Prayers for #ga139

31 May posted by

Cross

The General Assembly of my denomination is meeting this week. In simple terms it’s the meeting where things are decided for the whole church in Canada. My husband who was raised Roman Catholic says the Presbyterian System operates like the Borg on Star Trek without a Queen. There is no one person directing the ship and that in his opinion is why things take so long to get things done. I think this is a rather simplistic view of things but an entertaining one nevertheless.

Anyways, the meeting began today and I noticed in my Facebook stream that a live feed would be streamed online. I clicked the link to check it out and was met with a statement that indicated the feed was not live and as I was looking at it on an iPad I wouldn’t be able to view it.  My first thought was “Are they running on time delay?  Are they worried about a Janet Jackson moment?” which was followed by “Oh well, I tried.  I wonder if we have pudding…”

While the tweets have not been plentiful and the updates irregular I am interested in what is happening. The future of our church is in the hands of the attendees. It is my prayer that God enters the halls of assembly to help with discernment and understanding. May we as a church be filled with a sense of urgency, renewed in faith and hope and surrounded by God’s presence so that as we move forward we are moving with God, not against him.

As the assembly gathers I find myself thinking of the future, of possibilities. I wonder what will happen over the coming year and I contemplate the church as I know it. I wonder what you are thinking. Do you have hopes for the Church as it moves ahead? What issues do you think the Christian Church needs to address and where do you think God is leading us in this fast changing world in which we live?

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Filed Under: Church, Church Stuff

A dangerous thing.

25 Apr posted by

Dangerous
As I’ve told you, it looks like my time of regular supply is coming to an end and I was doing well with this information until I realized how much time I am going to have on my hands when it happens. The thing is I love crafting services for Sunday. Digging into the word and finding interesting, compelling ways of sharing stories we’ve all heard time and again is challenging. Finding the heart of the message and engaging it is a thrill. I’m going to have way too much time on my hands when that work stops.

The future’s not looking too good from where I sit right now. I like to be busy. I feel productive and happy when I’ve got something on the go.  Over the past week I’ve been found sitting at my desk listening to music without writing, watching countless episodes of Community and opening many books without actually reading a line in them. I have too much time on my hands and that’s a dangerous thing for me.

I’m not ungrateful for all I’ve been given. I recognize that these three years have been a marvellous blessing for my family.  When my son was sick we were lucky to have the resources available to allow me to stay home and be there for him. I’ve worked whenever I was able to.  It’s just that it’s now sinking in that that’s going to stop.  All the plans I’ve been making and ideas I’ve been working on will probably come to nothing. The book I picked up the other day on Ephesians to help with a sermon series idea probably wasn’t necessary as I likely won’t do the sermon series unless I start leading a random weeknight service somewhere because I won’t have anywhere to preach.

It’s going to be a fairly tricky transition for me. My schedule will change and my life will look different. I know it’s coming fast and I also know that God has his hand in it. It’s the right thing for everyone involved even if it’s difficult in some ways for me. Sometimes what God wants isn’t easy and transition towards the new way can be rough. Even so it always seems to works it’s way out.

I’m not alone in this I know. It is a time of transition for many of us in the church.  We see buildings closing, worship styles shifting and people moving in and out of our midst.  Things won’t look the same when all is said and done but that’s ok.  What is coming next will be worth it if we hang on through the rough stuff.

It’s a time of transition. To what I don’t know but wherever I wind up will be where God leads. The key thing here is surrendering my desires and following God’s direction.  I’m working on that.  Some days it’s harder than others but I know in the end that God knows best and what happens will be a good thing.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Do you have any great transition stories?  How do you handle periods of change?  Where do you think God is leading you?

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Filed Under: Faith, Musings, Reflections

We begin here…

15 Apr posted by

My son is laying in his room complaining to his Dad about bed time. He’s not ready to go. There are more books to be read and he’s sure he can convince Dad to do so. He had a good day filled with crayons and cars, food and books. He had a good day and while we were living it, the news reports started to trickle in of bombs going off at the end of the Boston marathon. Almost instantly we learned of injuries, saw the chaos, felt fear and witnessed destruction. In these times of twitter and text, we know what happens before the newspapers do and my twitter feed moved at the speed of light as people spread hopes and prayers with those they loved. As I read I saw fear and hope, anger and elation mixed together. Some spoke of found friends, of lost friends and the injustice of it all. It is unjust. It is not fair. These things have to stop.  Almost daily now I read reports of violence in some manner or another. I read of rape, of murder, of bombs and beatings with alarming frequency. The world is in darkness.

My son has settled down now. He is sleeping the peaceful sleep of a toddler who knows no fear, who has not yet seen the evils of the world. As he slumbers my thoughts turn to the people from Newtown Connecticut who were seated in the midst of the chaos today having survived one tragedy only to find themselves in another. How will they sleep tonight? Their peaceful world has once again been turned on it’s head.  It’s not fair. It’s not just. This horror has to end.

Where do we begin?
Where do we begin ending this?

I am drawn into the teachings of Jesus right now. Not his words, but his life. When faced with opposition he continued to live. Knowing that he would die at the hands of those who opposed him, he continued to fight for the people he loved. He continued to teach and share, to live and laugh in the face of hatred and violence. Jesus walked shining the light of love on this earth and we need to do the same. While we cannot fix this or make this right we can make a difference in our own communities. We can walk in love, in light and hope. We can spread the message of the Gospel with us where we go. We can be people who bring good news to those around us.

The world needs the love that we have. The love that Jesus lavishes on us. They need the hope and light, the love and peace that we have been given. We need to fight against evil in the world. We have to fight against those who would hurt and destroy.  The love we have and the peace we are offered are tools for us to use. These are the instruments with which we can make a difference, with which we can shine light into the darkness.

Where do we begin?

We begin here, together as we contemplate this tragedy. We begin here, together as we think of ways we can love this world and spread light we’ve been given. We begin here with each other and with God for we cannot do it alone. We begin here, together. For in a community bound together by the common tie of the Spirit we are stronger. In the strength of God we will continue. We cannot live in fear. We must not let them win. We begin here.

“You are the light of the world…” Matthew 5:14 NIV

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Filed Under: Faith, Musings

Things I know to be true

15 Mar posted by

There are a few things I know to be true this week.

I know that the time changed.
I know that there is a new pope.
I know it’s still cold out and that Reggie Bush is a Lion.
I know that grace is given freely to us.
I know that it’s hard to give it out ourselves.

This week I’ve been swimming in the notion of grace, of forgiveness and love freely offered.  Since Sunday when the story of the Prodigal Son was read and mulled over I’ve been sitting in the midst of the story. Wondering if I would be found walking the long road home or pouting on the back porch. I wonder, would I be able to celebrate with a brother who returned home?  Would I be excited or resentful?  At times it can be hard to overlook past wounds to offer grace.

I would love to live a grace-full life. A life that flows with grace because of the grace I’ve been given. At times it is hard to look past those wounds and wrongs to what is happening and good around us. In today’s world we are told that we should put ourselves first and strive to achieve what is best for us. We are told that we deserve things, should desire things and I suspect we are more like the brother pouting on the back porch than we would like to admit to.  I think in some ways I am anyways. I’d like to offer forgiveness more freely and be the person who accepts and loves people well.  I want to throw more parties and celebrate with people when things go well.

There are a few things I know to be true this week.  One of them is my desire to live a grace-full life.

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Filed Under: Lent, Musings, Random Blog Stuff

Weathering the storm.

23 Feb posted by

A little over three years ago my son entered the world in a rather dramatic way having not grown half of his diaphragm in the womb.  The condition is called Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia and his case was of course, one the rarest as my son doesn’t do anything halfway. He’s healthy now and amazing.  My husband and I feel so blessed to have him with us. Because of his this, last night caught me completely off guard.

As we drove home from a dinner out with family, X. moaned in the backseat, unable to get comfortable. When we arrived home he immediately crawled into bed and could not settle. He was flailing about, moaning and groaning. He kept pointing to his side and the pain seemed to get worse and worse. Anxiety hit, terror filled my heart and I began to wonder, with no fever or other obvious symptom could it be re-herniation or a bowel obstruction? Then I realized it was food poisoning as my husband got hit too. A little overreaction on my part

It’s quite fitting that the topic we are dealing with in our Lent Project reading is anxiety.  After all what is anxiety but worry over what could be, or what is going to happen. Today we are reminded that we need not be afraid, that wherever we go there is one who has been there before us.  Jesus knows our worries and we are carried by him.

Moments like last night are a good reminder that nothing is within our control. My poor husband and son got food poisoning. Regardless of the end result we did have fun at dinner and we weathered the storm that followed. Even if we’d been anxious about the potential for food poisoning or other restaurant catastrophes it wouldn’t have changed the fact that it actually happened. Worry holds us back and prevents us from truly living in the moment. Our life is a gift from God and we should live it fully.

This was a good reminder for me. Worry often amounts to nothing and even if I’m right it won’t change what happens. I need to place my trust in the one who is, who was and who will be. He’s carried me through many storms so far, I have no reason to believe he won’t continue to do so.

Let’s not forget another important lesson from last night.  Kitchen hygiene is absolutely essential.

 

 

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Filed Under: Lent, Musings, Reflections, The 2013 Lent Project

Today I am choosing to see.

22 Feb posted by

photo (4) 2

My boys had a little disagreement this morning and after they hugged it out my son came running to me.  He crawled up into my lap, turned his head to the side and looked up at me expectantly.  I was supposed to make things better.  I was supposed to support him in his hour of need after a grave injustice had been done to him.  His Dad has said ‘No’ and that traumatized him. I gave him the cuddle he wanted, told him he had to listen to his Dad and when he realized he couldn’t get the ‘Yes’ he wanted, he went off on his merry way. He’s been doing this a lot lately. Pushing boundaries and then running back again.  He wants to explore yet stay close. He’s feeling the tug between independence and security. He is growing up and sometimes that’s hard. At times it’s hard for me too. I want to foster an adventurous spirit and encourage him to explore the world but he is my baby and it’s hard to let go. I make the choice daily to encourage him.  I remind myself that change is necessary and an important part of growing. I cherish these days and enjoy them as they are going so quickly.  I’m making a choice to see him for who he is each day even when I want things to stay the same.

Watching my son this morning after reading today’s passage from the Lent Project changed my perspective on things a little bit.  When we read this passage we need to remember that the people in the synagogue are the same people who watched Jesus grow up. He was a child in their presence. These are the people who would’ve seen him with friends and perhaps he played with their own children. These are the people who would’ve heard him shriek with glee when winning a game. They would’ve dried his tears when he scraped his knees.  They loved him, supported him and were deeply invested in the life of this community so they would’ve been proud to see him take this leadership role in the community.

That said, they might’ve been surprised to see him doing so well and it’s hard to know {as I wasn’t there} if their comment with regards to him being Joseph’s son is a slight because he’s the son of a carpenter or if it’s because he’s come so far and they’re so proud. After speaking, Jesus does what many people in a family do when things are going rather well at a family gathering, he picks a fight. Instead of overlooking the sneaky dig he goes right for the jugular. And are we surprised?  Not in the slightest. Jesus has never been one to hide, he confronts and forces people to see things for how they really are.  How they are unwilling to change and accept that which is new.

It turns out that Jesus was right, the people of Nazareth aren’t very accepting and their response to his statements is attempting to him off a cliff.  This is not a loving act, it’s a huge overreaction. In and of itself this demonstrates how little the people are willing to see. They are stuck in the past, as parental figures and leaders they’ve become offended when he speaks wisdom in their presence and don’t wish to hear it from him. What he says hits too close to home. They can see that he has surpassed them and that I’m sure it scared them. At it’s hard to let go, to see that people have grown beyond us and can now teach us a thing or too. The people of Nazareth weren’t ready to see.  They didn’t possess the faith needed to walk with Jesus and that’s sad.

This is a problem we all encounter at some point or another. Sometimes I see it at home as my son grows, other times I see it at Church when people can’t let go of the past and see where they stand in the present.  Moment pass and we miss important opportunities because we do not see, we have not opened our eyes to the things around us and will not accept that change has happened. We don’t want to learn from those we have taught and sometimes we forget to listen. When truth is painful and resonates deeply it’s hard to accept, it’s hard to see especially when it comes from someone so close to you.

As hard as it is, I want to open my eyes. I want to hear what people have to say and see truth wherever it comes from. I want to witness miracles and have faith enough to make a difference. These people of Nazareth has shown me who I do not want to be and I’m choosing to learn from them. Today I pray for open eyes, for truth to reveal itself and the path to become clear.  Today I choose to see.  Will you open your eyes and join me?

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Filed Under: Lent, Musings, The 2013 Lent Project

Part of the family.

20 Feb posted by

Dove

As you can see I’ve really thought about today’s passage for The Lent Project. Not because there’s anything particularly hard about it, there isn’t. I think it’s the straightforward nature of today’s situation that’s made me think. Looking at it, it’s a typical proud father moment. The Dad sees what a great young man his son is and says ‘You did good’. I think it’s the normalcy of this moment that makes it so very striking. God does not ask or tell, God just says ‘I’m proud of you’ to Jesus.

Of course there’s a miraculous component here as well as most people do not typically have the Holy Spirit descend on them like a dove. That’s pretty cool, but what comes afterwards is the interesting part for me today. This type of moment is not the type you usually share. It’s the kind of moment you have with someone when they draw you aside from the crowd to tell you how proud they are and how much they love you. The fact that we are able to witness this moment leaves me feeling a little uncomfortable. I feel like I shouldn’t be here, and yet I am. We all are.

This is an incredible thing. To open up and show us how proud he is of his son is to reveal something special.  To announce this pride and love, to proclaim it to the people is in a way inviting them into the family.  The fact that we are invited to witness this intimate moment it so humbling to me. For some reason God loves me. For some unknown reason God loves me enough to invite me in, chase me when I run away and wait patiently when I don’t call or write. This is not normal behavior for most people. This is a most incredible gift for which I’ll be forever grateful. But it’s not just about me, it’s about you too.  God loves you. While none of us understand it completely and some of us have a hard time accepting it, God loves us.  So much so that he’s willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for us. This moment when we see how much God loves his son shows us just how far God was willing to go. God loves us all and wants us to be with him, to be part of the family.

The question is, will you take him up on his invitation?
Will you say yes when he invites you in?

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Filed Under: Lent, Musings, The 2013 Lent Project

Practice is essential

19 Feb posted by

I’ve been rather busy lately and that is good. The added blog entry each day has kept me focused in the midst of everything and I appreciate how much easier it is to write if you are writing all the time. I’m not saying each entry is going to be amazing but the words come a little easier if you’re always accessing them. Practice is essential. I can call myself a writer but I need to practice the art of writing to make it true. I’ve always wanted to write a book on the practice of faith because I think there are too many out there who discuss what faith is, and what we should believe but too few talk about how to live a faithful life daily. Practice is essential. We can say we are Christians but we need to practice Christianity for it to be true and how exactly do we do that?  I digress…

In today’s reading for the Lent Project we meet Jesus practicing his faith, acquiring knowledge and sinking into his calling and purpose. He’s twelve at this point. What were you doing at twelve? I was in communicants class learning things like “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.” I had a purple jean skirt I remember to this day, I read Gone with the Wind for the first time and spent loads of time baking in the kitchen. I had no idea what my calling and purpose was. I was just a girl living a typical pre-teen life. Jesus at twelve is already practicing. He’s already preparing for what he will become and is passionate about it.

We should all be this passionate about God. We should want to know him, study his word and really sink in to our faith and practice.  I’m positive I could do a better job with this. Lately I’ve been rushing through my morning meditation times. I’ve noticed it getting shorter and shorter but have justified it as I’ve spent a large portion of the day reflecting on the word through questions from the Lent Project. It’s better though when I begin in peace and prayer. Bed is nice but a better start to the day is nicer. When I was 12 I may have memorized passages from catechism but I didn’t fully understand them at the time. I have a better idea of what it all means now. If Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever than surely I must make God a priority. Surely I must make my time with God come first.

I got up early this morning and that was a great thing. Getting up early, sinking in and having that extra time to really wake up and focus set my day up in a positive way. I’ve gotten a lot done and was even able to make a Hot Milk Cake for snack this morning. I thought of the Hot Milk cake when I was wondering what I did when I was twelve. I regularly made this cake and it’s been a long time since I’ve enjoyed a slice. I’m including the recipe here because it was good. I may not have been as focused as Jesus at twelve but I could make a good cake. Here’s the recipe for your enjoyment:

Hot Milk Cake

Hot Milk Cake

This may not be the prettiest cake that you’ll ever make but it is ridiculously gooey and delicious! The topping melts right into the cake and is so amazing.  I can’t even describe it in words.  I’ve made some changes to the original recipe as I didn’t have some of the ingredients on hand but it’s still good and extremely decadent.  It’s also really easy to make.  It makes a great week night treat!

Ingredients: 

Cake: 

1 tbsp butter
1/2 c milk
2 eggs {I used 3 tsp corn starch mixed with 3 tbsp water for our egg allergy}
1 c white sugar
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 c flour {I used whole wheat pastry flour but AP works too}
1 tsp baking powder

Topping:

1/4 c maple syrup
1/4 c brown rice syrup
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp vanilla
3 tbsp milk
1/2 c dried coconut

Instructions:

For the cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat the milk and butter together until melted.  Set pan aside.
In a large bowl beat the eggs (or corn starch mixture) together until well combined.
Add vanilla and lemon juice to the egg mixture.  Set aside.
In a medium bowl combine flour, salt and baking powder.
Add flour alternating with milk to the egg mixture.
Combine well and pour batter into a greased 8×8 pan.
Bake for 25 minutes or until cooked through.

For the topping:

In a small sauce pan while the cake is hot melt together the maple syrup, brown rice syrup and butter over medium heat.
Once melted turn the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir the boiling mixture continuously for 90 seconds watching to ensure it does not boil over.
Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla, milk and dried coconut.  Pour over the cake and broil in the oven until bubbly and golden.

Extra Information:

Make sure you watch the cake while it’s under the broiler.  You don’t want to burn the lovely, crispy topping.

 

 

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Filed Under: Lent, Musings, The 2013 Lent Project

Day two of the Lent Project: Trusting in God’s Promise

14 Feb posted by

Today was a hard day for my boy. His morning began at 5:20am and he’s feeling it. This week has been a week of amazing breakthroughs and accomplishments for him which I think has left him a little drained and excited. We went out this morning to visit some of his little friends and he was just not himself. He sat on my lap and then finally we had to leave as he was tired, cranky and overwhelmed.

As a little valentine treat for him I thought I would take him to the mall for lunch. He finds the mall fascinating as there are elevators and corridors he likes to explore. We almost always know someone at the mall to run into and he likes to walk and see if anything has changed. While we were there I picked up some face cream that I’m running low on. When we got home I unpacked them and noticed something quite intriguing.  On the outside of each package there were promises. One said it would plump up fine lines. Another said it would reduce circles and puffs. These creams come with promises for a better tomorrow. A tomorrow where my skin will be perfect and line free.

Creams

Abram, or Abraham as we more commonly know him was given promises for a better tomorrow in our reading for the Lent Project today.  God promised Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars and that they would come from the son he and his wife would bear.  An unlikely scenario for two older people and something that most of us would have a hard time believing if it were told to us. Yet Abram believed God when God said he would be his shield and reward. Abram knew that God would follow through on his promises.

Promises for a better tomorrow coming from God are welcome and wondrous but how often do we believe them? I believe in God of course.  I believe that God can do anything, yet sometimes I find myself doubting. I don’t doubt God’s abilities, I doubt that God will get involved. Whether it’s self doubt or cynicism I’m not sure, but I find myself slipping into doubt at times when I know I should be faithful. Why is it that I can buy creams from a counter and have hope that they will do what they promise and not always have that same hope in God?

I should say I’m a relatively hopefully person. Some might say I’m naively optimistic when it comes to the church’s future and I tend believe that good things will happen in the end. I do believe in God’s promise and I love that God is invested in people. Sometimes though, if I’m absolutely honest it’s easier for me to believe Clinique than it is to believe God. It has nothing to do with who is more trustworthy, obviously God wins that challenge. If Clinique’s promises don’t pan out I’m not surprised, I don’t really expect them to. But God’s promises are so much better than a wrinkle cure and I sometimes I can’t imagine that what God says is possible. It just seems so unlikely, so very good to be true.

God’s promises are so very good because God is good. Great things are possible in God not just for others but for me too and I need to start believing that. I think in some ways it’s easier to tell others about God’s goodness than it is to accept it for yourself. It’s time for me to be bold like Abram.  I need to accept that what God promises, God will do.

I have decided today to believe God. I’m choosing to trust that God will do what he says he will do, even if it seems impossible to me.
What about you?

 

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Filed Under: Lent, Musings, The 2013 Lent Project

Spiritual Muscles.

3 Jan posted by

Morning

Every pen in my house appears to be empty. It’s my own fault really, I keep putting empty pens back in the drawer. This morning I pulled pen after pen out of the drawer in my attempts to find one that worked. The thing is they all look perfectly fine. From the outside they are lovely looking pens but when you try to get them to write, there’s nothing they can do for you. It’s all looks and no substance with my pens.

It’s that time of year again when looks really matter. When people join gyms and start to run because they want this year to be the year that things change. They want to look good and feel good. I’m all about feeling good and have been drinking my green smoothies almost daily to help with that. Taking care of the body is important after all as it is a gift from God, but while we are taking care of our bodies we cannot forget that our spirit needs care as well. It’s kind of like my pens. Your body can look great from the outside but if you haven’t taken care of your spiritual and emotional needs it can be all looks and no substance with you. We don’t want that, do we?

The thing no one ever tells you {even though they should} is that you have to work your spiritual body out just as much {okay maybe even a little more} than your physical one. Everyday we need to set time aside to be with God so we can be full and strong for the day ahead. This time spent in prayer and reflection is where we grow our spiritual ‘muscles’ and find new ways of looking at things.  This time is what so many of us need but don’t get because we’ve packed our lives to the brim with so many things. This being the season of resolution, I say let’s change that. Let this be the year that we prioritize our spiritual health. Let’s resolve to meet God in the morning and see what changes might come from starting our day in God’s midst.

Some tips to get started:

- Set your alarm for 45 minutes before you usually wake up.  This gives you 15 minutes to drag yourself out of bed, grab a coffee and settle in where you are comfortable.

- Grab your Bible and some means of taking notes {either a pen and paper, your iPad or whatever you’re comfortable with}.  You don’t have to journal or write out every thought you’ve had but writing out piece of scripture that really resonates or jotting down a quick thought can be a great way to really solidify an idea.

- If you don’t just want to jump from section to section find a Bible reading plan. Personally I love reading plans because they keep me on track and focused.  You Version is a great free online service that has Bible Reading Plans available for the iPad and for Computers.  You can also print out a Bible in 90 Days guide or go with the Canadian Bible Society and their Bible Reading Plans if you’d like.

- If you sleep in, don’t feel bad. Just try again the next day and don’t give up. It can be hard to get into a routine but if you persevere you’ll get there.

- If you’re really absolutely not able to get up in the morning you can of course do this at night but can I suggest you at least try getting up a little earlier for a period of time. I used to sleep until the last possible minute too but now that I have a routine in place I love the solitude and peace I find in the early morning hours. It’s not for everyone of course but you might find it’s not as bad as you thought if you give it a chance and it can really set up your day in a positive way.

Remember there is no such thing as failure, only more chances to succeed.  If building a routine doesn’t come easily cut yourself some slack and know that it will come in time.  ”Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” – Philippians 3:12 NIV

P.S. – For any ministers reading this, sermon writing and service prep doesn’t count.  You still need time for you and God to connect individually.  It will help recharge and replenish you.  Seriously, you need to take care of yourself.

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Filed Under: Bible, Reflections
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