Me, Chapel, and a four legged Duck...

Originally posted to Pathways earlier this year...

Me: Let me introduce myself. I am the new Chaplain, Jon Estes. You can call me Pastor Jon, as I have not gotten used to the title “Chaplain” yet. In the articles I prepare for Pathways, my goal is to encourage all who read. I will, at times, be serious and at other times funny (or I will attempt to be). So, when you find time, sit back, relax, and let your mind enjoy the article.

Chapel: On Sundays, I plan on preaching most of the messages. I look forward to having guests in to preach and/or sing at different times. I will have two requirements: 1) Preach the Word, 2) Encourage the people. If there needs to be a third, make them smile. In my sermon for January 2, I preached from Genesis 8 on the potter and the clay. I am unsure how much was remembered from my sermon points, but the residents do remember the four-legged duck.

Four-Legged Duck: In Genesis 1, we see the following… 20 Then God said, “Let the water swarm with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.” 21 So God created the large sea creatures and every living creature that moves and swarms in the water, according to their kinds. He also created every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.” On this 5th day of creation, God created ducks and he said it was good. When I was in 1st grade, I created a duck too. It was my piece of clay. It was my assignment to be the potter and make something. It was my joy to bring my freshly made treasure home as a gift to my mother. It was my sadness to hear her ask; “What is it?” I responded quizzically; “What do you mean, what is it? It’s a duck!” Then my mother stated clearly (I can still hear her); “But, it has four legs.”

So, the duck created by this super-intelligent 6-year-old did not compare to the God-made ducks, but the fallible 1st grade potter still enjoys owning the 56-year-old duck. That treasure is currently sitting on my desk in my office. I am considering letting it be on loan to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC. Until then, the duck is not for sale. At least not today.

Life Lesson: Thank God for His creation and let Him continue to mold you as only He can. Also, encourage the little ones in your life to be creative. It is likely we all have a four-legged duck deep inside us.