Special Gifts

A gift is something given to someone without cost or without expectation of a return favor. The most unexpected gifts are often the most remembered. Some gifts aren't recognized or appreciated until long after they are given. 

 The Gift of Memories. When I was a teenager this drive in theater sat where the County shop is now on the west edge of Oskaloosa. I was sort of prohibited from going because my folks thought movies were a bad influence. One Sunday evening my friends and I decided to go see a movie. I broke three rules at once. First by going. Next on Sunday. And finally several of us hid in the trunk on the way in so we didn't have to pay. Wow. I feel guilty even telling you about it.

I'm sure some of you around this community remember this place. I bet a few of you even hung out there occasionally. Now there were two things I remember were totally off limits for me. The rock and roll radio station KIOA. And the Pizza Den. What's wrong with pizza? My folks said there was beer and dancing there. :) I went in once to check it out. Was afraid the whole time my Dad would walk in and find me.

Five years ago this past week my brother Dan passed away. He was special needs. Back then they called it mentally retarded. He was not only an inspiration to our family but to our church and community as well. As Darla says about her son Lucas, "When I get to heaven I will be more like him than he will be like me". Childlike trust. Contentment. Joy. Truthful. No walls or masks. Having a special brother for 52 years was a special gift.

I could NOT find a picture of the old Wiggs Store with the sign where the cow is jumping over the moon. In the early 1950s it was called the Milky Way Dairy. In the late 1950s Lois and her husband Wigg bought the store. They owned it for nearly 60 years.

 It was purchased and recently reopened. Becky and all our old friends from Andersons in Beacon work there. They have great pizza and sandwiches including the Beacon Burger. While I was in town this past week son Mike called, said he had ordered pizza for lunch for the shop crew, and asked if I would pick it up. During my pick-up I met Lois.

 The Gift of Unexpected. Now Lois was worried about the snow and ice on the sidewalk and mentioned she didn't want to fall on her way to the car. She was in picking up lunch herself. Since Becky and the crew were busy cooking I scooped some snow and walked Lois to her car safely. Lois told me she was married to Wigg who passed away in 2011 and she and her husband were the owners of the Wiggs Milky Way for 60 years with the cow jumping over the moon. We talked about twins. She said she grew up with twin brothers in this area. Leland worked much of his life at Wakes and Leo at Bloom Builders.

The Gift of Failure. BJ and Cassia's cows are starting to have calves. This calf totally stumped me. It would not drink milk from his mother or a bottle. John was kicked hard. Failing at something isn't a matter of if. Rather a matter of when.

We moved the pair home to the catch chute, gave the cow a tranquilizer shot (she still kicked, just in slow motion), milked her, and once again tried to bottle feed her calf. No go. Failing causes us to think about plan B. When we strike out we think about what we should change. We learn. We build character. We grow.

Finally plan B was to load the calf up and take him to my brother Doug and his kids. Plan B should have been three days sooner. Failing is not the end of the world. It means we are trying. I think our culture today often raises failure deprived kids. Parents that won't let their children try and fail and try again. There needs to be a loving hands off approach sometimes.

The Gift of Influence through serving. Whether your in the Statehouse, the schoolhouse, or your families house real influence comes through serving. One needs respected in order to have an influence. Respect must be earned, not demanded, and is a gift that can't be bought. Leaders often have their most influence in a small group rather than a chamber. In a one on one conversation rather than in front of a microphone. In the background rather than in the media.

There is Bible study and prayer on Thursday mornings at the Capital. I was privileged to sit with Ken and Mark, my neighbors, and Chuck. Devotions were led by Representative Terry and talked about demonstrating love by serving.

Devotions at the Capital ended with Jewish guests who were there to open the Senate that morning with prayer. They showed us the Torah. The Torah is the first five books of the Bible written by Moses. The scroll you see below is animal skin and is written from right to left in Hebrew.

The gift of Community. Friday evening was the annual fundraising Bazaar and Auction at our local Christian school in Oskaloosa. Thanks to Joel for auctioneering. Also Holley, Adam, Kurtis, Lisa and the rest of the committee for making it happen. Thanks to those of you that donated items and services. Thanks to those of you that attended and purchased. Church, school, neighbors, and co-workers are all community and are gifts.

 The gift of Generations. The gift of family is also a special gift and with family comes generations. God created family to have one generation pass His love and hope and His story (history) to the next ones. We pass that gift by word (stories), deed (actions), and example (role model). 

Last evening Jan and I took the older grandkids to Tasos Steakhouse for supper. We had lots of conversation between cousins. The older boys kept drinking ice tea to see how often our waiter would refill. :) I left him an extra tip.

The gift of Answered Prayer. Life would be impossible without the gift of family and community and the gift of caring. We thank you all for praying for BJ and Cassia during BJ's surgery in the Cayman Islands. Communication has been mostly limited to Snapchat. BJ, Cassia, and the doctors all think the surgery was a success and feel BJ will be helping farm this spring. We do all need to encourage BJ to continue to take it easy for a few weeks while he continues to heal.

I just received this snap a minute ago. BJ is with Miguel, their helper and driver for the time they were in Cayman. He and Cassia are on their way home this morning and should be back together with their family by early evening.

The Gift of Promise. Many of you either have experienced or are experiencing struggles. God doesn't promise a struggle free life. He does however promise to hold and help you during those struggles and often uses those around you to accomplish His purpose. God's purpose is a plan to give you a future and a hope. It's promised in His Word. Let's be open for opportunities to be God's special gift to others through our acts of serving. Have a great week.