Pastor Dave's Homespun Wisdom
(in no particular order)
1. Everybody worries. The trick is to worry about things you can control. That's productive. I worry all the time about what I should say during sermons, how it came across, what I could have done differently. Those worries make me a better preacher. Worrying about things beyond your control makes you feel powerless and spurs you into inaction rather than positive action. What happens, happens. Our job is to be the best people we can through all of it.
2. Spend money on experiences and people you'll remember more than on things you'll lose.
3. All complaints are a mixture of something being wrong around you and something being wrong with you. It's never just one or the other. The litmus test to determine how much of the problem is external and how much is you is simple. Count how many people you've complained to about this issue before taking positive action to resolve it. The bigger the number, the more likely it is that you're the problem.
4. If your wedding is all about you being "Princess for a Day" it indicates that you're not feeling like a princess on all the other days. You might want to ask if you're marrying the right guy then.
4a. Don't spend $20,000 on your wedding. Nobody is going to remember whether you had Chicken Cordon Bleu on fine china or L'il Smokies and macaroni salad on regular plates. Everybody loves both and nobody's going to be impressed by you trying to one-up the last wedding anyway. Being gracious to your guests (interacting with them instead of sitting on high at a banquet table, for instance) is far more important and memorable. Then take that other $15,000 and use it for something meaningful...or just start your nest egg with it.
5. Handy Marriage Tip #1: The phrase "Better to ask forgiveness than permission" does NOT apply when dealing with your wife!
6. The validity of your point is inversely related to the volume at which it's delivered.
6a. If you hear a preacher rail repeatedly against an evil in society he's afflicted with that evil. Run.
7. Nothing renews your life, relationships, and spirits more than good times with friends.
8. Much of our unhappiness comes from our own expectations. If it's big, grey, has a long trunk, and is eating peanuts it's an elephant. Do not then complain that it doesn't quack and paddle around on your pond. If you wanted a duck, you should have gotten a duck. It's probably easier to just love the things that are cool about your elephant.
9. Stop looking for the easy answer. Life isn't about the right answers, it's about asking the right questions.
10. Fun is where you find it. Find some in each day, then share it!
--Pastor Dave (pastordave@geneseelutheranparish.org)
#7 spoke to me right away. So true for me even though I need lots of alone-time. And it usually doesn't cost much...except time.
ReplyDeleteBut, the least that big grey elephant could do is hose down a few dishes and suck up a few peanuts off the floor...that's not too much to ask is it?? :>
ReplyDeleteVery insightful Pastor Dave. Each one of them was thought provoking and good advice.
ReplyDeleteI cannot imagine spending $20000 on a wedding and you know what if we did I still bet the things we would remember the most would be like our friend falling down the stairs, his wife at the top saying don't break the gift Jimmy and my aunt at the bottom screaming. The pastor getting upset with me at the rehearsal because I kept giggling and he told me I needed to be taking this seriously. A few other things but could I tell you about the ceremony, not much or a lot of other things.
By the way your sermons are great and you don't need to worry, though I know you still will.