherwise.  So, against my desires, they discharged her at 5 in the afternoon. They told me that if there was any problem we should call 911.  That suggestion didn't make me feel anymore comfortable, but seeing how God had been working everything out, I still knew He was in control ... and He was.  She actually slept in bed that night and everything appears to be slowly healing well.

          Now she can't drive for at least six weeks, but in God's perfect timing I now can.  And she is limited in what she may lift and she is not allowed to place her left arm above her shoulder for at least six weeks.  So we are a good pair and we often laugh about our restrictions together.  And it appears to be working fine, although I have much to learn about cooking, washing and cleaning.  But those are lessons I really need to learn anyway.  The one thing we haven't resolved is how I comb her hair.  All I've ever dealt with is my short hair and so this is a challenge.  One thing sure - I'll never be a hair dresser.

          But even more sure than that, God is good, all the time and all of our moments are in His hands. 

Day By Day

        Last week we were stunned to see a friend of ours have a heart attack during an evening service at Pinebrook.  We prayed as folks gave him CPR until the ambulance arrived.  Just moments before he had given his testimony of  how he came to know the Lord.  It was such a vivid reminder of how we never know what a day may bring.  I recall receiving the word that my mother was killed in an auto accident.  I remember how I found my father minutes after he had passed away.  I remember receiving word that several of my friends had been told that they had serious physical diseases.  I remember being told that I had prostate cancer and recently that I needed cervical spine surgery or I might become paralyzed.  Last week we received word that my wife needed heart surgery which she had on Monday. I remember 911 and President Kennedy being killed. Events that change our lives happen unexpectedly.  As I said, we never know what a day may bring.  As I've thought about such unexpected events the song "Your Faithfulness" by Brian Doerksen kept coming back to my mind.

I don't know what this day will bring

Will it be disappointing, filled with longed for things?

I don't know what tomorrow holds

Still I know I can trust Your faithfulness

I don't know if these clouds mean rain

If they do, will they pour down blessing or pain?

I don't know what the future holds

Still I know I can trust Your faithfulness

          The song began days before the birth of the Doerksen's sixth child.  Several years before they had found that their son had "Fragile X syndrome", a permanent condition that caused severe development delays and other big challenges. Knowing that the syndrome is passed genetically through the mother, and having four daughters and one son, they decided to take a 'step of faith' to try and have one more child. They hoped and prayed for a son who would not be affected with the syndrome.  As the due date approached Brian found himself becoming more and more overwhelmed by the uncertainties of life and he asked himself, "Is there anything I can count on in life?" As he began to pour out his heart at the piano, this song spilled out amid his tears with the assurance that there is only one thing we can really count on, even when we don't understand - the faithfulness of God. Their sixth child, a son, was born with this disease. 

            Sometimes even our faithful God does not shield us from the problems of humanity, but He does give us the us the strength to face them in His power. We don't know what a day may bring, but we have the presence of God Almighty who is ever faithful.  The older I get, the more I remember to start each day by thanking the Lord for another day and asking Him to give me the strength and wisdom I need to handle whatever He has planned for me in the coming hours.

When darkness overwhelms my soul

When thoughts and storms of doubt

Still I trust You are always faithful, always faithful

Certain as the rivers reach the sea

Certain as the sunrise in the east

I can rest in your faithfulness

Surer than a mother's tender love

Surer than the stars still shine above

I can rest in your faithfulness

I don't know what this day will bring

Will it be disappointing, filled with longed for things?

I don't know what tomorrow holds

Still I know I can trust Your faithfulness

Mall Observations

          I  recently had about an hour to do one of my favorite things - people watching.  My wife was doing some shopping at Park City and since I had already completed my daily walk there I decided to grab a seat in the center mall and just observe what was happening.  During that time I made numerous observations, but here are just ten of the things that I noticed.

(1)   A few people stopped at the Bake Shop where they sell expensive cup cakes.  But all that I saw purchase them there were at least 50 pounds overweight.  Is that a cause and effect relationship?

(2)   The economy must be much better than I realized since the busiest shop was the coffee shop.  Folks continually stopped there to purchase all sorts of fancy, over priced coffee combinations.  I think the least expensive item - regular coffee - was $3.75.  They must make the most profit of any of the stores in the mall.  And people need their fancy coffee fix.

(3)    I did need to make a visit to a restroom and I felt very much ill at ease there since there was a young boy who was playing around in there, unattended.  I felt very uncomfortable in this day and age when it is common to have folks make claims of sexual misconduct.  In fact, Awana now has a new policy for its major events. Children and adults may not be in a rest room at the same time.   How sad it is that we have reached such a point in this sinful society.

(4)    Along the same line, while I was seated in the mall, a father passed me pushing his young son in a stroller.  The toddler waved to me so I waved back.  Then I saw the father give me a nasty look.  I guess it's dangerous to even smile or wave to a youngster today.

(5)    And while I am on the subject of children, I was shocked at the number of youngsters who were running around and appeared to be unattended.  What a dangerous situation in a day when children are sometimes kidnapped.  And, likewise, what a sad situation when parents don't control and discipline their children.

(6)    It appears that anything goes today with the way people dress in public.  The clothing ranged from those who looked like they were going to a formal banquet to those who must have just come out of the garden. Amish to Muslim and many different cultures. Multicolored hair is in and so are piercings and skin. And torn jeans and saggin pants are still in.

(7)    You could also tell that summer is coming.  Push-up bras and low necklines were prevalent and revealed much more than one really needed to see.

(8)    We really have become international.  The number of different languages that were heard there was amazing.  The days of just English and Pennsylvania Dutch are long gone.

(9)    There are some very boring jobs there.  I can't imagine sitting all day at a Bathfitter display or a Cabinet Refinishing display or a few of the others.  I guess some folks really need the work and are willing to spend their days doing that.

(10)   What did people do before smart phones and cell phones?  A large percentage of the shoppers were talking and texting as they walked and shopped.  Some were talking out loud and you could even listen to their "private" conversations.  I guess folks can no longer stand to be alone, even for a few minutes.

          It was an interesting hour and provided me with an interesting, but sometimes sad view of our changing society.  But I guess my biggest observation during that time was that the masses who passed by needed the Lord.  I couldn't help but think of the words of Steve Green's song, "Everyday they pass me by, I can see it in their eyes. Empty people filled with care, Headed who knows where?  On they go through private pain, Living fear to fear. Laughter hides their silent cries, Only Jesus hears.  People need the Lord, people need the Lord. At the end of broken dreams, He's the open door. People need the Lord, people need the Lord. When will we realize, people need the Lord?"  And that is a haunting and challenging observation.

Invest Information

Once again we've passed that time that is dreaded by so many - the deadline for filing federal and state income taxes.  Now I don't really dread that at all.  Our taxes were filed the beginning of March and by the middle of the month I had received and invested our refund.  But since we did owe state tax this year I held that return and filed it just before the deadline.  Then it's all over for another year.
          Recently a Steve Sanderson sent me some important information about investments.  I had shared this on my Awana website, but in case you didn't see it there, I felt that it might be worth sharing this in my blog for those who didn't see it.  
          There are some key definitions listed here that you should know if you are an investor. And you won't find this help anywhere else.  So study it carefully.

A GUIDE TO THE WORLD OF INVESTMENTS 

STOCK: A magical piece of paper that is worth $33.75 until the moment you buy it. It will then be worth $8.50. 

BOND: What you had with your spouse until you pawned his/her golf clubs to invest in Amazon.com. 

BROKER: The person you trust to help you make major financial decisions. Please note the first five letters of this word spell "Broke."

BEAR: What your trade account and wallet will be when you take a flyer on that 

hot stock tip your coworker gave you.

BULL: What your broker uses to explain why your mutual funds tanked during the last quarter. 

MARGIN: Where you scribble the latest quotes when you're supposed to be listening to your manager's presentation. 

SHORT POSITION: A type of trade where, in theory, a person sells stocks he doesn't actually own. Since this also only ever works in theory, a short position is what a person usually ends up being in (e.g., "The rent, sir?   Hahaha, well, I'm a little short this month."). 

COMMISSION: The only reliable way to make money on the stock market, which is 

why your broker charges you one. 

YAK: What you do into a pail when you discover your stocks have plunged and your broker is making a margin call.

There you have what you need, so get busy and invest away!

Give Thanks

         Do people show you appreciation and "thank you" when you do a favor for them?  If you let another vehicle pull out in front of you do they always wave "thank you"?   If you hold a door open for another person, do they say "thank you"?  If you provide some information that a person has requested, do they say "thank you"?  I guess I would answer those questions by saying "sometimes", but maybe not as often as folks used to.  I guess I feel that the act of having good manners and showing appreciation and saying thanks is becoming a lost skill.
        Maybe showing appreciation needs to be taught.  Like many parents we have had to train our boys to say thank you.  It doesn't appear to be a natural reaction.  When I was commander of Awana I often had to remind clubbers that it was proper to say "thank you" when receiving an award.  Many learned to do so, but others never did.
         For 12 years I served as Judge of Elections for our precinct.  It was a lot of work with little pay but generally we enjoyed it and we worked with such a nice team.  But we decided that it was time to retire.  Now never did anybody at the county election board ever say thank you for serving.  The only response that I ever received from them was that I once packed their electrical cords in the wrong place.  Maybe if I had known my work was appreiated I might have continued a few more years.  But I guess that is the way that government acts.  It's a wonder that folks continue to serve when they aren't appreciated.
         Recently I received an e-mail from a church member after I responded to their request for some information about gifts for their missionary trip.  They thanked me for doing that for them and I admit that I was shocked and pleased.  Do you know that in 12 years of handling the finances for our church that is the first time that I received thanks for doing this. Some years I provide 160 or more receipts and I keep individual records for gifts for trips - about 40 this year.  But I guess folks just expect that this will be done for them.  I prepare over 300 end of year giving receipts and the only time I hear about them is when somebody has lost their receipt and quickly needs another copy to take to their tax preparer.  It is often expected that I will provide this for them almost immediately.  Now I don't do this work for thanks and I'm not looking for any sympathy.  I do it because God has given me the gifts to do so.  But, unfortunately, even Christians can be demanding and not appreciative.  And churches can be the least appreciative of anybody.  Church leadership wants folks to serve, but they seldom, if ever, show their appreciation to those who do volunteer.
          Now there is one exception that I must mention.  Our Awana staff has always been overly appreciative of our leadership.  Notes of thanks, annual gifts at our banquet, and even standing ovations have been given to us.  While it is embarrassing at times, it is special because we work with such good people and we know their responses are sincere.
        But sometimes it is hard to show your appreciation when folks don't accept it.  For about 30 years we have made it a personal project to thank our Awana staff for their service by providing an annual buffet banquet for them at the end of the Awana year. The last few years we have gone to the Conferene Center at Millersville University.  It cost us about $32 a person and we only charge them $6 as a way to thank them.  We announce it a year in advance so they can reserve the night.  And despite this, about one third of the staff don't come.  And this year we had to even pay for six staff members who bought tickets and then didn't come.  This is always so disappointing to us personally because it is our special opportunity to provide a special night for them to say thank you.  I will never understand this, but at least we try.
          But problems with showing and accepting appreciation aren't really that new.  I have always been perplexed by the time that Jesus miraculously healed ten lepers.  Of the ten, only one came back to thank Jesus for this miracle that changed their lives.  I've never really been able to comprehend this story.
          But as I've shared these stories and examples, I am reminded first that it is our responsibility to serve the Lord and use our gifts, no matter what the response.  We are serving Him first and our rewards will be in heaven.  But secondly, we have a responsibility to be thankful.  We need to look for those who serve, especially in our church ministries, and share our appreciation with them.  But, thirdly, and most importantly, we need to continually thank our Lord for His grace and mercy and goodness.  I think often we fail to do this.  God is so good and faithful to us, all the time, and we need to continually live thankful lives before Him.  1 Thessalonians 5:18 "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

         

Old?

          Who do you think is old?  I admit that at one time in my life I thought that a person who was 60 was really old.  Now that is young.  And apparently I'm not alone in that type of thinking.  Recently I read the results of a survey done by AARP in which they asked 1,800 Americans what getting older has been like for them so far.
          The first part of the survey asked "how old is old".  85% of those responding, between the ages of 40 and 90, said that they weren't old.  One 90-year-old women said that a woman isn't old until she hits 95.  People in their 40's said that you were old at 63.  Those in their 50's said at 68.  Those in their 60's said 73 and those in their 70's said 75.  Both men and women in general said that a man is old when he is 70.  So I guess I qualify.  Concerning women, men said that she is old at 68 and women said at 75.  Interesting difference in opinion.
          It also appears to many that aging actually gets easier.  58% of those in their 40's said that their physical health did not hold them back from doing what they wanted to do but surprisingly 69% of those in their 70's said the same thing.  39% of those in their 40's said that growing older has been easier than they thought, while 55% of those in their 70's agreed with that statement.  Only 24% of those in their 40's said that they have more energy now than they expected at their age, while 64% of those in their 70's said the same thing.
          Respondents were asked to to agree or disagree with these three statements.  (1)  As people age they deserve more respect from others.  60% of those in their 40's agreed while only 46% of those in their 60's agreed.  (2)  It's OK to make jokes about people who are old.  28% of those in their 40's agreed and 43% of those in their 70's agreed.  I guess I need to be a little more careful about doing this.  (3)  I feel respected when a younger person offers help.  21% of those in their 40's agreed while 61% of those in their 70's agreed.  Unfortunately, that doesn't happen too often today.
          And then there was a final statement to evaluate.  I know I'll enjoy sex no matter how old I am.  66% of those in their 40's agreed, 61% of those in their 50"s agreed, 56% of those in their 60's agreed and 59% of those in their 70's agreed.  71% of the men agreed but only 51% of the women agreed.  I will pass on commenting about this question.
          Let me share two quotes with you.  Dave Barry has said, "almost half of the people over 40 believe they look younger than they are.  This says something important about older Americans: We have terrible eyesight."  And Whoopi Goldberg has said, "There's only one alternative to getting older.  So suck it up!"
          Fortunately the Bible has much to share about growing old.  In Isaiah 46:4 we read, "Even to your old age, I shall be the same, even to your graying years I shall bear you! I have done it and I shall carry you: And I shall bear you, and I shall deliver you."  In Psalm 37:25 we read "I have been young and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread."  And finally, Psalm 92:14, " They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green."

Teaching English

Recently I attended a language awards program for the Hempfield School District to watch my granddaughter receive a Spanish award.  One of the presenters was head of their English as a Second Language program.  I was surprised to hear her report on the number of students from all of the world who come to their school not being able to speak any English.  It was amazing to hear how many different countries and languages were involved.  I couldn't help but think of the difficult task for both the teachers and the students since English is such a very difficult language to learn.

A few days later somebody sent me a list of tips for learning and teaching English. With apologies to the late Miss Enck and my father who both taught me all that I know about English,  I thought the list might be of interest to you.

1. Verbs HAS to agree with their subjects.

2. Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.

3. And don't start a sentence with a conjunction.

4. It is wrong to ever split an infinitive.

5. Avoid cliches like the plague. (They're old hat)

6. Also, always avoid annoying alliteration.

7. Be more or less specific.

8. Parenthetical remarks (however relevant) are (usually)unnecessary.

9. Also too, never, ever use repetitive redundancies.

10. No sentence fragments.

11. Contractions aren't necessary and shouldn't be used.

12. Foreign words and phrases are not apropos.

13. Do not be redundant; do not use more words than necessary; it's highly superfluous.

14. One should NEVER generalize.

15. Comparisons are as bad as cliches.

16. Eschew ampersands & abbreviations, etc.

17. One-word sentences? Eliminate.

18. Analogies in writing are like feathers on a snake.

19. The passive voice is to be ignored.

20. Eliminate commas, that are, not necessary. Parenthetical words however should be enclosed in commas.

21. Never use a big word when a diminutive one would suffice.

22. Use words correctly, irregardless of how others use them.

23. Understatement is always the absolute best way to put forth earth-shaking ideas.

24. Eliminate quotations. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "I hate quotations. Tell me what you know."

25. If you've heard it once, you've heard it a thousand times: Resist hyperbole; not one writer in a million can use it correctly.

26. Puns are for children, not groan readers.

27. Go around the barn at high noon to avoid colloquialisms.

28. Even IF a mixed metaphor sings, it should be derailed.

29. Who needs rhetorical questions?

30. Exaggeration is a billion times worse than understatement.

31. Proofread carefully to see if you any words out.

Lessons Learned Recently

          I have had eight surgeries in my lifetime.  Two of them I would term major.  The first was my knee surgery in 2000 when they had to repair a torn patella and my quads.  There was concern about how I would recover and if I might walk with a limp the rest of my life.  The second was my recent cervical spine surgery where, because of the problems, there was a chance that I could be paralyzed or even worse.
        A few blogs ago I talked about the challenge of recovery. But at the risk of boring my readers, I feel I should share some lessons that I have learned this past month.  My knee surgery recovery took much longer.  I was not even allowed to bend my knee for six weeks.  But I think it was easier than my present recovery.  Following that surgery I spent months in physical therapy so I was busy with things to do each day.  In addition, since I was teaching advanced math classes for which there was no capable sub available, I prepared daily lesson plans, corrected papers, prepared and scored tests and assigned grades for the marking period and for the semester.  So I was busy every day.

          This time I have been limited - no driving or lifting more than 5 pounds - for the past month.  I don't have physical therapy sessions yet nor do I have school work to do this time.  So the days have been long.  But there are some lessons that I have learned.

          (1)   It is very hard to rely on a caregiver when you are feeling well enough to do things.  My wife has done so much, not only for me, but around the house and especially the yard.  She claims she enjoys cutting grass, but it is hard for me to see her take her valuable time to do things like this.  But you need to accept it and be glad that you have the help.

          (2) There are many things that just won't get done.  My wife has done a valiant job in trying to do the outside work without me.  But the mulching won't get done this year, some trimming will need to wait, and the weeds might be worse than normal this year.  But in the scheme of things, this really isn't major.

          (3)  Television is terrible.  It only took me a couple of days to realize how bad it really is.  And the repeated ads drive you nuts.  There should be a law that says once an ad is shown ten times, it can never be used again.  And the ad that baffles me is by Infinity where they promote their service that allows you to tape and watch 15 shows at one time.  Tell me, where are there even 3 shows worth taping or viewing.

          (4)   Get well cards are appreciated.  I know they are expensive today, but when you are confined they are something to look forward to, especially if personal messages of encouragement are included.  Sorry, but they are more meaningful that electronic cards.  I am so appreciative of the two dozen or so that I have received.

         (5)  After the worst of the pain is over, brief visits by friends are also appreciated.  By brief I mean 30 minutes or less.  When I had my knee surgery we had a few folks who came and stayed well over an hour.  I couldn't wait until they left.  After all, I was still recovering from major surgery.

         (6)   Meals are appreciated.  Even though Dianne could cook, the donated meals gave her a break from all that she had to do to care for me.

          (7)   Everybody seems to have a surgery story they want to share with you.  But sharing the stories of your surgeries doesn't really help the recovering person unless it was the exact same type of surgery.  I have had numerous folks relate to me stories of their lower back surgeries.  And I have tried to be kind and not say that my surgeon told me that when they see a cervical problem they take that patient right away because of its potential seriousness.  When they have a patient with lower back problems, it will often take two or three months before they even see them because while the person may be in pain, it usually isn't a critical situation.  I did hear from a few folks who did have similar surgeries and I was glad to compare notes with them.  I can't say that the others really helped me at all. But I polltely listened. However, I guess one definition of major surgery is any surgery when it is done to you.

          (8)    Follow the advice of your surgeon.  I have done that faithfully with my knee and spine surgeries.  However, others don't and some live to regret it.  I feel that the surgeons have the experience and I don't.  So even though it takes discipline, I obey.  From what I have been told, my recovery from the knee surgery was exceptional and I am hoping that the same will be said eventually about my spine surgery.

         (9)   Many folks are rude to those with handicaps.  While walking with my cane and my neck brace I have had people cut in front of me, bump me, race me to the doors and be just plain rude. Few have held doors for me or let me go ahead of them. However, I am thinking of inventing a new game to play with my cane.  I think I may call it "Whack a Rude".  It could be fun!

          (10)   The Lord is good.  This is not a new lesson.  I have learned this over 73 years.  But this recovery period has reinforced it.  God knew this would happen.  He put the events into gear so that my problem would be discovered.  He gave me the very best surgeon immediately.  He guided the surgeon beyond even his expectations.  He has given me a good recovery.  He has given me more time to pray and meditate and spend with Him and that is a bonus.  And he has given me much unexpected valuable time with my wife.  I have enjoyed the hours with her at home and in the car as she drives me around. We enjoy being together.  And that has been a special blessing.

          Hopefully this is the last time I will address the subject of recovery in my blog.  I return on Wednesday for my first checkup since my surgery and I am hopeful that many of my restrictions will then be lessened or eliminated.  If not, life goes on.

Lessons From Dad

   Fortunate is the man who has a godly Father who shows him how to live.  I was very fortunate to have a father who did just that, not always with his words but certainly with his actions and example.  This had a profound impact on my life.  As we approach Father's Day I wish that I could thank him again for all he meant to me and all he taught me about living.  In addition, on June 21, dad would have been 97 if the Lord wouldn't have graciously taken him home over five years ago.

     So as I approach these two dates my mind has been going back to some of the lessons that I learned from him.  This list certainly isn't complete but it does include several things that quickly come to my mind.

     (1)   There is no question that the most important lesson he taught me was that there is nothing in life more important than knowing the Lord and serving Him.  He demonstrated this daily in the way he led our family and how he served the Lord.

     (2)   All that we have belongs to the Lord and should be used for Him.  Our home was always open for hospitality and ministry.  Our car was used weekly to take others to church.  As I learned later in life, dad sacrificed financially to keep our young church afloat when church bills couldn't be met.  He realized that anything he had came from the Lord and really belonged to the Lord.

     (3)    He showed us that it is vital to exercise the spiritual gifts that we have been given.  It didn't matter how old you were physically, there was no retirement option in serving the Lord.  He showed this by working to the very last hours of his life completing conference finances and reports.

     (4)    He demonstrated that it is critical to provide for your family even if it meant having to work several parttime jobs to do this.  He worked hard so that mother could be a mother and a housewife and care at home for us.  He knew how to work very hard and how to work to represent and serve the Lord.

     (5)    He showed us how to trust the Lord when disappointments came along.  He grew up in the depression and then had to scrape for jobs following World War II.  And then, later in life he suddenly and unexpectedly lost his job to downsizing.  But he never complained and the Lord continued to provide jobs each day for him until he finally retired.  He knew God would provide.

      (6)  He taught us to live and work with integrity, to be reliable, responsible and honest.  He taught us how to be organized, a lesson that I saw in practice when I served as executor of his estate.  He taught us how to live on a budget and keep detailed records of our expenses, a lesson that has helped us survive adequately in years when teaching salaries were minimal and my wife served as a stay at home mother and housewife as my mother did.

     (7)   He showed us how to take time to help and encourage others who were in need.  Both of my parents gave up many of their things and time to help those who were in need.

     (8)   From him we learned by example that one needs to be faithful in your church attendance, your ministry, your work and your responsibilities as a father and head of the home.

     (9)  He taught me how to speak correct English.  I admit that at times I didn't appreciate being corrected, but he knew how important proper English would be throughout life.

     (10)   He taught us to honor, respect and encourage our pastors.  Maybe it was because he saw how some members treated his stepfather who raised him as a pastor's son.  It was always wrong to criticize and undermine the pastor.  As an elder he worked very hard to see that the pastor was taken care of, especially financially.

      (11)  And a lesson that I've tried to pass on to my sons, treat your wife/mother with full respect.  Don't allow your children to raise their voices, criticize or disobey their mother. Doing so was a major offense. He would never, never allow that and neither have I.  

     (12)   Family is important.  No matter how busy dad was with work and church responsibilities, he always had time for family.  And most importantly, he was a true prayer warrior for everyone, but especially for his family.  He maintained a prayer list and family members were always at the top of the list.  That is a great gift.

     Now some of you may say, Barry that is great, but God didn't give me a godly father.  That may be true, but that gives you even a greater responsibility today to start to be a godly man or a godly woman.  Put Christ first in all of your life and begin a Christian heritage for those who follow you.  Dianne and I have complied a list of things we've wanted to pass on to our family and we've posted that list on our living room wall where we are reminded regularly of our responsibility to them.  There is nothing more important that you can do than modeling godliness to your family.  If you haven't, get started today.

An Unexpected Meeting

          I don't even remember being in the recovery room but I guess I was.  The first thing that I remember, following my recent surgery, was trying to get awake in my hospital room.  My wife says that I told her that I was sleepy and that she told me that everything went fine and that she would be back shortly.  I vaguely remember that discussion.

          As I began to wake up I discovered something that really disappointed me.  I did not have a private room as I did during my last hospital stay.  I would need to share my couple of days there with another person who I didn't know.  The curtain was drawn around my bed so I didn't know anything about him, but I could hear that somebody was there.  He did have a few visitors but they actually didn't bother me.

          The curtain remained around my bed all day and all night so we didn't get to see or meet each other that first day.  I didn't sleep much the first night but I could tell that he did.  He apparently had something that he could use to control his pain medicine and so he slept.  With doctors and nurses in and out all night I heard that he had lower back surgery with another surgeon.  He was fitted with a back brace to wear when he would finally be left out of bed.

          When morning came, the curtain was still drawn. Even though I am generally very reserved, I felt that I should at least try to introduce myself and so, I finally shared my name with my new roommate, Paul.  When the curtain was finally pushed back I found that Paul was an afro-american, probably in his late 50's.  He was a tank truck driver who had hurt his back in an accident.  He was very concerned about being able to drive truck once again.  And as we talked it soon became evident that we were brothers in the Lord and that was a special blessing.  He didn't have any more visitors during our stay except for his niece who was an employee of the hospital and would drop in once in awhile.  His wife was unable to drive.

          Paul had been in the military for years and had lived all over the country.  But when he retired from the service, about 12 years previously, he and his wife moved to New York.  Then his wife's sister died leaving their mother to raise three children here in Lancaster.  When her mother also died, the children had no where to go, so Paul and his wife moved to Lancaster and adopted the three children. They never had any children of their own. During that time he and his wife were saved through the ministry of an area church and now his desire was to raise these three children to serve the Lord.  Ironically, the youngest actually had once attended our Awana program for a year when they lived at Woods Edge.   He had nothing but good things to say about Awana and I wouldn't be completely surprised to see his youngest nephew return next Fall.  I shared with him the special blessing that God has given him by giving him this special mission field in his own home.  He said he had never thought of it this way before and appreciated that view point.  Two of the three seem to be serving the Lord, but the middle one, who works at the hospital, appears to not have much time for the Lord.

          It has been hard for Paul to find regular work in this area but he does have an offer to drive tankers out of North Dakota.  That would mean four weeks away from home and then two weeks home.  He realizes that this would be hard on his family and his wife is opposed to it.  But he sees it as an opportunity to make some big money for a year or two.  We discussed the pros and cons of this and the need to keep the employment issue before the Lord.  I had a chance to share some of the Lord's leadings and opened and closed doors in my life.  Paul appeared to really appreciate these discussions and later thanked me for them.  He said that I had been a real help and encouragement to him.  Maybe that was one of the reasons that the Lord allowed me to go through this unexpected surgery at this time.

            Paul also had a chance to meet two of my sons and he really enjoyed talking to them, especially my youngest.  They had much in common, especially with their interest in athletics.  They, too, were an encouragement to him.

         On our final day we both were waiting to get discharged and while he was released by physical therapy before me, my official discharge actually came before him.  Before they wheeled me out to the car, I went back to Paul and prayed for him.  He indeed was a brother in the Lord and while we may never meet again here on earth, I am sure that we will meet again in heaven some day.  So, as he often does, the Lord provided me with a special blessing in a difficult time.  Certainly He knows our every step.

A Half Century

          I continually find it so very difficult to understand that I am now actually in my seventh decade of life.  So much has changed over those years, especially in the last half century.  Unless you have lived that long you probably have no appreciation of the many breakthroughs that have happened during that period of time.  Here are a few of the  changes just in scientific and technological advances during those years that have transformed the world.
         How about the tv remote control - now even with voice recognition.  How would we survive without the remote - we'd have to actually get out of our comfortable seat to change the cable station.  Incidentally, cable service didn't even exist 50 years ago.? Then of course there is the microwave oven.  How did previous generations get along without that kitchen fixture?  There is the commercial jet airliner.  The first one made its debut in 1958 and carried 181 passengers at 600 mph for up to 5280 miles on a full tank.  The first one took off from New york and landed in Paris.
         Then there was the introduction of cordless tools - what handyman or carpenter could survive without these handy devices today?   Along with that was the development of an industrial robot first installed on a General Motors assembly line in New Jersey.  And what about the development of communications satellites?  Certainly they have revolutionized communications around the world.  Then there was the development of LED's which provided a simple and inexpensive way for computers to convey information.  And unmanned aerial vehicles soon followed ... and now we have drones.
        Now the first general-purpose computer, the nearly 30-ton ENIAC was actually introduced more than 50 years ago in 1947 (that's still in my lifetime).  It had 18,000 vacuum tubes, 70,000 resistors and 10,000 capacitors.  But in 1977 the Apple II, Commodore Pet and Radio Shack's TRS-80 were introduced, four years before the "PC", or the Personal Computer, was introduced by IBM.  In 1989 the "hypertext markup language" (HTML) was developed and this was the foundation of today's World Wife Web.  And oh how all of these computer developments have changed all of our lives.
      We could mention things like digital music, video games, waffle-sole running shoes, and the ATM, all products of these years.  And then, in 1973 the first cellphone was introduced followed six years later by the Sony Walkman.  And life changed radically and today folks can't be separated from their cell phones and Smart phones and their family plans.  And how about things like the electric ignition, the MRI, the GPS, MP3, Pacemakers, Super Glue, Laser Beams, texting, hybrid cars, air conditioning, graphing calculators, Hi-def, ipads and DNA.  Fifty years ago these terms meant nothing to any of us.
        Now I have been thinking primarily about scientific and technological changes, but there is so much more that has changed during these years.  We could talk about politics, entertainment, laws, culture, religion, education, geography, morality, transportation, terrorism and so much more.  This world is obviously much different than it was 50 years ago.
         Personally there are many things that have really changed about me over those years. I've had a 39 year career in education and many years in ministry.  Of course I am now retired. I have a wonderful family of three boys, three daughter-in-laws and seven grandchildren.  Those are wonderful changes that I would not change for anything.  And June 2 is our 52nd wedding anniversary and my love for my wife has grown continually over these years.  She is my best friend and confidant and there is nobody I'd rather be with.
         During these years my love for the Lord has also changed - it has grown deeper and our relationship has grown closer.  I realize more than ever how dependent I am on Him.  Each day is a gift from Him and His grace is sufficient.  But one thing that hasn't changed is His faithfulness - morning by morning new mercies I see.  All I have needed His hand hath provided.  And while life will continue to change, I depend upon His promise that He will never leave me nor forsake me and that He is now preparing a home for me in heaven.  And on that my hope and life is built as I face tomorrow.  Jesus, the same yesterday, today and forever.