Pastor's Corner

for Sunday January 10th
I am so blessed
Many are facing hard times right now so I would like to share this story with you. Claude and his wife lived with their 6 children in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Times were hard and his work as a carpenter had dwindled to almost nothing and now the washing machine had broken down. So Claude ran a wanted ad in the paper for a used washing machine. The next day the phone rang, someone had a used washing machine for sale.. When Claude arrived at the home he noticed they had all the things he wished for his family. Feeling sorry for himself, Claude began complaining about how expensive it was to raise 6 children; on top of having to buy another washing machine, all six children needed new shoes. The woman of the house ran out of the room crying. Her husband explained that they had only one child who had been paralyzed from birth and he had never needed a pair of shoes. When Claude got home, he picked up the worn-out shoes – worn out from skipping rope; kicking rocks; and jumping puddles – and kneeling by his bed he gave thanks to God for the worn-out shoes of his six healthy children. I know, it’s probably not a true story but it does remind us that there are many hidden blessings all around us. For example: dirty dishes remind us we have been spared the pain of hunger; dirty laundry reminds us we have been spared the indignity of nakedness; unmade beds remind us that we didn’t have to sleep on the street as many do in our city; worn-out shoes remind us of healthy bodies. What we often see as hardship is really evidence of God’s blessing in our lives. “Be joyful always… give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess. 5:16-18)
Pastor Don