Today’s Word from Pastor Jim…
“I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus.” I Corinthians 1:4
Giving thanks is good, right, and healthy. If we pause to give thanks, then we are momentarily putting our troubles aside. If ever there was time to give thanks, it is now. The protests in our country, and now worldwide, should give us great reason for hope and a cause for thanksgiving. People are being heard. Systemic change is happening. We have more precisely named an evil, racism, and the world is uniting to address it.
Giving thanks is good, right, and healthy. It helps us to get outside of ourselves and our fears, and to accentuate the positive. I would maintain that even in the midst of “Train Wreck 2020” life is still mostly positive for us.
1993
Bill Clinton had just begun his first term in the Oval Office, the Chicago Bulls had won their third straight NBA Championship, Ken Griffey Jr. was 23 years old, Robin Williams made us laugh as Mrs. Doubtfire, and policemen were on trial for violating the civil rights of Rodney King.
It was a Wednesday, the ninth day of June. Robin Edgeman walked into the Trinity Lutheran Church office that morning to begin a part-time job. 27 years later, in the contagion Spring of 2020, she is still here. For nearly three decades, she has made our staff better. She has counseled and cared for our people, and served the larger Whidbey Island community. For most of those years, Robin has been a Sunday School teacher or Confirmation mentor. She has cleaned toilets and wiped down counters, tolled the bell at funerals, sang in church, and told fortunes at Halloween parties.
On this day, I want us all to pause and just give thanks to God for putting Robin Edgeman in our community, and in our lives. She has been a pure gift, and it would be rude to receive such a gift without saying thank you.
So, thank you Robin, for 27 years of service. We are certainly hoping that you will sign on for 27 more.
I give thanks to God in every remembrance of you!
One day closer.
Pastor Jim
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