September | 2019 | living the life of christ

There is an upcoming election on October 3 that is very important to the Memphis Fire and Police Department. I’m sure if you have read or seen ANY kind of news, you are recognizing this topic. With all of the rederic going back and forth, it really is simple. Who do you trust?

I trust a man or woman that is going to run into a burning building to save my children.

I trust a man or a woman who has been coughing for years due to the smoke they have been exposed to for me.

I trust a paramedic or firefighter who knows the names of the regulars and tries to help them on the side, only to get the call on Christmas Day that they are frozen to death in the parking lot.

I trust a paramedic who calms a pregnant woman in the back of his or her ambulance while she gives birth before they arrive at the hospital.

I trust a police officer who would come to the aid of an elderly lady being mauled by a pit bull while paramedics try to save her.

Can I give you more? Of course I can. But honestly, I want to know that the fireman that is being called on the other end of that 911 call is more concerned about ME than the fact that when he turns 65 (or has his 25 years in), he will have no benefits.

Plain and simple – if my husband retired today after 25 years, he would have no health insurance. He has paid in NO Social Security – only Pension. Now, they have taken the pension away from new hires and given them a hybrid plan.

So, Jon Stewart, I say thank you. Thank you for what you did for the NYC 911 firefighters, paramedics and police.

City of Memphis, will you stand behind those that serve you or those that make promises under the table? VOTE YES.

Referendum: Local Option Sales Tax
(vote for or against)

Shall the ordinance to increase the sales and use tax in the City of Memphis by 0.5%, from 2.25% to 2.75% become operative?
The proceeds of this 0.5% tax increase shall first be used to restore and maintain the health care benefits for Public Safety employees (employees and pre-65
retirees of the Memphis Police Services and Fire Services Divisions) to the levels in effect as of July 1, 2014, and to restore and maintain the pension benefits of said employees hired prior to July 1, 2016 to the levels specified in the 1978 City of Memphis Pension Plan. Any remaining proceeds shall be used for street maintenance and/or pre-kindergarten education. All funds must be spent for the purposes designated above. These funds are to be used in addition to, and may not be used to replace or supplant, any current funding for the above purposes. Such tax shall be collected by the Tennessee Department of Revenue. A lawsuit for recovery of any tax illegally assessed or collected shall be brought against the City Treasurer of the City of Memphis.

Kemp Conrad? No. Sir.

One-half cent?

Will not matter when your husband grabs his chest and his eyes roll back in his head.
Will not matter when you smell something from the kitchen, hear the smoke alarms, and realize your children are at the other end of the house.
Will not matter when you receive a call from the MPD that there has been a car accident and your 16-year-old has been involved.
Will not matter when you see your neighbor’s car being broken into for the second time.
Will not matter to the mother when her child gets ahold of the gun in the house and shoots his sister.
Will not matter when they call you from the assisted living and tell you the paramedics have come to take your mother to the hospital because she has been in the bathroom floor for four hours and is bleeding (ask me).
Will not matter when the ambulance and paramedics arrive at the airport to transport your son to St. Jude for his final week of life.

I would give a million dollars to change that final ride to St. Jude. I guarantee one-half cent will not matter to the next parent.

Bottom line – We all need the MPD and MFD – so don’t take them for granted!

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You have to admit it. You started singing the song, right? “… of flesh and blood I’m made.” Human League from 1986. That is exactly what I thought Monday when Jay called me after seeing Dr. Fleming and told me his biopsy returned as cancer in his neck. I will tell you, I was angry. It was a throw your hands in the air and scream – What the hell? – kind of anger.

Then I crashed. Rock bottom. Do not look at me; do not talk to me, kind of crash (at work).

Trust me, God was not on my radar to run to for answers. Why? Because I have done it time after time, occurrence after occurrence and still…cancer. I am not even the one fighting it! Jay has to endure more than I do. So much more. His words ring in my ears, “I hate this.”

I put my foot down and said enough.

That might have been when God laughed. Or maybe when I was spilling my guts in the office of one of the attorneys I work for at Burch, Porter & Johnson. My kind friend, as tears streamed down my face said, I’m glad you are in here. No, I do not really think God laughed at me. I truly believe He saw my hurt and understood that I was hurting for my soulmate that He had so graciously given me. He knew the crushing weight of emptiness I felt because I could not and still cannot help my husband. I also believe He was preparing someone else to minister to me also.

Monday nights are when I attend a high school bible study and help as a small group leader. I immediately thought, there is NO WAY I am going there and act as if I have it all together, because I obviously do not. I might cry or yell in front of one of those precious kids and I just could not take that chance. So you text the leader, right? I did not want to hear her words either. I think she knew that, but she was persistent.

This is what she shared: (We are studying Exodus) She said, “I don’t know if you have read chapter 5 yet, but it is good and right where you are.” (I am thinking yeah Moses, come on down, join me.) “And in 6:1 God doesn’t shame him or condemn him or even strike him dead, but just gently reminds Moses…just watch what I will do. It has nothing to do with you Moses, it is all about Me and when it is done…I will be glorified and it will be for your good.”

As you can imagine, by this time I am in tears reading her text. Her words were hard, but truth, as we both agreed. Sometimes the truth, especially the word of God, is hard to hear or read. However, when it is delivered in a loving, caring manner, God can change the heart of the receiver. Isn’t that why we pray for others?

She went on to share:

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!” Ephesians 3:20-21

Yes, that anger was fleeting, but it was there. As I said at the beginning, I’m only human; of flesh and blood I’m made. Anger, frustration, worry, and anxiousness, all things that cause us to drift from God were filling my heart. Nevertheless, God did not drift away from me or from Jay. I cancelled all commitments for the week (except women’s bible study), and we did what we always do, we have watched television together, ate pizza, and talked football (oh, and maybe Big Brother).

Jay and I are registered to participate in the West Fight On Run/Walk tomorrow. We both have agreed to stay home and do a little cleaning before football. (He does not know about the cleaning part.) We know that only with God makes us stronger together.

Jay has his PET scan on Monday to see if his cancer has spread. He will then see Dr. Tauer and decide which specific chemo pill he will take with the plan to eventually have radiation. Things always change.

We ask for your prayers as we file insurance claims, juggle this and that, and mostly for Jay to endure the side effects without missing work. We have a good group of firefighter family and growing in Living Hope Church. I also have other friends battling cancer that need prayer.

When someone steps in to speak truth, listen. You may not want to hear it at the moment, but it will eventually soak into your soul and feed you where your heart is aching. Be thankful for those that speak truth to you and remember they are human also.

#cancerstillsucks

Only Human