Under Construction

It just never seems to end....the construction at the hospital where I work.  There is a certain work site I pass ever day walking from the parking lot to my floor.  As a matter of fact, it seems like the construction workers have been laboring on that site for years.  I would estimate this project has been in effect for at least three to four years.  Amazing!  It seems like part of the building is constructed, then it is torn down.  The street was excavated at one time, then it was filled in.  Of course, being an outsider to construction, I really have no clue to what the workers are doing.  I have no sense of the time to completion, a fairly limited understanding of the finished product.  To me, the construction looks chaotic (as do most construction sites).  There must by some rhyme or reason to what the work crew is doing, although I'm having a hard time seeing it.  Yet, it is easy to wonder if the builders really know what they are doing.

Sometimes it is tempting to wonder if God knows what He is doing.  Obviously, there are some problems we bring upon ourselves due to poor choices.  On the other hand, some things appear for no apparent reason.  You know, things like sickness, financial difficulties, marital or familial discord, etc. We are brought to our knees as we wonder, "Why?"  "Why did this happen?"  "Why at this time?"  "Why in my life, of all people?"

Yet, a powerful scripture comes to mind from Isaiah 45:9.  It states succinctly:

"Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker—
An earthenware vessel among the vessels of earth!
Will the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you doing?’
Or the thing you are making say, ‘He has no hands’?"

God also spoke to Job with some rather strong words in Job 38:4-7.  God said:

“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell Me, if you have understanding,
Who set its measurements? Since you know.
Or who stretched the line on it?
“On what were its bases sunk?
Or who laid its cornerstone,
When the morning stars sang together
And all the sons of God shouted for joy?"

Hence, in the broad spectrum of the universe, I may have difficulty seeing the "big picture" of life.  But I must continually submit myself to the Master Potter to accomplish His purposes.  Ultimately, in time, the finished product of my life, although chaotic at times, will be glorious. 

I talk more at length about the Master Potter's work in dealing with my life while I was fighting bladder cancer in my book, "A Place I Didn't Want To Go: My Victory Over Cancer".  It is available on Amazon and Kindle and can be accessed at:

http://www.amazon.com/Place-Didnt-Want-Go-Victory/dp/0983453624/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324565593&sr=1-1

The Value of Trials

Although I'm not very good at it, I enjoy playing golf from time to time.  My father and I play at a local public course.  Although it's not a very fancy course, it is plenty challenging for me due to one reason.....the creek.  This blasted creek is a continuous hazard on the course as it meanders in play on several holes.  It slithers in and out of holes like a snake and it is noticeable throughout the course.  By my count, this creek comes into play in nine out of the eighteen holes if we played the regular or white tees.  As a result, it is rare (and I mean rare) that I finish a round without having to retrieve at least one golf ball out of the creek.  Just like the tree would snatch up Charlie Brown's kite in the "Peanuts" comic strip, this aqueous monster gobbles up my golf balls on a regular basis and wreaks havoc on my score.

As a matter of fact, if the creek were nonexistent, I would probably shoot a fairly good score on the course.  There would be no worries about errant shots landing in the drink.  Yet, come to think of it, playing would not be quite as much fun or rewarding.  You see, when I do have a good round and somehow avoid this watery grave, I am ecstatic as I come to realize how I have beaten the challenge.  The watery menace has been reduced to a trickle.  It did its best to humble me, to destroy me, but yet my limited golfing ability and my simple Spalding clubs overcame it.  Take that, you aqueous monster!

Of course, life is like that also.  If we didn't have tribulations or trials, life would be relatively easy...and perhaps a little boring.  Yet, when we overcome tribulations, there is a great sense of accomplishment, an ecstasy that we did it, we overcame, we were victorious. 

The Bible in several places talks of the value of trials and tribulations.  Romans 5:3-5 says that "...tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint...".  James 1:4 says that trials make us "perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."  So, the struggles, the tears, the disappointments, ultimately have the benefit of developing our character and conforming us to the image of Christ.  No wonder the Bible says earlier in James 1:2, "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials."

I may still end up in the creek a time or two the next time I play golf.  But, the times I do get over it unscathed, just like overcoming tribulations in life, will make me extremely happy.   

Getting Your Bearings

I went out jogging in my neighborhood the other night.  I probably should have run earlier in the day, but I got busy doing other activities.  Nevertheless, I felt compelled to exercise, even though it was close to ten o'clock at night.  As I was jogging, I was amazed at the wonder of the stars.  Even though I don't know too much about the heavenly bodies, I was able to discern the Little Dipper on the left side of my street, whereas the Big Dipper could be seen easily on the right side.  I remember hearing as a child how you can find the North Star just by drawing a straight line from one side of the Big Dipper and following this imaginary line in the sky.  Sure enough, the North Star was not too far behind (or should I say in front).

Seeing the Big Dipper reminded me of a song or poem I heard was composed during the Civil War.  Apparently, the Big Dipper was known as "the drinking gourd' to the slaves.  As runaway slaves travelled north to escape oppression in the south, the drinking gourd and the North Star showed them the way to freedom.  The song, "Follow The Drinking Gourd"  expresses the way to freedom in this manner:

When the sun goes back and the first quail calls
Follow the drinking gourd
The old man is a-waitin' for to carry you to freedom
Follow the drinking gourd

(CHORUS)
Follow the drinking gourd, follow the drinking gourd
For the old man is a-waitin' to carry you to freedom
Follow the drinking gourd

The river bed makes a mighty fine road,
Dead trees to show you the way
And it's left foot, peg foot, traveling on
Follow the drinking gourd

(Chorus)

The river ends between two hills
Follow the drinking gourd
There's another river on the other side
Follow the drinking gourd

(Chorus)

I thought I heard the angels say
Follow the drinking gourd
The stars in the heavens gonna show you the way
Follow the drinking gourd

(Chorus)

You can hear this song on You Tube at:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBOP8t2hlFQ

It's a great song with a great message.  Furthermore, it doesn't only apply to slavery.  As we are going through life, when going through trials, perhaps the best way to overcome them is to keep looking north.  Consequently, our ultimate deliverance doesn't come from the North Star but the "bright morning star" (Revelations 22:16).  As the late Jack Horkheimer (also known as "The Star Hustler") used to say on his astronomy show on PBS, "keep looking up".          

    

Thinking Outside The Box

It is said that politics make strange bedfellows.  In other words, political groups that may be opposed to each other may actually band together in order to get a specific bill passed.  They set aside their differences for a common good.   Hence, alliances formed in desperation may consequently be profitable to both groups.

There is an interesting story in II Kings 5 about a desperate man whose name was Naaman.  He was a great military leader, the captain of the army of the king of Syria.  He was a highly respected warrior.  But, he also suffered from leprosy.  The Bible doesn't list the extent of his leprosy but you know it certainly was a hardship for him.  Also, you can imagine how he searched for anyone or anything that would deliver him from his sickness.  Sadly, nothing helped. 

Then, he reached for a cure from an unusual source, his enemy.  The Bible says that "...the Syrians had gone out in bands, and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and she waited on Naaman's wife" (II Kings 5:2 NASB).  Perhaps being a little naive of the relationship between Syria and Israel but yet being full of faith, the girl thought her new master would benefit from the healing ministry of the prophet Elisha in Israel.  She subsequently convinced him to seek out Elisha, even though Syria and Israel were not on the best of terms.  Elisha told Naaman to dip seven times in the Jordan River and his leprosy would be removed.  After some prodding by his servants, this mighty soldier immersed himself in the Jordan and was cured.  Had Naaman stayed in Syria, he would have remained a leper.  Yet, looking outside of his country (or thinking outside of the box, using a more modern term) would ultimately lead to his healing.

When dealing with cancer, sometimes traditional methods of treatment may not be producing the intended result.  Consequently, some cancer patients may seek cures from additional sources such as nationwide cancer centers.  Nothing wrong with visiting such places if financial resources are available.  As a matter of fact, traveling to another land  (as occurred with Naaman) may lead to a wonderful cure.  Furthermore, of all people, bear in mind that Naaman's cure started with the advice of a little girl.  Perhaps God puts the most insignificant people in our lives to point us to a pathway of recovery.

You can learn more about my personal cancer victory and insights I gained from the battle by reading my book, "A Place I Didn't Want To Go: My Victory Over Cancer". It can be accessed at:

http://www.amazon.com/Place-Didnt-Want-Go-Victory/dp/0983453624/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324565593&sr=1-1

Pressing On

Well, it finally happened recently....I got a cold.  Why is this so unusual?  Well, I rarely get sick.  As a matter of fact, I think I last had a cold several years ago.  That's just the way it is for me.  I just don't get sick very often and rarely miss work.  Come to think of it, I've never had the flu.  Maybe it's related to the fact that I drink orange juice practically every day.  I also take a multi-vitamin.  Of course, I don't smoke either.  In regards to exercise, I usually try to jog or walk on my treadmill several times a week.  Besides my bout with cancer several years ago, I've always been the picture of health.

But, this cold hit me big time.  It started with a cough and congestion.  Later I developed a fever and went on antibiotics.  I subsequently developed nasal stuffiness and hoarseness.  Finally, it attacked my ears, with my right ear being completely stopped up. Even as I write today, I still can't hear fully  out of my right ear.  I have a lingering cough, although it is dissipating.  Nevertheless, this cold has been relentless and has been attacking me for the past two weeks.  I've been amazed at how it simply won't let me go.

Yet, even in the midst of illness, I've still pressed on.  I haven't missed a day of work, even though it meant taking cold capsules, throat lozenges and cough medicine to work. It was tough, it was tiring, yet, I was still able to get my work done.  Not a bad accomplishment, considering how bad I felt.

I may have mentioned this previously, but Winston Churchill said, "When you're going through hell, keep going".  Not a bad motto for life, especially when going through major illness.  As you keep moving, eventually the symptoms dissipate and life becomes joyful again.  Furthermore, I refuse to let sickness, whether it be a respiratory infection or cancer, hinder me from being what God wants me to be.  What wonderful treasures await me in life as I keep moving forward in spite of adversity.

Melting The Snow

We got about three inches of snow in my community a couple of days ago.  Although it may not sound like much to most people who live in the United States,  to those of us who live just north of Birmingham, Alabama, it's a big deal.  In our area, we maybe get a significant snow about two times a year (sometimes never).  But, when it does snow, schools close, people scurry to the stores to buy milk and bread (don't know why because we rarely lose our power due to winter weather) and motor vehicle accidents abound as drivers attempt to navigate on slippery roads.  Local TV stations provide wall-to-wall coverage as the snow engulfs our area, giving continuous updates until the last snowflake has fallen.

That was two days ago.  Today the high was in the low 50's.  As a result, I decided to go jogging in my neighborhood, a frequent occurrence when weather conditions are favorable.  As I was running, I noticed a few rooftops were still covered with significant snow.  The entire roofs were not blanketed with snow, mind you, just the areas that the sun had not been able to penetrate.  I recognized that, in order for the snow to melt, it would take one or two phenomena to occur.  First, the sun would have to reach the snowy areas to begin the melting process.  Second, if the sun couldn't shine on these areas, just an overall increase in the temperature would do the trick.

Come to think of it, we all have cold areas in our lives or snow that needs to be melted away.  The snow could be something like bitterness, unforgiveness, worldliness, anger, hate, etc.  Basically, the snow could be whatever area of our lives that does not resonate the warmth of God's love.  So, how does the Heavenly Father get to these areas?  He turns up the heat in the form of trials or tribulations.  This heat could be financial difficulties, job struggles, or, as I strongly believe, physical  sickness.  Although the heat is painful, it ultimately points us to God in perhaps ways we have never seen Him before.  David mentions this in Psalms 119:71, proclaiming, "It was good that I was afflicted, that I may learn Thy statutes."

Ultimately, it's painful having snow melt in our lives.  Yet, God in His wisdom, sometimes uses our deepest hurts (such as cancer) to penetrate down to the inner recesses of our souls.

   

Mourning To Dancing

Just finished reading Bill O'Reilly's book, "Killing Lincoln:The Shocking Assassination That Changed America Forever".  The book focuses on the life of Abraham Lincoln in the two weeks prior to his death and ends with the capture of John Wilkes Booth and his co-conspirators.  Although I was somewhat familiar with some of the details of Lincoln's death, there were numerous facts which Mr. O'Reilly and his co-author Martin Dugard brought to my attention.  For example, I never knew that Ford's Theater was originally a Baptist church.  That's right.  From 1833-1859, it was the First Baptist Church of Washington.  In 1859, The First Baptist Church congregation merged with The Fourth Baptist Church and moved out of the facility.  The property was purchased by theater manager John T. Ford from Baltimore and opened as a state of the art performance facility in 1863.

So, at one time, it was a church, a place which brings many glorious thoughts to mind.  You see, for me, going to church is a peaceful place.  Since I was born again in 1975, I have attended church regularly since that time except for when I was "providentially hindered", e.g. couldn't make it to church due to work or sickness.  However, the joy of worshipping my Savior, fellowshipping with other believers and hearing God's Word proclaimed is something I relish on a weekly basis.  In that place, I feel love, I feel comfort,  and I feel happiness.  It is a wonderful place of refuge from the harshness of life.

Even though Ford's Theater was no longer a church, in a sense, it was still a happy place.  Audiences came, laughed, cheered, cried and sang as skilled performers entertained them on a nightly basis.  It was a respite from the world.  Even our sixteenth president saw it as a welcome relief to escape from the anguish of the recent Civil War.

 Hence, it saddens me to think of the tragedy that occurred in Ford's Theater on the night of April 14th, 1865 when John Wilkes Booth shot the President. In one night, the whole theater changed. It would no longer be known for its actors but for its assassin.  As a result, after the shooting, Congress felt it was no longer appropriate to use the theater to entertain others so it was purchased from Mr. Ford and converted to a federal office building.  Not until 1968 was it reopened as a theater again, well over one hundred years after the tragedy that had occurred in its midst.

It is said that time heals all wounds, whether it be a diagnosis of cancer or another tragedy in life.  It took well over a century for Ford's Theater to be restored to its former glory.  Although it may take many years to recover, we must continually trust the Heavenly Father to one day turn our mourning into dancing.  Furthermore, the Bible encourages us to "not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary." (Galatians 6:8 NASB)

You can learn more about my cancer victory and insights I gained from the battle by reading my book, "A Place I Didn't Want To Go: My Victory Over Cancer".  It can be accessed at:

http://www.amazon.com/Place-Didnt-Want-Go-Victory/dp/0983453624/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1324565593&sr=1-1