It is 0100 on Sunday morning. I need to be up in 5 hours but I've not yet gone to sleep. I've been on duty as Chaplain since shortly after lunch. It has been an amazing day.I cannot say how touched I am today to see how our local men and women in uniform take care of each other. A sewrviceman at a nearby base was critically injured last night and life-flighted here. Right now it is touch and go. The family lives far away. I went to the ICU expecting a very difficult afternoon. However, as soon as I got off the elevator, I saw that most of the people in the large waiting area were in uniform. A man came up to me and introduced himself as the base's Colonel, Another was a Commander and there were a Lieutenant and some Sergeants as well. The enlisted men and woman were shell-shocked but the officers took over. They made sure the family was transported 3000 miles to Sacramento. A hotel was arranged. The injured man's Pastor was brought up from the Bay area. The enlisted's were each assigned to an officer to talk quietly and to process what had happened to their friend. As the Hospital Chaplain, I was there along with the local Pastor of this man's denomination. There was little for us to do, othetr than just be there, as a spiritual presence and pray with those in the waiting room. And of course to stand in awe at the caring and love we saw around us. At midnight, the first family members were whisked in from the airport in an Air Force van. They were escorted by an officer in dress blues. Over at the hotel, their luggage was being unloaded and food were being laid out in the both the ICU waiting room and at the hotel.. I think I am blessed to have three siblings and a strong family. But because of his service this young man has 50 siblings, sitting with him, taking care of his family and friends and forming a circle of love, support and prayer. I am not sure about the wars we fight today, but I have no doubt that our men and women in uniform have our backs and have each others' backs as well. "Leave no man behind". I saw this embodied tonight in a way I've never seen it before. It's still touch and go for this young Airman. But the support I saw tonight will as much as anything else help lift he and his family through the next few days.We are blessed to have our men and women in uniform. We owe them nothing less than our gratitude and respect.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Check-up today
Went up to Roseville for a medical check-up this morning. Results? Still healthy still sane! It's a twofer!
Monday, February 21, 2011
Wisconsin concerns
What concerns me most about Wisconsin is that the whole fair employment agreements - public and private are predicated upon the good faith standards put forth by the Hatch Act, the predecessor to the National Labor Relations Board, among others. If a government feels it can just invalidate a large chunk of law, "because times are hard" that is the start of a slide down a slippery slope. The Governor would be wiser to reopen bargaining with the state workers and let the workers decide themselves whether they want to accept some reductions for the good of the whole or strike. In this economy strikes are usually short and decisive as ours was. We wound up splitting the difference. By just killing all of the agreements, the Governor now has a tiger by the tail. A tiger whose rights will be upheld int he Supreme Court. By invalidating contracts he will pay far more in legal bills and lost production rather than going through the bargaining process. Union representation is assured by Federal Law. It is wiser to work with that system than try an end run around it. The crowds in Madison bear that out.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Ben's email got hacked
Dear friends: My Yahoo email got hacked today. A mail server at a [place I volunteered got hit, then my yahoo account (the only place which does not use strong passwords or kerboros ) got compromised too. I've changed my password and tightened account security on my \Yahoo account. I will also be deleting most names in the yahoo address book. I have other ways (like Posterous) to reach people in a hurry. If you need to talk to me about this, please contact me at drben54@gmail.com. Thanks and sorry, BEN
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
February 8, 2011 - Care, the Source of All Cure A thought for caregivers from Henri Nouwern
As a hospital Chaplain, who sometimes has some really tough cases, this jumped out at me. This, my friends is why we do this! BEN
| Having trouble viewing this email? Click here |
Share your thoughts on this reflection. These reflections are taken from Henri J.M. Nouwen's Bread for the Journey.
Visit HenriNouwen.org for more inspiration!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Sarah Palin's Statement on the Tuscon Tragedy
Listen to this - all of it. Make up your own mind. Other than the misuse of a Hasidic term, I found the actual speech, rather than just reading the partisan analysis from both sides, interesting. Ms. Palin and I remain in most ways on opposite sides of the political debate, but this video gives us an unfiltered view of her, from which we may make our own decisions. In High School, at the urging of Mr. Marshall, a conservative teacher, I bought a few issues of William F. Buckley's NATIONAL REVIEW. Immediately I was taken by some of "the other side's" thoughtful iterations of their beliefs. Stupid people did not get published in the REVIEW. (neither did many Liberals <g>.) Still, I remained a fan of Mr.s Buckley's until his death last year, despite remaining a Liberal. The "other side" (both "other sides") are being de-humanized in the current debate in the wake of this tragedy. Sound bites and statements out of context do not paint an accurate picture. We need to listen to what people have to say. To all of what they have to say. And then, make up our own minds.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
