Getting Back To It

Sometimes the best laid plans... you know the rest.  It has been a few weeks since I put anything up here.  See what was supposed to be a short weekend trip and a short conference turned into a 3 week ordeal of me being away due to a death of my father in law.  We did not plan this of course and nobody ever does, however, this was a time of my life when nothing that we wanted to do was able to be done.  We had more pressing issues to deal with.

What was more amazing was that in these times, how many people were willing to help.  Two great people came forward and said they would cover Sunday.  Many more came forward with one simple ask, and before a sentence would be finished the response was I've got it covered. Other things just simply didn't get done and people are okay with it.  Because we are reminded of our priorities and that sometimes tasks that lie before us pale in comparison to other circumstances.

The funny part is that so many well meaning people were willing to help it was too much.  Upon hearing of our loss, someone made dinner for us that night, while another person had ordered dinner for us for the same night.  We put that in the freezer.  Not one, not two, but three full size deli trays were delivered.  We had enough lunch meat and cheeses to last us weeks.  You want to say thanks for thinking of us but it's too much. But either way the burden of what to make for food was taken away.

This is what the family of God does: we take care of one another in a time of need. Support one another when we are not strong and we lift one another up when we are down.  We trust that Gods mercy and grace is with us always even in a time of loss. We are assured of that by the servants of God who minister to us.

And now it is time to move on.  I cannot worry about what did not happen but must change my focus to what is going to happen next.  I can by the grace of God do this as your pastor, because of the ministry of the church who carried me and my wife and my family.  Thanks to all for being the family of God.