The Pastor’s Desk…

      Děkuji   It’s one of the few words I actually learned while in Prague. 

Simply said, it means “Thank You.”  It is a word that seems to characterize what I have

been experiencing, pondering and reflecting upon in the last few weeks. 

     Děkuji.  It started with my Ordination Anniversary celebration. You have no idea how

much that day meant to me. I was kind of expecting cake and coffee and a card from the Province. 

 I was not expecting a dinner or such a generous financial gift.     If I was quiet, it was because I just

wanted to soak it all in. From the bottom of my heart. Thank you.

     Děkuji. When you reflect on 25 years of ministry, you also reflect on those that helped you get

to where you are. I thought of my parents, my pastors, my Sunday School teachers, my camp counselors,

and parishioners I have served, all of whom helped me on my spiritual journey from Wisconsin to North Dakota,

and now New York. You are part of my journey. And, for what you may have learned from me about faith, know

that I am also learning from you. Thank You.

     Děkuji    Prague is a magnificent city. At one time, Prague was the capital of the Holy Roman Empire.

 It brought us Good King Wenceslas. But it also saw dark times under foreign rule, and most recently Communist

control. I found a people who were just beginning to experience the freedoms we often take for granted. 

Money was tight. Prices were going up. A lot of repairs not done during the Communist era needed to be done.

But they were free again. And for that, they were thankful.

     Děkuji   It was humbling to stand in the Bethlehem Chapel. The chapel has been “restored,” which means

that it isn’t exactly as it was when John Hus was there, but it was inspiring. I wondered: Would I have dared

challenge the leaders of the Christian world to a theology contest? When condemned, would I have recanted

to save my own life?  This was the place where Hus chose to make his stand. Compared to the challenges of

my life, Hus’s situation made mine suddenly insignificant.  In the face of  actual  “life or death”,  my choices seemed

to be as insignificant as “regular or decaf.”  In that moment,  for as much as the stock market plunge was eroding

my 401k, and politicians campaigned for my vote, for as much “stuff” as I have been able to accumulate, I was humbled,

and appreciative of things that are truly priceless— spiritual mentors like Hus, my wife, my family, my relationships,

my faith. I do like my iPod, my computer, and my pension fund, but for the really important stuff, I said, “Thank You.”

    I know that life is not always good. Storms arise. Markets crash. Bills pile up. Jobs end. Health fails. Accidents happen.

Bad choices are made. Yet, for as troubling as they can be, I also find that eventually storms end;  markets return to

normalcy;  bills will be addressed;  new jobs can be found; and we usually recover from our bad choices, our accidents

and more. And it usually happens when we stop focusing on what we’ve lost, and see what we still have; when we stop

looking at the negative and start to say  děkuji   -  thank you, and to give thanks.

BACK