Today we get to see Lambeau field, home of the Green Bay Packers. I have a football story that is involves Unity Point St. Luke’s. Since we have so many friends from St. Luke’s on the trip, I hope you don’t mind if I share it.
It happened in practice. I went up for a pass. I was a sophomore. I caught the pass, but a senior caught me good in my exposed mid-section. It earned me a ride in an ambulance from Sioux Center where we lived, to St. Luke’s in Sioux City. My sister, a nursing student in the college, was there to greet me. Several of my uncles and aunts had rushed to see me, and be with my parents. As I waited for emergency surgery, the Chaplain came to see me in the hall just outside the O.R. He asked me if I was saved, and thankfully I was. I spent several days in intensive care for a lacerated liver, and many more days at St. Luke’s after that.
Later, we lived a few blocks from St. Luke’s. It was a good thing, because Rhonda does a lot of things well, but pregnancy was not one of them. She was in an out of the hospital with our three children, twins, Corey and Micah, and our youngest son Madison. All three are alumni of the neo- natal intensive care. I remember many trips to gown up and scrub up.
Later I was on the City Council, and was asked to address an assembly at East Middle School for the Children’s Miracle Network. To this day the boys claim to be scarred for life because I called them “My Miracle Babies”.
St. Luke’s has been a great client of our firm for most of my career. It feels good to be part of the healing work they do, at least in an indirect way. I have subsequently served on the Board, and Rhonda served on the College Board. We both loved those experiences, and have a great affection and admiration for St. Luke’s, and the people who feel called to be part of their healing work.
I made a lot of promises to God that day in the hallway outside of the O.R. I’m pretty sure I broke them all. Sometimes, I ask myself why God saved me. What did he want me to do? Did he save me to serve St. Luke’s, or another favorite client Northwestern College? Did he save me to be a dad? To make a difference to one of my youth group boys at church? To touch someone with a writing in my blog? To be the helping hand to someone getting off the bus?
I told the Chaplain I was saved, but what was I saved for? I don’t know always know what God’s purposes are, but he saved me, and I hope it was for something special. I hope I make him happy and I earn the extra time he gives me on this earth. I’m thankful for the time. I’m thankful for St. Luke’s, and the people and the place so integrally intertwined with our lives.