Today will go down in the official Rev. B. Andrew Oliver archives as a truly great day for at least two reasons. Number one, I think with God’s help I have returned to the sunnyside of life after a couple of weeks in the clouds. I will confess to you I am not a giant Christmas person. I am a Thanksgiving guy. Now don’t go telling everybody in town that your pastor doesn’t love Baby Jesus because he does. It’s just that Christmas at times becomes quite stressful and regretfully the season can often end with a sigh of relief rather than a song of rejoicing. In addition to my usual cheery holiday attitude, I have been dealing with the worst cold in recorded history. It was not the flu. Influenza almost always includes a visit from Satan. Today, I felt better. I saw Jesus at work in the lives of His people, my body feels like I am 62 again as opposed to somewhere in the low 100’s and I was reminded that this is indeed a most wonderful time of the year. All is well…
It also became evident to me today that I have the best job in the world among some of the finest people in the world. This is not something you say around budget time, when you want to look tired, burdened by stress of bearing the world’s problems so people will say, “Are you okay Andy?” and I can say very dramatically and pitifully…”I’ll be alright”. No, I can say with all honesty that I know I am blessed to be among the good folk at PSBC and today that sentiment was reinforced with a bonus. I worked with my church family and numerous other church families at the Shelby Mission Camp/ Associational toy store. It was a blessed experience working together with fellow believers, meeting the needs of the less fortunate among us. Jesus was there as we handed toys to parents and guardians and forced cookies and candy into hands of the little children who would return to their home’s “READY TO RUMBLE!” I spent the majority of my time on the vehicle loading team with a couple of friends from Elizabeth Baptist and our own PSBC crew…a good time was had by all!
Thank you Matt Harris and PSBC Brotherhood for partnering with our Greater Cleveland County Baptist Association and offering me the opportunity to enjoy the season and thank you Poplar Springs for being the gracious, generous, loving congregation that you are. I will go ahead and say thank you from Kim as well… I think Scrooge took a sabbatical today.
Merry Christmas Church Family. You are Loved!
Andy O.