9/23: Velvet Elvis: Introduction

I thank my God for you every time I think of you; and every time I pray for you all, I pray with joy because of the way in which you have helped me in the work of the gospel from the very first day until now. and so I am sure that God, who began this good work in you, will carry it on until it is finished on the Day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:3-6

Philippians 4:6-7 Don't worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need, always asking him with a thankful heart.  And God's peace, which is far beyond human understanding, will keep your hearts and minds safe in union with Christ Jesus.

It can’t possibly be just four weeks ago that I typed my last Preacher’s Post!  Too much has happened to change my life in every way.   Granted, the whole drama began with what seemed at the time to be a painful, but typical bike wreck.  We wear helmets because it’s not if you’re going to crash, it’s when.  These things just happen.  A few bruises and some road rash is normal, punctuated by the occasional broken collar bone or elbow.  What I did not know at the time and didn’t confirm for four weeks is that I had indeed broken off my right olecranon (knob of the elbow).  OK.  Still not all that unusual.   When the first surgical attempt using two screws failed to hold it in place, my docs went to the hardware store and bought more screws, some baling wire, and a plate.  When they were done, that olecranon wasn’t going anywhere.  Job done.  Now for the recovery.

That brings us to the morning of August 26.  I awoke that Sunday morning with a very swollen right arm and a raging fever.  After preaching the first service so it could be recorded and re-broadcast during the second service, Lorna drove me to the Sonoma Valley Hospital emergency room.  And that’s when the real story starts.

Vicious staph infections are in the news, but they attack someone else.  Not me.  Only this time it was me.  Since I have conducted funeral services for friends who have died of staph infections which defied all attempts to eradicate them, I knew it was serious.  I was immediately started on a very combative IV antibiotic to match the very aggressive infection.  Blood cultures were taken but these take seventy-two hours to yield conclusive results.  No question it was staph, the only question seemed to be was it the “mother of all” staph infections, MRSA, or one of its dangerous, but not as lethal cousins. 

In the meantime, it was necessary to thoroughly cleanse the hardware holding my olecranon in place.  This process required two more surgeries.  Monday’s surgery was four hours—Tuesday’s surgery merely three and a half hours.  When I got back to my room, the dry erase board which told me the date, my nurse’s names, and other vital information, also displayed the big question:  MRSA/MSSA? 

I tell you all this so as to set the scene for what happened Tuesday night at 10:00pm.  I confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior when I was nine years old.  I’ve been following Jesus most of the time since then.  Of course there were a couple of ill-advised choices along the way that sent me off on my own and into my own personal wilderness.  I’ve had an epiphany, the morning of my first day of sobriety, March 12, 1994.  And for crying out loud, I’m a pastor with a masters and doctoral degree in theology and ministry.  You’d think I’d have this God stuff down by now.  Well, I don’t.  Because with God the journey is never finished until we die and God is about loving us into new lives one day at a time.  And along the way, there are moments when the Spirit of God is present in ways that change everything—even when we thought everything had been changed.  I know that doesn’t make any sense, but it does.  I know.  God showed up in room 200 of Sonoma Valley Hospital and something BIG happened.  I don’t know what yet.  That’s still being worked out.  But it is BIG.

I’ll never be able to put it all in words, but Sunday I’m going to try and tell a story about a conversation.  The same kind of conversations God had with the folks who ended up in the Bible story.  The thing that you need to know is, I’m not special.  God wants to have this kind of conversation with every one of us. 

That’s what our reading of Rob Bell’s book VELVET ELVIS                 is going to be all about.  Entering into the conversation both as individual people and as a church family.  

For those of you unable to get here this Sunday, we should have the message available on our web site by Monday. 

Here’s what’s on my desk

GET READY TO KICK UP YOUR HEELS!!

ST. ANDREW WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP is getting ready for their yearly Hoedown at the Mayo Ranch.  It is going to be on Saturday, October 6th, 4:00 to 7:00 PM.  Tickets for this event are being sold in the fellowship hall between worship services each Sunday until limited amount of 100 are sold.  The price per person is $20.  This includes dancing, a fabulous Tri-tip dinner, wine and dessert.  They are taking sign-ups for all those who would like to donate a baked good for their raffle.  Be quick at the draw and get your Hoedown ticket before sundown!  (Rain will bring this event to St. Andrew fellowship hall)

Now you know what I know.

Comments

[lit parapluie]

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