Happy Mother’s Day 2009

I want to wish every mother who reads this a “Happy Mother’s Day”. A mother is a special person! I am not referring to every woman who gives birth to a child. I am referring to all the women who provide a mothering presence in their child’s life. I don’t mean any disrespect to anyone because I know there are many extenuating circumstances that prevent many women the privilege to “be there” for their children. However I am referring to all the women who are able and do provide that presence.

I know many of you don’t feel like you are a “good Mom” but you are there aren’t you? You are giving your children the best you have to offer from the well of life you have been afforded are you not? Are you doing what you can, with what you have, where you are? Don’t focus on what you can’t do but focus on what you can do and “Do It”!!!!!!

I had the best mom in the world! She was a wonderful godly woman that loved her husband and us three kids with all her heart! She was awesome. Was she perfect? NO! Was she really the “best” mom in the world? Well probably not, however she was “MY Mom” and therefore she was the best mom in the whole world to me!!!!!

The greatest Mother’s Day gift you can give your mom is to say “Thank You”. Have you told her that lately? Don’t thank her for all the dumb things she may have done, she would really think you are insincere! However you can thank her for being there!

Just say thanks,

Pastor Alan

P.S. If she wasn’t there or was a really bad person, go ahead and forgive her any way! It will do you both a lot of good!

Mt Redoubt may blow it’s top anytime!

I wrote the following paragraph on February 12, 2009

As many of you may know Mt Redoubt could blow at any moment. I mean it’s front page news in the Peninsula Clarion today!!!!!!! We are set to go, or not. It’s weird living just off Redoubt Ave in Soldotna, Alaska knowing at any moment we could be covered with ash or not.

March 23, 2009

Mt Redoubt blew it’s top last night, in fact it blew 5 times during the night and once this afternoon! We are so grateful that the ash didn’t come our way. Now don’t get me wrong I’m not happy for the few small villages and sparsely populated woods out west of us that got a good dusting. However we have so many more folks that live here on the Kenai Peninsula that much less damage is being done.

I had decided that Mt Redoubt had gone back to sleep for a while. The experts were saying that was a good possibility. It made sense to me for sure. However the Mountain had other plans!!!

Volcanoes have a mind of their own. I really don’t understand the whole lava, sulfur and toxic gases thing. I mean where does all those gases go and why don’t they eat a whole in the Ozone Layer? Why don’t they cause massive impact on “global warming”? I am so amazed at this Mountain.

It sent ash over 60,000 feet into the air six times in the last 24 hours. Can you imagine the pressure that must be built up inside that thing!!!!! Then there’s the heat factor!! Wow! That’s just unreal to my simple little mind.

It makes me wonder what is inside this old ball of dirt we call earth! There really must be some really “hot stuff” inside this planet.

More Later,

Pastor Alan

Margaret’s Homecoming Thoughts

Margaret and Jerry have had a great day today. Yes she still has a long way to go. She has come so far in such a short time. You know I was thinking, yesterday was Wednesday. She came home 8 weeks to the day from when she left!!!!!! I don’t know if that means anything but it sure is interesting to me. I know God has had His hand on her life and has brought her home for such a time as this.

I don’t think things like this tragedy happen to teach us anything at all. In fact I personally have a bit of a problem with the theology that says God allows things like this to “teach us” anything. I could be wrong but I just can’t see it. I think things like this happen because God gave each of us human beings a “free will”. Joseph chose to use his free will and it has impacted all of us that are connected to this situation negatively. I mean there have been so many tears and so much pain and loss that have been inflicted on so many innocent people.

The Webb family will never be the same. I, like many of us, have prayed so many prayers and shed so many tears with and for Valerie and her family it is amazing. The question I ask myself is “Was God any less with the Webb family than He was with the Stroup family?” The answer for me is absolutely not. He loves Valerie just as much as He does Jerry!!! Then the question comes to mind then, “Why?” NOW, that is a question for which I have no clue as to an answer!!!!!!!

You may think that is a copout but I don’t. I simply don’t know and neither do you! However I do find it very interesting that the two families that were impacted the most in this tragedy are both very strong Christian families. Again I don’t have any answers as to why or what for that matter but it has caused me to reflect deeply. This is part of the problem with too much deep thinking. There are so many things about this situation and so many others that we have and will continue to encounter that we will never know all the answers.

Now, back to my earlier thought about God teaching us lessons, no I don’t believe God allowed this or caused this to happen to teach us any lessons at all. What I do believe is that there are many lessons that we can and will learn from this tragedy if we will open our eyes and “stop, look and listen”. Jesus often used a statement that has caused some people great problems. He often said “he that has ears to hear let him hear”. Now that sounds really dumb unless you really listen and think. We all have ears but we don’t all hear, we all have eyes but we don’t all see!!!!!!

I believe there will be many of us that will learn many things from this tragedy. I could list many of them here but I will leave that up to you. However I also believe there will be many people that will shake their head in disbelief and go on in life, what I call, “fat, dumb and happy”, but not really, and never learn a thing. Their life will not be impacted for the better. They may even become bitter instead.

I think, for many of us, the lessons we learn will be up to us. I was reminded recently by a friend of a quote I have used many times from a college professor, Dr Raymond Thornton. “We live and learn, but mostly we live”.

The choice is ours,

Pastor Alan

 

Working for Tips!

I remember one of my first flights on a commercial airline when Miriam and I first got married back in the last century. I think we were flying through Atlanta. We had 5 very large suit cases and we had a skycap take them from the baggage claim terminal out to a street level bus stop. I didn’t know what the protocol was for tips; I didn’t even know there was one. I was a broke college kid newly married and from the country.

I never will forget the look on the skycaps face when I gave him a one dollar bill. I was so proud to give him what I thought was a decent tip! Little did I know I had insulted him! He walked away obviously upset. I didn’t have a clue what I had done wrong, I really was ignorant. As he walked away he turned and said, “The normal tip is one dollar per bag” and kept walking! I was saddened by his disappointment because the dollar was all I had. Later when I thought about it I was very sad for my ignorance.

One of the lessons I am learning in life is that many times we offend people not out of meanness or greed but out of ignorance. I have found myself several times through out my life offending others without a clue! I’m sure there are some folks that are still upset at me because I did something they thought offensive. I may have committed the act intentionally as I did the “one dollar tip” but I certainly had no intention of insulting or offending them.

I have no clue if that skycap is still angry or if he forgot it that instance. However I certainly never forgot. I have flown many flights since that incident and thanks to a rude but honest individual I always tip well. I will never see that gentleman again to thank him but I am grateful for the lesson I learned. I can’t go back and fix it with him but I didn’t make that mistake again. I have, on the other hand, made many other dumb mistakes throughout my life here on this earth. I’m sure I have offended and perhaps insulted others by my ignorance. No matter how hard we all try we will never learn all the protocol for every situation we find ourselves in. We must keep learning and growing through out our life here on this earth.

Now back to the skycap that I insulted. He now has some choices to make in his journey of life as well. If he is going to continue to work in a profession that is based on tips he must learn to keep a good attitude regardless of the magnitude of ignorance he faces daily. It is imperative that he learn this lesson if he wants to be successful in that line of work. If he allowed my ignorance to ruin his attitude for the day do you think he will get very many tips for the rest of the day?

How many times have you and I been offended or insulted by others and allowed it to ruin our day or week or life for that matter. I mean lets face it we’ve all been offended many times. Many of us have even been insulted. The question I want to ask is “are we going to let that other person’s IGNORANCE or rude behavior control our life and attitude?” We will never know their heart, just as that skycap never knew my heart. If we allow the offense to fester in our heart it will destroy our life while the offender is going on in life “fat, dumb and happy”.

Two Things:

Let’s choose to be life long learners. Let’s commit to reading and listening and growing in our personal, professional and spiritual lives as long as we have breath. Someone has so well said “when we stop learning we stop living!”

Let’s also choose to consider the possible ignorance or brokenness of the people in our life that offend or insult us. Let’s choose to forgive them regardless of their intent. Remember forgiveness only takes one person. Someone also said “we are most like God when we forgive others”.

Let’s Do It,

Pastor Alan

It’s Cold Outside!

This post is dedicated to all my “Global Warming” friends and all the rest of us Alaskans as well.

Friends it’s COLD here in Soldotna and most of Alaska!!!!! That is probably an understatement for sure. We are now in our 7th day of a “cold spell” that hasn’t left the negative degree mark, which is below ZERO!!!!! I think it is around -20 or so right now. I know this sounds crazy to many of you but zero sure sounds warm right now!

I don’t claim to understand this whole global warming thing. I mean I know it’s true considering the whole state of Alaska and much of the lower 48 were at one time covered with ice! I’m not sure about the lower 48 but there are very clear signs here in our area of glaciers and frozen barren tundra. Therefore it seems the earth is getting warmer. It seems it has been getting warmer for a very long time, long before cars and factories and coal fired energy plants were around. Actually I think the glaciers should be growing this past week for sure!

For those of us who are blessed to live here in Alaska the freeze and thaw process has become normal. However I am still amazed at how the trees and plants and so many animals and bugs, yes bugs, can survive these cold winters. While we do live in a Winter Wonderland, all life outdoors seems to be dead! The good news is “spring is coming”. Now today that really sounds dumb. You’ve got to be crazy to be talking or even thinking about spring at -20 in early January. However I know for sure that spring is coming. Just hang on it will be here before you know it. We know that since time began on this planet spring is followed by summer. Oh yea, summer; warm sunny days, the great fishing in the Kenai and the salt, green grass and flowers, bugs yes bugs and so much more that summer will bring. Wow, I think I can even smell summer right now!!!!!

Now you may be thinking I’m crazy but “tell me it ain’t true”? Sure it is and I can hardly wait. But I’ll have to, because summer won’t be here until spring comes and goes. Spring won’t come until winter is over. But I know its coming!!!!! Please don’t get frustrated or depressed because its cold, just hang on, summer is coming! We can wish for summer, we can pray for summer, we can curse the darkness and the cold and guess what, it’s still there. Just hang on Summers coming I promise.

One of the keys I’ve found after living here for 22 years is we must do what we know we need to do and not what we feel like doing. We must make ourselves get out of bed and go to work. There are sometimes I send my spirit up first and he grabs by body and drags it out of bed. I don’t always feel like doing so many things that I know I need to do but I do them. Winter can be tough, but “Just do it”!!!! Here’s a thought, believe you can, act on that belief and DO IT! Remember Summer Is Coming!

It kind of reminds me of Christianity! Sometimes it doesn’t look like there is any ”life” on this planet. Things seem to be so dead spiritually speaking. People can be so cold and heartless, cruel and mean. Death and pain seem to be the order of the day almost every day. Where are the Love and Joy and Peace this Jesus talked about? Where is God when I need him most? It’s so easy to feel abandoned and lost down here on this cold dark planet! You may be thinking you just can’t go on another day.

Once again I remind you Summer (Jesus Christ) is coming! Once again you may think I’m crazy but I don’t think so! I base my belief on the Holy Bible, God’s Word to mankind. Think about this, the Bible is the most accurate and the oldest history book in the world. It is the most accurate and oldest archeological record in the world. Check it out for yourself and see. Now I submit to you if the Bible is historically and archeologically accurate why would it not be spiritually accurate as well?

The Bible talks a lot about life and death, pain and suffering and so many more of the things we face every day. The Bible is also very clear that there is Life after death. That God will send His Son Jesus Christ back to this earth one day to take us to Heaven, yes Heaven. I do believe! I believe, therefore I act on that belief. I get up every day and go to work and live my life to the fullest. Once again I don’t always feel like doing what I know is “right” but I do it because I believe!   

Let me close with this thought, “As sure as there is winter and summer, seed time and harvest there will be a resurrection from the dead for us human beings”. Will you be ready?

Waiting for Summer,

Pastor Alan

 

Don’t Get Weary in Well Doing

I don’t mean to get “preachy” but I feel I have something to say to all of us human beings caught up in this tragedy of November 28, 2008. Many of you who are reading this have been touched in some way by this tragic event. Most of us are a part of this pain filled journey to one degree or another. You may have been in the middle of the shooting at the hospital when it all came down or you may be like me, one who came in the middle of the event. You may have been affected indirectly. Nevertheless we have all been impacted greatly. It’s been over a month now and I want to share this simple principle from the New Testament.

Galatians 6:9 encourages us not to “get weary in well doing”. We are all doing well when we encourage one another. One of my greatest spiritual gifts is the gift of encouragement. I’m not sure if it is in fact a Spiritual Gift for me or a Spiritual Decision I made many years ago to be an encouragement to others.

Contrary to what some people may believe I really don’t do that many things very well. I just have a few things that I can do well. For many years I struggled with trying to do too many things that weren’t my strengths at all. I really don’t think I am that different from all the rest of us. Most of us just have a few things we do well. However we should not allow the fact that we don’t do “all things” well stop us from doing what little we can do.

However I think encouraging one another is something we can all do to one degree or another. I think it begins with a smile! Then it continues with a kind word or a sincere compliment to that person. The key here is a sincere compliment not cheap flattery. Then it continues with asking some questions about the other person’s life and family and them LISTEN!

Listening is a lost art for many people. Most of us want so much to talk about our problems and concerns we forget to listen. Please don’t get the impression that I have mastered the art of Listening. I am far from a master; however I have been working on it for many years. I still have a long way to go but remember “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”. So we must start and there is no better time to start than today.

It is so easy to get discouraged and give up. What’s the use no one cares any way. Why bother? Well I will tell you why bother, because it really does matter to others.

From a personal perspective, when I sat at the hospital with Margaret and Jerry in Anchorage those first 12 days and in Seattle for 7 days, I can’t describe how encouraging it was for me to read those post on the status page and comments on my Blog and the emails from friends back home and from so many that I didn’t even know. Just to know that you were praying and thinking about us there was such a blessing.  I so looked forward to opening the site and reading the new post every day. I want to say thank you to so many of you who have written on the status site and on my Blog.

Now it is even more important for us not to get “tired” of writing and become complacent with our prayers and thoughts and comments. It really does mean so much to Jerry and Margaret in Seattle.

Not only to Jerry and Margaret but to the others in our extended family all over this great land. Please don’t get discouraged and think it doesn’t matter if you tell them you care and are praying for them. It may be someone as close as your spouse or your children or your parents. It maybe someone as far away as Virginia or Alaska or Seattle or where ever, Just Tell Them You Care!!!!!!! Show them you care by “listening”. Please don’t get tired of doing good to one another. Why not start today?

Blessing to you,

Pastor Alan

No one knows the Future!

As many of you already know Margaret has had several rough days in a row. She is fighting infection in her body with all that is in her. Jerry is standing by her side like the dedicated husband that he is. They are an amazing couple. Please keep them in your prayers.

You know this whole ordeal is still a mystery to me and most of us. It can make us very unsure about the future of our own lives. I would love to be able to tell you I know what tomorrow will bring but I have no clue!

I was walking down a street with a friend many years ago in a major city in the lower 48. We passed by a small house with a huge sign on the front that read “Madame ?????, Fortune Teller”. As we looked closer it was obvious there was no one there. Then we saw a small sign that read  “Closed, Gone out of Business”.  My friend looked at me and simply said, “looks like she would have known”.

It’s so rediculous to think that any of us can predict the future with any degree of accuracy. The best we can do is trust God because He is already there. I don’t know what tomorrow holds but I do know who holds tomorrow!

The Apostle Paul shared that he had a “thorn in the flesh”. We don’t really know exactly what it was but we do know he asked God three times to remove it and God didn’t answer his prayer. At least not like he wanted. What God did do however was to tell him that “My grace is sufficient for you”!

Many times we get angry at God when He doesn’t answer our prayers, or at least not like we want. I think it’s OK to be angry at God because He already knows anyway. However the thing we need to know is that even if we get angry at Him and do some really dumb things like throwing adult Temper Tantrums it still won’t make Him give us our way!!!!!!! We can’t force God to tell us the future or change it for that matter.

However what we can rely on is that if we put our faith and trust in Him He has promised us He will never allow us to go through more than we can handle. (I Corinthians 10:13) The problem with that is sometimes I wish He didn’t trust me so much!

As we prepare to celebrate Christmas and New Years and beyond let us remember: His Grace is sufficient for you and me. He will make a way for us to stand and face whatever tomorrow brings if we will “Trust in Him with all our heart, and in all our ways acknowledge Him.” He promised He will direct our paths. It may not be like we had planned or imagined it to be but He will give us the strength to face the future with Him.

Remember every ending is always followed by an new beginning!

Trusting Him,

Pastor Alan

Thanksgiiving Thoughts

I am so thankful for the strength that comes from my faith in a personal God. That I can call Him Father and go to Him when I have a need. As many of you know I am one of the Chaplains at Central Peninsula Hospital where the tragic shooting took place on Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day. I am Margaret and Jerry Stroup’s Pastor. I flew from Kenai to Anchorage with Margaret and have been here at Providence Medical Center with her and the family ever since. Several people ask me how I am making it. I am only able to make it and have the peace in my heart that comes from a personal relationship with a Loving God.
God has given us all a “free will”. Unfortunately we all have to live in a world that is shared with others who also have a “free wil”. That means we are all affected by the choices of each other. I am so glad God gives us the strength to handle the sometimes very bad choices of others. I am truly thankful for His strength.
Pastor Alan

Pray for Margaret Stroup

Just a note to update you all on the shooting that took place in Soldotna this past Wednesday.

I received a call from Jerry her husband sometime around 10:00am on Wednesday telling me Margaret had been shot. I immediately left for the hospital. When I arrived the State Trooper wasn’t allowing anyone in the hospital because the shooter hadn’t been secured at that time. Shortly I was allowed to enter the Emergency Dept because I am a Chaplain at the hospital. Upon entering the hospital it was unbelievable. The ER and all the staff was working so hard to secure the two victims Mike Webb and Margaret Stroup. Margaret and Mike were being taken into surgery as I visited with some of the patients in the ER.

Shortly after arriving I was asked to accompany one of the administrators to visit with Mike’s wife and daughter when they arrived. I spent the next several hours with them. Please remember them in your prayers. The hospital will be giving more details about any plans for a memorial service for Mike.

The surgery for Margaret was successful and she was immediately went to ICU where the staff stabilized her and plans were made to fly her to Providence Hospital here in Anchorage. I was able to accompany her to Anchorage.

The staff at Central Peninsula Hospital were awesome. It was very evident to me that the entire staff has been well trained and remained extremely calm and professional during the entire ordeal. I am so proud of our hospital staff and administration. It is so hard to believe that any such event could ever take place in “our town” but it did! I would like to say to all the hospital staff thank you soooooo much for all you did during this unbelievable time. I thank God for you all.

Jerry Margaret’s husband and his brother Jim arrived here in Anchorage around 1:00 am on Thursday Thanksgiving Day. Brian Margaret’s son also arrived yesterday from Michigan. I have been here at the hospital with the family and will remain here at least until Saturday afternoon. I plan to return to Soldotna for church on Sunday. Miriam and I are planning to return to Anchorage on Sunday afternoon.

Jerry is doing very well and he gives all the credit to the Lord for his strength and peace. Please continue to pray for Jerry and Margaret and their entire family as we trust the Lord for a continued miracle in her body.

Thanks again for your prayers and support for the entire Central Peninsula Hospital family and friends. We are so blessed to have such a wonderful hospital in our community. Hind site is 20/20, let’s not look back at what we woulda, coulda, shoulda done but let’s look forward to God’s saving healing grace and mercy for the future. Remember “If ifs and buts were candy and nuts we’d all have a Merry Christmas”. The Bible tells us in Hebrews to “think of ways to encourage one another, even more as we see the Day of the Lord approaching”.

I will try to keep you all updated as often as possible.

We are Blessed,

Pastor ADH

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