I'm still here...

Though I don't believe that I have anything profound today, I can say that I've been thinking a lot about Stewardship lately. Last Thursday, Blair Anderson, from Kairos came to Immanuel and gave a presentation on the 12 steps to creating a culture of stewards. It was a great presentation, I can't say that I learned anything new, but it made me think about my own personal stewardship.

Now I must preface my forth coming statement with the following, there is the giving of money, there is the giving of time, and there is the giving of other sorts of things, in my mind these are different. You can disagree with me, but, there different, okay! With that distinction made, I can say that I am not a joyful money giver. That is to say, that when I make checks out to St. Peter's Lutheran Church and Immanuel Lutheran Church for Ryan and I, I do so out of obligation (a Martha thing), but, when I give of my time to either congregation, or give in other sorts of ways, I burst with joy ( a Mary thing). Why is that? I'm obligated to pay my taxes and I do, with more joy than when I write out the checks for the offering plate. Interesting.

Perhaps it's is a Mary and Martha thing, you remember Mary and Martha, don't you? Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and Martha rushed around preparing the meal...I wonder if I will ever have a Mary moment when I place my offering envelope in the offering plate, I wonder if I will ever feel joyful when I place my blue envelope in the offering plate, the same kind of joy I feel when I give of my time, or other resources. I hope so, I pray that will be the case...God help me, Amen.