When Life Hurts

"Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring." Proverbs 27:1 (ESV)



I received a phone call from my brother David this morning. It was one of those phone calls we all hate to get. He and his wife had learned that his wife's brother had been found dead yesterday in a western state, far away from all of his family. That news never comes at a good time and is always devastating to receive. Our family invites you to join us in praying for David and Melodie and for Melodie's family who are struggling to cope with this tragic loss.




That phone call made me wonder about other times when people get unexpected news. Sometimes it is a medical diagnosis. On occasion it may relate to a job, an application, a planned trip. The source and message may vary, but unexpected news, especially bad news, has a way of coming when we really don't want or need it. The writer of Proverbs seems to offer us a caution about that unexpected bad news when he urges us to avoid making boastful plans about tomorrow because we may be blindsided by what tomorrow brings. James offers us a very similar warning in James 4:13-16.


What I do is cling to the things I know for certain when things I am not certain about come my way. And what can I know for certain? The Bible tells me what I can know for certain. The Bible tells me that God's Word is truth (John 17:17) and so I believe I can know what the Bible tells me. The Bible tells me that God loves me and on many days that is what I have to cling to. The experiences I sometimes go through would make me think God didn't love me if it were not for the fact that God has already confirmed his love for me by what he sent Jesus to do for me. (John 3:16). So I cling to the truth that God loves me and wait for the next day to come. In Lamentations 3:22 (ESV) we read "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."


I pray that my brother and his wife and her family will experience the truth of this verse tomorrow!

Praise the LORD!

"Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the godly!" Psalm 149:1 (ESV)

The Psalmist reminds me of something I know but must be reminded of often. One of my primary purposes is to sing the praises of my God! What a joy to do so when we gather to worship each Lord's Day. And how wonderful it was this past Sunday to look over and see Barb back at the piano helping us focus our attention on the blessings of God. I was able to sing a new song, one that was full of thanksgiving for a wife restored to ministry as a pianist. I appreciated the musicians who filled in during her absence, but I praised God that Barb was able to resume her ministry.

I wonder what it would be like to try and worship without being able to sing praises to our God! I sure hope I never find out.

Basketball and Perseverance

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

2 Timothy 4:7 (ESV)

This week my youngest son is having his school vacation. We like to find something fun to do together and this year we were able to get tickets to go see the 13th ranked UConn Huskies play DePaul in a men's basketball game held at the XL Center in downtown Hartford. UConn came from behind to win 65-60. It was an exciting game and it was great to watch it with Shawn and a couple from our church with whom we have attended a number of sporting events.

At one point early in the second half, UConn was down by 13 points and it was beginning to look like their 9 game winning streak was going to come to an end. But as we watched the game, they played hard and began to edge back closer and closer until with less than 3 minutes to go they regained the lead and held on for the win. But it was while watching the game that I began to wonder about how it can be difficult to walk in obedience to Jesus on a daily basis. That is when I need to be like the UConn basketball team, and the apostle Paul. I cannot give up! I want to be able to say like Paul, I have finished the race. I need so much help to stay with it when the going gets tough. I need the Holy Spirit. I need the Word of God. I need other Christians. I need my family.

When I took this picture of the scoreboard, the game had not yet started. I was happy when the game ended and the score was 65-60 in favor of UConn. I also want to be happy when the game of life ends and my journey on earth is done. May God be gracious in allowing me to keep the faith!

Biblical Love

This is a picture taken in Guatemala and shared with me by Edward Fudge. I received it this week while my oldest son Robbie was in Guatemala on a short term medical mission trip. Today he is flying home to Savannah, GA where he will report on the adventure to his wife who has been anxiously awaiting his return. When we talked with Kelly (Robbies wife) this week we could sense her loneliness as she experienced her first Valentine's Day as a wife with her husband in another country. It made me wonder about what we learn when we are forced to endure hardship or separation in our lives.

Perhaps we can begin to understand what God went through when he sent his son to earth and then to the cross! The agony of that separation was given voice when Jesus cried out on the cross, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" that is "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" Matthew 27:46 (ESV) While being apart for Valentine's Day doesn't begin to compare with what took place at Golgotha, it does force us to recognize that it is often difficult to do something that will be a benefit to others. It is costly to show love. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:7 (ESV) "Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." God provided us with an example of that kind of love when He sent His son, and we grow in our understanding of divine love when we have to bear, believe, hope and endure all kinds of things, like separation from loved ones at inconvenient times.

My wife and I prayed for Robbie while he was away, and for Kelly while she waited over Valentine's Day for his return. We will be praying today as Robbie travels back from Guatemala to Savannah. We will also pray as our son David, and his wife Marianne, are traveling in southeast Asia today. But our prayers, offered as an act of love and obedience, will not inform God, who already knows where they are and loves them, as only He can!

Valentine's Day

I suppose I am dating myself by quoting from one of my favorite Momas and Poppas songs from the 60's but here goes, "This is dedicated to the one I love." Actually, its dedicated to several women who have very special places in my heart.

First, I want to say how thankful I am for the love and influence my mom had on my life. Shown below in the kitchen of her mobile home in Florida where she and dad now live, she is the lady responsible for giving birth and making a home for my four siblings and me. Born in Kezar Falls, ME, mom was always willing to open her home to family and friends and she is the woman who has supported and encouraged my dad's ministry for over 56 years. She is a special lady to whom I will be forever indebted, for her example and for her prayers.

The next woman I want to honor on this Valentine's Day is my wife of 31 plus years. One week ago she underwent surgery and is just completing the first week of her eight week recovery. I have included a picture of her with two of my daughters-in-law and my granddaughter. They are all very special ladies as well. But my real Valentine is the woman who has been my wife and the mother of our four sons. She is a woman who loves the Lord and has shown me love and grace when I haven't always deserved them. I am thankful to God for this woman who fulfills Proverbs 18:22 "He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD." I have certainly found a good thing and favor from the Lord!

Then I want to recognize the three special women who have been added to our family by marriage. They are ladies our sons have chosen to spend their lives with and they are each welcome additions to our family. I have attempted to share with each of them how much I love them and appreciate the love they have for our sons and for the Lord. We couldn't have picked any better matches for our sons, even if we had been consulted. Marianne, who is married to our son David, and Jennifer, who is married to our son Joshua are shown above with Barb and our granddaughter Erin. Our newest daughter-in-law, Kelly, is shown with our oldest son Robbie in the picture below.

Kelly is having to spend this Valentine's Day alone while our son Robbie is on a short-term mission trip to Guatemala. She is a loving and devoted wife who has already begun to learn about the sacrifices we sometimes have to make when we want to serve the Lord.

I am a thankful man this Valentine's Day. I am thankful for my mother, my wife, my daughters-in-law and my granddaughter and I wish them all a happy Valentine's Day!

Something Smells Good

"Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life. " 2 Corinthians 2:15

It was as if every time I came into the house today, another floral arrangement had been delivered to my wife. I certainly feel like she deserves them, she has been through alot the past few days. And tomorrow she has a follow-up visit with her surgeon and is hopeful she can take another step on her road to recovery. But until she feels better, how wonderful to be surrounded by such beautiful floral arrangements. What a blessing they are!

When I see all the beautiful flowers in our home, I can't help but think about how much better each room looks when the bouquets are added to the decor. The stunning and diverse colors, the varied shapes, the delicate flower petals, the wonderful aroma. Every vase and basket adds beauty and enjoyment to being in that room. It was all the flowers that got me to wondering about the verse I included above.

Because we know Christ, we are suppose to give off a sweet scent rising to God that is recognized by those on the way of salvation. I know we have seen the love of Christ in the many thoughful acts shown to Barb and our family. The flowers were but one tangible form of blessing we received. But from the fragrant aroma of the flowers we have the reminder of the sweet scent of service that has been shared with us in Jesus name. It is my prayer that when God gives us the opportunity to be a blessing to others, we will be as thoughtful and caring as others have been to us!


Barb and I want to thank you for all the flowers and many other sweet smelling offerings that have been given to us in Jesus Name. To God be the Glory!

A Moment (or two) of Reflection

"Now to him who is able to do far more than all that we ask or think, acording to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21 (ESV)



It is Sunday afternoon and the sun is trying to shine through the clouds which are being blown across the Connecticut skies by 25-30 mph winds. I am staying warm inside our home which has seen the heavy snows of December all but erased by the Januray thaw and the February rains. They had predicted some additonal snow over night, but that failed to materialize. No complaints here however. Someone in church this morning reported talking to her brother who said they had 5 feet of snow in Vermont and were expecting another foot today! I sure do like Connecticut.



My wife is relaxing while watching the tv. My son is hard at work playing video games in his room. And I have a few minutes before I sit down with my income tax return to think back over the week just past. I am so thankful for how everything associated with Barb's surgery turned out. The surgery was successful, her recovery is underway, and we have been privileged to be ministered to by so many people who make up the family of God. Our biological family has been wonderful. Our church family has been awesome and as the food begins to arrive I suspect we will soon be overwhelmed (and overeating!). So many of our friends have been in touch that we can hardly fathom the blessing they are. Again and again I wonder what it would be like to have to face these trials alone. God has given us such a wonderful gift in the form of friends, I cannot begin to say thank you enough.

Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus and reminded them that when all is said and done, it is God who is the one who accomplishes all things by his power and pleasure. Many of you have been instruments God has used, but it is God that needs to get the glory. So, once again, please allow me to thank the God of heaven, the God of creation, the God of the Bible for what he has done for us this past week. He alone needs to get the glory and I am happy to give it to Him.

Psalm 30:4

"Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name."

Barb was ready to come home before the hospital was quite ready to discharge her, but she sat patiently waiting until the final moment came, and they said she could leave. Then it was a wheelchair ride to the car that I had waiting and a short 15 minute ride to our home in Windsor Locks. We are so happy to have her home. We know that she will need lots of TLC in the next few weeks, but that is something Shawn and I look forward to doing for someone who has done so much for us. I do love and treasure this woman!

We know that Barb's successful surgery and speedy discharge are the results of a loving God who was gracious to Barb. We know that we were not alone in this ordeal, so many of you have prayed for us and encircled us with love. We just want to remember that while we are thankful for all you folks have done, as His children it is our primary responsibility to sing praises to the LORD and give Him our joyful thanks.

This is where Barb will reign as Queen for the next several weeks, so glad to have her home!

Very Thankful

Just wanted to share a quick entry about how wonderful it has been to watch our kids grow up and become adults. And not just adults, but adults we believe are following Jesus in very attractive ways. Our oldest son, Rob, and his wife were thoughtful enough to send flowers and call Barb. Our youngest son Shawn, currently taking part in his youth group's 30 Hour Famine for World Vision, visited his mom in the hospital this afternoon and took her some flowers before going to be locked in at the church.

Barb has also had a call from our son Joshua and his family in Alabama and an email from our son David and his wife in Thailand. (They had actually called from Thailand before Barb went into the hospital.) We are so thankful for a loving family and for the many others who have called, sent flowers, emailed, and supported us during this brief ordeal. God has been gracious, He alone deserves all the glory, but Barb and I want to thank everyone for their love and support. I wonder what it would have been like if we didn't have any children or Christian friends?

Waiting

"...waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ," Titus 2:13 (ESV)

I am back at the hospital, Barb is resting but awake and feeling more like herself (but still very much aware she has been through major surgery). The doctor has been in already this morning and indicated she is progressing very well. We are so grateful for the wonderful care Barb has been receiving here at Hartford Hospital. The staff has been attentive and thoughtful and that has made this experience much more bearable.

Still, we would have preferred to have been able to avoid this little excursion off the highway of life. Even under the gray clouds of February in Connecticut, our preference would be to be some other place than in this hospital. And, as great as the care is, Barb is anxious to return to her own home, her own bed, and my cooking (!?!), well perhaps the cooking of folks in the church, then.

Even when the hospital stay is a very beneficial necessity, it is hard to appreciate it when you know something even better, even more desirable, is waiting for you somewhere else. And isn't that what Paul reminds us in his little letter to Pastor Titus? Paul knows that there are many lessons we need to learn in this life, "training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this present age," Titus 2:12 (ESV)

But Paul knows that the lessons we are to learn are not ultimately for this life. Our destiny, "our blessed hope", is in the return of Jesus and receiving of our reward that he will bring with him! "But according to his promise we are waiting for a new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells." 2 Peter 3:13 (ESV) Barb and I are looking forward to having her come home, even while being thankful for the benefits of her hospital stay.

As followers of Jesus we should be anxious to "get home", even while being thankful for the lessons we can learn while living and the ministries we can perform as we wait. I wonder what lessons God will teach me today as I wait for my blessed hope.

Barb will hate me for this, but here she is, looking forward to geting home!

Isaiah 26:3

"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."

What a wonderful promise, and how much greater a reality if we will do it. I am sitting on the 8th floor of Hartford Hospital, waiting for my wife to be moved from the recovery room into the room that she will call home for the next 2 days. The doctor called me following Barb's surgery to report all had gone "very well" and that Barb did wonderfully throughout the procedure. We had prayed for the protection and watchcare of our Heavenly Father, and He had answered our prayer.

During the past few days I have been impressed by how important the body of Christ is in the life of its members. My wife had calls and emails from family and friends, literally from around the world! What a source of encouragement. When we got to the hospital this morning we were visited by a dear friend who shared some Scripture, prayer and even breakfast (although that had to wait until after Barb went to surgery). Since coming to the hospital I have spoken by phone with friends in Maine and Virgina, had emails from friends in Connecticut and Florida, and talked with family in Massachusetts, Georgia, Alabama and Florida. [Just a thought, but hasn't God given us unprecedented opportunities to be involved in the lives of others via the technologies of today?]

As I have been sitting here in the hospital I have been privileged to pray for others I have learned are facing medical challenges of their own. A young man hospitalized in Florida awaiting tests results. A friend in Maine who also had surgery today. Those who will be facing various medical procedures in the days and weeks to come. We have been given the opportunitiy to express God's love for others. In turn, we have experienced so many manifestations of that love ourselves. But that love finds its source in the God of the Bible who first loved us.

I have to wonder, what do people do who don't experience that kind of love? And I wonder, can I do more to show that love to others?

A Bangor Blog

I have a good friend in Maine who writes a kind of weekly newsletter and I was wondering what that would be like, so I decided to take a stab at it....remembering Ecclesiastes 3:4 "...a time to laugh..."

It's 5AM and I have been running on my treadmill for 2 hours, only 2 hours to go until I can wash down my 3 low carb bagels with a wonderful steaming cup of Dunkin Donuts French Vanilla coffee. Perhaps I will run into the Governor at the counter and I can tell her what I think about her reforms of the criminal justice system.

It's been 20 minutes since I last checked my pulse, but I can tell from the melancholy mood clouding my thinking I must keep pressing on until the first few rays of sunlight shine upon the frozen wasteland lying just beyond my door. As I run, I hear a still, small voice, it is the mouse who has joined me on the treadmill, running easily and smiling broadly at me, as I gasp for air.

As the minutes turn into miles, I begin to wish I had taken the road less travelled, and I realize I will not know when the sun rises above the horizon since my treadmill is locked away with the boiler in my basement, my wife unwilling to allow it to be placed anywhere within her quaintly appointed Thomas Kincaid-esque home.

Today I think I will try to outkick that mouse, turning up the treadmill's speed when the mouse isn't looking, in hopes he will be thrown off the treadmill and I will have the victory, small though it may be. You know, when you run alone in the dark, everything seems different, darker, I guess. Oh well, joy comes in the morning, at least that's what people who drink Starbuck's tell me. Actually, they don't tell me that, they kind of scream it as they run by, hyped with the charge granted by the caffine in their coffee imported from some remote country I've never been to.

Well, that was a pleasant dream, now its time to get up and get on with the business of life, forget the make believe world of the blogger who dreams of writing a weekly newsletter.

Blessing or Cursing

In James 3:10 it says, "From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so." That makes me wonder, what is coming out of my mouth? Most of the time I want to share blessings, but do I? I try not to curse, most of the time. But I must confess that my intentions, while mostly good, are not always realized. I know God wants me to use my mouth to be a blessing but I am acutely aware that when angered, I can quickly unsheath my tongue like a sharp hunting knife, intent on dismembering the offender. Ouch! "These things ought not to be so." Lord, I need to change. Lord, I need your help to change.

Last night my son and daughter-in-law called from Thailand to talk with my wife before her surgery. I watched as the words they shared brought joy and a smile. I realized that she was blessed just by being able to talk with loved ones far away. Perhaps I can be a blessing by taking the time to talk to someone I haven't spoken with in a while. And if I am making an effort to be a blessing, perhaps I won't have the time to do any "cursing". I wonder if maybe God wants me to talk to everyone I meet like they are a loved one far away? I wonder.

Was it really so good?

In two days my wife will be having some major surgery, and by the grace of God, she will have 8 weeks of her husband and son waiting on her so she can fully recover before returning to her work as a registered nurse. As we have prepared for that surgery, I have been thinking back over our 31+ years together and I got to wondering, was it really so good? And I think the answer is a resounding YES!

God has given us a wonderful family, both immediate and extended, and we praise Him for that. Here are some glimpses of our happy times together as a family.

Whitewater rafting on the upper Hudson in upstate New York in the summer of '06;


attending our oldest son's graduation (with his fiancee Kelly) from medical school in Savannah, GA in September of '07;


being in Durham, NC for the wedding of our son David to Marianne in May of '05;

meeting our new daughter-in-law Jennifer and grand-daughter Erin in North Carolina in June of 2006;

a road trip to Toronto where Shawn and I saw the Red Sox play three games in April of '07;

Yes, God has been wonderful in the gifts he has given us, especially the gift of a loving family.

It has been a great 31 years!

Where did this come from?

My oldest son called me this afternoon. Don't hear from him all that often. He lives in Savannah, GA with his wife and their puppy. He wanted to let me know he was leaving for Guatemala on Friday for a week of doing anesthesia for 12 hours a day. That got me to wondering; why does an almost newlywed, recently started a new job, with a wife undergoing chemotherapy, 29 year old decide to take a week off without vacation pay to travel to Guatemala to do volunteer medical missionary work? I'd like to think he was a perfect son, but I know better! Instead, I thank God he is listening to that still small voice who calls us to do unto the least of these...in Jesus name. My parents modeled this obedience when they went off to India in Dad's retirement for a 6 month stint teaching theology there. I have been to Mexico on several occasions working with a Seminary, mostly doing manual labor. In fact, all 4 of our sons have traveled to serve others in Jesus name. Our youngest spent a week in New Orleans last summer helping with the clean-up. Our second son and his wife serve fulltime in a closed country sharing the gospel. Our third son spent 5 months in Mexico as a self-supporting missionary working at that same Seminary I had been too (he actually lived on campus and learned Spanish by immersion). And our oldest, he's done this before. He's been to Mexico and Haiti on short term mission trips. Kinda makes you wonder, doesn't it, just what this world is coming to...or perhaps, who is going to the world in Jesus name?

How God speaks

Later this week my wife faces some serious surgery. When I sat with her in the surgeon's office several weeks ago, and listened to him review the list of unlikely but possible complications, I suddenly saw the seriousness of what was ahead for my wife. So did she! While she has always sought to rest in the Lord, she found herself worried about her upcoming surgery. Unable to allieviate her concerns through Scipture reading and her own prayer life, she asked God for a sign of His watchcare and concern. I was attending a statewide pastors' prayer gathering the very day my wife asked God for that sign. As I gathered with a couple to form a prayer triplet, we asked God to speak to each of us that day. When our initial prayer time ended, the woman asked me if I was married. When I answered affirmatively, she said she felt my wife was carrying a heavy burden and asked if she could pray for her specifically. When I thanked her and told her my wife was facing major surgery, she responded by telling me she had that very surgery the previous year. 2 Corinthians 1:3&4 reminds us that God comforts us so that we may comfort others. How wonderful when people listen to His promptings!

Super Bowl losses and other disappointments.

The New England Patriots, perfect all season, lost the Super Bowl tonight, 17-14, to the New York Giants. The defense of the Giants harassed Tom Brady all night and Eli Manning delivered when he had to, congrats to the Giants. I watched the game with a friend from church but no family members. Realized how much I miss my three oldest sons who have grown and married and are now elsewhere in the world with their own families. But my youngest son, not married and still living at home, chose to watch the "game" with his friends. His friends and not dear old dad! How quickly they grow and develop lives of their own. I am thankful for the times I have had with the boys as they grew up, but I miss being with them now. I miss those trips to see the Boston Red Sox and Florida State Seminoles, to go camping and hunting, to watch soccer matches and movies, to visit Canobie Lake, Six Flags and Busch Gardens. I miss those little guys who have become young men. But I am so thankful to God that my sons have come to know Him and His love, for they will discover what I have discovered, He will never disappoint.