One Pastor's Perspective

I am in awe of the love and concern shown to me and my family by my Ebenezer family.  If you are a part of EBC, I want you to know how much I appreciate you and that you folks mean the world to me.  If you are not … well, you need to be!!  With all of that written, many people ask me about how my dad is doing.  Sometimes I say “about the same” and sometimes I’ll even admit to “not too well.”  But I think there is a deeper answer.  One that I do not want to give, but I believe it to be true.

Dad’s disease is progressing.  That is NOT a positive thing.  Dad has NPH (normal pressure hydrocephalus), which basically is too much spinal fluid in his brain cavity.  It acts like Alzheimer’s, or Parkinson’s, or that catch-all diagnosis of dementia.  The bottom line is physically, Dad is not doing too bad.  But mentally, he is not well at all.

With Dad, the main problems are memory loss that grows more severe every day and loss of muscle control in his feet and legs.  The physical symptoms really don’t seem to be getting worse.  His memory, however, is another story.

Years ago, all of this started with small holes in his memory and thought processes.  Most of the time, you would never know he had NPH.  Slowly, however, the small holes have grown bigger.  Now there are small moments of clarity and more memory loss.  And it continues to grow.  And my Mom, who has ALREADY earned sainthood in my eyes, feels her heart break a little more everyday for her high school sweetheart to whom she has been married for almost 59 years.

Yes, there are treatments for NPH.  A cranial shunt is no longer an option, although Dad had one that helped for over 5 years.  He does have a lumbar shunt, but it only does so much.  So we place all of this in the precious and loving hands of God.  And, you’d better believe this is a painful thing for my Mom, for me, and for my family.

So many of you have asked “What can we do for you??”  Right now, pray for us.  Especially for my Mom, Janet Wike.  And know that your prayers are greatly appreciated!!

The forecast track of TS Isaac has many folks thinking about another hurricane, not so long ago … Katrina came onshore near Pass Christian, MS, and wreaked HAVOC on that region of the Gulf Coast.  In the aftermath, Ebenezer (along with many others) sent multiple teams down to do whatever we could to help.  We still remember a little storm called Hugo and all of the help we received!  In fact, Marty Coates organized a team that went in only a couple of days after.  We saw firsthand the destruction.

Fortunately, Isaac is no Katrina.  No Hugo.  But it does remind me of another hurricane named Andrew.  It was 20 years ago and my wife, my almost 2-year-old daughter and I were recovering from the culture shock that is natural when you move from Upstate South Carolina to New Orleans.  The mayor of NO, Marc Morial, issued an evacuation order as Andrew drew close.  And all of my friends laughed!! “It ain’t ever gonna hit us!  You’re a fool if you evacuate!!”

Not too many years before, I had served on a Hugo cleanup team.  I saw what a powerful hurricane can do, and what Andrew had already done to Homestead, FL.  So I packed up my Bronco II and my family, and we headed east.  NEVER FOUND A VACANCY IN A HOTEL.  And by the time we got to Atlanta, we were only 2 hours from home!!  So we drove on into Easley and had an unplanned trip home for a few days.  Andrew jogged west before he came on shore and did very little damage.  And all was well!

Isaac is on a very similar path to Andrew.  And as I sit here, 600 miles away from a city I called home and left a little of my heart in when we left in ’95, I pray for my brothers, sisters, and my seminary.  I pray that Isaac will have even less of a bite than Andrew.  I pray that this city, that has had so much disaster in the last decade, will be safe.  Just like 20 years ago.

Seems like only yesterday when he went on his first fishing trip.  It was at the pond at Buddy Rainwater’s house.  He caught a brim!!  Not long after that, he started 5K.  Seems like only yesterday.  Today, he starts the first day of his senior year in high school.  His big sister is already a second-semester senior at Clemson, due to her hard work during the summers.  She starts Wednesday.  And I find myself wondering where all the time has gone!! Here’s wishing all of our kids a great year at school, and hoping all parents will realize their kids grow up at the speed of light.  Make the most of every moment!!!