happy birthday

sorry for the delay in posts -- still trying to catch up to life in Decatur since our trip to Guyana, and i'm not making much progress. well, as you'll read, i had some time to slow down and reflect over the weekend...

last Wednesday night, i was sitting at the desk to shut down the computer when i had a sudden and strong pain across my upper chest and into my neck and jaw. it was one of those freezing moments that just left me a little stunned and in pain for a while. after a few minutes, i got up to get ready for bed and tried to sleep off the pain and pressure. after lying down for awhile, i was fine and able to sleep.

Thursday was my 33rd birthday (i guess my warranty expired). during the afternoon, i was reading with the kids when i could begin to feel the pressure and pain slowly creep back into my chest and neck. Keli let me lie down for awhile. I got up, feeling better, but still feeling pressure across my chest. i went to lead the H.S./college age Bible study where they asked all types of questions trying to understand and diagnose my trouble.

my wife and i tried to figure out what was wrong with me since this was two nights in a row. it's the time for the allergies and crud here in north Alabama -- but i had been congestion free, no drainage, no fever, no coughing. i took a hard fall over the weekend playing football at our church picnic, but i've had harder falls. we went to bed still not sure of what i was feeling.

by 3:00 a.m., i couldn't lay down, sit up, stand or hardly breathe for that matter. i got dressed and woke up Keli to tell her i was going to the hospital. i drove the 3-4 blocks to the closest hospital and checked in at the ER. after answering the same questions from the Bible study, they did an EKG on me. they saw an elevated level that prompted them to give me aspirin and nitro -- now i was concerned-- what did they think this was? Well, i responded to the nitro and the pain and pressure began to ease. after more questions and a chest x-ray and more questions, i was fitted for a heart monitor, an IV, and oxygen and checked into the hospital.

by this time, my wife had called worried sick, and i had begun to place calls to my dad for medical history. it's only been in the last year that dad has had blood clots. the internal medicine doctor came in later that morning to inform us of their concerns and that since i'm in the middle age category (:{) that they were taking all the precautions. those precautions included putting me on a cardiac/low-sodium diet--the food was bland, but the coffee was worse. the worst thing you can offer a serious coffee drinker is sanka--the decaf/instant excuse was really insulting.

the doctors tested and worked to rule out all the possibilties -- no broken bones, nothing out of joint, no pneumonia or congestion, and still no fever. after many more tests and meeting several cardiologists, the tests led us to believe that i had a blood clot that either got to my heart or lung. the tests also revealed the good news: that my body broke it down like it should. the concerning news/question is why did i have a clot to begin with?

i began to feel no pain nor pressure by 11:00 p.m. Friday night. well, no pain in my chest -- the nitro paste patches that were changed out every 6 hours would give me awful headaches. i could have left Saturday afternoon, but some confusion left me in the hospital until Sunday afternoon. it's good to be home and with my family again. the kids showed some signs of concern, but they were happy to see me return.

i will have an appointment for a stress test with the cardiologists this week. they feel if everything looks okay, then there would be no reason to see me regularly, unless something else should happen down the road. if there's any concern, then we'll consider additional tests and visits.

my wife wanted to spend money and a lot of time with me on my birthday -- i told her she needs to be more specific next time.

we're grateful for our church. the board immediately put me off for the weekend and contacted my father-n-law to do the message Sunday morning. one of the ladies took shifts with the kids so my wife could be with me longer. my sister-n-law and father-n-law also took the kids for several hours over the several day ordeal. Many came to see and sit with us to fill the time, offer prayer, and share their love. Other pastors called or came to share with us as well.

i'it was a blessing to get up with our kids this morning -- to begin a new week, and this new year a little more grateful for God's gifts and blessings.

one truly great thought

as i wrapped up McManus' book, i came across a great thought that has to be shared. if you haven't yet bought the book "The Barbarian Way," do so. McManus' discussion on the church and the believer ought to be required reading for all who want so much more from their own personal faith experience, as well as wanting more for the church

towards the end of the book, McManus writes this:
"...most groups of animals have unique names or designations when they dwell together. with insects, most of us know that bees are called swarms, and ants are called colonies. among ocean life, i was aware that whales are pods, and fish are schools. cattle are herds, birds are flocks, and if you watch Lion King you know a tribe of lions is a pride. if you grew up in the country, you might know that crows are murders. maybe the most unnerving one is an ambush of tigers.
i was surprsised to learn that a group of buzzards waiting around together to feast on leftover carnage is called a committee. just this one insight is worth the price of the book. this explains so much of what's going on in churches--a lot of committees waiting around to live off human carnage.
...but my favorite of all is the group designation for rhinos."

(to find out why rhino's are his favorite designation, you'll have to read the book.)

my father-in-law has a little figure that sets on his desk or bookshelf that says, "for God so loved the world, that He didn't send a committee." now we know why.

viva la revolution

i'm about to finish Erwin McManus' latest book. i had hesitated to buy it because i knew that it would be an extrapolation of a message i heard him give a few years ago in Atlanta. however, it is such an amazingly good and compelling message, that i had to at least read what i knew again, while enjoying the parts i had never heard/seen before.

anyway, The Barbarian Way is the call to be the church that was founded, before it became a part of civilized culture. to be the redemptive and revolutionary movement of light against darkness, not the passive going through the motions institution it has tended to become.

in the book, McManus writes about an uprising -- an uprising that i've seen glimpses of througout this summer as i've interacted with believers from two continents, different races/ethnicities, and each generation. the uprising is the burning in our spirits from, i believe, the fire of the Holy Spirit Himself -- a burning to refine what we've become and to become something more, something much more

"Two thousand years ago God started a revolt against the religion He started. So don't ever put it past God to cause a groundswell movement against churches and Christian institutions that bear His name. If He was willing to turn Judaism upside down, don't think for a moment our institutions are safe from a divine revolt. I am convinced that even now there are multitudes of followers of Jesus Christ who are sick and tired of the church playing games and playing down the call of God. My travels only confirm that the murmurings of revolution are everywhere. I am convinced that there is an uprising in the works and that no one less than God is behind it."