April 2000
"Don't take it home..."
April 29, 2000
"Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips."
- Proverbs 27:2 (NIV)
A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that there are times when we create our own stress. It's true. One of those times, unfortunately for all concerned, is when we become prideful.
Now, don't get me wrong here. I don't believe there is anything wrong with being proud about what we do for a living. After all, we are in the business of helping humanity. What I am talking about is when we begin thinking of ourselves as the best of the crew.
Here is where the stress comes into play; you take your attitude home! On the last run of your shift, you were fortunate enough to be on scene quick enough to a viable cardiac arrest patient. You followed protocol and that coarse v-fib converted to a perfect normal sinus rhythm. "Shoot, the guy was even fighting the e-t tube by the time we hit the ER!" You feel good. Rightfully so. But then, you start thinking (or worse, start verbalizing) - "Man, am I good or what?"
Then you go home. You are still "riding the high" of being a part of saving a life.
Your wife asks you to take out the trash. ME? Mr.-save-a-life? Take out garbage? HA! " Let me just tell you how beneath me that is." "I just saved a man's life."
Do you see what I mean, now? YOU were simply part of a team that saved a life. A team? Yep. Maybe the bystander CPR was effective. Maybe the protocols were written just for this instance. Maybe your partner's intubation and ventilation skills helped. Maybe God wanted this man alive.
This week's verse reminds us that our Real Chief opposes the proud. HE demands humility on HIS shift. Let others do the talking.
Oh...and by the way... take out the trash! hehehe
"She was 'just' a dog"
April 22, 2000
And God said, "Let the earth bring forth every kind of animal--cattle and reptiles and wildlife of every kind." And so it was. God made all sorts of wild animals and cattle and reptiles. And God was pleased with what he had done. Then God said, "Let us make a man--someone like ourselves, to be the master of all life upon the earth and in the skies and in the seas." So God made man like his Maker. Like God did God make man; Man and maid did he make them. And God blessed them and told them, "Multiply and fill the earth and subdue it; you are masters of the fish and birds and all the animals."
- Genesis 1:24-28 (TLB)
On the sixth day of Creation, God created all animals and then man. That means the animals were here before us, but then He told us that we had control over all of the animals.
That's nice, you say. But, what does it have to do with stress? Let me explain: our dog died. Now, the experts tell us that the death of a loved is the most stressful event in our life. Of course, I am sure they were probably talking about a human being-type loved one. But, this really hurt... but, I notice now, it only hurt for a little bit.
We had a beautiful Golden Retriever named "Scarlet." She was the dog. She was obedient, playful, loved to go for rides, loved to be with us. Last Friday she started getting sick. We took her to the vet on Saturday, they gave her some antibiotic and sent her home. Last Sunday, she was listless, didn't eat and could barely hold her head up. Early Monday morning, as I was about to leave for work, Scarlet was standing in the living room looking at my wife and, without warning, collapsed on her side. She looked bad.
To make a long story short, the vet called and said they found EIGHT tumors in her lungs. Poor Scarlet was only 4 years old and eaten up with cancer. She was obviously in a lot of pain, so I had to make the call to have her euthanized. I was fine up until I told the vet "bend down and tell her how much we loved her before you do it." Then, I lost it. I cried like a baby. I thought of all of her great attributes and the fun times. My wife also took it very hard. We cried together.
Then, I came home to tell the kids. But, you know what? Their reaction was "oh, can we get another one?"
At funerals, if the deceased loved one was a Christian, I can assure the surviving loved one that they will be able to worship Christ together some day.
Now, sometimes, I sit and wonder if Scarlet will be able to sit lovingly at our sides as Cindy and I worship Jesus when we get to Heaven.
The immense pain is already fading... I mean, after all, she was just a dog. Right?
HAPPY EASTER
May each and every one of you have a blessed Easter. This is the most holy time of year as we celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is not a time of mourning, but a time a celebration... the celebration of salvation that was given to us on that cross. May I encourage you: go to church this Sunday... even if you don't normally attend. Find a Bible-teaching church and go and thank our Real Chief for sending His only Son to she His precious blood for us.
"A Taxing Day..."
April 15, 2000
"Now tell us, is it right to pay taxes to the Roman government or not?" But Jesus saw what they were after. "You hypocrites!" he exclaimed. "Who are you trying to fool with your trick questions? Here, show me a coin." And they handed him a penny. "Whose picture is stamped on it?" he asked them. "And whose name is this beneath the picture?" "Caesar's," they replied. "Well, then," he said, "give it to Caesar if it is his, and give God everything that belongs to God."
- Matthew 22:17-21 (TLB)
The fifteenth of April. Tax Day. Doomsday. The late night, the receipts, the forms, the broken pencils, the stress. It doesn't have to be this way.
Did you know that the words "tax" or "taxes" are mentioned fifty-two times in the Bible? Fifty-two! That should tell us that TAX DAY 552 B.C. was probably just as much a concern then as it is today.
But, in our verses this week, Jesus tells us (around 30 A.D.) that paying tax to the government is just as expected as paying your tithe (meaning "ten percent") to God.
Now, I don't stress out about figuring out ten percent of my gross (that's right, before taxes) income and paying that to God before any other bills are paid. Why should we stress out over paying "unto Caesar what is Caesar's?"
I'll tell you why we stress... we bring it on ourselves. We ask for the stress. HUH? We do... we procrastinate, we make excuses, we wait until the last minute (I guess so we can have a free donut at the post office at 2345 hours on the fifteenth?). We don't keep good receipts. We don't file in February. We don't enlist professional help, even when it is affordable.
So, follow Biblical advice: pay your taxes, if taxes are owed. Start keeping good receipts.
Get help from a professional: Jesus. Yes, even tax advice is available in the Bible.
Who knows? YOU MAY HAVE A REFUND COMING!!!
"Put the Top Down"
April 8, 2000
"...anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him."
- Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)
This week has been a lesson in faith... a lesson in belief... a lesson in trust.
If you are part of my "email family" here at Emergency Ministries, then you know what happened. Those of you readers who aren't on the list (and why aren't you??? hehehehe), let me explain.
Last Wednesday night, I received an email from the man selling fireservice.com. He said that he had sold the site and that as of Monday, April 10th, this ministry would be without a home... no email, no nothing. I immediately emailed my friend Mikel Bullis in California and said "HELP!" Within 14 hours (by Thursday morning), Mikel had me up and running at "http://www.emergencychaplain.org"- complete with email : skip@emergencychaplain.org.
No sooner than that was completed, I got another email from the owner of fireservice.com. He said, in a nutshell, that he and his wife were so touched by my website that they had withdrawn from the sale of the URL, offered me free server space AND registered a new URL for me: http://www.firechaplain.com.
You see, we went from ZERO to THREE websites in a time span of less than a day.
It was truly an awesome demonstration of God's presence.
So, today, I got my little car out of the garage. I put the top down and went for a drive. Beautiful. A day God designed to show us His artistry. I felt relaxed. I felt blessed. I thought back on the vents of the week and realized how awesome it is to be in the presence of my all-powerful God.
Are you feeling a little stressed about something in your life right now? Allow me to give you some advice: put your faith in our Real Chief.
Oh... and then put the top down and take time to thank Him for the beauty of His presence.
"Protection from Evil-Borne Pathogens"
April 1, 2000
"Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good?"
- 1 Peter 3:13(NIV)
We wear rubber gloves. We disinfect. We protect our eyes and our mouths. We do so many things to protect ourselves from bloodborne pathogens.
But, what do we do to protect ourselves from "evil-borne pathogens?" What are evil-borne pathogens , you ask? They are, very plainly, the things that the devil throws at you. Daily. Hourly. If you don't have protection, you are vulnerable.
If the e.b.p. (evil-borne pathogen) is allowed to be introduced, several things can occur... and none of which are pleasant.
The other night I got a phone call at midnight. You know it's not going to be joyous news at that hour. It was the chief informing me that one of our own had attempted to take their own life. A classic case of e.b.p. at work. The e.b.p. had entered the firefighters' life when the protection was down (hint, hint). The pure evil told the firefighter it was okay to end it all.
Through the grace of Our Chief, Jesus Christ, the firefighter survived. In speaking with the firefighter, I sensed a renewed desire for protection against e.b.p..
This weeks' verse reminds us of what our protection against e.b.p. really is... faith.
In the book of Ephesians, God reminds us to "put on the whole armor of God" to protect ourselves from e.b.p.!
Friends, put on all the protection you can. Ask Christ to be your Chief.
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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