Today’s Word from Pastor Jim…
“I hated all my toil in which I had toiled under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to my successor, and who knows whether he will be wise or foolish? Yet he will be master of all for which I toiled and used my wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity.” Ecclesiastes 2:18
“Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can” John Lennon
It was a Thursday morning, the 5th day of March 1959. I was born at Haish Hospital in DeKalb, Illinois. No one asked for my opinion before this sudden life transition took me from the safety of my mother’s womb down a mysterious worm hole to another world, to another existence. No warning, no consideration of my feelings, the walls contracted pushing me from darkness, through the darkness, toward light. Emerging from the birth canal I was messy, naked, and helpless. My eyes would not focus, my tongue would not form words, I cried out. A healthy baby boy, so much potential and yet on my own, I could not have survived more than a few hours. I had nothing; I arrived void of memory, my time in the womb fading quickly like a forgotten dream. Eight pounds of quivering flesh, no skills, no possessions, I had nothing to offer this new world.
My mother held me close; the life expectancy of a baby boy born in 1959 was 66 years and eight months. On January 5th, 2026, the calendar reminded me that I was now 66 years and ten months old. I can no longer die young; I no longer qualify for an early onset disease. Blessed to be a blessing; I have seen more of the world than any of my ancestors, I have had more good meals, more hot showers, more intimate moments and tender embraces than anyone could hope for. My toil under the sun, far from being a burden, has given my life joy and purpose. I have always loved my work (well except for the summers spent laboring in the hot humid cornfields of Northern Illinois.) I made my debut in this world without possessions, spent my first 20 years living off my parents, and now after 50 years of assorted labor I am fortunate to have a home, two cars, work that I love and beginning next month the government will be returning a portion of my social security dollars back to me.
Possessions: I have many and yet in reality I have none. Whenever that next transition takes place, when this iteration of my existence gives way and I am ushered down the birth canal of death, I will take nothing with me. Someone new will live in my house, my precious stuff will be divided into three categories: dumpster, thrift store or garage sale. I am not sure who would want my collection of plastic hotel keys, my 167 neck ties or my file cabinet filled with 40 years of longwinded sermons. The Bible warns us against getting too attached to our possessions. In the long game we own nothing, we are just stewards taking care of our corner of creation for a few decades. “Imagine no possessions.” In fact, we have no possessions, we arrive with nothing, naked and helpless. We depart in a similar fashion. We are simply stewards of our resources. Stewards: caretakers of possessions that do not belong to us, faithful managers of wealth that will only be with us for a short time. Blessed to be a Blessing, never blessed in isolation.
Many in our community have caught the vision of the TLC Endowment. The Endowment assures us that the possessions that we leave behind will continue to bless our neighbors now and for generations to come. The Endowment is not self-serving; it does not provide a future revenue stream for our congregation. The money from the Endowment leaves our campus, helping students to continue their education, providing food, shelter, and disaster assistance for God’s children near and far.
No possessions? The possessions that hard work, inheritance, or good fortune has brought our way will soon be left behind. Together we can touch the future.
We were born to leave; we were never meant to stay.
One beggar telling another beggar where to find bread, I am your
Pastor Jim
