Ode to the pastors
I always title my blog entries before I write them. Today was no exception. Except now I am thinking... what exactly does "Ode" mean? I think I'll look it up....
Ode: 1. a lyric poem of some length usually of a serious or meditative nature having an elevated style and formal structure.
ut oh... that's not what I'm doing. Should I rename the blog entry? wait... let me read #2: A choric song of classical Greece, often accompanied by a dance and performed at a public festival as part of a drama.
hang on.... I'm DEFINATELY not doing that.
try #3: a classical Greek poem modeled on the choric ode and usually having a three-part structure consisting of a strophe, an antistrophe, and an epode.
If I attempt at this point to rename this blog entry then I would have already typed all of this in vain, and I can't do THAT. So, I'm going with ODE.. and I'll make it work.
ODE TO THE PASTORS (this is the poem part minus the serious or meditative nature)
For all you do,
This month's for you. (I know, somehow it's lacking so far)
For the hours you spend pouring over Sunday's sermon hoping it makes sense.
This month's for you.
For the endless Sunday mornings you wake and realize you never get to sleep in.
This month's for you.
For the late night calls and your groggy "no, that's okay... I'm not busy"
This month's for you.
For the endless requests about what style of music, how long the service is, what color shirt you should wear, which doors should be unlocked first, what verses you should use, and other vital church functions such as these...
This month's for you.
For the compassionate way you deal with the "God told me our church needs to..." issues
This month's for you.
Okay, this is the serious part of the ode....
We have the best pastors in the world. (come on Tina, do you really mean world? I mean, there's Billy Graham out there, and Chuck Colson, and David Jeremiah... and that's only in the United States... besides if they were the best in the world they wouldn't be here!)... okay... city.
:)
It is officially Pastor Appreciation month, and because of the last four weeks worth of moving, we haven't taken the time to properly appreciate our pastors. If they are reading this, they are thinking... hang on, the month isn't over.
(Tina... remember... this is the serious part.... oh.. okay)
Seriously, of all the things these three could be doing in life... they are so talented and gifted. They are intelligent, far beyond many I have ever known. They are fun, witty, and bright people. They could be doctors, lawyers, business people, serious professionals.
And yet, because God called them, they have chosen to follow after Christ in a profession that often goes very unrewarded both financially and professionally. Because God called them, they have walked into areas of ministry that is both unknown and stretching. Because God called them, they have often burnt the midnight oil revising music, re-writing sermons, praying for lost families, teens, children. Because God called them, they would give up a Saturday afternoon with their families for a child rushed to the hospital, a teenager on drugs, or a broken marriage.
Often times, nobody knows the burdens they carry. For their own families, for their own marriages, for their own relationships, for their own finances, for their own lives. They don't often discuss their stuggles with temptation and sin. They don't announce their stress levels to the congregation.
I have a deep appreciation for pastor Angela, who is constantly joyful for my precious Emily. I am so thankful that God gave her the desire to serve children. To see children saved by Christ. To know that many a family is brought to Christ because of the faith of a child. To know that the effect she has on the children of today has a direct effect on the adults of tomorrow.
I have a deep appreciation for Pastor Jeremy. His desire for the teenagers to deepen in Christ is honorable. His passion for dedication and true circumcision of the heart in a world of status quo. His love for all the teenagers. I am thankful God brought him to our church.
And then Pastor Bill. I have a deep apprecation for Pastor Bill. If we just all had a glimpse of the burden he carries for the body here... if we could only see into his heart for just a moment, I know many would be amazed. His style of worship is not second rate. He doesn't serve a second rate God. He worships with a heart of true worship, and prays a challenge for the rest of the church to join him. He loves God and he loves people and that love is what causes him to do it again the next day.
Yeah, they're all pretty neat. They love God. They amaze me. I'm not sure I could do what they do.
ode to them! :)
Ode: 1. a lyric poem of some length usually of a serious or meditative nature having an elevated style and formal structure.
ut oh... that's not what I'm doing. Should I rename the blog entry? wait... let me read #2: A choric song of classical Greece, often accompanied by a dance and performed at a public festival as part of a drama.
hang on.... I'm DEFINATELY not doing that.
try #3: a classical Greek poem modeled on the choric ode and usually having a three-part structure consisting of a strophe, an antistrophe, and an epode.
If I attempt at this point to rename this blog entry then I would have already typed all of this in vain, and I can't do THAT. So, I'm going with ODE.. and I'll make it work.
ODE TO THE PASTORS (this is the poem part minus the serious or meditative nature)
For all you do,
This month's for you. (I know, somehow it's lacking so far)
For the hours you spend pouring over Sunday's sermon hoping it makes sense.
This month's for you.
For the endless Sunday mornings you wake and realize you never get to sleep in.
This month's for you.
For the late night calls and your groggy "no, that's okay... I'm not busy"
This month's for you.
For the endless requests about what style of music, how long the service is, what color shirt you should wear, which doors should be unlocked first, what verses you should use, and other vital church functions such as these...
This month's for you.
For the compassionate way you deal with the "God told me our church needs to..." issues
This month's for you.
Okay, this is the serious part of the ode....
We have the best pastors in the world. (come on Tina, do you really mean world? I mean, there's Billy Graham out there, and Chuck Colson, and David Jeremiah... and that's only in the United States... besides if they were the best in the world they wouldn't be here!)... okay... city.
:)
It is officially Pastor Appreciation month, and because of the last four weeks worth of moving, we haven't taken the time to properly appreciate our pastors. If they are reading this, they are thinking... hang on, the month isn't over.
(Tina... remember... this is the serious part.... oh.. okay)
Seriously, of all the things these three could be doing in life... they are so talented and gifted. They are intelligent, far beyond many I have ever known. They are fun, witty, and bright people. They could be doctors, lawyers, business people, serious professionals.
And yet, because God called them, they have chosen to follow after Christ in a profession that often goes very unrewarded both financially and professionally. Because God called them, they have walked into areas of ministry that is both unknown and stretching. Because God called them, they have often burnt the midnight oil revising music, re-writing sermons, praying for lost families, teens, children. Because God called them, they would give up a Saturday afternoon with their families for a child rushed to the hospital, a teenager on drugs, or a broken marriage.
Often times, nobody knows the burdens they carry. For their own families, for their own marriages, for their own relationships, for their own finances, for their own lives. They don't often discuss their stuggles with temptation and sin. They don't announce their stress levels to the congregation.
I have a deep appreciation for pastor Angela, who is constantly joyful for my precious Emily. I am so thankful that God gave her the desire to serve children. To see children saved by Christ. To know that many a family is brought to Christ because of the faith of a child. To know that the effect she has on the children of today has a direct effect on the adults of tomorrow.
I have a deep appreciation for Pastor Jeremy. His desire for the teenagers to deepen in Christ is honorable. His passion for dedication and true circumcision of the heart in a world of status quo. His love for all the teenagers. I am thankful God brought him to our church.
And then Pastor Bill. I have a deep apprecation for Pastor Bill. If we just all had a glimpse of the burden he carries for the body here... if we could only see into his heart for just a moment, I know many would be amazed. His style of worship is not second rate. He doesn't serve a second rate God. He worships with a heart of true worship, and prays a challenge for the rest of the church to join him. He loves God and he loves people and that love is what causes him to do it again the next day.
Yeah, they're all pretty neat. They love God. They amaze me. I'm not sure I could do what they do.
ode to them! :)
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