Wanderings – Page 56 – The Life and Times of Joe Suttle

Dead At 47?

joe July 29, 2008 Faith, News

Seeing the news headline brought me up short. “Computer-Science Professor Dead at 47”. Here was a man who recognized that for all his life had been, it was not in his control. The cancer that raged through Randy Pausch had a timeline on it. Knowing that his life would soon be over, he delivered his “The Last Lecture”. It was so popular that it still exists on YouTube ( target=”_blank”>”Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams”) It is over an hour long, so be prepared for lots of listening.

What he emphasized in The Last Lecture was some simple guidance to help people live more valuable lives, and reach for their childhood dreams. This was based on lessons he said he learned throughout his life. Rausch felt that people should seek meaningful interactions with other people. He talked about how we should treat people – with compassion and respect. You may not agree with everything he has to say, but listen closely for those “wow” moments.

Made me do some more thinking about blessings. Amazing that a God who is in control of everything should let something like cancer end that life, while others live on. More amazing is how He has allowed me to live more years than many people imagined 20+ years ago.

That was when my doctor noticed an anomaly – my heart was throwing in extra beats. So…off to the cardiologist who could not figure it out either, but an angiogram would show the problem. BTW, this “problem” had never bothered me, but to this day, bothers the cardiologist. What he found was a 60% blockage in the left artery, but he was amazed that it did not bother me.

Even when taking those “killer” treadmill tests in his office, the only thing that really makes me stop is the pain in my ankles, calves and hips! He throws up his hands and says, “well call me if anything changes”.

I tell the doc “Will do”, and leave whispering a prayer of “thanks God for another day.”

Don’t forget to thank God for today – every day.

Memory Jogger

joe July 25, 2008 Family

Woke to the sound of a ringing phone. It was not my usual cell phone ring early in the morning, but rather the house phone. To top it off, this was one of those “let’s sleep in” days, and no one has been calling early for the past two weeks. OK, so it was 9 a.m. – that’s sleeping in for me!

“It’s some woman calling about your uncle” was all she said. My mind tried to get a handle on who could be calling at this time of day asking about a man who has been dead for over five years (more like 22 years). (Now my mind is locked in to “am I really THAT old?”) Someone calling about my only real uncle – the World War II flying Ace (almost)? The one who shot down two enemy planes in one day?

Yup! That was who the call was about. An Oklahoma author, doing some research for a children’s book she is writing wanted any information I had about my uncle Dubois Elsberry. I was impressed that she already had the two books I was going to refer her to. Then my mind started to remember some pictures and other memorabilia that happen to exist in my storage shed.

With promises to dig out any details about his life I could remember, Mary Coleman-Woolslayer and I ended the call. Not before we had exchanged email addresses and good wishes.

As different bits of information have been recalled, Mary and I have communicated. Even to the point of discovering that she lived in a neighboring town when I was in school in Oklahoma.

Small worlds just collided. That close, and here some 60 years later we meet.

I am anxiously looking forward to this book about the Stearman Bi-plane and what part my uncle, an Oklahoman, played in it’s history.

Speed Bump…

joe July 16, 2008 Faith

There’s a problem we all face – everyday. We have to set some boundaries on where the “world” begins and what influence the “world” is going to have on our lives. While the outward signs of our lives show we are in control, it is really what is in our hearts/minds that trips us up.

The Apostle John was not the only one in the “olden” days to point this out. You can check with David, Solomon, Peter and Paul (Jesus too for that matter). When John says “don’t love the things in the world (1 John 2:15)”, it puts a little speed bump in our lives. When my need for physical desires, things or my importance are the most important things in life, then it’s like hitting the speed bump full speed. We need to slow down for the speed bump – evaluate what is really important.

Remember, it’s what’s inside that controls us, even while we put up a “good front” for the people around us.

Look out! Here comes another speed bump!