Good Stewards Take Life’s Lemons,
Make Lemonade and Share It
One of the lessons Jesus shares most is one of those we ignore most. And,
once again, here it is. Life’s BAD things are, in fact, not bad things. In God’s way
of looking at things, what we consider to be TERRIBLE is always
OPPORTUNITY. Our definition of terrible is God’s definition of an opportunity to
grow. SPIRITUALLY! And, since God wants us to grow spiritually throughout
our lives, God rather frequently tosses out to us experiences that make us gag.
“Lord, I don’t want this. Weren’t you listening to my prayers? Why have you
ignored all my good works and given me, not a reward, but yet another trial? Don’t
you get it...this is not fair.”
Jesus’ world always has been and always will be upside down. We want to
be first. Jesus tells us to choose to be last. We want to be served and have an easy
life. Jesus says, “Nope, got it wrong. Choose to serve and not be served. Choose
to hug the difficult. It will give you happiness now and heaven later.”
When Kacky’s cancer came back, I shook my fist at God. “Lord, are you a
sadist? We’ve been GOOD. We have been talking to you many times every day.
You asked for prayer; we do it. You said you want us to minister to others, to serve.
Well, we do that many hours a week. You told us to tithe. We do it! We give
more than 10% to church and charity. Can’t you throw us a bone? Can’t you take
away Kacky’s pain? PLEASE!!”
Three years later, I was looking into Kacky’s casket. But, I wasn’t bad
mouthing God, I was giving him thanks. “Lord, thank you for giving this wonderful
woman to me for 35-years.” Kacky and I dated five years and were married for 30
more. And, yes, the last years were, in some ways, agonizing but she was my gift
from God for 35-years.
After thanking God, I turned my attention to Kacky. “Thank you,
sweetheart for saying ‘Yes’ to me. I married way up. Thank you for giving me
Chris and Heidi. They are extraordinary gifts of God. Thank you putting-up with
me all those years while I focused on work and not on God, you and the kids.
Thank you for teaching me how to love. Thank you for showing me how to turn the
tragedy of your cancer into years of being Christ-like by turning life’s struggles into
opportunities to love. Thank you for teaching me the wisdom you learned from
Jesus: life is all about learning how to turn crap into fertilizer and using that
fertilizer to grow loving lives.”
(Continued on page 8)
Inside
-2-
Postcards from the Classroom
-3-
10 Things to do When Your Lent
Plan Fails
-4-
Healing Stations of the Cross
EM/Lector Workshop Schedule
-5-
Daddy/Daughter Dance
Holy Week & Easter Schedule
-6-
VOL Cajun Fest
-7-
Getting to Forgiving
-8-
Bunny Pictures