Pastor's Note

DON’T FORGET THE GOOD
July 22nd, 2007

Last week after telling, once again, the story of our endless ordeal in Peru and the tiring trip back to the United States, someone asked how the rest of the vacation was. The answer, simply put, was great. The first nine days of a twelve day trip went without a glitch.
Then I realized how we can overlook the good when something unexpected comes up. The general strike in Peru that shut down all transportation and caused us to hole up in a hotel in Juliaca for a couple of days, came at the end of a wonderful trip. The strike and our ‘escape’ give us exciting stories to tell, but they can’t diminish the many good things that happened earlier.
Sometimes the bad experience that is right in our faces, right in front of us, can block our view of the bigger picture. We can forget how many other blessings have come our way. What we need to do is stand back a bit and put things into perspective.
Crises come in all forms and shapes. Everyone reading this will probably face something big, or not so big, this week that will challenge them. Even when facing these problems – especially when facing these problems – we need to remember how gracious God is to us. We need to be thankful for the blessings we have already received even when we ask for God’s help.
Have a blessed week!