On Being Cognizant of Wells

Tim Spivey preached a brilliant message this morning on the meeting of Jesus and the woman at the well. I'm probably like most folks...I need to be reminded every now and then of the importance of sharing the good news of Jesus with others. So often I live like this world is my home, my final destination point. I get too wrapped up in laying my roots down here. And I forget that my task on this earth isn't to become as acclimated as I can on this planet.

When I catch myself doing that, I've been lured by Satan into a complacent, materialistic mindset. Had Christ been so like-minded, He would have asked the lady for water, then moved on. Or, He would have never even spoken to her, a Samaritan.

Every week, perhaps every day, there's a woman at the well in my life...thirsty for living water. Do I avoid the well because I'm not comfortable with a modern-day Samaritan? Do I avoid speaking because I'm unsure of what to say? Do I not value the message enough to share it?

I'm praying for eyes that will see the opportunities this week. And for words from the Holy Spirit that will open up communication with those who don't know the joy I know. And for a greater appreciation for what has been done for me by the man at the well that day.

Random Thoughts

1. Why do some jeans have a button fly? I've got a pair of jeans (actually just one...we shouldn't call them a "pair") which are comfortable to the max. I love 'em. Except when nature calls. It is a situation that fairly yells for a zipper. I'm wondering if the button fly was invented by a guy who, uh, got caught in his zipper. Hey, it just hit me that the word "zipper" is onomatopoetic. Cool.

2. How in the name of Gerber can anyone hold a newborn and not believe in God is beyond me. I'm the proud grandpa of two-week-old Macie. I love holding her and studying her as she sleeps. There is such perfection in the tiny fingers, the immaculate eyebrows, and her fuzz-topped scalp. Does an atheist hold such a miracle in his arms and think, "Wow, we've come a long way since those amoeba got together!"?

3. What do northerners do for dry skin? If my hands are cracking and bleeding with the mild winters we have here, what happens near the 45th parallel? Every kind of gloves I've tried that really keep my hands warm on icy mornings also serves to dry up the skin.

4. When did Texas quit giving prospective drivers a behind-the-wheel test in addition to the written test? Can this explain the incredible lowering of driver IQ that is so obvious? It's getting to where I now expect a left turn from a driver signalling right. One of the weirder things I'm confronting on my thrilling school bus forays is this: I'll be tooling down, say, Buckner Blvd. at 35 mph and the driver in front of me will suddenly come to a stop. There is no stop sign or red light involved in this equation, no intersection, no left turn lane. She (or occasionally "he") just stops for no apparent reason, causing me to try and stop my 16-ton vehicle in short space. Then, by the time the smoke from my rear duals has cleared, the aforementioned car will resume its journey to wherever stupid folks go.

If you'd like to solve any of the above mysteries, feel free to chime in.

Mom Returns!

Is there any place better than home? After a 12-day stay in the hospital, Mom returned home yesterday. Amazingly, she is about where she was when all this started. But she is 85 and various skills are diminishing. Her memory is getting spotty and that frustrates her no end. She realizes that she should not be driving, and I am now her permanent chaffeur.

This is such a conflicting time. I really don't know why old people suffer. They certainly don't need the discipline that pain teaches us young folk. There are no life lessons that still need to be learned, eh? All of us who are blessed enough to count ourselves as Mom's children just want her pain-free, safe, and happy in her final years.

Questions

Wow, whatta tough 10 days it has been. Throughout my mom's stay in the hospital, I've been battered with problematic questions. Questions that burdened me down, but fortunately were answered by God along the way. Many still remain, however.

Here's a short list of posers I've had:

1. Is Mom going to live?
2. If she lives, what shape will she be in?
3. How do we handle the questions dealing with medicines that address her problems but carry
immense side effects?
4. If Mom lives, where does she go after being discharged from the hospital?
5. If she goes to Christian Care Center, what level of care does she need?
6. If she goes home, what level of care does she need?
7. If she needs home health-care, do I go through an agency or use ladies recommended to me?
8. What questions should I ask these ladies?
9. How much would these ladies be needed?
10. What medical equipment will Mom require at home?
11. Will her doctor go along with our plea to withdraw some of the meds?

One by one, God has sent answers to the above questions. Usually, I didn't have to wait long for a clear-cut answer. How do non-Christians manage without this extraordinary blessing? We are super-blessed in that my mom has spent her adult life putting away for such a time as this.

Stayed tuned for updates. She could come home tomorrow or Tuesday.

A Major Situation

Been a long time since I added an entry. Part of the problem has been the condition of my mom. A week ago, she became very weak and shaky. A subsequent visit to the doctor revealed atrial defibrillation, so she was admitted to Baylor Hospital. More tests revealed slight pneumonia and congestive heart failure.

It was a tough couple of days as the doctors tried to find proper medications that corrected the problems without massive nausea. But she has improved yesterday and today. She is sitting up some and taking short walks with a cane. She will probably be discharged early next week. We are trying to decide whether her destination will be home or a nursing home. Tough situation. We covet your prayers.