Last
weekend, I had an $11 piece of cheesecake.
With
the exchange rate, I had a $14.31 piece of cheesecake. Before taxes.
Yes,
that's an absurd amount of money, even for really good cake. And the cake
was... just okay. The accompanying overpriced coffee was terrible.
And
while I wouldn't pay that for a whole cake to eat at home, I have no regrets
about that purchase.
Because
I ate that cheesecake with a dear friend whom I rarely see, in a place that has
history for us both. It's been nearly 10 years since we last ate cake together
there.
So
what we were really spending the money on was the time together, the history
being remembered, and the new memories being made. The mediocre cheesecake
really had nothing to do with it; it was merely the medium for the experience.
We
were investing in our relationship. Living on opposite sides of the world, we
save up and plan carefully for such occasions. We make choices every day, every
paycheque, to put some of that aside for our next adventure. It's a bit of
sacrifice at the time, but it's a wonderful feeling when our planning becomes
our reality. We value the friendship, and so we do what we need to do to ensure
that such connections can happen.
And the pricey pastry is barely given a
second thought.
While
the example from last week is an extreme, it serves to reflect on how we use
our time, talent, and treasure in all aspects of our lives. How do we value our
relationships with our families? How do we cherish our friendships in our
neighbourhood? How do we respect our community in God's church?
What
do we give up that we might fully engage? Is it an hour of time to go visit
someone at hospital? Maybe we find money in a drawer and commit to donate a
portion (even a tithe) to mission work? Perhaps we use our skills to donate a
cake to the bake sale or refurbish the altar hangings? The possibilities are
endless; if we are willing.
So
it is up to us to decide: what do we value? And how much are we willing to give
to make that a reality? With one another, with community, and with God, we make
the choice to be as engaged as we are.
The
cheesecake was the medium for the experience with my friend.
What
is your medium for an experience with God and God's church? And what will you
cheerfully give to ensure that happens?
That’s such an awesome sermon!! Especially when I too felt the need to be with family I haven’t met or had seen in ages!! I’ve prayed for over a year.... didn’t get my plane ticket under the Christmas tree last year... didn’t give up though.... because if it was God’s will for me to go... that reunion would come eventually. So after saving for whenever it would be.... Gary said “here’s my visa” and go I did!! Lol It was a tearful, grateful, most amazing reunion and it even brought some family who lives two blocks away from each other together again! God’s work! We don’t always wait for God’s response to our prayers.....it is a learning process an experience that’s for sure.... patience is a virtue. If we look around us, evaluate God’s purposes for us, they are constantly revealed, as long as we stand back in stillness and wait it. It amazed us all , the instant bonding we felt, when we haven’t seen or talked in decades... it didn’t matter though, we know by our hearts we are family. I wasn’t the one who made this trip happen not Gary alone. Who brings us together in love and joy? The One Who created us, loves us and rejoices at family and friends who gather together.... it reminds me of the reunion with Joseph and his brothers and how it was all God’s doing! The tears that rolled down my face when I first read the Bible in 2014. I thought of it when I was surrounded with so much love! I’m sorry LauraMarie I gave you such short notice but I didn’t know until the day before I’d be helping my cousin move into Brock....and sorry we didn’t get to see each other as you had a wedding but here we are connected once again since I messaged you! So I see it as that...Jesus keeps us together like a knitted sweater..... one stitch may be different from the others, yet all the stitches belong together to bind the sweater! Ooooh think I’ll post that saying!! Seems the Helper helped me with that one! Thank you for your love, ministry and the friendships you have kept!! God’s peace to you this Sunday and through the week!! Xoxo
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