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Cal's Pastoral Epistles
"I Got a Letter from You Know Who"
July 31, 2008
The return address on the envelope said it was from the White House,
Washington, D.C. I couldn't imagine why President George W. Bush would
be writing me. I do e-mail him my weekly "epistles" but I didn't think they
even got to his desk. After all it has been six years since I began including
him and I've never heard a thing from him before.
Then it hit me. I turned fifty last month. If the AARP knows about it then I
am sure the President is aware as well. After all he has the CIA at his
disposal. I remembered hearing my parents, regular contributors to his
campaign, tell me that they have received special greetings from the White
House on their birthdays. I did vote for him so maybe I finally made the list!
I kept searching in my mind, trying to guess what this was about. Like
Johnny Carsen's "Carnac the Magnificent" I held the envelope up to my head
and tried to discern what was inside. I was actually having fun. Then I
remembered that I did send him a note about the genocide in Darfur. I
chuckled to myself as I thought that maybe the President was writing to ask
me to for further suggestions to bring to the Cabinet meeting next month.
Yeah, like that would happen!
All kidding aside, I had no clue as to why I was getting this letter. I
opened it and was delighted to see that it was a thank you letter from the
President's office in response to my concern about affordable energy
solutions. I had sent the President an e-mail (Yes I have become an activist
in my advanced age!) about the economic injustice of rising energy prices
and stressed that this was becoming an issue that needed to be given a high
priority.
Nancy Theis, special assistant to the President, noted that the President is
dedicated to doing something to change this and thanked me for my views.
She also said the President welcomed any suggestions I might have. The
truth is I didn't fall off the turnip truck yesterday. Even I know this was a
form letter. But it was nice to get something that acknowledged my concern.
The truth is that we like to have our concerns acknowledged and it
doesn't always happen. It is even true in our relationship to God. Many of us
pray every day for God to bring blessings, to help us work out situations in
our lives, to be with our friends who are struggling and more. So often we
have to just sit back and wait to see what happens.
I believe that God does answer our prayers. He often speaks to us through
the visit of a friend or a card from a neighbor. He speaks to us in surprise
meetings and with unexpected gifts. Coincidences happen that almost look
like answered prayer. Yet too often we look right past them and continue to
wait for an answer in the form that we expect. Just a few minutes ago I got
a call from a friend. He and his fiance had worked out some problems they
were having. I had been praying for him and that call was every bit as
special as the letter I got from the White House.
God is so good and faithful. He does answer our prayers but they don't
always come with a recognizable return address. So be alert and ready and
you will receive word from the real "you know who."
God bless. See you in church. Cal
July 31, 2008
The return address on the envelope said it was from the White House,
Washington, D.C. I couldn't imagine why President George W. Bush would
be writing me. I do e-mail him my weekly "epistles" but I didn't think they
even got to his desk. After all it has been six years since I began including
him and I've never heard a thing from him before.
Then it hit me. I turned fifty last month. If the AARP knows about it then I
am sure the President is aware as well. After all he has the CIA at his
disposal. I remembered hearing my parents, regular contributors to his
campaign, tell me that they have received special greetings from the White
House on their birthdays. I did vote for him so maybe I finally made the list!
I kept searching in my mind, trying to guess what this was about. Like
Johnny Carsen's "Carnac the Magnificent" I held the envelope up to my head
and tried to discern what was inside. I was actually having fun. Then I
remembered that I did send him a note about the genocide in Darfur. I
chuckled to myself as I thought that maybe the President was writing to ask
me to for further suggestions to bring to the Cabinet meeting next month.
Yeah, like that would happen!
All kidding aside, I had no clue as to why I was getting this letter. I
opened it and was delighted to see that it was a thank you letter from the
President's office in response to my concern about affordable energy
solutions. I had sent the President an e-mail (Yes I have become an activist
in my advanced age!) about the economic injustice of rising energy prices
and stressed that this was becoming an issue that needed to be given a high
priority.
Nancy Theis, special assistant to the President, noted that the President is
dedicated to doing something to change this and thanked me for my views.
She also said the President welcomed any suggestions I might have. The
truth is I didn't fall off the turnip truck yesterday. Even I know this was a
form letter. But it was nice to get something that acknowledged my concern.
The truth is that we like to have our concerns acknowledged and it
doesn't always happen. It is even true in our relationship to God. Many of us
pray every day for God to bring blessings, to help us work out situations in
our lives, to be with our friends who are struggling and more. So often we
have to just sit back and wait to see what happens.
I believe that God does answer our prayers. He often speaks to us through
the visit of a friend or a card from a neighbor. He speaks to us in surprise
meetings and with unexpected gifts. Coincidences happen that almost look
like answered prayer. Yet too often we look right past them and continue to
wait for an answer in the form that we expect. Just a few minutes ago I got
a call from a friend. He and his fiance had worked out some problems they
were having. I had been praying for him and that call was every bit as
special as the letter I got from the White House.
God is so good and faithful. He does answer our prayers but they don't
always come with a recognizable return address. So be alert and ready and
you will receive word from the real "you know who."
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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