I met George almost 20 years ago. He was out of work, unable to land a suitable job and he was desperate for someone to talk to and help him in his hour of need. In all honesty, George was a tough guy to help. And I couldn’t get the thought out of my head that he was angry about something. Of course, he denied that… but time would bear out my suspicion and five or six months later, as George was hitting bottom, we met in a Panera and he made a proposal to me. He offered to follow everything I asked of him for three weeks and if he was not totally compliant, he would never bother me again.
I told him that I would pray about it and was getting up to leave when he shook my hand and didn’t let go. He implored me to pray for him, right then, right there, in the middle of Panera. I agreed to work with him and this began a friendship that has endured just about 20 years. He landed a great job, I coached him for years until he retired and we have stayed in touch in the years since his retirement. We share a meal every other month or so and every client I have had knows the story of Angry George – a name he embraces to this day. In fact, he is sensitive to the fact that I always answered the phone and helped him when he was desperate. Even now, when we are together and my phone rings, he asks me to answer it – after all, as he says, he has been on the other end of the line and has experienced first hand the anxiety that people feel when they need help.
George has come a very long way. He is no longer angry, he has learned about leadership, lives a life of service and his faith is stronger than it has ever been. He works at a local Costco to stay busy and is one of the service people who handle returns and questions at the font desk in the store. He loves the interaction with people and is a different person than he was when we first met.
As difficult as his journey has been, God has been faithful and he, along with his family, have been blessed for years. Now, George delivered some surprising news to me several weeks ago. He has been diagnosed with ALS, a debilitating disease that is starting to make his life more difficult. His last day at Costco will be this March 24th and he will then start on disability.
George asked me to walk with him during the next, and perhaps final, phase of his life. In fact, he credits me, incorrectly in my opinion, with teaching him how to live well these many years. Now, he wants me to teach him how to die well… what can I say…
I’m not a good hospice guy. I sleep with my phone on my nightstand in case I get a call in the middle of the night. I am willing to help in any way possible. But I am the most unlikely person in the world to be a guide for this type of assignment. I don’t think this is a coincidence. God must have a purpose in mind and, undoubtedly, it will include blessings. Blessings, by the way, that I don’t want to miss.
When George and I met several weeks ago to discuss next steps, I felt a strong sense that I should encourage George to live his life expecting miracles. He kind of brushed me off – George is one of those guys who is intentional, deals in facts and figures; and sometimes finds it difficult to take that extra step of faith to look for miracles.
Imagine my surprise when we spoke on his birthday earlier this week and he was excited to share that he had experienced two undeniable, distinct miracles since our last conversation. In fact, they were so tangible that George has a completely different attitude already about living his life looking for miracles.
For one, the Veteran’s Administration has been totally awesome to him and will be giving him full disability pay (George served in Okinawa as a member of the Air Force during the Vietnam war). They will also pay every medical bill he incurs for the rest of his life. And Costco has been just as generous. He will receive disability pay for the rest of his life as well. George couldn’t believe how wonderful and hospitable everyone has been.
So this Tuesday, I will be meeting with George once again for the purpose of helping him write letters to those folks who have been so instrumental in his life, especially since his retirement from the corporate world. I intend to be by his side through whatever twists and turns his life takes in the time he still has. The doctors are unsure of a timeline. Everyone is different. For now, we are taking it a day at a time. And I will lean on my ministry friends and all of you for prayer support.
I expect that both of us will receive blessings during this journey. And I don’t want to miss them. Neither does George. Now, I don’t know how to do this next season well with George. It’s up to God to teach me along the way. I learned long ago that I must do the work but the result is up to God. I can’t control that.
Our verse for tonight is a very familiar one. The apostle Paul tells us, in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” I’m counting on this. My encouragement is that if God brings us to something, He will bring us through it. My prayer is that you will fervently pray for George, his family and also for me as we enter this season of his life. Thank you! Have a great day in the lord, grace and peace…