Thanks, I Think.
Have you ever been given a gift that didn’t seem like much of a “gift” to you? Have you gotten a gift certificate to a business that then closes, or a monogrammed item where your name was misspelled? Sometimes gifts really test the idea that, “it is the thought that counts.” A friend’s father once got his wife a new set of things for his boat for their wedding anniversary.
Lately God has been reminding me that, no matter the gift, it is my job to give thanks. Sometimes, I am ready and willing to give thanks, as in the time I was given a free latte at Starbucks! Or the time Andy brought home flowers, “just because.” I even write thank you notes from time to time to express my thanks in a way that lasts beyond the life of the gift!
Sometimes I am “willing” to be thankful, but not quite filled with gratitude yet. Recently I worked for several hours on a brochure only to find out it was not the one the client wanted me to work on. When I learned that, giving thanks was not the first thing that sprung into my mind. But I was willing to believe that some good could come out of the situation. Maybe. Someday.
It was Corrie Ten Boom, a Dutch survivor of the Holocaust who taught that we can even be “willing to be willing” to be thankful. This is for when gifts seem to come wrapped in poison ivy paper tied with barbed wire. Corrie and her sister put this into practice when the barracks in which they were housed became overrun with fleas. Can you imagine? Those fleas were more than annoying. However, there was a reason to be thankful — the guards hated to come into the barracks and this allowed the prisoners to have regular Bible Study.
Recently we walked through the sudden death of a friend’s father after minor surgery. “Sorry Lord, I am not willing to be thankful yet. . . I will get back to you on that one.” Graciously, He is willing to wait . . . and wait . . .
This year I participated in “30 Days of Thankfulness” on the internet — it was fun to think of 30 things for which I was grateful, and I never ran out of ideas. I am continuing to work to make this a part of my everyday life.
We are Grateful for The Internet and its Possibilities
“I’m leavin’ on a jet plane . . .” October, November and December were and will be “traveling” months for Andy. The first week of October he was in Delaware, spending time with his parents and spending as much time with ministry partners are possible.
The last week of October/ first week of November Andy traveled to Thailand to attend MinistryNet — He attended this conference instead of helping to run it, so this was a new thing for him.
This conference brought together 170 passionate Campus Crusade ministry leaders from 30 countries who are already experienced in sharing their faith “face-to-face”, and building disciples. The attendees were wrestling with the question: “How do we take the methods and practices that we know work face-to-face, and make them work on the internet?” With the internet there is some truth in “if you build it, they will come”, yet it is a totally different dynamic than actual face-to-face ministry.
Because Andy’s Orlando team writes software and produces tools that many of these leaders use, the conference was a valuable time. Andy got to: put faces with names, meet ministry leaders Andy’s worked with and introduce himself to those he hasn’t met yet. Andy and his boss, Mike, were able to discuss ministry problems and possible solutions and plan for future development. Andy said that, in many ways, the discussions over meals with some of his international co-workers were just as valuable as the conference meetings. Andy has often said, “My passion is to help our “front-line” staff work smarter, not harder, in the mission that God has called them to.” Being able to interact directly with these leaders was a huge step toward that.
And finally, Andy will be heading back to Delaware to see more ministry partners for the first week of December. It’s been a busy fall, and he’s looking forward to being home for a while.
I (Catherine) was hoping to take a trip to Connecticut this fall to visit our ministry partners there, but our schedule didn’t allow it. Therefore I will put that trip off until late winter/early spring, and I’m hoping that Andy can accompany me for part of it. I want you to know that I have been praying for all of our ministry partners in the Northeast through the October “Snowmageddon” with its trials and tribulations. (14 days without electricity would certainly be on my “not thankful for YET” list!)
We are grateful for the opportunities we have to be involved with what God is doing around the world. Thank you for your prayers and partnership with us.
The Kelloggs 