To all the other KING'S Men,
This past week I was in San Antonio, TX at the annual Tri-Synod Theological Conference. It's the annual gathering of clergy and AiMs to learn, connect and as our bishop Mike Rinehart said, "tend to our self-care." It was a good three days filled with both joy and a couple of heartaches.
On Tuesday, I was told by Pastor Steve Cauley (Advent, Houston) that "Mr. Cardenas was in the hospital and not expected to live." He told me this because even as I was never L.F. Cardenas' pastor, I considered him a brother and friend on this journey of faith we all share together. This news was echoed by Pastor Larry Beck the next morning and Saturday I learned that a celebration of Mr. Cardenas' life would be held today. So, I'm writing this note in his honor and to the glory of God during the time of the funeral of which I wanted to but could not attend.
It is a great thing that we do as Lutheran Christians. We do not worship our dead, but we take time to celebrate the lives of our family and friends and remind ourselves that "our day will come, too!" I did not know L.F. Cardenas well. But, what I do know of him will never be forgotten. I did not know where or when he was born. I did not know his wife or his family. I've never been to his home and I don't know what kind of work he did when he was younger. But, I did know that he was a quiet leader at Advent Lutheran Church in Houston and I did know that he had a bad heart and had surgery in years past. This "bad heart," though, was also a "great heart" and that is what I want to relay to you...
In the Fall of 2003 I shared an idea with the Lutheran men of this synod at a gathering at Redeemer Lutheran Church on Lawndale. About 3-4 congregations were represented. Mr. Cardenas was present. We had chicken and I recall the green beans were excellent! I met many of the leaders of men's ministry in our synod over the past 25 years. I and one other member of my congregation were the "youngest" ones there and the idea I shared was about having an old fashioned "father-son-grandfather" kind of gathering to raise money to purchase LMM Master Builder Bibles to give to younger men in our synod.
The idea was simple. Throw a party. Sing. Men can sing well when they are together! Eat a good meal. Have a great keynote address. Make it lasting as we DO something for others. It would take a lot of men to make happen and that night as I shared the idea, I said, "I'll do this; I'll try to make it happen, but as of right now...we have no speaker, no date, no place and no money." All agreed the idea was worth pursuing and over the next few months, it happened!
And here is where L.F. Cardenas comes in. As the Lutheran men left the gathering that night many of them shook my hand and encouraged me to 'get 'er done'... but one man came to me, did not even introduce himself but placed a tattered $10 bill in my hand and said, "here's some seed money for your project. Good luck." I thanked him and asked who he was and then went home with a spirit of great joy and hope. And I took the $10 bill and placed it in an envelope and tucked in my office desk drawer.
And so, with the help of many leaders in our congregations, the support of Bishop Paul Blom, and many other pastors in our synod along with some additional seed money in the form of a grant from Thrivent for Lutherans, we had an event...one that men still talk about and one that has yet to be rivaled...with almost 300 men in attendance represented by 3 generations and honoring our Jr. Hi and HS male athletes, then head coach Dom Capers of the Houston Texans gave a wonderful keynote address along with words of inspiration from LMM National Director Mr. Doug Haugen and with music from the Harbor Light Choir made up of recovering alcoholics and those with other chemical addictions. See the story on http://www.elca.org/ and click Lutheran Men in Mission to open the pdf file for "Foundations" Spring 2004 issue... We raised over $5000 via a silent auction of sports memorabilia and as they say, "a good time was had by all."
At that gathering I found Mr. Cardenas among the men from Advent church. I walked up to him with a big smile, reached in my pocket and pulled out a tattered $10 bill. "do you remember this?" I asked him. He smiled and didn't say a word. I went on, "See what your $10 got us? Thank you L.F., your 'seed' has blessed the lives of many!" He told me that he was glad to be able to do this and I was satisfied that his good deed was recognized and I thought that would be the end of it...not so...there's more...
As the evening was winding down and as people were leaving the Clarion Hotel on Hwy. 290, Mr. Cardenas approached me and was carrying a big smile as well. He grabbed my hand, and place what I perceived as another $10 bill with the words, "here, this is for your next banquet!" Then he walked away and as he did I turned my hand over to discover that the $10 bill was actually a $100 bill which led me to tears to think that there are those still in this church who have such a spirit of generosity. And then the miracle occurred...one that only God could have provided...
Now, the banquet hall was even less crowded, the hotel crew was cleaning tables and I told some of the men from my congregation of L.F.'s gift...Coach Capers was standing in that circle and heard the story and then reached in his wallet and said, "here, I'll match that $100! I had a great time tonight." And now you need to also know that Coach Capers came almost an hour before the event was to begin. He signed autographs, took pictures with fathers and sons and grandfathers and refused any kind of honorarium for speaking. "I only do this kind of thing 2-3 times a year, " he told me. While we were blessed by his words, obviously Mr. Cardenas' 'seed' had blessed Coach Capers too.
And that's my story. That's my encounter with a quiet yet generous man of God. And I suppose if you ask the men (and pastors) at Advent Lutheran Church on Pinemont in NW Houston they will tell you other stories of the quiet generosity of one L.F. Cardenas. And I know they will! That was not my last conversation with L.F. We have spoken several times since then and I will miss him at our annual synod men's gathering at Grace, Conroe this weekend. And I hope as many men in our synod as well as our pastors can come and give thanks to God for the life of L.F. Cardenas and all those who have helped shape the future of men's ministry in this synod.
One man at a time; no man left behind.
Brian
