24 December, 2015

Reality Hits Home

Those who know or follow me know that the last 6 weeks have been rough. Six weeks ago last night a storm blew the roof off one section of the church where I pastor. To date, we've still not begun any repairs and the damage continues to grow from all the water getting into the building. It's been stressful to say the least. On  a personal level, I won't go into details, but suffice it to say that the past year has seen our family take a substantial hit financially, and then had someone we paid to do a job on the house that never did it and blew town with his job not being done. This left us in a lurch because we could not do several other projects which he had already scheduled and paid deposits on. That other job has to be completed before the other work can be started. This could end up costing us thousands of dollars. All this has been quite stressful. I'll be honest enough to say that I was just a bit down because we've had to cut way back personally, and I'm trying to figure out ways to juggle the finances of the church until the insurance money comes in to help out. And honestly, while I was not to the point where I'd say I was depressed or anything, I was feeling sorry for myself and having a mini-pity party of sorts. But that changed in one of those "suddenly" moments for me this afternoon. 

I decided to run into the grocery store to pick up a few snack items to have at the house with the kids coming home, and there I met a man who brought me back to reality with a crash. I ran into a couple of people I knew in the parking lot, then a couple more walking into the door. Then a woman stopped me and asked if I was the pastor who spoke at Louise Piggee's funeral. We spoke for a couple of moments and then as I went a little further I saw him. A frail, elderly man who was stooped over and shuffling his feet to walk. I said hello to him and asked him how he was doing today, and he said, "I've sure seen better days."  I could not let that pass, so I stopped and spoke with him for a few minutes. He shared how his son sent word they would not be coming to see him. He said that his son never had time for him. He said, I guess I'll have a pot pie for Christmas dinner and watch TV alone. I felt so bad for him that I invited him to come have dinner with my family. No matter how hard I tried, he said he would not be comfortable doing that. So I said, "why don't you have a better dinner than that, even if it is only you?" He said that he could not afford more than that. I looked in his cart and he had 6 pot pies and a bag of salad. This would be his meals for the next week.  I excused myself and hurriedly went through the store and bought him a cornish hen, stuffing for Christmas, a package of pork chops and a variety of canned vegetables and I waited outside the store and gave them to him when he came out. He was not going to accept them, but I told him that I'd follow him home and leave them at his door, so he took them.

My point in sharing this is simply to say, sometimes we need to be reminded just how blessed we are. I know I do. I'm blessed far more than I deserve and then some. My pity party is over now. My daughter is home, my son will be here in about 3 hours, we've got a beautiful home, even if we did not get to get it painted this year as we planned. I've got a wonderful group of people that I am privileged to pastor and yes, the building is a wreck, but we have insurance and it will be put back together eventually. We are blessed. 

I thank God for allowing me to meet that little old man today. That encounter put everything back into focus for me.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I don't even know how I found u,well....I do ..it was the lord,I've watched many of ur messages and they have all been meant for me,this year has been sheer hell and after 36yrs of being a pastors child, I only thought I had a relationship with the lord,but have walked the fence for many years...from addiction to bulimia and anorexia, I had a heart attack in July caused from weighing 98lbs and throwing every bite and sip of food up for 6yrs,I was forced into 7weeks of treatment and after 2 weeks of nourishment to my brain,I WOKE UP! And realized that god would eventually move his hand of protection from me so even though I hate the weight gain I am now able to focus 100% on a new and clean slate with the lord and since I made a TRUE commitment all hell has broke loose,my parents and sister have come completely against me because I could no longer accept sin being swept under the rug and now attend an awesome church where I have found freedom from 36yrs of chronic depression, suicide attempts etc....regardless of what my family thinks,I know I'm doing what the lord has wanted me to do for so many years of going to the alter and never being able to be set free,and just in 3 months god has restored me and I no longer need any antidepressants, antipsychotics,I for the 1st time in 36yrs wake up happy to be alive and excited to see what the day holds and how many people I can share jesus'love and delivering power,cause I know if god can bring me out of complete darkness where I even thought I needed a exorcism because I was so tormented, I know jesus is able to do it for anyone!I told my family what the holy spirit told me to,I've always had the gift of decernment,and they know I've always been spot on every time I've warned them and they've never listened and everything happened just as I warned....well on the 1st I will have 30 days eviction notice and I'm on 800 disability and have applied for housing but the waiting list in new Orleans is 3yrs but I told the administrator I serve a god of the impossible and he has and will always make a way,I know my faith is being tested and I will stand firm because without a test u can't have a testimony! ! I know God is sending me a godly husband that will love me as christ loved the church and layed his life down for it, and I will be able to have him by my side as I share with all nations what JESUS has done in me....I speak my blessings into existence every day I wake up!! I will stand with u in prayer that the lord will give u peace and work everything out for u and ur church,but 10times greater!! Have a wonderful and prosperous year!! God is the god of the impossible! ! The world may say no,but he says YES!!