Yet Another Weekend Getaway

June 12. It was a Friday. Friday is trash day in our neighborhood. I had gotten up early. Just before I was gonna get on the stationery bike, I took some trash out to the trash can. By the trash can, there was a long sycamore branch. The thing about sycamore trees is, if any wind blows anywhere within a 100 miles of a sycamore tree, something's gonna fall off that sycamore tree. And so it was. A seven-foot long sycamore branch, laying on the grass. No problem! I'll just break that branch up and throw it in the trash. And so I did. Except I couldn't break the thicker end. A branch about four feet long. Again, no problem! We got a small hill in our backyard. At the top of this small hill, the neighbor has a stone retaining wall. I'll just prop that stick up against the stone wall, and break it with my left leg. No problem! Except, when I hit that branch with my leg, it didn't break. Instead, that stick went, Boing! That stick bounced me down that hill. And I fell-Hard! No problem! I'll just pick myself up and get on with my day. Except my left leg said, "No, you won't!" I wanted to get up. But my leg lay there, like a dead fish. No problem. I'll just drag myself inside, and call for help to my Sweetie, who's sleeping upstairs. Except my left leg said, "No, you won't!" I did manage to drag myself about six feet. That was it. Now I'm lying there in the wet grass, and it's 5:30 in the morning. "Well, the birds sound nice. A little early morning quiet." About an hour later, I hear the neighbor's dog outside. So, I start calling for help. The neighbor comes over, sees me laying in the grass, and goes to wake my poor Sweetie out of a dead sleep (Thank you, Ma'am!) My poor Sweetie! This is my fourth trip to the hospital in the last 6 months. I'm really giving her the gray hair! Anyway, one ambulance ride and one X-ray later, I managed to really break up the top part of my femur bone. The next day, I have a femur nail put in. Imagine the stake they drive into Dracula's heart, at the end of the Dracula movie. Except this is a metal version. Driven into my femur bone. OUCH! Thank You, God, for general anesthesia!

Anyway, this is my Crabby Old Minister, long-winded way of talking about today's Gospel reading. Today's Gospel reading is Matthew 10:40-42. It's about welcoming people. I am called to help people feel welcome. Because Jesus welcomes me. Even small things, like "a cup of cold water," can help people feel welcome. Like Jesus has welcomed me. Which takes me back to the hospital. In the hospital, laying there in that hospital bed, you are "Dear," or "Sir," or "234." But there was someone who was different. Haylee. When Haylee came into my room, Haylee called me by name, "David." Then Haylee asked me the name of my Sweetie, who had been there the day before. I told Haylee my Sweetie's name, "Noemi." And when my Sweetie came in later, Haylee called my Sweetie by name-"Noemi." Haylee even pronounced "Noemi" right! So now, Haylee has given me a new picture of Heaven. Heaven is where you know everybody's name. And everybody knows your name. Heaven is where everybody calls everybody, by name. When people call me by my name, and I call them by name, I feel more connected to them. So, that's how I'm gonna try to welcome people today. As I limp around the rehab with my walker, I will try to call people by name. To honor Jesus, Who welcomes me.