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Cal's Pastoral Epistles
Remembering To Say Thanks
April 5, 2006
Life is filled with embarrassing moments. I am amazed that most of us
don't stumble into them several times a day. Part of our experience
growing up is learning how to spot those humbling events as they cruise
toward us and side step them at the appropriate moment. Unless you are
asleep at the wheel, you get pretty good at riding through life without being
crushed by a fatal faux paus.
I mention this because last week I got blindsided and ended up feeling
pretty foolish. I walked right into an embarrassing moment. That morning
I put on my favorite tie, the one that is covered with baseballs containing
signatures of a Hall of Fame players. I knew that I had received that tie as
a gift but couldn't remember anything more than that.
My day was moving right along until lunchtime. At the Rotary meeting a
friend of mine noticed the tie and asked where I got it. Before I could
answer, another friend said, "I'll bet you got it as a gift. Do you remember
who gave it to you?" That comment should have alerted me to the fact that
I was being set up. It was laying out there like a Tim Wakefield knuckleball
ready to crunch for a home run.
I whiffed at it. I responded to the second man that it was a gift but I
couldn't remember who gave it to me. Then I looked at the face of my
friend, Matt Isenburg, and suddenly it came back to me. "Wait a minute'" I
said. "You gave it to me." It was too late. The embarrassment factor was
already showing on my face as I turned flush red. There was nothing I
could do to redeem myself. The truth is that Matt is a good sport and he
quickly laughed it off and let it go.
Later that day I was reading the scripture for Palm Sunday that describes
Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Everyone was so excited about his
coming and they gave him a king's welcome. Sadly enough, a few days
later they had all forgotten him. You know the rest of the story. How easily
we forget and how quickly we move on to the next thing.
We live life at breakneck speed and I don't think we truly take time to
appreciate the blessings God has given us. The tie was a simple thing but I
had taken that gift and the giver for granted. I think the same thing
happened on that first Palm Sunday. They all recognized who Jesus was
but they let life carry them on to other things and he was forgotten by
week's end.
The truth is that we do the same thing today. A lot of us will be waving
Palms in church on Sunday. But what will we be doing on Monday? Will
we have the same fervor on Tuesday when we have too much to do at
work and the kids have to be at dance class and karate lessons? Will we
even pause on Good Friday to think about the love and sacrifice Christ
made for us?
Here's one way to make sure we do. Get out your appointment calendar
and make a note to yourself to offer a prayer of thanksgiving to God every
morning. Mark it down it down on your Blackberry or Palm Pilot: Meet
God. 8:00 a.m. When you think of something you are thankful for during
the day, make a note to yourself. Don't trust your memory. Then offer it
up to God the next morning. Saying "thank you" will help you to remember
the special gifts you receive and who gave them to you.
By the way, in case you are reading this today, "Thanks for the tie Matt. I
love it!"
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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