My family and I usually refer to today as “August Zero,” as we removed July 31 from the calendar years ago.
Those that know me well, know that today is the day that I began my HVAC career with my very first workers comp accident. It was July 31, 1971 and I was helping my dad fix an air conditioner. Yes, I was only five but I was born with a set of silver manifold gauges in my hands. Having watched my father working on the condenser fan for a while, I decided to help him when he stepped away and into the house for a moment. I merely did what he did only the power was on with the fan running when I reached in to “fix” things. For those who might not realize this, fan blades will easily remove your fingers if you reach from behind. I was rushed to multiple hospitals as the ER’s were unsure how to “fix” me. Finally, there was a specialist from out of state at the last hospital. He did what he could but it wasn’t much. I lost two digits of two fingers on my left hand. On a side note, rumor has it that Freon flowed from my fingers as opposed to blood but I am not sure as I was only five…
Fast forward 38 years later, and you will find me still missing fingers and chasing fame and fortune in the HVAC industry. It is July 31, 2009 and they are just putting me under to perform an urgent open heart surgery to repair a mitral valve that wouldn’t stay closed when it was supposed to.
What are the odds of that? A freak accident and emergency heart surgery all on the same day, separated by 38 years. I guess you can see why we would want to remove the day from our calender.
As I reflect this morning, however, I am reminded that even those two days were created for my good and God’s glory!
July 31, 1970 put my life on the path of pursuing a career in home service. A career that I have loved and an industry I’ve been honored to serve. I’ve helped clients and colleagues, watched industry change happen, led great teams, and learned a ton along the way. Even now, as I find myself at 53 entering a new season I am so grateful. The next 5-7 years will most exciting of all I’ve done over the past 40 years since I obtained by first apprenticeship license. That day back in 1971 was definitely for my good and most importantly as I strive to glorify Christ with my work, it was for His glory as well!
Now you might be asking how an open heart surgery could bring good and glory. Well, that’s the best story of all.
I accepted Christ as my savior in May of 1977. In the mid 80’s however, I started following the path of the world. The narrow gate and carrying a cross everyday was not appealing to this 20 year old believer. I stayed on that worldly path for the next 20 plus years. I am not proud of it but I lived as if my salvation was merely a get out of hell free card. I did little to nothing for the Kingdom.
In May of 2009 my saint of a daughter, Christina, asked me to come to church to see my grandson dedicated. I had been turning down her invitations for years, but this was my firstborn grandson Jake and I couldn’t turn it down. The message preached that day was from Psalms 23 and why Christians gets sick. One of the points was so that God could force you in a position to listen. Little did I know on that Sunday, how sick I would be a few months later.
The Holy Spirit started tugging on me that day and I kept going back to church. I wasn’t sure exactly why but soon I was to know that this was His way of preparing me for the things to come. A time I would need God more than ever before.
So a few months later, it’s July and I am laying in a hospital bed. Very soon they will put me on a machine and turn my heart and lungs off to perform surgery. I keep hearing Psalms 23 over and over, “He forces me to lie down in green pastures.”
I heard my God loud and clear that day. He told me that I hadn’t been living the live He sacrificed His only son, Jesus, for. He told me that there was no reason to keep me in this world if I was going to live the life I had been living. He wanted complete surrender and for me to live the life worthy of Jesus death. It was time to decide!
I made an about face that day. A James Rockford car spin to head in a different direction. I started running towards my Savior, carrying that cross instead of towards the world with the cross in the rear view mirror.
That day, my friends, was a day that was for my good and every day since then I have done my best to live my life for His glory. So today, I will begin to look at July 31 not as a day I wish to forget, but one I wish to always remember. All praise be to God for July 31st!
I challenge you to not wait for God to make you lie down and listen. Completely surrender today. Pick up your cross and run to Him. Live your life as one worthy of the death Jesus died!
Be awesome!