Tuesday, September 9, 2008

MY TRIBUTE

MY TRIBUTE
by
Andrae Crouch

How can I say thanks, for the things You have done for me?

Things so undeserved, yet You give to prove Your love for me.

The voices of a million angels, could not express my gratitude,

All that I am or ever hope to be...I owe it all to Thee.

To God be the Glory,

To God be the Glory,

To God be the Glory,

For the things He has done!



My heart is full to overflowing! And the portion of words to the above song keep ringing through my head. This past weekend our church family honored us for Thor's 25 years of faithful service to Bethel Baptist Church in Owasso, Oklahoma. And it was quite a celebration!

Thor first surrendered to the ministry at the age of 16. His first churches were part-time positions as music and/or youth minister. These churches were: Southside Baptist Church in Stilwater, Southside Baptist Church in Tahlequah, then Trinity Baptist Church in Claremore. It was while attending Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, majoring in Music and serving at Trinity in Claremore as music and youth minister that I met and married Thor. He had enlisted in the army so it was off to Ft. Bragg in Fayetteville, NC. Here he served as a Chaplin's assistant and also had a part-time position at Trinity Baptist Church in Fayetteville as music minister. After he got out of the army Thor got his first full-time church at Barnsdall, OK as music and youth minister. From there he went to Plainview Baptist Church in Tulsa, OK as music and youth minister, First Baptist Church in Stroud, OK as music and youth minister, and finally Bethel Baptist Church in Owasso.

Thor was originally hired as Minister of Music and Youth. After a few years the church had grown so that we needed both a music minister and youth minister. Thor was asked to do the music. He served as music minister for 16 years. The church then wanted to start a singles ministry and felt that Thor was the one for the task so he was then titled Minister of Singles and Sr. Adults (he always worked with Sr. Adults at every other church, but this was the first time he was given the official title). In June, the church found itself in need of a music minister again and asked Thor to take that position as well as his other duties. His official title now is Minister of Music, Singles, and Sr. Adults. He has many responsibilities to go with his many hats and at times jokingly says, "Ministry is my life!" But the truth of it is....ministry is his life.

Thor is 57. He has been a minister for 40 years. Ministry is his life. It is what God has called him to do....and he is good at it! Few people realize what a minister does. Most people think ministers work on Sundays and Wednesdays and have no idea what they do with the rest of their time. Well, let me say this...it is a full-time, 24/7 ministry to others. If done correctly it is a selfless profession given totally in service to others. Sometimes it can be thankless, frustrating, and heartbreaking, sometimes it is joy filled and rewarding, but all of the time it is an opportunity to be obedient to the Lord, trusting His heart when you don't understand, and maturing through the process of growth in the midst of trials.

At our church Thor is the "go to man". When someone needs something....they call on Thor. They know he does not know this word....."No."

I am very proud of Thor. We have been married for 35 years. He is my best friend, a loving husband, a wonderful Daddy and tremendous Grandpa. He is a good son and brother and you won't find a better friend. When we were dating I knew that he had been called to the ministry, as a matter of fact, I knew that God had called me to be a minister's wife, so although I can't say I knew what to expect...I knew that whatever it was that God had in store for us...ultimately it would be good....and it has been. There have been times Thor has lamented the fact that he can't give me all he wants me to have, but I have more than I need.... and want. And I can honestly say that I am content with the life that God has given us together. We love each other, and are happy....what more could you ask for?!

As I count my blessings I think of how good God has been to us. He has given both Thor and me wonderful Christian parents who love and serve The Lord and taught us how to as well. He gave us brothers and sisters that love and support us and each other. He has given us two wonderful children, our daughter, Lizardbreath, who is married to The Rock and have four beautiful children: The Professor (8), The Princess (6), The Warrior (3) and Baby J (1), and our son, The Bohemian, who is married to The Busy Bee and have two beautiful boys: Mr. Golden Curls (4) and Lil' Spitfire (2). Our children love The Lord and serve Him. There can be no greater blessing to parents than to have their children love and serve The Lord and rear their children to do the same. God has given us a church family that loves us and a beautiful home that we have the privilege to share with others when needed and even given us two cute little doggies: Sophie and Sadie...and two granddogs: Maya and Roxie. God supplies every tiny detail of life for our enjoyment. He loves us that much! I am thankful that He loves me and He is faithful even when I am not. Again! My heart is overwhelmed with his wondrous grace and mercy.

This weekend as I watched my family interact with each other talking and laughing, teasing and playing, hugging and kissing, and at times even having to discipline their children in love I felt a since of humility and honor to have been so blessed of God.

Then on Sunday morning to hear my son and his Daddy sing "How Great Thou Art", I thought my heart would burst with the sense of God's presence. That night The Bohemian sang "Be Still My Soul" and accompanied himself on the piano. Both of these songs to the Lord brought tears to my eyes and joy to my heart.

Then as the church family came through a reception line and greeted us with congratulations and remembrances followed by a time of even more words of kindness and accolades it was almost more than I could bear. And to top it off we were given an all expense paid trip to Hawaii!!

There are not enough words to express what I feel in my heart! Just the words of the song "MY TRIBUTE that keep ringing in my head:


How can I say thanks for the things You have done for me,

Things so undeserved, yet You give to prove your love for me.

The voices of a million angels could not express my gratitude,

All that I am or ever hope to be....I owe it all to Thee.

To God be the Glory,

To God be the Glory,

To God be the Glory,

For the things He has done!
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1 comment:

SoonerAggieMom said...

I've been in many churches but Thor is my favorite music man ever! I'm glad the church honored him for his work.

September 18, 2008 at 9:22 PM

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CHA-CHING!

For those of you who are too young to remember....this is all Doogie Houser's fault...all this blogging! Doogie Houser was young doctor, just a boy really. He graduated from High School at too young an age and then attended medical school graduating at the top of his class. But genius had nothing to do with how he related to the world socially so he suffered the same things that "normal" teenagers did. He would come home from his work at the hospitol and put his words to computer keys and keep track of his daily thoughts and happenings much like most teenagers did in diaries or journals. So...here we are.

I have been contemplating this blog thing for awhile, but just today finally decided to make it a reality.

Much of life is changing right now, so why not try some new things along with all the other changes.

I don't really like change very much. They say that becomes more common the older you get, and I suppose it is true. I like routine, status quo, the way things used to be. And yet, one of my favorite quotes is, "If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got!" That means if you don't want what you always got....you have to change!

So, change we do. Right now, Thor, the love of my life, is going through change on his job. What he is doing he has done before, but not for almost a decade. At first, when he told me he felt like an old dinosaur and would have to learn "how to" all over again I thought he was being silly. Until I was interviewing for jobs after 16 years and had to learn "how to" all over again. He was not being silly at all. He was being honest. There is a great deal of difference in approaching a task when you are fresh out of college and ready to take on the world idealistically and doing so when you are aware of reality. But...I am happy to say, Thor has come through with flying colors, as I knew he would, and doing a great job...at his "new" old job!

Our son, the Bohemian, has just taken a new job assignment in a new town. He has been struggling with living without his family until they can sell their house or at least rent it and move to his new location with him. It has been difficult and is getting really tiresome after five months. But, there does seem to be some parting of the clouds. The Bohemian, the Busy Bee, Mr. Golden Curls, and the Lil' Spitfire are all looking forward to the one change that will bring them all under one roof!

Our daughter, Lizardbreath, and her husband, the Rock have just returned home after being gone for nearly a month attending a business convention in Nevada and visiting Thor and I in Oklahoma. Today they are having a Princess Birthday Party for The Princess. She will be six on Tuesday! That does not seem possible. And yet another change is occuring....we are not able to be there! This is the first birthday we have missed for any of our 6 grandchildren....and I hope it will be the last. But gas prices and the fact that I will be leaving for Colorado with Tickle Sister on Tuesday made the trip impractical, especially since they were just here last week. But, we called her today and the Princess said it was alright, she got the present we sent her.

Well, time for another change. I must leave this computer and go keep Thor company....I know he is just waiting for me to add conversation and comments to his television viewing pleasure.....What?!