Pastor Pusch

Dickens wrote, “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times… it was the season of Light, it was the season of darkness… it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair…”

It seems that over the last year my family has experienced both sides of the emotional, mental, and physical spectrum that Dickens penned in the opening line of his classic title  A Tale of Two Cities. However, to bring the last 12 months to summation, I would have to say, we experienced the greatest of times showered only by the grace of God.

June 2009 proved to be a trying time in our family as we had to take our daughter Jovie in for surgery to repair her cleft palate. While Jovie was clueless to the situation, Rena and I were charting new and unexpected territory. This was perhaps the most difficult process to endure. We had complete confidence in Jovie’e care, but it was still my little baby girl who had to suffer. I cannot even begin to tell you how much joy and happiness Jovie Madelyn has brought to our home. We released Jovie into the arms of the surgeon with indescribable feelings swinging back and forth between hope and despair. Today, Jovie is doing extremely well and has not experienced any further problems. Grace.

July 2009 we learned that Jovie was going to be a big sister. Overall we were excited about receiving another gift of God, but it would be a complete lie if I told you that we did not experience feelings of another kind as we wondered whether or not we were ready for child number 2 after all we have experienced with number 1. Today, we are within 6 weeks of delivery, and words would fail to describe the great anticipation we feel as we wait for the arrival of Jovie’s little sister. Grace.

September 2009 taught us unforgettable lessons. Two seizures landed me in the hospital for a series of tests that brought forth darkening results. After reviewing the results, doctors wasted no time scheduling surgery. After surgery, recovery was a challenge. From anxiety to full mental breakdown, I experienced everything in between. Thankfully I have been taken off the medications that caused such instability. The pathology reports all came back the same week of surgery. Today, all is well. What was thought to be a low grade brain tumor with malignant activity is no longer. I am taking 1 medication with little to no side effects (for only 6 more months) and to this day all of my scans have come back clean and clear. A miracle for sure. Grace.

It is not like we have not seen God’s hand at work in our lives before, it just 2009 has been a year like none other. Words fail to describe how grateful we are as a family. God continues to mold us and shape us. He has given us new perspective and we enter 2010 with great anticipation thankful for all that He has done and will continue to do. While 2009 brought with it great trials and heartache, I can say for me, it was indeed the “best of times.” Grace.

“And the God of all grace…will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.” I Peter 5:10-11

Blessings,
PastorPusch

We (as in you and me) are blessed! Would you not really agree? I mean honestly. We are blessed. Yes, we all experience our pains and weaknesses and I do not take those things lightly. Life does indeed issue it’s curveballs for sure. However, overall we are blessed. Today, in my house, all three of us (Rena, Jovie, and myself) have upper respiratory infections. No fun at all. We all sound like we are about to give up a lung. The coughing is horrendous. We all have our medications and we are going to make it. As a part of all that has gone on in my life during the last few weeks, the privilege of driving has been stripped of me for the next 6 months, but I have not had to worry, people have stepped in all over and have taken me to work, the grocery store, and to my doctor appointments. I (we) have been blessed. (I still want to unpack for you the events that have taken place in my life during the last several weeks, but that will be another post sometime soon.)

Yesterday, I am assuming all us attended church services somewhere. Isn’t that something? There’s a freedom there that we enjoy, but often ignore. I trust most of us took in our hands the very Word of God and listened as we read through the words that God wrote specifically to us. Perhaps we do this every day. What an honor! Most of us have more than one copy of scripture. My wife once told me that I have more bibles than a small African country. To be honest, most sit on the shelves or are only used once in a great while. The point is that we have access to the power of the Word of God; yet, we ignore its blessing or potential impact. What else? We eat, drink, hang out with friends, play, laugh…. LIVE! Amazing!

Do we live as though we are blessed?

Have you ever been to a Mexican restaurant? I am almost sure that you have. If so, what is the first thing that is brought to your table, even before the server asks you what you would like to drink? That’s right… chips and salsa. Never fails. Next the server will bring your drink order and if in that time you run out of chips and salsa, what happens? More chips and salsa. Finally, your food order comes. Empty basket? More chips and salsa are on the way. Usually by the end of your Mexican fiesta, the basket runs low and right before you leave and/or the server brings you the check, he or she will ask, “would you like more chips and salsa?” What’s the point? CHIPS AND SALSA. When you go Mexican, you will get chips and salsa, chips and salsa, chips and salsa. You come to expect it. I know we do. One of the greatest categories in good service is whether or not your server keeps your drink full (without you ever having to ask). There is one Mexican restaurant here in town that is the same way about their chips and salsa. I mean when you get down to 5 chips, they are bringing another basket… it is just understood. It’s expected.

Chips and Salsa…

Do we live as though we are truly blessed? Or do we just take our blessings as another basket of chips and salsa? It just happens. It’s normal. I expect these things… just as I expect the waitress to keep my glass full and my basket full of chips. “Lord, bless me, bless me, bless me… chips and salsa, chips and salsa, chips and salsa.

“Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and faithfulness.” Psalm 115:1 (ESV)