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| March 2009 3 Articles |
| © Emergency Ministries and Chaplain Skip Straus 2009. All Rights Reserved. |
| Emergency Ministries is an IRS 501.c.3 organization and donations are tax-deductible and greatly appreciated. PO Box 9121 * Spring, TX * 77387 |
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March 24, 2009
"Century Gone"
"I thank my God every time I remember you."
- Philippians 1:3
(NIV)If you have been a reader of STRESS RELIEF for any length of time, you understand how personal these articles are to me. Why? Simply because I write to you a lot about events in life that we have been through. Thanks for being here with us.
Yesterday, a little before three in the morning, my grandmother got to go home - to her reward in Heaven. We called her "Gang." Gang was born April 19, 1906. That's right. She would have been 103 next month. She still lived in her own home... a house where she had raised her three children. And, the home that my sister, brother and I were also raised in. Gang was absolutely amazing. She was a single mom and grandmother who worked hard (including working part time until she was into her eighties - well after retirement) to support all of us.
We got to go visit with her just this past Friday. Though her eyesight was about gone and her hearing was diminished, she could still tell you things that happened when she was young. And, by the way, you didn't dare get between her and the TV if the Dallas Cowboys were on!
It's kind of tough to put everything into words right now. She was loved by so many. My cousin and his wife have a beautiful baby daughter that Gang got to see last week for the first time. He put it very well in an email to family; "What can I say about this experience? It may have been the richest week of our lives. I had Gang for all of my thirty-six years. Kiley will learn as time goes on how important it was to have spent just four days with Gang."
The death of a Christian is a bittersweet thing... bitter because of the sorrow you feel. But, sweet because you know that she is rejoicing with our REAL CHIEF.
Thank you, Gang, for all you have taught us, for all the sacrifices made and, as our verse this weeks says, "I thank my God every time I remember you." Things I learned from you have helped me serve others...
...On HIS Shift,
Copyright © 2009 Chaplain Skip Straus and Emergency Ministries.
March 16, 2009
"Banding Together"
"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings."
- 1 Peter 5:8-9
(NIV)
You may remember a few years ago that HBO made a mini-series called the "Band of Brothers." Netflix (www.netflix.com) described it like this;
"Based on the bestseller by Stephen Ambrose, this Emmy-nominated miniseries profiles Easy Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. These men parachuted into France on D-Day, fought the Battle of the Bulge, captured Hitler's Eagle's Nest and, amid extraordinary fear and extraordinary bravery, became heroes and legends."
In many ways, the emergency services are also made up of "bands of brothers (and sisters)." Think about it... there might be a department made up of one thousand personnel. But, when a house catches on fire, does the whole department go? No. Usually it is about three or four "bands of brothers" that work together as a team to mitigate the emergency.
It is the same around the station, isn't it? I mean, everyone works together, cleans together, eats together, etc. And, when one has a problem at home, such as a catastrophic illness or death in the family, the whole crew gets involved.
We need that comradery. Our SOG For Life (The Bible) tells us so. One reason is to band together against attacks of our enemy, Satan. As in the days of old when the fire service would have someone up in the fire tower, we must constantly be on guard. Our verses this week tell us to be alert. The Apostle Peter reminds us that the devil is roaming around "like a roaring lion" looking to destroy you and I. (Notice, though, that he writes that the devil is "LIKE" a lion... not that he IS a lion.)
So, how do we resist the demonic attacks (such as pornography, adultery, gossip, lies, etc)? Our REAL CHIEF says we must stand together as a band of CHRISTian brothers... standing firm in our faith, our trust in GOD. And, HE reminds us that we are not alone... we have brothers (and sisters) around the world who go through the same thing. That should also be a reminder to pray for our brothers and sisters. This is not a physical war. This is a spiritual war that is fought with prayer and faith.
We must stand together as brothers and sisters as we serve our REAL CHIEF...
...On HIS Shift,
Copyright © 2009 Chaplain Skip Straus and Emergency Ministries.
March 1, 2009
"The Rookie and the Captain"
"I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint."
- Jeremiah 31:25
(NIV)Just recently, we had one of those shifts that reminded me of why I have been in the business for so long.
It was a Friday. Another twenty-four hour shift. The first half wasn't bad at all. But, midnight hit and it started popping. One tone after another. In a span of less than four hours, I had run on three of eight calls in the city.
One of those calls was a shooting. Something straight off of CSI or COPS. One of these days, I need to write a book describing some of the more memorable calls in my 30-plus years in the field. This would be one for that book.
The paramedic on that last call is brand new. It was that medic's first GSW to the head call. Do you remember your first one? The adrenaline rush was incredible. And, as I learned, the thrill was still there for me, too.
I begin to think back to when I first became a Christian, too. Man... I was on fire for GOD. I couldn't wait to read more, to know more and to be around other Christians every chance I got. After a few years, I came to realize that my hunger is still there, only now, though, it is seasoned with years of developing a relationship with our REAL CHIEF. And it seems I am much happier and feel much more fulfilled as a Christian. I have grown to a point where I am quicker to turn my worries over to GOD... and he fulfills HIS promise in this week's verse... HE refreshes me. Again and again.
How about you? Are you serving HIM yet? Have you learned that when problems arise to turn to HIM? Let HIM refresh and restore as you serve...
...On HIS Shift,
Copyright © 2009 Chaplain Skip Straus and Emergency Ministries
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Copyright © 1999-2009 Emergency Ministries. All Rights Reserved.
Emergency Ministries is an IRS 501.c.3 organization
PO Box 9121 * Spring TX 77387
