Midweek News 4-24-13

Dear Family of faith, I just got back from the last Bible Study of the season. We ended with the magnificent story of “The Prodigal Son;” which, as it turns out, may be the story of two prodigal sons. It is my favorite parable in all the Bible because it speaks so powerfully about the way God woos us back to Him with extravagant love and undeserved grace. The study of the remainder of Luke’s Gospel is planned for the fall. Earlier today I visited with Beverly Gethen in Bayonet Medical Center in Hudson. She had fallen yesterday and broken her neck and is recovering from emergency surgery. Please keep her in your prayers. Beverly fell while she was volunteering at Oak Hill Hospital. Such experiences in our lives make us wonder why troubles come when we are trying our best to help others. Somehow it just doesn’t seem fair; yet Beverly has taken it in stride. “Things happen,” she said to me. “I’ll get over this.” Isn’t that a wonderful attitude?! Instead of being bitter and questioning the fairness of it all, she has accepted it as ‘an accident’ and just part of life. If only all of us could be so forgiving of life and God! We would take each experience as it comes, instead of fighting against it in our minds, and let God’s way become our way. Most of us have been hurt helping others. If you are one who laments the undeserved pain, take a lesson from Beverly. I am. According to the Health Department 43% of the homeless youth in Hernando County are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgender people! What does that say about our need to be Open and Affirming of all?! Many of the young people have been kicked out of their families because they have come out. We need to be family for those who don’t have one. This Sunday’s sermon will be on the hard questions about prayer. I read this on a poster on my Facebook page: “I don’t have time to worry about who doesn’t like me. I’m too busy loving the people who love me.” It’s a good way to live. We can’t expect everyone to care about us, but we can value and rejoice in those who are truly faithful friends and family. Thank you for being there for me. With affection, Pastor Carlan