Welcome from the Pastor
Linda Thompson, Pastor
Apple Carts to Oranges Crates
The saying goes: That's like comparing apples to oranges. In other words, there is no comparison - they are a different fruit all together. I think the same can be said for how they are gathered and shipped.
As a child, my friend's family owned an apple orchard. And I was able to see how harvest happened. The apples were taken from the gatherers' basket and placed in the cart or wagon. Always careful not to overfill. Overfilling resulted in bruising and destroyed fruit.
I understand from watching in Georgia on vacation, the same process is true for oranges with care to crate and separate the oranges to avoid bruising.
Although there are similarities to the process, the means in which they arrive to cold storage is different. Thus the cart or the crate.
Ministry is like this. At times, we come alongside someone who is having a hard time pushing their cart - it is too heavy a burden. It is our job, as the church to assist - to help push them along in their growth; gently, not bruising, not spilling the apples. And other times, we are to carry the crate of precious cargo. On the orange crate there are handles specifically designed to cause us not to squeeze the crate, but to hold it aloft. As if we are offering it up as an offering.
We meet people everyday that need someone to come alongside them and help them navigate through life. And we meet others whose life is an example of praise and thanksgiving and it is important that we lift them up in our prayers and supplications.
Where are you in your ministry to your world? Are you helping with the burden or are you creating some spills of your own? Are you lifting others up or finding fault? Take time to be a blessing in whichever orchard you have been planted.
Go forth, do good.
Pastor Linda Thompson
church office: 476-2750
home: 476-4175
cell phone: 563-379-8702
email: lmtx55@gmail.com
Apple Carts to Oranges Crates
The saying goes: That's like comparing apples to oranges. In other words, there is no comparison - they are a different fruit all together. I think the same can be said for how they are gathered and shipped.
As a child, my friend's family owned an apple orchard. And I was able to see how harvest happened. The apples were taken from the gatherers' basket and placed in the cart or wagon. Always careful not to overfill. Overfilling resulted in bruising and destroyed fruit.
I understand from watching in Georgia on vacation, the same process is true for oranges with care to crate and separate the oranges to avoid bruising.
Although there are similarities to the process, the means in which they arrive to cold storage is different. Thus the cart or the crate.
Ministry is like this. At times, we come alongside someone who is having a hard time pushing their cart - it is too heavy a burden. It is our job, as the church to assist - to help push them along in their growth; gently, not bruising, not spilling the apples. And other times, we are to carry the crate of precious cargo. On the orange crate there are handles specifically designed to cause us not to squeeze the crate, but to hold it aloft. As if we are offering it up as an offering.
We meet people everyday that need someone to come alongside them and help them navigate through life. And we meet others whose life is an example of praise and thanksgiving and it is important that we lift them up in our prayers and supplications.
Where are you in your ministry to your world? Are you helping with the burden or are you creating some spills of your own? Are you lifting others up or finding fault? Take time to be a blessing in whichever orchard you have been planted.
Go forth, do good.
Pastor Linda Thompson
church office: 476-2750
home: 476-4175
cell phone: 563-379-8702
email: lmtx55@gmail.com
