Whatever Wednesday Writings - I Love My Loser

This is an UPDATE from last week's post.

Time Magazine was laying out at our office and it caught my eye…the top 100 most influential people…singers, entrepreneurs, engineers, professional athletes, fashion designers....who design jeans that people will pay $2,000 for? Seriously? Okay, I am finished looking at the list. Obviously, the things that land you on that list and what God sees as influential are not the same thing. News flash, I know.

It is true God’s ways are not our ways and when we begin to truly follow His word it will always make people take note. They will either call you foolish or they will praise God to see Christlikeness exhibited.

God’s word says to gain your life, you must first lose it. To be great, you must first be a servant. To live, you must die. When we lose, it is actually a gain and that is what happened.

This past Wednesday, Mike and Darryl spend the day with their baseball team playing in the Class 5A Regionals, they got smashed both games, thus ending their 2013-14 season. After the first game was over the announcer came up to Mike and Darryl and said he has been announcing these regional games for fifteen years and had never witnessed what he witnessed that day.

Which was a team that played with all their heart despite the beat down they were taking.

They lost 15 to 0. 

The announcer, which is also the golf pro at Heritage Hills Golf Course, asked the fans to give the coaches and team “a round of applause because of the hustle, the never give up, and the class, which they showed in defeat.” Next, he came over to them and asked if he could purchase the entire team’s lunch for the day!

If you know anything about inner city schools, they don’t get a large budget, actually they don’t get a budget, so that was a huge blessing to Mike, Darryl and the boys…this was nothing but God’s favor on them! The neat thing was when the concession stand heard what was going on they did not allow the announcer to pay for their meals because they wanted to be a part of the blessing to our guys.

God’s favor did not stop there though; next, a lady came up and put 200 dollars in their hands so they all could eat on the way home that night.

Then one of the boys on the other team said the name of Jesus Christ in a non-glorifying way, he said it as a curse word. After the game Mike addressed the young man about it and explained why it was offensive to Mike because of what that name meant to him. Then later in the week Mike received an email from this boy’s dad who wanted to know if he could donate money to help the team out! Crazy. I know. That is just the God we serve, showing His faithfulness to His sons.

Finally, all these people sent emails to the Capitol Hill High School principal and the email from the local golf pro/announcer said that Mike and “his assistant” :) left a positive reflection on Claremore and the fans at the game. He went on to say in the email, “Mike Hinckley has become my favorite of all time. He gives love, praise, and himself to kids who are having fun, doing their best, making some good plays, cheerleading, but most importantly, teaching young men to respect themselves and the game that he must truly love.”

TV News 9 did a story on them last year and this year The Daily Oklahoman did a story.

I can tell you that it isn’t the game that Mike and Darryl truly love, but it is the Lord Jesus Christ who they truly love…and because of that love they can love on those boys and teach them character even through losing.

Their 1st season (2012-2013)

The cross is for losers. It’s true. Christ did not come to save the righteous but sinners. We are all losers, rather we recognize it or not, Jesus came to destroy self-righteousness. Nevertheless, because of the cross we are truly winners, because it is not our righteous, goodness, talents or abilities but Jesus Christ IN US that is the hope of glory.

"Thus says the Lord:

“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
But let him who glories glory in this,
That he understands and knows Me,
That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
For in these I delight,” says the Lord."

Jeremiah 9:23-24

 "In God we boast all day long, and Praise Your Name forever." Psalm 44:8

Exhausted...but still in pursuit!

The battle has been looming for four years: live with the pain or get a total knee replacement? The surgery had been set for final, this time. Decision made and a week and a half to prepare my mind for the rehabilitation battle ahead. The new knee replacements are possible for up to 30 years now, I am told. Although my doctor said mine was 15 to 20 and the nurse said it was actually 25 to 30, so I am hoping for a least 20 if not more, what would be better? The Lord’s return!

My parents and Jayden with me before surgery.

Upon arrival at the hospital, we were met by Michael, Jordan and Lily Lewis (our youth pastor and his sweet family). It was so nice for them to come up, show support and pray with me before going into surgery. They also left me some gospel tracts to pass out to the people I encountered. Little did I know that I wasn’t going to feel like passing anything out until practically the last day! But the last day it was!

The battle has been looming for four years: live with the pain or get a total knee replacement? The surgery had been set for final, this time. Decision made and a week and a half to prepare my mind for the rehabilitation battle ahead. The new knee replacements are possible for up to 30 years now, I am told. Although my doctor said mine was 15 to 20 and the nurse said it was actually 25 to 30, so I am hoping for a least 20 if not more, what would be better? The Lord’s return!

Upon arrival at the hospital, we were met by Michael, Jordan and Lily Lewis (our youth pastor and his sweet family). It was so nice for them to come up, show support and pray with me before going into surgery. They also left me some gospel tracts to pass out to the people I encountered. Little did I know that I wasn’t going to feel like passing anything out until practically the last day! But the last day it was!

Some of my AWANA Girls sending me some Cyber Love!

This surgery has been the toughest one yet. Nausea and severe headache on top of the pain, whew….that was fun! So let me sing you a little song. I can do that since this a “blog song”, those are the best kind, so that you aren’t suffering. In honor of one of my favorite times of the year, you should sing it to the tune of the First Day of Christmas in exchange with my first few hours at the hospital.

In the first hour of Obama Care, my government gave to me, one lost iPhone.

Yes, it is true. I lost my iPhone because I was updating my (oh so very important) Facebook status and the Anesthesiologist came in with a shiny little bottle that she put in my IV and the next thing I knew I was feeling quite funny and being wheeled away. Little did anyone know that I was still holding my phone in my hand that ended up next to my leg...which laid on the bed…then rolled up in the linen and off my iPhone went to the cleaners….I lost it.

In the second hour of Obama Care, my government gave to me, two blown veins and one lost iPhone.

Ouch! Yes, blown veins are not fun. I don’t recommend them that is if you have the option. Not sure how this happened because I have always been told I have great veins and I have given over 8 gallons of blood to our local blood bank over the past 25 years. I suffered and endured.

In the third hour of Obama Care, my government gave to me, three robes with holes, two blown veins and one lost iPhone.

Seriously, could we have a robe that closes completely? All the available robes had gaping holes the size of the Grand Canyon in the back side that is supposed to be held together by two strings. Let’s say it didn’t work well, but I wore it.

In the fourth hour of Obama Care, my government gave to me, four overworked nurses, three robes with holes, two blown veins and one lost iPhone.

Is there a nurse working here? Please answer my call button please, I need to go peeeeee! Typically I don’t need help but after a total knee replacement you kind of need a little help getting up and back down. Not sure but I think they are understaffed and overworked. One of the evening shift nurse’s didn’t know how to do the CPM machine and asked me because she was on loan from another department. So what is an educator to do? I educated her.

In the fifth hour of Obama Care, my government gave to me, five messed up meals, four overworked nurses, three robes with holes, two blown veins and one lost iPhone.

The only meal I received as ordered was breakfast, the rest were all missing items and/or cold. I guess that is why it was called “Gourmet Café” but I ate it.

In the sixth hour of Obama Care, my government gave to me, six paper towels, five messed up meals, four overworked nurses, three robes with holes, two blown veins and one lost iPhone.

One hospital alone can save tons of money by giving each patient room only six paper towels. On the last day we received more, I guess they were preparing for the next patient. Actually, the machine which was one year old had been fried, eaten up by battery corrosion. So it was out of service. Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la…tis the season to be thankful for six paper towels. So I was.

Did I mention I was in a serious anesthesia fog? I was and the lights were ohhhhh, so bright! I thought I might have been going into heaven it was so bright! Which makes me wonder how much brighter the glorious light of God is? Unimaginable I am certain because it was almost impossible to open my eyes. Thus the “sexy BCG” government issued sun glasses issued at Tinker! If case you don’t know “sexy BCGs” are birth control glasses – they are so ugly it guarantees the guys will stay away. Ugly, but they worked marvelously for me after surgery because I couldn’t see a thing. I only could hear roaring laughter and from all people…my loving, sister Gaye and daughter Darya!

I was doing my best to have the correct response and not loose control with Darya and Gaye’s joyous response to my suffering, because what I really wanted to do was slap them silly into next week. Gee, I felt the empathy and sympathy! I wanted to yell, “Leave me alone! That’s just the way I am, the way God made me…to respond under anesthesia!”

<deep breath>

<reality check>

Okay. Maybe they were laughing WITH me, because they took this picture of me and let’s say when I saw it I roared with laughter too! I am just glad they didn’t video tape me!

It was so bright I thought I was in the presence of the Lord!

Each day got better and I even had the opportunity of finishing off the Shawn Michaels biography with Jayden and Darryl and yes, Shawn was lost, but now he is found. He became a believer in Jesus Christ. I even received a beautiful boutique from my BFF Pamela and her family, plus Darya won me a cute bumble bee and I got to attend a puppet show.

The Shawn Michaels Story is now complete, the book is back at the library in case your interested. ;O)

A little bit of happiness delivered to my room from my BFF Pamela and loving daughter Darya.

Jayden giving me a puppet show.

I made it home safely with all my drugs, CPM, walker and only one pair of TED stockings, I am a woman I need more than one pair and in colors would be nice. Gee, I feel old. I also have to give myself a blood thinning shot every morning in the stomach. Giving me shots is new so we shall see how it goes. At least I have extra cushion there.

Let the side show begin and tickets aren’t cheap. Once I was home and settled in Jayden had to bring one of his friends to parade by my bed side either to witness the CPM in motion or put to rest the truth that I have a bionic leg. Cody was the first, I am sure there will be many more over the next 21 days who will travel by to see the “side show”. As I watched Cody pacing back and forth in front of me I am pretty sure he was thinking how he could make that CPM into a ramp for a remote controlled vehicle. Then he had to belt out, “My grandma has one of those walkers, except she has tennis balls on hers.”

Overall while I didn’t enjoy the reason for being in the hospital, I am thankful for the procedure to take away the pain, even though in the beginning it sure doesn’t seem that way. I am thankful for the prayers of my family and friends. I am thankful for a job that allows me time off to do so. I am thankful for a loving <cough, cough> family that will take pictures of you in vulnerable moments. I am thankful for raised toilet seats, that is important you know. I am thankful (in no certain order, here) for Jesus who is seated at the right hand of the Father making intercession for me (Rom 8:34). Why? Because He loves me so! I know so, the Bible tells me in many, many places.

I am not sure why I have bad knees. Why other people can do all the things I have done and still have strong knees. We think that God’s way means the easy way, but it is not always the easy way but when we cling to our faith we begin to understand the plan. God is the giver of life, not the destroyer. I believe many of us often ask the “Why me?” question, but we should say why not me? After all no where in the Bible does it say we are promised protection against the storms of life. Instead Jesus told us in this world we will have trouble but to take heart (John 16:33). I Peter tells me not to be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening, but rejoice that I may be able to participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that I may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed (4:12-13).

Saying yes to rejoicing requires faith, a steadfast and strong faith that what He has promised He is also able to perform (Rom 4:21). Rejoicing is not rejoicing only when things go our way, I am told to rejoice always (1 Thess. 5:16) and to do all things without complaining (Phil 2:14). Rejoicing by definition is a verb. It is active. Doing everything readily and cheerfully is hard. Requires pushing through those times I don’t feel like rejoicing. But there are times when following Jesus, my Savior, is hard. Plain and simple. But I desire to be a breath of fresh air in this polluted society and provide those around me with a glimpse of my living God. When it is tough to rejoice I think of the promise that hangs on my wall in my living room of Isaiah 40:31,

“Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, and they will walk and not be faint.”

I am reminded that my strength, endurance, and life comes from the Lord.

My little physical therapy package that I use twice a day at home.

So I am pushing through this time and doing as my devotion told me the day of surgery and that is "Jesus said...Get up!" (John 5:8) and though I become exhausted I am still in pursuit waiting for His soon return.

P.S. - they did find my iPhone!

Forrest Gump and I have this in common...

God has given us legs that need braces. Today, I have had my ump-teen visit with another Orthopedic Doctor. Guess what he said the same thing all the other docs have said about my knee. I think they have a conspiracy. Their plot is I need a total knee replacement, but I’m awfully young to need one, but there are no other options, they must rebuild me. On Monday, November 1, I will become the bionic woman!

Dr. Kirkpatrick spend time with me today as any good doctor would telling me the same things the others have, in fact he said, “If God intended us to have metal knees he would have given us metal knees. This knee won’t be as good as the knees God makes, but it will make you feel at least 85% better.” I think I like this doctor! Not because he tells me I will be feeling better, but because He knows my Creator!!

So here is an x-ray of both my knees, obviously the one with the hardware in it is the one getting replaced. I’m not sure if you can see but the space between the joints is different sizes. He said I basically have no cartridge remaining, what I do have left is floating around, basically bone on bone, bone spurs, severe arthritis, baker’s cyst and a worn out ACL. Since I have had two ACL reconstructions and I have no cartilage left, they only option I have other than to live with the pain is a total knee replacement.

Check out the Dr. Kirkpatrick's "Ipad"!

I left the office with a ton of emotions running through me, but mainly fear. Fear of the surgery, pain, anesthesia, blood clots, infection, the list rambled on and on in my head. Then I got a Holy Ghost slap! I started turning it over to God in prayer, knowing that my God did not give me a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind (2 Tim 1:7). That perfect love cast out all fear and I am perfectly loved! Before I was born…every day of my life was recorded in your book (Psalm 139:16). So I casted all my cares on Him, because He cares for me (1 Peter 5:7), once I got my focus straightened out, the peace of God flooded over me.

So back to Forrest, my brace-brother, I remind myself what his momma told him, “If God intended everybody to be the same, and he’d have given us all braces on our legs.” So I choose to rejoice in all things, even this.

Pimples, Plastic Golf Clubs and Other Man Mysteries

It’s Monday and I am going to share about our jammed packed weekend.

I’ve made it no secret that I am wimp. Oh, there are things that I am brave about don’t count me completely off, but getting hit by paint balls by kamikaze teenagers, is not one of the things I want to brave! Let me try and capsulate this weekend, if I can.

It all started with our Fall Youth Conference, in which we learned Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus, just joking (JJK), but we did learn about relationships. That horizontal (those around us) relationships always disappoints. I’m sure that doesn’t surprise you, we’ve all been disappointment at some point in our lives by another human; but a vertical relationship, that is upward with God through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ never disappoints. All that we long for, all that we need, we’ll find it in Him. He alone satisfies, He alone fills, He alone is worthy of our passion. He should be our ONE magnificent obsession. Everything we seek outside of Him only disappoints, it is only a cheap substitute, empty and powerless. Only He can bring us undeniable joy, but if you want to bring me a little happiness, I like Coke Zero with dark chocolate, please.

Then Saturday after the conference everyone else headed out to put those relationship building skills to use by seeking and finding, then assassinating via paintballs! Darya and I won the lottery and got to stay with Lily, our youth pastor’s two year old daughter. Those that went paintballing may have thought their day was more dangerous, dirty and tiring than mine, but let me testify that half a day of Elmocizinig, cleaning up Spaghetti-O’s and holding plastic golf clubs can wear you plum out! It was a success though. No meltdowns. No injuries. No talkbalk. Just Elmo, Spaghetti-O’s and Golf, what more could this girl want? By the way, I was in bed by 8:00 pm!

At the Park with Lily

Darryl and Jayden went off to Red Rock Canyon for the weekend to do “MAN things”. You know like pitch tents, use the great outdoors and kick the dirt around. The big draw of the event? A man sized bonfire…as opposed to a woman sized. Here’s something I’ve been wondering about. What do men talk about at a “Man Bonfire”? So I begin my research. The first attendee I asked said, “Jesus. Nothing but Jesus.” The next attendee I asked said, “What’s said in the canyon, stays in the canyon.” A Ha! See there lies! We all know that Jesus doesn’t stay in the canyon! I knew it, just like fish stories are man bonfire stories, verified through research. Jayden, my little guy, even rappelled off a 50ft cliff and I have no pictures! I heard they even saw Bigfoot!

Carson declares indeed, "It IS a MAN bonfire!"

I want to say I am so grateful for my husband and for his determination to honor the Lord no matter what or where. He took the time to prepare and pray for the time the men spend together and brought forth a devotion about “Camping Too Close to Sin” and led out a time of letting the men share a little bit about themselves. Each day as I witness my God fearing and honoring husband living a real life dedicated to Christ  ~ day in and day out I am thankful. Grateful. Humbled. And I am challenged. Yes, challenged to be as real. Challenged to take on Hebrews 12:1-2. I want that type of devotion, I want to put on my spiritual blinders and focus straight ahead to the finish line, I want to strip off any unnecessary spiritual fat that is weighing me down and run the race set before me. I don’t want to loose sight of the goal. I want to overcome the things of this world, seeking Him fully and confidently knowing that He is the only thing I need.

To end the weekend, Darya woke up with a big red pimple positioned perfectly on the center of her nose! What is a mother to do? Hide her? Plaster it with make up? No! Call the Elders to pray over her! Yes, that’s it! JJK, I did my best to encourage her! I told her that she was perfectly made and that if anyone said anything to let me know and I would take care of them! JJK, again. I told her to tell them that she is suffering for Jesus! After all Jesus was familiar with suffering, shouldn’t we be? The Bible teaches us in 1 Peter not to think it anything strange when we come up against fiery trials, as some strange thing has happened, but to rejoice (4:12). Rejoice in pimple? Yes, in pimples. It is part of the spiritual refining process. Pimples humble us don’t they? And of course I have to throw in a little of Hebrews 2:14 that Jesus shared in our humanity, so it is possible He had to deal with pimples, I know He dealt with mockery. He did it willingly. He suffered more than we could imagine. He endured the cross. Pain. Shame. And He did for the joy that was set before Him. Us. The Children of God. Great is His love for me that I am called a child of God. I am His daughter!