A Christ Follower: The Journey

We live in a world of connection and disconnection.  Some of these connections are delightful and life giving, and others are dyfuntional an problematic.  Yesterday, and a few days before, I connected in ways I have never done with my family.  Vicki and I "rang them up."  That is right.  We opened up my handy dandy little old apple computer, and after we connected, I had before my very eyes those precious grandchildren and children.  As we talked, the picture was so vivid and real that our little granddaughter, Alex wanted "Mac" and me to tickle her feet.  Now they are about 1000 miles away, and yet we could see them face to face in a moment in the twinkling of an eye.  We also got to talk with Grace & Jack and later talked with Zac  and Julie.   The big experiment came when we tried to connect with my Dad in  Alabama (The Birmingham area.)  Usually a phone call with him lasts only a few minutes and he is ready to go. Hi focus is not what it use to be.  His mem...

The Psalmist once said, "Some trust in chariots and some trust in horses; But we will remember the name of the LORD! " Now comes to the office of the President of The United States of America a biracial man whom some have recklessly  called "Messiah." This is INDEED a GREAT historical day! He is indeed The President of The United States of America.  He is my President, and I will support him completely in any policy that is keeping with God's law and the sacred Word of HIM who is really the Messiah, even Jesus.  This God and HIS Word have been instrumental in making our nation great.  Therefore, I will question anything contrary to either God's Law or God's Word.  I will do so with great respect for the office of the presidency and the man in the office... unlike many acted disgracefully when they disagreed with our previous President who left office today.   Now, when we think of Psalm 20:7 written above, we might say it the following way:  "Some ...

Many in today's generation don't remember Island Hopping, Doolittle's Raiders, A Bridge Too Far, D Day, The Battle For Britain and or Blitz Krieg .  Long forgotten is Pork Chop Hill. Starting to fade are the memories of Da Nang and China Beach.  The Black Hawk Down heroism is fading before our very eyes.  They are being replaced with Desert war and the present day dangers of the Mid East.  Sadly only a few in America appreciate the gravity of our time. Yet everyday, as I walk the halls of MVAMC , I see Veterans who have bought and paid for the freedoms of generations still yet to come. Some are still young who stepped up right after what we now call 911.  They volunteered to serve.  Some are VERY young who have followed in the foot steps of their older brothers and sisters in arms.  Some are getting older like me.   And others are my Dad's age.  Some are not even able to respond any longer to my conversations or blessings and prayers I give for them, much less be a pa...

All the reports (psychiatric, therapeutic , physical, spiritual... ALL of them!)  were good, and by last Saturday night, it was determined that the warrior would go home... or at least half way anyway.  He could go to his sisters home for a while and take the next steps to make it all the way back home. Everyone cautiously had to admit he was ready. What surprised me today was the Psychiatrist report: It was lengthy and expressed in great detail how this man's turn came after he "met with the Chaplain."  Something happened to him that could not be denied.  2 1/2 years of nightmares had stopped completely.  Anxiety dropped dramatically.  Combativeness was no where to be found.  He could now forgive himself for letting his young Marine, whom he was to keep alive, die. He could walk his way out of the survivor guilt. He could now work on forgiving his wife and anyone else against whom he held a grudge.  He had learned through his encounter with Jesus the power of forgiveness...

There is no greater source of power or peace than that which the Lord provides when we surrender our lives.  This is especially true of   "fixers." You may ask, "What in the heck is a "fixer?"  Well I am glad you asked.  A "fixer" is one who has the propensity to go around trying to fix things to be sure things in life are just right.  Some "fixers" try to fix things that "ain't" broke.  Another name for a "fixer" is "rescuer." Still another name is a "controller." Anybody out there have control issues?"  The GOOD NEWS is that even "fixers" can be fixed from their fixing ways and allow the freedom of God's grace to work in mysterious ways to bring balance to the fixers life.   Psalm 10:17 said it this way as it speaks of the Almighty: "YOU will prepare their hearts."   The fact is that we cannot fix or change anyone but ourselves, and that even happens only btgog...

  I saw him again today.  His affect was upbeat his attitude came across as positive.  His gait was balanced.  In fact, all in all, he looked ok .  Hard to believe that yesterday he seemed like a wreck.  But then that was BC.  Before Christ forgave the warrior.  As I listened to him he had all ready begun formulating a plan.  He is talking with his wife, and they are planning reconciliation.  He knows the obstacles ahead and articulates them well. I stand amazed today at the change God has wrought in this young man. I returned to my office to review his Echart .  There was a marked change in his record from yesterday up to the point of his conversion.  Now his psychological, emotional, physical and other reports are reflecting that the man is definitely changed.  No more did he disrupt the group.  No more did he try to dominate.  No more did he seethe with anger.  No more shame.  No more guilt.  No more torment.  The psychiatrist simply said.  "Patient seems more peaceful today....

It has been a very long day today.  Being the only full time staff chaplain present, others were either TDY or off today.  I had more to do, and I was getting rather tired.  And I had spent more of my time with paper work, IDT's (Interdisciplinary Team Meetings.), and the hospice and declining WW2 vets. I had been told by one of our more inexperienced chaplains that the psychiatrist did not want Chaplains on the Psych ward, a place where all the PTSD sufferers and other emotionally scarred troops from OIF (Operation Iraqi Freedom) and OEF (Operation Enduring Freedom)  are now located.  Being clinically trained, I doubted this very seriously, but being the "new kid on the block" I decided to not challenge the assumption; however, staying away from this ward kept me away from the very opportunities too which I am called.  The Lord Jesus changed that today!   PTL ! Well as the day came to and end, I had placed on my desk a consult from a  Psychiatrist asking for a chapl...