the shortness of life and the unrelenting human spirit

This was emailed to me today from a close friend back home in Rochester who fought with death square in the face.

“I was waiting for my food with MJ when this guy came in with one leg. When he came in he was at the counter when he took two breaths and hit the floor. I attended to him when he fell and he was not breathing nor did he have a pulse. So I told the cook to call 911 and I started to do CPR and rescue breathing, for about 7 minutes until the ambulance arrived.. Everyone was watching me do this I had to rip off his shirt and put some wrap around his mouth so I would not get anything, and did CPR. When the ambulance arrived I was still going and he said keep it up your doing a good job, then they attached the AED which I put on, and we looked at the heart rate, which was flat. We shocked him and nothing, and I continued CPR again and we shocked again and got a heart beat. They loaded him on the board and he went into arrest again and so we shocked him again and got it going again. I received a call yesterday afternoon from his son who is a trooper and he told me that he passed away in the morning but made it through the night and he was able to see him before he passed. It was exciting for me being this was the first time I ever performed it, it all came back to me when I was doing it. Just thought I would let you know.”

go with your gut

I was sitting in a coffee shop on Sunday, and a young lady sat next to me on the sofa. The place was packed and that was the only other seat open. She asked if she could sit and I smiled and nodded. I continued my business, trying to give the impression that it was no big deal that this cute girl just sat next to me. It wasn't a big deal, after all it happens every day. Right... Though it appeared to be the case, that was not the case. For about an hour or so I could not focus on what I was doing. I was constantly thinking about what I will say in order to strike up a conversation, find out her "status", and make a decision whether to ask her out or not. So I sat nervously thinking about what to say. It wasn't that hard, because she was feverishly grading what appeared to be homework, as if she was a teacher. So at a natural transition in my business I asked, "Are you a teacher?" That was that. She was kind and responded as if not to be bothered by my questi

what is it?

God, Is it proper to approach you first with a heavy heart? Or rather should I come confessing your goodness and love and holiness even if I don't feel like it? When I come with such a desperate heaviness it is hard to confess with my lips what I know to be true of you in my heart. I have read about your every-day-new-mercy, but I have also read your servant David and have seen how you accepted his groanings when he lay on the floor in despair over the heaviness in his soul. From where my heaviness arises I cannot with full confidence say, though I know my sin and its subsequent guilt are ever-present before my eyes. Though I rest in your forgiveness I tremble when I think of my hearts willful disobedience to what is righteous, to what pertains to wholeness. I know my heart and its vileness and evil, I know what hides in the shadows from the eyes of my friends. But here is my despair: that I yearn yet I do not know what for. There is a strange and dark cloud alive over me with a mi

Three Questions

Q1. If you were to be in ministry 10 years from now (whether you're in ministry now or not) what would you like to be doing and where? Q2. If you could wake up tomorrow with a degree and all the learning that would have gone with it from any seminary which one would you pick and why? Q3. What's your poison: donuts, beer, wine, pizza, chocolate, twinkies, key-lime pie? 1. In my crazy mind I see myself either A) functioning in a ministerial role (non-denominational or denominational?) or B) functioning in an educational administrative role in a Christian School (high school or college?) 2. Truett Seminary (Baylor University) because I would like to study Christian History with D. H. Williams. 3. Djarum Blacks (literally, they're killing me...) I tag: Matt Woodard Patrick Mitchell Ethan Welch Joel Reemstma

Artifacts of a Life Once Lived

Search This Blog