Sermon Tone Analysis

Sabbatical Reflections

It is really good to be here this morning… and good to be up here again!

This morning’s message is more like an extension of share time… a personal reflection and testimony of what God has been doing in my heart the last several months

It also has been a real blessing to have a three-month sabbatical break from preaching and church leadership responsibilities.

Last December 15 marked twenty years since I have been ordained to the ministry

These past three months have been the only break I have had since being ordained

I want to graciously thank Nate and Ivan for encouraging and making this happen… in doing so, it increased their responsibilities over the last three months… from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!

I also want to thank the congregation for the support I have felt during this time.

As the sabbatical approached, I wasn’t sure what to expect from a break like this.

I know the purpose was to rest and rejuvenate, but how does one do this with ongoing job responsibilities.

As I thought about this, I began envisioning what this break from church responsibilities may look like

Time to read multiple books on my perpetual list

Time to contemplate and pray… specifically for the church as well as each and every member individually…

A time of renewal of passion and vision for the church

Time to visit several other congregations

Time to connect and interact with and learn from other church leaders

Time to get away by myself to personally rest and rejuvenate

Time to do some biking and hiking with my wife

Complete a number of projects around the house

Take a 9-day vacation to Ireland (rescheduled from last summer)

For reasons mostly beyond my control, it didn’t happen anything like I envisioned or dreamed… the only thing on this list that went according to plan was our delayed 25th anniversary vacation to Ireland.

Other plans that we had penciled in on our calendar were replaced with other more urgent needs

Over this time, we did have the unique privilege of spending more time with and caring for both of our parents.

In April, both Simon and Polly had infected toes removed and Simon was hospitalized for several days prior to that.

We are grateful their recovery went well… for this we are very grateful!

One week after returning from Ireland and the day before Mother’s Day, my Mom was hospitalized in Wichita, KS with a kidney infection and sepsis.

Early the next week, Dad was not feeling well.

Mom came home from the hospital Wednesday and Dad was admitted to the Hutchinson Hospital on Thursday with pneumonia and congestive heart failure.

By Friday evening, my siblings said the doctor did not know whether Dad would make it through the night since he was not responding to the medications being given to improve his condition.

We scrambled late Friday night and bought one-way tickets for Vonnie, Marcus, and I to fly to KS on Saturday.

When we arrived early Saturday evening, adrenaline must have kicked in because Dad was so excited to see us and had more energy and talked more than he had the previous several days… but he was on 10 liters of oxygen and his breathing was extremely labored.

My brother Joe and I spent the night with Dad… taking turns staying awake just in case.

Sunday his body started responding to the medications and we could see a gradual improvement.

Since he continued to improve Monday, we bought return tickets for Wednesday...

While Dad was improving, Mom seemed more pale and weak.

By Tuesday, she was much weaker and nearly collapsed while getting ready for bed.

We took her to the ER about 10pm Tuesday night.

After a few tests, they determined she was bleeding internally and needed at least two units of blood.

She was transferred by ambulance to Wichita - an hour away - and admitted to the ICU.

On our way to Wichita about midnight, Vonnie called the airline and explained the situation… they said we could cancel our Wednesday flights and have full credit toward a future flight.

What an answer to prayer!

We were there with Mom all night… they gave her three units of blood, and they cauterized the bleeding ulcer in her small intestine… we returned to Hutchinson Wednesday evening having only grabbed a few minutes of sleep here and there.

While Mom and Dad were both improving, they were both hospitalized an hour apart.

I did however enjoy meaningful interaction with both of them.

Mom was discharged home on Saturday and was definitely doing much better… although she was using a walker to get around the house.

We rebooked our tickets and returned home on Sunday… arriving in time to attend the Gainesville Community Choir concert that Darren was a part of.

Over the next ten days, Dad continued to gradually improve.

He was moved to the skilled nursing unit in the hospital… with physical therapy and occupational therapy working with him to rebuild his strength and confidence to go home.

Prior to my parents getting sick, Vonnie and I had decided to make it a priority to go to my Dad’s family reunion in early June… my Dad’s eight living siblings are aging and most are not in good health.

Vonnie & I flew back out to KS on Friday about 11 days after coming home.

When we arrived at the hospital to see Dad that afternoon, he looked well!

Earlier in the day, he had walked around the unit several times, they had taken him outside to walk around a bit, and they had worked with him to walk up and down several steps.

His oxygen levels were down to 3-4 liters compared to ten liters when we had left.

He had really wanted to be at the reunion on Saturday/Sunday, but that was not possible.

Instead, Friday night, Dad’s six brothers and two living sisters came out to the hospital for dessert with Dad in the dining area on the skilled nursing unit.

He wanted to make sure we took a lot of pictures, especially of the seven brothers, all the siblings, and the siblings and spouses.

Dad thoroughly loved that evening… a couple of hours of being up in a wheelchair and interacting with his brothers and sisters.

He commented afterwards how much he enjoyed it but was tired - a good tired!

Monday afternoon as we were getting ready to head back home, the physical therapist and occupational therapist were saying it looks like he will be discharged home by Thursday.

Dad had showered himself that morning and was walking well with a walker.

He was a bit nervous about the thought of going home, but also excited.

We said our goodbyes fully aware we may not see each other again… Dad commented that one of the hard things for him to accept is that he won’t visit us here in VA again… and he won’t get to see the people here at Faith Christian again.

The very next evening, Tuesday evening, Darren was able to go see Dad in the hospital.

He was on tour with the Shenandoah Christian Music Camp Chamber Choir, and their first concert was at Mom & Dad’s church.

Even though Darren didn’t have a lot of time with Dad, it was meaningful to both of them… he was able to stay with Mom for the night before continuing on their tour.

Wednesday morning, things drastically changed!

His oxygen needed to be increased from 3-4 liters to the maximum 15 liters.

Even at that level with no activity, his blood oxygenation levels remained in the 80s… instead of 90-100.

He said he felt good, and even felt like he should be able to get up and walk.

The doctors told us that with this change there was nothing more they could do for him… and he would not be able to be discharged home with those oxygen levels.

Dad stated he would like to be moved to the Hospice House… a facility in which he had volunteered in the past.

At some point on Wednesday, Dad told my sister Beth what happened Tuesday night… during the night he was feeling a bit overwhelmed and apprehensive about the thought of going home… would he be able to handle it?

would Mom be able to care for him?

would it mean us children helping out with his care?

He then sheepishly told her that he prayed if it would be better for him not to go home, God would make it clear.

He then said, God answered his prayer, and made it very clear!

Later, we learned that Dad’s outlook and attitude about the drastic change in his health was a powerful testimony to the nursing staff.

He graciously accepted the fact that he was not able to go home because he was getting better, but rather facing imminent death in hospice care.

Typically, the reaction to such news is anger and frustration… Dad accepted it as God’s will, and even helped make the decisions about hospice care - in a rational and helpful way.

When we learned that rather than going home, he would be transferred to the Hospice House, Brandon promptly made arrangements to fly out early Thursday morning.

My brother Joe decided to not tell Dad or my other siblings that Brandon was coming so he could surprise them.

Thursday morning I called my sister and said I would like to talk to Dad if he is up to it.

He was sleeping at the time, but Beth said he would like that as long as it was on a speaker phone and he didn’t have to do all the talking.

I told her to call me back when it was a good time for Dad… When she called me back, we chatted for about ten minutes when I realized Brandon should be getting there… I texted Brandon and he said they were walking into the hospital just then.

It was such a privilege to hear Dad’s surprise and delight to see Brandon walk into his room… Within the next hour, Brandon got to ride in the ambulance with Dad as they transferred him to the Hospice House.

Thursday, June 15 — instead of going home, Dad was moved to hospice… this was also that very day, 26 years earlier, when Vonnie and I were married, and Vonnie’s birthday!

Talk about conflicted emotions...

Brandon flew back home Saturday night.

Dad continued to feel well… he had no pain, he was coherent and alert, he was comfortable and not suffering.

When I called to talk to him Sunday morning - Father’s Day - I could tell a distinct difference from my conversation Thursday.

Talking was took more effort for him and his breathing was more labored and shallow.

I realized as our conversation ended that it may be the last one we have - and it was.

During the first few days in hospice care, Dad made arrangements for his funeral.

The one thing he emphasized several times was that he did not want it not be a long service, and that there would not be extensive tributes about him.

Dad loved visitors - especially while in hospice, and even though he was tired and sleeping more, he fought sleep afraid he would miss a visitor… after my siblings promised they would wake him if visitors came, he slept much more Sunday and Monday.

On Monday, his talking was noticeably weaker… by the end of the day, not much more than a whisper.

Tuesday we are not sure how aware he was of what was going on.

He slept much more and when he talked it wasn’t really coherent… at one point he said it’s all so confusing.

They did give him some morphine to relax him.

Several times he tried to say something but they couldn’t really understand him.