God Celebrates Restored Relationships

11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

28 “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’

Their names were Joe and Benny. Made up names to protect their identities. They are adult brothers in  a family we know who hadn't really had a relationship with each other since the break up of a religious group they were involved in decades ago. One brother went with one of the leaders while the other brother went with the other leader. Their parents were caught in the middle of this firestorm of upheaval.

Since the break up of their religious cult their parents never had the opportunity to  have everyone sit down as a family at holiday gatherings with the exception of a handful of occasions like weddings, welcoming a new birth.  One brother always came. . The occult had influenced their thinking to the point where each brother thought the other brother was off based.

Both brothers have tried to compensate for the pain that had been inflicted on the family by calling their now widow mom on a weekly basis.  It seems that when we make a mess out of our lives the natural tendency is to want to run from those messes, close off any relationships associated with those messes, and avoid anything that remotely reminds you of the messes of your past.

As we learn from Pastor Stanley Christianity is a relationship centered belief where God is a master at restoring relationships.  The church is full of messes. Peoples lives are messes.  Messy divorce, messy breakups, and messy deaths.  People come to Christ because of those messes.  The story of the Prodigal son is one example.

Only God knows the perfect timing for restored relationships, but this I do know which God wants to have a personal, life giving relationship with you through his son Jesus Christ. God will take all of your messes and will clean them up.  If is a addiction he will clean it up.  It is an anger problem he will clean it up. If it is forgiving someone he will show you how to forgive. Whatever your messes are God is a master at cleaning up those up.

Introducing a partnership with patients

Here is another story about how the loss of their daughter sent them on a mission to improve communications between all medical entities so simple medical errors do not cause the loss of another child.  I was especially intrigued when she said her daughter was given methadone for pain and even suggested that if she hadn't been prescribed methadone she would still be alive.

Sometimes I feel like a pied piper, but in my research some of these narcotic pain medicines are so dangerous that in the opinions of a few medical experts should be completely taking off of the market because of the severe respiratory depression that sets in with these young patients.  The surgery  our little girl had didn't kill her,but it was the Narcotic Codeine and Valium that were prescribed to her following the surgery which set the stage for the severe respiratory depression to set in.

No amount of money would every bring this woman's daughter back, nor would it bring Maria back, the tragedies in each case sends each of us on a mission to better educate the public on the dangers of these drugs.  If just one family chooses an alternative pain medication other than Codeine and in the course of that choice one child's life is saved then I know I have done my job.

A Simple trip to the Doctor's office

The raised bump wasn't getting any better and with each day I grew more concern over the prospects that this was a skin cancer that should be looked at.  After our loss it was easy to grow gun shy being around doctors, clinics or accepting what they had to say.about my health..After all our daughter died the first night home from the hospital and in the overall scheme of things it wasn't suppose to happen this way.

My wife shared with me very recently about another young girl at the same school as our kids who had a foot that would turn inward.  Her parents had the same type of surgery planned for her, but when Maria died they canceled their daughter's surgery. Death and loss will do that to people as hopelessness and grief settles in.

I learned in my grief recovery that I must not h old the medical community hostage to all of my anger, blame and hatred for her death.  We must continue to place our trust in these professionals whenever there is a need to seek their services.

The first doctor I saw said it looked like a suspicious basil cell cancer, but he wanted me to watch it over the next week and for me see my regular primary physician.  Each day I waited and watch.  It seemed to stop growing and yet it wasn't going away on it's own. My wife was growing concerned and encouraged me to keep the follow up appointment. I waited and watched all the way to the morning of my appointment. Fortunately, my appointment was over labor day weekend which meant the waiting times were minimal. I heard my name called and the nurse  lead me back to the examining room where she asked me some questions before stepping out. Wasn't long before my doctor stepped in.

He looked at my chart  and then at the raised bump before decisively telling me that it needs to come off. He reassured me that it was probably only a basil cell carcinogen, the less dangerous form of skin cancer. He came back in with the tools he needed to do the excision. He gave me the needed pain deadening shot.

 I was impressed with the skills of this doctor.His ability to maintain the composure of his patient, reassure the patient as he did the procedure and giving his patient hope throughout the procedure.I remember his words about how healthy the tissue looked underneath the excision looked which reassured me further his initial impressions.

For every death that occurs following a medical procedure there are 100's more that are helped and go on and lead productive lives. I was impressed by this doctors skill level and it did remind me of the skill level of our daughter's Orthopedic specialist.On the eve of a service honoring young patients who had died the previous year he would had been there for us if he hadn't been called in to perform emergency surgery on another young patient when no other doctor was available.  That was the kind of doctor he was and continues to be to this day.