Stress Relief - A Weekly Article from the Fire & EMS Chaplain

Have you ever been through the training to learn to fight a LPG/Gas fire? It's pretty cool, isn't it? It takes two teams that actually combine fog patterns into one protective "water shield" so that one member of the team can safely reach in and turn off the gas source.

If you think about it, marriage was designed by our REAL CHIEF to be just like that... two working together to become one. My beautiful wife, Cindy, and I just got home from two and a half glorious days of a Christian marriage conference. It is put on by an organization called "Family Life" (http://www.familylife.org) and the conference is called "A Weekend to Remember." It was exactly that... a weekend to not only remember, but cherish.

The whole "theme," if you will, of the seminar is to teach Godly principles of "oneness." Two people becoming one Godly entity to serve each other, to serve their children and to serve our REAL CHIEF by becoming examples of a Christian lifestyle.

The weekend has brought the two of us closer. We have recommitted ourselves to each other. We have recommitted ourselves to serving HIM.

In order to learn how to work as a team on the fireground, we must train and train again. To learn to work as one, the way our REAL CHIEF designed us to work, in marriage, we also need to "train." We need to fellowship with other Christian couples. We need Godly marital direction/advice. Most importantly, we need our REAL CHIEF to guide and bless our marriages as we serve...

...On HIS Shift,

"Hellfighters"

April 21, 2002

"I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one."

- John 17:14-15 (NIV)

I was just sitting here wondering if you remember the movie "Hellfighters" - starring the "duke" - John Wayne. Mr. Wayne portrayed a Houston-based oilwell fire control company owner by the name of Red Adair. It had some awesome cinematography that was shot all over the world... I remember scenes from Louisiana to South America.

As a young boy, it was incredible watching these guys in their red jumpsuits and hard-hats battle blazes that seemed to be pumped up through a hole direct from the depths of hell itself. In several of the fire control scenes, I remember how the firefighters would construct small, three-walled sheds of tin and set them in a position near the fire, so as to have a visual of the area that needed to be "blown out."

Have you ever felt the presence of something in your life that felt like you were standing close to the fires of Hades? I don't mean literally... as in; standing next to flame. I mean this; have you felt under attack from the enemy?

In our verse this week are found some words of our REAL CHIEF that should provide us with some of the greatest Stress Relief we can have: the prayer of protection for us. And, get this... the prayer was asked by Christ to His Father, God. That's right! Jesus, Himself, knew we would find ourselves under attack from those around us.

Sure, it's discomforting when those attacks come. But, stop and thank our REAL CHIEF for planning ahead and asking our Supreme INCIDENT COMMANDER of Life to protect us while we are trying our best to serve...

...On HIS Shift,

"Eye Injury"

April 14, 2002

" "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? "

- Matthew 7:3 (NIV)

Everyone has had "something" in their eye before... dust, smoke, sawdust... some have even had foreign objects lodged in and around their eye(s). At least, I know I have. And, on more than one occasion. And, you know what? It is a pain. It is annoying. It is irritating. Your world comes to a screeching stop until you can get whatever-it-is out of your eyes. I can remember as a young Boy Scout being taught how to remove a speck from your eye by pulling out on an eyelid and gently pushing in on the other lid and allowing its' lashes to "sweep" the object out, thus removing the cause of the pain or irritation. I can also remember some of the many times I have used sterile water to flush someone's eyes to remove a foreign body. But, here, in our verse this week, we are warned to remove the "plank" from our own eye. OUCH! Talk about an impaled object!

I also know that I can't see a thing without my glasses. It would be foolish for me to, say, go and play golf without wearing my glasses... I wouldn't be able to see the flag. Shoot, I wouldn't be able to see the golf ball on the tee in front of me! hehehehehe

Of course, what Christ is teaching in our verse this week is that we must not be judgmental or accusatory of a brother, until we step back and look at our own faults and evil-doings (sins). Our REAL CHIEF, in subsequent verses, goes on to teach us that we are to remove the plank from our own eye so that we may see clearly to remove the speck from the eye of our brother. In other words, confess (admit) your own faults to HIM, ask for HIS help to keep from repeating those faults and start living in such a way to serve our REAL CHIEF. Then, and only then, will you be able to pull a brother aside and say, "Hey look, it is wrong to do such-and-such. I know. I used to do it, too. Now, though, I serve our REAL CHIEF and, slowly but surely, HE is helping me stay away from doing it ever again!"

Our REAL CHIEF knows you need HIS help. But, HE is also waiting for you to simply ask HIM for it. HE is there, waiting to respond to your call for help for your "eye injury." Let HIM help you remove that "foreign object" of fault from your eyes so that you can better serve HIM and your brothers...

...On HIS Shift,

"One Man Company"

April 7, 2002

"So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up--one on one side, one on the other--so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekites army with the sword."

- Exodus 17:10-13 (NIV)

Anyone that has ever worked in a rural volunteer fire department has had the unpleasant experience of going into a fireground one-man. That is, one person against the fire. It is a very uneasy feeling isn't it? I mean, you know you have the training. But, all those "what ifs" start running through your head. Fortunately, though, more help arrived on scene. Without them, you probably wouldn't have been able to stop any fairly good-sized, working fire. You could fight the fire for a while alone. But, sooner or later, you knew you were going to need help.

In our verses this week, Joshua has been sent to do battle with the Amalekites army. Moses, our REAL CHIEF's designated incident commander for this scene, realized that the only way the incident was "under control" was when he held his arms up. After a while, though, try as he might, his arms grew tired and as they would start to fall, Joshua would begin to lose his battle. Now, notice that our incident commander (Moses, in this case) had two others within the command structure with him; Aaron and Hur. When his assistants saw how things were going they immediately jumped in to assist. First, they placed a rock under Moses to give him something to sit on and to be more comfortable. They knew they were in for the long haul. Then, "assistant chiefs" Aaron and Hur stood on either side of Moses and each held one of Moses arms up. What was the result? Through teamwork within the "incident command structure" AND on the "fireground," the battle was won... in their venue, the Amalekites were defeated. In our venue, the fire would be extinguished (or the rescue made).

Yes, one-person companies are still out there (in ever-decreasing numbers). But, they are not the ideal or even a preferred way to attack things are they? No. We want numbers. We want at least three or four people on an engine company. We want at least two people on an ambulance. We need the teamwork to bring an emergency situation to a successful conclusion. We need each other as we serve...

...On HIS Shift,

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.

STRESS RELIEF is written every week, usually on Sunday afternoons