Diane and I are overwhelmed by all the kindnesses shown to us these last weeks. Humbling. It will take the rest of our lives to say and write “thank you” to hundreds and hundreds of you who took time to bless us with emails, social posts, letters, cards, gifts and so much more.
What now? Job #1 for me is writing the commentary on 1 Peter for Concordia Publishing House. Other writing projects are in the works, I’ve been asked to teach this coming year, mentor new students, and work with our Advancement Division. Diane, as civic minded a person as you can find, will likely get involved in church and community.
We’ve both had the same reaction to your kindnesses. We simply tried to do our job. Every morning this, that, or the other thing had to be done. We’re not workaholics but we have loved working and will continue to work. Looking back now at our lives that are largely spent, we identify with Jesus’ parable. “Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table?” Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty’” (Luke 17:7-10).
Comedian Bob Newhart had two successful TV series. In the first he played a psychologist in Chicago; in the second he ran an inn in Vermont. When the time came to wind down the second series, there was great anticipation about the final episode. In the last scene, Bob Newhart woke up one morning back in Chicago and said, “Emily, I had a strange dream last night that I was running an inn in Vermont.” That’s the way Diane and I feel. Back in the home we’ve had for almost 40 years, working at the Seminary seems like a dream. We thank our Lord for the privilege and thank you for your countless kindnesses. “We have only done what was our duty.”