February 28 - “Here we go again”

Chris’ day for the doctor … again. We drove into Texas to see her cardiologist - or her plumber, as he calls himself. It was a regular checkup with the guy who actually had his hands on her heart.

 

And, as has been the case so often lately, he found another can of worms to open. Two of them, actually. First, he listened to her heart and lungs. And what to his wondering ears should appear, but a crackling sound in her lungs, oh, dear. He ordered a chest x-ray to be arranged by her PCP. And if that wasn’t enough, he also said outright that he believes she should have a pacemaker, but he can’t order it. Two reasons: One … it’s the electrocardiologist’s call. Two … Chris doesn’t fit in all of the required boxes demanded by the insurance company before they will pay for a pacemaker. Wonderful. But that’s not even the can of worms. He placed one other order before we left the room. Another stress test. ASAP. Her history of stress tests hasn’t been all that great. She has pretty much flunked them all. And imagine our surprise when a slot opened up to do one on Thursday. This Thursday. Day after tomorrow. Well … here we go again.

 

We did enjoy a great lunch together. Stopped at Olive Garden and used a gift card we were given back when I retired. We even had enough to get Sam a meal to bring home with us.

 

Proverbs 18:24 says, “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

 

Father, please be with Chris as she prepares for both the stress test and the biopsy this week. Amen.

February 27 - “In Memoriam”

Yesterday was the memorial service for Andy Jefferies, the young man who died in the line of duty a few weeks ago.

 

An entourage of fire trucks and command vehicles from virtually every fire department in the area met at the funeral home in Santa Fe. Others stood by at the Galveston stations, ready to cover any fire calls while our guys were at the memorial service. Engine one picked up Andy’s ashes and headed the solemn procession to fire station number one (Central) in Galveston. I met them there, as did virtually every other Galveston fire fighter who wasn’t in the procession.

 

Engine One pulled up to three rows of fire fighters in full class A uniforms, EMS and police, all standing at attention and in full salute. Many community members and friends waited in silence as well.

 

After all were gathered, I spoke briefly as chaplain about Andy and the effect he had on all who met him. Next, Chief Olsen read a proclamation from the department declaring the day as one of remembrance for Andy and his service. Then a member of the honor guard read the history of the bell in the fire service, followed by the ringing of the final three tolls, signifying that Andy’s service was complete. Finally, the Last Call. The captain of Engine One, spoke into his radio, requesting that dispatch make the call for Andy. And then, over the station’s dispatch speakers, all present heard the call for Firefighter Andrew Jefferies. Then silence. Then a second call for Firefighter Andrew Jefferies. And a second, ominous silence. And then the third and final call, followed by words of appreciation from dispatch for Andy’s service. After that, the crews and family in the entourage returned to their vehicles and slowly drove beneath the huge American flag hanging from the fully extended ladder of Ladder Truck One.

 

Later that afternoon, around eighty or so friends, family and co-workers gathered at O’Malley’s Pub for food and drinks and sharing of memories, hugs, laughter and tears. 

 

You will be missed, Andy.

 

Romans 12:21 says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

 

Father, please watch over Andy’s family - his immediate family and his fire department family as well. Amen.

February 26 - “A sporting day”

I had the job of accompanying Josiah to baseball practice. It’s been a long time since I watched a Pony League practice. Nothing at all like Little League, that’s for sure. Very specific responsibilities for the 3 coaches. The head coach plays for the Galveston College team. He also attends Coastal Community Church here in town. Very personable kid. Seems to be a pretty good coach, too.

 

On the way home from practice, we stopped at Whataburger to pick up some lunch. Chris started texting me the order. Sam’s avocado burger. Her Whataburger Jr. Both as expected. But she didn’t stop there. Two more Whataburger Jrs. Wait. Who is that for?  Come to find out, Ezra and Noa had come to pick up their brother. Gotta feed them, too, right? 

 

After they left, we spent the afternoon watching basketball. Well, and a little Astros Spring Training baseball. Iowa came from 18 points down to take their game into overtime. They eventually won. Baylor held off a Texas rally to secure their win.

 

Now I need to shift gears from sports and get ready for the fire fighter’s funeral today. Sounds like this will be a really impactful event. 

 

Oh … and Happy Birthday, Kel!

 

Hebrews 12:2 says, “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

 

Father, please be with the whole entourage involved with Andy’s funeral today. Amen.

February 25 - “First practice”

We did another walk yesterday. Two days in a row. Well, for me, that’s some kind of record. Chris does it all the time. Not to mention she goes three miles and I go s half mile. But I’m getting there. My back didn’t hurt. My hip did a little barking, but I worked through it.

 

When Chris went with Sam to her physical therapy evaluation session, I stayed behind and plopped myself down at the puzzle table. Some days that is an incredibly frustrating thing to do. Other days, it is just as incredibly relaxing. Yesterday was the latter. So much so, in fact, that I actually got the thing finished. Well, Chris finished the last four pieces when she got home. That one was a toughie. Bring on the next. Sam has one picked out that she thinks will be pretty easy. We’ll see.

 

Last night we had a late-night visitor arrive. I don’t know what time it was, but Sam had already retired for the evening, so I know “Walker, Texas Ranger” was over.  Kel and Josiah walked in the front door. Kel stayed and chatted for a while about the coming renovations at Seaside. Josiah, on the other hand, stayed all night. He has baseball practice this morning right down the street from our house, so this way Kel doesn’t have to get up extra early to bring him. Speaking of early rising, I guess I need to wake him up. Don’t want to waste even a second. After all, it’s baseball season!

 

Philippians 4:7 says, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

 

Father, be with the boys today as they practice for the first time. Help them to have fun.  Amen.

February 24 - “My new hero”

Finally. Some down time. Well, sort of. I woke up at 2:30 the first time. Dozed back off. Then again at 3 and 4. I gave up that time and just got up. No pains to speak of. I was just awake.

 

I went into the office and put together a Bible study for home group. Since Josh and crew weren’t coming, we decided to meet after all. Once Chris woke up and we had some breakfast, we took a walk. Mine was the baby version. Half mile again. She upped hers to three. I also did my hour’s worth of back and hip exercises, though. Gotta get some credit for that.

 

I spent some time at the puzzle table. This new one is another tough one. Thousand pieces. Lots of trees and sky and snow and water. That pretty much sums up the color schemes. It’ll take a while. I always encourage the folks at home group to give it a go, but they seemed to agree with me on the complexities of this one. Lauren managed to get in her three pieces, though.

 

I made a new friend last night. I met none other than Doorbell Dad. Seems this guy goes to his neighbors’ house and tells Dad jokes to their ring doorbell. He is, of course, captured on the video feed. The guy is absolutely hilarious. Most definitely my new hero. Check him out. Just Google “Doorbell Dad.”

 

John 8:32 says, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

 

Father, thank you for opportunities to laugh at goofy jokes and antics. Give me more chances to see that … and maybe even do some of my own. Amen.

February 23 - “Virus”

I actually joined Chris for a tasty morsel of her morning walk. She went two and a half miles. I went the first half mile. My back felt pretty good. My hip barked at me, though. Guess I just need to get used to it.

 

She gave me a second chance to keep up later in the morning. We went to Walmart. Lots of walking there.

 

We heard from the Waco patient. AnnaGrace was scarfing down the beloved (NOT) iodine for a CT scan with contrast. The preliminary report was that no surgery is necessary at this time. That’s good news. But they still need to keep a close eye on her over the next week or so. It is officially unofficially a virus.

 

Last night we resumed the Ash Wednesday service at Seaside. It has been a few years, and Kel asked me to be involved in leading it.  It was the first time to try an Ash Wednesday with the new computer. It did fine during the teaching, but when we got to the Litany, it figured out seven different ways to crash. Guess it must be Baptist …

 

Joel 2:12-13 says, “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” 13 Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.”

 

Father, thank you for the good news about AnnaGrace. Please heal her quickly. And please let Josh and Christi get some sleep (especially Christi). Amen.

February 22 - “Rubber band on the back bumper”

After watching over her closely all night long, it appeared that AnnaGrace might just be dealing with a case of a virus after all. No symptoms arose that pointed to an escalation of an appendicitis attack.

 

We hung around until around noon to make sure Josh and Christi felt confident that we wouldn’t be needed. They managed to secure an appointment with a pediatrician for the afternoon. They assured us we would be kept in the loop, and we assured them that our car had a rubber band on the back bumper. They could tug it at any time and we would be on our way back again. After a quick stop at Whataburger for some lunch, we hit the road again.

 

Back in Galveston we heard the report of the pediatrician visit at four. They redid tests for Covid and flu and strep. All negative. The only response from AnnaGrace? She winced when they pressed on her tummy. Not a great sign. Now there is a CT scan scheduled for today. The doc did tell them that sometimes it takes as long as two weeks for appendicitis to completely show itself. Long haul. We are going to keep our suitcase close by …

 

Psalms 51:11-12 says, “Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”

 

Father, again we thank you for touching AnnaGrace with your healing power. Please continue. Amen.

 

February 21 - “Coincidentally?”

Well, our expected day or two of fairly easy, around-the-house lollygagging didn’t work out. Just as I was mowing the back yard, we got word that Josh and Christi had AnnaGrace in the emergency room. The night before, she woke them up with, “My heart feels funny.”  They thought maybe she had had a nightmare, but when they tried to count it, her heart rate was hovering around 140. 

 

When they got her to the ER and started with the testing and stuff, the heart rate shot up over 170 (Mine does, too, AnnaGrace).  After all the preliminary testing and getting an iv started, the ultrasound showed that she had possible appendicitis. That hospital wasn’t equipped to handle a pediatric patient for an appendectomy, so Josh and Christi had to pack her up and get her to Temple, the nearest children’s hospital, about 45 minutes away. And they had to go through the ER there, because there weren’t any beds available. 

 

Fortunately (coincidentally??), a very good friend, Corbin, just happened to be a nurse in Temple. At that hospital. Working in that ER. And he just happened to be on duty. So they had a familiar face on hand to reassure them about the doctor and the unfamiliar territory.  Hmm. Imagine that. 

 

By the time they arrived in Temple, Chris and I had repacked and were back on the road to Waco. The perennial construction threatened to slow us down, but Chris would have none of that. By sheer will power (prayer power?) she managed to brush right through two different lane closures. Of course, we were attempting to maneuver through Houston rush hour traffic as well, so her Nani senses (those are the ones that put Spider-Man’s Spidey senses to shame) were really heightened. 

 

After a quick bathroom/supper break, we hit the road again.  I drove this time, since we knew it would be getting dark, and Chris still has trouble driving at night.  All went relatively well until just north of Navasota.  The dreaded construction again.  But this time the road narrowed to one lane, and of course there were lots of impatient drivers who just knew it would be OK for them to drive on up to the barricade and expect to be let in the line then. It definitely added to our time.

 

By the time we arrived in Waco, though, Josh and Christi and AnnaGrace had just arrived as well.  Seems the pediatric doctors had rerun the ultrasound, and they were convinced that the appendix looked fine.  The pediatric surgeon told them some things to watch for over the course of the next week, but didn’t see any reason for them to stay in the hospital.  He seemed to be leaning more toward some kind of virus that just had to run its course. Josh was convinced that the prayers of the saints during their drive from Waco to Temple had pretty much healed that tiny appendix, at least for the time being. 

 

We will hang around at least for a little while today to see how she did through the night. It’s still a little up in the air, but we may head home today or tomorrow.  Keep those prayers coming.

 

Matthew 10:16 says, “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves”

 

Father, Thank you for the answers to our prayers so far.  Keep doing your work of healing on AnnaGrace, and help Josh and Christi get caught up on some of that missed sleep.  Amen.

 

February 20 - “T Test”

It was a great Sunday in Waco. We joined Josh and his crew at church. Josh preached on the signs of a true revival in the wake of the current one going on in Kentucky. He challenged us to pay attention to how we live out our Christian walk - how much like Jesus are we becoming, really? He said we should apply the T Test:

 

Think - who do you think about most?

Talk - who do you talk about most?

Treasures - who do you spend the most money on?

Time - who do you spend the most time on?

 

Challenging stuff, indeed.

 

We had a pretty uneventful ride home. I took over driving after our Buc-ee’s stop. That meant I had the privilege of driving through Houston. That wasn’t bad at all, though. But about halfway between there and Galveston, it struck. No, nothing happened to the car or anything. I mean the traffic hit. Bumper to bumper and no way to go around it. Come to find out, it was just the perennial construction on the freeway. Our side was narrowed down into just two very narrow lanes. We waded through it without incident.  It did add about half an hour to our journey.

 

Since it was taking so long anyway, we decided to swing by and check in on Nathan and April and Cailyn. They had just finished building a new deck for their hot tub, and had the tub moved on over. They were having some friends over to celebrate. Well, I guess they were actually celebrating the fact that one of them had brought over a brisket and Nathan was smoking it. We stayed for a while and chatted, but decided it was time to get on home.

 

Corey came over while we were still in the driveway to check in and give us a report on Sam and cold pizza availabilities. Freddy greeted us at the door, and Sam hollered her greetings from the table. Great to be missed. Sam said Seaside was packed to the gills with people. So many that extra chairs had to be brought in. Sounds exciting …

 

Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

 

Father, thank you for the exciting stuff going on in Kentucky … and Waco … and Jamaica Beach. Keep on coming! Amen.

February 19 - “Champions”

Yesterday morning I tuned up my skills and danced for a long time in the kitchen with AnnaGrace. She may or may not have been considerably better than I was. Caleb and Luke both practiced piano. That helped Luke get his mind off of the upcoming game.  Prior to that Luke was experiencing a little bit of the pregame jitters.

 

The jitters went away as the game began. The game was pretty intense. After falling to a 9-1 deficit, the good guys chipped away until taking a one-point lead. Then, there was back and forth scoring the whole rest of the way. Finally, with mere seconds on the clock, we were ahead by two.  The opposition was in control of the ball, and their best player launched a three-pointer … and it … rimmed the basket and missed. Final score, 15-13. We win!  Luke scored 11 of the 15 total points. But that was just the semi-finals. The championship game was yet to come, later in the afternoon.

 

And what a game that was. Highlights in a nutshell? Well, let’s start at the end. Good guys won, 19-16. The boys were each awarded a championship ring. Gotta love the bling.

 

And now the individual honors … Luke scored 16 of the 19 points. But favorite play of the day came on one of those baskets.  Luke was driving hard to the goal. The defender stepped on his foot and Luke’s shoe started to come off. Not to be deterred, in mid-dribble, Luke simply shook off the shoe, completed his drive, and scored. Clearly the play of the game. Where is ESPN when you need them?  Oh.  And Luke also scored the consensus, not-voted-upon-but-certainly-earned MVP. Not that I’m a proud DadDad or anything …

 

Psalms 42:1 says, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.”

 

Father, thank you for the excitement of our ride back to the house last night. It was fun. Amen.

 

February 18 - “Wait ‘til next year”

Remember that “not hurricane worse” I mentioned yesterday?  Well, it got here. When I got up at 5 a.m., the temperature was 40 degrees, and the wind was audibly whipping threw the trees. The wind chill was an icy 30.  That would be the below freezing 30. Brrrrrr. And we had to load up the car and be on our way North by 7 to get to Zakary’s basketball game. 

Good ol’ downtown Houston traffic delayed us just enough that we missed the start of the game … and Zak’s injury. He rolled his ankle pretty badly. When we got there I volunteered my services as trainer. All that means is, I went down to the bench and taped his ankle (just like I learned to do back in college) to see if the extra support would help. 

It didn’t take long for me to reach my storied athletic trainer opinion. I listened to him talk and watched him walk. Nope. I recommended to him and his coaches that he not play. Not that they had any reason to listen to me or heed my advice in any way. But he didn’t go back in. Nice choice, Coach. Oh.  They ended up losing the game … by a lot. Oh, well. Wait ‘til next year, right? 

Galatians‬ ‭5‬‬:‭16‬ says, “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

Father, please do some healing in Zak’s ankle and knee. Amen. 

February 17 - “Just damp”

We made a quick Walmart run yesterday. I needed some stuff for the Ash Wednesday service. Sam needed to pick up some prescriptions. It was a nasty, rainy, and in Chris’ words “just damp” day. 

In spite of the weather we made our way into the store and maneuvered to our respective goals. Sam, of course, had it easy. She got to ride in the go-cart they provide. Chris and I ran into a little problem, though. Can you imagine Walmart in Galveston, on the Thursday before the biggest Mardi Gras celebration this side of New Orleans, running out of beads?  How dare they! But that’s ok. We had some at home that I can use. Fortunately, they did have a mask or two left. And what, you may ask, are the beads and masks for?  Check back next Thursday. Same Bat time.  Same Bat channel. 

 By the time supper came around, I found myself gazing out the window at the wind. Or, as my much older sister was quick to point out, “you can’t see the wind,” so I replied, “Ok, then.  I’m watching the results of the wind.”  The trees I saw were rocking back and forth. The branches were shaking, sometimes somewhat violently, in the grasp of the swirl. It was actually quite beautiful. And I was assured that, according to the weather app, things were only going to get worse.  Not “hurricane worse” or anything. Just cold to go along with the wind. Oh, boy … Can’t wait (For those who don’t know me well, that last comment was laced with sarcasm). 

Jeremiah‬ ‭31‬‬:‭25 says, “I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.” 

Father, I do thank you for all sorts of weather. The variety makes things … interesting. Amen. 

February 16 - “Gettin’ the heart rate up”

Chris found a way to keep her heart rate up without walking. She called to contest a bill with UTMB. Ultimately, she had to call the insurance company as well. Sounded like the left hand didn’t know what the right hand was doing. Wild and crazy, that’s for sure. The insurance company finally issued her a new insurance card … identical to the one she already has. The billing office told her that when someone calls wanting her to pay the deductible up front, tell them to bill her and she will pay later.  We’ll see how that goes over. 

 

Yesterday afternoon we decided to divide and conquer. Chris took Sam to her water therapy. I went and picked up my Fire Department uniform from the cleaners. Their chore took a lot longer than mine though. Sam is usually done by around three. They finally got back at 3:30. All was well, though. Sam got cleaned up and I went out and brought us back some Whataburger. Great Texas supper.

 

Psalms 139:23-24 says, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

 

Father, please help us be patient as the whole insurance thing gets worked out. Amen.

February 15 - “Valentines Day Ninja”

I know. This is the day after. But I’m telling the events of the day before, so I’m in the future telling about the past by living in the present. Confused yet?

 

I started my day really early. I mean really. I got out of bed around 4:30. Crazy. But I was awake, and the c-pap machine was making a lot of racket, so I just got up. It was convenient, anyway, for me to perform my usual Valentines Day ninja antics. I get up early and arrive at the store at 6 a.m. 

 

Now, yesterday was a bit different. I actually grabbed some bananas and a pineapple and some toothpaste, but that wasn’t what I was there for. Nope. My Ninja Valentines Day Challenge has always been to get to the store, get Chris some pretty flowers (like this year’s yellow roses with red tips. Odd, but quite beautiful), and have them back at the house before she ever gets out of bed. Needless to say, this time it was pretty easy.

 

Speaking of Valentines Day … Several days ago I happened to be in the store and all of their stuffed animals were on sale. Half price. Couldn’t resist. What better Valentines Day gift than this?  I got Chris a wacky dog that shakes it’s head and makes … noise. I also have an extra Valentine around here named Sam, so I found her a cuddly little stuffed cat. Best kind. Her real kitty baby is staying with Cathy from church while Sam is with us. Happy Valentines Day, girls!

 

Romans 12:10 says, “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”

 

Father, thank you for Chris. She has been an amazing gift - the perfect Valentine for me. But then I guess you knew that, didn’t you?  Amen.

 

February 14 - “Jury duty: day one”

Day One of Jury Duty was very interesting. After being sworn in en masse, the first 70 of us were directed to the courtroom where we would be regaled and subsequently questioned by lawyers.

 

Without divulging details, it was a criminal case. And one question that eventually arise concerned our knowledge of law enforcement individuals. Well, I had to admit to that one. Not just one here. I know three sheriff deputies and a few police officers and one federal agent and lots of guys I have met as fire department chaplain. The prosecutor wanted me. The defense did not.

 

As a result I had to go before the judge and both lawyers all by myself. They grilled me for a while before finally letting me join the other prospective jurors on a break. One side was convinced already that, as a pastor of law enforcement officers, and chaplain of the fire department, there was no way those positions wouldn’t influence me to lean in favor of the prosecution. Not to mention my pastoral inclination to want to empathize with the victim. The other side acknowledged that position, but wanted to know if I could put that aside and listen to the testimony without being influenced. I assured them I would do my best. All I could offer.

 

When we returned to the courtroom, the twelve jurors were formally announced … And I wasn’t one of them. So much for my first try at jurydom. I was excused for today, but may have to go back tomorrow (and every day the rest of the week). We’ll see happens next.

 

Oh … for those who were in church last Sunday, we had supper with Salmon Geezer. Remember him? Tasty stuff …

 

Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”

 

Father, please be with the folks on that jury. Give them clarity and a spirit of your justice. Amen.

February 13 - “Dusting off the old preacher”

Yesterday was an exciting one for me. I got to preach at Seaside again for the first time in about a year. I dusted off my Visual Verse skills and even tossed in some wacky history (with props, of course).  It was probably overkill on my part, but I was excited to get the chance. Not sure what the people thought, but I at least I enjoyed it.

 

And we had a wild and crazy crowd at the Super Bowl Commercials Party last night. Folks came from as far away as Brenham and as close as our new neighbors four houses down just to be here for the fun. Lots of prizes were awarded in the Bingo games (especially to Sandy). And of course the food was fantastic. Always a great time with great folks.

 

Today I am heading over to the courthouse for my week of jury duty. Have to be there by 8:45.

 

Galatians 1:10 says, “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ”

 

Father, please be with me and the other prospective jurors today and the rest of the week. Amen.

February 12 - “No docs”

Chris headed off the island yesterday. She got released to drive by the eye doc, so she just took off. Actually, she was headed up to get some quilting stuff.

 

I used the opportunity to do a few errands myself. Dropped off my class A uniform at the cleaners. Swung in at Randall’s and picked up a prescription. Then went to Walmart to get Sam a prescription and some snacks for the party tonight. 5:30-ish. Come whenever you want!  Our house. Super Bowl of Commercial-dom!

 

Spent the afternoon working on this crazy jigsaw puzzle. The one with a bunch of teacups. It doesn’t have enough distinctive markings for my taste. I’ll keep plodding through though. One piece a day is good for me.

 

Gotta go. I’m preaching at Seaside today. Little more prep to do …

 

Psalms 139:10 says, “even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”

 

Father, thanks for a day with no doctors’ appointments. It was nice. Amen.

February 11 - “A Walk of Honor”

Yesterday I had the privilege of being involved in a Walk of Honor. Our firefighter who died was becoming a transplant donor for multiple organs. The word was disseminated not only throughout the hospital, but also throughout the Fire Department. By the time the transplant team came to take him to the operating room, there was a host of firefighters standing along the walls at attention in their class A uniforms, saluting. Scores of hospital personnel joined them, standing in silence, lining the halls. The line stretched from the ICU room where he has been since he was admitted to the elevator. It picked up again outside the elevator on the surgical suite floor. He was accompanied by fire department honor guard members, family and friends, and an entourage of fire department escorts. The two honor guard members gowned up and went out into the surgery room with them to guard over Andy while the preparations were begun for the transplants.

 

Meanwhile the vast array of the firefighting family met in the waiting room to share hugs and handshakes. Many stayed until hospital personnel confirmed that the procedure was complete. All in all, it was a moving and powerful experience to be a part of. I was certainly proud of the Galveston Fire Department.

 

Many thanks to the other area fire departments who stood in for our guys on shift so that they could be a part of the Honor Walk. I know Jamaica Beach was on call to cover the West End.

 

Thank you for your service to the department, Andy, and for the wild and crazy spirit you brought to whatever gathering you were a part of. You will certainly be remembered.  Or, to put it another way … you are most assuredly one of the Hard to Forget Ones.

 

Jude 1:20-21 says, “But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.”

 

Father, thank you for the expressions of comradery and family shown by the firefighting family. Please bless these guys. Amen.

February 10 - “You’re dreaming”

Rarely do I have dreams that come in segments yet are all part of a whole. That happened to me the other day.

 

As I fell asleep, I saw before me a large puzzle. Like life sized. Like each piece was as big as me. Every time I found a piece of the puzzle and set it, I would be able to fall asleep. And that actually happened. Each time I realized I couldn’t find a piece, I also realized that I was awake.

 

At one point I identified the shapes of three of the missing pieces. And I woke up. I couldn’t get back to sleep. I rolled and stretched and searched for a comfortable position. Finally, the next piece appeared there in front of me. It fit in. I dozed. Then the next piece. Same. And then the next. Same.

 

The moral of the dream? I don’t know.  Maybe … just do the next thing and trust that the plan will be revealed one piece at a time?

 

Chris had another real early (for her) morning. She had an appointment with the eye doc for her one week follow up after surgery. All was well there. Looks like she’s going to settle in to whatever her final eyesight will be before glasses. She was between 20-40 and 20-25, though. Not bad.

 

Next we swung into Walmart to get some prizes for the Super Bowl Commercial Bingo game. All set in that department. 10 big prizes, folks. You can’t miss out on that fun!  Come on over to our house around 5:30 Sunday night. Chris is making some chili. Bring some grub of your own to share. There promises to be some great commercials. We’ll see. And if you really want to, you can even watch that “other event” on the same channel in between commercials.

 

Ephesians 4:29 says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

 

Father, thank you for the good report on Chris’ eyes. And thanks for the weird dream. Let me know if I “got it” right. Amen.

February 9 - “Honor”

Yesterday I went to a funeral for a former fire chief of Galveston, Willie Wisko. His son Mike is also a retired fire chief now.  Mike was the chief for many of the years that I have been chaplain. The service was held at Moody Methodist Church, where the elder Chief Wisko was married and raised his family.

 

I saw representatives from fire departments all over Texas. Among others, there were guys from:  Santa Fe, Dickinson, Alvin, Bacliff, Madisonville, Friendswood, Plainview, Harris County, Forest Bend, and Village FD (not sure where that is). There were lots of retirees from the Galveston Fire Department, as well as current firefighters.

 

The Honor Guard did its usual amazing job. They stood watch before and during the service in a reverent and professional manner. Made me proud to be associated with them, for sure.

 

During the service, Chief Wisko’s cousin shared some fun stories about his days as a kid when he learned from his guy cousins some “interesting” behaviors. His daughter shared what it was like to have him as a Dad, and granddaughter did the same about her special touch with him.

 

After the service, the casket was solemnly placed into a fire truck, and the pall bearers joined in as well. That truck led the procession of fire engines, command vehicles, friends and family to the cemetery off the island. Our sister department, Santa Fe, hosted a meal in their large station after that.

 

All in all, it was an impressive display of respect for Chief Wisko and encouragement for his family.

 

Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

 

Father, please be with all of the Wisko family as they walk through some tough days ahead. Thank you for their commitment to you. And thank you for the fine men of the fire service who stood up for the fire department family. Amen.

February 8 - “Go get one”

Chris was definitely up with the chickens yesterday. She was in my world, for sure. Why so early? She had another doc appointment.  At 7 a.m., no less! It was actually for a mammogram and ultrasound, and they told her to spread the word to all the women she knew to go get a mammogram, so here’s the word. Go get a mammogram.

 

On the way home we stopped for some gas in the car. All this medical mileage, you know?  Also grabbed some coffee K-cups (on sale at Randall’s) and picked up a prescription for me.

 

From there we pulled into Walmart to get “just a few things on the list.”  List or no, it’s next to impossible to pick up “just a few things” at Walmart. So a basketful of groceries and a few hundred bucks later, we headed on home.

 

Romans 5:3-5 says, “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

 

Father, thank you for guiding docs all over the place as they do what they can to help patients. And yesterday … especially Chris. Amen.

February 7 - “Early start”

I was up and at ‘em early yesterday. Busy week ahead. I had to plan two home group Bible studies (I have jury duty next week, so just looking ahead). I’m also scheduled to preach this Sunday, so I had to get started with the background and word studies.

 

Then we had to take Sam up into Texas for her blood test and doctor checkin and cancer treatment infusion. This one took a very long time. I did some more studying for the sermon, and even sketched out somewhat of an outline to hang everything on. Still have a long way to go, though.

 

We stopped for some lupper at Gringos in Texas City. Too early for supper, but we didn’t have lunch, hence … lupper. Great queso. I tried their nachos. Not all that impressive. Not terrible, though.

 

Today is Chris’ turn again.  At least we are in town.  The appointment is at 7 a.m., though.  She’s not too thrilled about that.

 

John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

 

Father, please use the infusions and bloodwork and all the other random information gathering to work together for good for Sam. Amen.

February 6 - “Full house”

We had a really full house at church yesterday. I tried to do a count, but I couldn’t see everybody. Had to be near 70, though. Pastor Kel continued the series from Micah. And next week I get to continue it even further. He asked me to do the next teaching in line. Yes, I have a Visual Verse all picked out. It’s back to work now, though, to get a teaching done, along with the Home Group Bible study and getting ready for the Super Bowl Commercial party and attending a funeral and getting Chris and Sam to their doctor’s appointments.

 

After church we went with some folks to Pit Stop Barbecue for lunch. Brennan came with us, too, since his folks stayed for a meeting. Chris had her usual chucked salad. I went for the rib plate with fried okra and mac and cheese. Brennan nabbed a baked potato.  Good stuff.

 

Back at home Chris got going on her next quilt. I did some jigsaw puzzling. We also binge-watched some episodes of Colombo. How’s that for a blast from the past?  There may or may not have been some dozing involved.

 

2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”

 

Father, thanks for drawing all those folks to church yesterday. And would you continue to be with Andy’s family in their grief and decision-making?  Amen.

February 5 - “A Bacony Coincidence”

It was back to being up with the chickens again yesterday. But this time it was on purpose. Yesterday was the first Saturday of the month, so that meant it was breakfast at the church time. This month’s action was pancakes and … bacon!  Chris fried up a huge bag full yesterday, leaving the house sporting a wondrous bacony smell for hours.

 

And what should greet us when we arrived at the church? Wafting throughout the building was that wonderful smell of bacon, of course. And the pancakes and sausage biscuits provided the perfect combination of breakfast loveliness. Lauren and Cathy and Janell, you did your usual fabulous job. Ray and MaryAnn were there to help with setup and to encourage the kids in their job of flagging down cars. And speaking of kids, Brennan and Ezra were hard at work, bouncing between waving a sign and leaping from the ramp railing. They definitely drew attention.

 

We had a few dignitaries come for lunch this time. The fire chief Kyle and his wife Joanne came. So did the mayor of Jamaica Beach, Clay, and his wife. And imagine our surprise (all of us) when his wife shared that she used to live in Port Allsworth, the very same small town in Alaska that we were raising money to get to. What a “coincidence”! She gave us some hone grown tips, and even promised to let her kids, who are still locals, know we were coming. Small world.

 

Proverbs 29:25 says, “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.”

 

Father, thank you for the fun connection with the lady from Alaska. Quite the encouragement for our trip. Amen.

February 4 - “Test Test Day”

I put my fire hat back on yesterday. No, not the one to start fires. I went as chaplain over to station four to watch the pre-test agility test for firefighter hopefuls. The department gives people a chance to run through the required timed agility test before the one that actually counts. I enjoy doing some encouraging and basically cheerleading for the ones who come. This time the weather was breezy and really cold, but four brave souls showed up anyway. They all did pretty well, too. The one girl had some issues pulling the charged hose, but she handled dragging the 250 pound dummy like a champ. At least two of the guys had a time that would be considered passing, so they were pretty pleased.

On my way home I stopped in and said hello to the guys at central and at station five.

 

Back at home I had some lunch, then broke open a new jigsaw puzzle that Helen brought to home group. She said it just wasn’t her cup of tea. The picture? A whole bunch of teacups, of course. I see what you did there, Helen. Nice one

 

1 Corinthians 15:58 says, “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

 

Father, please be with those youngsters who tried the agility test yesterday. Give them the confidence to come back for the real thing. Amen.