It was supposed to be a delightful pastoral staff retreat in the Great Smoky Mountains. For several years, our pastoral staff had spent four or five days together in early Autumn to bond together and spiritually renew our souls for the task of leading the church. More than once we had rented a mountain retreat house, cooked most of our own meals, enjoyed camaraderie outside the daily grind, and personal time with God. Our espirit de corps was strengthened as the mind relaxed. But in the Fall of 2012 our trip included a scene more reminiscent of a Tom Hanks nightmare than a refreshing retreat– especially for one special castaway and his comrades.
Category Archives: Christian Discipleship
MY BIG IDEA
It was the Fall of 2005 when I first got the big idea. In just over six months I would be celebrating a half-century of living and breathing on planet Earth. One hundred years earlier life expectancy for a male in Alabama was only 39 years, so in the big scheme of things turning fifty as a healthy man was a milestone. We Americans always extra-celebrate birthdays #1, #10, #13, #16, #21, #40, #50, #80, and hopefully #90. After that, we celebrate the passing of months, not years.
ANGELS IN THE DARK
My wife’s parents, Bill and Frances Skinner, were missionaries in Paraguay for 38 years. They are both in their nineties today, sharp in mind and full of faith. Their incredible stories of seeing the hand of God at work while bringing the Good News of Jesus to the people of Paraguay strengthen my faith every time I hear them recounted. In her book, Adventures in Paraguay, Frances Skinner reveals how faith is most powerful when exercised in the dark.
Her story begins in the small, rural village of Guayaybi, Paraguay. Only accessible by primitive dirt roads, the missionaries had established a medical clinic near the village that they opened on weekends– offering medical help together with the gospel message of Jesus. A dire situation occurred that required a trip back to civilization, but Dr. Bill was up to his neck in medical work so Fran agreed to make the trip for him, accompanied by a friend named Ruth– a German lady that Frances had randomly met on a trip to Argentina. Ruth, just happened to unexpectedly show up for a visit to Paraguay, and so had gone with the Skinners to the clinic at Guayaybi.
There was a problem, a big problem! It had rained a down-pouring tropical deluge and main road had closed to all traffic. Since Doctor Skinner was engaged in humanitarian services, he had been issued a permanent pass by the highway authorities to travel any road at anytime. So Fran and Ruth took the pass and sallied forth. In her own words, the following story is an excerpt from her book:
REFRIGERATOR PRIVILEGES
(Caution: This blog post might contain never before heard confessions. Please don’t laugh out loud.)
I’m certain you have heard it said of someone, “Oh, they’re close. They’re just like family.” Oh really? Are you sure? Here’s the way to know if they’re really “just like family”– do they have the right to walk into your house and go straight to the refrigerator and get what ever they want to eat or drink? Do they feel comfortable doing that in your home? Do YOU feel comfortable allowing them to do that? If the answer to all three questions is YES, then they are indeed “just like family.” They have “refrigerator privileges!”
TRAINING WHEELS AND ROADBLOCKS
It has taken me fifty plus years to see it, although it was obvious to my childhood friends and family. I never saw it in myself, but it’s true. I was a bonafide, scaredy-cat kid. I was overly cautious, super careful, and hesitant to take risks– at least about things that might cause bodily injury and pain.
I wasn’t hesitant to open my mouth, that’s for sure. And I never had stage fright. But when it came to the prospect of bodily peril, I was out. Saying no was no problem when there was even the smell of a hazard. It was more than just the regular childhood fears– like fearing the dark, fearing shots, fearing the dentist, etc. Mine were fears that became major hinderances. My fears probably kept me out of trouble in some respects, but placed unnecessary roadblocks into my life as a whole. It was a miserable place to be, and I didn’t even recognize it. For instance……
