As I prepare to head back to seminary in September, I would
like to say a few words about my summer.
I recently completed Clinical Pastoral Education at Geisinger Hospital
in Danville, Pennsylvania. Their
Spiritual Care department is truly filled with love and compassion. This was a large
hospital which showed passion for educating through their program. During my
process, I learned new ways of communication, counseling, listening, and being
a strong calm presence in others’ lives. The learning environment provided a
vast variety of different social conditions and systems.
My goals taught me how to work with many of my colleagues
and learn about different forms of ministry. Every conversation has enabled evaluation
of self, my group, and growth throughout my ministry this summer and into the
future.
One of my favorite lessons …
“Faith is the ability to accept life as it is…not the way we
wish it was. That is the tragic continuum of life.” – Al Lumpkin
So often in life and ministry, people cry out or ask
questions of why… during suffering or tragedy. They begin by asking, “Why God
did this to me?” Al Lumpkin played a song where a bride and groom get married
and were desperately in love with one another. Directly after the wife was
riding a horse, the horse tripped in whole…wife fell and died. The husband in
distress and love shot himself in the head and they were buried together.
Through this song, Al pointed out that we get so caught up in the tragedy in life
but no one ever blames the gopher who originally dug the hole in the ground.
Why then do we think God is responsible when tragedy strikes?
In suffering it is often difficult to articulate where faith
comes into play. True faith is the knowing that God is there through the pain
and the suffering and accepting life just the way it is! Life is a risk
opportunity and there are no guarantees. The only guarantee that we have is
God’s infinite love for us and presence through our entire lives.
Thank you to my director, staff chaplains, hospital
employees, residents, and fellow students this summer. It was a great journey
because of you!
“Al Lumpkin – Geisinger Hospital, Danville Pennsylvania 2013
Didactics Lecture. Al Lumpkin was the original founder of the Clinical Pastoral
Education Program Site. “
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