There once was an old Zen farmer. Every day, the farmer used his horse to help work his fields and keep his farm healthy. But one day, the horse ran away. All the villagers came by and said, “We’re so sorry to hear this. This is such bad luck.”
But the farmer responded, “Bad luck. Good luck. Who knows?”
The villagers were confused but decided to ignore him. A few weeks went by and then one afternoon, while the farmer was working outside, he looked up and saw his horse running toward him. But the horse was not alone. The horse was returning to him with a whole herd of horses. So now the farmer had 10 horses to help work his fields. All the villagers came by to congratulate the farmer and said, “Wow! This is such good luck!” But the farmer responded,
“Good luck. Bad luck. Who knows?
A few weeks later, the farmer’s son came over to visit and help his father work on the farm. While trying to tame one of the horses, the farmer’s son fell and broke his leg.
The villagers came by to commiserate and said, “How awful. This is such bad luck.”
Just as he did the first time, the farmer responded,
“Bad luck. Good luck. Who knows?”
A month later, the farmer’s son was still recovering. He wasn’t able to walk or do any manual labor to help his father around the farm.
A regiment of the army came marching through town conscripting every able-bodied young man to join them. When the regiment came to the farmer’s house and saw the young boy’s broken leg, they marched past and left him where he lay.
Of course, all the villagers came by and said, “Amazing! This is such good luck. You’re so fortunate.” And you know the farmer’s response by now…
“Bad luck. Good luck. Who knows?”
Christian spin – Job suffers in losing everything but holds firm to faithfulness and trust in God “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” Job 1:21
Come what may, in good times and bad, can we still praise God at the end of the day? Believing that in the end it will all work out in God’s way and in God’s time.
Blessings, Pastor Michael
- Pentecost, June 8, 2025
- Flag Day, June 14, 2025
- Trinity Sunday, June 15, 2025
- Father’s Day, June 15, 2025
- Juneteenth, June 19, 2025
Thoughts for Father’s Day
A careful man I ought to be; a little fellow follows me; I do not dare to go astray, for fear he’ll go the self-same way.
I cannot once escape his eyes; whate’er he sees me do, he tries — Like me, he says, he’s going to be, the little chap who follows me.
He thinks that I am good and fine, believes in every word of mine: The base in me he must not see, the little chap who follows me.
I must remember as I go, through summer’s sun and winter’s snow, I’m building for the years to be, for a little fellow follows me.
The Joy of Generosity
He who has received much should also give much. It is essential to give a goodly part of what God has allowed us to accumulate. Otherwise greed and miserliness will seize our hearts and minds. Furthermore, by not giving generously, we will miss the many joys that generosity brings to us. Let us not cheat ourselves of those blessings.
What is a Father?
Being a male species does not make a man a father, for a dad is a special blend of hero; disciplinarian; a friend; someone to look up to; someone to model … someone with a touch of the “mother” in him; someone who is big enough to say, “The fault was mine” … someone who lives the kind of life that makes you want to say, “I, too, shall follow him!”
Constant and Unchanging
Summer’s arrival feels positive to many people but may not be smooth for all. Families who rely on regular school meals for their children must stretch grocery dollars further. Heat poses risks for elderly people who lack air conditioning. Work can be difficult to find in the summer months, and uncertainty looms for recent graduates. Meanwhile, concerns such as wars, natural disasters and health problems don’t take a summer break. St. Teresa of Avila (1515–1582) prayed, “May you be blessed forever, Lord, for being constant and unchanging, amidst all the changes of the world.” Her prayer is as appropriate today as nearly 500 years ago. When all around us is unstable and unreliable, God’s love and faithfulness are constant and trustworthy.
Are You Listening?
A father asked his 7-year-old son to say the mealtime prayer. “All right,” the boy said. “Let’s pray.”
When every head was bowed, the boy prayed, “Lord, we thank you for the pancakes we’re going to eat tonight. Amen.”
“Jimmy,” his mother said. “I think you should know we’re having chicken, not pancakes, tonight.”
“I know,” Jimmy answered. “I just wanted to see if God was paying attention.”
An Ode to Dads
God took the strength of a mountain, the majesty of a tree, the warmth of a summer sun, the calm of a quiet sea.
The generous soul of nature, the comforting arm of night,
the wisdom of the ages, the power of the eagle’s flight.
The joy of a morning in spring, the faith of a mustard seed,
the patience of eternity, the depth of a family need.
Then God combined these qualities, when there was nothing more to add,
He knew his masterpiece was complete, and so, he called it … Dad.
What Forgiveness is and is Not
Forgiveness does not mean ignoring what has been done or putting a false label on an evil act. It means, rather, that the evil act no longer remains as a barrier to the relationship. Forgiveness is a catalyst creating the atmosphere necessary for a fresh start and a new beginning. It is the lifting of a burden or the canceling of a debt. Martin Luther King Jr.
June Mission of the Month: Home of the Sparrow