When I was younger, I had a framed quote on my bedroom wall from American theologian and author, Reinhold Niebuhr: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.” I liked the thought because I miss-read a…
I’ve written at least once each year about appreciating pastors, usually during October, which is Pastor Appreciation Month. Because God called, “Some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers” (Ephesians 4:11), they deserve a special time of appreciation. For the first time in over twenty years, I have a new…
I grew up hearing that God would never place more on a person than that person could bear. As I got older, and learned that wasn’t exactly true. What is true is that God will never place more on a person than He and the person together can bear. The Psalmist said it this way,…
I saw a new word this week, at least a new word for me – backstory. The definition is obvious – “a story that tells what led up to the main story.” In church we call this a testimony. I’m not surprised that the media opted for “backstory” over “testimony.” My “backstory” is interesting, exciting,…
Suffering is an effective teacher, both for the one who is suffering and for the caregiver. I’ve learned a few lessons thus far in my 24/7 caregiving of my wife, following her accident, surgery, hospital and rehab stay, and now home health care activities. One lesson learned is that when you share the pain with…
Yesterday, I completed thirteen months as Interim Pastor of the First Baptist Church in Decatur, Texas. I was previously Interim Pastor of this same church for eighteen months in 2001-02. It has a home-church feel for me. But I am thrilled to turn over the pastoral responsibilities to their new Pastor, believing that the church’s…
My cousin, Dr. Vicki Gilliam wrote a book entitled, “Forty Days of Care for the Caregiver” out of her experiences as a career specialist to special needs students, and as a caregiver for her own aging mother. I scanned the book when it was written and even wrote an endorsement for the back cover. This…
A casual expression of sympathy is to say to one who is suffering, “I feel your pain.” A recent study discovered that one in three people actually were able to feel the pain of another. As I was suffering from lumbar bulging disk pain, plus thoracic degenerative disk pain, my wife, Joanne, fell and fractured…
My long-time friend Ray called last week. I was in my wife’s hospital room where she had endured major pelvic/hip surgery. He caught me clearing my calendar; having been told my wife could not walk for three months and would need my daily care. Facing a lifestyle change, I was told by Ray, “walk, don’t…
Suffering is better shared than endured alone. On Wednesday, August 10 my wife, Joanne fell on her hip. First x-rays showed no broken bones. Pain increased daily. In a later visit to the Dr. it was decided she had a hernia. Exam by hernia surgeon showed very small hernia, not needing surgery, so she was…