This morning as I sit down with a cup of coffee, I wanted to write about what I am thankful for.
I think that when asked we often mention the big things in our life, our spouse, best friends, homes, a caring church, a good job…. The list goes on and on. When asked we tend to list all the big things in our life. Yes, we should be grateful for them.
Today I want to remind you about the little things in life we need to be grateful for; it is so easy to take the little things in life for granted.
I want to paint a visual for you: if you have had the joy of being a parent, do you remember when our young children would scrape a knee or elbow, they would present us with their wound, and they’d tearfully ask for a bandage—whether they needed one or not? We would usually comply. It was surprising how much comfort would come from a small adhesive strip. That is probably because the tiny bandage represented much more than a wound covering, for it was put in place by hands with a history of showing love and tender kindness.
How about the small homemade gifts our children have presented us?
They are always with pride and with an anticipation of how we would receive their gift. I have included a picture of two items my children, Allison and Chris, have presented me. My daughter joined me at work one day, and while I was typing away or on a phone call, she folded a origami swan. She held her gift in her hand as she presented to me a blue (ok periwinkle for those who remember) swan. She presented it to me with such pride in her new ability. That swan was on my desk for the next 20 years, and in my retirement, I still treasure it.
My son at some school or boy scout function (which I missed because of work) created a wonderfully crafted troll.
As I walked in the door that night, he presented it to me. The joy and excitement as he ran over to present it to me is etched deep in my brainpan. Like my daughter’s swan, this troll sat at my desk for close to two decades. These gifts have great value to me, much like they act of placing a bandage on a scrape. I received these gifts as a showing of love from my children.
This week you will be receiving a mailing from Messiah Lutheran Church.
As you consider your stewardship response for this year, we do so in a vastly different world than we did at this time last year. However, all of us are in a place of feeling gratitude for God’s love in our lives and the excitement for sharing this love with others. We look forward to receiving your Statements of Intent, and we are thankful for your commitment to support the mission of our church. As we begin Building a Culture of Generosity together, please pray about how you can grow in your generosity during the coming year.
We are grateful for all levels of generosity, as these are gifts from your heart, and show your love and commitment to our continued mission here at Messiah Lutheran Church.
Faithfully,
Charlie Radabaugh, Messiah Council President