Today was tough. I never really knew how my Dad felt about Memorial Day. When I was in middle school and played with the band at the parade, my Dad was a member of the local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) in northern Michigan where we lived. He always seemed to march proudly even though I do remember it raining alot on Memorial Day. I also remember the hot dogs and baseball. :)
I asked my Dad if he went to any parades today and the answer gave me an idea of what my Dad really felt about past Memorial Days....and the future ones. He said he never really liked today since he got home from Vietnam. My Dad fought in the Vietnam War, his Dad in the Korean War and I'm sure I'm the only male in the Burtch family tree that hasn't fought in some form of war or battle. My disconnect to fighting for my country may be similar to my Dad's disconnect to wanting to remember that he did fight for his country. The 1960's were not kind to veterans. They may be the only generation that were truly not appreciated for sacrificing their lives for the red, white and blue. The veterans who fought in World War II are known as, "The Greatest Generation" because of what their difference did for our country. The Vietnam War only set us back and caused hate, rioting, protests, uncertainty and a mistrust for a government that thought they were doing what was right. Sound familiar?
My Dad still feels resentment toward the government because of how him and his friends were treated....the ones that came back alive. It's not exactly a feeling that makes him want to take a day off and receive thanks since the government, in Dad's words, still hasn't properly thanked them yet. Memorial Day is a day of remembrance and celebration for the freedoms that we have and I'm thankful for what I have. I do wish that we could go back in time and right that wrong....no one should be spat upon for going and doing what they are told is right.
My friend, Josh Shelton and his wife Sara, will probably not remember Memorial Day in the same way either. My thoughts and prayers are with them as they struggle to find the answer to the worst open-ended question in history. "Why?" Today, tears are shed for memories that occured recently and in the past but the hurt is the same. God comforts us with his open arms and the strength of good friends but the pain, I imagine, is sometimes too much to bear. I ask, whoever may read this and I don't know who does, that you pray for the Shelton's and all of those that are asking the question, "Why?"
Monday, May 25, 2009
Sunday, May 24, 2009
A ministry of stories
Recruiting for a Christian college has always had its ups and downs but, one thing that has always been consistent, is the heart-to-heart conversations I get to have with people whose stories apparently need to be told. Earlier this week, I had two conversations that just caused me to stop and realize that my job in sales is not necessarily the product I'm selling but it's becoming a part of the life of the consumer who is making a huge step in their life.
The first conversation was with a young lady that I recruited to come to Abilene Christian out of high school back in 2002. Melinda just graduated with her master's degree earlier this month and had been in a long relationship with a guy she had dated and had let herself get really close to. The joy of completing a graduate degree was overshadowed by the heartbreak of a guy that has decided not to commit to a serious relationship with her. I've had many conversations with Melinda over the last seven years and really enjoy her heart and spirit as she's shared part of her life with my wife and I. Listening to the tears over the phone as she figured out what to do next was the hard part. Years of hard work and academic success were put to the side as I let her know that God was looking over her and taking care of her now and for the long run. I felt honored to know that I was on her list of people to confide in at such a pivotal time in her life.
The second conversation was with a lady who was wanting to take a second chance at Lipscomb. She had started school there in the mid-90's and left due to family circumstances. Her father was a Church of Christ minister on the east coast and had passed away. Felicia, the lady that I met with, never came back to Lipscomb. The opportunity to pick back up and get back on her feet academically didn't really show itself to her until recently when she moved back to Tennessee and attended a community college. Sitting in our conference room, she told me of a professor at Lipscomb that sat and prayed with her when she learned of her father's passing and how angry she was that this had to happen just as she was getting things started. Her father though had abused her physically and mentally so, when he passed away, she stepped away from her family, the church and God. She never formally thanked that professor for spending that time with her and now, after almost 12 years, she hopes to get that chance this fall and return to Lipscomb.
I've battled internally recently about where God needs me to be and where I can do the most work. Most of my day consists of academic records and keeping my two student workers, Brittany and Rebecca, busy. I get to share their lives as well as the others in my office. I get to listen to peoples history almost every day and help them decide their futures whether they are 17 or 47. I talk to people who have served in Iraq and are ready to capitalize on a free education, to parents who are excited about their children get a second chance at college even if the first one didn't work out so well and people who may have lost their jobs who are now taking advantage of something they haven't had in years....time.
I'm thankful for conversations even if I'm not the one doing most of the talking. I'm just thankful for God putting me at a place where I can see lives changing every day.
The first conversation was with a young lady that I recruited to come to Abilene Christian out of high school back in 2002. Melinda just graduated with her master's degree earlier this month and had been in a long relationship with a guy she had dated and had let herself get really close to. The joy of completing a graduate degree was overshadowed by the heartbreak of a guy that has decided not to commit to a serious relationship with her. I've had many conversations with Melinda over the last seven years and really enjoy her heart and spirit as she's shared part of her life with my wife and I. Listening to the tears over the phone as she figured out what to do next was the hard part. Years of hard work and academic success were put to the side as I let her know that God was looking over her and taking care of her now and for the long run. I felt honored to know that I was on her list of people to confide in at such a pivotal time in her life.
The second conversation was with a lady who was wanting to take a second chance at Lipscomb. She had started school there in the mid-90's and left due to family circumstances. Her father was a Church of Christ minister on the east coast and had passed away. Felicia, the lady that I met with, never came back to Lipscomb. The opportunity to pick back up and get back on her feet academically didn't really show itself to her until recently when she moved back to Tennessee and attended a community college. Sitting in our conference room, she told me of a professor at Lipscomb that sat and prayed with her when she learned of her father's passing and how angry she was that this had to happen just as she was getting things started. Her father though had abused her physically and mentally so, when he passed away, she stepped away from her family, the church and God. She never formally thanked that professor for spending that time with her and now, after almost 12 years, she hopes to get that chance this fall and return to Lipscomb.
I've battled internally recently about where God needs me to be and where I can do the most work. Most of my day consists of academic records and keeping my two student workers, Brittany and Rebecca, busy. I get to share their lives as well as the others in my office. I get to listen to peoples history almost every day and help them decide their futures whether they are 17 or 47. I talk to people who have served in Iraq and are ready to capitalize on a free education, to parents who are excited about their children get a second chance at college even if the first one didn't work out so well and people who may have lost their jobs who are now taking advantage of something they haven't had in years....time.
I'm thankful for conversations even if I'm not the one doing most of the talking. I'm just thankful for God putting me at a place where I can see lives changing every day.
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