A Word From the Pastor
Rev. L. David Mortenson, Senior Pastor
There was a Scottish tradesman, a painter called Jack, who was very interested in making a pound where he could. So he often would thin down his paint to make it go a wee bit further. As it happened, he got away with this for some time.
Eventually, the Presbyterian Church decided to do a big restoration job on one of their biggest churches. Jack put in a painting bid and because his price was so competitive, he got the job. And so he set to, with a right good will, erecting the trestles and putting up the planks, and buying the paint and...yes, I am sorry to say, thinning it down with the turpentine.
Well, Jack was up on the scaffolding, painting away, the job nearly done, when suddenly there was a horrendous clap of thunder. The sky opened and the rain poured down, washing the thin paint from all over the church and knocking Jack Fair off the scaffold to land on the lawn.
Now, Jack was no fool. He knew this was a judgment from the Almighty, so he fell on his knees and cried, 'Oh, God! Forgive me! What should I do?' And from the thunder, a mighty Voice spoke, 'Repaint you thinner, And go and thin no more!'
Sometimes we take shortcuts. Try to get ahead of the game. Skip a step here and there. As summer vacations start, keep that in mind. Don't try and take shortcuts, and don't skip a step. And most definitely take God along as your co-pilot.
Remember your church needs you. You are important to God and to your church family. The fellowship you get at church recharges you for the work ahead. And the children need the consistency of God in their lives. Proverbs 22:6; NKJV, 6 Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. Summer seems like a time to relax and take time off. And you can, but God is always with you, so don't forget to be with Him as well.
Be safe in your travels this summer and God bless
Pastor David