Tuesday, March 26, 2013

"The secret to getting ahead is getting started." Mark Twain

Hello and welcome. It's Tuesday, March 26, 2013 and this morning I'm thinking about how that we just never know what a day might bring. My wife left last Thursday to be with her siblings for their planned trip to Branson. On Friday morning I received a call from our 16 year old grandson saying his dad, our Jimmy, was passing out from high blood pressure. I left immediately from work but they had already called an ambulance. I picked up Little Jim, as we call him, and we went on to the hospital where for the next six hours they ran tests and we stood by. Fortunately, it turned out not to be as serious as it could have been as they were able to connect this episode to a potential inner ear infection. We were exhausted when we finally got home. I had all kinds of things I intended to get done on Friday but this was not one of them. You just never know. My wife and her would be traveling companions ended up having to cancel their excursion due to heavy snow and very cold weather in Branson. They had planned this trip for months. They so looked forward to going. You never know what a day might bring. I'm thankful we were able to get Jimmy checked out. I'm thankful that Marilyn and her crew found out about the situation before they traveled. We do live, in many ways, a very unpredictable life, and, as you've heard me say time and time again, that's why we need the Lord with us as we navigate our way through our unscripted sojourn. Amen.

The Clouse Family
I might add that these things, even as serious as an ER visit might be, are somewhat trivial compared to the tragedies that do happen every single day. We had a beautiful family of four killed in our county last week when a pickup truck came into their lane suddenly and a head on crash ensued. (We've traveled that same highway many times before.) The picture they used in the report was telling. It was a young family. They all were wearing their Texan football gear. I had noticed in the photo of the twisted wreckage that their seat covers had the Texan logo on them. They obviously were fans. A lovely family, minding their own business, and literally from out of nowhere, they were all gone. I'm not trying to be morbid here but I will tell you that events like this one is a heart breaker. They do not suspect alcohol. Wet road, fog, and driving conditions are the thought to be causes at this time. The driver of the truck did receive serious injuries and is in the hospital. The impact was so severe the motor of the pickup truck landed in the middle of the highway. Three other vehicles were damaged hitting that motor before it could be moved. You just never know folks, you just never know.

I'm a little older. I look at that photo and I see potential. I see grandparents, like us. I see happy times. It does tell us that we need to be ready at all times for we just never know. It reminds me of something James Dobson talked about many years ago. He had suffered a heart attack. They did not know how serious it might be. As he lay on the gurney he said he looked up and saw his teenage son. All he could think to say was, "Be there son, be sure to be there." He was talking about heaven. One thing I know for sure. The Bible is clear that we need to settle that issue before we die, not after. We explain this to our inner city Bible club kids each week by using ABC. A is for admitting that you are sinner. B is for believing that Jesus, who is God, was born of a virgin, that He lived a sinless perfect life, that He was crucified for the sins of the world, and that He rose again and lives today. C is for confessing Him as your personal Savior, Lord, and your God. As it turned out, James Dobson recovered but at the point of no return I think it is important to consider his sincere desire for his son. He wanted his boy to be sure he had made preparations for that inevitable moment when this life is no more. It's not sad folks, it's a glad day when we know that we know we are ready! Amen.  ....More later.

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