Drug induced happy thoughts

Saturday was a day racked with pain in my abdomen and by evening I headed into emergency to find out that I have a new addition to the body, a kidney stone.

Welcome to 2018!!

They gave me powerful medications and sent me home to await its arrival.

I got through Sunday and the service went surprisingly well. I took my medication when the pain would start up and it subsided each time.

Last night I headed to bed a bit late as I was completing an assignment I had to finish. I fell asleep eventually and slept for about an hour when I was awakened by some pretty strong pain.

I got up and took the prescribed meds, then started pacing as I was waiting for the trouble to subside. It didn't. After 20 minutes I went to the second bottle I was to employ if the first couldn't help it. Ok, good plan. I waited, but it didn't stop. The pain intensified, oh brother it grew and I didn't know what to do, I had run out of plans.

In my stressed mental state, I took another pill. Nothing.

Nothing but pure stabbing pain shooting through my abdomen with greater and greater intensity. I waited as long as I could hoping for it to end or me to die.

Finally I got Lauralea up and she was pretty fuzzy on cold meds herself. I got her to call a friend for help and by 3:30 or so we were off to emergency.

They got me undressed and on a gurney, took blood and prepped me for an IV. I was still stressing pretty good and that sweet fluid began to pour into my body.

I lay there, my body slowly relaxing. I was exhausted but couldn't sleep. They came and went, continuing to run tests on my broken body.

And I just lay there, looking at the ceiling. Becoming reacquainted with the exquisite pleasure of painlessness.

I lay there for seven hours. At one point they had to restart some IV meds, but I let them.


I thought of my dad who I inherited this from. He had his own row to hoe in this way.

I thought of some of the people at church who are going through some deep physical challenges that could even result in their death.

I thought of Lauralea, who was back home, hopefully passed out from the cold meds.

I thought of our kids. What they were doing, where their lives are at.
Some of them would be getting up now, in their time zones.

And I thought about the work we've given our lives to.

I thought that after 36 years of local pastoral ministry and the preparation for it, after bringing people to Christ, seeing many healed, delivered, set free. After caring for people, loving them, teaching them, marrying them and burying them, being there for them day and night. After seeing new churches started with good foundations, and old churches healed, with fresh hope and new paths, equipped with new tools to face their future.

After all that, this is the life’s work I am most proud of. Our family.

And in my drug induced haze, smiling and humming a happy tune, I realized again that God has been particularly good to us.


Now we need to get this stone prayed out of me. Join in as you feel comfortable.
:)