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The Wonders of Life

Posted in life, WONDER, tagged #thewondersoflife on February 5, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Just a couple of weeks ago, those living in the Pacific Northwest were treated to a spectacular lunar eclipse.

Earlier that evening, forgetting the significance of what was to occur later, I marvelled at how big and bright the moon appeared in the sky. I drove home, listening to the news on the radio … not a mention was made of the lunar event to come, yet I kept noting the beauty of the moon.

It wasn’t until I got home and read numerous posts on social media about the start of the eclipse that I knew the excitement of this lunar event. I stood, eyes to the sky, watching the marvel unfold.

As I think back over that event, that evening, the real marvel was not the lunar eclipse, but that first sight of the moon earlier that same evening … so bright and big, and appearing to be so close.

The eclipse was exciting, noteworthy, but the moon is a wonder itself, just for appearing each evening.

The everyday things … that hot mug on a cold morning, the sunrising, the laughter with friends, the delight of bulbs greenery poking through the ground, rest at the end of a full day … these are the wonders of life, the things that bring delight to our days.

“All things bright and beautiful,
all creatures great and small,
all things wise and wonderful,
the lord god made them all.
Each little flower that opens,
each little bird that sings,
he made their glowing colours,
he made their little wings.
The purpleheaded mountain,
the river running by,
the sunset and the morning,
that brightens up the sky.
The cold wind in the winter,
the pleasant summer sun,
the ripe fruits in the garden,
he made them every one.
The tall trees in the greenwood,
the meadows where we play,
the rushes by the water,
we gather every day.

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Holy Dirt

Posted in community, life, WONDER on February 3, 2019| 2 Comments »

A new semester dawned last week at the school where I work.

The semester experience is new to me, for I had never attended nor worked in a school with such a timetable, and I love it!

To be in the midst of deep, dark and damp (in the Pacific Northwest) winter and have opportunity to start over is a great refreshment.

Our learning support classroom contains a new batch of students, with new and diverse strengths, needs and abilities. Those of last semester have a break from us, and we from them.

As each new class came and went, impressions began to develop about the new students.

Such new starts, with new students, make a sentence, familiar to those working in education, pop into my mind, constantly, as those impressions cross my mind:

Parents give you the best kids they have.

I love that sentence. It reminds me, not just that each student is the child of someone, but that they are also a human soul created by God, with a purpose.

It reminds me that I need to treat them gently, kindly, like the precious child of man and God that they are.

First impressions are never to be invested in too greatly, for their truth is based on the equivalent of a one hit wonder … with little substance to create an entire# life story.

So the semester begins, with a sense of freshness, newness … and a sense that the fresh soil sitting in the seats is holy ground.

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Circling the Drain

Posted in life, Walking with God, WONDER, tagged #circlingthedrain on January 31, 2019| Leave a Comment »

A shower or bathtub are simply great places to pray.

You’re alone, its quiet (there than the soothing sound of water falling or splashing in the tub), there are few discretions and if your prayers move you to tears, the water will just wash them away.

As I watched the water circling the drain, I thought how my bathtub prayer time can, at times, be similar to that water circling the drain.

There are times when I cry a fountain of tears, releasing the tension, as I cast my cares on the only one who can do something of worth with them.

There are bath prayer times when I haul out my list and go through it like a child with their Christmas wish list, continuing my wants and perceived needs, as though God is my great genie in the sky (or shower head, as the case may be).

There are also times when I unload my wants, my needs, and my cares, but then I keep holding onto them, spinning myself into a vortex, like the water circling the drain, into worry and anxiousness … over the things that I have little control over … I have little control over much!

Why do I want to spin that way? Why do I want to hold on to the worries that fill my heart and mind?

There are two things that I need to remember when this circling the drain happens:

I need to share my worries with God, but also with another person. We all need the support of others who will listen to us, pray for us and even be the hands and feet of God to us.
I need to remember that God, in me, makes me stronger and more capable than I could ever imagine. He makes me strong enough … not in my strength, but in his.

These words of Charles Spurgeon are also good reminders when I am circling the drain:

“There is neither in heaven nor earth nor hell anything that we need fear when we are once right with God. Settle the centre, and the circumference is secure”

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Closer than a Brother

Posted in life, Walking with God, WONDER, tagged #closerthanabrother on January 29, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Click, click, click went the four paws of our Wonderdog, through the house, looking for something, someone … me.

On this particular day, I was hidden from view by a large framed print, leaning against a coffee table, and I was snuggled up on the sofa behind it. He had been searching upstairs and down, with no luck in locating his master. I was giggling to myself, for this self-appointed protector of the household was oblivious to my presence … just a few feet away.

He is my constant companion when I am home and I frequently think of the verse from Proverbs:

” … a real friend sticks closer than a brother.”
Proverbs 18:24

Anyone who has ever had the experience of being ‘possessed’ by a dog (or cat … if it’s that kind of cat) knows of what I speak.

They think that the moon rises and falls on you. They are excited to see you arrive home, and obviously sad and rejected when you leave (without them). They position themselves always between a stranger/guest and you. They stick close, all the time. They know, though self/nature appointed, themselves to be your companion, protector.

When Solomon speaks of “a real friend sticks closer than a brother”, he is both reminding us that we can have relationships, friendships that are even closer than family. Those are those friends who we choose, who have chosen us and with whom we would go the distance with … they make our hearts soar with delight. We and they would drop what we are doing for the other. With us they laugh, cry and share the deepest of thoughts and emotions. They want to spend time with us and we with them.

He is also reminding us that Christ is also such a friend, for he too will go the distance with us … he has already gone the distance for us. He desires that we share our tears, laughter and deepest thoughts. He wants to spend time with us, to be our companion, he is our protector.

He is closer than a brother or beast.

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It is Written

Posted in GOD, life, WONDER, tagged #itiswritten on January 27, 2019| 4 Comments »

We live in a time when established or preconceived ideas are challenged. In reality, this has always been the case for there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9).

Though it sometimes makes my heart ache and my brain hurt, I do love how such challenges to my own beliefs, habits and preconceived notions force me to think more deeply, to inspect and research my rationale for what I do, what I believe.

I have been challenged in recent months and years with concerning the Bible as the source of truth. This seems to be a hot topic among those of us who call themselves Christians, or followers of Christ.

Though there are those who struggle with the word of God being written by huMAN vessels (both the human and the man parts), I do not, for I can be confident within my own understanding of God that he can accomplish his will, his work through even the most unpredictable of individuals.

I believe this to be continually proved over and over again as manuscripts, scrolls and other ancient writings have confirmed the validity of what we have today as our Bible.

Less than one hundred years ago, in a cave, a group of shepherds discovered what has become known as the Dead Sea Scrolls (found not far from the Dead Sea). There were found portions of every book in our Old Testament (except for Esther). The scrolls of the book of Isaiah were so close to what we have today as the Hebrew Bible, there were only a handful of words that differed (and they did not change the meaning of what was written). Anyone who has ever played the childhood game of Telephone knows this is no small thing!

Some will say, I don’t follow the Bible, I follow Jesus. John 1:1 tells us that Jesus was (and is) the very Word of God … from the beginning of time:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

He is our model, the one who is our light for the path (Psalm 119:105).

So, if we are to follow him, we need to keep what is said of him always in our mind:

“He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God (Jesus) and obey it.” (Luke 11:28)

“Do not merely listen to the word (Jesus), and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” James 1:22.

To live our lives truly following Jesus, the very Word of God, is no small, or easy, thing. For he took his message straight to the cross.

Jesus came to fulfill the scriptures, the prophesies, the redemption of humankind. As we look to his example, I recently was reminded of his time in the desert, being tempted by Satan.

Three times Satan begins a temptation with the words “if you are the Son of God …” then offers Jesus something that all humans may crave; satiation of hunger, immortality and power.

Each time, Jesus responds with “it is written …” He, the very Word of God, responds with referral to the scriptures.

I would say that Jesus is the greatest confirmation of the Bible.

“There’s nothing like the written Word of God
for showing you the way to salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus.
Every part of Scripture is
God-breathed and useful one way or another
—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion,
correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way.
Through the Word
we are put together and shaped up
for the tasks God has for us.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17

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Naked and Exposed

Posted in life, Walking with God, WONDER, tagged #nakedandexposed on January 24, 2019| 1 Comment »

Last January, I started the new year with the goal of dealing with a lifelong struggle, failure, and self-disappointment that I had not managed to get ahold of in a real, permanent and transforming manner.

I even wrote about it in a post called Stripped Down. In that post I focused on Hebrews 12:1, which encourages us to “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.”

Though I didn’t indicate what my goal was, I did clearly indicate that it was not just about self improvement, but dealing with sin … my sin.

Now, fifty-five weeks later, that resolution, that sin … I failed. Not only did I fail, but I am now two pounds heavier than I was when I started!

The sin of which I speak is that of gluttony, and, yes, it is a sin.

Sometimes, as Christians, we are far too comfortable to point out the sins of others, rather than our own. We are eager to speak of murder, of divorce, of stealing, of (add your own) …

We tend to judge others more harshly,
simply because
others sin differently from us.

I refuse to try to cover up my sin … one cannot cover up something so visually obvious. I refuse to call it my weakness (though it is), or say that God is patient with me (which he is) or that I need to remember that I live a life of grace, not perfection (which I do).

‘Cause, here’s the thing (and it’s not an easy or popular thing to admit, and certainly not to say),

sin is sin

Sin is not comfortable, not easy, not popular, and not pretty. It could be equated with religion and politics … it is something best to avoid speaking of in mixed groups.

But … sin IS sin.

This sin of gluttony is one of the Seven Deadly Sins (pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath and sloth), and with high rates of heart disease and Type 2 Diabetes in the top ten causes of death in developed countries, it truly is a physically deadly sin.

The Bible is clear that gluttony is a sin.

1 Corinthians 6:12-13 reminds us:

“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food.” (aka, food is not to be valued beyond it’s intent, or valued beyond God).

Deuteronomy 21:20 says:

“They shall say to the elders, “This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a glutton and a drunkard.” (when I was growing up, I never heard anything in church that equated overeating with over drinking).

Galatians 5:22-23 speaks of the opposite of sin:

“The fruit of the Spirit is “love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Self-control is the opposite of gluttony (and drunkenness).

Probably the most compelling verse, for me, comes from 1 Corinthians 6:19-20:

“You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies”

Dealing with sin is a life-long process. Perhaps this is what Paul is referring to, when he speaks of his thorn in his flesh? :

“In order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.^{2 Corinthians 12:7-10}

I’ve gotta say, I don’t think that you will hear me bragging about this weakness, this sin, but I see where Paul was going here.

The thing is that sin separates us from God. When we choose to embrace, accept and continue committing sin, we are distancing ourselves from God.

And he created us for something more.

So I return to where I started, fifty-five weeks ago …

“Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Not saying that I am joining a gym, starting a fad diet (or any diet) … for the sin of gluttony is really the sin of giving in to eating more than our bodies need. What I am saying is that sin is hard to overcome, and my focus needs to be on Jesus … the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

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Stillness

Posted in GOD, life, Walking with God, WONDER, tagged #bestill, #stillness on January 22, 2019| 1 Comment »

Today follows ‘Blue Monday’ … in the middle of the dark, the cold, winter.

Christmas is now past, summer is so far away. The bills are coming in daily, no hint of funds for vacation. The light has been replaced with dark … even the moon’s light recently eclipsed from view.

The alarm rings early, in the dark, but the body, mind and spirit cry out for more rest, more escape from the dark until the sun’s latent appearance. It is cold, wet outdoors, and we stand, feet planted in our slippers, unmotivated to move beyond the threshold.

We just want to remain … still, unmoved by circumstances or will.

“Be still …”

Two words that can be a directive, a forcing against one’s will, like the dark that forces our day to close, our bodies to tire, our minds to hibernate.

It can also be two words that are full grace, and mercy, and sanctuary.

The rhythm of our lives gives us this seasonal opportunity to naturally be still.

It doesn’t have to be just a season of bleak and barren, of down and depressed, of Netflix and novels.

“Be still
and know that I am God.”

In the still and silent, in the shadows and sadness, He no longer needs to shout for His silent whispers permeate our mind, our souls.

He is here. With us. In the stillness.

And we know it.

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Better than Money

Posted in life, WONDER, tagged #betterthanmoney, #payday on January 15, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Work should never be passionless, pointless or just something we do for payday. The reality is, though, that oftentimes we do our jobs, day in and day out, hoping that we have achieved what we most wanted to do … make a difference.

Last week I had a pay-off day, that is still paying dividends this week.

A letter handed to me, by a senior student made my day. His typed words were confirmations that I had managed to accomplish what I had most hoped … and I am still smiling.

The thing is, no matter what job we do, it is not a regular experience that our good efforts get noticed. We complete our tasks, go the extra mile, give our all and can often be left with just a paycheque in the end.

Don’t get me wrong, payday is a very good day, but there are other methods of payment that last much longer and are received with more delight than a direct deposit paycheque.

Such was my letter from a student.

Years ago, when I taught a work experience program, I always started the program by teaching the following verse:

“Don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you’ll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance.” Colossians 3:23-24

This verse is a good focus for those more common, regular days, when we don’t receive the pat on the back, the raise in pay, the ‘well done’ from our boss, or the letter from a student/client. It reminds us that our purpose is higher, that our calling and our ultimate boss is the one who placed our gifts and abilities with us.

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Morning Sky

Posted in life, tagged #freshstart, #merciesneweverymorning, #morningsky on January 13, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Though every morning there is a morning sky, there is a morning sky that speaks more intimately to my soul.

It is the sky that is free of clouds, with the horizon splashed with oranges, corals, even pinks.

It is the sky that calls ones eyes to it, to watch and await the rising of the sun.

It is the sight of the sun rising that causes a smile of satisfaction, of further anticipation of the day.

Though the sky does not always provide such a morning sky, the potential beauty and, in turn, anticipation, can be ours everyday.

As our eyes and minds awaken each morning (even if that morning begins in what might seem the dark of night) we are given the opportunity to start fresh, to do things in new ways, to speak new words.

Lamentations 3:22-24 speaks to this daily refresh opportunity:

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.””

God gives us new mercies each day. We awaken each day with forgiveness and compassion offered anew to us … we do not have to live in the storms, the mistakes, the sins of yesterday.

We can start each day saying, from our souls, “the Lord is my portion, therefore I will hope in him.”

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Peace of Mind

Posted in GOD, life, Walking with God, WONDER, tagged #lifeanywherewithgod, #morethananinsurancepolicy, #peace, #peaceofmind, #peaceofmindandheart, #thegiveristhegift on January 8, 2019| Leave a Comment »

A catch phrase that insurance companies often use is peace of mind. The idea being that if we have our life and stuff of life insured, we would, in turn, have peace of mind.

Insurance is also something that some use to describe why people should accept God’s gift of grace. The idea being that if we have been born again, or have accepted Christ as our saviour, is sometimes viewed as an insurance policy, or guarantee for our eternity.

It is as though,
if we buy the plan of salvation
our eternity is insured against hell.

Though I think that the Bible does speak to our eternity with Christ, it also speaks to our relationship with Christ being about more than just a means of protection for after this life.

It speaks to a life with him … right now.

A few weeks ago, I came across the following words of Beth Moore. The setting is in the midst of the desert. Moses is there with the Israelites, and has opportunity to speak with God in the tent of meeting. God wants Moses to lead his people toward the promised land, but Moses is not terribly confident in his own abilities and expresses desire to not be apart from God.

This is where Beth Moore does a little paraphrasing (lets call it an unauthoritative, but very applicable, translation 😉 ):

“I’d rather stay right here in this howling hellhole of a desert and have You. Either we both go or we both stay. What I want is You” … then she goes on to say, “He’d tasted and seen. He knew. The Giver IS the gift.”
(Beth Moore)

Moses had experienced the freedom and ability to go to speak with God whenever he desired. All he had to do was to enter into the Tent of Meeting, and a cloud would descend on the outside of the tent, indicating that God was present. Moses knew the sweetness, the completeness of having access to the Creator, Father, Redeemer. He knew what it was to have the words of God spoken into his ears and onto his heart.

And he could not fathom life without him.

For Moses, he would rather live anywhere, even in the dusty desert with God … without him … presumably even the Promised Land.

His desire wasn’t for eternal insurance, for someday off in the future, he desired assurance of the presence of the one who wrote the policy and paid it in full.