Random Thoughts

I have no deep theological thoughts to share with you this week. None from me. None from anyone else. The well is running dry ... probably because I'm not slowing down enough to allow the Source to fill it. It’s been a very weird week so far.

Friday night one of the CHS band students had an Ovation guitar with him. He had asked me during the summer if I was interested in buying one. Being an Ovation guitar fan, I asked him if I could take a look at it. I opened the case to find my guitar that was stolen from the church almost 3 years ago. Now I have my guitar back (but in significantly worse condition than when it was stolen), but my young friend doesn’t have a guitar any more. I had gotten over my anger at the thief, but now I'm angry at him all over again. It's like he stole another guitar from another person. And don't even get me started on the pawn broker whom I had approached a few days following the break-in asking him to be on the lookout for an Ovation guitar. I even provided him model and serial number with a picture of the thing, for crying out loud! But I'm being a good boy and allowing the local police detective handle all of that.

Then on Tuesday the StickBoy's very nice Yamaha Xeno trumpet was taken out of the case and dropped by someone who didn’t have permission, who didn't own it, and who probably won’t own up to it. This is the trumpet we bought him in order to provide an instrument he can have to use and enjoy for the rest of his life. There is significant damage that I’m hoping can be repaired without breaking the bank.

I'm upset about both of those things ... but in my mind I’m wrestling with whether these things are upsetting to me because I’m way too preoccupied with THINGS in my life. The guitar was a tool for ministry and was the only acoustic guitar I owned. I had to buy another one to replace it, for which the deacons kindly voted to reimburse me (so now do I owe the church back for the purchase of the new guitar?). We bought the trumpet in order to give the StickBoy an avenue for developing his God-given musical talent. But they ARE just things, after all. I only had one acoustic guitar ... and the StickBoy only has one trumpet (he's using mine until we can get his fixed). But do I treasure them too greatly?

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where they can be eaten by moths and get rusty, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where they will never become moth-eaten or rusty and where they will be safe from thieves. Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be." (Mt. 6:19-21, NLT)

That’s enough to think about for now. The peace of Christ to you.