An Update on My Health, Our Family, and the Future of Sam’s Place.
I had plans to write this post a bit differently, but God had other plans for us today. There are many things in life I can explain, and some I cannot. This one I hope to shed some light on.
I talked to the Dr “once the shots stop working, there is nothing else to do but replace the entire knee joint” less than a month after my last shot, I walked up the stairs to go to bed, the pain drove like I knife, deep into the leg, I barely caught myself as the leg gave out. Half way up… no hand rails, open stair case, I reached quickly and caught the floor above and stopped the fall… I made it this time. I yelped outloud, but tried to muffle the sounds, she heard me, I responded, “NOPE, I just stumbled, I am fine” but she knew. My knee is shot, and I am closing up the heating and air business to accommodate the impending surgery. I get to have the titanium knee installation… I should write a song and name it titanium….
I walked into the Dr office, Jess had accompanied me on this trip, the Dr said “Well, it’s cancer” My heart sank. I lost a father to cancer. I watched my mother beat cancer four times just to die from stroke complications… For the first time in my life, I faced my mortality. Jess said “It will be ok, we got this”
Jess and I talked a lot those weeks and days that led up to a deeper understanding of what MY mortality means for us, for AL, for Sam’s Place, for grandbabies…. I remembered how horrible it was being the executor of my mothers estate, how hard it was to “DO THE RIGHT THING”… Doing my best to be fair… It was a hard job and I wondered how I could leave my life behind and make things easier for the boys… The verbal cues I got from mom were now just that, a conversation lost in the whirlwind of indecision and opinions.
If I die… When I die, how much of a mess do I leave behind? I refuse to leave a mess behind for my bride. She shouldn’t have to clean out my shop while dealing with the unthinkable. How do I set up a way for my bride to go on living? Should she have to clean out my shop? What about AL? Does he have a place to call home for the remainder of his days? What about Sam’s Place? Four years of effort and dedication on the line, if I die, does that all fall apart and go back to what it was?
To anyone questioning our motives: This isn’t about money. This is about the survival and legacy of Sam’s Place. Honoring what we have done and why we did it.
Jess and I know we will never regain what we put into this endeavor, that’s a fact, but what I can do is perhaps sell the building to a person that has a reason to keep Sam’s Place alive, and healthy long after Jess and I meet Jesus face to face. I realized how much Sam’s Place needs me and Jess to continue operating and that is not what we wanted, we need somebody that can ensure this program will not fail, will not shut down, that Sam’s Place will continue to help 15 guys get healthy, stay healthy and realize the value God has endowed them with… I want to make sure that if I stumble, fall or die tomorrow, at least Sam’s Place will be safe, without me.
In a few days, I will be posting the professional real estate details for the property. We are looking for the right person or group of investors to take the lead, ensure the longevity of our guys, and step into this mission. We are holding this up to God and laying it at His feet, asking HIM to bring the next caretaker. Please keep our guys in your prayers.
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