So, where was I?
Oh, yes.
My decision for God was to seek Him despite any circumstances in my life. That was a start, and the beginning of something of a test. I was going broke as a full time musician (through no fault of my fellow musicians in Sojourn or the acts that I was booking). After counsel from my pastor, I decided the best course of action was to give up music and find a full time job. My conversation with him had been about my desire to be in full time ministry. He had said that my first task was to quit full time music and get a job that could support the family. He suggested that I volunteer my time in ministry at Bethel, and perhaps I could eventually work into something full time.
It was a hard choice, but at the same time liberating. Sojourn and music had become something bitter (again, no fault or cause from my friends in Sojourn). Marge was feeling depressed and burned out from school social work, and really wanted to be home with the children. I just felt like a failure, and really wanted to bring home enough income to support the family. Marge handed in her resignation on faith that I would find a suitable job in time.
Oh, me of little faith, I was terrified that I wouldn't find anything that I liked or that would pay enough. I kept noticing this ad for tech writers. I knew I could never do that. Besides it sounded boring. In a sense that was my second sacrifice after giving up music. I applied for the job as a technical writer and was hired.
Dreams were trickling out of my hands. No music ministry or music career. No cool job at a non-profit or ad agency or anything like that. Instead, tech writer at a manufacturing plant. Punching a clock with the other drones.
On the up side, the pay was nearly equal to what my wife had been earning, and the job came with benefits. After being there for several months, I realised that I was not nearly as bored as I was convinced I was going to be, instead I was enjoying myself. In fact, I was very proud. I was working as a contractor in a major manufacturing company.
On the weekends I poured myself into ministry at Bethel, and tried not to let it interfere with work (this has been a battle my entire adult life). Maybe I was getting my dreams after all. I was finally a real man: able to support my family with a good income. A little over a year later, I was hired into Pharmacia directly and received a 30% raise, better benefits for a lower premium and more vacation time. Now I was a real adult. Maybe I could make something of myself.
In the mean time I had gotten together with the guys in Sojourn again, and we had been playing for fun. I was still struggling with sleep problems, depression and firbromyalgia, but life was good. I had a great job, was also spending about 15 hours a week on church ministry, and was gigging with Sojourn. Then Saturday 19-January-2002 I noticed that the typical aches and pains of fibromyalgia were different and worse. I was coming down with the flu. I had been having treatments for allergies and getting a respiratory infection wasn't rare. So I went to bed. My temperature kept elevating, and by the following Monday morning was at 103. Marge took me to the hospital, and a chest x-ray revealed pneumonia that blocked an entire 1/2 of my right lung. I was admitted to the hospital that day and by the evening my temperature shot up to 105. It stayed around 105 for about 24 hours (or at least that's what I remember).
Maybe not the best place to stop, but I have some other things to do. To think I was originally just going to write about Sunday services at Dean Newells church.
Stay tuned for part III.
Adam
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