August 2023

Pastor’s Note and Intro to Knox News:

The storm had passed over us during an engagement party in Cleveland for a friend. Heading home on 90W Jess and I noticed traffic slowing in front of us. We were tempted to get off and find an alternative route, but the GPS showed no delays. Slightly hesitant, we joined the crowd on 90 for the next hour.

Jess was amazing at keeping conversation and good music going… but I was stuck both physically and mentally. Couldn’t stop myself from going back over my decision to not get off the highway. Couldn’t stop myself from thinking, we could be home now…

Or maybe I could but wouldn’t.

Whereas I’m not sure of the weird wiring of my brain, I am certain that I wasted an hour stewing, instead of connecting. I let frustration overshadow opportunity. I couldn’t change the lake that had formed on 90 W at Exit 164, but I could change my attitude.

There’s a whole lot in our world that we can’t impact though we might like to. I guess the invitation is to identify what is ours to do. If I can’t effect change in one sphere of life, what sphere can I effect?

I deeply appreciate the Serenity Prayer of AA originally written by theologian Reinhold Niebuhr (1892–1971) 

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
and the Wisdom to know the difference.

Original Prayer

God, give me grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen.