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Cal's Pastoral Epistles
Making A Zippity Doo Dah Day
July 26, 2007
She was all smiles. As I stepped up to the cash register at the hospital
cafeteria, this woman reached out with a zest for life that just grabbed me
and told me that God had heard my prayers. Everything was going to be all
right. She was laughing and joking with the employees. Joy was flowing
freely with every serving of eggs, cup of coffee and muffin that went
through the line.
I needed that on Tuesday morning. I had just come from the outpatient
lab. Now I don't know about you, but I have white coat syndrome. All you
have to do is mention the words doctor, hospital or some type of test and
my blood pressure goes up. So the process of getting stuck with a needle
to have my blood drawn had left me a little shaky. Fasting for the last
eighteen hours didn't help either.
The first thing I did when I left the lab was to blaze a trail to the cafeteria.
I wanted what they call in Weight Watchers, some good old comfort food.
I wanted something that would calm me down and the scrambled eggs and
sausage were calling my name. (Come to think of it, it is probably the
sausage and eggs that contributed to my heart condition that led to my
regular trips to the lab for bloodwork which cause the anxiety that sends
me out looking for comfort food like, you got it, sausage and eggs! )
Anyway it was there that I ran into this precious woman whose open and
loving spirit touched me like the very hand of God.
As I sat down to enjoy my breakfast, I listened in as she interacted with
nurses, doctors, housekeeping staff, volunteers and all who came through
the line. She addressed each one individually. With a word here, a chuckle
there, a bit of encouragement sprinkled in, she gave each a gift they could
take back to the floor where they were working. I got the same feeling as
when I heard Uncle Remus singing "Zippity doo da, Zippity day, My, oh
my, what a beautiful day!" in the Disney movie "Song of the South."
This woman shed a little sunshine on the path of all who came her way.
That got me thinking about our call as Christians to let our light shine.
Jesus sent us out into the world to make it a brighter place. He sent us out
to share the most wonderful gift of all, his love and forgiveness. I think of
the interactions Jesus had with the woman at the well, Zaccheaus, the
blind beggar, the woman caught in adultery and so many others. Each
came filled with shame, or carrying heavy burdens, or beaten down by the
institutions they were a part of and Jesus met them, turned them around
and sent them away singing a new song.
That's our job today. We are called to be like that wonderful woman in the
cafeteria. I don't even know her name but she made my day. Some people
think that you need to have lots of theological training to serve God. You
need to be a priest or a minister to be effective. That's just not true. The
key ingredient is a willing heart and an openness to share his love wherever
you are. You can do that at work, in school, while volunteering in the
community or in line at the grocery store. You just never know what will
happen when you let His light shine through you. You might not only make
someone's day. You may make their eternity.
God bless. See you in church. Cal
July 26, 2007
She was all smiles. As I stepped up to the cash register at the hospital
cafeteria, this woman reached out with a zest for life that just grabbed me
and told me that God had heard my prayers. Everything was going to be all
right. She was laughing and joking with the employees. Joy was flowing
freely with every serving of eggs, cup of coffee and muffin that went
through the line.
I needed that on Tuesday morning. I had just come from the outpatient
lab. Now I don't know about you, but I have white coat syndrome. All you
have to do is mention the words doctor, hospital or some type of test and
my blood pressure goes up. So the process of getting stuck with a needle
to have my blood drawn had left me a little shaky. Fasting for the last
eighteen hours didn't help either.
The first thing I did when I left the lab was to blaze a trail to the cafeteria.
I wanted what they call in Weight Watchers, some good old comfort food.
I wanted something that would calm me down and the scrambled eggs and
sausage were calling my name. (Come to think of it, it is probably the
sausage and eggs that contributed to my heart condition that led to my
regular trips to the lab for bloodwork which cause the anxiety that sends
me out looking for comfort food like, you got it, sausage and eggs! )
Anyway it was there that I ran into this precious woman whose open and
loving spirit touched me like the very hand of God.
As I sat down to enjoy my breakfast, I listened in as she interacted with
nurses, doctors, housekeeping staff, volunteers and all who came through
the line. She addressed each one individually. With a word here, a chuckle
there, a bit of encouragement sprinkled in, she gave each a gift they could
take back to the floor where they were working. I got the same feeling as
when I heard Uncle Remus singing "Zippity doo da, Zippity day, My, oh
my, what a beautiful day!" in the Disney movie "Song of the South."
This woman shed a little sunshine on the path of all who came her way.
That got me thinking about our call as Christians to let our light shine.
Jesus sent us out into the world to make it a brighter place. He sent us out
to share the most wonderful gift of all, his love and forgiveness. I think of
the interactions Jesus had with the woman at the well, Zaccheaus, the
blind beggar, the woman caught in adultery and so many others. Each
came filled with shame, or carrying heavy burdens, or beaten down by the
institutions they were a part of and Jesus met them, turned them around
and sent them away singing a new song.
That's our job today. We are called to be like that wonderful woman in the
cafeteria. I don't even know her name but she made my day. Some people
think that you need to have lots of theological training to serve God. You
need to be a priest or a minister to be effective. That's just not true. The
key ingredient is a willing heart and an openness to share his love wherever
you are. You can do that at work, in school, while volunteering in the
community or in line at the grocery store. You just never know what will
happen when you let His light shine through you. You might not only make
someone's day. You may make their eternity.
God bless. See you in church. Cal
Pastor Cal Lord writes these weekly epistles to
help us see God in every day things.
help us see God in every day things.
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