Category Archives: direction

Too dang comfortable eating cheese curls

Comfort dulls me and makes me complacent. I have a tough time paying close attention when using cruise control. In 2010, we left the church we were serving in for eleven years because I felt way too comfortable. The pay … Continue reading

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Wasting my bonus days

I think I’m wasting my bonus days. Or, at least, I think I’m wasting too much of them. Imagine you have a giant bowl of mashed potatoes and are a huge spud fan. If you have a gallon of mashed potatoes, you … Continue reading

Posted in burnout, change, diet, direction, recovery, transplant recovery | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

How do you handle gut-wrenching, suffocating, consuming weight?

My transplant experience gave me a gift that, today, I would like to return. Usually, I’m thankful for it, but recently it has grown so heavy that I feel like it is breaking me. I’ve been watching My 600 Pound … Continue reading

Posted in direction, Find God, hope, Jesus, ministry, Organ transplant, pastor, relationship | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

How should I shepherd this flock? Where do I begin?

“I have something for you,” Jen said. Her face wore her father’s half-smirk-half-smile that always made me wonder what he was up to. She stood facing me close enough that I could see the same spark that I used to … Continue reading

Posted in Christianity, church planting, direction, Liver disease, ministry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Is the world going “to hell in a hand-basket?” What can we do?

“What is this world coming to?” I heard one of my friends ask that question this morning. It’s not the first time I’ve heard it asked. In fact, I think I hear it asked every time something tragic happens at … Continue reading

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Words fall like snow

Snow falling lightly. Pajama’s all day. A long chat with mom. Coffee pot decreasing. Dancing orange flames in the stove. Warm. Comfortable. Content. Silly text messages with my wife. Moments with my God. New life for a transplant friend, Smiling … Continue reading

Posted in chronic illness, direction, discouragement, Organ transplant, peace, simple, transplant | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

You can’t spell “community” without u and i

This liver transplant journey has been the most difficult period of my life but I see lots of good that has come out of it. For instance, I now am part of a pretty tight community. We all speak the … Continue reading

Posted in change, Christianity, community, depression, direction, discouragement, hope, Liver disease, organ donation, Organ transplant, relationship, transplant | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hey fatso! Are you ready yet?

It’s time. You know it is. It has to be. Your doctor has told you. Your wife has hinted or your husband has avoided the hornets’ nest for the most part. You’re too fat, right? I remember the first time … Continue reading

Posted in diet, direction, End Stage Liver Disease, facing death, Fatty liver, Fatty Liver Disease, Liver disease, NASH, Organ transplant | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

My kids are adults and it’s pretty cool

I miss the days of Little League and rat pack soccer. I miss the whistle blowing every four seconds while I watch 9 to 12-year-olds run around and play field hockey. I miss Discovery Zone and, as Bill Cosby calls … Continue reading

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My belly is bigger than the Goodyear Blimp!

Picture this. Tonight you go to bed weighing 150. Tomorrow you wake up weighing 170. Your pants are tight. After dinner you change into comfy sweats. The next morning you step on the scale and it says 181. What???? It’s … Continue reading

Posted in Christianity, chronic illness, direction, discipleship, discouragement, End Stage Liver Disease, Fatty liver, Fatty Liver Disease, Find God, Jesus, Lahey Clinic, Liver disease, NASH, organ donation, Organ transplant, transplant | Leave a comment

My liver transplant is in the near future

Neither Robin nor I were prepared for the news Dr. Amy Tien gave us at Lahey. She simply said she is recommending me for a live donor liver transplant. She noted all the things I’ve been through since May, ordered … Continue reading

Posted in Christianity, chronic illness, direction, discipleship, discouragement, facing death, Fatty liver, Fatty Liver Disease, Find God, Jesus, Lahey Clinic, Liver disease | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

If God is real, why …

A lot of people don’t get the God thing that I’ve been writing about. I understand. I see the morons on the news picketing at funerals too. I see red-faced screamers yelling into their bullhorns looking like they are going … Continue reading

Posted in Christianity, chronic illness, direction, discipleship, discouragement, facing death, Fatty liver, Fatty Liver Disease, Find God, hope, Jesus, Lahey Clinic, Liver disease, NASH, organ donation, Organ transplant, peace, religion, vision | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

What did you do with your summer vacation? (Hospital again)

I remember the annual essay that came each year in September. I remember stories of neighborhood baseball when we’d play until we lost the ball. I remember the time my dad surprised me with a box of brand new, bright … Continue reading

Posted in change, Christianity, chronic illness, direction, facing death, Fatty liver, Find God, Jesus, Lahey Clinic, Liver disease, love, mystery, NASH, organ donation, Organ transplant, pastor, religion, transplant | 10 Comments

Today can we just play “pretend?”

Imagination is a gift. I love it when children invite me into their world to pretend. From playing catch with an invisible ball with Elizabeth to being trains with Andrew, it’s such a cool thing to be part of their … Continue reading

Posted in Christianity, chronic illness, direction, discouragement, facing death, Fatty Liver Disease, Find God, gospel, hope, NASH, organ donation, religion, transplant | Tagged , , | 11 Comments

Quiet streams? Well … not today…

This is my oldest son, Josh. He recorded this song for me after I posted Jon Foreman’s “House of God Forever” this morning. (You can hear Jon Foreman’s version at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoXWIK1lfyo ) Of course, Josh’s version, lyrics at bottom of … Continue reading

Posted in change, Christianity, chronic illness, direction, discouragement, facing death, Fatty Liver Disease, Find God, hope, Jesus, love, ministry, NASH, organ donation, peace, religion, transplant, vision | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments