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Nine Days and a World Apart

Posted in community, WONDER, tagged #mournwiththosewhomourn, #ninedaysandaworldapart, #normalday, #prayforukraine, #unraine, #weepwiththosewhoweep on March 4, 2022| 6 Comments »

When our eyes open to a new day,

rising from a warm bed,

and it’s a Friday,

and the sun is rising in view,

and spring is in the air,

and food and drink are at our fingertips,

and we live under a roof with loved ones,

and the house is warm,

and we wash with warm water,

and we dress in clean clothes,

and we look forward to our tasks, our school, our work for the day,

and we will see friends,

and make plans to go out,

and pick up things we need,

and watch a movie,

and it’s quiet, peaceful …

then we remember.

We remember those in Ukraine.

Those whose days looked just like ours only days ago.

weep with those who weep
Romans 12:15

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Ashes to Ashes

Posted in Easter, WONDER, tagged #ashestoashes, #ashwednesday, #dusttodust, #humancondition, #humanmortality, #redenption, #todustyouwillreturn, #turningawayfromsin on March 2, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Ash Wednesday … a day on the calendar that has had little meaning to me, a day I knew little about.

I guess I think of it as a Catholic day, or one practised by more mainline churches (those older, established denominations, which are protestant but who hold closely to the church calendar, rituals and traditions). It is a day of the burning of Easter palms to ashes and the sign of the cross, applied to the forehead of church-goers.

But … why?

“For you were made from dust,
and to dust you will return.”
Genesis 3:19

Dust to dust … ashes to ashes

mortality.

We are reminded today, by the ashes, that we are mortal, we are subject to death. Like the palm leaves, green and full of life, we eventually fade, dry up and blow into the wind. This mortality, earned through our human DNA, damaged in the choices in the Garden of Eden, by the choices we make each and every day.

But, we are also reminded today, by the shape of the cross drawn with the ashes, that, though our bodies are mortal, fragile, our eternity is in the hands of our redeemer. It is through the gift of his sacrifice that God sees not our sin, but sees us as his.

Today we consider our human condition.

Today we look at what has been done on our behalf.

Today is an opportunity turn from our human nature, to turn from that which separates us from God, toward a daily life of closeness with him and to live with redemption in our souls.

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An Advocate to Plead our Case

Posted in Faith, GOD, life, WONDER, tagged #advocacy, #advocate, #anadvocatetopleadourcase, #wehaveanadvocate, ouradvocateisjesus on February 27, 2022| 2 Comments »

Screen Shot 2018-08-24 at 10.15.07 AM

ad·vo·cate

intercessor, consoler, comforter, helper

1 John 2:1 came to mind:

“we have an advocate with the Father …”

It was the word advocate that drew my attention.

An advocate is one who intercedes, who speaks for, who pleads a case to a higher authority. We do not have to argue our case for justice, because an advocate will speak on our behalf, will fight the fight for us.

To have one to plead our case is such a gift. Because, sometimes we need an advocate simply because we don’t have what it takes to speak for ourselves, to stand up for us when we are weak, when we are ill, when we are not at our best. One who will look at us and our condition and says the words and makes the decisions that we do not have breath to speak.

Someone who is willing to get dirty on our behalf.

I think we all, instinctively, look for such a person. One who knows us so intimately that they will speak and do for us when we cannot. Though we may come up empty in looking for such a one with skin, we do have advocate.

Who is our advocate? “Jesus Christ, the Righteous One,” (1 John 2:1b).

But, Jesus also refers to the Holy Spirit, “I will not leave you comfortless” (John 14).

Jesus, the righteous, sinless, virtuous, good. He is our advocate, it is his spilled blood that has corrected us so that we can stand before the God of this universe as righteous, sinless, virtuous and good. In a sense his blood is the rose-colored glasses through which God sees us.

Jesus who, as Charles Spurgeon said:

“Jesus.” Ah! then he is an advocate such as I want, for he loves me and takes an interest in me. Jesus is the name of one who became man for my sake. He knows what sore temptations mean; he understands what trials mean, what afflictions mean. I am glad I have one who will be interested in my welfare, and will plead for me as a friend for a friend, and as a brother for a brother.”

No better advocate can be found than one who loves us, who is interested in us, who understands what it is to experience human temptations, trials and afflictions. Not only that, but he is one who will argue our case … to death, to his own death.

That is how much he believes in us! How much he loves us.

We have an advocate, and his name is Jesus.

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Joy … it’s there in the morning

Posted in Hope, WONDER, tagged #choosejoy, #joyafterweeping, #joyinthemorning, #joyitsthereinthemorning, #receivethejoy, #sunrise on February 25, 2022| 1 Comment »

I awoke early, in the dark, to a dusting of snow on the ground, the sliver of a moon shining brightly. It was a glorious awakening. As I sat down with a steaming hot cup, facing East, the grandeur of Mt Baker already being illuminated by the dawn’s earliest light.

Ahhh! A smile spread across my face.

I inhaled peace, hope, joy …

Joy.

Exhale …

Joy comes in the morning.

Words of comfort by the Psalmist (30:5).

And it occurred to me that every morning is not so glorious. I mean, would joy come when it’s dark, starless and pouring rain for the fifteenth day in a row? I know how I would greet such a morning and it wouldn’t be feeling peace, hope or joy. I would scowl, turn my back to the firmament.

Maybe it, maybe this joy that comes in the morning (after a night of weeping) is dependent not on who offers it, but how willing I am to receive it? How willing I am to greet the day as a blank slate, as gift like a wrapped box with a golden bow, held out to me by the God of the universe, the God who created all things. And all I have to do it stop wiping the tears of the night before and hold out my hands to receive it … to receive the joy that is there regardless of my mood, my feelings, my perspective regarding rain.

Joy … it’s there in the morning.

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Laughter is the Best Medicine

Posted in Hope, WONDER, tagged #ajourneyintomycolon, #bulletinerrors, #laughter, #laughteristhebestmedicine, #laughtertodestress, #mistakesthatmakeussmile on February 23, 2022| 1 Comment »

Wanna laugh?

I think that laughter is always the best medicine … except maybe in funeral homes, though …

As my mum, brothers and I sat around a table with a funeral director, organizing the final farewell for my dad, the director offered to play a music CD at some point. It was then that I got very … honest. “There is nothing worse than ‘canned’ music at a funeral. We do not want that.” All heads pivoted in my direction, eyes wide. I immediately knew I had, perhaps, been a bit too direct in the manner I responded. The director looked down and said, “but, I specialized in CD playing at school for funeral directing.” An awkward silence filled the room, followed by uproarious laughter. It felt so good to laugh in the midst of mourning!

I love a good sit down with cat and dog videos … seriously the best way to waste time and turn a bad mood into good.

Working in a high school, there is often laughter during the work day. What is fun is how students will either misspell or misuse words when they are writing assignments or on tests. In a Christian school, confusion between the words Gentiles and genitals makes for great conversations and laughter.

Then there are errors in church bulletins. Such as, some of the following :

“Applications are now being accepted for 2 year-old nursery workers.””The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.”

“Next Thursday, there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.”

“At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be ‘What is hell?’ Come early and listen to our choir practice.”

“Announcement to the Moms Who Care ladies group: There will be no Moms who care this week.”

“Ladies, don’t forget the rummage sale. It is a great chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Don’t forget your husbands.”

One of my favorite stories that makes me laugh hard every time I read or hear it is the story told by Dave Barry (click on link … it is SO worth it!) about a journey into his colon. Nothing like a colonoscopy story to give one a good ‘ol laugh til you cry moment.

People, I don’t know about you, but my need for laughter, for good ‘ol belly laughs, with tears pouring down my face has increased exponentially over the past couple of years. There has been so much to bring us down, to make our moods sombre, to steal our hope … to divide us. But laughter … it soothes the soul, lightens the heart and brings people together.

I hope this helps to give a smile to your day.

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Can’t Escape

Posted in Walking with God, WONDER, tagged #cantescape, #godisalwaysthere, #godstalks, #hope, #icantgetaway, #youcantescapegod on February 18, 2022| Leave a Comment »

For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed,
but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,
and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,”
says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
Isaiah 54:10

Death and taxes … that is said to be the only guarantees in life. Sounds kinda grim and it is, if one lives without God in their life. For God in our lives guarantees one more thing …

hope.

The thing is that even for those who do not walk with God, he walks with them. I often visualize him as that shadow that is just on the edge of our periphery, that presence in an otherwise empty room, a whisper that is only heard inside our own heads, the sense of touch, of embrace when one is alone.

I kinda think of the Spirit of God like a stalker, who hovers, awaiting an invitation to enter into our life, to lead rather than to follow. His ghostly presence, causing the heebie jeebies for those who have yet to welcome him in, is the essence of peace for those who rely fully on him to do life.

For those in whom the Spirit lives, there is another reality …

you cannot get away from the Spirit.

There is no hiding, or ignoring or running away from him. He is simply always there.

Always near.
Always loving.
Always right beside.

His presence is comfort, peace to those who know him. The awareness of him in our lives gives hope for the future, whether it is decades of life on this soil, or hours.

The other day the song (below) started to play and was absorbed into my otherwise preoccupied mind and soul as I’d spent that day in constant prayer for another. My heart was heavy, immersed in the weight of those circumstances. Then these words pierced my mind:

You love me when I’m lost
You love me til I’m found
Your love it surrounds me
I can’t get away

I tell you, he’s always there, you can’t escape him.

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For After Valentine’s Day …

Posted in Love, WONDER, tagged #expectations, #february15, #foraftervalentinesday, #godslove, #greatexpectations, #hallmarklove, #lovethatexceedsexpectation, #theonewhoislove on February 15, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Yesterday was the day of love (does anyone else hear the voice of Barry White?). At least, the day of love, the Hallmark version.

So, I am thinking that the day after a day with so many expectations (and we have all had them at some point), some expectations that may have come to fruition, but probably many more that did not … and that is real life.

The other day, I was reminded by a poet about the love that

exceeds expectations …

every. single. time.

"He said love is patient, then He said: I am love
He said love is not not easily angered, then He said: I am love
He said love keeps no record of wrongs, then He said: I am love
He said love always protects, then He said: I am love
He said love always overcomes, then He said: I am love
He said love never fails, then He said: I am love"
- Unka Glen


As I read each line, I could (literally) feel the love.
The love of truth of those words. 

The love of One who is love.

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We Love Because …

Posted in Love, tagged #becausehelovesus, #galentinesday, #greekwordsforlove, #romanticloveisnttheonlylove, #valentinesday, #welovebecause, #whatislove on February 13, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, today (did you know?) is Galentine’s Day. It is the day to celebrate friendships.

According to Cosmopolitan magazine online, Galentine’s Day is worth celebrating “because regardless of whether you’re coupled up this month, romantic love isn’t the only kind of love that deserves all the attention.”

The Greeks had multiple words for love.

Philautia is love of self. Though it can become selfish, it is actually really important as a foundation for loving others (many verses in the Bible refer to loving others as self, so if we do not love self, how can we love others?).

Philia is the love of Galentine’s day … it is the love between friends who share mutual affection and devotion.

Ludus, or playful love is like the flirty interchanges between people who just meet.

Eros, or sexual love. THIS is what seems to be most ‘advertised’ leading up to February 14.

Pragma is the long-haul committed form of love.

Storge is love within families and/or friends who feel dependent on each other.

Mania is … not a healthy form of love. Think obsession.

Agape is the most unselfish, undemanding. There is NOTHING required or expected from someone loving in the agape way. Truly, I think it is other-worldly, for how can one love, and love, and love and never (not once) expect something in return, yet keep loving? There is only one who can love like that.

Jesus love is that agape love. He loves and loves and never, not once, expects anything in return. That is not to say that he does not hope for us to love him.

Whenever I think of agape love I think of the love a mum has for her newborn. That is full-on, full effort love. There is no payback, no guarantee of the love being reciprocated. It is just 24-7 work! And yet, mums do it. They love, because this child is theirs … irregardless of whether or not the child chooses to (ever) love back.

Love is … so varied.

My mind keeps coming back to the Cosmo quote,

romantic love isn’t the only kind of love

Don’t get me wrong, lit candles, sweet words whispered and spine-tingling touch are delightful, but love …

love is more than flowers and feelings. It is more than wrapped gifts and going to a restaurant.

It is more than receiving …

it’s giving, and hard, and for the benefit of another/others.

Here’s the thing …

We love each other because he loved us first

1 John 4:19

No manner of love, be it for ourselves, our family, our lover, our friends or neighbors …

none of it is possible except that the ultimate love was offered to us, at a cost, by the very creator of heaven and earth and us.

And so, as we stock up on Hallmark’s priciest greeting cards, and boxes of chocolates, and light the candles, and share heart-shaped cookies, this love of a day or of 365 days … they are all possible because we are loved, because He loved us, giving his best and brightest as evidence.

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What’s Your Main Thing

Posted in Walking with God, WONDER, tagged #fullofthespirit, #godiscenter, #howdowespendourtime, #keepingthemainthingthemainthing, #spendtimeintheword, #themainthing on February 11, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Numero uno?

Top dog?

Big cheese?

The main thing?

What’s yours?

Now, think about it … give it some time, thought.

What is the main focus of your life?

Got an answer for it? If not … keep thinking. If so … keep reading.

To know what is our main thing
is to look at how and where we spend
our time, our money, our energies.

This explanation of what defines our main thing is kinda clear in the Bible. Matthew 6:33 says it straight and to the point:

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,
and all these things will be added to you.”

Ugh! This is now humbling … agreed?

What I want my main thing to be is Christ.

But, if my main thing is defined by how I spend my time, money and energy, I am not sure that what I might say my main thing is, actually is my main thing.

So, we know the goal … for God to be the main thing in our lives … now, to live it. But, we cannot aim for such a lofty goal in a solo trek. This life isn’t a sprint, but a marathon. So, to make it through the long and winding race of life, we need help.

In Luke 4:1-13, Jesus was alone in the dessert … or was he?

The telling of this event indicates that Jesus went into the desert “full of the Holy Spirit” (V.1). Each time Jesus was tempted by something he humanly might have desired (you know, things that could have become his main things), he replied each time with “it is written:” (v.4, 8, 12). He knew the Word! Therefore we need to know the word!

Keep in communication with God … all throughout your days.

Spend some time each day in the Word.

Aim to make God your (my) main thing.

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Noises, Irritations and Struggles

Posted in Walking with God, tagged #compassionateirritations, #idontthinklikegod, #noisesirritationsandstruggles, #temporarystruggles, #thelumberjackandthenestingbird on February 9, 2022| 2 Comments »

Once upon a time there was a lumberjack who was hired to cut down several trees atop a mountain.

He went to the first tree and noticed a bird, building a nest.

Now, this lumberjack was a compassionate soul, who loved all living things. He knew that he would be cutting that tree down and he didn’t want the bird to build its nest there. So, he picked up a wooden mallet and hit the tree hard and loud. This disturbed the bird in the tree and she flew to another tree.

Now, the lumberjack knew that he would also be cutting that tree down so he walked over to it and hit it with his mallet. Again the bird moved further into the forest to another suitable tree to build a nest for her babes.

This process reoccured numerous times, taking the lumberjack further and further from where he desired to begin cutting trees. Each time the bird flew off, each time the lumberjack banged on the tree to discourage her from nesting there.

Finally, hours later, the bird was out of the area where the lumberjack was to cut the trees down. So, her turned and walked back to where he was to begin to fulfill his job.

I heard this story told this weekend and could see myself in that determined bird … maybe you will too.

So many times in my life I am distracted from what I want to do, what I hope to do … even good things, by irritations, noises and even struggles. So, I alter my course, but stick to my plan, getting irritated again by other irritations and noises.

Those are the times I often have words with God. Saying something like,

“what the heck?!”

“why is this happening?”

“why don’t you intervene?”

“why?”

“you are supposed to be good”

I bet all of these prayers sound like the angry, irritated chirps of that momma bird. I bet she had no idea that the irritating noises, causing her to move from tree, to tree, to tree were actually saving the life of she and her babes. That the temporary struggle was actually an act of compassion, of love.

“I don’t think the way you think.
The way you work isn’t the way I work.”
God’s Decree.
“For as the sky soars high above earth,
so the way I work surpasses the way you work,
and the way I think is beyond the way you think.”
Isaiah 55:8-9

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