AND GOD SAID, NO

As a youth, growing up in Omaha, Nebraska, I did all of the normal things, some of which were not the best things to do. Like any youth I knew what I was going to do when I got my drivers license, when I would be able to be free to go other places and do other things just because I could drive. Yes, I was ready when that day came, but six weeks later, GOD SAID NO. Instead I received the gift of polio. I could breathe, see, hear, eat and talk, but I could only move my fingers and my lips, As I began my recovery, learned to walk again, continued my high school and university education, I wondered, "What kind of a job should I prepare for." It soon became evident that I would be a sportscaster, if the renowned and respected sportscaster of that time, Bill Stern, who was handicapped, could do it, so could I. I became a Radio/TV-Speech Major, did the Public Address work for University of Omaha Sports and did some play by play on the campus radio station. It was four months before graduation that GOD SAID NO.

A small voice in my mind kept saying, "enter the ministry, enter the ministry." I went to Wartburg Seminary for an interview and was told that they had never had anyone with a cane and a full leg brace apply. I was accepted and those four years of study flew by. At the end of the third year Jane and I were married and we began to dream about our first Parish. It had to be in Chicago. We wanted to be there amid all of the great things the city had to offer. We knew that we had it made because my best friend at the Seminary was the son of the Illinois District President. AND GOD SAID NO.

He gave us the gift being assigned to the Ohio District. That would not be bad, there were big cities there - Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Toledo, Dayton, etc. AND GOD SAID NO. Instead we were Called to serve Nazareth Lutheran Church in a small town in Crawford County, Chatfield, population 207. What a gift that was. What a joy. I was asked to serve as a Camp Pastor for the Ohio District High School Bible Camp. I had never been to a Bible Camp in my life. I did not want to do it, yet I felt that I should do it at least one year. What a gift that was as I had the opportunity to meet, talk with and get to know so many, many great teens. But the greatest gift of all was to meet a certain Pastor who became my mentor whether he wanted to or not. He guided me and counseled me for that week and for the next several years as we continued to serve as Bible Camp Pastors. We would meet at least once a year to plan the camp for the next year and every year, at least once, I would drive from Chatfield to Farmersville just to spend some time with him. By the way, that mentor, that Pastor to me, had a name. It was Mel Oehrtman and he also brought his teen age son Paul to camp with him. I had no idea how important his son would be in my life in years to come. I could have stayed in Chatfield, but GOD SAID NO.

I received two Calls from Congregations at the same time. One to Montclair Lutheran in Denver, Colorado, a Congregation of about 200 on the East Side of Denver. The other as Associate Pastor of Our Savior Lutheran in Greeley, Colorado, a Congregation of about 1,500 members. My dream had come true, here was the big church within 50 miles of Denver. All I had dreamed about AND GOD SAID NO.

You see while deciding which call to accept, even though I knew what I wanted to do, I was listening to the radio in Chatfield. One of our members was being interviewed. It was just general conversation, but I heard him say, "Our Pastor is leaving us. He is going to Denver." When somehow or another you hear over the radio that you are going to Denver, you had better go. What a wonderful experience in Denver. Good people, a great city. My friend Mel would stay at our home on his way to hunting trips in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Many Pastors who came to Denver would stay there until retirement, but to me, after seven years, GOD SAID NO.

I didn’t know where I would be going, I had several interviews, one of which I really wanted to receive the Call, but it did not come. I said that I did not want to serve a Parish with two Congregations and I did not want to live in the country. I was asked to interview in Bradner, Ohio, a small town, just what I wanted. I said yes, I would interview. Two days later I was asked if I would interview at a two point Parish in the country in Defiance. I said that I was not interested but if Bradner and Defiance would share the cost of my travel from Denver, I would interview at both. The District Office agreed to this. I knew that I was going to Bradner, but GOD SAID NO.

You see, the people of Bradner called me and told me not to come for the interview because they could not meet my present salary and the house was too small for my family. I did not feel that I could break my promise to the Defiance people so I came for the interview, I saw, God conquered. In my first years in Defiance I did not have much knowledge of Filling and because I did not know, I did not care. I had known the Administrator for many years as he and I were at the Seminary at the same time and Ted would often stop at the house to visit. Then Ted left and Mel’s son, my former Bible Camper came and I would stop to visit on a regular basis. I came to know and care about Filling. As the years passed my physical abilities began to weaken. I felt that it would not be too many years before I would leave the ministry and go on disability, but GOD SAID NO.

The Administrator of Luther Home of Mercy in Williston asked if I would interview for a new position they were creating in Public Relations and Development. He said that the Board had requested a Clergy to fill this position and my name had been suggested by someone. I interviewed but was not impressed, but did not know what I would do if I was chosen. I was not chosen. A few weeks later I thought, if someone thought I was capable of doing something at Williston, maybe I could volunteer at Filling. Paul, my former Bible Camper, and I discussed this, I began to volunteer. This led to being Called as the Director of Development and Public Relations for Filling. Now some 18 years later here I am at this point. I often told Paul and others that I wanted to work there until I reached the age of 70, but GOD SAID NO.

In May of 2000 I experienced the same feelings that I had previously encountered a year before I left each Parish, that it was time to leave, that God had something else in store for me. Today, one year later, I am still not sure what it is as over the past months many doors of opportunity have opened for me. I am sure that God will say NO to me again and again, but I am also confident that when he says NO, there is a YES that He wants me to discover.

In the nearly seven years since I retired in October of 2001, God has led my life in a way that I never expected. The Post Polio effects have led to me now being in a wheelchair on a full time basis. Through the encouragement of friends and the Guidance of God I began my RAMBLINGS FROM RON about seven years ago. Someone suggested that I consider writing devotions for a book and "WHAT? GOD! ... YOU WANT ME TO DO SOMETHING?" came to be. I tried for nearly two years to have it published but always received a NO. Here again a NO became a YES when I felt led to self-publish. And now, another new friend in Christ has stepped forward to develop this web site for me.

Some people say that they have nothing to do. I ask them if they have been talking to God? Talk to God and discover those "SOMETHINGS" He has for you to do.