March 8, 2020
As most of you know, I missed about a month of work recently due to complications from receiving some heart stents. I always thought that having a lot of time off of work would be a good thing. I could watch TV, read some books, lay around the house, and basically do nothing. This was a good plan, for about three days. Then, I started to get bored. You can only stand so much daytime TV. Contrary to what my grandmother used to say, her "stories" as she used to call soap operas, are really not all that special. Daytime talk shows are even worse. I can't believe that there are actually people in the good ole' US of A that have done so many crazy things (not to mention ungodly, immoral things) and if those things weren’t bad enough, they announce them on TV for everyone all over America to know. Really??!! To say the least, the daytime TV thing didn't work for me…at all. I was able to finish up a couple of classes online but when I was finished with that, it was back to either Dr. Phil (who I found out gives the same advice to almost everyone, regardless of their particular neurosis), or the I.D. channel (50 ways to murder your spouse, friend, neighbor, relative or mortal enemy…and make the body disappear forever…by the way, lesson learned from watching this channel…if you do happen to kill any of the aforementioned people, whatever you do, DON'T use your cellphone to call anyone while you are still at the murder scene…the police will track you down and arrest you.) You may be asking yourself what any of this has to do with God, spirituality or the church. Hang on, I'm getting there. Things got so bad that I became desperate and did the unthinkable. I went back to work. When I arrived, people hugged me and told me they missed me. Everyone seemed genuinely glad to see me. Inmates told me they were glad I was back because they needed to talk to me (For those that don't know, I am a chaplain in a men's prison). I am not real sure, but I think my boss may have even shed a tear or two. As I dug into my work, do you know what I felt? I will tell you. I felt a sense of purpose and a sense of belonging. I felt like I was where God meant for me to be. Could it be that God intends for us to work and not stay home watching daytime TV? Could it be that God has a plan for us while we work? Could it be that God has us right where He wants us? It took Him clogging up some arteries to remind me. I thought I would pass it along to you…for free!
Now be blessed….and go be a blessing! Bro. Andy
