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Journeys of Stewardship
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by Joni St. Pierre
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As I sat outside at the ballpark listening to Willie Nelson sing on one of
our wonderful summer nights a few weeks back, I started thinking about how
lucky I was to be looking at the stars, feeling a cool breeze and singing
songs right along with Willie. Lucky, well not really, I was feeling blessed
and thankful. I attended a very small K-12 school in Western Nebraska where
the largest class had 21 and we didn’t discuss the numbers in the smallest
class. We were a small, close-knit, school, church, community family. That
brings life into focus when tragedy strikes. Before I really became an
adult, more than three of my close school mates had died. My friends were
lost to car-train, rock-climbing and car-truck accidents. There was no sense
to be made of any of it, but it didn’t take long to realize that everyday is
a blessing and I should be thankful.
On my worst days, I force myself to focus on the fact that I’m blessed and
I’m thankful. It is easy to lose sight of God’s blessings when you are in
boot camp, the 12th hour of labor, in an attorney’s office filing for
divorce, pacing the floor with a sick child thinking about the exam you have
in the morning before you go to work. Skip, Tom and Kevin don’t have bad
days anymore, but they also don’t get to sing along with Willie at the
ballpark under the stars either. No matter what happens today, it will be a
blessing, and I’m thankful God blessed me with another day to experience
joy, sorrow, giving and receiving.
For some reason, stewardship is a word nobody wants to talk about, heaven
forbid they serve on the committee, and God help us - not another sermon on
giving. St. John’s is a mirror of our lives. Some of our greatest joys and
our deepest sorrows are all experienced within the walls and among our
church family. Some think giving is a painful experience, and others
consider it a joy. No matter how giving feels in your life right now,
remember giving, like everything else you will do today and tomorrow, is a
blessing. When I write a check to St. John’s, help in the kitchen, usher or
work with the OSJ kids, I feel blessed and thankful. Giving truly makes me
feel alive, and it allows me to say thank you to God for blessing me with
another day. Through giving of myself, my time, my talents and my
possessions, I can honor the saints who’ve gone before me and give thanks
for all the blessings in my life. |
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Additional Journeys of Stewardship are available by clicking the link below: |
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Journeys of
Stewardship Index |
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