Saturday night as Laura and I sat in the living room of the Lake Cotttage we are staying in watching television, I couldn't keep my eyes open. I mean, I was out of it. It was very strange. Come 2:30am on Sunday, I knew why. That was the first of many trips to the restroom due to the flu. In between those trips down the hall there was very little sleep.
I still managed to make it to church Sunday morning. I got into my office right about 9:30 and sat at my desk, bucket in hand, waiting for my time to preach. It was a very special Sunday here at the Gaylord E-Free Church (GEFC) as our 65 High Schoolers who had been gone the previous week on Spring Break to Florida shared what God had done in their lives. I took my bucket and moved over to the conference room that has speakers giving the audio from the auditorium so that I could listen to these testimonies. Even feeling as horrible as I felt, I was moved to tears listening to these young people share so openly what the Lord had shown them on their trip and about the commitments they had made - especially those who had trusted Jesus to be their Lord and Savior for the first time. Even the flu can't stop one from rejoicing in that!
The teens finished sharing and I closed things up with a challenge to them as to how they can keep their commitments even when the feelings of the trip have subsided. I was so glad that I didn't have to rush off the stage to my bucket that was tucked away back stage "just in case." I ended by telling the congregation that if these teens had just won a state championship in some sport we would go nuts. We would yell. We would cheer. We would whistle. But in reality, they have done something far better. They have publicly taken a stand to follow Jesus. So I gave the congregation the opportunity to respond to them in a way greater than if they had won a state championship. And boy, did they respond. I don't think I have ever heard that much noise in church befrore...ever. It was great.
I don't remember much about the rest of Sunday. Monday I couldn't make it off the couch. I felt like I had been run over multiple times. I guess you could say that over the weekend I met the enemy, and for me, the enemy was THE FLU!
Be sure to read my other blog entitled Hope For Hurting Pastors at www.hurtingpastor.blogspot.com. You can leave a comment at either blog or email me directly at skdistler@gmail.com
3 comments:
The flu is not vomiting and diarrhea. That is a stomach virus.
The true flu is upper respiratory & makes you run a fever, cough, and feel like you were run over by a truck for about a week to 10 days.
I'm sorry you got the stomach virus-that is definitely NO fun. Hope you are feeling better.
Anonymous, thanks for the clarification. You're right - flu or stomach virus...it sure is no fun at all!!!!
I think I was better off thinking you were coughing in that bucket :)
Pray you feel better!
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