First, the funny. I was being wheeled into the operating room and the anesthesiologist looks at me and says, “You’re back!”

Yup…I’m one of their best customers.

Second, what’s going on?

We were planning on scoping out the heart and, if needed, put another stent or two in the problem areas. When the doctor went in, he discovered that the artery in question is completely blocked. The plan is to go back in there in a week or two to clear the blockage and place a stent or stents to help the blocked area. So, I get to do this all over again in a week or two.

Third, how are you feeling?

Physically, I feel the same as I did yesterday. The thing about my particular kind of heart disease is that I show little to no symptoms before a heart event. I had no symptoms prior to two heart attacks. And I show no symptoms even though one of the main arteries to the heart is completely blocked.

Emotionally and spiritually, I feel fantastic. Friends from all over the world are praying with me. I feel totally at peace about my future. I know that as long as God has things for me to do here, he will keep me around. And if God wants me home, I’m good with that because that means I get to be with Christ and the saints.

What about your family, James? I trust that God will take care of them.

I have no desire to die. But I have no fear of moving on. I am completely at peace with whatever God wants to do.

This isn’t the first time I’ve been at this intersection. And what I can testify is that because God is God, and because I am in God’s care, I am good with my future…for my future is in God. That’s a great place to be.

As my wife posted from the hospital, “He’s fine!”

I am, indeed.

Everyone has suckers and refreshers in their lives.

You know you’ve been around a sucker when you are more tired, emotionally and spiritually drained and depleted after they leave. And here’s the thing about suckers: they have the capacity to undo the work of dozens of refreshers in your life. Even though 99 out of 100 encounters in the day were neutral to positive, one encounter with a sucker can wreck you for a good part of the day.

The thing about refreshers is that whenever you’ve spent time with them, they leave you better and refreshed as a result of being in their presence. They are gifts from God. Treasure them. Intentionally make time to get around them.

Most of the encounters we have with people will be neutral to positive. But there are bound to be suckers in everyone’s life. Those suckers will drain you. And the only ones who can help you get replenished are the refreshers.

May your life abound with refreshers, my friends.

“No. You may not eat cookies for breakfast.” 

“No.  You will go to school. It doesn’t matter if you’re tired.”

“No. You can’t stay up until midnight and play video games.”

This is called parenting. This is what adults do.

What is shocking is about Christian parents who are awesome at parenting their children about school, a balanced diet, and about healthy living is that they also say things like:

“I want my kids to make their own decision about church. I don’t want to force my faith on them.”

“We can’t go to church for a few months because Sara’s soccer games are all on Sundays.”

What are the children of Christian parents learning from this?

• School is important and therefore non-negotiable.
• Church, you go when you can and when you feel like it.
• Having a balanced diet and healthy life style is important to healthy living.
• Relationship with the Savior of the world? Totally optional.

As long as my kids live under my roof, they go to church. It’s not a choice.

Why? Because I’m their dad, and I want what’s best for them.

In fact, I want them to make their relationship with Jesus Christ their absolute priority so that their relationship with Jesus impacts everything else they do as a human being.

Why? Because I’m convinced they will miss out on God’s best should they miss this.