The reality of the upcoming empty nest became a reality this afternoon. This is the last time I will cook for a Super Bowl party while one of my boys is in high school. I suppose there will be several more “lasts” before the graduation ceremony on May of this year. As I reflect on the onset of the empty nest, several thoughts come to mind. But there is one that is recurring. Which son will be entrusted with choosing…
The walking wounded are easy targets. If you want to communicate your prejudices, or just be downright hateful, you won’t miss the mark if you find someone who is already struggling with life. They are perfect targets for negative messages, caustic comments, and sarcastic humor. Believe me your message will not go unheeded. You will hit the target without a doubt. There is no need to wait around for a damage report. You will successfully crush the person that is…
I don’t like to cry at funerals. But today I cried at a funeral. I went to Mr. McBroom’s funeral today. His name was Henry, but I think my mother would really not want me to call a 90 year old man by his first name, so I out of respect for her I will refer to him as Mr. McBroom. He was one of my kind…You know he was in the ministry. And he was one of the good…
I grew up watching Johnny and Roy respond to all kinds of crises in Squad 51. Dr. Brackett always prescribed Ringer’s Lactate and D5W. The patient was to be transported to Rampart Emergency immediately! As a 10 year old boy in 1972, I was impressed. Watching the television show “Emergency” was a weekly ritual. I have worked with emergency medical personnel for 24 years now as a law enforcement chaplain. But unfortunately the relationship has always been characterized by distance. …
911 dispatchers have been putting up with me for 24 years now. They call me at 4:00 in the afternoon and they call at 4:00 in the morning too. I am currently serving as chaplain with and for an exceptionally good group of dispatchers that are employed by the Hood County Sheriff’s Office. They are great. “My” dispatchers recently received the “Agency of the Year” Award from the North Central Council of Governments regional 911 program. They could not have…
I love to read. My reading interests are wide and varied. But even when I am engrossed in a particularly good book, I still find the need to stop after a series of chapters and take a few moments to absorb the material. Bookmarks are a good thing.2013 is nearly over. Quite frankly I am ready for the year to come to an end. I would like to close the chapter entitled “2013” and after a very brief bookmarking open…
On April 25th, 2012 my childhood friend Ray Christenson passed from this life after a battle with cancer that was fought courage, faith, and tenacity. Growing up Ray was not a conforming child that sat at the front of the classroom with a shiny halo above his head. When we reconnected in January of 2012, I was reminded that the Lord has a good sense of humor. He found a calling in ministry just like me. When we were kids,…
I have officially jumped off the deep end. My close friends would be of a mind that I did that a long time ago. For the past several years I have wanted to enhance my pastoral care skills. I have had an interest in crisis ministry and related disciplines for over 20 years now. But I am seeing more everyday that my skill set needs to be expanded in that area. How would I go about securing in depth training?…
Several years ago I was riding with a state trooper to deliver an emergency message to a Family. We were in the sticks. I mean we were well off the beaten path. In fact it was a little eerie late at night. I made the following comment to my 20 something trooper: “I can hear the dueling banjos in the background.” He just gave me a quizzical look…I told him to forget it. But I was clearly reminded that…
Occasionally I will hear someone state that they have no regrets. I have even heard people facing death convey with conviction that have no regrets. I have no doubts regarding their sincerity. But I always walk away from those encounters scratching my head. I wonder what is wrong with me. I do have regrets. When I was younger, arrogance coupled with a sharp tongue hurt people. It has only been in recent years that I have learned what it means…