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I've been stuck this week thanking God for the gifts that He has given me. Family has been on my mind. I get to see my Momma tomorrow. I'll get the whole, "Oh you've lost so much weight" line again, even though I've gained a few pounds. I miss my mom. Thank God for Mom.
Thank God for my Dad. I can't look in the mirror without thanking God for him. I'll never be as a good of a man or a dad as my dad was for us. He was so hard on us when we were younger. He was right. I thanked him for it. My personality? That comes from my dad. Man, I miss my Dad. Thank God for Dad. Alleluia.
Thank God for my grandparents. There's not a day that goes by that what my grandparents did for me. They paid for my education. They didn't want me to be a pastor, they would have rather something more... lucrative. Me too, Mimi, but, the Lord had other plans. Thank God for my grandparents and all they did to me.
I think of Dad and my grandparents every time we do Evening Prayer and we thank God for the saints who have gone before. Thank God for them. Alleluia.
Thank God for the family He has given me. For my wife who takes care of me and bears with me being ... so me. For my boys that reflect the glory of the Crucified Lord in their lives and conduct every day. Those boys are so much better than their dad will ever be. Wow. Such faith! Wow.
Thank God for Sophia. Not yet, Lord. Thank you. Each day as gift from you. HA! Tomorrow is yet another one spent with that grinning girl. Another day to learn wisdom from my Sophia!
Thank God for my in-laws. My mother-in-law is already has just the right Christmas present for us all. I know she does already. She rocks. Thank God for my father-in-law, IF he turns the MAC filtering off tonight so I can get into the wireless tonight. Heh, just kidding. Thank God for all Gil and Gammie.
Tomorrow morning, I get to receive gifts. Receiving gifts - that's something pastors don't normally get to do. It's always better to be on the receiving end of Jesus' gifts - from Him to us. From Christ to me, into my ear holes and into my mouth. Pastors are instrumentum secundum, the means of the means of grace. They are His instrument for the delivery of His Calvary won-gifts.
A gift has three points: the gift, the one giving the gift, the one to whom the gift is given. The gift is the Lord's salvation won on the Cross and delivered in the Word, water, and His Body and Blood given for us to eat and drink for the remission of sins. The One giving the gift is the Lord through His sent ones (Offices). His sheep receive his gifts. That's faith! Faith is receiving gifts from God.
Every now and again, I get to go home to Louisiana and sit in the pew and hear the pastor who saved my soul (and the rest of me) from hell. I get to be on the receiving end. No instrumentum-ing. No secundum-ing - just ears open. Just the Gospel. Just in the pews where I first heard the Gospel. Just me receiving next to my family. What's not thankful about that?
I never wanted to be a pastor. I just wanted to tell people their sins were forgiven. At seminary, I was sure that the Lord would for sure come home before I was ordained. He certainly wouldn't put me in the Office of the Holy Ministry. I couldn't sleep the night before. I wanted to bolt. But, I decided that my Pastor was preaching, so I'd go and listen. I remember telling the Vicar that I was planning on bolting before hands were laid on me.
Then, I heard the Gospel again and I forgot that I was leaving (grin). When I remembered, hands were being laid on me and Pastor Graf was saying, "I ordained and consecrate you into the Office of the Holy Ministry." Woops. I was in and it was time to put running away from the Office aside.
This Thanksgiving, I get to hear the Gospel again from my Pastor. Thank God! The MH Moms got it right, I owe Pastor Anderson my very life. Yeah, I could call him by his given name now, since we are both in the Office. But, I can't bring myself to do that. He delivered the Gospel and saved me from hell. He will always be "Pastor. " Thank God for Pastor Anderson and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Baton Rouge, LA.
Thank God for St. Mark Lutheran Church in Conroe, TX. Thank God the Lord put me here. He has given me such wonderful people to serve. St. Mark is our family. Thank God for the youth and college kids of our church. They never cease to amaze me. They live in Christ daily and serve their neighbor in love. Wow! Thank God for my senior pastor who teaches me daily how to be a faithful pastor.
Thank God for my DP and the President K. You're supposed to do that, did you know? (grin) Thank God for Pastor Cwirla, who will wonder for a bit why he's so close to my ecclesiastical supervisors (grin). Have fun with that, Pastor Cwirla. (grin)
Thank God for Higher Things and all they do teaching the kids the Gospel. Thank God Madre is Madre. No, Madre, I didn't save you, the Lord did that.
Thank God for Stan and Sara. The Lemons rock! Same goes for you, Stan, that goes for Madre – the Lord, not me. I suggest you blame Moseman! You can hang with the boys, Stan. Just don't do it - it's bad for you.
Thank God for Fouts. Man, you are smart, Pastor Fouts. Wow. It's such a gift to watch all that the Lord has done and is doing for you and Andrea.
Thank God for Landon and Mallie. Thank God for Pastor Keseman (a.k.a. as “the Boss.”). Thank God for my best friend, Marcus Zill. Ask Zill about Rule#6. Zill gets what Zill wants in IS. Thank God for the Reflections that Pastor Zill will be writing in December. The Lord is going to mess up his seasons with so much Lent in Advent!
I'm going to Louisiana to spend Thanksgiving with my family after Thanksgiving Services tonight. I should get to Baton Rouge about 1:30am tonight. I get to kiss my kids on the forehead and see my wife. What's not to be thankful about that?
Take a moment and pause today and tomorrow. What do you have to be thankful for?
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:6-7)
Edited on: November 23rd, 2006 1:43 am
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