February 7, 2021
Let me start this off by stating I am thankful for the opportunity to be a caregiver for my loved ones. I am thankful my loved ones have someone to watch out for them and to help them. With that stated up front, caregiving can be quite a challenge sometimes. It takes a streak of patience that I sometimes lack. “My coffee is too hot” is followed by “my coffee is too cold” less than ten minutes later. “I don’t want to get out of bed, I want to sleep” is accompanied by “the house is too cold”. When you turn up the heat, the house becomes too warm. I have a new appreciation for my mother dealing with three kids when we were growing up. By the way, I STILL won’t eat my turnip greens! Sometimes, church folk can be a bit like sick patients. “The music is too loud” or “We need more contemporary music” is followed up with “I really like those old traditional hymns” coming from the other side of the sanctuary. “Bro. Dry as Dust” puts members to sleep while the “Right Reverend Louder-than-you” shouts with such a volume the windows rattle and all the babies start crying. Members complain about their Pastors and Pastors fuss about their members. I went to a Pastor’s conference once and during some free time walked down to the arcade in the lobby of the hotel. I saw a couple of fellow Pastors with plastic shotguns in their hands, playing a video game. I asked them what they were doing. One of them replied, “We are shooting Deacons!” I know sick patients can’t help themselves, they already feel bad enough and cold coffee doesn’t help anything, but fellow church folk, we have no excuse. Y’all, we are born again, blood bought believers who have had their tickets punched for heaven. We should be the happiest people on the face of the earth. Could it be that we have had things so well for so long in our churches that when it comes down to it, it has become all about us instead of all about God? It bears pondering. Be blessed and be a blessing . . . Andy
