This "Dignity" Thing

 A couple of days ago, my friend Jennifer White posted something on Facebook that got my attention.  Her comment?  “No matter what people are going through, they deserve dignity.  Always.”

I agree, and might expand on that just a bit to say that human beings ALWAYS need to be treated with dignity and respect, just by virtue of their being human.

I don’t know what prompted Jennifer’s comment.  What I do know is that indignity can take many forms…some of which are not even apparent at first glance.  That was brought home to me just the day after I saw that post in an encounter I had here at the church.

That day, I received a call from a social worker at the public school we partner with.  The lady at Franklin Elementary had called the church asking if there was any way we could help one of the paras who was having a difficult time financially.  She didn’t need much in the immediate time…her fuel tank was almost empty in the vehicle she drove to and from work.  She couldn’t afford to put gas in it, and consequently would not be able to come to work after that day.  She was not able to find a ride, and the public transportation was pretty much a non-starter for her due to where she lived.

I asked the woman in need to come to the church and visit with me, and we would see what we might be able to do.  She did so, and we ended up filling her tank with fuel at a local Quik Trip.  We also gave her a little cash to get by until she got her first check from the school district.

Let me now tell you a little of the backstory.  Paraprofessionals are the backbone of the schools in the 259 district.  They wipe noses, provide individual instruction, work with the physically, mentally, and emotionally challenged kids, help keep order in the classroom, supplement the teacher’s instructions as needed, and generally provide the services of an aide to the teacher.  They are well-trained, intelligent, and intensely love the kids they have in their care…even the difficult ones.

But paraprofessionals, unlike teachers and some others, are paid only nine months out of the year.  They are mostly women, many of whom are single, and receive no pay in the summer months.  They have to go it alone in some way.  Additionally, paras don’t make much money per hour, and their pay is on an hourly basis.  When that May 31 check comes in (and that check isn’t full pay as the school year ends before the end of the month), that’s it until August 31.  And they also receive no pay during school breaks such as Christmas vacation.  Yet, they are expected to come back to work in August to again wipe noses and provide individual attention to those most needy.

I have some familiarity with this difficulty that paras face as one of my nieces is a para and faces the same issues each summer.  She doesn’t make enough during the school year to put aside two months of income to pay the rent, utilities, and food for the summer.  She has to rely on others to help out from time to time.

My comment on all of this?  Where is the dignity in this scenario?  How much does the school district really value paraprofessionals when they treat them in this way?  Why has it come to this?

I don’t have the answer.  However, I believe this goes beyond just the notion that because they aren’t putting in the hours, they aren’t to be paid.  There is a dignity and respect part to this.  There is a "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” aspect to this.  There is a “Just do the right thing,” component in this.

I don’t know what kind of money it would take to do the right thing for the paras and any others who work for the district who are in the same boat.  But I do think it’s time to have a serious conversation about how we treat some of those who are some of the most needed and appreciated, at least by teachers and parents, and among the least paid in the school district.

And while we’re on this dignity and respect thing, those go even for those we see on the street schlepping their worldly belongings on their back or in a grocery cart.  It goes for those of other nationalities, other religions, other ethnicities, other backgrounds.  It goes for all regardless of gender, race, color, or identity.

We may not be able to fix or eliminate the things that have caused people to sleep under a bridge.  But we can treat them as the human beings they are, acknowledge their situation, do away with the notion that if they’d just get a job, they wouldn’t be there, and do our part to feed the hungry, heal the sick, and shelter the needy.

 

Blessings,

Heed That Lesson

 Good morning!

 The recent attempt on the life of Mr. Trump has brought out old memories for those of us who have lived through other assassination attempts on political figures.  My memories begin with John F. Kennedy’s assassination.  Later in that decade, Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King were killed.  Ronald Reagan was shot, but survived.  Congresswoman Gabby Giffords was injured later yet.

These events, while tragic, also remind us of some things.  First, the fragility of life even when that life is protected by one of the premier protection agencies in the world.  No protection agency or police force can be one hundred percent perfect.  Humans do make mistakes.  And one mistake is all it takes for something tragic to happen.

Second, these events remind us of our common bond.  We are all humans.  We are all part of humanity and the larger society.  We may have different opinions and ideologies.  We may forcefully disagree about certain issues.  But we must develop ways to live in relative harmony with one-another and practice those ways and methods.

And for we who are Christians, we have a special obligation.  Even in the throes of chaos, violence, and disharmony, we are charged with demonstrating the love of Jesus Christ to those in our sphere of influence.  Regardless of who is the President, which political party controls the levers of political power, who is appointed to the Supreme Court, how we are dealing with refugees, or what the current law is regarding abortion, we Christians are called to be salt and light…lovers of God and our neighbor…heralds of the saving grace of God through Jesus Christ.

To that end, we are commanded to be sure our speech is filled with grace, offer a cup of cold water to one who is thirsty, provide clothing for those in need, feed the hungry, care for the fatherless and the widows, and above all be ready to give an answer for the hope that lies within us.

You will notice that there is no mention in that list of divine commands to disparage, disrespect, or demonize someone who disagrees with us politically.  There is no mention in that list of divine commands to invoke a “God is on our side,” attitude in a political disagreement.  There is no mention in that list of divine commands to make Christianity a national religion.  And there is no mention in that list of divine commands that allows Christians a “get out of jail free” card if they disobey the governing authority.

I will close this thought with words from an editorial in the Christian Chronicle.  For my Christian friends...heed these words. Can you imagine what would happen if Christians funneled all of the energy and treasure we now spend on nationalism, politics, vitriol, hot-button issues, and even relatively innocent political memes into truly loving our neighbor?

 Cheryl Mann Bacon was the author of the editorial, and says this (and I quote):

 We have not mastered the lessons of history, and much less the lessons of the Sermon on the Mount. We forget that Christians with no political power whatsoever, believing in a risen Christ who never sought nor espoused any earthly power, changed the world in a generation.  They did it without a bully pulpit, without a 24/7 news cycle, without social media.

Amid war, disease and disaster, they fed the hungry, rescued abandoned babies and created hospitals to care for the sick and dying.  The Romans didn’t change. Christians loved their neighbors anyway.

 Heed that lesson.

 Your community has hungry people in it. Go feed them.

Your state has neglected, abused and unwanted children. Take care of them.

Your community has immigrants and refugees— legal and otherwise — who are frightened and lonely. Welcome them. "  (end quote)

 May God bless you as you continue down the path of life, always remembering and heeding the lessons of the early Christians in the Roman Empire, who loved their neighbors in concrete and practical ways, and in so doing changed the world.

Going About Doing Good

 Good morning.

 While I am well aware of the political events of this past Saturday and the ongoing events this week regarding political conventions, I have said my piece on these topics on social media, and have decided it’s time to go on to other things.  The only thing I would say now is to repeat what so many have already said:  Regardless of one’s political views, there is no place in this nation for the kind of tragic events such as the attempted assassination last Saturday.  I’ll let this go now and go on to other things.

Most of the time, our days at RiverWalk Church are rather routine.  We get the usual phone calls asking about one of our ministries, or someone wanting to sell us something…or maybe wanting some kind of benevolent help.  We get people at our office door sometimes as well.  Either they are part of a group that is meeting here and need inside the building, or they are some kind of delivery…UPS, Postal Service, and so on.  Maybe they are a member needing access, or perhaps someone who has some kind of other need.  Those encounters at the door don’t come often…maybe two or three times a day.  But most of the time, we as staff are usually free to do what we need to do to carry out our respective ministries.

Yesterday, shortly after lunch, the buzzer on the office door went off.  We have a phone buzzer system outside the door that someone can activate and visit with whoever answers on the inside.  Our office manager was ill that day, so I answered.

“I need an ambulance,” was the reply I received after answering the buzzer.  I couldn’t make out a lot of the rest of what he was saying, so I said I would be right there.  He sounded like he was in distress.

I asked Curtis, who was also in the office, to accompany me to the door, as I was unsure what I would find there.  I answered the door, and a disheveled, unkempt man of about 55 years old was bent over and could barely talk.  He had bad body odor, and appeared to not have been clean in many days or weeks.  He repeated that he needed an ambulance, and we let him in to sit in the cool office area.  He said he had been poisoned, and appeared to have severe abdominal pain.

I called 911 and requested an ambulance while Curtis watched him in the outer office area.  He seemed to be cognizant of where he was, and answered our questions as best he could.  The fire department squad and the ambulance came within a few minutes, and I ushered them inside to where the man was sitting.

They did their due diligence, and in their questioning appeared to elicit from him the fact that he ingested meth a couple days ago, and thought it had been adulterated with something that was making him sick.  They checked him further and loaded him to the ambulance to be taken to St Francis emergency room.

We don’t often get something like that at our door.  But neither is it unheard of.  I have contacted 911 for ambulance services several times during my time here.  We never hear the outcome of our intervention.  We just know that someone needed help and stopped here to try to access it.

I am glad we staff the building during the week, if for no other reason…than for this kind of thing.  I have to wonder sometimes where people would go for help if we were not here.  I recognize that many churches don’t have anyone at their building during the weekday, and some can’t afford to provide staff.  However, it seems to me that if a church is in the people business, what better way to interact with people than to have someone at the building at least some of the time during the week who is willing and able to answer the door.

And by far most of the time, those at our door are not members of our congregation.  Most probably have no church home.  And most are in some kind of need.  What better service could a church offer than to be a place where one could get some water in the heat, use the phone, access a restroom, have a place to cool off for a few minutes, ask directions to some place, or access the help of the ambulance or police?

In case you haven’t noticed, it’s a rather rough world out there on the street.  And it can be equally rough even if one has a roof over their head.  A big part of Jesus’ ministry was “going about doing good,” as Peter’s sermon to Cornelius in Acts 10 states.  Although it shouldn’t be the sum total of our ministry, just as it wasn’t the sum total of Jesus’ ministry, we…the church…today…need to be more cognizant of the need to “go about doing good,” in our sphere of influence.  One way we can do that is to be more available to those on the outside…to remove the barriers between us and them…to open ourselves to the kinds of service that sometimes are not pleasant or require us to make a sacrifice.

May God encourage and empower His people to selfless acts of service, wherever and however those opportunities may present.

 

Blessings,

Some Time Away

    Good afternoon.  For those two or three of you who follow me, you know I didn’t post anything last Thursday.  That’s because, if you didn’t see it on social media, we were celebrating our 50^th wedding anniversary the weekend before…then went to a Plank family reunion in Illinois along with thirty-some other Planks.  Our anniversary celebration followed the obligatory meet-&-greet reception on Saturday, and consisted of three nights at a Bed & Breakfast…not an AIR B&B, but a real Bed and Breakfast…in the Flint Hills of Central Kansas.

Far from urban areas and definitely in the country, the place had been built specifically for a bed and breakfast.  There was a 15 or so acre lake just off of the back patio, and we were the only ones there besides our hosts.  I really enjoyed watching the sun set, hearing the birds of the area, cattle mooing off in the distance, and taking in the rural flavor of Kansas.

Of course, we also visited some nearby places such as the Eisenhower Museum in Abilene, the Tallgrass National Preserve, and other attractions that befit an older couple NOT looking for a lot of noisy nightlife.  We spent some time just passing through some of the smaller towns in the area, just to look around a bit.  All in all, it was a good time of rest and renewal.

Our family reunions are, I think, somewhat unusual in these times.  The six of us siblings are the matriarch/patriarchs of the family, and started the reunions decades ago following the passing of our parents.  We meet pretty much every year at a place that can accommodate 30 to 50 people, including children, and where we can have meals served to us.  Usually, that’s a camp of some kind such as a YMCA or 4 H Camp, or in this case, a church camp site that also has motel-style rooms they rent.

A couple of things that make this somewhat unusual are that we make a special effort to include all who choose to come to the reunion, and an equally special effort to get along and not cause waves of trouble.  There is no alcohol allowed, and we don’t discuss politics or religion because we are all over the spectrum when it comes to those two topics.  Yet we have plenty to talk about and listen to…and are grateful for the family time.

Second, the kids…the nieces, nephews, grand kids and others LIKE to come to the reunions.  They make a special effort to be there, and have said how much they enjoy the time together.  One of these days not long from now, those will be the ones who decide whether, when, and where to hold family gatherings, as we siblings are all of retirement age or more.  It is our hope that they will decide to continue, and will also be able to continue to hold these gatherings.

On the way back from Illinois, we stopped at Dyersville, Iowa, a smaller town about an hour north of I-80.  If that name doesn’t ring a bell, perhaps the movie “Field of Dreams” will.  The movie set baseball diamond and farm house are there in their original location, along with a corn field all around.  They now also have several other buildings, including a gift shop and a couple of places where one can get a burger or drink.  And, they have built a regulation baseball field a short distance from the movie field where major league teams can and do occasionally play ball.

The Field of Dreams field is well-kept and is accessible at no cost, although they ask for a donation.  Of course, given the number of people there, one can’t spend an hour hitting baseballs from home plate…just a few are a reasonable number.  Everyone was respectful of others and didn’t overdo it when it came to occupying home plate or the pitcher’s mound.  And, one can spend some time in the outfield “having a catch,” as the movie puts it, or running the bases, or just soaking it in.  The corn field is roped off, and there are harsh penalties for anyone found in there.

While we were there two teams of 11 year olds…some kind of summer rec or travel teams had a game scheduled on the Field of Dreams.  They prepared the field for that event after asking everyone to finish what they were doing and get off the field.  We stayed to watch a couple innings of the game.  I have to imagine that it was a special thrill, if not for the boys, for the coaches and officials to play a regulation game in that special place.

It was back to work this week after taking a little over a week off.  Our friends (and almost family) Michael and Bridget, watched the house for us, watered the plants, and even cut the grass and trimmed.  Work had piled up some, and I’m still trying to get out from under it.  So, it’s back to a normal life…one that is both fulfilling and enjoyable.  But it’s good to have a break, and even better to take that break with someone I love and who loves me.

May God bless you the remainder of this week as you continue in life and living. 

OK, I'll Just Say It

 Good morning!

 OK, I’ll just say it.  It’s hot.  And it’s dry.  We’re in the dog days of August in late June in Kansas.  Sometimes during this time of the year, a cool front will come through and drop the temperature a few degrees for a day or so, then the heat dome builds up again and we're back in the hot soup.

We also receive tantalizing hints of rain most days.  But most days the rain doesn’t get to where we are.  The main source of water for the City of Wichita and most of Sedgwick County is Cheney Lake…but it’s getting lower and lower as the rains mostly miss the area in Kansas that drain into the lake.  We may well be receiving more water restrictions than what are now voluntary before too much longer.  We’re well below conservation pool now at the lake, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to get much better any time soon.

Of course, we could be in other parts of the Midwest where there is way too much water.  Rivers and streams are out of their banks.  Dams are in danger of collapse.  Homes and businesses are flooded.

I don’t know if you’ve been in a flooding situation or not.  As you may imagine, it’s just a mess.  Trash, mud, and general destruction is all around.  The water is polluted and not fit for people to be messing with or to be in.  The clean up is hazardous and time consuming.  Most insurance policies will not cover flooding, and flood insurance can be out of reach for many.  As I said, it’s just a mess.  I sometimes wonder if, having to choose between flooding and tornado hitting my home, I might just choose the tornado.

Of course, the heat outside is largely mitigated for many of us who have air conditioners in our homes, offices, and vehicles.  The cost of having and using that air conditioning isn’t minimal, and there are many who cannot afford it.

Then there are those who are unhoused.  They’re out in the elements whether they want to be or not.  Yes, there are public buildings where they can congregate.  And yes, there are some…I repeat SOME…shelter beds for men, women, and families.  But there aren’t nearly enough to house everyone.  Many make do by being in the shade, finding water and electrolytes in various places, and just doing without.  It’s not easy being outside in this kind of weather.  And just as it is when it is extremely cold outside, the heat takes its toll on the weak and sick.  People become ill, and some don’t make it to the next day.

So, what has all of this got to do with the Thursday Thought for this week?  Just this.  Earlier today, Curtis, our lead minister and I had a prayer time.  We try to do this every week.  Sometimes we think of those in our congregational or blood families who are hurting or in some kind of need.  Sometimes we talk about our respective work at the church.  However, our main topic of conversation today was the incredible blessings each of our families experience each day.

We talked about the fact that we have enough, and more than enough.  We thought about times when we meet and interact with those who may well not have enough…who may be alone…who may be unhoused or without transportation.

We talked some about a man who came into the office yesterday afternoon…didn’t ask for anything such as food or water…but who just wanted to be given the dignity of being heard.  He was a scruffy-looking individual.  His appearance was years beyond his actual age.  And he was a Gay man.  It was very evident his life had not been easy.  According to him, he had been turned away from some other churches that day, and ended up here in our office pouring out his soul.  We had no ready answers for him, but validated his self-worth as a human by listening.  Curtis prayed over him.  We gave him some water.  And he went on his way, at least having been afforded a dignified hearing by someone who genuinely cared.

I don’t know what your lot in life is right now.  You may be in the arms of a comfortable existence.  Or you may be in some kind of great need.  You may be the picture of health.  Or you may be battling some kind of dreaded illness.  We all are in different stages of life and living.  Regardless of our circumstance, the two greatest commands are still in force.  Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And love your neighbor as yourself.  On these hinge all that is good, right, and beautiful in life.

 Blessings,

Forever Grateful

 Good morning!

 I’m at the stage in life where I’m more apt to be sitting just thinking about things in a quiet-sort of way rather than being up and around, going 80 miles an hour to put out the next fire.  I manage to think on a lot of things during these times, some of which manage to make it into my Thursday Thought.   Such is today’s thought.

I’ve been reading portions of a sort of diary that was written by my friend Karl Detweiler, a man my age who I’ve been friends with since childhood, and was my best friend in high school.  His mom and dad were a sort of second set of parents for me.

Karl passed away several years ago due to a fast-growing, lethal cancer.  With treatment, he managed to live almost a year from the diagnosis, and during that time wrote extensively of his thoughts, feelings, and circumstance on his Facebook page.  On his passing, I took all of his posts from the time of his diagnosis to after the funeral, including some written by others, and compiled them into a booklet.  I’ve been reading in portions of that booklet recently.

One of the things I’ve been thinking of during this time is what it must be like to not have one’s spouse any longer.  Now, I’ve thought about this before now, but with the reading of some of Karl’s writing, I’ve sort of renewed those thoughts.

In my thoughts, I imagine myself in the place and circumstance that I’m in at that time, such as out in the back yard, or driving somewhere.  I imagine what my thoughts and feelings might be if I knew Pat was no longer alive.  One of those times might be when I leave the house to run an errand, and she’s still there at the house.  While on my way, I imagine what I would be doing and how I would be feeling if I knew she was no longer with me.  Now, you may think this is a little weird, and I must be somewhat strange, but if you’re anywhere near older age, with a spouse, my guess is you’ve also thought about this from time to time.

In those times when I’m running this scenario, I inevitably begin to feel, well, let me just use a few words here to describe it.  Gloomy.  Heavy-hearted.  Melancholy.  Empty.  No energy.  Loss of desire.

OK, does that give you an idea of how I begin to feel? 

Let me tell you…I can’t imagine how it must be to have lost a life partner.  Nor can I imagine how it must feel to have a marriage break apart, regardless of who was at fault.  No scenario that I can imagine regarding Pat no longer being with me can fully comprehend the emotions and the aftermath of the reality of such an event.

There may also be people in friendship relationships who suffer in the same way when that relationship goes away for whatever reason.  These friendships would be those close, extraordinarily personal relationships where two individuals become soulmate friends…then for whatever reason, the friendship dissolves.

After 50 years, my wife and I may not say 8 words to each other all evening following dinner and the clean-up of the dishes.  We may not say much more before that.  But there is a certain comfort and feeling of well-being just knowing she’s sitting in her chair with me in the family room watching TV with me, reading, doing crossword puzzles, or whatever else she may be doing.

There have been times in her career when she had to be gone overnight or over several nights.  And you know, it just wasn’t the same.  Something was missing, more than just the fact that she wasn’t there.  It was actually a kind of an eerie feeling at times, knowing I’d be the only one in the  house.

I am extraordinarily grateful that the two of us have been able to share these last fifty years together.  Obviously, it hasn’t all been rainbows and unicorns.  We’ve had our share of disagreements.  We’ve had to move more often than many in the last half-century.  And our families have endured those things that many families have had to endure.

Sometimes, I’ll do another bit of imagining.  I’ll imagine that life for me somehow had taken a different turn and I was married to a different woman…someone I know.  And invariably, I’ll quickly return to the safety and security of marriage to Pat.  And often, I’ll tell her of my imagining, and say something like, “I could probably live with that woman for about 20 minutes…then I’d be done.”

Somehow, some way, we were put together by someone who knew…who knew how this would be…who knew how we fit together.  And I’m forever grateful.

 

Blessings,

Not a Good Day

 Good morning!

 Yesterday was not a good day for me.  Oh, I was healthy enough as that goes.  I got my work done, ate well, and generally was comfortable.  But things happened yesterday in my interactions with others that I’m not pleased with.  Evidently, I was not very pleasant to be around some of the time.

I try.  I really try to be at least pleasant around others, especially when things aren’t going as I was hoping or wanting.  However, it’s really easy for me to slip into a sort of blame game or feel slighted when things like this happen.  I know that’s not the right attitude to have, and I find myself constantly working on it with seemingly not much in the way of progress at times coming from the effort.

A couple of cases in point.  I had ordered some printed material from a company I had never used before.  I had set up an account, placed the order, received a confirmation, and waited for the order to arrive.  When it didn’t arrive after a ten day or so wait, I checked PayPal to see if they had been paid.  They had been.  I then contacted the company to ask about my order.

They told me that I had ordered e-material rather than paper, and told me how to access it.  I’m not a big fan of reading books from a computer or my phone, and generally have a distaste for electronic copies of anything.  I checked my order, and sure enough, although the order page had an image of real books, at the top of the page was the disclaimer that it was e-material.

My conversation with customer service by way of email was less than rainbows and unicorns.  I broke a cardinal rule of mine to never respond immediately in a situation such as this but rather wait awhile for things to settle down and I can think more clearly and be more genteel with my conversation.  To complete the story, the customer service people were treated less than well by me in my emails to them, and in spite of that graciously and immediately refunded my payment.

On another note, it is usually easy when driving in Wichita to become irritated by something another driver does.  It could be someone speeding past you thirty miles an hour over the limit, cutting in front of you, failing to use their blinker, not starting out when the light changes to green because they’re texting, or any number of other failures.

Yesterday was especially difficult for me on the road.  I found myself criticizing other drivers rather than driving defensively and giving them the benefit of the doubt.  I really do work on this, and try to keep an even keel when driving, but yesterday was not one of those days.  I’m not a perfect driver myself, and I have no business criticizing others.  I was reminded of the words of Jesus, “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”  Well, that certainly applied to me.

So, today, I did a penance of sorts.  I found myself behind a vehicle on Kellogg this morning that was doing 57 miles an hour in the middle lane.  Rather than be irritated that he wasn’t going the limit, I just stayed behind him at a respectable distance and followed him…intentionally…just a few miles an hour under the limit.  He was doing nothing wrong.  Driving 57 miles an hour in the middle lane in a 60 mile limit zone is not unlawful.  It was a good lesson for me to not be in such a hurry…not criticize or make judgments…and not create stress on myself because of such a trivial matter.  The fact that everyone and their horse was passing us on both sides was not something I should be concerned about.  “I have learned to be content,” Paul the Apostle said.  Well, Paul, I’m still learning, and staying behind this gentleman for a few miles was a great example of how I sometimes make myself learn.

Paul, in his Colossian letter, also asks his fellow believers, and I quote here, to  “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.  And let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

He was speaking specifically of creating opportunities to tell the good news of Jesus Christ, but the principle holds for all of our interactions with others.  And I’m afraid I didn’t do very well yesterday with that thing about having my conversation being full of grace.  Even at this age, I’m still learning…still seeking…still refining…still growing.  And I pray you too will act in wisdom, always graceful in your interactions with others.  It’s so desperately needed in today’s world.

 

Blessings,

Why?

 Good morning!  I don’t know about you, but from time to time, life and living prompt questions in my mind for which I have no answers.  Oh, I’m not necessarily talking about questions such as “Who am I?”  “Why am I here?” and “Where am I going?”  Those kinds of questions are indeed good and proper questions everyone should consider.  But the ones I’m thinking of have more to do with what I see and hear in everyday life and conversation.  Here are a few examples.

 Why do people complain about the economy, complaining that they never have any money when I see them living in huge houses, driving seventy thousand dollar vehicles, and taking the 24 foot boat and equally fancy camper to the lake for the week?

Do they not know where their money is going?  Do they not understand how horribly expensive it is to maintain that lifestyle?  Or are they complaining because they have to pay taxes on all of that in order to fund the government?  Or is it a combination of both?

It seems to me that the priorities of some folks sometimes get mixed up.  Instead of a world view of service and generosity, it becomes one of who has the most and the biggest toys.  It becomes a world view of…well, I’ll just say it…selfishness and self-centeredness.

 And while we’re on the subject of seventy thousand dollar vehicles, why is it that people complain when the price of gasoline goes up a nickel, yet these same people seem to have no clue how to drive in a money-saving way.  They drive self-proclaimed gas hogs, drive 80 miles an hour in a 60 mile an hour zone, zip from lane to lane, accelerate quickly, brake hard, and generally become a liability on the road.

These are the same ones who are the first to spin out when the road conditions are icy…having to tow their vehicles to the body shop.  These are the ones who pay hundreds of dollars a month for insurance, yet don’t seem to understand the relationship between their driving habits and insurance costs.  These are the ones you want to avoid at all costs when on the road.

 And on the other side of the coin, what is it that prompts some people to continue giving…continue serving…continue loving…even when it hurts, and even when the gratitude is not there for what was done for others?  Where do people get the energy, the drive, and the passion for giving out water in the heat of summer to the homeless…for helping stock a food pantry that serves everyone in need…for cleaning up a grossly overgrown yard for an old veteran who is incapable of doing it himself?

What makes people volunteer for service to others…for paying the check for someone in the military at a restaurant…for giving an oversize tip to the wait person…for pumping gas for someone who has no money but needs the transportation to get to work…for driving a neighbor to her doctor’s appointment…for volunteering at the local public school…or one of any number of different acts of kindness and service?

Where does the compassion for others come from?  What makes people willing to give of their time, energy, and resources?  What is it about people that in some cases involves true sacrifice?

 And speaking of sacrifice, why is it that people will intentionally put themselves in harm’s way in order to save another person from some kind of harm or even death?  Even for someone they do not know, some people will give their lives in order to save another.  Where does that compulsion come from?  What makes people do that?

 I think I may have a handle on answers to the questions I asked first…the questions that involved what some people would call self-centeredness, greed, and pride.  However, the questions regarding service and sacrifice…I confess I don’t have the answers.  Some would say that it is the Christian or person of faith who does these things.  I agree, but I also know Christians who are self-centered and prideful.  I think they have some way to go in becoming more mature and Christ-like, but we’ll just leave it at that.  And I also know people who are nowhere close to being people of faith who exhibit great compassion and sacrifice for others.  The rule, if there is one in this case, has numerous exceptions.

 I’ll leave you with this today.  Which are you?  Are you one of those who is always complaining about life, even though you’ve been abundantly blessed with so, so much more than what is necessary for life?  Are you one of those who takes for granted the things that others are praying for?

Or are you one who, person of faith or not, is generous, giving, and yes, maybe even sacrificial in life and living?  Do you treat others, regardless of gender, race, religion, identity, or nationality with dignity and respect?

And, do you take to heart what Paul the great Apostle told Timothy?  Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but rather to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. ,(and then Paul says this to Timothy)  Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.

 

May God bless you this day.

EMS Week

 Good morning.

 This week is the 50^th annual EMS Week.  EMS, for those who may not know, is the acronym for Emergency Medical Services.  There has been some form of emergency medical services since at least the 1800’s; however, the modern service we know now began to come into its own some 50 years ago with the passing into law of the EMS Systems Act of 1973.  That law provided funding for the creation of more than 300 EMS systems across the nation, as well as set aside funding for future planning and growth.  It was during this time that as EMS was establishing a stable foothold in the nation, emergency medicine began to establish itself as a distinct specialty.  EMS has continued to evolve over the past half century into a core critical sub specialty of emergency medicine.

According to one of the websites dedicated to EMS week, this week is set aside to (quote) “recognize the 50th anniversary of the first National EMS Week.  The quote continues,  “We honor those who came before us, especially those who challenged the status quo and raised the bar for all of us.  And at the same time, we look forward, building on their efforts and committing ourselves to forge a future for the next generation of EMS professionals to serve their communities.”  (Unquote)

The smock I am wearing today fits somewhat more tightly than it did some 30 or so years ago.  Either it has shrunk or I have grown.  And, of course, my time for active service has long passed.  No longer can I jump out of bed in the middle of the night when the pager goes off, dress, run to my vehicle and get to the ambulance garage within five minutes.  I haven’t kept up with the advances in emergency medicine over the past 20 or so years.  My training is somewhat more fuzzy now than it used to be.  And I just no longer have the energy…or the desire…to pull all-nighters…then go to work the next day.

Just like others in the service, I’ve seen things and done things that most other folks would just as soon not think about.  And because my service was in a small town in a small county in Kansas, I knew most of the people I was summoned to serve.  Lives turned upside down in a matter of minutes or even seconds.  Families suffering together in grief.  Children who no longer had a parent.  Some of my memories are very vivid.  Others, not so much anymore.  And because I also worked at the hospital where we took most of our patients, I also saw them there as they received the intervention they needed.

I’ll not go into the specifics of those memories here.  I usually reserve them for some kind of special occasion or in order to make a point during one of my teaching times at the church.  Although many memories fade over time, and the exactness of those memories changes somewhat, many are vivid enough even now that I believe I could re-tell them and tell them pretty much as they happened.

EMS has come a long way from the 1800’s, and even from the early days of the modern EMS system in the late 1960’s and the 70’s.  Many women and men have given much time, resources, and energy to the development and implementation of a modern pre-hospital medical care system.  Governments have poured billions of dollars into equipment, training, policy, procedure, and human resources.

Untold thousands of individuals have taken the training and have worked or now work on either a volunteer or paid basis to provide care to those in need.  Volunteer services, by the way, are the backbone of many smaller communities, mainly in rural areas.  And although the need is great, the number of people willing to take the training, pass the boards, and give of their time and energy is decreasing…sometimes to the point that pre-hospital care in those areas is unavailable or a great distance away.

One doesn’t need any kind of medical background in order to receive the training and instruction needed to become an EMT or Paramedic.  One just needs a desire to serve, compassion for those in need, and the physical ability to do the work.

I can tell you as a former EMT that the work is demanding, rewarding, sometimes mentally and emotionally exhausting, and satisfying.  If you know someone who works in pre-hospital care either as a volunteer or as a vocation, let them know you appreciate their service.  And understand that you never should take EMS services for granted or assume that an ambulance will always be available for you or a loved one.  In some locations, EMS is in a precarious position…in danger of going away entirely or becoming much more difficult to support.  Budget cuts, lack of volunteers, relatively low pay, and other factors are choking off good pre-hospital care in some areas.  In some places, there are few or no hospitals for ambulances to take their patients.

Just be aware.  Know what is happening in the pre-hospital care system.  And celebrate, along with us, EMS this week.

 Blessings.

Kingdom Work

 Good morning!

 I’ve heard several comments the past week or two about the month of May being a really busy month.  I agree.  Especially for those who have kids in school, May can be a really hectic month with graduations, concerts, field trips and other assorted school-related activities.  May can also bring things non-school related like spring house-cleaning, working outside in the yard, in the garden, and flower beds, Memorial Day plans, and other such activities.  Then there’s the daily press of whatever work we have to do, whether being the keeper of a home or working at an outside vocation.  May can be a busy, busy month.

Thankfully, at our stage of life, this Grandpa and Grandma have the luxury of sitting back just a little during the month of May.  Yes, we still have graduations concerts and the like.  We still are making Memorial Day plans.  And we have our routine, daily work to do.  But the whole tenor of life at this stage is more relaxed.  We can help in getting grand kids here or there for some activity.  We can certainly attend their various school events.  But we don’t have the worry of what they will be wearing, whether or not they brought everything they need to the event, whether we’re going to be late, or whatever other concern there might be.  We can, and do enjoy being helpers when needed, but we equally enjoy our quiet evenings at home and our not having to get up to an alarm in the morning.

Sometimes, though, even our lives have some measure of “hecticness” in them.  Earlier this week at work, I was sort-of slammed with several administrative issues at once…most all of them building maintenance related.  We had the plumber here for a day repairing a variety of plumbing issues that had cropped up recently.  Also, one of the new entrance doors that was recently installed wouldn’t unlock, so we put in a call to the installation people to come for that.  And, we had a lock on a custodial closet that wouldn’t open.  When we called our normal locksmith service, they said it would be over a week until they could come out.  We needed access to the closet sooner than that, so we scrambled to find a locksmith who could some sooner.  Then the plumber accidently overflowed a toilet he was working on so we had a water mess to clean up.  And we had a call in to the electrician we use to repair some outside security lighting.  They acknowledged our call, but haven’t responded to that yet to make repairs.

The new automatic door opener that we had recently installed on an entrance didn’t stay open long enough for someone to come in or go out, so we put a call in to the company to come and adjust the opener.  They will be here this afternoon for that.  And there were the usual assortment of phone calls, meetings, and visitors to the office that come along with the normal routine of work here at the church.

So, even for me this week has been rather hectic at work with several committee and board meetings, preparing a class for Wednesday evening, and dealing with all of the other work-related as well as school and family events.  And to top all of it off, I have had three medical appointments this week as well as picking up a food order from a local grocer to deliver to our  church food pantry.

I’m not complaining.  I enjoy being busy at work.  I am grateful that I have access to medical professionals.  I really enjoy going to concerts and other events that my grand kids are part of.  But I sometimes wonder if helping the plumber clean up a water mess in a restroom is really God’s work.  I wonder if calling the door company to fix the entrance door is kingdom business.  Sometimes what I do during working hours doesn’t at all seem like anything remotely spiritual in nature.  But just when I begin to feel like I’m in a very secular rut, I get something that brings me back to the reality of just what Kingdom work is.

During this hectic period earlier this week when we had several things going at once, I emailed our staff and Elders, letting them know what was happening regarding the plumbing, the door opener, and all the rest.  I received this comment back from our Curtis, our lead minister:  “Thank God you are here, or I would never get anything done!  Sheesh.”

Curtis knew that if there wasn’t someone such as myself to handle these things, he would have to do that himself.  Curtis has his own work to do.  He prepares a sermon and a Bible class each week.  He studies…reads…does visitation…counsels…and has his time fully occupied just doing what he’s doing now.  To put this kind of additional burden on him would be not only unproductive, but would possibly result in a kind of burnout that we see all too often among those who have chosen ministerial work.

So, yes, I am doing kingdom work when I summon the electrician to repair the security lighting.  I’m enabling Curtis and others on staff to do the work they are uniquely qualified to do, have been prepared by God to do, and are charged by the Elders to do.  The work I do is no less important than preparing and delivering a Sunday morning sermon, although it is less visible and is often not even noticed.  And that’s OK.

Blessings.

Two Thoughts

 Good morning!

 I have been thinking about a good subject for this Thursday Thought for several days now.  A variety of subjects have been running through my mind, but none have really taken hold in any significant way.  So, today, with a deadline quickly approaching, I find myself going over various subjects again, trying to come up with something that is appropriate for this forum.

A couple of things have sort of stuck, and I’ll just tell you what both of them are.  One is the incredible change in life, living, and society in the last 60 or more years.  I grew up in the 1950’s and 1960’s in the age of 21 inch black and white television, black dial-type wall phones, and enormous cars with engines the size of aircraft engines.  I wondered then, as many did, what the turn of the century would be like.  I wondered what life would be like in the years following that time in the mid 20^th century.  Back then, we had visions of routine space travel by everyone, flying cars, robots that would do everything for us, and the infamous Dick Tracy “two-way wrist TV.”

Of course, all of that was at that time nothing more than wishful thinking and dreaming.  However, today much of that and more is current technology.  Who, for example, could have dreamed of what we know as the cell phone today?  Think of the enormous impact that this one invention has had on the world, let alone the Internet…that goes right along with the phone.  And think of all of the other changes that have taken place in medicine, the environment, space travel and exploration, housing, transportation, agriculture, politics, and energy.  To say it’s mind-boggling is an understatement.

 The other thought has actually been in one of the above categories…medicine.  It used to be, when I was a younger lad, that I had little need of medical professionals.  In the early days of life, I seldom needed to see our family doc.  Oh, I got my vaccinations, and once in awhile needed to see him for some kind of injury.  Doctor Bush was an old-time family physician, doing everything from taking and interpreting his own x rays to giving injections, setting bones,  and stitching up minor wounds.  He and his wife Jenny, his nurse, brought me into the world, and kept us all going throughout the fifties and early sixties.

The clinic he operated was on a first-come-first-served basis.  No appointments.  You just showed up in the waiting area, took stock of who had come in before you, and took your turn.  Pretty simple, actually, and I never…and I mean never…had to pay a bill either before or after my visit.  And as an older child, I did see Dr. Bush, even without my parents knowing beforehand.  He treated me without first asking my parents for permission.  I presume my parents eventually got a bill, but was never sure.

Dr Bush lived modestly and worked hard.  He did house calls.  He delivered babies.  He ran a hospital until later on in the 1950’s.  He billed himself as Osteopath, Physician, and Surgeon.  His wife was a nurse, and was his right hand.  That was the way medicine was done then.

Now, I have I don’t know how many specialists in my health care stable.  Primary care, dermatology, cardiology, urology, physical therapy, ENT, chiropractic, dental, oral surgeon…did I leave anyone out?  And it seems that every other day or so I have this or that medical appointment or therapy.  I think sometimes I’m in a doctor’s office more than I’m at work.  I also have to either pay up front, or have good insurance in order to see anyone about a medical issue.  My, how things have changed.

I have at least six prescription medications I routinely take for blood pressure, cholesterol, and other conditions.  I’m doing exercises for my back and shoulder.  I’m in the middle of having dental implants.  And I sometimes think I’m gradually falling apart at the seams.  Of course, in a way, I AM falling apart.  As we all get older, we are less and less able to cope and adjust to the physical deterioration that inevitably happens.  It’s just a fact of life and living.

As I think about these two different, but somewhat related subjects, I still wonder what my topic for this Thursday Thought should be.  I really needn’t wonder, though, because the topic of this thought has turned out to be these two topics of my thoughts and how things…and times…have changed over the years.

I’ve often thought about my grandfather, born in 1870 and passing away in 1966.  I think of the enormous changes he saw in his lifetime…the automobile, space travel, television and radio, the polio vaccine, several wars, the demise of the gold standard for our currency, air travel, atomic energy, and many other foundational and incredible inventions, events, and occurrences.  And then I think of my own 70-odd years and how much has changed…and how much as stayed the same.

I am grateful for the time God has given me.  And I look forward to whatever time I have left.  I especially look ahead, though, to being in His presence, no longer needing medications, therapists, or dentists.

May God bless you today.

Icing On the Cake

 Today as I happened to look out the office door toward the Paxton’s Blessing Box we have next to our church building, I saw a man looking at, and taking some of what I had put in the box awhile ago.  I don’t always do this, but today decided that I’d go out and try to have some interaction with him.  Sometimes, that works.  Sometimes, I am ignored.  Other times the conversation is very guarded and short.  And sometimes it’s impossible to have a conversation with a person due to their mental illness.

Sensing that he was homeless, primarily due to his appearance, I watched as he carefully looked over what was in the box and had taken some of it.  He didn’t see me approach him.

I stopped about 20 feet away from him, for safety, and asked, “Do you have what you need?”  He turned, looked at me, and gave a sort of universal visual response that he didn’t understand what I said.  I moved a bit closer, thinking he may have been hearing impaired, and asked the question again.  He seemed a bit flustered when I asked the second time, but regained his composure and said that he was fine.

Sensing that he was amenable to visiting for a bit, and knowing I hadn’t put any water in the box, I asked if he needed water, and that we had some inside.  He said he could use some water.  I told him to hang out for a minute while I got some water.  I went inside, found a bottle of water along with a bottle of Gatorade, went back out, and said he could have either one or both.  He took both.

He then asked if we had socks or a T-shirt.  I said we didn’t have shirts, but I would go in and look for socks, knowing that we had some.  I found a new pair of socks, went back outside, and gave them to him.

This started a bigger conversation about his inability to get a valid identification.  I think he sensed that I was genuinely interested in his plight, and the words just seemed to cascade from him as he recounted his so-far futile efforts over the past several years to obtain a government ID.  I think, as with many of these people, he needed someone willing to listen, even if for just a couple of minutes, to what he had to say.  And, if what he said is even partly true, he is caught in a bureaucratic nightmare of stolen identification, several attempts by others to obtain his ID for themselves by fraud, his inability to access any information about his ID due to the information being locked down by the State because of the theft and fraud attempts, and no one who provides services who will or can help him navigate the bureaucratic maze.

He is eligible, if he had a valid ID, for food assistance, rent assistance, Social Security assistance, and other services.  Without the ID, however, all of the services he otherwise would qualify for are beyond his reach.  So, he’s on the street.

I asked our office manager if she knew who helped with ID.  The Salvation Army no longer helps with ID.  The Red Cross no longer helps with ID.  Center of Hope and Open Door do not provide assistance, according to this man.  I called 211 and got the information on another non-profit that the operator said helped with ID.  I gave it to the man, who took off right away for the address I had been given.  I told him I didn’t know this organization and wasn’t sure they could help.  He said, “Hey, it’s a lead,” and went on his way.

One thing I haven’t yet said about this encounter.  Somewhere between my first question asking him if he had what he needed, and telling him about a possible contact for help with his identification, he said this to me.  “You know, I have never had anyone ask me if I had what I needed.  Thank you.”

Yes, we were able to provide him with some food and water.  Yes, we gave him some socks.  And yes, we were able to give him a possible lead on his identification difficulty.  But I think what really counted…what really mattered to him was my question of asking him if he had what he needed.  That interaction…that question…immediately told him that I saw him as a human being, deserving of the dignity and respect that goes with being human.  It told him that I didn’t see him as homeless trash, a lazy, good-for-nothing, or a bleeding, open sore on society.

And let me say this as well…I’m nothing special.  I use that same question on many homeless at the Blessing Box who I choose to try to have interaction with.  It’s just a good way, I think, to pretty much immediately “size up” the person while keeping safety and physical distance in mind.  And, I’ve found that by far most of the people who are on the street will interact with me…will be cordial…will after a moment let their own guard down a bit…and will appreciate the brief conversation.

I know it can be daunting to try to make this kind of connection.  I’ve been working on it for over ten years, and at times still feel inadequate.  But it’s well worth the effort…especially when the church is involved, as we are here at RiverWalk.  I hold no illusion that I will see him at Sunday services or have a conversion as a result of our interaction.  But hopefully, I have given him a somewhat different and much better opinion of church, religion, and religious people by this brief encounter.

I truly hope and pray this man is able to get his identification and get on with life.  And I hope he stops by in a few months to show me his ID.  THAT would be icing on the cake.

 

Blessings.