Most of the benefits of being a part-time pastor are hard to measure, but Cathy, my wife, received a grant funded by the IU Health System to the Indiana UMC to give to pastors. Grants are great! Grants are money given to a person or organization as an incentive or a reward. They do not have to be paid back as long as they are used for their stipulated purpose. The grant Cathy received was to be used in any way that would encourage her as long as she sent a picture of how she spent the money to the Indiana UMC by May 15. The grant was like being given free money!
Cathy decided to use the money to go Pokagon State Park to relax and recharge. And she invited me to go along! (I made it my goal not to agitate, discourage, or drain her of energy.) Cathy made reservations for the nights of Sunday and Monday, May 8-9. I was so excited I got my bag ready the day before.
Cathy decided to use the money to go Pokagon State Park to relax and recharge. And she invited me to go along! (I made it my goal not to agitate, discourage, or drain her of energy.) Cathy made reservations for the nights of Sunday and Monday, May 8-9. I was so excited I got my bag ready the day before.
The picture was taken May 9, the day after we planned on being there. The nightstand is at home, not in the Potawatomi Inn at Pokagon State Park. Just as we were getting ready to load the car to leave, Cathy got a phone call saying a water line had broken and the park and inn weren’t going to be open for at least a couple days.
As much as I was looking forward to going, Cathy was even more. It seemed what was intended to be an encouragement actually turned out to be a disappointment. I didn’t have the energy to unpack my bag that day.
On Monday Cathy changed her weekly plans to get everything done by Wednesday afternoon. Maybe the park would be open, and we could spend Wednesday and Thursday night there instead. Fortunately, things fell into place! Cathy was able to use the grant as she hoped before Sunday, May 15.
It ended up being a great couple of days! The weather was perfect, the hiking trails were beautiful, and we always enjoy staying in the inn.
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Why was it such a letdown when Cathy got the call saying the water line had broken? Because I had assumed we would go. As I reflected on my disappointment, I thought of all the many things I take for granted. Things that I assume will happen or be given to me. In fact, I told Cathy after the long stretch of cold, wet and gray weather we had to watch and see how long it took for me and others to complain about how hot and dry it got. Sure enough, right after three days of nice weather I heard some complaining! We just assume the weather should be nice.
It is so easy to take all the good gifts God gives us for granted. The relationships and parts of life that most consistently go well are the ones I take most for granted. I wish it wasn’t true, but I complain way too much. Sometimes it seems it takes losing something to makes us appreciate it more.
I appreciated our trip to Pokagon more because it seemed like we might have lost it. Lord, help me be more grateful. Help me not take the many good things You have granted me for granted.
It is so easy to take all the good gifts God gives us for granted. The relationships and parts of life that most consistently go well are the ones I take most for granted. I wish it wasn’t true, but I complain way too much. Sometimes it seems it takes losing something to makes us appreciate it more.
I appreciated our trip to Pokagon more because it seemed like we might have lost it. Lord, help me be more grateful. Help me not take the many good things You have granted me for granted.
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