periclete

shoulder report

If you have read past blogs, you know that I was near Downieville a couple of months ago.  There was a buried boulder that was level with the ground.  When I stepped on the boulder, it gave way and I tumbled with the boulder into the river.   At the time I knew I hurt my shoulder, but I found out today the results of the MRI.

I have a severe tear and a moderate tear in my rotator cuff, a severe tear in the bicep tendon, a split tear of the biceps labral anchor,  a superior labral tear and injury to some other ligaments.   In other words, my shoulder has problems.  I will go to physical therapy for now and in a month I will know if surgery is in store.

The Dr. said, "your shoulder will never be the same".  I think back to that day in Downieville and realize that it was probably only 2 or 3 seconds that in some ways changed my life.  My prayer is that there will be a day that it is pain free, but if that is not to be, then I pray that I will not allow my shoulder to rob me of joy, or to view life from a negative viewpoint. 

Can I have joy in the middle of pain?   The apostle Paul found the greater purpose in his "thorn in the flesh" and was able to rejoice.  I certainly respect those who have joy in the middle of health issues that make my shoulder injury insignificant.

Paul's conclusion regarding his thorn in the flesh,

"His grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.  Most gladly, therefore I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.   II Cor. 12:9

courage

I stopped in at lunch at the school today to see the GRUB Club.   We had some designated money at the church for a Christian Club and now each week a couple of ladies in the church make a really nice lunch bring it to the school.   Today there was about 45 students there in the Library enjoying a free lunch.   One of the young men read from a devotional before the meal.  I know that there are some that get up in front of a group without any second thoughts, but then there are some of us that get up in front of others only by faith.  As this young man got up infront of his peers, I recognized the courage, the desire to please the Lord in obedience, and the heart of this guy.   I am very proud of the man that he is becoming and believe that God will truly use him in the future.  

We see God's faithfulness when we get way out of our comfort zone and are obedient to what God wants us to do.  Those we look up to as Christian leaders are mostly just normal guys that have been willing to trust God in obedience over the years.   As they were faithful in the small things, God gave them bigger things.  Today there was the possiblility that this young man would do something embarrassing or stupid, but there was also the possibility that he would be used in the life of another to make a difference for the kingdom.

What we think about when we have nothing to think about

I have recently started an indepth study on developing the mind of Christ.   The study (in workbook form) came out at least 10 years ago, I ordered it, but never got around to going through it.  Tonight I am thinking of something that was asked of me many years ago..."what do you think about when you have nothing to think about?"   I believe that the answer of to this question tells me a lot about myself.  The way I would answer changes from day to day and from week to week.  

Sometimes I think of all the things I am grateful for, and other times I think about what needs to be finished on my mental "to do" list.  Other times I am thinking of people who are going through a hard times or I am wondering what my kids are up to at that moment.  (One lives in Portland, the other in LA)  Sometimes I think about the reality of Christ in my life and there are other times that He doesn't enter my mind for many hours.   I imagine I could make a long list of all the things that occupy my mind.  Obviously right now I am thinking about what I think about!

What I think about when there is nothing to think about, is an indicator of what is important to me, what drives me, or what has become a priority.  The real god (small "g") of my life might be that thing that occupies my mind the most.  What I think about when there is nothing to think about, is a window into my soul.  Some of these things that occupy my mind are healthy, others not so healthy. 

Some of the verses that come to mind right now are...

    Set your mind on things above    Col. 3:2

    Gird your mind for action            I Peter 1:13

    The mind set on the flesh is death, the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace    Romans 8:6

    Fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfector of faith    Hebrews 12:2

    Finally brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, ley your mind dwell on these things.   Phil. 4:8

It would be interesting to think through the priorities of my life based on what I allow my mind to dwell on.  While I have been on vacation I have been dwelling on getting the "grandma cottage" finished for my my mother-in-law and on "what makes a church healthy". 

Lumber in the intersection

I have been fixing up an old trailer at the end of our street for my mother-in-law to move into next spring.   I am putting a deck on the front and needed to get some materials in Reno.  I loaded up the decking material (slippery stuff) on the lumber rack, tied it down and headed home.   As I came to the intersection of McCarren and S. Virginia St. I had to stop at the yellow light.   As soon as I braked, I knew I had a problem.   The entire load (25 peices 16 feet long) slid off the front of the truck, down the hood and thirty feet into the intersection, which happens to be one of the busiest intersections in all of Reno.   Traffic was stopped, lumber was scattered all over the intersection, I was scrambling with my brother to drag the lumber out of the intersection, people were honking, some left their cars to help (of which I am grateful), and I am feeling fortunate that the intersection was empty and there were no cars in front of me.   No one was hurt and no cars were damaged thankfully.   Lumber rack $200, Decking material $700, watching it all slide into the intersection...priceless.

with some great men

Saturday I went to Greenville to speak at the association annual meeting.  I came away from the meeting feeling like I had been in the company of greatness.    I remember listening to Larry King interview Billy Graham.   Larry asked, "Who is the greatest living Christian".   Billy Graham said that it is probably an unknown person serving in some out of the way place.  

I visited with the pastor of the new hispanic mission church in Tule Lake.   What a great heart.   There is another man who is much smarter than me serving in another mission church and it isn't going very well.  There is just a handful of people but he serves the Lord faithfully every week.   Another pastor has been serving the same church for 35 years and his healthy church has truly made a difference in his community for all these years.  None of these men are famous, but all are faithful.   They have humbly obeyed the call of God on their lives to serve in small out of the way towns.   None have made much money, but they are each very sucessful in my mind for they are doing their very best for the glory of God instead of the glory of men.

I considered it an honor to be among greatness.

Stay at home vacation

I am on vacation.   The deacons are making sure that I use up my vacation this year.  With all this time, I have been working on various projects on the rentals and around the house.  Is there something wrong with me that I work all day while on vacation?   This is the perfect time because there is always so much to finish up before winter comes and it sounds like the first cold storm of the season arrives tomorrow. 

I tend to think of how I can get as much done as possible when I have time off from church ministry.  (With the exception of the great hike I went on Monday).   I often wonder if I will ever have a time when my "to do" list is down to a managable list.  I am motivated by measurable results and when I am building or fixing something, I can see progress.   A few years ago we were able to go to Hawaii.  There was nothing that needed to be accomplished so we laid on the beach, read, shopped.   After three days I was ready to break something just so I would have something to fix! 

I also tend to set myself up for disappointment because I think I can accomplish way more than is realistic.   No matter what I finish, at the end of the day I thought I would have accomplished more than I did. But in the mean time, I work at having "Joy in the journey", no matter what I finish.

I love how Jesus evaluated his life.  "I glorifed Thee on earth, having accomplished the work thou has given me to do."   John 16:4   He didn't heal every one.   He didn't teach every one.    But he knew exactly what the Father wanted Him to do.  Instead of asking myself how much I can accomplish today, a better question is "Lord, what do you want me to do today".

Young America Lake

I have wanted to visit Young America Lake for many years.   We can look down on it as we hike to the Buttes, but it is hard to get to.   Today Warren Cheney, Steve Parks and I finally made it to the lake.   It is a difficult hike because the trail disappears and you have to cross a huge steep rock field.  It might be the most beautiful hike in the Lakes Basin area because the trail gives the hiker a view of the Buttes almost all the way up and one looks down on Sardine and Upper Sardine Lakes. 

Will Snipes

Will Snipes flew out tonight to speak at the Elwell youth conference again this year and is sleeping upstairs as I type.  The first year he came, Steven was probably 12 and Peter was 15.   We met Will at the youth camp that we always took students to and then asked him to come in the fall to speak at our Fall Conference.  There have been a number of different people to whom we are so grateful that have been involved in our boys lives over the years, that contributed to who they are today.  There are always influences in our children's lives good and bad.  Will was one of those men who have impacted both of my boys for the better.   Not only could they talk to Will, but he also served as an example of what a young man of God looks like.  There are others to whom we are so grateful... Dwight and Joleen Cline, Peter's friend Todd Skinner and others.  Deb and I still pray that God will bring godly influences into our boys lives.

I also have men who leave their mark on me.   I am fortunate to have men who will tell me the truth (which is not always easy to hear) and men who set an example for me.  There are men who are long dead, whose writings still influence me in books that I read.  There are those who advise me, and those that encourage me.   Some challenge me and still others have been used by God to build patience and love in my life.  

I am reminded that I need to be teachable, humble, approachable, and transparent.  I need to be involved in the lives of others.   The jeweler uses a chisel on the rough diamond to form a diamond that reflects light beautifully.  There are many different individuals who become tools in the hand of God to knock of the rough edges in my life that I may relfect the life of Christ more clearly...even after all these years of walking with God there are still plenty of "rough edges".

This weekend as Will speaks at our student conference and Sunday morning worship, I am sure that he will influence a new generation of students not just by his words, but by his life.