Right There on the Frozen Food Aisle

 

It happened on the frozen food aisle as I was trying to scurry through the  grocery store and pick up a few things before I hurried on to the rest of the day.  It started with a chance encounter with a lady I did  not know.   She stopped me and asked for my attention, and then she told me her story.   She told about children at home and a husband that was not there anymore… a divorce that  was near and needs that were great.   “I have enough to get these groceries in my shopping cart, and really need a few more things.   Can you help me get food for my family?”, she asked.  I paused and thought and prayed.   “God, I was not expecting this today and not on the frozen food aisle”, I thought and prayed. 

There are some places where you expect that service to Christ will be asked  of you--  as the offering plate passes by… as the pastor speaks with you about a need at the church….as the call goes out for someone to work  with the children or youth.  But in the grocery store?   That is not where you expect to encounter a mission moment.   Where-ever we are is not only the loving and living God, but the possibility and probability of serving God.   Do you see it?  Will you open your heart to it?  Have a joy-filled week.-  Pastor Randy Wall

 

PRAYER

            Loving God, around us are chances for us to be your hands, your feet, and your voice.  Give us eyes and hearts to see those chances  and to respond as your vessels;  through Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

Into Your Hands...

 

 

            Last month, at many places across our country we remembered  the terrorist attacks 20 years ago on September 11, 2001.  People gathered  at “Ground Zero” in New York City, at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, and in the Pennsylvania countryside to remember those who died there.  This anniversary brings back my memories of working in the Fall, 2001 at a “listening station” just blocks from the “twin towers” in New York City and at the “Ground Zero” morgue.  I spent my day hours of that week  in New York City listening to and praying with persons who spoke about the how the events of that day effected their lives.   I spent my evenings at “Ground Zero” at the morgue where I listened to the construction workers, NYPD officers, and FDNY officers tell their stories and I prayed over the bodies or body parts that were found.   I remember one evening when they brought in from the rubble a human hand that was found.  After it was examined by the medical examiner and a NYPD detective, I offered a prayer.  As I prayed, tears filled my eyes and emotion filled my voice as I thought about hand that perhaps had exchanged wedding vows at a church altar or held their child close.  I thought about the person that had used their hand to write a love letter or to  embrace a friend in a time of sorrow. 

            Psalms was the prayer book for the Israelite people.  Whatever may be your human experience, you will find it echoed in the Book of Psalms.   There are over 120 places in the Psalms where you will find the word “hand”.    Psalm 31:5 declares, “Into your hands I commit my spirit:  redeem me, O Lord, the God of truth.”    As Jesus was dying on the cross, he remembered these words that were part of a prayer taught to Israelite children.   May the mighty hands of God hold close all who feel grief and sorrow about the events of this day.  May each of us seek to so place ourselves in God’s hands that a day like September 11, 2001 might never happen again in this country and in this world.  Have a joy-filled week.-  Pastor Randy Wall

 

PRAYER

            Loving God, reach your everlasting arms around those who know loss and sadness.   We pray especially for those who lost their lives not just on September 11, but in these days.  Help us to join our hands and hearts to work for peace and justice in this world;  through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

She's Got a Job!

 

One of the blessing of being older is grandchildren.   Ann and I are blessed to have 8 children from 15 year old Lillian to 4 month old Emi.   In recent months, I have started sending and receiving text messages with our 15 year old grandchild, Lillian.   While I am not a common one to send text messages, I am grateful that it gives me a great way to communicate with Lillian.   A few months ago, she sent me a text message to tell me that she had a job taking care of the pets of people that live near her.   On a regular basis, she walks dogs for her neighbors or takes care of their cat while they are out of town.  Lillian loves animals and has even thought of becoming a veterinarian assistant in a few years. 

I share a little bit about Lillian not just because I am an unabashed doting grandparent, but because  of the fact that we celebrated Labor Day a few weeks ago.  The first Monday in September is an official federal holiday called Labor Day.   While many folks see it as the unofficial end of summer or a “long weekend” away from work, Labor Day is a day to recognize the American worker and how they contribute to the betterment of our community and to our way of life.  

I am at a point in life when I know I have more working days in my past than  in my future.  While I continue to work part- time, I certainly do not work as much as I have in the past.  Many of my peers have retired;  some still work part time and others do not work at all.  If you are among those who think you do not have a job, I have news for you:  GOD HAS A JOB FOR YOU!    That job is being a worker in His Kingdom.   I Corinthians 3:9 put it this way:

⁹ For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

God’s work is needed by young and old, and can be done wherever we are.  Lillian has a job, and so do you and I.  Now, lets get to work.   While the pay God offers may not be good for your bank account, the benefeits are out of this world!   Have a joy-filled week.-  Pastor Randy Wall

 

PRAYER

            O God, we rejoice that you are working still in our world today.  Work in us and through us through the power of your Holy Spirit;  through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen. 

Can You Loan Me $550.00?

 

My recent  50th high school reunion has prompted me to remember things in my past that I have long forgotten.   Among them is this story of 50 years ago:  I was the first one in my family to graduate from college.   My Dad attended Elon, but dropped out soon after my Mom and Dad were married.  My Mom finished high school through a GED, and none of my grandparents even attended college.   

I had looked forward to college.     It had always been a goal of mine.   I remember I started a college fund at First Federal Savings and Loan when I was around 12 years old though I never saved a lot of money.     Since I was beginning to believe that God was calling me toome a pastor,   I decided to go  to Methodist College in Fayetteville, NC.   It is now known as Methodist University.    

 College applications and college finances were a new venture not only for me, but also for my family. I completed the college applications and financial aid package.   I applied for some scholarships but with little good fortune.    A couple of weeks before I was  to head to college as an entering freshman,   we got the bill in the mail for college.   That bill brought sticker shock to my family.   My Mom had thought the tutition and fees were for a whole school year when it was actually for just one semester.  The bottom line was that the money was not there for me to  afford college.   I remember Mom crying as we sat at the dinner table one evening as she broke  the news.

At the time, I had only been a Christian for a matter of months.   I had started reading the Bible and praying.   I remember praying about college and my financial need.   I believed if God wanted me to be a pastor he would make a way.    I was working a summer job at the Burlington Industries pioneer plant and discovered that Burlington Industries had a college loan program.    The bad news is that the deadline to apply had passed.  I talked to my supervisor about it, and he encouraged me to still  apply.   In a few days,   I got  news that I had received the loan and was presented with the $550 I needed for college.   When college graduation came around, I happily went to Burlington Industries and paid that loan back with no interest because I was no glad that they had believed in me.   God does provide.   Have a joy-filled week.-  Pastor Randy Wall

 

PRAYER

            O God, thank you that provide for all we need.  Thank you, God our Father;  through Christ our Lord.  Amen.  

My High School Secret!

This year of 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of my graduation from high school.   The Walter M. Williams class of 1971 gathered for a reunion in August.   It was a time of hugs, laughter, and memories from high school years.    I have a secret from my high school days that I have been keeping, and I want to share it through this medium for myself, my family, and my classmates and it is this:  much of my high school days were difficult.  

 I did not apply myself scholastically very much in high school.   I could blame that fact on my teachers or the fact that I worked a part time job, but that was not the full reason.   I just did not try that hard and my grades showed it.   My grades in college and graduate school were much better that they were in high school.   The main reason why my grades were not very good was because of this secret.

 It was not my teachers or my classmates fault that my high school experience was difficult.   It was difficult for them for other reasons.   We were growing up and learning to discover who we were and who we wanted to be.   We were breaking free from our parents, and developing our own sense of autonomy.   We were also maneuvering issues like civil rights and school integration.   Have you ever seen the movie "Remember the Titans"?    That will give you some idea about what my high school classmates and I dealt with (black and white) as my high school was the first predominately white high school in the south with a black football coach, Jerome Evans.     While I was immersed in those challenges, my secret made my high school experience even more difficult. 

What was my secret that few knew and that I did not talk about?    The secret was that my father was an alcoholic and that impacted so much of my world.   Alcoholism led to my Dad losing a good job... a marital  separation... and a marital divorce.     Since my Dad did not pay child support,   I worked part time after school to help provide money instead of participating in high school clubs and athletic teams. Eventually, my Mom re-married and I did not adjust very well to having to a step-parent in my life.    I wish I had reached out to my classmates and to my teachers to share this and get support, but I did not know how at the time.   I share this not for your pity or sympathy, but so you might understand me and learn.  

In the Fall 1970, I discovered some good news that had been a secret to me:  that Jesus Christ loved me and gave His life that I might be whole and be holy.     While humans can let you down,   he has never let me down.  As I discovered the grace of God in Christ, a change begin to happen in me that most of my high school classmates never saw.   As I discovered the love and forgiveness in Christ,  I also began a journey on how to love and forgive my father and to love myself.  

 To any of my high school classmates reading this:   I wish I had had a better high school experience and I am sorry I that I could not and or would not share my secret with some of you.  I just did not know how.     Though you might not have changed my circumstance, your care and compassion would have changed my perspective.

 To any of you that work with children in school, church, and athletic teams:    let me encourage you to pay attention to those kids who simply need encouragement and a listening ear about something unrelated to reading, math, or the team.   Most of us never really know what someone in our office, our class, or  our neighborhood is  dealing with.   Have a joy-filled week.-   Pastor Randy Wall

 

PRAYER

            O God, there are so many people hurting around  me that I do not know about.  Give me your Spirit to reach out to them and let them know of my care and your care;  through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

Have You Seen Charlie?

 

“Mister, have you seen my dog?”, the little boy asked me as I walked in the church yard to my car  a few months ago.   While I do not know the boy’s name, we had had several brief conversations in the past.   When I told him that I  did  not think I had seen the dog, I exclaimed,  “Tell me more about your dog”.    “Well, he is black and white, and he answers to the name of Charlie”, he said.  I assured him as we ended our conversation that I would be looking out and if I saw Charlie I would certainly let him know.   While Charlie might not mean much to you, he matters to that little boy.   Boys love their dogs, and dogs love their little boys.

We read in Luke 15 about a time that a man had a lost sheep.   Like that little boy wanted to find a dog named Charlie, so this man wanted to find this sheep.   It made no difference that this shepherd had 99 other sheep back in the fold.  That missing lost sheep was important to that man just like Charlie was important to that little boy.  Can’t you see that man peering across the countryside to see if he saw that sheep?   Can’t you hear that man stopping the people  he met along the road to see if they had seen that sheep and telling them about any special markings on that sheep?

Have you seen Charlie?   He matters to that little boy.     And you know what?   You matter to someone too.   Though on your worst days you might not believe it, everyday you are a valuable treasure to God.  Why, you are made in His image even though there have been times when you have not acted like it.   Have you wandered away from God?   Though there might be times you wonder where God is, He is not far away.   God has not gone anywhere.  Like a wandering sheep, perhaps your attention has been distracted as you thought there might be greener pastures out there.   God is as close as the next prayer for all the Charlies and the Charlenes out there.    And  you know what?   You will find Him saying, “Welcome home, my child.”  Have a joy-filled week.  --  Pastor Randy Wall

 

PRAYER:     O God,   I confess that there have been times I have wandered away from your way.  Thank you, God, for the fact that I matter to you and you are never far away;  through the good shepherd, Jesus Christ, I pray.   Amen. 

Putting in My Ten Cents!

 

 

If you travel to the beach in the Wilmington area, you probably will see the USS North Carolina along the highway just outside of town.   When I was in the first grade, the campaign began to try to bring the USS North Carolina back to the Tar Heel state instead of selling it for scrap metal.   As I recall, the late Hugh Morton was one of the leaders in the fund raising campaign.  I am certain that there were persons and companies that gave large sums of money to bring the USS North Carolina home.  However, I am also certain that there were  persons that gave small sums of money because  I was one of those persons.  If my memory is correct, I gave a grand total of ten cents to the USS North Carolina fund-raising campaign by collecting discarded soft drink bottles along the roadside and getting money for the bottles  at the store. 

            Deuteronomy 16: 17 says, “Every one shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which he has given you.”   Some can give large gifts of money, and others give small gifts of money.  What I know is if all of us will simply give as we are able, then God can take it and use it for His honor and his glory.       Have a joy-filled week.-  Pastor Randy Wall

 

PRAYER

            O God, we give thanks that the Lord Jesus gave the greatest gift he could give for our salvation- His very life.   Stir in our hearts that we might always give as we are able to the work of your Kingdom;  through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.