The church secretary from my church texted me earlier this week and asked for a brief statement of what I am thankful for to be included in an upcoming church bulletin accompanied by a mug shot. Cool. Notice before I go further the word "brief".
I put a lot of thought into it, and even separated what I am most currently thankful for into tangibles and intangibles. And sent it to her. She never got it, and texted me yesterday about it. I tried again and told her it might be too long. She said she could trim it down if necessary, and it still didn't go through. I sent again, and she got it...and replied she would definitely have to trim it down, that she only had room for 15-20 words. I counted. My "brief" statement was 80 words. 😀 Hey, she has known me since Bible college. She should know by now I am wordy. 😎
She sent me the heavily trimmed version, but left out tacos, so I texted her back "You couldn't squeeze tacos in?" She replied with a laughing emoji that she would. 😊
I got to thinking later how awesome it is that I have so much to be thankful for that it won't fit into the church bulletin. And I honestly tried to rein myself in some, believe it or not. I deal daily with depression daily, some days worse than others, but I have been trying to focus on being thankful for....and man, there is a lot to be thankful for. Much more than I crammed into 80 words....or that our awesome church secretary re-crammed into around 20 words.
If we have food on our table, a roof over our heads, clothing, clean water, and freedom, we have more than many people across the globe.
And if we know Jesus as our personal Savior, that alone is enough to be thankful for.
The full 80 words I wrote for the church bulletin:
This Thanksgiving season there are many things I am thankful for, and so many things I take for granted. These top my list of things I am thankful for:
The intangibles: forgiveness, grace, mercy, second - and more chances, freedom, Emmanuel (God with us), Fall, Spring, Summer, and laughter and humor.
The tangibles: a family who loves me, a roof over my head, clothing to wear, my car, food on my table, a good job I like, books, music, days off, and tacos.
Every year there is something a lot of people like to voice their opinion about: people starting the celebration of Christmas too early. I am one who usually starts early. I mostly start listening to Christmas music at least in October, sometimes September. It depends on when I start buying new Christmas CDs. And I have a lot, so I need to start early. I have well over 200.
Early November is when the decorating starts most years. And the tree is often up before Thanksgiving.
But is it shortchanging Thanksgiving to start Christmas early? I don't believe so.
My family gets together every Thanksgiving, and we observe Thanksgiving. Although sometimes the nieces and nephews.....prepare yourself for this - put up my parents' tree. The horror! 😊
Here's a couple of points:
1) We are to be thankful every day. Not just one day in November, but 365 days a year, 366 in leap year. And...brace yourself...you can be thankful and still celebrate Christmas. Wow. That is deep. 😉
2) We should somewhat observe Christmas everyday also. Huh? No, I am serious. The greatest event in history was God coming to earth as a baby. Do you really think we have to wait til the day after Thanksgiving to observe that. Nope. Sing Joy to the world in July if you want. (By the way, that wasn't intended to be a Christmas song).
3) Someone celebrating Christmas does not affect your Thanksgiving. If it does, you need help.
4) There is a lot of sadness in the world. I have depression and battle sadness, feelings of worthlessness, etc daily. If putting up Christmas decorations early or playing Christmas music in the middle of summer gives me joy, what right does anyone have to criticize that?
My youngest niece, who has dealt with depression at times posted something back on October 25th that showed she was listening to Christmas music by Michael Buble. Great album, by the way....though it was kind of weird for him to record Santa Baby. (Really weird! Dumb song anyway.) There were several comments, I think all positive. One lady commented that Christmas music should be played all year round. Caitie replied "Any time I need cheered up, that's my go-to." And why not? If Christmas music gives you joy and cheers you up, then by all means listen to it any day of the year.
Do you really want to say my niece shouldn't do something that causes her joy because you don't think anything Christmas should happen before Thanksgiving? If so, shame on you!
5) We don't know when Jesus was born. What if....gasp! - what if He was born in early November, and we are encroaching on Christmas with Thanksgiving?!
6) Christmas celebrates the birth of our Savior, something observed all over the world. We have been celebrating it since 386 when Constantine instituted the celebration, though it may have been even earlier. In 1863, Abraham Lincoln instituted the day Thanksgiving, an American holiday and observance. Jesus' birth takes precedence over that.
I did a sarcastic post on Facebook today:
Ok...you people who think starting anything Christmas in November ruins Thanksgiving....
Once December starts, you'd better stop this thankfulness stuff. Jesus deserves the whole month of Christmas. No November thankfulness sneaking into his birthday celebration...
I WAS kidding, as I believe we should be thankful all the time. But I was trying to make a point.
If you want to start decorating for Christmas and/or listening to Christmas music, do it. We all need more happiness and joy in our lives, and if that makes you feel happy and gives you joy, then do it. Don't let the naysayers put a crimp in your joy and celebration.
And you naysayers...don't be stealing people's joy and happiness by telling them they shouldn't be doing anything Christmasy before Thanksgiving. To put it bluntly (and not in good English), it ain't none of your business.
Shall I tell you naysayers this....can you handle this....I listened to Christmas music while I was working on this blog post. Now don't hyperventilate. Your Thanksgiving is safe from my early Christmas stuff. 😀
There are two songs that came to mind as I was working on this post. The first is for you Scrooges: The Day After Thanksgiving by Brandon Heath. Lyrics below.
The second song is for we who start celebrating Christmas early: I Can Still Celebrate Christmas.
Merry Christmas, and Happy Thanksgiving!
The Day After Thanksgiving by Brandon Heath. (Video at the end of the blog post).
There's still plenty of leaves
Golden on the trees
Hoodies, blue jeans and football
Bonfires and school nights
Scarecrows and hay rides
It's fall everywhere except the mall
I don't want to hear about Santa Claus coming
No silver bells or a dozen drummers drumming
I don't want to see an inflatable nothing
Till the day after Thanksgiving
(And not a day early)
Don't plug in those electric candles
Or dangle those stockings from the living room mantle
Those tangled up lights are more than I can handle
Till the day after Thanksgiving
Then, oh, let it snow
Go and tell everyone you know
That Christmas is here
Every day between now and new year
Don't deck the halls with the tinsel or the holly
You can make me grumpy, but you can't make me jolly
Elves don't even make curly-head dollies
Till the day after Thanksgiving
Then, oh, let it snow
Christmas card, everyone you know
Then pour on the cheer
Every day between now and new year
I want the cookies and the mistletoe kissing
Angel on top of a tall tree glisten
Wrap it all up in a pretty red ribbon
The day after Thanksgiving
As long as it's the day after Thanksgiving
I Can Still Celebrate Christmas by Legacy Five (Video at the end of the post)
The lights are unplugged
The candles snuffed out
The tree's lying out in the street
The mistletoe's gone
But the memories live on
Like the rush of tiny little feet
The hustle and bustle
The long checkout lines
Won't be seen til Christmas next year
But the man who understands
The real reason we celebrate
He can have 12 months full of cheer
I can still celebrate Christmas
For the light of the world is the light of my life
I can still celebrate Christmas
It's much more to me than lights on a tree
It's the gift that gives life to me
So turn on the lights
Put a wreath on your door
Show the world that you can sing too
Try Joy to the World in June or July
Ask a friend to sing along too
Ring the bells loud
Stand up and be proud
Tell the world the truth that you know
That the tiny little boy
Brought happiness and joy
More than gifts tied with ribbons and bows
I can still celebrate Christmas
For the light of the world is the light of my life
I made beef vegetable soup earlier this week, and made a lot so I could freeze some. I ended up with 6 quarts I froze. I went to put it away, and found there wasn't room for all of it.
I have two freezers. There is one that is part of my refrigerator, and I have a small freezer that sits on the floor and has 3 shelves. There was not enough room between the two freezers for 6 quarts of soup.
So, I went through, rearranged both, and threw out some things that were old. Such as a container of beef vegetable soup from last October.
Tonight I made taco casserole, and decided I needed to freeze what was left over. I managed to fit it in the two freezers, but it was a tight fit.
The thought hit me how awesome it is that my freezers are so full I have a hard time fitting food into them.
All over the world, there are people who would be happy to have that problem. All over the world - even here in the USA, there are people hungry. Many don't even have a freezer, or a house to keep a freezer in. They hang out in soup kitchens, depending on the charity of churches and other organizations to feed the hunger in their stomach.
When one has depression as bad as I do, it is difficult to see positives and good in life. And that will get worse in the coming months. Seasonal affective depression (SAD) IS a thing.
Tomorrow is November 1, the month we set aside for Thanksgiving. My cousin Rhonda shared something I had posted today, a meme I will post below. Another cousin commented "poor Thanksgiving". I commented sarcastically that we should be thankful every day, not just in November.
And that is true. The majority of us have so much to be thankful for, even on the darkest of days. There is always something to be thankful for.
Corrie ten Boom writes of her sister always encouraging her to be thankful for everything, even going so far as to thank God for the fleas in their barracks at Ravensbruck concentration camp. Corrie could not understand why they should thank God for the horrible fleas. But she followed her sister’s lead and the Bible’s instruction to thank God in all things.
Not long after, they realized the guards never came into their barracks anymore. So, the women were never assaulted, and they were free to have Bible studies where many of the women came to know Christ. It was only later that they found out why the guards left them alone: the fleas.
That is extreme, but it is a reminder that there is always something to be thankful for. Ever day. But as we flip the calendar to November, it is a great time to look at our lives, at what we have.
In closing, I want to mention Noah Galloway. I read and reviewed his book a few years back. And wow. While in the military, he was hurt badly in an IED explosion in the Middle East. He lost most of his left leg and his left arm below the elbow. He was bitter. He was angry, and turned to alcohol and went way off the rails. One morning he was looking at himself in the mirror, and had the thought that he should focus on what he had left instead of what he had lost. He started working out, training, and became the first double amputee to appear on the cover of Men's Health.
If a guy like that can be thankful for what he had left, and not focus on what he lost...can't we? The chances of a double amputee reading this post is very slim, so no matter what is wrong in our lives, there is something left to be thankful for.
On day #15, I am thankful for days off. I had yesterday and today off, and thoroughly enjoyed my days off. On Tuesday, I met two of my nieces for 99 cent taco Tuesday at our local Mexican restaurant. I hit Walmart and picked up a few things I needed. Spent the rest of the day reading and lounging around the house. Today, I didn't even leave the house....well, not the property. I was outside for a few times. I spent the day doing laundry and housework, then watched a couple of movies and made myself a great supper of roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, and stuffing (Stove Top). I know how to make mashed potatoes and gravy, but not home made stuffing. It was an awesome 2 days off, and I am thankful for every day off I have.
On day #14, I am thankful for Summer, Spring, and Fall. Winter makes me thankful for the warmer months, and I count the days until winter is over. Thankfully, we didn't have a bad winter last year, and hopefully that trend continues.
On day #13, I am thankful for laughter. I love humor, enjoy telling jokes, enjoy hearing and reading jokes. I like a book that makes me laugh out loud as I read it. Laughter is something that helps make life more bearable, and I am thankful for it today on November 13.
On day #12, I am thankful for the internet. There is a lot of bad on it, but there is also a lot of good. I have made a lot of friends via the internet, got into reviewing books, found a lot of good deals while shopping on line, gotten help, gotten in contact with others who have the same struggle as I do, and more. The internet is a great tool if used right, and gives us a world of knowledge and other resources at our fingertips.
On day #11, I am thankful for Christmas. I have heard a lot of people complaining that Thanksgiving doesn't get enough time and attention, as we pretty much launch into Christmas after Halloween. And they do have a point.
However, it it were not for Christmas, we would not have as much to be thankful for. Sure, I love the decorations and gift giving, but I know it is all about Jesus coming to earth as a baby to die for the sins of the whole world.
The real reason for Christmas can get lost in the busyness and commercialization of Christmas, but one can still celebrate His birth and participate in the joy of the season. This is the season to celebrate the birth of our Savior, and we should be better at celebrating it than the world.
On day # 10, I am thankful for my upbringing. No parent or family is perfect, but I have heard and read of so many people who had really messed up upbringing and it has resulted in them being messed up. I was spanked, I was taught to respect people, to be on time, to do a job well, and more. I was taken to church, and went to a Christian school all of my school years. My family ate meals together, went on family vacations together, played games together,, and had fun. There were no drugs, smoking, or alcohol in our home. There was no abuse.
We didn't roam the streets as kids. My parents kept track of where we were and who we were with.
Life wasn't perfect.... nobody's is, but I am thankful for how I was raised and for the home life I had.
On day # 9 of my 30 days of thankfulness, I am thankful for food. There have been a lot of times in my life that I was hungry, such as when the pastor is going longer with his sermon than I like, and I know there is a great Sunday dinner to be had at home........but I have never been truly hungry where there was no food to be had.
And there is such a wide variety of great food to be had: fried chicken, lasagna, roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, apple pie, and on and on. So today I am thankful for food and for always having enough of it.
On day #8, I am thankful for my job. The days are long - I work 4 10 1/2 hour days, with the 1/2 hour for lunch. I stand the majority of the time, and it has its slow and boring moments, and I drive further than I like...... and have to wear a suit jacket and tie. I'd rather just work at the closest hospital where I know the most people, but I have to go to one further away that I don't like working at much......but the pay is decent and the benefits are pretty good too. After working 6 months for the hospital, I got 84. some hours of paid time off, which can be used for days off, vacations, or sometimes leave early. I work every other Saturday, one Sunday a month, and have holidays off with pay. It may not be my favorite job I have had, but it is the best job I have had, and I am very thankful to have it.
On day #7, I am thankful for freedom and that I live in America. We are fast losing our freedoms as the gay gestapo, atheists, ACLU, and other ultra liberal groups try to stamp out Christianity, or at least silence us and force us to do what they want. We daily murder innocent babies and a large segment of our population cheers and celebrates the "right" for a woman to muder her baby. Our government is full of corrupt politicians on both sides. I despised the 2 main choices for president this past election and would not have been happy with either choice. We are overtaxed and overworked.
Yet we still have freedoms so many in our world do not have. We can pick whatever vocation we want and work where we want....if we can get hired where we want to work.
We can worship where we want and as often as we want, without fear of the government coming in and arresting us. We can drive unhindered all over this country of ours without being stopped, questioned, searched, and fearing arrest.
We can openly buy Bibles and read them openly.
If we are unhappy with our church or religion, we can change without fear that we will be killed, tortured, or jailed.
We can criticize our govrerment and leaders.......unless of course they are Donald Trump. (Yeah, I had to put that in) :)
We often focus too much on the negatives in life, and many do that with our freedoms and country. Yes, there is a lot wrong in America. Yes, we are losing our freedoms. However, I still believe we are living in the best country in the world and take for granted freedoms that many don't have in other countries.
So on day #7 of my 30 days of thankfulness, I am very thankful for the freedoms we still have and for the provlege of living in America.
On day #5 of my 30 days of thankfulness, I am thankful for books and for my love of books and reading. I have no idea how many books I have read in my lifetime, but it is a lot. I have read 101 books this year so far, with a goal of 125.... I should hit that goal. Now that I have my own place again and have 2 spare bedrooms, I made one a library that holds most of my books, with 5 3-shelf bookcases outside of my library.
I have done 30 days of thankfulness during November on my blog the last few days, but this year November sneaked up on me. I was at a concert Thursday evening, and one of the singers mentioned that she is doing it on Facebook. Two days later, I have decided that I need to do it again this year. Since we are four days into November, I'll do the first 4 days in this post to catch up.
Day 1: I am thankful for my family. No family is perfect, but ours is a fairly close family. We all get along and enjoy being together. Our whole gang isn't together much anymore, but we have fun when we are. We celebrate birthdays together, and they are still a big deal in our family. My mom always makes the birthday guy or girl whatever they want for their birthday meal.
Day 2: I am thankful for my nieces and nephews. This may sound like a repeat of day 1, but it isn't. I love kids, but I was not able to have any of my own since marriage is not an option. However, I am very close to my nieces and nephews and am crazy about those 6 kids. Stephanie: 22, Allison: 19, Caite: 17, Josiah: 16, Ben: 13, and Nathan: soon to be 11. I think they are awesome kids, and they always seem happy to spend time with me, whether it be playing the Wii or going out to eat with Uncle Mark.
Day 3: Health. I have diabetes, which isn't fun to deal with. I have always struggled with my weight. I am thankful though that I don't have worse health issues. Cancer is widespread, and people younger than me have other serious health issues. I am thankful I don't have any serious health problems, as long as I keep my sugar levels down.
Day 4: Now I am caught up. Today, on day 4, I am thankful for my house. I am thankful to my parents for putting up with me so long, but it is great to have my own place again. I despaired it was ever going to happen, and this past year was full of disappointments as I searched for a house to buy, had one deal fall through, and was outbid on others. Then this rental came along totally unexpected. I found out I was moving into it 2 weeks before I moved. Life is different, and I am doing all my own cooking, laundry, and house cleaning..... but it is awesome.
It is great that we have a day set aside to focus on being thankful, but it is sad if we only spend time being thankful one day of the year, or even one month. We should be thankful every day of the year, and have a spirit of thankfulness in our hearts 24/7.
There have been other years that I blogged every day in November about one thing I am thankful for. This month has been hectic, and I haven't done that. Besides, I am not sure anyone would read a daily blog post like that, except God. (Does God even read blogs?) Anyway, I feel I should do that this year, but do it in one post. Since there are 30 days in November, below are 30 things I am thankful for, in no particular order of importance:
1) God....... His love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and second chances.
2) Family. My family isn't perfect, but I am thankful for them. We get along well, are close, and always have a great time when we are together... and I am thankful we are all still here.
3) My nieces and nephews. Yeah, they are family too, but I feel so thankful and privileged to be uncle to these 3 great boys and 3 girls, and know they love me and want to spend time with me.
4) Freedom. I am especially thankful for the freedoms I have in Christ, but also thankful for the ones I still possess as an American.
5) My best friend. For years, I wished for a best friend, and 10 years ago, God brought a great guy into my life who has been the best friend I needed. He is someone I can tell anything to. Unfortunately, he lives 400 + miles away, so I don't get to see him very often.
6) The Bible. I wish I knew better how to read it and study it, but how amazing that God gave it to us as a guidebook to get through life and know His will.
7) Friends. I don't know how many genuine friends I have, especially after this election, but I know I do have some, and I am thankful for the ones who let me know that I am their friend.....I pray God helps me be the kind of friend to others that I wish others are to me.
8) Prayer. I may still not get it right, and it is something too many of us take for granted.....to talk to the God of the universe and know that He listens......wow.
9) My job. I like my current job more than any I have ever had, and am getting paid more than any other job I had.
10) Music. I have branched out more in music than I used to. For years, it was all Southern Gospel. That is still my favorite genre', but I now enjoy some praise and worship, Christian Contemporary, instrumental, and even country......though a very limited amount of that genre'.
11) Books. People who don't read don't know what they are missing. I still tend to read more Christian fiction than anything else, but it is amazing what I have learned and how God has helped and encouraged me through the medium of Christian fiction,
12) Health. Sure, I need to lose more weight, but I am thankful I am healthy and have no serious health issues.
13) Food. Fried chicken, pizza, mashed potatoes and gravy, chili, Mexican food, Italian food, Chinese food...... and on and on. It's awesome.
14) My Sunday School teacher. I believe I have the best Sunday School teacher I have ever had. When I was working Sunday mornings, I missed Sunday School more than the worship service. He's a great teacher and a great guy.
15) My musical talent. I wish I had furthered my piano lessons, but I am thankful for the ability I have to play as well as I do.
16) My same-sex attractions. Yeah, that may raise some eyebrows. I wish I had "gotten it" years ago, but in the last few years I have come to realize that this has drawn me closer to God, and could have done so years ago if I'd let it. It has made me - actually forced me - to depend more on God, and though it has been a long and painful journey, it is worth it. And if it wasn't this, it would be something else.
17) My car. I got a good deal on it, it is paid for, and has done me well so far.
18) Sundays. It is awesome that God set a day aside and commanded us to rest and not work......why would anyone want to argue with that?
19) Mondays. Currently, Sundays and Mondays are my days off. Sundays are set aside for church and resting from normal labor and activities, but Mondays......those are for sleeping in, going shopping, taking walks, and having "me" time. I love my Mondays.
20) The internet. It can be used for bad, as pretty much anything else in life, but there is so much good and I have made friends, received encouragement and hope, and other positive things.
21) Blue jeans. My clothing of choice. God bless whoever created them and perfected them.
22) Writing. I wish I was a better writer, but it is something I enjoy. A lot of what I write never sees the light of day, but it is cathartic and I occasionally say something helpful or encouraging.
23) My pastor and his wife. As with my Sunday School teacher, I believe my current pastor is the best one I have ever had. I have known him since Bible college, and am thankful for him and his ministry and friendship.
24) Spring and summer. My two favorite seasons....I wish I could have them all year long. And no, I am not moving,
25) Air conditioning and heat. No explanations needed.
26) Running water/indoor plumbing. Can you imagine life without it?!
27) Peace. It can be elusive and not always present, but I am thankful for the times I feel it.
28) Christmas and Easter and all they stand for. God coming as a baby to die for me and rise again.
29) My iPod. Yeah, compared to other things, it may seem trivial, but it has made my walks over the years so much more enjoyable as I listened to great Christian songs as I walked.
30) My 5 senses. Sure, it could go in with health, but I am so thankful I can see, hear, taste, feel/touch, and smell. Not everyone has all 5.
Thanksgiving is still over a month away, but November may be a crazy month for me with buying a house and moving into it.
I have always found it way too easy to put myself down. No matter what area of my life it is, I wish I was better in it and feel I am not any good because it isn't something I excel at.
I had the house to myself for a while this evening, so I went up and sat down at the piano. I didn't start taking piano lessons until I was 17 years old. Maybe it was just because the other kids picked on me already, but I got made fun of a lot by my fellow students at school. A boy taking piano lessons? That was just more fodder for them to pick on me. Now all of these years later, I am so glad that I didn't let them cause me to stop. I took lessons for two years, then stopped when I went to Bible college. I took another year or so later, and at times have wished I had taken more lessons......but I have gotten better without lessons.
Playing in church makes me nervous, so I try to avoid that. I mostly play for my own amusement, or sometimes when the family is together playing music.
As I sat at the piano tonight, I played whatever came to my mind. I can read notes, but not as well as I'd like. However, I do play by ear very well. It was kind of a weird combination of styles and genre's that I played:
Amazing Grace
You Raise Me Up
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
It Is Well
Top of the World
I Will Always Love You No Other Word for Grace
Redeeming Love
and more
I'd go from playing a Southern Gospel song to a country song, from a Christmas song to a hymn, playing whatever song came to mind....... or trying to play. Just because one can play music by ear does not mean they can play every song they know. Hearing my mother coming home, I ended my playing......since I was playing some Christmas songs, she would not be appreciative of hearing them this early......
I came downstairs and finished reading Tim Tebow's book, Shaken. The subtitle is "Discovering your true identity in the midst of life's storms." Even though I hate football, I admire this guy and it was a great book - not as much about football as finding your identity in Christ and being all you can be for Him, and not trying to be like someone else.
As I closed the book, my piano playing came to mind. Sure, I wish I could play better than I do, but I play well enough that people have told me they enjoy my playing. I enjoy playing for my own amusement, and though I am not so great at playing music out of a book, unless I am familiar with the song, there are many pianists who play a lot better than I do who can't play without music in front of them. If I had to pick between those two, I'd pick playing bye ear. There is just something about sitting there with no music in front of you and playing pretty much whatever comes to mind.
I thought on that for a while, and thought about what I have been reading in Tim Tebow's book. I can't flip a switch and change my thinking overnight, but I realized that I can't constantly be putting myself down, wishing that I was better at this or that, or that I had a certain skill, etc. If I constantly wish I was different, better, and like someone else, then I will never truly be who I am...... if that makes sense. (It did in my mind.....)
So even though Thanksgiving is still a ways off, I am thankful for who I am. The things that comprise Mark Buzard and make me tick. God didn't goof up when He made me, and it is time I accept and like the me that I am.
I was the kid who always got picked last. I was the kid no one ever wanted on their team and got treated like I was the booby prize. I was the kid whose lunch got taken and I was forced to play take away. I was the kid everyone picked on when the teacher left the room, I was the kid that got made fun of in choir, I was the kid who lived in fear and grew up thinking no one liked me.
That and other things caused me to feel God didn't like me or love me either. That kind of thinking is difficult to overcome, and is something I struggle with to this very day; though nothing like I used to.
The older I get, the more I realize that there are people who truly do like me and consider my friend. I am starting to not be so surprised by that fact, and to just be thankful and try to be a good friend to others.
This recent hospital stay has helped bring that home even more. As soon as I passed out and collapsed onto the floor of the Emergency department at the feet of two nurses, or at least close to their feet; it started. I knew the nurses taking care of me. It was obvious I wasn't just another patient, and though their care was professional....it was also personal and they had extra concern because they like me and care about me.
After my parents arrived, there was a pretty steady parade of coworkers and Emergency department personnel who were working on me or just stopping in to say hi and see how I was doing... security guards, my bosses, nurses, the head of the emergency department, nursing supervisors....... and it made me feel good to have these people tell my parents how much they like me, how good I am at my job, and how much they like working with me.
My best friend texting me for updates, other friends texting and messaging me, more coworkers stopping off in my room I had been moved to, family coming to visit, my pastor making two trips to visit, some good friends driving to see me, friends and family, and church family on Facebook expressing concerns and promises to pray, a Facebook friend and fellow church member who is a college professor messaging me to tell me she and her students in two classes yesterday prayed for me, a Facebook friend giving me a $25 Amazon gift card to buy some things to read, other friends giving me a $10 Amazon gift card, my nephews each bringing me a balloon and hand made get well cards, the lady at the front desk threatening to throw me out of my window when my sister told her all that was going on with me....... you'd have to know her :)
I have actually been thinking on this friends thing before I wound up in the hospital. The last few weeks, I have had such a sense of thankfulness for the people in my life I count as friends on some level or another. Yes, this hospital visit has magnified that feeling and realization, but it was already there,
There's my family of course. My parents who would do anything for us kids.... and have. My siblings and their spouses..... and we all get along and have fun. And then the kids that make me the proudest and happiest uncle on the whole earth. I love those 3 boys and 3 girls, and they make me feel loved and special.
My best friend who I text and talk to through each week, my friend Bob in Maine..... who though I have never met, has been a great encouragement, friend, and inspiration for several years. My aunts, uncles, and cousins..... who though I live further from now than when I was a kid, feel closer now than I did when I lived near them,.... especially thanks to social media. There's my Indiana friends who I don't see near often enough and that I love and miss.
And my church family. Some are closer than others, and some are very close friends. There's Reuben and KC, my "brothers" who always talk and joke with me and message me out of the blue every once in a while, my pastor and his wife..... the best I have ever had, Becky H, Denise, Brad, my Sunday School teacher and his wife, Denny and Cindy, Rodney, Connie, my adopted nieces Lydia and Leanne and their family, Brant and Merilee, the whole Sanders family, my Sunday School class members, and so many others who acknowledge me, say hi, laugh at my attempts at humor, pray for me, hit me on the shoulder or pat my back.... you all mean so much,
The Dyes... who I miss so much since they moved away. Mrs Dye, does your husband know what a gem you are? I hope you know under all that teasing, that I admire you and your Christian walk and have utmost confidence in you. You have a Christian maturity found in only really old people........ just kidding :)
My brothers and sisters in Hope for Wholeness and the Huddle. I am thankful you guys are part of my life. I have met many of you in person, ate with you, prayed with you, been encouraged by you...... you all are family and I am glad I have you to walk this road I travel.
The people I work with directly and indirectly. My fellow security officers........ I love you guys and enjoy joking and chatting with you. The coffee shop ladies...... you serve great food, love on me, laugh or groan at my jokes, and make my day brighter. Thelma, the 77 year old lady at the front desk who has adopted me and threatens almost daily to slap me for my teasing remarks - or throw me out of my hospital window; Kay, another front desk lady who encourages and inspires me by her Christian walk and our talks about God, church, the Bible, and etc.
I'm not that kid on the playground anymore. I know I have people who like and love me and care about me. This past week helped to emphasize that, though I have been seeing it long before that. I have had friends drop me - on Facebook and in real life - but I have people who have been my friend for years and know the worst about me...... and still keep me around.
I actually started working on this blog post while I was still a the hospital, and had to stop because I got so emotional. The thought hit me as I thought about all of these people in my life who care about me and make my life brighter.....if they care so much, how much more does God love me? How much better of a friend is He? As I lay there with tears running down my face, I hoped that the nurse wouldn't come in for any reason.
I hope and pray I can be the kind of friend that I should be to others. To pray for them, encourage them, brighten their day, let them know that I care.
I was discharged from my room at noon on Saturday. My co-worker and friend James had come up to my room and helped me carry my belongings down to the car. When I reached the main lobby, my parents were waiting and talking to Thelma, the lady at the front desk - yes, the same lady who threatened to throw me out of my hospital room window.... she unplugged her headset and came around the front of my desk. She gave me a hug, and said "I love you - take care of yourself, I don't want to lose you!" I hugged her back, and told her I loved her too.
Then my big burly co-worker and friend Rich gave me a hug and told me to get better. My mom, James, and I walked outside to wait for my dad to pull up. After I put everything in, I turned to thank James and he gave me a hug. As we drove away, I opened a get well card that had been instigated by Thelma... with $60 inside and signed by 2 of my fellow security guards, Thelma, her boss, and the coffee shop ladies. And I rode home with a heart full of thankfulness to God for His help through those 3 days, and for the people He has placed in my life. I am truly rich...... rich in friends.
And if I missed somebody, I apologize and am thankful for you too :)
I am doing a great Bible study on prayer right now on my own, and am getting a lot out of it. It has covered a lot, including the different things that should be in our prayers: praise, thanksgiving, adoration, supplication, and more. Today's was an interesting lesson on another thing we need to makes sure we include in our times of prayer: complaining. Right after the adoration and sometime in between supplication and thanksgiving.... we need to make sure we have our time of complaints. This is the most important part of prayer, and we need to really focus and spend time on it.
That isn't in the Bible study, and I hope you know I was kidding.
This past Sunday morning, a lady from my church and her husband were chatting with me before Sunday School. We did the usual "good mornings" and "how are you." She replied to the latter, "I'm doing good, but who would want to hear me complain anyway?" I laughed and said "God." She replied, "Maybe... but what if He gets tired of hearing complaints? Do you think He ever does?" I gave a reply, and she told me I should blog about it..... so I am.
It is an interesting thing to think about: Does God get weary of our complaining? I am thinking that He most likely does. If you go way back in the Bible to when the Israelites were wandering around in the wilderness, you can find some times when God got frustrated with their complaining:
Numbers 11:1-2: One day the Israelites started complaining about their troubles. The Lord heard them and became so angry that he destroyed the outer edges of their camp with fire. 2 When the people begged Moses to help, he prayed, and the fire went out. 3 They named the place “Burning,”[a] because in his anger the Lord had set their camp on fire. Later in the same chapter, they complained about only having manna to eat and made God angry again. He sent quails and made many of them sick unto death.
It is true we are under a different dispensation now than they were under, but if complaining angered God back then; I wouldn't imagine He is excited and happy about it now.
Philippians 2 says to do all things without grumbling and complaining. There are verses that talk about being happy wherever we are, and many that talk about being thankful.
And there is the rub. Can we be thankful and complain? I joked about making a time of complaining during our prayers, but does it make sense outside of prayer if we are trying to live a life pleasing to God and being thankful to Him for all He has done for us? "Thank-you God for saving me..... I really, really am tired of my neighbor blowing their cut grass in the driveway, my wife is really getting on my nerves God, and thank-you for your protection this week......I am so tired of this weather. Can't you give us something better?"
It seems ludicrous to pray like that, but it can be just as ludicrous to complain to the God who has given us so much and has done so much for us. We all need to be more thankful. The poorest of us is compared rich to many people in other countries. Most of us have family and friends to love us..... and we can have God.
We set aside a day in November to be thankful, but that doesn't mean the other 364 are left for us to complain in. Christians should be the most thankful people in the world.
In The Hiding Place, Corrie Ten Boon relates something that happened to her and her sister at the one prison they were in. Their cell block was infested with fleas, and her sister decided since the Bible says to be thankful in all things; they should thank God for the fleas. Corrie found the idea crazy, but finally agreed to do so. Later, they found out that the guards would go in the other cell blocks and rape the female prisoners, but never went into their cell block to do it because of the fleas.
That is an extreme example, but none of our lives are perfect. We all have things that discourage us, that we struggle with, and things happen to us all that we don't understand and make us wonder why they are happening to us.
Take my personal struggle. I prayed for years to be "normal" (whatever that is!), and begged God to take these feelings away....... and He didn't. It took me a long time to get to where I am now, but I have found I can be thankful in this. It has made me more compassionate, it has helped me make friends I never would have made, and I can see it has helped me become stronger in many ways. I could still complain to God about it, but I have chosen not to and to be thankful.
True Christianity cannot contain a complaining spirit and attitude. And if God wearied of and was angered by the complaining by the Israelites way back then, He surely must be wearied by our complaining. This side of the cross, we have so much mercy and grace, we have the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ to make a difference in our lives..... and we dare to complain? We American Christians should be the most thankful people in the world, but we so easily overlook our blessings and the many things to be thankful for, and find the one fly in the ointment, the one bad thing out of a million good....... and complain.
God does not have a complaint department. Let us all work harder to find reasons to be thankful and praise Him, and cut out the complaining. Even God doesn't want to hear that.
