STRESS RELIEF

January 2001

The "instruction book" for life is the Bible.

There are many stress-relievers in God's Word. On this page, we will be looking at different verses each week.

"It's Not Any Easier"

January 28, 2001

" For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

-  Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

It has been a horrific week.  In the last seven days, I have been on scene at three working structure fires and an auto-peed.   I have had two firefighters from two different departments go in for surgery on two different days and I went and sat with the families.  I did some pre-marital counseling with a couple.  I went to an E.R. and picked up a firefighter that worked a near-drowning of an eighteen-month-old and took him back to his station.  The auto-ped was a fatality.  And so was the last residential fire... two fatalities in fact, both small children.  That's the one I would like to talk about, if you don't mind.

I have been in emergency services almost my whole adult life.  If there is one thing I would like to tell people about it, it is this: when it comes to seeing dead children, it never gets easier.

I was speaking with a firefighter one time who kept saying that "nothing bothers me" and that scenes such as this were "old hat."  Folks, I'm sorry, the John Wayne days are over.  Drop the macho garbage.  If looking at what used to be two innocent young children laying in a charred home is "old hat,"  you need to face up to some realities and seek some counseling.   More than likely, though, you are hurting inside and may not know it... that, or you are just putting up that front of being tough.  One of these days, one of these calls WILL catch up to you.

A young firefighter once told me, after witnessing some of the human cruelty in this world, that others kept telling her "hey, you have prepare yourself for this kind of stuff."  HOGWASH.   There is no way to prepare yourself for seeing some of the things that we see.   And... it's never any easier when it involves a child.

The big question that comes up is "why?"  For those of us in the business, the "why" is the reason we are in this business.  The "why" is what our REAL CHIEF has mapped out for us.  That's what HE tells us in our verse this week.  HE knows... HE knows that pain and hurt that we feel.  And, HE also promises that what we are going through is part of HIS plan for our life! AND, HE promises us that it is a plan designed NOT to hurt us!

Once again, I and several others who have been touched with tragedy will get over the events of this week.  We will get through it quicker when we accept the fact that our REAL CHIEF promises a plan that will benefit us.

Turn to HIM this week.  Let HIM hug you when you get back to the house after that bad one.  Let HIS Words comfort you.

On HIS Shift,

Chaplain Skip

"Outside Your Comfort Zone"

January 21, 2001

" And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others?"

-  Matthew 5:47(a) (NIV)

It is so easy, sometimes, to sit around the station talking to each other about that last call we just made.  We may even try to "punch up" the conversation with some of our infamous black humor.   We even have nicknames for some of the calls we go on  (c'mon, you know- "crispy critters", "shake n' bake", "ripe one", etc.) in order to, perhaps, minimize what we have just witnessed.

Yes, we are good about pulling a brother (or sister) aside when we see them struggling with the last "bad one."   We may even be the one calling for the Chaplain to come help.

But, let me ask you this, have you thought about what others at a scene are going through?

Early this morning, someone DID notice what others were going through.  I got called to the scene of a fatality accident.  I have been called to many of these types of calls, obviously.   Usually, though, I am called just to "be there" in case one the medics or firefighters wants to talk or needs to be reassured.

This morning was different.  I was called out by a law enforcement officer who saw that the scene was taking its' toll on some victims of the accident.  And, I am not talking about people who were physically injured.  These were people who were hurting inside from what they had just witnessed.  And... they weren't "one of us."  They were "plain ole' citizens", on their way home, who had their lives changed forever by what they had just been through.

Sure, we might get used to seeing what we see.  But, stop and think about those who have never seen the mangled remains of what used to be a human being and are suddenly, unwillingly, thrust into that situation.  YOU, if observant, can be the stress reliever.  Ask them how you can help.  Call your Chaplain to the scene.

Our verse this week advises us to get out of our comfort zone and care for those "outside" of our brotherhood.   This is showing the world, not just our brothers, that we are serving our REAL CHIEF by showing HIS love and concern for all.

On HIS Shift,

Chaplain Skip

"Learning from the Best"

January 15, 2001

"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.   For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

-  Matthew 11:29-30 (NIV)

Think about all the education you have received.  First, your twelve years in elementary, junior high and high school.   Then, some go through college or a university and some even pursue their advanced degrees.  How about all the technical schooling that we go through in our field?   Basic Fire Training, Emergency Medical Technician and/or Paramedic.  In the volunteer departments here, we train almost every week.  I have been through Seminary training to learn all I can about the Bible and the teachings of our REAL CHIEF.

You have probably experienced mediocre teachers, good teachers and excellent teachers; you know, the ones that you remember, with a smile, the extra things that they did to get a point across to you.   You noticed that I didn't include "bad" teachers.   The reason for that is that you probably still learned something from them.

Now, out of all of the teachers/instructors/professors/parents that you have gleaned from, which has given you the opportunity to exchange your stress for their love and peace?

Our study verse this week is a quote from Jesus.  HE asks us to learn from HIM... to be humble and gentle.  HE goes on to say to learn to attach yourself to HIM, so that when HE turns, you turn... that's what is meant by "take my yoke upon you."

I have many memories of the teachers in my life.  But, none of them can come close to the education that I am receiving from our REAL CHIEF.  That's right, I said that "I am receiving," as in the present tense, because I am still learning.

If you don't have a Bible, get one.   It is the textbook for life.  It is the written Word of our REAL CHIEF that will teach you about the rest of this life and will also teach you about our blessed eternal life in HIM for those who choose HIM to be our teachers.

On HIS Shift,

Chaplain Skip

"Learning from Death"

January 7, 2001

"But Abraham replied, `Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'  He answered, `Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, for I have five brothers.  Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'  Abraham replied, `They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'  `No, father Abraham,' he said, `but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'  He said to him, `If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'"

-  Luke 16:25-31 (NIV)

I have been asked before, "don't you ever get tired of seeing dead people?"  I'm sure you have been asked the same thing a time or two in your career.

How do you answer your curious friends?

For me, I must honestly answer that I have, in a sense, gotten "used to" seeing people who have been killed.   Unless, of course, it is either a fellow public servant or if it is a child.   I don't think we ever are supposed to get used to seeing that.

Some of us, unfortunately, have seen human beings die right in front of us.  It happened to a few of us yesterday.   We were called to the scene of an MVA.  The first-in unit reported confirmed entrapment and a prolonged extrication.  Upon arrival, I see a small car that had struck a tree (seemingly top first) and was impaled on and wrapped around a tree.   One victim had agonal breathing (for those of you not in the "business", "death gasps") and it was apparent from the onset that he would not make it.   All there watched as the young man took his last breath.  So, concentration was on the extrication and treatment of the passenger.

After about 45 minutes, the passenger was successfully extricated and Lifeflighted... it looks like he will make it.  On the other hand, it took a lot longer to remove the remains of the other young man.

My prayer is that everyone of us who, as matter of the scope of their job, has to see these things learns something.

In our verse this week, we are given the story of a rich man who died suddenly.  Because he had not given his life to our REAL CHIEF, he was in the pit of fire... in Hell, and he was looking toward Heaven and saw a beggar there who he had known in life.  The man is pleading with Abraham to go tell his five brothers to become believers so that they would not end up in Hell with him.

Here is what I would like you to learn from death... especially when you encounter it "face-to-face" like we do: you never know when your time will come.  I think many people put off asking our REAL CHIEF, Christ, to become their Lord and Savior thinking that they will "do it later".  

I don't know the spiritual condition of that young man yesterday.  My prayer, of course, is that he knew Christ.    But, (and I want you to think about this) if he didn't, you can pretty much bet that he didn't have time to ask God to become the manager of his life and to ask for forgiveness.   I hope that he is not "down there" asking for Abraham to go tell his friends and family about Christ.

Do you want the absolute best STRESS RELIEF?  Learn from death.  Learn before death... ask our REAL CHIEF to guide your life - NOW.

On HIS Shift,

Chaplain Skip

It is my prayer that the verses we discuss help each of you as it has helped me deal with the amount of stress we are all faced to deal with.  If you are not yet saved, I have Good News for you. Jesus loves you very much and His Holy Spirit is drawing you to Him. To learn more, click here.

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