“Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” -Psalm 103:2-5
Head Country Barbeque is an Oklahoma-owned company. CR Head is the head of the BBQ company. CR Head’s great uncle, Donovan Head developed his first sauce while serving in the United States Navy during WW2. When Donovan returned home from the war, he began making the sauce in his own kitchen and selling it locally. For 75 years now, the Head Country BBQ brand has continued to grow and thrive.
This past winter, CR Head was driving through Oklahoma City when he saw several City employees working on a project in the cold. He decided that someone needed to recognize and celebrate the hard work that is done to keep our city streets and infrastructure working as well as they do. CR gathered his staff, their grills, and lots and lots of meat. They began grilling early in the morning, with the goal of feeding Oklahoma City’s workers.
When our local media interviewed CR, they asked why they would take time to feed so many of our city’s employees. CR said, “They are the unsung heroes, I feel like don’t get the thanks they deserve, so thank you.” He wanted to respond to the tireless, daily work that is done but so often unseen by each of us. Cooking BBQ was CR’s and Head Country’s response of gratitude.
This story caught my attention for two reasons. First, I love good BBQ—and even better, good Oklahoma BBQ. More importantly, this story is a great reminder of the importance of gratitude in our lives of faith. This is a common practice for CR Head and the staff of Head Country BBQ. They can frequently be found feeding members of different communities and professions. They know their success means they have an obligation to say, “thank you” and give back.
As a people of faith, we know we have received the love and kindness of God. Our response to who God is and what God has done is gratitude. When we understand how much God has done for us, we should then consider how we can use our gifts to respond with the same love and kindness we ourselves have received. We have so much to be thankful for. Gratitude will open our eyes to see the blessings we have received. Our gratitude will inspire us to respond in kindness and love.
Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
