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Lessons Learned from Tumbling Down a Staircase

Lessons Learned from Tumbling Down a Staircase

As many of you know, I derailed last Sunday morning for my congregation, my confirmation families, my own family and myself by taking a header down the bottom part of our balcony stairs before the first worship service. 

The repercussions were both immediate and lasting.  Immediately, or nearly so, I ended up in the Emergency Room at a local hospital.  Diagnosis: no broken bones but severely strained upper leg muscles.  (A miracle that things weren’t worse!)  The longer term ramifications: extreme pain and the inability to support myself with my legs.  Treatment: rest and muscle relaxers until the muscles heal and regain strength.

So it seemed practical to share some of the lessons I have learned, and am still learning, from this experience in this week’s blog.  I’ve broken them into two distinct categories.

Category One:  Simple lessons learned.

Don’t do it!  By whatever steps you must take, (pardon the pun), be certain you never skip the last four steps of a stairway!

Be assured that the stairs and landing below are less giving and more punishing to your body  than your body is to them.

Utter disaster can occur in an instant.

The theme for my message to the Confirmands was going to be “Hold on Tight.”  As someone pointed out to me afterward via email, I should have heeded my own advice.

A little extra caution is a good thing, especially if one is a little extra older.

Ambulance rides are overrated.

If you think you’ve already felt the worse pain mishaps can bring your body, think again.

Legs can swell a lot larger than one realizes!

Sometimes we have to slay our pride and let others help us.  We just do.

We all sometimes need tools (like a walker), people (like family and friends), and, most of all, the Lord to lean on.

God is faithful and good – always!  And he always protects and provides … according to his purposes.

Miracles still happen.

God’s got some awesome angels guarding over us.  It’s not a joke; it’s a fact.

God’s timing definitely is not our timing.  His always trumps ours!

We are totally insufficient; the Lord is totally sufficient.

We are fragile; the Lord is a Rock and our Rock.

The Lord is always working and accomplishing, even when we are “shut down.”

A person can only do what a person can do; they cannot do what they cannot.  (I recognize this sounds simplistic and even cheesy, but it’s a significant truth nonetheless.)

Perhaps the most important simple lesson of all: I have taken so very much for granted my entire life!  (Which leads me to our next category.)

Category Two:  Things for which I’ll always be thankful and will never take for granted again.  (Or at least I shouldn’t!)

The guiding, blessing hands of our loving God.

The powerful protection of God’s guardian angels.

The professionalism of medical responders.

The kindness and caring of God’s people.

The blessing of gracious, giving friends.

The unselfish love of family.

The applicability of God’s Word to all situations at all times.

The significance of a little bit of human encouragement in difficult situations.

Self-sufficiency.

The blessing of personal freedom.  Such as roaming the house at will, stepping onto the deck to grill, ambling around the yard to look at the flowers, running out on a whim of an errand or attending my son’s ballgame.

The importance of leg muscles in almost everything one does, and the necessity of a strong base.

Legs that don’t constantly ache.

Walking!  Walking upright.  Walking without pain.  Walking around.  Taking a walk.  Just walking.

The ability to take stairs.  (I say this in reference to mobility, not negotiating them!)

Taking a shower.

Working from my desk.  (As opposed to working from a card table while sitting on a walker.)

The capability of standing up unassisted after falling down.

The ability to get into and out of bed without help.

Sitting down, and rising back up again, without pain. 

Stooping down to put on socks or pick items up off the floor.

WIFI, television and a restroom in our remote bedroom in the house.

Godly leaders and workers who don’t hesitate to step up and into the gap for God.

Leading worship on Sunday, and the privilege of preaching God’s Word to God’s people.

The preciousness of time, and how quickly it can potentially be taken from you.

“Wake up calls” from God, teaching us lessons we should have already known.

All of which seems to be summarized beautifully by the Apostle Paul.  “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

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The Little Things

The Little Things

We are well aware of the big things.  They are frequently on our mind and seared into our consciousness.

We are very cognizant of our significant bills (mortgage, auto payments, etc.).  We know our financial picture … the money coming in and the money going out, and how those two factors relate to the other.  Health issues have a way of upending our day-to-day lives.  Strained familial, educational, occupational, congregational and social relationships impact us.  Technology goes haywire and vehicles or other mechanized conveniences break down and have to be repaired or replaced.  Big things, all.

But the big things that demand our attention aren’t always negative.  There is an abundance of positive things as well.  A visit with dear family members or friends.  A long-awaited vacation.  An unexpected windfall.  Accomplishing an unpleasant task that has hung over our heads indefinitely.  A new job begun or a financial debt resolved.  A new addition to the family.  These are also big things, but good things!

Typically we spend a lot of time focusing on the big things in our lives.  Those are the things we think about and pray about; the issues we devote our energy and personal resources toward.  Those are the matters that we seek or want resolved, and the ones that we are convinced will provide us with the greatest joy when resolved favorably.

And this point of view is normal and good.  It is also probably true.  However, the older I get the more I am learning to focus less on the big things, and reflect more upon the little ones.  I am convinced we would all be happier if we took more time to appreciate the small blessings. (Which really aren’t smaller blessings at all, even though we tend to look at them that way.)

James reminds us that “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights … (James 1:17).  In other words, both the “big” blessings and the “little” blessings are wonderful blessings from our gracious God!  We would be wise to recognize this.

The list of “little blessings” is a long one!  Here are just a few that come to mind:

Another sunrise.  Blue skies punctuated with fluffy white clouds.  A lovely sunset.  Rain that waters the land and lulls us to sleep at night.  Flowers, shrubs and trees that burst into bloom.

A butterfly fluttering across the yard; a hummingbird hovering over blossoms; sparrows greeting the morning with song; an eagle gliding on wind currents; deer sighted in the distance.

A hug from a loved one.  A smile.  A kind word.  Time spent together with family and friends.

The smell of a baby; the sound of a toddler’s laughter; the sight of children playing; the feel of a young son or daughter’s (or grandson or grand-daughter’s) hand in yours; the taste of ice cream shared with youngsters.

A dog who is always happy to see us, no matter our mood.  A cat who purrs contentedly in our lap. 

A relaxing sit on the deck with an intriguing book.  Or even better, a nap in a hammock.  Naps in the recliner qualify too!

A simple task accomplished; a good meal enjoyed; a fun game played; a favorite show or ball team watched; a hobby pursued; a walk with someone dear.

A friendly card in the mail; an encouraging email; an unexpected but uplifting phone call; a warm greeting.

A memory remembered; a favorite song heard or sung; laughter and light-heartedness; the scent of your wife’s perfume.

The gift of sleep, and the gift of waking up again.  The lack of pain.  The use of our five senses.

Most would probably agree that these are “little things,” or at least things that we tend to take for granted.  But hopefully you also agree that they are big blessings as well … even if we don’t usually recognize them as such.

The Lord floods our lives with “little” blessings, and he gives us this encouragement: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

In other words, recognize and treasure even the little things.  Maybe especially the little things!

I pieced together a partial list of little blessings.  What are some of the little things that bring you joy?  Please share!

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To Comment – Please share your thoughts!  (Commenting is the fun part!)  To do so, click on the “Comments” tag under the title.  I, and many others, would love to benefit from your insights!

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50 Lessons Learned

50 Lessons Learned

Since this is my 50th post on this blog, I thought I would do something a bit different this week.  I decided to list 50 life lessons I have accumulated through the years.  These are by no means the only lessons I have learned, nor are any of them probably particularly astute.  But maybe readers might glean an insight here or there?  I pray a few of the observations will encourage someone somewhere.

Here is my disclaimer:  Just because I’ve learned these lessons doesn’t mean I always live them. I’m a work in progress, as we all are.

So here we go!  50 lessons I’ve learned, in no particular order:

1. Many will love you, but none more than the Lord

2. No one is guaranteed tomorrow. We aren’t even guaranteed the next minute.  Every second is a new gift from God.

3. People are so predictable … and so unpredictable.

4. The Lord and his Word are the only truly reliable things in this whole wide world. If we rely upon ourselves or others, we will often be disappointed; if on God, never.

5. Strive to see, think about and focus on the positives.

6. Encouragement is far more effective at behavior adjustment than criticism.

7. Never say, “I’ll never …”

8. Every day is precious; it’s used once and you don’t get it back again. One can’t ever regain lost time, but they can use future moments more wisely.

9. The most urgent things are rarely the most important ones.

10. Care of your soul, your body and your relationships are wise investments.

11. True wealth is gauged in the spiritual realm; not the physical one.

12. One’s contentment often correlates with the amount of time spent outdoors.

13. Relationships are more precious than treasure.

14. People would benefit greatly if they spent more time in their Bible and less time on their screens.

15. Work will always be there; children and family won’t be. Maximize precious moments together.

16. Worrying is a colossal waste of time and energy.

17. We are what we watch and what we listen to.

18. God often brings the greatest blessings through hardship.

19. Making the effort to stay in touch with family and friends will never be regretted. Not making the effort will be.

20. Let God be God; he’s far more qualified than we are.

21. Hugs are wonderful blessings!

22. Paying others to do tedious, time-consuming tasks is money well spent.

23. Look for God’s guiding hand in your life, see it everywhere, and rejoice in his wonderful care

24. Never let others, even loved ones, push you into poor decisions.

25. Smile more; frown less – outwardly and inwardly.

26. The Lord isn’t only vaguely interested and slightly involved in our lives, but completely invested.

27. The need for God’s truth has never been greater … for you, me and everyone.

28. Stop trying to be perfect and be satisfied with good enough.

29. Be content, no matter the circumstances. You are blessed and being blessed.

30. Spend less time being angry and more time rejoicing, forgiving and being kind. Life is too short to stay angry and hold grudges.

31. Stubbornness is not a character strength.

32. The hope that God gives in the Scriptures cannot be found anywhere else in the whole, wide world.

33. Pride is a secret destroyer.

34. Insisting one is always right is always wrong.

35. Stop crucifying yourself for your mistakes; Jesus was crucified for you!

36. One’s personal actions and attitudes should not be based on the actions and attitudes of others.

37. There is never reason to be bored.

38. The heartache of missing someone means you are blessed with a heart of love for someone.

39. The hardest paths in life are typically the right paths.

40. True beauty is not skin-deep, but actually under the skin.

41. The smartest people realize they’re not the smartest people. And a related truth: the wisest people aren’t always the most educated people.

42. Satan, the great deceiver, is really, really good at what he does.

43. Trying new activities and adventures enriches and enlivens life.

44. The wise discover the healthy medium between head and heart decisions.

45. Don’t let the pressure of the moment destroy the beauty of the moment.

46. The body of a twenty-year-old is typically strong; the mind less so. Thirty years later, those are reversed.  (Don’t be offended, youngsters; when you are my age you will understand.)

47. One should always pet their pet more.

48. Once words leave your mouth (or your keyboard), they can’t be retrieved.

49. Life in this world is often difficult. God allows us to struggle so we remember that heaven is our real home.  The longer we live the more appealing heaven becomes!

50. While living on earth the status of our soul can seem like one of the least important things; the day we die it becomes the most important thing.

These are a few truths I’ve learned.  But maybe you  might suggest some revisions to a few of the 50 points?  If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts.  I’d also love to read a few life-lessons you have learned.  Please share in the comments section!

“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word” (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17).

How to Interact on This Blog

To Comment – Please share your thoughts!  (Commenting is the fun part!)  To do so, click on the “Comments” tag under the title.  I, and many others, would love to benefit from your insights!

To Subscribe – Go to the “Follow This Blog Via Email” column.  If you don’t immediately see that box, click on the “Comments” tag under the title, and scroll to the very bottom.  You should find it there.