Calling

I went a'calling this morning. My uncle (dad's brother in law) is at Union in Terre Haute today having a heart catherization. He's been feeling bad for some time, just not up to par. So he got checked out and found that he had an "abnormality causing irregular bloodflow". So, they're going in to see what they can see. I was delighted to get to talk and pray with them today. They were surprized to see me but were grateful. It was a good opportunity to see family and learn a little more about one of the essentials of the ministry: hospital calling. It's almost a lost art. I vaguely remember it coming up in school, although we were required to go on one during our internship. I'm not so sure that there's anything in the grad curriculum I'm taking that requires it or teaches it. Anyway, it just has to be done. The whole practice is rewarding. It benefits the family, it benefits the patient, and it's honestly beneficial to me (or anyone doing it). So, all you future YM's out there, take note. Calling must be done and it must be done well. May that be a lesson to us all.

Proverbs 6:5 (NLT) says, "Save yourself like a deer escaping from a hunter, like a bird fleeing from a net." "Right... save myself from what?", you might be asking. This verse comes on the heels of some advice concerning other people's debts. A cosigner is a person who will sign off on a loan that another person takes out. If that person fails to repay the loan, it is the cosigner's responsibility to pay it back! This is a bad situation to get into! The writer uses vivid language to stress the importance of not doing this in the first place, and if you have, to get out quick. Not many of us ever get put into this situation, but it may come up someday. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Here and now, we can be encouraged to not get ourselves into situations where we would get pulled into a bad deal or drag an otherwise good name through the mud. It's easy to get pulled into situations where a "friend" or other classmate may lie or cheat. Or even if you have lied or cheated and know it (it's hard to do either of those and not know it!). Maybe you have agreed to something that you know isn't a good thing to do. Whatever the situation, it's time to turn things around and make it right. First of all, don't help the loser out, or don't be the loser! Secondly, if you have done something like any of these, get the thing stopped. It may, unfortunately, involve a punishment of some sort, but that will be better than a guilty conscience and a record. It all comes back to "Do the right thing", and life, your's, mine, and everyone's around, will be better for it in the end.

Wednesday 12/8: Big Deal is back on its regular schedule this week (Austin B. has snacks this week. If you see him, remind him!!!)
Sunday 12/12: Christmas carroling (come ready to sing!)
Saturday 12/18: Toys for Tots distribution @ Harmony United Methodist Church
Sunday 12/19: Holiday Dinner (come hungry!)
Wednesday 12/21: A Big Deal Christmas (White Elephant gift exchange & party)

Later...