Shade Tree Wisdom 11/25/11

          I pray your Day was filled with everything good; family visiting, eating together, maybe sharing recipes for leftovers, and all that the Day promises. Good. It was a nice, sunny day here and we did see family to visit, catch up, and, well, eat a fine meal.

          An item in the news caught my eye. Seems Georgia pecan growers are having to hire protection firms to watch their crops, because stealing pecans from trees is on the rise. One 5 gallon of pecans selling for as much as $ 175.00. One reason is the demand from China. Seems the Chinese have developed a real taste for pecans.

          The item above simply shows the world in which we are to live “as children of light”. In his letter to the Church at Thessalonica, St. Paul is urging the people who are children of the day to “act like it”. The end of chapter five of the first letter lists the behavior patterns Christianity will bring. High among them is this word, “And in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you”. 1 Thess 5,18.
In everything give thanks.

          We take so much in our lives for granted, don’t we?

          Recently a pastor friend reported with joy they had found a talented organist for their worship services.
And that reminded me that in the entire 40 years of active ministry, I always had an organist. Some had been trained by our Colleges, others were self taught,. One was a lad just entering High who went on to study music at Indiana university school of music. My input, have the hymn selection in their hands a week before so they could practice.

          There are so many other things in my ,life, as I am sure they are in yours, that we simply take for granted and hardly ever stop to say “I thank you for the work that you do”.  So, when you finish reading these lines, do take the Bible, turn to the first letter to the Thessalonians, and read again the fifth chapter. Then may God bless your doing as “the children of light.”

GPD 11/25/11