This week has been a rollercoaster of emotions which has worn my body down in ways that I haven’t experienced in years. It’s Friday morning and I can hardly keep my eyes open. My blogs typically relay stories that have to deal with Marfan Syndrome and its affects in my family’s life, but yesterday I walked with a group of people whose fresh scars are weighing heavy on my heart. Scars develop in so many ways, both externally and internally.
    
Within this region of United Brethren churches I hold the role of Cluster Leader. (For those associated with other denominations, it has a handful of similarities to a District Superintendent) As the Cluster Leader I have the opportunity to lead monthly meetings with other local UB pastors and to also be somewhat of a liaison between the denomination and the seven local churches that make up our UB Cluster.

This past Sunday I had the privilege to preach at the largest UB church in the Cluster during each of their three services. I was there as part of an announcement of a pastoral transition that will be happening at that church this summer. It was an honor to be able to represent the denomination and to be able to share the message God placed on my heart, but it was exhausting. Just to drive home was a challenge as my body was shutting down. Although this was an exciting announcement, the demands of preaching three times led to a quick lunch and then a two hour nap that I had difficulty waking from. (I’m not implying I was dying, just really comfy LOL)

I was running sluggish at the beginning of this week, and had to take a short nap yesterday in order to function as Cluster Leader in a much different venue last night. . . the closing of a church. The 7PM meeting was a little over an hour drive south of where we live and when I introduced myself it was evident their hearts were incredibly heavy. The denomination itself cannot close a church, it has to come from the church leadership after looking at a variety of circumstances to see if that is in the best interest for the church.

We started the meeting with prayer and looked at a portion of Scripture from James 1 about wisdom. Wisdom is what we all needed. Wisdom from God was necessary.

As I proceeded to lead them through this process we tried to come up with other solutions other than to close. They had no pastor, but could they find a retired one to fill in? Would that just delay the inevitable? What about a church merge? Not much interest in that. Part-time? Could the denomination find another person to serve? My heart is broken as I write this at the pain that I saw in the eyes of this church. The tears. The history. The memories. The reality that closure was sadly the answer.

After a lengthy discussion it was agreed that the needed path to take was to dissolve the church. With pain I said that someone from the board needed to make a motion to close the church and then a vote needed to be taken.     Silence.     No one wanted to make that motion. The tears from many started to roll of their cheeks. I was watching deep scars forming in the hearts of these wonderful people.

After 15 seconds of silence one member weepfully made the motion to proceed with the closing of the church, followed by a second. The vote was cast, the decision made, to close the doors of the church.

It was nearly 9PM when all the questions to me were answered and a plan was set in motion by the church board as to the steps to take from this point forward. After I closed in prayer the finality of the evenings decisions started to really sink in. The tears fell even more. All on the church board had attended for most of their lives. One dear saint had been a member for 63 years and for most this was the only church they had ever attended.

I hugged most of them before I left, knowing that a couple of them were so heartbroken that they were doing all they could to not break down weeping. My heart was broken for them. It wasn’t until this morning that I was even able to talk with Amanda about it because of the scars that they felt because of the church closing.
I wanted to fix it for them. I wanted to take their pain and make it all go away, but I couldn’t. Their hearts are not only scarred by mine is too.

As I was driving home I was numb. With music playing the song came on by Chris Tomlin “How Great is Our God” and I began to cry. I have no doubts about the greatness of God and even walking with this church during this process doesn’t cast any doubt either. What my heart was so heavy over was that these precious people are starting down a difficult road to travel and I pray that even in the midst of these scars that they will always seek God in every area of life and never doubt His greatness.

Because of God’s greatness we can make it through even the deepest scars in our lives. My scars can be exhausting, and I am definitely that today. I don’t like the scars of a church closing its doors either. They dig deep. They hurt. It can be hard to have hope.

This church, you, and I must cling to the promise of Jesus to Paul (and each of us) in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

In our weakness, He is strong and He is all we need to make it through the scars in our lives.
             

That slogan was on a tee-shirt I bought in the summer of 1996 shortly after graduating high school. (Just like the one in the pictures.) Believing I was limitless was part of my delusional 18 year old thinking. (As I believe 99% of recent HS graduates hold to that belief as well) Only a matter of weeks after purchasing that shirt I cut off my finger with a table saw and then, only seven short months later, I had my first successful open heart surgery to replace my aortic valve.
 
My limits quickly met me head on and although I owned and wore that shirt for a number of years to follow, I knew that my limits needed to be heeded.
 
Jump forward nearly 20 years. My limits have stayed similar, yet my body gets a little more testy when they are pushed.
 
Last week and this week are “organic food appreciation and gathering weeks.” Also known as the two weeks of deer season here in Pennsylvania. Our family has been blessed to get two small “organic meat providers” and another one was given to us. I look forward to each year to this celebration of wholesome, free-range, 100% organic provision.
 
But these last two weeks something has happened regarding my limits . . . they seem to be shrinking. I’ve been in the woods more this season than I have in previous years and my body is informing me of these limits. I’ve been up early and in the woods before daylight on a number of days only to find myself after lunch having to take an hour nap in order to just function through the rest of the day.
 
While eating lunch with Amanda today I told her about what I was going to write for my blog and how I’ve been reaching some of my physical limits. These limits of mine aren’t new to her and with a smirk on her face she agreed that when I push my limits, my body reacts in a way that only a nap can solve.
 
When the limits are pushed too hard I find myself twitching a little. I also start to shake my legs back and forth. I know when I reach my limits and, unlike my thinking when I was 18, I don’t ignore them. I want to take care of myself in order to take care of the one’s God has entrusted to me. My wife and children.
 
But not just my family, but also the church family that I love so deeply and am privileged to pastor. If my limits are pushed too much what good am I too them?
 
I’m not saying that we have to limit ourselves in every detail of life or be afraid of stretching ourselves. I love to be challenged and stretched, yet limits need to be set in some areas of our lives in order for us to even survive.
 
I don’t know what your limits are, but I want to encourage you not to always ignore them. God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life regardless of the limits that make up your life. Do I sometimes wish that I could participate in some activities or push my body to exhaustion? Yes, I do, but the limits that Marfan syndrome hold are one’s that I accept and will work my hardest to still live life to its fullest regardless.
 
So with all that said, I am off with the boys to try to secure some more organic food for our freezer. I’ll sit in a hunting stand that is easy to access and if we are blessed with more GMO free food, I’ve got my boys to help me drag it out of the woods.
 

Remember if you allow Jesus to have control of your life, He will guide you and will always enable you to reach the vastest limits that He has planned for your life. He knows your limits and His plans will always be for the betterment of your soul within any limits you may have.

I’ve noticed that as each year passes the aches and pains of daily living increase. I’m not complaining, but it’s a matter of fact for those diagnosed with Marfan syndrome. When I raise my arms above my head that my shoulders are now cracking. Two days ago after I finished hammering and drilling above my head, I could hardly lift my arms afterwards. So is the life for the 1 in 5,000 individuals who have Marfan’s.
    
It’s incredible looking back on my life at what has all transpired and happened in my 37 short years of living. On Saturday I was cleaning out the garage in order for our van to be parked inside once the snow comes and I pulled out our old filing box. I took it inside and started to go through old papers: pay stubs, surgeon reports, pictures. I found old medical forms from my first open heart surgery that was on 01/10/97 being discharged on the 15th. (The post-op form was typed using a typewriter. I guess I am getting old?)
    
     I also found the paperwork for the first genetic doctors visit after I was married. It was dated 9/12/01, the day after the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. The information on this form staggered me. You can probably read that it has me standing at 82” or 6’10” tall and weighing only 180lbs. My BMI was almost at the lowest it could be to still be considered normal weight. Fourteen years ago I was 50 lbs lighter and apparently 1” shorter! (my current BMI is just a hair below overweight, but still on the normal weight rage)
 
     I think that I’ve aged well apart from not bending in the middle as easily as I had in year’s past. I do carry a small spare tire.  :) 
 
     But what about the aches and pains that will continue to come? It’s a daily battle. Lower back pain that can’t be taken care of because I’m not allowed to go to a chiropractor. When walking up stairs my knees crack a half a dozen times with the sound of cartilage against bone. When getting out of the car on Monday my ribs got stuck on my left side. I don’t know if this is because I had a rib removed for one of my surgeries, but it sticks and I can’t breathe. I then bend toward my left side and the ribs come lose and I gasp for air. When it happens around the kids and I can’t breathe and the pain is so intense they just watch until I bend it out. “My ribs got stuck,” I tell them. “Okay,” the kids reply, and then they go about whatever they were doing. It’s just a part of life.
    
     A few stuck ribs, cracking knees, weak shoulders, and occasional major surgeries . . . if that’s all the more I have to go through in this aging process I am definitely blessed. I have a great wife and five terrific kids. I have been able to watch them grow and learn and become the individuals whom God wants them to be.
    
     Your perspective on life has a lot to do with how you will age. My body continually aches but I wholeheartedly believe that the prime of my life is upon me and yet to come. I’ve never been so motivated and passionate about people having hope in their lives regardless of their scars than today. Hope can still be found in the midst of personal pain, you just have to be willing to seek. If you seek you will find.
    
     We all have uncontrollables in our life and they will continue until the day we die. You can still age well by choosing to live with purpose and hope and I have found that in my faith . . .my relationship with Jesus. Regardless of the aches and pains I look forward to aging well with my wife and kids by my side.

This morning, with the family waving from the fence, I took off from Franklin Regional Airport ultimately heading to Albany, KY. The small aircraft could accommodate seven passengers, but I ended up being the only one flying this morning. It was a nice, short flight to Pittsburgh where I am now waiting for my flight to Charolette and then hopping another flight to Nashville. There my host, Dave Dorn, will pick me up for a two hour drive back to his place. (I am preaching revival services for four days there)

It's astonishing when you fly how many people you come into contact with. So many people who have story's and lives that are unique. I haven't had an opportunity to delve into any of these conversations yet, but I still have two flights to go. I did have a nice conversation with a TSA fellow when I asked him if he ever layed down on the conveyor and had someone run him through the bag scanner. (To answer your questions if they do that, it seems as if they don't. Now you know)

Back to my thoughts on so many people. When looking out my window on the plane, I saw so many cars, businesses, and homes. So many people. So many people who are just living for the sake of paying the bills and going on vacation. So many people who have no true spiritual purpose and just live for the sake of living. Isn't their more to life than that?

Yesterday Amanda and I watched the movie Woodlawn. If you haven't seen it I encourage you to go. It is powerful. It is convicting. (It made me cry like a baby). Woodlawn stresses that each of us has a purpose and gifts that only come from God. It's powerfully displayed through the true story of a young black football player who gave it all over to Jesus.

So as I fly over all these houses and rub shoulders with hundreds of people in airports and on planes I anticipate being able to share my life with them. I know that God has orchestrated who I will sit beside and that I can have a small part in their lives. So many people and it takes all of us to share the love of Jesus with them all. I gotta go because I am boarding in 15 minutes.

Every four weeks I have an incredible opportunity to write an article for the religion page of our local newspaper. This Saturday’s article I address about having a genetic condition. I don’t get into the details of the condition, but I share a handful of the predicaments and concerns with Marfan syndrome that I've experienced. This blog is that article and it deals with a question that isn’t height related or basketball related. A question that I had never been asked before . . .What Happened to Your Nose?

Here's the article: 

          You probably can’t tell from my picture, but there is a high probability that I am taller then you. Last week a woman approached me at an event and commented on the Derrick articles I write. She knows my parents, but was somewhat surprised at how tall I was. She mentioned that you don’t know someone’s height by their head-shot in the newspaper.

          I frequently get questions about my height. I am 6’9” so for most of my life I have had a much higher view of the world then many. My height is actually a symptom of a genetic condition that I was born with. Practically anytime I go out to Walmart or some other place with a crowd I get stared at and asked how tall I am. Then the follow-up question, “Did you play basketball?”

          I’ve been told I should respond by asking a question back such as, “Do you play mini-golf?” or “Are you a sumo wrestler?” But I figure being a pastor, and a Christian, those responses aren’t going to achieve any Jesus points! I graciously inform them that I couldn’t play organized sports because of my genetic condition but I played for fun. Then they say they’re sorry, but I assure them that God’s plans for my life are greater than sports.

          Typically the conversations are well mannered, but sometimes I get the rude person who just acts like a jerk. I’ve even had people come up behind me and pull up my pant legs to see my actual legs and then run back to their group speaking loudly that I’m not walking on stilts. These things can be a little annoying, and they upset me more when I’m with my children. Having tall sons, with two of them having the same condition, they get to see how people will treat them even as an adult. 

          Proverbs 12:18 states, “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” I stress this in practically every area of life. The words we say are going to bring hurt or healing. Inquiry is fine, but be careful with what you say.

          I have had the height question all my life, but last week a question was asked that no one had ever asked me before. While getting my haircut the woman having her hair done beside me blurts out, “What happened to your nose?” Having my glasses off, I couldn’t tell if she was looking at me. Pondering if I’m the one to answer and after an awkward silence I inquired, “Do you mean MY nose?”  Astonished that I didn’t know she was addressing me she said, “Yes, what happened to your nose? Why’s it so big?”

          I proceeded to tell her that as a teen and in college I had broken it playing basketball. I guess that satisfied her need to know about the look of my nose. Someone later told me I should have asked her what happened to her face, but that wouldn’t have gotten any Jesus points either.

     Each of us has asked this question before. On a weekly basis people share with me about their over-scheduled calendars and their frantic pace of life. Writing this today is probably more relevant for me than you, but just speaking a little two letter word can save us so much time and stress. That word is “No.”

    My father has a hard time saying “no” when it comes to work. He has a hard time telling people “no” even when his workload is full. Then his schedule is so filled that all he can do is work, eat, and sleep.

    This is actually where “Like father like son” is relevant. I’m a lot like my dad in this area. If I see something that I can do or help in some way I try to be there to assist. The stress increases the busier we allow ourselves to be. This can create wear on our bodies and then we end up sick or our body breaks down from exhaustion.

    I currently have six major responsibilities that I have said “Yes” to. In hindsight, I maybe should have said “no” to a couple of them. So why don’t we say no? Why don’t I say no? Here are my thoughts in no particular order.

1.    We don’t want to disappoint. None of us enjoy seeing a person’s face go from happy to sad because of our “no” answer. If you are asked to do something and people have confidence in you, it can be hard to say no. This one’s tough because being a “Debbie Downer” isn’t who you want to be. Although a person may be disappointed in your declining answer, when you have too much to do, you’re not able to do any of it 100%.

2.    We like being counted on. I’m not meaning in a prideful way, but in a way that is a positive reflection your character. People know that you will keep your word and you take (healthy) pride in being responsible. None of us are perfect in this, but being counted on and then accomplishing that task typically makes us feel good. We can become afraid to ever say no because we don’t want people to perceive us as irresponsible.

3.    Others have helped us. As a pastor I have a frequent tendency to ask people for help. There is no way that I can do everything that needs to be done here at the church. I ask a multitude of people for help. Just last night I asked folks to help with moving someone from one place to another and to also help with finishing up work on our new parking lot. I can’t do it all myself, so I ask for help. I think that’s why I often say “yes” to so many other things. It’s because so many people have helped me. (That is my personal epiphany today)

4.    We don’t like being told no ourselves. It’s hard when you are in a real need and you ask someone to lend a hand and they answer in the negative. “What do I do now?” I have had so many instances where people have said no and the feeling of being lost instantly overwhelms me. They may have great reasons for not being able to do something, like having a baby or having major surgery, but the word “no” can be hard to swallow. (In our household the reaction of my children to hearing a response of no spans from a simple “OK” to a yelling, stomping, “Why do you hate me” response.) Being told “no” can be hard to digest, but we have to let it go and accept it.

5.    Other people’s needs should come first. I do believe this, that we need to be looking out for each other, but it can be taken too far. I know for those in Christian ministry this can be very dangerous. Doing so much “religious” stuff that one’s family can become neglected. Having some health concerns myself, I have to be especially careful with this. What good am I to my wife and five children if I’m exhausted all the time? What type of father will they remember if I am at work and with other people all the time and spending time with their families and not my own? I did have an older pastor years ago tell me that I needed to spend more time doing the church work even if it killed me. . . literally. I share a differing opinion as I believe that I can say no to some things and still have quality time for my church duties as well as quality time for my family.

6.    We don’t want to offend. I see this as different from #1. Disappointment is different than being offensive. We may refrain from saying no because the person will blow up at us. They may roll their eyes, do an about face, and storm out of the room. Now you have to deal with trying to mend the friendship which could even take more time than if you have just said yes in the first place! These situations are difficult because you’re probably dealing with a selfish person. It might be better to just help than to suffer the consequences of their status update about “a backstabbing friend” on Facebook.

7.    Pride. This is the bad kind though. Maybe the reason you don’t decline to do something is because you want to be in the limelight. I know folks that have so much on their plates for the main purpose of letting others know how much they do. It’s a status symbol for them. The more pride controls you the less friends and acquaintances you will have.

    I’m sure that you can think of other reasons why we don’t say “no” and if you would like to share them I would love your input. By no means do I want anyone to continually say “no” to everything asked of them, but in order to live a more balanced life feel free to say that two letter word. God doesn’t want our lives to be filled with so much activity that we neglect the blessings we’ve been given. It’s okay to say no.

What is your definition of time? For most in western society we say that we just don’t have enough of whatever 'time' is. Webster’s dictionary has thirteen different definitions and usages of the word ‘time’.

1.      A period during which an action, process, or condition exists
2.      A point of period when something occurs
3.      A moment, hour, day, or year as indicated by a clock or calendar

And ten others!

I have found myself in a season of life where I have filled my time up a little too much. I’m glad it’s a temporary thing, but I am more than a bit stretched. I would even say that I am pushing my boundaries, but at least it’s only for a season. . . literally, a girls JV volleyball season. I’m the coach this year for the Christian school our children attend.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:” So if the wisest man, Solomon, penned these words that we do have time for all sorts of things then why is our time so crunched?

A big reason is we just pile our schedules full to stay busy. And if kids are involved, you have to say no to them or they will try to schedule every waking hour of your time with activities! I look at my “have to” responsibilities and commitments and I shake my head as to how am I going to be able to complete them. I don’t sleep well when there are too many irons in the fire. Today I was awake before 5AM and left for the office at 6:15AM to start work because I got behind this week due to a couple uncontrollable situations. Friday’s are typically my day off and I don’t even come into the office. I didn't accomplish all I wanted to this morning, so some tasks will just have to wait until Monday. (Don’t worry I’m ready for Sunday service though. LOL)

School starts next Tuesday and looking at my kids I can’t fathom how the time has gone by so quickly. Amanda and I now have an 8th, 6th, 4th, 2nd, and Kindergartener in school. I only have five years left until Michaela, our oldest, graduates from high school! Time travels so quickly and none of us can afford to busy ourselves so much as to miss the blessings of daily living.

Spending quality time with the people you love is of utmost importance. My children will probably remember getting ice cream last night more then they will remember my Sunday sermon. Corban and Andrew will remember beating me at “Chutes and Ladders” more than weather I had to get the grass mowed and lawn manicured.

There is a time for everything but we must always take time for the things that are the most important. For me it’s my faith in Jesus and my family. To have a vibrant faith and a vibrant family you have to spend time nurturing both.

    Sunday we had our 9th Annual Car Cruise at the church with over 150 vehicles and 300+ people in attendance. (You can see pictures at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Victory-Heights-UB-Church) The temperature was in the mid 80’s with hardly a cloud in the sky. A beautiful day for family fun and human connection.

    Many of the vehicles at the Car Cruise had modified engines. Some were completely different from the stock engine, while others had some extra modifications to make their engine’s roar. The road in front of the church is now “tattooed” with a number of black tread marks where the power of these engines were put on display. (You can see one of them in action at the FB page mentioned above)

    To the cheers of those in attendance, I was able to witness the power of what drove all these vehicles . . . but what about my engine? I’m not talking about my 1995 Chevy Impala, which wouldn’t turn a single head, but what about my heart? What is the driving force or passion in my life? That same question can be posed to you too. What drives you?

    All of us come from different backgrounds with differing life experiences. My experiences have been different from yours, but what makes you you? What drives you to be the best person you can be? How does your engine run? What makes your heart rate increase with excitement? When you die what will people say about your passion? What drives you?

    I know that we are all wired differently and I have to admit I am a very driven individual. I am a very passionate individual. I am a visionary. When I worked in Syracuse, NY nearly a decade ago, at the Mars Hill Network, the station manager would help balance my vision with planning and wise advice. Wayne Taylor helped me learn how to better balance passion with feasibility! I am grateful for those years working with him and learning how to better hone my passion.

    Ultimately, my heart’s desire is that my life will be fully used by God to help bring hope to others. I think that this is a good drive for us all. Regardless of where we are, at home, work, or school, our actions are reflective of our heart. People watch what we do and listen to what we say in order to know what drives us. So what are they seeing and hearing? It’s not being judgmental but out of the mouth comes the overflow of the heart.

    God has a plan for each of us and he will give us the drive that we need to accomplish it. It wouldn’t be the same amount of drive that I have though. It may be more or it may be less. God’s knows us better then we know ourselves so we just let him drive and we’ll do fine.

    I received an email from a mother yesterday whose 6 year old daughter was just diagnosed with Marfan Syndrome. This family of six live in the Midwest and the mother shared some of her thoughts about the Custom Scars website and my story. She is facing some of the same battles my parents faced 25 years ago with my initial diagnosis and some of the battles that Amanda and I face raising two sons with Marfan Syndrome.

    I encouraged her to use her story to help others. She has a drive and love for her family and for the Lord. Her and her husband have been growing in their faith and I trust that they will be vessels to help bring hope to others. I also pray that their daughter will be strong despite some of her limitations.

So . . .

What drives you?

Only you can answer that, but my prayer is that you allow God to be in control and His will be the driving force in your life.

Last week Amanda and I traveled to Grand Rapids, Michigan for our denominations National Conference. Conference itself had its high points and low points but overall we had a very nice time. I do have to say that many Michigan drivers don't follow the speed limit. I am sure it's not all of them, but we noticed a significant difference in the speed of drivers compared to Pennsylvania and Ohio. We're talking 10-15 miles over the speed limit on the highways. Just an observation from our journey.    

I wanted to blog at the beginning of the week, but I was having significant computer issue's and trouble with my website's host. Those seem to be cleared up so let me tell you about the car we drove to Michigan. Let's start the story six days before we left. . . 
   
    Almost a week before our journey to the "Great Lakes State", I went to the local car rental shop in order to secure a car for our 400+ mile trek. (It's more cost effective for the church) I went to the business and told them my travel plans and wanted to make sure that I was able to rent a vehicle that I could somewhat comfortably fit into. I sat in a Chrysler 200 and immediately knew it was too small. I then sat in a Nissan Altima and found it to be comfortable for myself while still giving a back seat passenger some leg room. The person assisting me assured me that they would have a large enough car for me that next week and she was grateful that I stopped in to "try one on for size".

    The day finally arrived for us to pick up the car (last Tuesday) but to my dismay they had no full size cars. The two they had had been rented and the renters decided to keep them longer. The only car on the property for us to drive was a Chevy Malibu. I have no issue's with a Malibu (or with the Chrysler 200) but Chevrolet didn't make this car for people my height. The rental facility had a ho-hum type of attitude and pretty much said take it or leave it. They did offer us a 15 passenger van or a pickup truck to take instead, but we declined. (Most trucks are more difficult to drive for tall people then small cars.)

    I told them that we would take the car because we were leaving that next morning and didn't have other options. So the next day off we went to Michigan. It was very providential that we didn't have anyone riding with us because their was about 2 inches of room for a person to sit behind me. The car sat so low and I had my seat so far back that I had to use my back passenger window to see if someone was driving beside me on the interstate. I felt as if I couldn't see my surrounding well because when I turned my head to the left I was staring at the divider between the front and back doors!

    On the way home I asked Amanda to snap a picture of me double checking to make sure no traffic was beside me while I was using the rear window. I just found this experience unique and wanted to share. We all have different vices and we all have had to adjust to make due with what is available. No harm done and we arrived at our destination safely and we returned home safely. Overall, the car drove and handled well, but continually looking out the back window was a pain in the neck . . . literally.

   

 

Yesterday I visited one of my best friends in the hospital at the Cleveland Clinic. I hadn't seen him for nearly ten days as we were on vacation to the Smokey Mountains. When I arrived in Cleveland, and finally got parked, I made my way through the hospital to Mike's room. My heart was filled with relief when I saw him because he is doing significantly better than the last time I visited.

I was able to chat with him and his wife for a few hours, but since it takes nearly 2 and a half hours to drive back home, I left at 2:30 in order to be able to have time to mow the yard before dark. (He also had therapy) I said my goodbye's and had a short time of prayer with him and out the door I went. I have such a difficult time with directions inside of large hospitals and I often get lost. After following the signs and looking like I knew what I was doing (admit it, you've tried to look like you were in control and knew where you were going even though you were completely lost!), I made my way to the elevator.

Since I was on the 8th floor, I needed to make my way down to the 1st. Three people boarded the elevator with me and an additional four more boarded on the 7th floor. A number of floor buttons had been pushed by the elevator riders and we started our "stop-and-go" descent. As frequently happens, a fellow made a comment about my height and it started a conversation about low doorways and low EXIT signs. Apparently the stories I told and the enjoyable dialogue I had with this man captivated a young woman who was riding. 

The elevator stopped at three other floors before it arrived at my floor destination. By the time the elevator arrived on my floor it only housed myself and that young woman. She was so wrapped up in the conversation I was having that she missed her floor! I told her I was happy that she was engaged in my height stories and I enjoyed my elevator ride too. As I exited the elevator, she pushed the 3rd floor button and went back up to her final destination.

One of the biggest tools of opportunity that we have is our story. Like many others, mine hasn't always been enjoyable or easy, but we often have priceless opportunities to share our lives with others. Even if it's just for a brief 8 floor trip on the elevator.

Never believe that your story or life isn't worth sharing, you never know who may be riding in the elevator with you. Your story may even keep a person on the elevator a little longer then they planned!