Got my new calendar today. It is one of those really big ones that is about 4 ft square with a good sized square for every day of the year with a black felt tip pen to fill in stuff in the boxes. Got it fastened up on my office wall right behind my desk where I can write on it easily and see what is scheduled for the next days and weeks at a glance. First thing I did was start filling it up. Important things first. Fishing trip to Alska July 13th to 21st. Fishing trip to Minnesota last week of May. Hunting trip to Steens Mts with family third week in September. Cougar hunting trip to Wyoming last week of December.  On a more  ministry oriented note I put in a dozen speaking engagements at other churches, seminars I will attend for my own growth and edification, and major outreach events at JBC. It was amazing how quickly my whole next year was all planned and all the boxes were filled in. I wonder if that is a good thing?? I guess if I am absolutely sure that it is all God’s will it is, but with most things I never really asked God or thought or prayed about it much. I think what I will do is plan and schedule with as much wisdom as possible and then remain open and flexible to changes that God may bring and not fuss when they come.

Planning on doing this 3 or 4 evenings a week for an hour. Got sweat all over the floor. Ironman is 1 year from this November

I am sitting here in my recliner looking at my trusty bicycle that I now have on a stand so I can ride it as a stationary bike in my living room. Just finished putting it back together from the box it was shipped home in and onto the bicycle stand. Everything is all adjusted and ready to ride. I have a music stand in front of it so I can read my iPad while I ride. I am planning on riding for an hour tonight before I go to bed, and my goal is to ride 4 hours per week. Rode for about 15 minutes getting things adjusted and everything seems to be working good on the bike and on my body. I thought maybe my leg muscles might rebel or something, but they seemed to enjoy getting back at it. My B-hind didn’t scream at me to loud either. I have another regular road bike that I am going to ride outside once a week for 3 hours, at least that is the goal. I am in the best shape physically that I have been in for the last 40 years and the lightest as well. I do not want to lose that until I am 90 😄

Someone today commented that they were praying for me that I wouldn’t get to discouraged with my present health condition of having a non functioning bladder. I thanked them for the prayer and then I started thinking, I am not really discouraged or even feeling bad or feeling sorry for myself. I am in a situation that is a major inconvience in life for sure, but one of my goals every year is to learn a new skill so that goal has dropped into my lap, literally 😄. This is a challenge that needs to be conquered, not only in learning to cope with it, but also to maintain a high level of joy in life in spite of events. I can do this. It is just like riding a bicycle 4,000 miles across the nation.  You just get up and do what you need to do for just that day, and then do it again the next day and enjoy the challenge and the journey. I recognize and admit to myself that on my own I won’t be able to do it, but with the strength that the Lord gives to me because I ask everyday for it and so many of you all are praying for me it will be a mountain that I can climb. Sitting in my recliner tonight writing this I feel a great sense of joy because of all the people in my life who love me, and because of my faith that God knows what He is doing. I love you all very much. Dee

Most of you heard that the night that I got home from my 4,000 mile bicycle trip to the East coast Patty took me to the Emergency Room at the Albany Hospital because of very severe lower abdomen pain. They did a CAT scan and discovered that my bladder was the size of a basketball so they put a catheter in me and drained off 5 liters of urine which resulted in me feeling much better!! It has been a bit over a week since that exciting drive into Albany at 2 am. Today I went to see a Urologist about fixing whatever the problem was. I assumed as well as many others that sitting on that bicycle seat for 10 hours a day for 2 months was the cause, and that now that I was done with the trip everything would heal up just fine and be back to normal. Well the Urologist said nope, you don’t develope a bladder that big in just 2 months. He basically said that my bladder is done, it won’t ever work right again until Jesus comes and I get my new body (that last part I added) The  reason is probably because of my Parkinson’s disease. Here is a quote from “The Parkinson’s Handbook”. “Difficulty eliminating urine is another common problem with those who have Parkinson’s.  It can be caused by a sphincter that wants to close when the bladder is ready to empty or by a bladder muscle that is too weak to expel urine. This is a concern because incomplete bladder emptying can cause accumulation of urine. These problems should be carefully evaluated by your urologist. The most successful management is intermittent catheterization.” So the doctor said that I will need to do “self catheterization” three times a day for the rest of my life. The first time I did it I got all woozy and just about fainted. Wow, this is going to be fun. I was feeling sorry for myself and then I thought of my friend Lloyd who is diabetic and has to give himself a shot 3 times a day. It is a bummer to get old except that I am that much closer to heaven. Oh well, I am fortunate in that now I can go pee when I want to, not because I have to, cool.

JBC’s five days of prayer for all of the ministries that happen in our church started today. We have corporate prayer in our chapel 10 hours each day for this week, Monday through Friday, 5 am to 10 am and 5pm to 10 pm.  I prayed 6 of the 10 hours today, and I was greatly blessed personally by the experience.

When I got home tonight, shortly after 10 pm, I began thinking about my experiences today with God , and my faith in prayer. From 1976 when I started Pastoring until 1988 my prayer life was fairly anemic. After 1989 my devotion to and my practice of prayer has grown stronger and stronger, and today I have a “matter of fact” kind of faith that prayer really does change things and that the more a church prays the more God will bless.

I was so nervous about this weekend’s service and my sermon. Been so long since I have preached that I was afraid that I would do a really bad job with so many glad I was back and then be a major disappointment to them. I think it turned out alright, at least that is what my wife said and she is usually painfully honest with me. This whole experience of being uptight about this weekend prompted some reflective thinking on my part about motives. What is my motive for teaching the Bible to people each weekend at our services at JBC? I know what I want it to be, but my motives seem to be very slippery! They move and change without me even being aware that they have until some pressure prompts fretting and then all of a sudden I see clearly that I am trying to please the wrong audience. I can see people and hear their words, but it is much more difficult to sense the pleasure of God. I preach and teach for the benefit and edification of those who hear so I know I need to be concerned that  my message is clear and accurate, but I must work hard at keeping God as my source of approval. I know that when my motives are pure He blesses and empowers and I desperately need that. I am determined to be ruthless in my own self reflection and decerning what truly drives me. Help me Lord.

I was really nervous tonight as I preached at JBC. I haven’t preached in over 2 months and it felt much longer. Before I preach the Word of God I always pray and ask God to bless me and to give me His anointing so that each person listening has a genuine encounter with the living God. As I prayed that tonight before the service I was almost overwhelmed with the seriousness of that task and responsibility of it. I think it turned out alright tonight and I am hoping that tomorrow morning as I preach twice I will be more relaxed and comfortable. Thank You Lord for the awesome privilege of teaching your Word.

Many of you know my daughter Sherri and her husband Thomas and their little boy Courage. Thomas had an accident a little over a year ago resulting in a broken neck, being  paralyzed, and in a wheel chair. They moved in with us last month, moving from Seattle where Thomas was involved in a rehab program. He now has a number of “machines” that he continues to use almost daily working at trying to regain strength and more and more movement. They take up a lot of room so today we enclosed our back porch and are making it into an “exercise room” for Thomas. Worked all day on the project with my son Sam and it turned out very nice. I get a special joy in my heart helping them. I enjoy helping all of my kids, but Thomas is working so hard to walk again that I feel like a part of his effort and faith when I do something like today. I like being part of overcoming the seemingly impossible, even if it is just building a wall and putting in a door. 

You may have noticed that the title of this blog has gone from “crazy pastor on a bike” to “Pastor Dee’s blog”. Sounds kind of boring compared to the crazy pastor one😄 I enjoy writing about life, wisdom and insights gained, and just being creative communicating stories. I will work at being faithful to write something most days so those of you who take the time to read it I hope that you enjoy the experience.

I have lots to write about with 23 grandkids, fishing, hunting, pastoring, and the list goes on so hopefully I will be able to communicate stuff that will be helpful to you all in living life as well as being entertaining.

I spent a couple of hours working on my goals for next year today. I enjoy this discipline very much. I like to dream and imagine all the things that I can do and then put a few on paper in the form of goals.

My BHAG this year is to finish an official Ironman Triathlon which is swimming 2.4 miles, bicycling112 miles, and then running 26.2 miles, a marathon. I am committed to training 10 to 15 hours each week for the next year to accomplish this goal. A major reason that I have gone kind of nuttso on these physical goals is to keep my Parkinson’s at bay, plus the challenge keeps me alive and full of energy and passion for life and ministry.

i will write quite a bit about the pursuit of this goal as I believe it is going to be as tough to accomplish as the bicycle ride to the Atlantic Ocean was, and I like to write about challenge and endurance and accomplishment.

love you all. Dee