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Cal's Pastoral Epistles
A New Thankfulness
April 27, 2007
I took a hot shower this morning. When I got out and dried myself off, I
paused to thank God. When was the last time you did that? It was only a
shower. We joke about taking showers "once a month whether we need it
or not." We laugh when someone mentions needing a cold shower. I have
three daughters and I swear there have been days when I thought we were
running a bath house with the number of showers taken one after the
other. I think the record is twelve in one sixteen hour day for us. Anyway,
this morning it hit me that we take so much for granted. We are blessed
beyond measure. The shower this morning was simply a wake up call for
me.
Last week I traveled to Mexicali, Mexico on a mission trip. I went to take
a shower that first morning and noticed a sign outside the stall that said,
"Please keep your showers short. Water is expensive." I don't know why
they bothered putting the sign up. Cold water is not condusive to long
stays under the sprinkler head. I think it took me longer to get my breath
back than I actually spent in the shower.
For eight days I entered a world where many of the modern conveniences
we enjoy as part of every day life in the United States were not part of
people's daily experience. There was no television. We had limited phone
service and spotty cell coverage. Internet access was hard to find. We
were told not to flush the toilets unless it was absolutely necessary. You
had to hunt for laundry facilities. Microwaves, dishwashers, and irons
were as hard to find as gold nuggets in a California river bed.
When I got home I heard someone complain about how long they had to
wait to get their luggage. I laughed to myself. We complain about
everything. Yet, we have so much. We have electricity and running water
all day long, every day of the week. We have air conditioning in the
summer and heat in the winter. Over 95% of us have a job to go to every
day. We can walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in
moments than some people have seen in a year. We have incredible
freedoms. We can drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean
without having to present identification papers as we move through each
state. Until I went to Mexico, I never saw a sentry with an automatic
weapon. I could go on and on.
We live in the greatest place in the world and all many of us had to do was
be fortunate enough to be born here. So when you get up this morning and
look out your window, and see the sun rise over your back yard, say a
prayer of thanks to God. When you get in your car and head off to work,
stop and say thank you to the Lord. When you break for lunch and are
eating your sandwich, make sure you say thanks for the wonderful
choices you have at meal time. When you get home at night and look at
your family, pause and tell God how much you love them. There is a story
in the Bible about ten men who are healed by Jesus. They go away
extremely happy. Then one man turns back and thanks Jesus for the
healing. Jesus looks at his disciples and asks where are the other nine. Too
often we are like the nine. We enjoy the blessing but don't stop to say
thanks.
Don't ask me why we are so lucky in America. I can't answer that. Just
know that we are blessed. The next time you hop in the shower, think of
me and my experience in Mexico and then thank God for the little
blessings you receive every day. It will make your day and God's too!
God bless. See you in church. Cal.
April 27, 2007
I took a hot shower this morning. When I got out and dried myself off, I
paused to thank God. When was the last time you did that? It was only a
shower. We joke about taking showers "once a month whether we need it
or not." We laugh when someone mentions needing a cold shower. I have
three daughters and I swear there have been days when I thought we were
running a bath house with the number of showers taken one after the
other. I think the record is twelve in one sixteen hour day for us. Anyway,
this morning it hit me that we take so much for granted. We are blessed
beyond measure. The shower this morning was simply a wake up call for
me.
Last week I traveled to Mexicali, Mexico on a mission trip. I went to take
a shower that first morning and noticed a sign outside the stall that said,
"Please keep your showers short. Water is expensive." I don't know why
they bothered putting the sign up. Cold water is not condusive to long
stays under the sprinkler head. I think it took me longer to get my breath
back than I actually spent in the shower.
For eight days I entered a world where many of the modern conveniences
we enjoy as part of every day life in the United States were not part of
people's daily experience. There was no television. We had limited phone
service and spotty cell coverage. Internet access was hard to find. We
were told not to flush the toilets unless it was absolutely necessary. You
had to hunt for laundry facilities. Microwaves, dishwashers, and irons
were as hard to find as gold nuggets in a California river bed.
When I got home I heard someone complain about how long they had to
wait to get their luggage. I laughed to myself. We complain about
everything. Yet, we have so much. We have electricity and running water
all day long, every day of the week. We have air conditioning in the
summer and heat in the winter. Over 95% of us have a job to go to every
day. We can walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in
moments than some people have seen in a year. We have incredible
freedoms. We can drive from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean
without having to present identification papers as we move through each
state. Until I went to Mexico, I never saw a sentry with an automatic
weapon. I could go on and on.
We live in the greatest place in the world and all many of us had to do was
be fortunate enough to be born here. So when you get up this morning and
look out your window, and see the sun rise over your back yard, say a
prayer of thanks to God. When you get in your car and head off to work,
stop and say thank you to the Lord. When you break for lunch and are
eating your sandwich, make sure you say thanks for the wonderful
choices you have at meal time. When you get home at night and look at
your family, pause and tell God how much you love them. There is a story
in the Bible about ten men who are healed by Jesus. They go away
extremely happy. Then one man turns back and thanks Jesus for the
healing. Jesus looks at his disciples and asks where are the other nine. Too
often we are like the nine. We enjoy the blessing but don't stop to say
thanks.
Don't ask me why we are so lucky in America. I can't answer that. Just
know that we are blessed. The next time you hop in the shower, think of
me and my experience in Mexico and then thank God for the little
blessings you receive every day. It will make your day and God's too!
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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