Absence makes the heart grow fonder… or so they say. By the way who are “they” anyway? That’s the subject for another blog.
In 1988, I was stationed at Keesler AFB, Miss., finishing up tech school when I received orders to Loring AFB, Maine. “Maine?” was the first word out of my mouth.
Being southern born and reared, and a former resident of Largo, Florida, I thought there were plenty of bases in the southern United States that would gladly accept me. I put in for Barksdale, Tyndall, MacDill, Patrick, and a host of other “suitable” locations. But the Air Force had other ideas.
The destination petrified me. What would I do “way up there,” literally thousands of miles from my closest friends and relatives?
I did what any 19-year-old would do — made a rash decision. I immediately picked up the phone and asked my girlfriend back home to marry me. Only after she accepted did I tell her about the orders to Maine.
To say the impending move rattled our relationship – barely 2 months old as it was — is an understatement. In the coming weeks, she would decide she didn’t want to move and I decided I didn’t want to marry her. The relationship ended before I ever left the southern United States.
My first six months in Maine were miserable. I was alone. It was frigid. I wanted to go home. In fact, every dollar I could scrape together would go toward a plane trip back home at every available opportunity. I grew to look forward to three-day weekends.
In time, I made some local friends and even got “fixed up” with a local girl. This time, I made no rash decision, and we were married just 11 months after we met.
The honeymoon was short-lived when Saddam Hussein decided to invade Kuwait and I was deployed to Diego Garcia — less than 3 months after the wedding.
Seven months later I returned home to become reacquainted with Tina, my bride.
Four months of “marital bliss” made way for the uncertainly of separation from the military and moving to a town neither of us knew to take a civilian job at a newspaper.
I had just done the same thing to my wife that had been done to me. She got “orders” and had to leave home.
It was just the two of us. I would like to be able to say that we became closer as a result of being so far from our families. To some extent we did. However, the distance also caused a sort of depression. No one likes to be totally cut off from family — no matter how crazy we think they are.
I was working long hours in my new job and she was babysitting my boss’ daughter. We co-miserated and got fat together.
Luckily my parents were only a 7-hour drive away and we made many weekend trips to survive those years in “solitary.”
It wasn’t until we found a small church in rural Alabama that we truly started to feel a little “at home.” All of a sudden we had a “church family” locally.
Today, Tina and I have the best of both. We live in a same town as some family members, and have a wonderful church family to boot. We appreciate the relationships we have because we know what it is like to be “isolated.”
Once we got into church, we realized that our “family” was bigger than we thought. That made all the difference.
May the Blog Be With You.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Friday, November 7, 2008
Have you ever wondered, "Why?"
The events of the past several days in Specht household, our church and our nation could certainly cause one to ask "Why?"
From a historic election to the tragic loss of life for a close family friend, the question of "why?" has come to mind more than once. Why do bad things happen to good people? Why does God heal some and not others? Why do major expenses hit when we are trying to save money? Why? Why? Why?
A Divine Appointment
For the past four weeks, I have been leading a bible study on the subject of "There's Nothing Too Hard for God." As a group, we watch a DVD about some miracle God has performed in the life of a real person and then discuss what we have seen.
This week's lesson was titled "No Illness Is Too Great." I had watched the video twice and felt prepared to lead the class.
Literally minutes before the beginning of church Wednesday, we received word that 8-month-old Jordan Buffington was not expected to make it much longer. He has been in the hospital since birth and his lungs just were not developing to the place where he could survive without the help of a ventilator — and now, even the ventilator wasn't getting the job done.
Doctors told the family there was nothing more that could be done.
I believe it was not a coincidence our class was slated to learn about divine healing. With the events leading up to class, we felt it appropriate to spend most of the time in prayer.
A Little One's Life
Jordan’s very existence was a miracle in itself. He had not been expected to live during pregnancy, and certainly wouldn’t survive delivery. He did both.
Bad report after bad report came during the last eight-plus months, and each time, Jordan overcame the odds and survived.
So why now? Why had God allowed Jordan to live this long, only to have him die now?
God and Job
As Christians, we look to the Bible for answers. We believe it is God’s will to heal — that the stripes upon the back of Christ Jesus were for our healing. (Isaiah 53:5)
The answer in God’s word is really something we don’t want to hear. It is also found in the book of Isaiah:
Isaiah 55:8-9 (New International Version)
8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.
9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
When we ask “Why?” he says, “Because I am God.”
Not exactly the most comforting of statements, is it? However, it is true. We cannot see beyond ourselves and our circumstances. When we ask “why” what we are really saying is “God, you owe me an explanation.”
Even Job repeatedly asked God why he was going through the circumstances in his life. While we have the knowledge of God’s greater plan when we read the story in the Bible, Job was totally in the dark. In fact his friends said he must have some sin in his life that is causing this, and his wife even suggested he “curse God and die.”
When God finally answered, it wasn’t some grand explanation of the great plan for his life and its affect on thousands of lives down the road. He rebuked Job, asking him “Did you create the heavens and the earth?”
It was as if God was saying, “None-ya” to Job. However, God’s answer definitely follows Isaiah 55:8-9. As we see from our perspective of this story, the “way” as we see it is higher than the “way” Job saw it.
In the end, Job repented of his questioning and as we find out in the rest of the story, things are restored and increased back to Job.
God’s Answer to our Questions
Is it a sin to question God? Certainly not. But don’t be surprised when the answer to your question isn’t what you want to hear.
I believe God had a plan for Jordan while he was here on the earth for eight-plus months. I also believe that there is a plan in the works that will come as a result of his life here and his departure from the Earth Wednesday night. That doesn’t mean it hurts any less or that it is any easier to deal with the situation.
It also doesn’t mean we won’t ask “why?” It is human nature to want an explanation why things happen. And “Because I am God” is sometimes hard to just accept.
However, God promises in His word that he will help in this area as well.
Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
We need that peace when we don’t understand. And only the peace of God can accomplish that task. It is how we can deal with the “higher ways.”
With the passage of time, the pain of loss subsides a little. In addition, the plan of God will continue to unfold, bringing a little more understanding and acceptance.
I believe that Jordan Buffington received a complete and full healing in his body Wednesday night. While it wasn’t the “way” we wanted or expected, it was God’s “way.”
I am reminded of the second verse of the Hymn, “What a Day That Will Be.”
There’s be no more sorrow there
No more burdens to bear
No sickness no pain
No more crying over there
And forever I will be
With the one who died for me
What a Day, Glorious Day That will be.
On Wednesday, November 5, 2008, Jordan Buffington reached his “glorious day.” For that, I give God thanks.
From a historic election to the tragic loss of life for a close family friend, the question of "why?" has come to mind more than once. Why do bad things happen to good people? Why does God heal some and not others? Why do major expenses hit when we are trying to save money? Why? Why? Why?
A Divine Appointment
For the past four weeks, I have been leading a bible study on the subject of "There's Nothing Too Hard for God." As a group, we watch a DVD about some miracle God has performed in the life of a real person and then discuss what we have seen.
This week's lesson was titled "No Illness Is Too Great." I had watched the video twice and felt prepared to lead the class.
Literally minutes before the beginning of church Wednesday, we received word that 8-month-old Jordan Buffington was not expected to make it much longer. He has been in the hospital since birth and his lungs just were not developing to the place where he could survive without the help of a ventilator — and now, even the ventilator wasn't getting the job done.
Doctors told the family there was nothing more that could be done.
I believe it was not a coincidence our class was slated to learn about divine healing. With the events leading up to class, we felt it appropriate to spend most of the time in prayer.
A Little One's Life
Jordan’s very existence was a miracle in itself. He had not been expected to live during pregnancy, and certainly wouldn’t survive delivery. He did both.
Bad report after bad report came during the last eight-plus months, and each time, Jordan overcame the odds and survived.
So why now? Why had God allowed Jordan to live this long, only to have him die now?
God and Job
As Christians, we look to the Bible for answers. We believe it is God’s will to heal — that the stripes upon the back of Christ Jesus were for our healing. (Isaiah 53:5)
The answer in God’s word is really something we don’t want to hear. It is also found in the book of Isaiah:
Isaiah 55:8-9 (New International Version)
8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.
9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
When we ask “Why?” he says, “Because I am God.”
Not exactly the most comforting of statements, is it? However, it is true. We cannot see beyond ourselves and our circumstances. When we ask “why” what we are really saying is “God, you owe me an explanation.”
Even Job repeatedly asked God why he was going through the circumstances in his life. While we have the knowledge of God’s greater plan when we read the story in the Bible, Job was totally in the dark. In fact his friends said he must have some sin in his life that is causing this, and his wife even suggested he “curse God and die.”
When God finally answered, it wasn’t some grand explanation of the great plan for his life and its affect on thousands of lives down the road. He rebuked Job, asking him “Did you create the heavens and the earth?”
It was as if God was saying, “None-ya” to Job. However, God’s answer definitely follows Isaiah 55:8-9. As we see from our perspective of this story, the “way” as we see it is higher than the “way” Job saw it.
In the end, Job repented of his questioning and as we find out in the rest of the story, things are restored and increased back to Job.
God’s Answer to our Questions
Is it a sin to question God? Certainly not. But don’t be surprised when the answer to your question isn’t what you want to hear.
I believe God had a plan for Jordan while he was here on the earth for eight-plus months. I also believe that there is a plan in the works that will come as a result of his life here and his departure from the Earth Wednesday night. That doesn’t mean it hurts any less or that it is any easier to deal with the situation.
It also doesn’t mean we won’t ask “why?” It is human nature to want an explanation why things happen. And “Because I am God” is sometimes hard to just accept.
However, God promises in His word that he will help in this area as well.
Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
We need that peace when we don’t understand. And only the peace of God can accomplish that task. It is how we can deal with the “higher ways.”
With the passage of time, the pain of loss subsides a little. In addition, the plan of God will continue to unfold, bringing a little more understanding and acceptance.
I believe that Jordan Buffington received a complete and full healing in his body Wednesday night. While it wasn’t the “way” we wanted or expected, it was God’s “way.”
I am reminded of the second verse of the Hymn, “What a Day That Will Be.”
There’s be no more sorrow there
No more burdens to bear
No sickness no pain
No more crying over there
And forever I will be
With the one who died for me
What a Day, Glorious Day That will be.
On Wednesday, November 5, 2008, Jordan Buffington reached his “glorious day.” For that, I give God thanks.
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