Mid-week News 2-20-13

Dear Family of faith, I just got back from Bible Study again. I am always amazed at the life and teachings of Jesus. More than anything else I do as a pastor, I relish the chance to make the Gospel known. It is so freeing, so refreshing in this world caught up in its own self-centered smugness. Yesterday when I was driving, I came up behind the most awesome red Corvette convertible. It was a shiny, the chrome all bright, and the top all clean; and I found myself a bit jealous…maybe even covetous. Then I noticed that this gorgeous, hot car had a handicapped license plate on it! I thought to myself, “That’s the way I want to live my life—never giving up in spite of the challenges and heartaches that come my way.” Instead of bemoaning my problems, I would rather look for opportunities. Surely that’s what the driver of that Corvette was doing—in spite of physical limitations, he was taking advantage of what he could enjoy in life. Apparently his right food was doing just fine, and he was going to use it to drive his fancy car. Would that we would all look to the joys of life and not let the troubles overshadow life’s possibilities! Last night I looked into our fruit bowl and saw a very shriveled up grapefruit. It was all wrinkled and dry-looking, and I was just about to throw it out when I thought, “I’ll just cut it open and see if it’s all moldy inside.” When I did manage to break through the tough skin, I found the most juicy, bright red fruit I had ever seen. It was incredible, and so tasty that I ate both halves! It got me to thinking about life and how we often count those among us who are ‘shriveled up’ and have a lot of wrinkly skin as not much value for anything. And yet, hidden beneath that tough exterior is something very sweet and good—the experiences of a lifetime molded by courage and determination, faith and hope. Next time you run into someone whom you think is “past his or her prime,” take time to explore what lies within. You may be pleasantly surprised to discover how sweet the inside really is! I appreciate you more than words can express. With affection, Pastor Carlan