June 28th, 2017

           “I thank my God every time I remember you.
   In all of my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy.”
                                                                                                                                           — Philippians 1:3-4

    What a wonderful first week Brenda and I have had here as your pastoral couple at Salem. You all have welcomed and blessed us both more than you will ever know. From the sign out front welcoming us, to “friending” us on Facebook, to the many gifts and cards we have received, and the many hugs and affirming words you have offered us, we have felt loved and welcomed. Brenda and I want to offer our heartfelt thanks for all you have done to make us feel at home here at Salem.

    The scripture above is a verse I have come to treasure over the years. Throughout my 17 years of ministry, people from all parts of my life have found ways to bless me either professionally or personally. When those times take place, I strive to fall back on the verse above as a reminder to thank God for them and their service and to remind me of the opportunity to also thank them personally in some way. Depending on the depth of the gift, I will thank them by conversation either directly in person or over the phone. I will also drop them a note in the mail sometimes or offer some small token of thanks too.

    What about you? How do you thank the people in your lives for the things they do for you and/or your loved ones? For that matter, when was the last time you told someone how thankful you were for them being in and/or a part of your lives? Saying thank you to them can be an important way to show your thanks to someone but sometimes I think we say “thank you” as a reflex action instead of a thankful action. We go through the motion of saying “thank you” but there is nothing attached to what we have said to show the other person of how sincere we are for their help or support.

    I would like to challenge all of us in the coming weeks to reflect on the people who have touched our lives whether it has been recently or sometime ago. When they cross your mind, make yourself a note of some sort to find a way to thank them for what they have done or for what they have meant to you. And when you are done with thanking them, offer God a prayer of thanks for the gift of them in your life.

In Christ’s Love and Service,
             Dan

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