Two years now, wow time flies! I guess statistically I'm due to "make the maker" any day. Just live'n on borrowed time, beating the odds. Every day is a gift!
I'm thinking about going on the motivational speaker circuit.
What's strange, well I guess not that strange, but I think of this often. The strange part is, I look back on this time very fondly, all I have are good memories (well mostly, I do remember some of the pain). What I remember most is, the outpouring of love and support from friends, family and strangers. The encouraging words from you guys here and the visits in the hospital. All the help from friends many from church, and others not from church bringing us meals to help out. Other friends I hadn't seen in many years, seeing the news on facebook, and driving 2 or 3 hours to come visit. I remember my good friend Eric showing up on the side of the road, and then later calling my wife Tabitha to let her know what had happened. I remember a super nice couple who stopped to help, convinced me I was hurt badly and talked me into riding in the ambulance to the hospital. I remember a lot of good.
I can remember posting on facebook at some point, after being on the receiving end of so much help and support, "I have better friends than I deserve." I felt that was true then, and still feel it's true today. I am definitely blessed by all those in my life, and I can only hope that I am as much a blessing and encouragement to others.
Sometimes it takes a crash for you to slow down, see purpose and value in your own life, and really appreciate things. It was the crash that set into motion me wanting to move back towards my current position of full time youth pastor, back to my calling. There's a long story in there, but I was, I guess for lack of a better word afraid of it. During the time off my pastor and friend Geoff, would come get me and take me up to the church office to let me hang out and help brain storm. It was then that I began to realize that full time ministry could again be part of my life in the future, it was then that I again began to desire that for my future. It would be another year after that (again a long and cool story), but this is when the ball was put into motion.
Since then a lot has changed: a kid was added, job changed, I've changed. In life we have what I like to call "defining moments", a moment or time when the course of your life is changed, impacted or affected. This was certainly that. I'm not sure where I would be, or what I would be doing, but I'm convinced it would be different and I wouldn't be as happy and fulfilled as I am now. I know this all sounds like weird hippy talk, after all it was just a motorcycle crash. But it wasn't the crash that defined it, it was much more, it was everything else: love and support from friends and family, 4 months off a crappy job
, but mostly God gently speaking to me reminding me who I am and that I too am valuable.
Ok now that all that touchy-feely nonsense is out of the way, I'm ready to get back on a bike!!!