October 9, 2008 8:20 am
Greetings to all:
I just spent an hour and twenty minutes writing two pages of updates on my life and then did not get them transferred to the blog. You see I usually write them in Word and then bring them over to the blog. Well I don't know what happened but it did not make it to the blog and I do not have time to redo the entire think. So "hello" and "good-bye"! Praise the Lord because God is still good - all the time! All the time - God is good! I will try to get on soon and write again.
Have a positive day, take care, and God bless.
Jack
John 3:16
09 October 2008
18 September 2008
Greetings:
Yes, I am still around and think about all of you more often than you may realize. Many, many times I have said to my self that I needed to publish on the blog but have been to tired to do so. I probably should not be doing this now, because I have a very busy day and really need to get to the office, but just feel lead to let you all know a little.
August and September so far, have been very busy months. I took two more weeks vacation in August so that for the first time since we came to Peru I have used almost all of my vacation time. I receive 5 weeks and so far I have taken 4 of them. When Marty only got 2 weeks, I don't believe that I ever took more than 3 weeks vacation and then I lost the rest. The first week in August Buddy and I went to the local state park and I did about 107 of the 140 thank you notes that I needed to do. I am hoping to have the rest of them done the end of this month. During that week I was also in the office every day because of one of the churches that I am the chairperson of the Administrative Commission for because they are leaving our denomination. The second week I went to Jennifer's and took the boys camping for a couple of days. That was really fun and I think they had a good time as well. At least we had a fire each night and sure enjoyed the some-mores. Although a number of them were quite black, it almost seemed like there was something fun about setting them on fire and then blowing them out. God is good - all the time. All the time - God is good.
I am not sure how to do it and will have to find out, but I now have some pictures of Buddy riding the motorcycle with me. We went on a Blue Knights poker run, for the start of the United Way for this year and a number of people took pictures, so I finally got some. We rode 62 miles that day and it was great. I had to brake off a little early because the newspaper editor had challenged me as to who could raise the most $ in the dunk tank - thank you Lord is was a very nice sunny day that was not to cold or to hot. A fine time was had by all, I raised a few more $ than he did (believe me just 2 or 3) and together we raise over $125 for United Way. Praise the Lord!
Things at church have been moving along and the Fall programs are getting under way. The support group has gotten started again and we are opening it to the community. We are calling it T.L.C. - that is for "Talk, Listen, and Care." I am also working on a few programs for Oct. and Nov. that will speak to the question "What do you say when....?" Some of the "when's" are: someone is diagnosed with a terminal illness, when someone has a miscarriage, someone dies, and someone gets a divorce. The speakers will all be people who have been through these things. I am really feeling that God is leading me to do this to help people become more willing and able to talk about these subjects and minister to people that are going through them. I still say that the death of a spouse is most difficult and it is so hard to find people that are willing to talk about it and help you out. I believe that a big part of my ministry to come will deal with that subject. Just the other day I was talking to someone at Wabash College, who wants to talk to me more about the subject and has some really good ideas on how I might spread the word and help people to understand the need.
Well, I wasn't even going to write this much, but each time I get start writing I realize how much I have to catch you all up on and I don't really have time to do it. It is a lot easier to do in the morning rather than so late at night. So maybe I will have to try to do this more often.
Before sign off I must say that God is so good - all the time. All the time - God is so good. Without God in my life I really do not know what I would be doing. So many time and so many ways God is there and guiding me. God is so awesome and gracious. When there are those times that are so hard I feel God's presence and encouragement. A number of those time, and I believe it is a God thing, that God puts in my presence someone that will listen, talk, and care. Praise the Lord! And all the time God will show me the beauty of God's natural creation that is so beautiful and for me such a reminder that God is so awesome and gracious. Praise the Lord! When Buddy and I are out camping that is particularly true for me. Indeed I do still feel so close to God when camping and still have the love for it. And I do not believe that Buddy minds going at all. In fact I know that really enjoys the walks - more than he get when we are home. And yes Buddy seems to be making the adjustments in his life fairly well. He does seem to be going through a stage right now that he does not want to leave me. To me there is no question that he misses Marty and is not afraid that I am going to leave him. Of course the other side of that coin is that I have spoiled him even more and I take him with me so many places that I go and of course he loves it.
See what I mean about having more to say, and I havn't even said anything about being on standby with ISP to go to the Gulf Coast and then to Texas. I will have to save all of that for another time because I must stop know and proof this so I can get to the office - so take it as it is.
Have a positive day, take care, and God bless.
Jack
Romans 8:28
Yes, I am still around and think about all of you more often than you may realize. Many, many times I have said to my self that I needed to publish on the blog but have been to tired to do so. I probably should not be doing this now, because I have a very busy day and really need to get to the office, but just feel lead to let you all know a little.
August and September so far, have been very busy months. I took two more weeks vacation in August so that for the first time since we came to Peru I have used almost all of my vacation time. I receive 5 weeks and so far I have taken 4 of them. When Marty only got 2 weeks, I don't believe that I ever took more than 3 weeks vacation and then I lost the rest. The first week in August Buddy and I went to the local state park and I did about 107 of the 140 thank you notes that I needed to do. I am hoping to have the rest of them done the end of this month. During that week I was also in the office every day because of one of the churches that I am the chairperson of the Administrative Commission for because they are leaving our denomination. The second week I went to Jennifer's and took the boys camping for a couple of days. That was really fun and I think they had a good time as well. At least we had a fire each night and sure enjoyed the some-mores. Although a number of them were quite black, it almost seemed like there was something fun about setting them on fire and then blowing them out. God is good - all the time. All the time - God is good.
I am not sure how to do it and will have to find out, but I now have some pictures of Buddy riding the motorcycle with me. We went on a Blue Knights poker run, for the start of the United Way for this year and a number of people took pictures, so I finally got some. We rode 62 miles that day and it was great. I had to brake off a little early because the newspaper editor had challenged me as to who could raise the most $ in the dunk tank - thank you Lord is was a very nice sunny day that was not to cold or to hot. A fine time was had by all, I raised a few more $ than he did (believe me just 2 or 3) and together we raise over $125 for United Way. Praise the Lord!
Things at church have been moving along and the Fall programs are getting under way. The support group has gotten started again and we are opening it to the community. We are calling it T.L.C. - that is for "Talk, Listen, and Care." I am also working on a few programs for Oct. and Nov. that will speak to the question "What do you say when....?" Some of the "when's" are: someone is diagnosed with a terminal illness, when someone has a miscarriage, someone dies, and someone gets a divorce. The speakers will all be people who have been through these things. I am really feeling that God is leading me to do this to help people become more willing and able to talk about these subjects and minister to people that are going through them. I still say that the death of a spouse is most difficult and it is so hard to find people that are willing to talk about it and help you out. I believe that a big part of my ministry to come will deal with that subject. Just the other day I was talking to someone at Wabash College, who wants to talk to me more about the subject and has some really good ideas on how I might spread the word and help people to understand the need.
Well, I wasn't even going to write this much, but each time I get start writing I realize how much I have to catch you all up on and I don't really have time to do it. It is a lot easier to do in the morning rather than so late at night. So maybe I will have to try to do this more often.
Before sign off I must say that God is so good - all the time. All the time - God is so good. Without God in my life I really do not know what I would be doing. So many time and so many ways God is there and guiding me. God is so awesome and gracious. When there are those times that are so hard I feel God's presence and encouragement. A number of those time, and I believe it is a God thing, that God puts in my presence someone that will listen, talk, and care. Praise the Lord! And all the time God will show me the beauty of God's natural creation that is so beautiful and for me such a reminder that God is so awesome and gracious. Praise the Lord! When Buddy and I are out camping that is particularly true for me. Indeed I do still feel so close to God when camping and still have the love for it. And I do not believe that Buddy minds going at all. In fact I know that really enjoys the walks - more than he get when we are home. And yes Buddy seems to be making the adjustments in his life fairly well. He does seem to be going through a stage right now that he does not want to leave me. To me there is no question that he misses Marty and is not afraid that I am going to leave him. Of course the other side of that coin is that I have spoiled him even more and I take him with me so many places that I go and of course he loves it.
See what I mean about having more to say, and I havn't even said anything about being on standby with ISP to go to the Gulf Coast and then to Texas. I will have to save all of that for another time because I must stop know and proof this so I can get to the office - so take it as it is.
Have a positive day, take care, and God bless.
Jack
Romans 8:28
29 July 2008
Greeting to All!
I hope that all of you are doing well! I really appreciate the comments that I have received recently that people have enjoyed the blog and are missing it since I have not written on it for so long. It has indeed been a while since I have written because since the middle of May I have really been busy. God is good - all the time! All the time - God is good! Let me try to catch you all up on a few of the things going on.
The end of May I took a continuing education week to finish up some things that I need to do for the workshop I was at the end of April. That week went very well and Buddy and I even spent some of it at the State Park about 12 miles from here. That week when the weather clear up, about Wednesday, we went out there and stayed until Friday. Then on Saturday I went to Indy with Buddy and the motor home, to the home of the ISP full time paid chaplain. His wife and children took care of Buddy while the chaplain and I went to the 500. What an experience!!!!! On Saturday night Georgetown Road is something else!!!!! Until the people take over the road, there are car, motorcycles, etc. traveling both ways, and people everywhere you look, most of them with bottles and cans in there hands. All along the road there are campers, etc. as well as food vendors, etc. It is a regular carnival at best. We stayed down there until about 1 am went back got a couple hours sleep, cleaned up and at 5 am were in route back to the track. We went all over the place with troopers and by ourselves. I spent most of the race in pit row, watching the race on the screen, and paying more attention to what was going on the the pits. It was really interesting and quite an experience.
June was a busy month with VBS, which I did not have to teach this year, but was around all week. And working on a number of the details with two of the churches that are wanting to leave our denomination that I am chairperson for the presbyteries administrative commission to recommend to the full presbytery how this should be done. The Book of Order is very clear about it, which we are following and are also looking at what is best for the ministry and mission of the presbytery. So it is an interesting task and one that will be on going for a while.
The last Friday of June until the 4th of July, Erin, Eric, and I went on a trip to Pittsburgh, Murrysville, Cincinnati, and Lexington. We traveled over 1100 miles in the motor home and had a great time. We visited three cemeteries, and two amusement parks for 3 days. I had not been to my or Marty's parents graves for a couple of years so that was really the reason for the trip. But then how do you take a 7 year old to those places without taking them somewhere for FUN. So in Pittsburgh we went to Kennywood which is the park that I went to for school picnics all through my public schooling. It rained the day we were there but it still was fun. We put rain gear on and kept on going as long as the rides did. Then we went to Kings Island and Eric and Erin went to the park two days but I only went one, because the other I went to my bothers grave in Lexington, KY. Again the second day at K I, when I was there, it rained. But again it did not stop us for long. During the rain we tried to ride the inside rides and then when it stopped we went back out. There was a late storm and they did close the park about an hour and a half early, but we were all tired and ready to go. So praise the Lord, a good time was had by all.
Then the first full week in July, Eric was still off work so mid week he came back over and we did some needed maintenance and completed some work he had started on the house. I hope to have it up for sale by fall if not sooner. It is a lot to take care of. I know that Marty is very unhappy with me because of all the weeds in the flower beds and because I have not been keep her birds feed. There are just not enough hours in the day, or days in the week to get done what I need to do.
Oh yes, I need to tell you, if you have not heard, that I have a rider on the motorcycle with me. It is really awesome. We don't get out as much as we would like to. but when we do we both really enjoy it. And who is it that loves to go with me - Buddy! Yes, Buddy rides on the back seat of the bike and just loves it. In fact, if I am getting ready to take the bike out and not take him, he will jump up on the front seat as if to say, "If I can't go, you are not going either!" That happened one time that Eric and Erin where here and they both about cracked up laughing at him. I do have a helmet and goggles for him, but like most bike riders he does not like them and most of the time does not wear them, and when he does it is under protest. I do have a seat belt on him, but he loves it. Most of the time he sits there and looks and smells from side to side. Sometimes he will have his front paws on the arm rests to look around and smell things a little better. We have had cars pass us and then slow down to see if what they though they saw they really did see. We do indeed have a great time riding. I have made several trips to Defiance on the bike, to a couple of Erin's ball games, but I have not taken Buddy that far as of now. His time will come, as I believe he could make it.
Also during July I spent a couple of days in southern IN helping with the flood victims. They did get hit pretty bad, but certainly did not have the structural damage that there was in New Orleans, but the mud and mess were all there. It was an interesting time and I hope helpful. Our ISP full time chaplain was sure glad to have some help. I think there were 3 or 4 of us who went at different times to help.
Then last Friday afternoon I went to Speedway again for the practice sessions for the Brickyard 400. What an experience again! It was awesome! I talked to several of the drivers and more than a half dozen of the crew members. I saw a lot and learned a lot. One of the crews changed the engine in the car in about one hour and had the car back on the track. It was something else to watch. On the troopers that I was with had met some crew folks last year and we went back to see them. Bottom line is that I watched the cars go around the track for about 20 minutes and then spent the other 2 hours in the area where the cars where coming and going for adjustments. It was a good afternoon.
Well as you can see I have not had much grass growing under my feet. I am planning to take 2 more weeks off in August - the week of the 12th and then the next week. I have reservations to camp the first week and not sure what will happen the second week. It just seemed to make sense to me that I need to face that time straight on and not try to hid under the escape of being busy. I don't really expect anything magical to happen just because it will have been a year since Marty died, but I am hoping that some of the anxiety and frustration of the grief process will be over and/or I will be able to deal with in some way during those two weeks. But then again one of the most difficult things that I have experienced and that I have talked to others about and they say the same thing, is that friends and even family seem to move on much faster than the spouse, and then there is not the support for the spouse that there needs to be. I was recently talking to one grieving spouse who went to church on the Sunday following the funeral, and sat completely by themselves. No one moved from their seat and sat with this person, even though they knew that there spouse that they always sat with had died. The other thing that is so sad and I believe I mentioned this in the last blog is that people don't like to talk about death, nor really ask a grieving person how their grieving is coming along. I know that I sound like a broken record, but believe me these things hurt.
I have talked to a couple of people that have been through very difficult situation and this fall I am hoping and planning to have a series of programs under the title "What do you say when....?"
then fell that in with such things as: when someone dies; when someone has a miscarriage; when someone is arrested; when someone has a pet die; when someone is divorced and didn't want to be; and there are a couple of others on the list on my desk that I will choose from. This all came out of a conservation with a couple other people when we were talking about how difficult we tend to find it to talk about some subjects. Then we started to think about what those topic were. Those folks were so excited about such a series of programs that two of them called me later to mention some other subjects that fit the bill. The bottom line is that we thought of more topic than we have time to talk about this fall. So I plan to pick four or five of them and get people who have experienced the topic to talk about it. I already have two people who have said they will do it. "Locals" watch for details. Praise the Lord!
Eric has found a house in Defiance and is waiting to close on it. It will be great when he gets in, but it is a "fix me up" so he will have a lot of work to do. But he is good at it and likes to do it. So he and Erin have their work cut out for them. Eric is doing a great job of teaching her how to cook and to do other things.
Jennifer and the boys have spent the last 3 or 4 weeks in TN taking care of her in-laws. When she went down both of them were admitted to the hospital. Both of them are now home and home health is coming in to help care for them. Actually, Jennifer and I have only left messages for each other since last Thursday, so I am really not up to date on what is happening. All I know it has been a difficult time for all concerned. Please keep them in your prayers.
Well I better end this so I can try to spell check and proof read this so I can get to bed before this day is over. Tomorrow is going to be another very busy day in which I hope to be able to glorify the Lord in all that I do. Praise the Lord!!!!
Buddy just woke up long enough to come over and get up on my lap, so I guess that he wants to say "HI!" as well. I think that probably before long he will start barking at me to tell me that he is tired and come on let's go to bed. When I stay up to late that is what he does to me. Marty trained him well and he really watches after me. Praise the Lord!! And I know that you are saying "Someone better watch after me!" OK, Ok, ok!
I hope this has brought you at least a little up to date and given you some idea of what I have been doing and maybe even a little as to how I am doing.
Let me hear from you as well. Do take care, have a positive day, and God bless.
Jack
Romans 8:28
PS I feel like I ought to proof read it again, but I also feel like I am looking at it crossed eyed. So it will be published as is and I am going to bed. I hope there are still not too many errors.
I hope that all of you are doing well! I really appreciate the comments that I have received recently that people have enjoyed the blog and are missing it since I have not written on it for so long. It has indeed been a while since I have written because since the middle of May I have really been busy. God is good - all the time! All the time - God is good! Let me try to catch you all up on a few of the things going on.
The end of May I took a continuing education week to finish up some things that I need to do for the workshop I was at the end of April. That week went very well and Buddy and I even spent some of it at the State Park about 12 miles from here. That week when the weather clear up, about Wednesday, we went out there and stayed until Friday. Then on Saturday I went to Indy with Buddy and the motor home, to the home of the ISP full time paid chaplain. His wife and children took care of Buddy while the chaplain and I went to the 500. What an experience!!!!! On Saturday night Georgetown Road is something else!!!!! Until the people take over the road, there are car, motorcycles, etc. traveling both ways, and people everywhere you look, most of them with bottles and cans in there hands. All along the road there are campers, etc. as well as food vendors, etc. It is a regular carnival at best. We stayed down there until about 1 am went back got a couple hours sleep, cleaned up and at 5 am were in route back to the track. We went all over the place with troopers and by ourselves. I spent most of the race in pit row, watching the race on the screen, and paying more attention to what was going on the the pits. It was really interesting and quite an experience.
June was a busy month with VBS, which I did not have to teach this year, but was around all week. And working on a number of the details with two of the churches that are wanting to leave our denomination that I am chairperson for the presbyteries administrative commission to recommend to the full presbytery how this should be done. The Book of Order is very clear about it, which we are following and are also looking at what is best for the ministry and mission of the presbytery. So it is an interesting task and one that will be on going for a while.
The last Friday of June until the 4th of July, Erin, Eric, and I went on a trip to Pittsburgh, Murrysville, Cincinnati, and Lexington. We traveled over 1100 miles in the motor home and had a great time. We visited three cemeteries, and two amusement parks for 3 days. I had not been to my or Marty's parents graves for a couple of years so that was really the reason for the trip. But then how do you take a 7 year old to those places without taking them somewhere for FUN. So in Pittsburgh we went to Kennywood which is the park that I went to for school picnics all through my public schooling. It rained the day we were there but it still was fun. We put rain gear on and kept on going as long as the rides did. Then we went to Kings Island and Eric and Erin went to the park two days but I only went one, because the other I went to my bothers grave in Lexington, KY. Again the second day at K I, when I was there, it rained. But again it did not stop us for long. During the rain we tried to ride the inside rides and then when it stopped we went back out. There was a late storm and they did close the park about an hour and a half early, but we were all tired and ready to go. So praise the Lord, a good time was had by all.
Then the first full week in July, Eric was still off work so mid week he came back over and we did some needed maintenance and completed some work he had started on the house. I hope to have it up for sale by fall if not sooner. It is a lot to take care of. I know that Marty is very unhappy with me because of all the weeds in the flower beds and because I have not been keep her birds feed. There are just not enough hours in the day, or days in the week to get done what I need to do.
Oh yes, I need to tell you, if you have not heard, that I have a rider on the motorcycle with me. It is really awesome. We don't get out as much as we would like to. but when we do we both really enjoy it. And who is it that loves to go with me - Buddy! Yes, Buddy rides on the back seat of the bike and just loves it. In fact, if I am getting ready to take the bike out and not take him, he will jump up on the front seat as if to say, "If I can't go, you are not going either!" That happened one time that Eric and Erin where here and they both about cracked up laughing at him. I do have a helmet and goggles for him, but like most bike riders he does not like them and most of the time does not wear them, and when he does it is under protest. I do have a seat belt on him, but he loves it. Most of the time he sits there and looks and smells from side to side. Sometimes he will have his front paws on the arm rests to look around and smell things a little better. We have had cars pass us and then slow down to see if what they though they saw they really did see. We do indeed have a great time riding. I have made several trips to Defiance on the bike, to a couple of Erin's ball games, but I have not taken Buddy that far as of now. His time will come, as I believe he could make it.
Also during July I spent a couple of days in southern IN helping with the flood victims. They did get hit pretty bad, but certainly did not have the structural damage that there was in New Orleans, but the mud and mess were all there. It was an interesting time and I hope helpful. Our ISP full time chaplain was sure glad to have some help. I think there were 3 or 4 of us who went at different times to help.
Then last Friday afternoon I went to Speedway again for the practice sessions for the Brickyard 400. What an experience again! It was awesome! I talked to several of the drivers and more than a half dozen of the crew members. I saw a lot and learned a lot. One of the crews changed the engine in the car in about one hour and had the car back on the track. It was something else to watch. On the troopers that I was with had met some crew folks last year and we went back to see them. Bottom line is that I watched the cars go around the track for about 20 minutes and then spent the other 2 hours in the area where the cars where coming and going for adjustments. It was a good afternoon.
Well as you can see I have not had much grass growing under my feet. I am planning to take 2 more weeks off in August - the week of the 12th and then the next week. I have reservations to camp the first week and not sure what will happen the second week. It just seemed to make sense to me that I need to face that time straight on and not try to hid under the escape of being busy. I don't really expect anything magical to happen just because it will have been a year since Marty died, but I am hoping that some of the anxiety and frustration of the grief process will be over and/or I will be able to deal with in some way during those two weeks. But then again one of the most difficult things that I have experienced and that I have talked to others about and they say the same thing, is that friends and even family seem to move on much faster than the spouse, and then there is not the support for the spouse that there needs to be. I was recently talking to one grieving spouse who went to church on the Sunday following the funeral, and sat completely by themselves. No one moved from their seat and sat with this person, even though they knew that there spouse that they always sat with had died. The other thing that is so sad and I believe I mentioned this in the last blog is that people don't like to talk about death, nor really ask a grieving person how their grieving is coming along. I know that I sound like a broken record, but believe me these things hurt.
I have talked to a couple of people that have been through very difficult situation and this fall I am hoping and planning to have a series of programs under the title "What do you say when....?"
then fell that in with such things as: when someone dies; when someone has a miscarriage; when someone is arrested; when someone has a pet die; when someone is divorced and didn't want to be; and there are a couple of others on the list on my desk that I will choose from. This all came out of a conservation with a couple other people when we were talking about how difficult we tend to find it to talk about some subjects. Then we started to think about what those topic were. Those folks were so excited about such a series of programs that two of them called me later to mention some other subjects that fit the bill. The bottom line is that we thought of more topic than we have time to talk about this fall. So I plan to pick four or five of them and get people who have experienced the topic to talk about it. I already have two people who have said they will do it. "Locals" watch for details. Praise the Lord!
Eric has found a house in Defiance and is waiting to close on it. It will be great when he gets in, but it is a "fix me up" so he will have a lot of work to do. But he is good at it and likes to do it. So he and Erin have their work cut out for them. Eric is doing a great job of teaching her how to cook and to do other things.
Jennifer and the boys have spent the last 3 or 4 weeks in TN taking care of her in-laws. When she went down both of them were admitted to the hospital. Both of them are now home and home health is coming in to help care for them. Actually, Jennifer and I have only left messages for each other since last Thursday, so I am really not up to date on what is happening. All I know it has been a difficult time for all concerned. Please keep them in your prayers.
Well I better end this so I can try to spell check and proof read this so I can get to bed before this day is over. Tomorrow is going to be another very busy day in which I hope to be able to glorify the Lord in all that I do. Praise the Lord!!!!
Buddy just woke up long enough to come over and get up on my lap, so I guess that he wants to say "HI!" as well. I think that probably before long he will start barking at me to tell me that he is tired and come on let's go to bed. When I stay up to late that is what he does to me. Marty trained him well and he really watches after me. Praise the Lord!! And I know that you are saying "Someone better watch after me!" OK, Ok, ok!
I hope this has brought you at least a little up to date and given you some idea of what I have been doing and maybe even a little as to how I am doing.
Let me hear from you as well. Do take care, have a positive day, and God bless.
Jack
Romans 8:28
PS I feel like I ought to proof read it again, but I also feel like I am looking at it crossed eyed. So it will be published as is and I am going to bed. I hope there are still not too many errors.
19 May 2008
Greetings to all!
I do hope there are still some looking every once in a while to see if I have put anything on. I know over the last week to ten days I have talked to a lot of people, more than I thought, who were reading the blog before I haven't put any thing on for almost two months. I am sorry about that, but I have been in a super busy mood and a few things have fell by the way side and this was one of them. Again since I have indeed received so many comments I will try to do better about getting something on on a more regular basis.
Where to begin tonight, or should I say this morning, since it is now 12:30 am, is a hard thing to say. So very much has been going on, and I really don't know where to begin to tell you all about it but I guess I will say that I feel like I am doing pretty good in my grief and transition process. At church this morning I was telling people that if I was any better there would be three of me and then would they have problems. And I have indeed been feeling very tired but emotionally and spiritually quiet good.
Eric and Erin where here for the week-end and I went back to Defiance with them long enough to go to a graduation party and then to the cemetery and then home. The party was awesome and it was so good to talk to the graduate and family as well as to see many old friends. It sure is one way to see and talk to a lot of people in a short time. I praise the Lord for this afternoon.
Then I went to the cementer and sat by Marty's grave for about 45 minutes or an hour. It was a good time of reflection and meditation. But first I would report that they have gotten the dirt all leveled and the grass seed sown. I was very grateful for that, since Marty was so clean and neat about things, I know the sight of the grave previously would not have made her very happy. So at least now she would be happy with that has been done and would be waiting for the grass to grow, just as I am. Tonight I went over a lot of things with Marty and God, and I didn't get to many answers. I think my mind was too preoccupied with my questions and statements and not wanting to forget any of them, that I did not leave myself open to LISTEN. but perhaps that can still happen tonight before and/or when I go to bed. At any rate, I do not believe that tonight's visit to the grave left me any worse, and no doubt better particularly with the washing that my eyes got. Indeed I hope it will make them clear to be able to see and do God's will.
It is still somewhat of a problem for me, and with me, as to the way our society treats and deals with death and grief. For people like me in particular and all people in general I BELIEVE THAT GRIEF IS VERY COLD, UNFRIENDLY, AND LONELY. Particularly when it is a spouse and you have no other family in the same town and/or within say a half hour driving time. And the reason I say this is that the grieving person must talk about the one who has died, and believe most people do not what to listen and/or talk about that subject. As I read in one of the books that I read for the Lenten presentation of "Dying, Death, and Grief" there are certain things with grief that all people must do and one of those things is to learn to talk about it and find people that will listen. This is somewhat of a new aspect of grief and most people are not very good in doing either thing. You see we are so afraid of "hurting" someone that we do not help them to heal, we just let it all ride, to be worked out by the individual. And the individual is so tired of having people walk away from them before they are done that they do not even like to begin the conservation. And this has not just been my experience but I have heard the same thing for all of those that I have talked to that are going through grief right now and that is 10 -12 people that I know and have talked to.
So what is the difference, the problem? In the book it was pointed out that much less than even 100 years ago, when a person was sick and dying they stayed at home and the extended family took care of them. This included from the youngest to the oldest. When the death occurred it was with the entire extended family, from youngest to oldest, gathered around. And who was involved in the grief process the entire family from the youngest to the oldest. So you see they all experienced the entire thing because it all took place as home, even the visitation and the memorial service, and even the smallest of children were not shield from it for fear it might hurt and/or frighten them. Therefore these people were willing and able to talk and communicate about the entire situation. But today we shield our children for all of it and do not communicate with them and now today as a society we cannot communicate about dying, death, and grief because we don't know what to say. That I strongly believe is why grief is so "cold" and so hard for so many to deal with.
As for me, well most of you know me, and what have I done here is to just speak what I believe God is telling me to. And I feel very strongly that God is telling me to be about the necessary communication about the situation that is needed for healing, even if no one really wants to listen, and if it makes them feel uncomfortable. And if they make me cry that is good, because Jesus showed us by example that that is part of the healing. So no one should fear a grieving person that lets go of a few tears because that is a good thing.
One of the things that I have really learned is that there are a lot more people out there that are still grieving 5, 10, 15 years down the road from the death that I ever knew about. You see they have had to hide their grief, because no one in our society, besides a paid counselor, really wanted to listen, to hear, and to learn about what they were really going through. Further, I would have to say that this experience with Marty has been much, much harder than any of the other deaths that I have had to deal with in my life. And I would say that a part of that has been caused by the fact that I have not had anyone to really talk with about it, like I did with Marty when we had other deaths occur.
Also tonight I almost through the cell phone away and at least learned that I need to turn it off or take it off when in serious dealing with the situation. For as I sat at Marty's grave tonight and meditated and talked to Marty and to God and remembered the cell phone rang, and of course I answered it and even though I told the person where I was and what I was doing they proceeded with their question and their problem. That then messed it all up for me, as I was not able to get back to where I was because of what had happened.
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! I do have to say that despite society I believe that I am doing well in the grief process. Again as you read this you may not agree, but as I have said we must talk about what is going on and where we are in order to heal, and that I am able to do with any one who will listen. And what is + and - about the blog is that I can "talk" (write) but I really don't know if anyone has listen (read) unless I do get some feed back. And I would indeed by interested in getting that from any and all that are willing to share.
Well, I was going to be "short" and here it is an hour later. So I better spell check this writing and read it over so I can get to bed. Buddy is already trying to get me to go to bed and he is going to have a fit it I don't pretty soon. In fact he just told me again to go to bed by barking at me and when I did not respond he just turned and went into the bed room himself. God is good- all the time! All the time - God is good. Praise the Lord, all ways! I do have a lot more I could share about what I have been doing and I hope to get back on soon and do just that. Until then:
Take care, have a positive day, and God bless.
Jack
Romans 8:28
PS Particularly as late as it is I add a disclaimer, or maybe I should say a claim that I did write it, spelled checked it, read it over, therefore take no responsibility for any errors found in this writing. So may it be! Amen!
I do hope there are still some looking every once in a while to see if I have put anything on. I know over the last week to ten days I have talked to a lot of people, more than I thought, who were reading the blog before I haven't put any thing on for almost two months. I am sorry about that, but I have been in a super busy mood and a few things have fell by the way side and this was one of them. Again since I have indeed received so many comments I will try to do better about getting something on on a more regular basis.
Where to begin tonight, or should I say this morning, since it is now 12:30 am, is a hard thing to say. So very much has been going on, and I really don't know where to begin to tell you all about it but I guess I will say that I feel like I am doing pretty good in my grief and transition process. At church this morning I was telling people that if I was any better there would be three of me and then would they have problems. And I have indeed been feeling very tired but emotionally and spiritually quiet good.
Eric and Erin where here for the week-end and I went back to Defiance with them long enough to go to a graduation party and then to the cemetery and then home. The party was awesome and it was so good to talk to the graduate and family as well as to see many old friends. It sure is one way to see and talk to a lot of people in a short time. I praise the Lord for this afternoon.
Then I went to the cementer and sat by Marty's grave for about 45 minutes or an hour. It was a good time of reflection and meditation. But first I would report that they have gotten the dirt all leveled and the grass seed sown. I was very grateful for that, since Marty was so clean and neat about things, I know the sight of the grave previously would not have made her very happy. So at least now she would be happy with that has been done and would be waiting for the grass to grow, just as I am. Tonight I went over a lot of things with Marty and God, and I didn't get to many answers. I think my mind was too preoccupied with my questions and statements and not wanting to forget any of them, that I did not leave myself open to LISTEN. but perhaps that can still happen tonight before and/or when I go to bed. At any rate, I do not believe that tonight's visit to the grave left me any worse, and no doubt better particularly with the washing that my eyes got. Indeed I hope it will make them clear to be able to see and do God's will.
It is still somewhat of a problem for me, and with me, as to the way our society treats and deals with death and grief. For people like me in particular and all people in general I BELIEVE THAT GRIEF IS VERY COLD, UNFRIENDLY, AND LONELY. Particularly when it is a spouse and you have no other family in the same town and/or within say a half hour driving time. And the reason I say this is that the grieving person must talk about the one who has died, and believe most people do not what to listen and/or talk about that subject. As I read in one of the books that I read for the Lenten presentation of "Dying, Death, and Grief" there are certain things with grief that all people must do and one of those things is to learn to talk about it and find people that will listen. This is somewhat of a new aspect of grief and most people are not very good in doing either thing. You see we are so afraid of "hurting" someone that we do not help them to heal, we just let it all ride, to be worked out by the individual. And the individual is so tired of having people walk away from them before they are done that they do not even like to begin the conservation. And this has not just been my experience but I have heard the same thing for all of those that I have talked to that are going through grief right now and that is 10 -12 people that I know and have talked to.
So what is the difference, the problem? In the book it was pointed out that much less than even 100 years ago, when a person was sick and dying they stayed at home and the extended family took care of them. This included from the youngest to the oldest. When the death occurred it was with the entire extended family, from youngest to oldest, gathered around. And who was involved in the grief process the entire family from the youngest to the oldest. So you see they all experienced the entire thing because it all took place as home, even the visitation and the memorial service, and even the smallest of children were not shield from it for fear it might hurt and/or frighten them. Therefore these people were willing and able to talk and communicate about the entire situation. But today we shield our children for all of it and do not communicate with them and now today as a society we cannot communicate about dying, death, and grief because we don't know what to say. That I strongly believe is why grief is so "cold" and so hard for so many to deal with.
As for me, well most of you know me, and what have I done here is to just speak what I believe God is telling me to. And I feel very strongly that God is telling me to be about the necessary communication about the situation that is needed for healing, even if no one really wants to listen, and if it makes them feel uncomfortable. And if they make me cry that is good, because Jesus showed us by example that that is part of the healing. So no one should fear a grieving person that lets go of a few tears because that is a good thing.
One of the things that I have really learned is that there are a lot more people out there that are still grieving 5, 10, 15 years down the road from the death that I ever knew about. You see they have had to hide their grief, because no one in our society, besides a paid counselor, really wanted to listen, to hear, and to learn about what they were really going through. Further, I would have to say that this experience with Marty has been much, much harder than any of the other deaths that I have had to deal with in my life. And I would say that a part of that has been caused by the fact that I have not had anyone to really talk with about it, like I did with Marty when we had other deaths occur.
Also tonight I almost through the cell phone away and at least learned that I need to turn it off or take it off when in serious dealing with the situation. For as I sat at Marty's grave tonight and meditated and talked to Marty and to God and remembered the cell phone rang, and of course I answered it and even though I told the person where I was and what I was doing they proceeded with their question and their problem. That then messed it all up for me, as I was not able to get back to where I was because of what had happened.
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! I do have to say that despite society I believe that I am doing well in the grief process. Again as you read this you may not agree, but as I have said we must talk about what is going on and where we are in order to heal, and that I am able to do with any one who will listen. And what is + and - about the blog is that I can "talk" (write) but I really don't know if anyone has listen (read) unless I do get some feed back. And I would indeed by interested in getting that from any and all that are willing to share.
Well, I was going to be "short" and here it is an hour later. So I better spell check this writing and read it over so I can get to bed. Buddy is already trying to get me to go to bed and he is going to have a fit it I don't pretty soon. In fact he just told me again to go to bed by barking at me and when I did not respond he just turned and went into the bed room himself. God is good- all the time! All the time - God is good. Praise the Lord, all ways! I do have a lot more I could share about what I have been doing and I hope to get back on soon and do just that. Until then:
Take care, have a positive day, and God bless.
Jack
Romans 8:28
PS Particularly as late as it is I add a disclaimer, or maybe I should say a claim that I did write it, spelled checked it, read it over, therefore take no responsibility for any errors found in this writing. So may it be! Amen!
24 March 2008
Greeting!
It sure has been a long time since I have written anything, and it is late tonight so I don’t think I will write too much. I hope that all of you are doing well and have had a meaningful Lent and Easter. There are so many of you that I do hope are watching for this and reading it because I do think of you so often and wonder how you are doing. On the other hand, I know it must be hard to look, and look, and look and find that I have not written anything. I would say that I will do better in the future, but I am so busy and usually get home so tired at night that I don’t think it would be fair to promise that. I will only say that I will try to do better.
I am doing okay! I do believe that I am progressing with the grief process and finding days to be better and the see/saw not quiet as bad. My Lent and Holy Week were very busy but indeed the Lord has been present and has been good to me. The sessions that I did on Dying, Death, and Grief I think went well. Had any where from 9 to 14 people at a session and indeed get some discussion at the last couple sessions, all of which was good. Most all of those who attended did so because of a specific death of a loved one and I hope received some help. I had hoped that there would also be some there just to learn and talk a little more about the subject. But that is a part of the problem in our day and age; we just don’t want to talk about death. The material that I read in preparation said the same thing and also said, as I so strongly believe, that it is really necessary for the person who is grieving to talk. To develop their story and to be able to tell it! Oh well I believe God wanted to me to the class and I did it. I will remain open for what ever is next.
We really had a great Holy Week at church which I do believe a number of the members found to be very meaningful and helpful in their spiritual growth. Praise the Lord! I just pray for all of us that we find a new and better relationship with God because of this Easter 2008. What a gift and opportunity God has given to us, I hope that no matter our age or situation we will each take advantage of it.
Eric and Erin were here for the week-end and it was good to have them. They were able to arrive on Thursday night and stayed until this afternoon. Praise the Lord!
My chaplain service with police and fire has been relatively slow recently, praise the Lord, we have not had any really bad crashes, fires, or the likes. We continue to have alcohol and drug busts but I don’t get very involved in them. However, I was on the second line for a drug bust here not to long ago. That means I was out about 3 to 5 miles from were it went down.
Well, I said that it was going to be short so I need to keep it that way. Hopefully I will get back on again before another four weeks go by, but you can always figure that no news is good news.
God is good – all the time! All the time – God is good! Praise the Lord!
Have a positive day and God bless!
Jack Hess
Romans 8:28
It sure has been a long time since I have written anything, and it is late tonight so I don’t think I will write too much. I hope that all of you are doing well and have had a meaningful Lent and Easter. There are so many of you that I do hope are watching for this and reading it because I do think of you so often and wonder how you are doing. On the other hand, I know it must be hard to look, and look, and look and find that I have not written anything. I would say that I will do better in the future, but I am so busy and usually get home so tired at night that I don’t think it would be fair to promise that. I will only say that I will try to do better.
I am doing okay! I do believe that I am progressing with the grief process and finding days to be better and the see/saw not quiet as bad. My Lent and Holy Week were very busy but indeed the Lord has been present and has been good to me. The sessions that I did on Dying, Death, and Grief I think went well. Had any where from 9 to 14 people at a session and indeed get some discussion at the last couple sessions, all of which was good. Most all of those who attended did so because of a specific death of a loved one and I hope received some help. I had hoped that there would also be some there just to learn and talk a little more about the subject. But that is a part of the problem in our day and age; we just don’t want to talk about death. The material that I read in preparation said the same thing and also said, as I so strongly believe, that it is really necessary for the person who is grieving to talk. To develop their story and to be able to tell it! Oh well I believe God wanted to me to the class and I did it. I will remain open for what ever is next.
We really had a great Holy Week at church which I do believe a number of the members found to be very meaningful and helpful in their spiritual growth. Praise the Lord! I just pray for all of us that we find a new and better relationship with God because of this Easter 2008. What a gift and opportunity God has given to us, I hope that no matter our age or situation we will each take advantage of it.
Eric and Erin were here for the week-end and it was good to have them. They were able to arrive on Thursday night and stayed until this afternoon. Praise the Lord!
My chaplain service with police and fire has been relatively slow recently, praise the Lord, we have not had any really bad crashes, fires, or the likes. We continue to have alcohol and drug busts but I don’t get very involved in them. However, I was on the second line for a drug bust here not to long ago. That means I was out about 3 to 5 miles from were it went down.
Well, I said that it was going to be short so I need to keep it that way. Hopefully I will get back on again before another four weeks go by, but you can always figure that no news is good news.
God is good – all the time! All the time – God is good! Praise the Lord!
Have a positive day and God bless!
Jack Hess
Romans 8:28
25 February 2008
Monday, February 25, 2008
Greetings to all:
I hope that everyone is well today and is having a positive day thus far and will have through out the rest of the day.
As well as being a “dog lover” I am also a “deer watcher and lover” and so was Marty. Well guess what! I just came off of about a half hour of “deer watching”, so you know how I am feeling right now. All of God’s creation is so awesome, and I just get a great deal of enjoyment out of watching deer. Their coat blends in the woods so well that sometimes it is a real challenge to follow them. They can stand so still for so long it just really seems unbelievable. Today there were about four of them in an area where I had put some food for them, and it seems like they were enjoying it – praise the Lord! I also have a corn block out for them that is up closer to the house, but I missed them when they were at it. I am sure from the way they were moving in the woods that they had been to it but I just didn’t see them. I also love it when they hear Buddy bark. They look up and see him and I think they just think “O, it is just him.” and go right on eating. Buddy sure doesn’t seem to bother them. I think they have learned that he cannot get out into the woods. God is so good – all the time! All the time – God is so good. What an awesome God to have created the creation that He did. Praise the Lord!
Well the week-end was busy, but went very well. Praise the Lord! I was very pleased that 11 people came to the class yesterday on dying, death, and grief. I dealt mainly with dying and things that really need to be done even before we might find out we are dying and then especially when we do learn that is happening to our bodies. One of the keys to the whole thing is that we really need to think and TALK about the way we are going to die. The one thing that we do know for sure is that we are born to die, so rather than talking all around it we need to talk right to that fact, have things in order, and help our loved ones and family to bring closer in a peaceful and orderly way. If you wonder what I mean by all that come to the class next week and you will learn more.
This is “Jack’s Dispatch” to talk about my ministry and it was a lot like I though it would be yesterday that God pulled out a number of examples to share with those gathered about the important aspects of dying that I was sharing. Some of them went all the way back into the ‘70’s while others were as fresh as just a few weeks ago. The other really interesting thing is that as I shared my out line with the Spiritual Development Team, Judy our Christian Educator, shared with me her APCE magazine that she had just received, and guess what it was all about. You got it – dying and death. What has been so awesome is that it has supported everything that I had on the out line. So I guess that my education, 38 years of ministry, 200+ death messages delivered with law enforcement, 340 times ministering with families and doing funerals, has taught me something and has had the right elements in it. Praise the Lord!
Well here we go again. I just got on to talk a little about the deer and have gotten off into something else and gone on and on. I guess that it goes along with that old saying of don’t let a preacher talk or you will be there for an hour. Maybe we will have to add to that not to let a preacher on the blog or you will be reading for a while. Whatever!
I hope to get a lot done around the house today, since it is my day off, but if I don’t soon get busy it sure isn’t going to happen. For some reason or another it just doesn’t do itself and Buddy seems to be too busy with his “job” of watching the neighborhood out of the bedroom window to do any of it and/or to even help. So I will sign off for now, push the spell check key and hope for the best.
Have a positive day, take care, and God bless.
Jack
Romans 8:28
Greetings to all:
I hope that everyone is well today and is having a positive day thus far and will have through out the rest of the day.
As well as being a “dog lover” I am also a “deer watcher and lover” and so was Marty. Well guess what! I just came off of about a half hour of “deer watching”, so you know how I am feeling right now. All of God’s creation is so awesome, and I just get a great deal of enjoyment out of watching deer. Their coat blends in the woods so well that sometimes it is a real challenge to follow them. They can stand so still for so long it just really seems unbelievable. Today there were about four of them in an area where I had put some food for them, and it seems like they were enjoying it – praise the Lord! I also have a corn block out for them that is up closer to the house, but I missed them when they were at it. I am sure from the way they were moving in the woods that they had been to it but I just didn’t see them. I also love it when they hear Buddy bark. They look up and see him and I think they just think “O, it is just him.” and go right on eating. Buddy sure doesn’t seem to bother them. I think they have learned that he cannot get out into the woods. God is so good – all the time! All the time – God is so good. What an awesome God to have created the creation that He did. Praise the Lord!
Well the week-end was busy, but went very well. Praise the Lord! I was very pleased that 11 people came to the class yesterday on dying, death, and grief. I dealt mainly with dying and things that really need to be done even before we might find out we are dying and then especially when we do learn that is happening to our bodies. One of the keys to the whole thing is that we really need to think and TALK about the way we are going to die. The one thing that we do know for sure is that we are born to die, so rather than talking all around it we need to talk right to that fact, have things in order, and help our loved ones and family to bring closer in a peaceful and orderly way. If you wonder what I mean by all that come to the class next week and you will learn more.
This is “Jack’s Dispatch” to talk about my ministry and it was a lot like I though it would be yesterday that God pulled out a number of examples to share with those gathered about the important aspects of dying that I was sharing. Some of them went all the way back into the ‘70’s while others were as fresh as just a few weeks ago. The other really interesting thing is that as I shared my out line with the Spiritual Development Team, Judy our Christian Educator, shared with me her APCE magazine that she had just received, and guess what it was all about. You got it – dying and death. What has been so awesome is that it has supported everything that I had on the out line. So I guess that my education, 38 years of ministry, 200+ death messages delivered with law enforcement, 340 times ministering with families and doing funerals, has taught me something and has had the right elements in it. Praise the Lord!
Well here we go again. I just got on to talk a little about the deer and have gotten off into something else and gone on and on. I guess that it goes along with that old saying of don’t let a preacher talk or you will be there for an hour. Maybe we will have to add to that not to let a preacher on the blog or you will be reading for a while. Whatever!
I hope to get a lot done around the house today, since it is my day off, but if I don’t soon get busy it sure isn’t going to happen. For some reason or another it just doesn’t do itself and Buddy seems to be too busy with his “job” of watching the neighborhood out of the bedroom window to do any of it and/or to even help. So I will sign off for now, push the spell check key and hope for the best.
Have a positive day, take care, and God bless.
Jack
Romans 8:28
22 February 2008
Good morning!
I have not put a morning blog on for a long time, but I was just sitting here doing some devotions and meditation, looking out the back window into the woods (wanting to be on the sun porch but it is too cold) and at the ground so pretty with the new dusting of a couple inches of snow and thought “you have to express your feelings on the blog”. God is so good – all the time! All the time – God is so good. Praise the Lord! Thank you, Lord!
God and God’s creation is so awesome. As I look at the white ground this morning I think of the purity of God, the perfection of God, the grace and love of God. And as I look at Buddy’s paw prints, my foot prints, and the tire tracks it makes me think of the way that God allows us, creates us to be a part of the awesome creation of His. There are some many ways that we leave our mark on His awesome creation – some good and some not so good. It has also made me think about the way in which we shovel and plow His purity, perfection, grace, and love out of the way. Of course, that particular symbolism has its good points and its bad points, I guess. Or at least we feel it has its bad points because we could slip and fall or have an auto crash and get hurt or killed and that is why we move it out of our way. But on the other hand is that a way that God is trying to tell us to slow down and enjoy Him and His creation? It seems that we get so involved in the business of our day, and trying to be successful in our materialistic world that we miss so much of the spiritual aspect that God has given us as well. Of this I am as guilt as anyone! Yes, I try to take some time each morning and each evening to be with God, and some times during the day, especially when I am driving, to have those special times. But now that I am spending most of my evenings at the office, and being involved in ministry 10 to 14 hours a day, it doesn’t seem right. What do you think, is that a place where we are going wrong in our society? Even when we include God in those things, are they more important than our personal relationship with God?
God is being so good to me, I feel His presence with me, but I am still trying to avoid too much of the loneness. It is certainly a new experience that I am finding not the easiest thing to get use to – but I am doing better, I do believe. As I have talked with a number of people, Marty and I were such a team. It was so awesome that she was a Christian, a believer, a disciple, a wonderful child of God’s before she ever came into my life and me into hers. And when that happened there was no question in my mind that it was indeed a “God thing.” Just this week I again had someone say that Marty filled the picture of what they imaged as the “perfect pastor’s wife.” Praise the Lord! What an awesome legacy to leave. But what is even more awesome it that it was true. Marty was not “pushy” but she was a “presence”. A presence of love, helpfulness, grace, a ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on or with, a fun person to be around, a servant of the Lord’s. And what was also so great in our team effort was that she knew me, she knew how to help me, and to not push the limits. What a wonderful friend, wife, mother, daughter, sister, nurse, child of God’s! I praise God that I can know where she is, and that as I get closer to Him I can be close to her, and that He is with me and helping me in making the transition. Thank you Lord!
I really had no idea that this is where God was going to take me this morning; I thought that I was just going to comment on the beautiful picture of God’s creation out the back window. But again God had other ideas! Praise the Lord! I do need to move on and see what else He has in store for me this day. So I hope that you have a positive day, feeling God’s presence, taking care, and being blessed.
Jack
Romans 8:28
I have not put a morning blog on for a long time, but I was just sitting here doing some devotions and meditation, looking out the back window into the woods (wanting to be on the sun porch but it is too cold) and at the ground so pretty with the new dusting of a couple inches of snow and thought “you have to express your feelings on the blog”. God is so good – all the time! All the time – God is so good. Praise the Lord! Thank you, Lord!
God and God’s creation is so awesome. As I look at the white ground this morning I think of the purity of God, the perfection of God, the grace and love of God. And as I look at Buddy’s paw prints, my foot prints, and the tire tracks it makes me think of the way that God allows us, creates us to be a part of the awesome creation of His. There are some many ways that we leave our mark on His awesome creation – some good and some not so good. It has also made me think about the way in which we shovel and plow His purity, perfection, grace, and love out of the way. Of course, that particular symbolism has its good points and its bad points, I guess. Or at least we feel it has its bad points because we could slip and fall or have an auto crash and get hurt or killed and that is why we move it out of our way. But on the other hand is that a way that God is trying to tell us to slow down and enjoy Him and His creation? It seems that we get so involved in the business of our day, and trying to be successful in our materialistic world that we miss so much of the spiritual aspect that God has given us as well. Of this I am as guilt as anyone! Yes, I try to take some time each morning and each evening to be with God, and some times during the day, especially when I am driving, to have those special times. But now that I am spending most of my evenings at the office, and being involved in ministry 10 to 14 hours a day, it doesn’t seem right. What do you think, is that a place where we are going wrong in our society? Even when we include God in those things, are they more important than our personal relationship with God?
God is being so good to me, I feel His presence with me, but I am still trying to avoid too much of the loneness. It is certainly a new experience that I am finding not the easiest thing to get use to – but I am doing better, I do believe. As I have talked with a number of people, Marty and I were such a team. It was so awesome that she was a Christian, a believer, a disciple, a wonderful child of God’s before she ever came into my life and me into hers. And when that happened there was no question in my mind that it was indeed a “God thing.” Just this week I again had someone say that Marty filled the picture of what they imaged as the “perfect pastor’s wife.” Praise the Lord! What an awesome legacy to leave. But what is even more awesome it that it was true. Marty was not “pushy” but she was a “presence”. A presence of love, helpfulness, grace, a ear to listen, a shoulder to cry on or with, a fun person to be around, a servant of the Lord’s. And what was also so great in our team effort was that she knew me, she knew how to help me, and to not push the limits. What a wonderful friend, wife, mother, daughter, sister, nurse, child of God’s! I praise God that I can know where she is, and that as I get closer to Him I can be close to her, and that He is with me and helping me in making the transition. Thank you Lord!
I really had no idea that this is where God was going to take me this morning; I thought that I was just going to comment on the beautiful picture of God’s creation out the back window. But again God had other ideas! Praise the Lord! I do need to move on and see what else He has in store for me this day. So I hope that you have a positive day, feeling God’s presence, taking care, and being blessed.
Jack
Romans 8:28
13 February 2008
Greetings to all:
It has been a long time since I have published and I do not even know if anyone is still looking at the blog. Further more a lot has happened since 01.04.08 when I believe it was the last that I published. I will be the very first to admit that January was a very difficult month, even more than I ever expected. I have come to the underestanding that grief in our society is "very cold." And I do not just mean the weather outside, but I mean the emotions inside and the new rela-tionships that have to be formed. I personally am finding it to be a "very cold" and difficult process and as I touch base with others they are telling me the same thing. I am getting this from people who's spouce died as much as 18 months ago, and even 3 years ago.
Why is this? I am still reading, thinking, and working on that answer, but I believe that the biggest part of it has to do with our society and the desire to not talk about dying, death and grief. I therefore have felt God calling me to talk more about this and try to help people under-stand that if we talked more about it we would better understand and it would go better. So beginning on Sunday, February 24 and for the next three Sundays at 3:30pm I am going to do a class on Dying, Death and Grief. I really believe that God is calling me to do this and is and will help me to get it all together. Praise the Lord!
So now how am I doing? I know that I am doing better than January and feel that over all I am making progress but I still have a way to go. It certainly is not an easy road, and certainly the most difficult grief road that I have been down, but I continue to Praise the Lord becasue I know that God is with me and is guiding me and helping me all the way. God is good - all the time! All the time - God is good! My ability to fold clothes in an orderly way after they have been washed is improving each week. My cooking is coming right along. Marty and I had dinner with four other couples about every four to six weeks. And just a few weeks ago I had them here and fixed the meat, patato, and vegetable everybody ate it, said it was very good and to the best of my knowledge no one got sick. I guess I would have to say that my two biggest down falls so far have been keeping Marty's birds feeders full and her plants watered on time. I really am not sure what it is, but I always seem to get behind on those things. I think I have only killed one plant so far, so actually I guess that is not to bad - and I must say that it was not doing to well when I took over.
Well, I just felt the need to pubish something this morning and though there is more that I could say, now I am feeling the need to get to bed. So I am going to sign off for now, and I will see if I can not get back on again sooner.
Have a positive day, take care, and God bless.
Jack Hess
Romans 8:28
PS For some reason the spell check did not work, so you better believe that I am not going to take credit for any words that may be miss spilled - it is without a doubt the computor's fault. I guess I better go back to the way I use to do it, which was to write in word perfect and then move it over to the blog. Proof again that trying to take the short cut, is not always the best way. So here is hoping that I have caught most of the type-o-s and miss spellings. God bless!
It has been a long time since I have published and I do not even know if anyone is still looking at the blog. Further more a lot has happened since 01.04.08 when I believe it was the last that I published. I will be the very first to admit that January was a very difficult month, even more than I ever expected. I have come to the underestanding that grief in our society is "very cold." And I do not just mean the weather outside, but I mean the emotions inside and the new rela-tionships that have to be formed. I personally am finding it to be a "very cold" and difficult process and as I touch base with others they are telling me the same thing. I am getting this from people who's spouce died as much as 18 months ago, and even 3 years ago.
Why is this? I am still reading, thinking, and working on that answer, but I believe that the biggest part of it has to do with our society and the desire to not talk about dying, death and grief. I therefore have felt God calling me to talk more about this and try to help people under-stand that if we talked more about it we would better understand and it would go better. So beginning on Sunday, February 24 and for the next three Sundays at 3:30pm I am going to do a class on Dying, Death and Grief. I really believe that God is calling me to do this and is and will help me to get it all together. Praise the Lord!
So now how am I doing? I know that I am doing better than January and feel that over all I am making progress but I still have a way to go. It certainly is not an easy road, and certainly the most difficult grief road that I have been down, but I continue to Praise the Lord becasue I know that God is with me and is guiding me and helping me all the way. God is good - all the time! All the time - God is good! My ability to fold clothes in an orderly way after they have been washed is improving each week. My cooking is coming right along. Marty and I had dinner with four other couples about every four to six weeks. And just a few weeks ago I had them here and fixed the meat, patato, and vegetable everybody ate it, said it was very good and to the best of my knowledge no one got sick. I guess I would have to say that my two biggest down falls so far have been keeping Marty's birds feeders full and her plants watered on time. I really am not sure what it is, but I always seem to get behind on those things. I think I have only killed one plant so far, so actually I guess that is not to bad - and I must say that it was not doing to well when I took over.
Well, I just felt the need to pubish something this morning and though there is more that I could say, now I am feeling the need to get to bed. So I am going to sign off for now, and I will see if I can not get back on again sooner.
Have a positive day, take care, and God bless.
Jack Hess
Romans 8:28
PS For some reason the spell check did not work, so you better believe that I am not going to take credit for any words that may be miss spilled - it is without a doubt the computor's fault. I guess I better go back to the way I use to do it, which was to write in word perfect and then move it over to the blog. Proof again that trying to take the short cut, is not always the best way. So here is hoping that I have caught most of the type-o-s and miss spellings. God bless!
04 January 2008
Greetings to all:
I hope this is going as a positive day for you and for all who you love. Praise the Lord!
This morning, I do believe, God revealed to me at least one of the reasons why this blog is not going well, and is not like the other one, "Marty's Struggle". And that is because I am back in my role and life style as pastor. Now what in the world does that mean? That means that I can not talk about my life and what is going on in the same way as I did when I talking about my personal life and what was happened with Marty and me. Let me say it this way. The way that God revealed this to me is that the last two days (Wednesday and Thursday) some things happened in my life and work day that I would just love to be able to tell you about. God is so alive, so well, so at work, and so good - all the time, all the time - God is good! These events in some ways are the same kind of things that happened at St. V's and during the time of Marty's Struggle, but they are happening to me know as a pastor and not as Marty's husband. And the difference that that makes is called HIPAA, privacy practices, confidentiality. In other words, many of the ways that I saw God before Marty's illness and death, and see God at work now, have to do with my being a pastor and working with people from that direction, which means that I can not talk about what has happened. The law says that I cannot talk about it in any detail or specific way without the others written permission. And that my friends puts a real limit on what I can publish and how I can publish the blog.
The worst part about it is that it is now about 6 hours later than when I wrote the first sentence of this blog and I have had another experience this afternoon that I cannot write about. It has indeed happened the last three days in a row. So though the same Spirit is not coming out in my blog, that same Spirit is still very much alive and in me. I am really sorry that I cannot share it in the same way, but I will be talking to God to see what we can do about it. Maybe with now realizing the problem I can figure someway out to put some meaning back into the blog. Praise the Lord!
I need to go now as I am still at the office and poor Buddy has been in the house for about 9 hours now. I am sure he will be very happy when I get home. Yesterday, it was about 10 hours so if it is earlier today indeed I am sure he will be happy.
Have a positive day, take care, and God bless.!
Jack
Romans 8:28
I hope this is going as a positive day for you and for all who you love. Praise the Lord!
This morning, I do believe, God revealed to me at least one of the reasons why this blog is not going well, and is not like the other one, "Marty's Struggle". And that is because I am back in my role and life style as pastor. Now what in the world does that mean? That means that I can not talk about my life and what is going on in the same way as I did when I talking about my personal life and what was happened with Marty and me. Let me say it this way. The way that God revealed this to me is that the last two days (Wednesday and Thursday) some things happened in my life and work day that I would just love to be able to tell you about. God is so alive, so well, so at work, and so good - all the time, all the time - God is good! These events in some ways are the same kind of things that happened at St. V's and during the time of Marty's Struggle, but they are happening to me know as a pastor and not as Marty's husband. And the difference that that makes is called HIPAA, privacy practices, confidentiality. In other words, many of the ways that I saw God before Marty's illness and death, and see God at work now, have to do with my being a pastor and working with people from that direction, which means that I can not talk about what has happened. The law says that I cannot talk about it in any detail or specific way without the others written permission. And that my friends puts a real limit on what I can publish and how I can publish the blog.
The worst part about it is that it is now about 6 hours later than when I wrote the first sentence of this blog and I have had another experience this afternoon that I cannot write about. It has indeed happened the last three days in a row. So though the same Spirit is not coming out in my blog, that same Spirit is still very much alive and in me. I am really sorry that I cannot share it in the same way, but I will be talking to God to see what we can do about it. Maybe with now realizing the problem I can figure someway out to put some meaning back into the blog. Praise the Lord!
I need to go now as I am still at the office and poor Buddy has been in the house for about 9 hours now. I am sure he will be very happy when I get home. Yesterday, it was about 10 hours so if it is earlier today indeed I am sure he will be happy.
Have a positive day, take care, and God bless.!
Jack
Romans 8:28
01 January 2008
Greetings and HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Hope you are all doing well and have had a good beginning to the year 2008. I am and have! Praise the Lord! I had lunch (a big, big dinner at lunch time) with a family in the church and other friends. It was awesome! The food was really, really good and the fellowship was the same. I really filled up and enjoyed myself. I am so glad that I was included and that I went. Praise the Lord!
Over all it has been a good Christmas Season. It was really great having the kids and grand kids home the end of last week. It sure was different from the empty house that it had been. And besides when I came in not only was their noise in the house but I also had to watch where I walked because of toys, etc. Praise the Lord there was activity again!
God is so good - all the time. All the time - God is so good. Yesterday day I had the opportunity to help someone who was helping a person who was very down and out. It was good to be able to assist in that situation. Praise the Lord!
Well, I was wanting to let you know that all is well and to wish you a HAPPY NEW YEAR so I do believe that I will close for know.
Have a positive day, take care, and God bless.
Jack
Romans 8:28
Hope you are all doing well and have had a good beginning to the year 2008. I am and have! Praise the Lord! I had lunch (a big, big dinner at lunch time) with a family in the church and other friends. It was awesome! The food was really, really good and the fellowship was the same. I really filled up and enjoyed myself. I am so glad that I was included and that I went. Praise the Lord!
Over all it has been a good Christmas Season. It was really great having the kids and grand kids home the end of last week. It sure was different from the empty house that it had been. And besides when I came in not only was their noise in the house but I also had to watch where I walked because of toys, etc. Praise the Lord there was activity again!
God is so good - all the time. All the time - God is so good. Yesterday day I had the opportunity to help someone who was helping a person who was very down and out. It was good to be able to assist in that situation. Praise the Lord!
Well, I was wanting to let you know that all is well and to wish you a HAPPY NEW YEAR so I do believe that I will close for know.
Have a positive day, take care, and God bless.
Jack
Romans 8:28
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