Appreciation Sunday November 14, 2010 “The Power of Appreciation” Reverend Michael D. Powell John 6:16-21

Our scripture sets the mood: It’s dark. The disciples are alone, without Jesus. They’re out in deep water, over their head. The wind is picking up, and the seas are getting rough. They’re rowing hard, and they’re exhausted.

Get the picture? We live in dark and stormy times. There are wars and rumors of war. Every day seems to bring a new terror threat. They say the economy is getting stronger, but it’s hard to see. There’s still record unemployment, plus foreclosures and bankruptcies aplenty. And every time you check the news it seems there’s a new tragedy of biblical proportions: earthquakes, floods, famines, disease. It’s dark, the storms of life are raging, and we’re working so hard, rowing against the wind, but it’s pretty obvious that we’re in over our heads. Come, Lord Jesus!

And then, thank God, Jesus does come, in peace, calmly walking across the stormy sea of our lives. We are terrified, and the first words out of his mouth are, “It is I; do not be afraid.” Thank you, Jesus! We need to hear that, don’t we? “It is I; do not be afraid.” I’m sure you know by now that I really like untraditional depictions of Biblical stories. Here are two painting that appeal to me. The first is a black Jesus strolling across the waves. The second depicts the calm presence of Christ, and is called Jesus Meditating on the Water:

As unique and original as these painting are, Jesus wasn’t being particularly original when he admonished his disciples to trust God. He was resting in the promise of the Hebrew Scriptures that he was raised on from the time he was a boy. Trusting God has always been the key to overcoming the storms of life. Martin Luther’s great hymn of faith, “A Mighty Fortress is Our God,” which we just sang, is based on Psalm 46. It contains some of the most hopeful and promising words in all of scripture, especially appropriate for these troubled times. I’m sure I was just one among thousands of pastors and rabbis who used it on the Sunday after 911: “God is our refuge and strength . . . Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea . . . God is in the midst of the city, it shall not be moved . . . the nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter . . . God makes wars cease to the end of the earth . . . Be still, and know that I am God! ”

It’s all well and good to say that trusting God is the key to overcoming fear, but how? How do we actually do this? How do we translate fear into trust and trust into peace and joy? Perhaps one word of encouragement comes from the great Mark Twain who once said, “I’ve been through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened.” In other words, we can start by realizing that many of our worst worries are rooted in fear, not facts. Things are bad, but probably no worse than we think they are!

I’d like to offer two steps that I think you’ll find helpful. It’s essential that we act, to engage and do what we can to help make the world a better place, but first we must overcome the sometimes overwhelming feeling of helplessness and hopelessness. We have to find courage and confidence and inspiration and ground ourselves in that peace before we can step out in action. It’s like an in-breath and an out-breath. Both are necessary.

So, first, the in-breath! In Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians he writes: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances.” [5:16-18] There are certain practices for learning to do a better job of maintaining our awareness of God’s presence, and for giving thanks in all circumstances.

Several decades ago two researchers, Dr. Michael McCollough of Southern Methodist University and Dr. Robert Emmons of the University of California, Davis, conducted a study on the role of gratitude in a person’s sense of well-being. They asked several hundred people to participate in their study. One group kept a journal, noting all of the events that happened each day. Another group noted only the unpleasant experiences of each day. A third group kept a journal of those things that occurred each day that they were grateful for. The group that took the time to record the things they were grateful for each day showed “higher reported levels of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, optimism, and energy” and lower levels of depression and stress. They also felt more loved and were more inclined toward acts of kindness. In light of this research, they suggest that anyone can increase their sense of well-being and create positive social effects just from counting their blessings. (1)

So, I challenge you to try something for one week and see what happens. Even though it’s a dark and scary world and there is much to fear from the storms of life, still, just before you go to bed, take a notepad and write down five things you are thankful for from your day. Look for the positive signs of God’s healing, comforting, guiding presence in your life, in the world. Be still, breathe deeply, and listen carefully! Then thank God for these things and pray that they empower your life. Keep a Gratitude Journal religiously for seven days and see what happens as you cultivate the power of awareness and appreciation.

The second key to overcoming fear and finding peace is the out-breath, the activism. Once we are grounded in the awareness of God’s loving presence, we don’t just relax and stop there. We need to take our eyes off ourselves and live a life of service and generosity. In Paul’s First Letter to Timothy he admonishes Timothy to preach to the people of Ephesus, particularly those with resources, “do good, be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share . . . so that you may take hold of the life that really is life.” Isn’t that a great phrase? “The life that really is life!”

We’re concluding our Stewardship drive this morning, but we all know that stewardship isn’t just about one month out of the year, nor is it only about money. True stewardship is a lifestyle. It’s a way of living simply and with generosity, always looking for ways to be of service. Living your life in that manner makes a profound difference. Not only does it bring you joy; it also provides an influence that changes the hearts and minds and lives of those who witness your commitment and your generosity.

My grandma Estes lived to be 99 years old. She was a devoted Christian and a lifelong Methodist, who is probably the one person most responsible for me going into the ministry. She, along with Betsy Stuller, helped get the original soup kitchen started at Jason Lee. When she was 90 years old I interviewed her and wrote her life story. I’d like to read you a brief passage.

“The first thing I did when I moved to Salem was look for volunteer work. I went to the hospital to see if they had volunteer work there. They said they needed somebody to push the bookmobile around. But I couldn’t push that thing. I had just had a heart attack. So I went from there to the Methodist Home. Mr. Vilkey was the manager there and he almost hugged me when I came in. They needed volunteers. I worked there for ten years; and loved it. I was a roustabout. I sorted the mail and when they needed a program for entertainment I organized that. I worked in the office and ran the duplicating machine. I took cookies to the people who did the performing. And I felt good.” Grandma knew the joy of service.

I am continually impressed by the number of you who live a life of service, who know what it is to live the life that is really life. A lot of you are retired, but that hasn’t slowed down your willingness to be of service. Some of you may not be able to put as much in the offering plate as you’d like, but I see you donating food and taking it to the Food Bank, delivering Meals on Wheels, Cleaning 12^th Street, working in the community and here around the church doing every manner of unsung job, from dusting the sanctuary and straightening hymnals to working with kids, weeding the flowerbeds, cleaning gutters and sweeping the parking lot. I love seeing you work! I can’t believe all the ways you serve your God, your community and your church.

And, I know it’s a little risky to single any one person out for praise, but when I first started thinking about my grandma, do you know who came to mind? Edie Neff. I’m sorry if I’m embarrassing you, Edie. But Edie is going to be ninety years old on December 5^th. She’s put in her time, and she’s got every right to kick back and let other people do the heavy lifting. But every 5^th Sunday she’s still a regular volunteer at the Soup kitchen. I arrive around 1 o’clock and she’s already been there for over an hour, working in the kitchen cutting vegetables or dishing up desserts. Then, when we open the doors, she’s got her little counter machine and she’s keeping track of how many folks we serve. And not only is she there, but three of her kids are also right there working along with her. I’d say she’s set a pretty good example for living a life of service and generosity. And I suspect it brings her joy!

So, on this Appreciation Sunday, I want to say thank you to all of you for your faithful stewardship! Yes, we are living in uncertain times, socially, politically, and economically. But the key to finding peace and joy in the midst of these times is trusting God. Breathing in, we have the promise that we are not alone. Breathing out, we act upon our trust in God by seeking to give thanks in all circumstances, by choosing to serve others, and by practicing generosity. As we begin to do these things, we will find our fear giving way to faith. That’s the promise and the power of appreciation. Thanks be to God.

(1) Quoted by Adam Hamilton, from, “Gratitude Theory,” as reported on The Osgood File (CBS Radio Network), Dec. 19, 2001, and July 12, 2002; http://www.acfnewsource.org/religion/gratitude_theory.html.)