New Year's Dream

         Another year has come and gone.

 

         How marvelous; or is it?

 

     Really, what is time in the grand scheme of things, of life, of reality, of a heartbeat?

It may not be anything that virtually matters, I would say.

 

Living is more than counting the days and keeping track of the clock on the wall.

It is instead, living in the moment, that makes life so precious.

 

I say no to resolutions, and in lieu, I say yes to dreams. 

Dreams come true.

Dreams are the essence of existence.

Without dreams there would be no hope, no love, no patience.

 

 So this New Year's, dream. 

 

 

Christmas 2012

       When we sing "Away in a Manger, no crib for a bed", we are singing about God's precious gift to mankind.

      Think of it how God's son humbled himself allowing himself to become a baby, totally human. This He has done for you and me. I can hardly imagine that kind of love God was giving his beloved Son.

      What a treasure we all are to our God. What a price He paid, or shall I say; what a "value" he was putting on you and me.

      This should make you and me happy full of great joy at this time of year.

      Jesus the Son of God at Christmas was a happy name for he was living out what He valued -----you and me.



     Merry Christmas one and all.

 

 

 

What do You Value?

        Many are happy with a brand new car, a healthy baby, a new home, a cottage on the lake. To some of you it may be a new job starting a new career.

        The people on the East Coast however, are not feeling like that these days. After loosing their homes to flooding, with no heat, and no electricity.

        This is bad. But what about our values? Are they linked to our things we possess, such as our jobs, and our careers?

Yes, they are.

        It had been said: You are happiest when are living out what you value.

        In Psalms 119 verse 11, it says:

"Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee."

        This is our most essential value  - the spiritual value. In this case we all should be praying for these precious people by sending donations and in any way we can help them.

        With all that has happened, let us keep our most essential value the Word of God.

Faith in our Journey

     The story of Ruth, found in, of course, the Book of Ruth, is an exciting, intriguing story about her life.

     Imagine for a moment, the determination it must have taken to go with Naomi, her mother-in-law. That strength and courage showed as she arrived back in Bethlehem to that house.

     Go with me as she deligently works in Boaz's field, not knowing all the great adventure she would have.

     It wasn't long before she married Boaz and had little Obed.

     But what would have happened if Ruth had not listened to her inner-self?

     The calling, that sixth sence; letting the love of God shine through her.

     In Ruth Chapter two, verse two, Ruth said,

"Let me now go to the field and glean ears of corn after him (Boaz), in whose sight I shall find grace." And Naomi said, "Go my daughter."

     I like when Ruth said I shall find grace in Boaz's eyes. That is what faith is all about.

     Let's take courage and faith in our journey with Him.

Remembrance Morn

I have heard of a story, of war years ago.
I was not alive then, distance of time I know.

I have heard the beg pipes, that sound for the lives,
I stand in the crowd of the people who know their given rights.

I heard of the beginning, the middle and the end.
I have seen the sorrow in the eyes of the fighting men.

I have heard of the victory, the freedom that was born.
And I will say thank you, in silence; this remembrance morn.

SaraGloria

We Were Lost

       
        Meet Flash, a labrador who went from a pound dog to a bomb hunter in just over a year.

        Trainer Cliff Samson, the O.F.C.'s Canine Program Co-ordinator, found the dog out at Steinbach, Manitoba, after he was alerted by Hilda Hiebert, the founder of Safe Haven Pet Rescue.

        Cliff Samson, who went from a police officer to training and rescuing dogs, has found in Flash a real gem, who has gone as an explosive detector dog, to the Olympics.
"...it worked out great because he not only got a second chance at life, but he's also famous!"

        Now on the spriritual side; you and I were lost without hope in this world.

Ephesians Chapter 2 verse 1 says:

And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins.

        This really means we were "spiritually dead because of our disobedience and sins."

        Now you and I can have a second chance. We too can become a gem in the sight of God. To become famous? Oh, maybe not famous, but with our kindness, our love for the lives of others, we can facilitate change for the better.

        Let's go for it!

                                                    
                                                     

Storing Up

       
        Once again, fall is upon us.
        I am seeing a little squirrel gathering crabapples from our back yard.
        He is very careful no one is watching as he hurries back to his nest in the wood.

        Like that little squirrel ,as christians we too can store up spiritual food for our souls. How?

        By daily reading God's Word. It can be a great source of encouragement and strength on those cold months of winter.

       Whether it be a squirrel or an ant, etc., let us continue to store up our spiritual food. Like the verse in Psalms 68:9 says:

Blessed be the Lord, who daily leadeth us with benefits,

even the God of our salvation.

 

Pure of Heart

     It was while I was watching a christian program, listening to a very young beautiful lady tell us how she became pregnant - not the usual way of dating.

    It was while she was with her friends watching casual sex on the internet or taking in a movie or two.

     It was not long before she became interested -- thinking in her mind that, 'it's just for fun. I'll try it. I'm only young once. Why not try?' Well, try she did, and as a result for her, she became a mother a sweet little gorgeous baby, saying, "I didn't plan on this."

     Let's listen kids, young people, to what the apostle Paul said to Timothy in second Timothy chapter 3 verse 23. It says:

 

     Flee youthful lusts, follow righteous faith, charity, peace with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

     You too can be strong and courageous, as a young person.

     Just try you'll be glad you did.

 

 



The Word

        

        As we read the Bible; the Word of God;

 or digest the Word,

 it becomes food for our minds and hearts,

 and is a great source of encouragement

to all who read.

 

 Let's meditate

on the Word

day and night.

 

Taking time each and every day.

 

 

 

Flowers, Not Weeds

Years ago my daughter, at the age of 3, brought into the house with a big smile on her face a nice bouquet of flowers, (dandelions).

These dandelions that are considered to many just another weed.

"Bees are well adapted for feeding on nectar and pollen, primarily as an energy source and for protein and nutrients."
The above quote by Borie Minkevich of the Winnipeg Free Press.

I thought the quote was too good not to be used again.

My Trip to Victoria

     
      On Friday, June 14th, 2012 my daughter and granddaughter went on a trip to Victoria, BC to see our oldest granddaughter recieve her Bachelor of Nursing Degree.

      At the airport we were met by our granddaughter Charity and her husband, Bart, and our granddaughter Sarah from Nanaimo, BC.

      We had the time of our lives while we stayed at a bed and breakfast named the Haterleigh, in Victoria. The relating feeling we had was most amazing. What awesome love we were shown there. Our stay was more than enough.

      We had to do a little shopping which was fun. Sarah and I purchased a pair of shoes.

      We also had a great time at Charity and Bart's church. The sermon was on the "Gift of Encouragement"; another good day. Charity and Bart both were working in the church.

      Before we left for home we spent an excellent time at a castle named "Craigdarroch Castle." Craigdarroch Castle was built between 1887-1890 for Robert Dunsmuir, a Scottish immigrant who made his fortune from Vancouver Island Coal.

Again, our stay was more than enough!

Freedom in Christ

Romans 8 verse 15 says:

"For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba Father."

Now that's exciting! 

What a comfort to know that God loves us so so much.

God made a way for us through the blood of Christ.

Imagine being adopted into the family of God!

In Galations 5 verse 1 it says:

"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage."

The apostle Paul is reminding the people in Galatia to stand fast in their liberty of being set free - enjoying this great freedom. Paul also said for us to keep standing fast knowing we too could become like the people in Galatia. They ran well for a while but they allowed themselves to become entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 

The apostle is reminding you and I to stand fast so we will not become entangled again with the yolk of bondage. 

He says of the people of Galatia:

"You did run well; who did hinder you that you should not obey the truth?

This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you."

 Verse 9 says: 

"A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump."

 It just takes a little sin to start loosing our freedom in Christ. 

Let us keep our confidence in Christ. 

We'll Remember!

People will remember how you made them feel

 long after they remember what you said.

 How true.

 But let's remember it is what you said 

that made them feel about themselves

 either good or bad.

Our words have great meaning. 

Try to say a kind word.

"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver."

This is found in Proverbs 25:11.

What is Your Path?

The Bible says in Psalms 119:105:

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path."

In Job 28 verse 7, Job says:

"There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not seen." 

Emerson says:

"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."

Which path will we take? 

Let's take all three by God's grace; 

and by His divine leading and power we will see things happen.

Be Anxious For Nothing

  

        Milton Garland, at one hundred and three, was honoured in 1998 when he was the oldest worker in the United States. He claimed he had the ultimate answer to longevity. 

       He remarked: "I don't worry about anything. Worrying never solved anything. All it does is distort your mind."

Matthew 6 verse 25 says: 

 "Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on."

        No wonder the Apostle Paul said in Philippians chapter 4 verse 6:

 "Be anxious for nothing."

The psalmist David said in Psalms 37:7:

"Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him: fret not thyself."

As to the Lord and Not unto Men

        Audrey Casey, a renowned photographer and painter, has said that all the animals, especially wild animals, like the wolf, are her favourite.

        She loves painting her photos, and the one she's painting at the time becomes her favourite.
 
       She doesn't finish her painting until it looks, as she says, "better than the photo she's taken."

        Let us learn a lesson from this. That we, too, can live our lives -- with God's help -- better than the one we would be living without His life in us.

Colossians 3 verse 23 says:

"And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not unto men."

A Friend Loveth

      "If you met someone like you, would you want to be their friend?"

       That was the question that someone asked Winnipeg Free Press colunist Gordan Sinclair. He said he didn't answer the question immediately. 

       Recently Ann Landers was asked the same question. Her answer was: "Dear Lonely - the best way to have a friend is to be one. Look for ways to be of help to others. Get your mind off yourself and look for ways to make someone else's life easier."

      And isn't that what the Bible says:

"A man that hath friends must show himself friendly,
 and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother, 
and a friend loveth at all times." Proverbs 18:24

        Think of it, we could be great friends.

Fruitful In Every Good Work

       
        Have you ever seen a crab apple tree blooming in the spring? What a sight!
  
        Later in the summer you can enjoy the delicious apples. As I write this meditation the crab apple tree is quite a delight to behold. That in itself is enough to let you know winter has passed and spring has arrived.

        Yes, there's winter, spring, summer, and fall. Fall is the time of year, too, when the crab apple tree is very colourful. Another beautiful sight.

       God had made you and I to be fruitful and colourful for Him in all the seasons of the year.

"That we might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God."

Colossians 1:10.

Clean Inside and Out

        A cup used for show needs to be clean only on the outside.

        But when you take that cup off the shelf and make it a vessel for service, cleanliness on the inside suddenly becomes a concern.

        Similarly, the Christian whose ambition is to be filled with the Spirit finds being pure in heart a prerequisite.

        Paul's prayer in Ephesians, chapter 3 says,

 "That you might be filled with the fullness of God." 

Jesus' prayer in John, chapter 15 says: 

"Abide in me and I in you."

        The abiding presence of God's Son in our hearts virtually guarantees that cleanliness.

Let David's prayer become your own today.

"Create in me a clean heart, oh God; 
and renew a right spirit within me."
 Psalms 51:10.

Growing Integrity

        "Closed Sunday --- We Grow Families." 

        That is the cheerful sign on the gates of a huge, well, - patronized greenhouse just outside of Saskatoon.

         It impressed editorial writer Rita Friesen, of the Neepawa Banner, so much that she says, quote: 

        "If a company with a rush season like gardening as the main income can close on Sundays you know you've met integrity."

        She concludes:  "Psalms 26 is David's protection of his integrity and by virtue of living a life of integrity he claims the protection of God."

"Judge me, Oh Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity:

 I have trusted also in the Lord; therefore I shall not slide." Psalms 26:1

        These two go hand in hand.

Be Thankful for He Cares

        "Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift of the Lord Jesus Christ."

 2 Corinthians 9:15.

        As we cast all out cares upon Him knowing that He cares for us and knowing that He is a very present help in time of trouble, how can we help but be thankful at this Thanksgiving time!

Thanking God that we can bring all our anxiety, all our cares to Him and know that He will keep His promise when He said,  

"I will never leave you nor forsake you". Hebrews 13:15.

Being thankful we can cast all our care upon Him for in 1 Peter 5 verse 7 it says: "Casting all  your care upon Him; for He careth for you."

Strength for the Weary

        We are all familiar with fatigue, a condition that besets us from time to time. Sufficient rest is usually the cure.

        There is also a spiritual fatigue that needs correcting.

Isaiah 40:31 says: 

"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

"For though the outward man perish and becomes fatigued, the inner man is renewed day by day." 2 Corinthians 4:16.

"Fear not; for I am with thee: I am God: I will strengthen thee. " Isaiah 41:13.

Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

      

        Is death too long? Life too short? That's the conversation I overheard as I was out at a garage sale one Saturday.

        The conversation went on. Oh yes, he sure drank until he didn't know what he was doing or even who he was. I wanted to say, 'Yes, death is long; but it can be exciting'. 

        Jesus said:

"Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid, believe in God; believe also in Me."

        Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Yes, death is long, but Jesus said,

 "If I go, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, ye may be also.

 For in my Father's house are many mansions."

John 14:1-3.

Finding Time

        

        We all have time for work, and for the things we enjoy doing; like swimming, reading, and time for planting our gardens, cooking, baking, farming or taking a business trip.

        Like the bible says: "Time for everything under the sun."

        Let us find time today to say something good to someone, not being disrespectful like putting someone down. Let us find time to make a meaningful difference to a person's day. The Bible says:

        "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver."

        Blessed is the man who speaks such a word. 

My Hope

"My hope is built on nothing less 

than Jesus' blood and righteousness.

 I dare not trust the sweetest frame,

but wholly lean on Jesus' name.

 On Christ the solid rock I stand. 

All other ground is sinking sand, 

all other ground is sinking sand."

Never, never, give up on hope.

"And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in Thee."

Psalms 39:7.

Can we find hope after we have experienced such pain;

 as many of our lives have experienced? 

Jesus is "hope" because every promise of God is fulfilled in Him.

Are we Listening?

      
      Jesus said, "He that hath an ear to hear let him hear." 

      That advice, which is primarily for paying attention to spiritual things, can also be applied when it comes to establishing good relationships on the job, with our families, and especially with the Lord Jesus Christ.

      Don't underestimate the power of listening. It is just as important as talking. Good listeners are few and far between.

      Let us keep on listening, as Jesus said,

       "He that hath an ear to hear let him hear."  

Proverbs 8:34 says, 

   "Blessed is the man who listens." 

And are we listening? Be still and listen.

The Key is Our Minds

      

A key element

 in strengthening the will to live 

is a love for others. 

And many experiments have shown,

 by health care professionals,

 that our minds have a powerful influence 

over the functioning of our bodies.

      1 John 3:17 says,

"But whoso hath this world's good,

 and seeth his brother have need, 

and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, 

how dwelleth the love of God in him?

"My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth."

The will to live can be most important.

Change

      In an article in the Winnipeg Free Press entitled "Change is Challenging" Jan Spark says:

       "Accept the fact that change is something you will have to deal with for the rest of your working life."

       Then she adds: "During times of stressful change, make it a point to stay in touch with people you trust. This is critically important."

      How true!

      This also applies to our spiritual life. There will inevitably be change; but let us keep leaning on the One who changes not - the One Whom we can truly trust. 

      Always realize that reaching out to others for help and support is a sign of personal strength. Not weakness.

Wisdom

        "Wisdom is a factor of time of knowing what you don't know." 

So said Jean Charest at a Progressive Conservative convention in Winnipeg. 

     As important as that is in politics, it is far more important in our spiritual life.

Paul says, "walk in wisdom."

That means to set an example of a pure life in our daily lives.

We may not always know where we fail,
 but the book of James says:

 "If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God 
that giveth to all men liberally
 and it shall be given him." 
James 1:5.

    This wisdom is the wisdom of God 

that the natural man cannot receive

 but is revealed to us by His Spirit.
 1 Corinthians 2:10.

Be Still

"God is our refuge and strength. 

A very present help in time of trouble.

"Therefore will not we fear 

though the earth be removed 

and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.

 Be still and know that I am God.

 I will be exalted in the earth."

 Psalms 46:1, 2, 10.

Let us always remember that God is our strength, our energy drive, as long as we remain peaceful.

He is God and will always be God. He will make a hide-out for us away from the storm, helping us in times of trouble.

"Be still and know that I am God. 

I will strengthen you, I will help you. 

Be still and know that I am God."

All Things Work Together For Good

     

 A plant native to Mexico, which flowers every 20 years in the wild,

 was planted in the University of Oxford botanic garden 

in England in 1894.

 There it grew to six feet in diameter.

But never bloomed.

      In December 1994, one hundred years later,

 the cooling vents failed to open

 and the greenhouse temperature topped 68 degrees Fahrenheit.

 A cone of leaves opened and a stem emerged. 

Then five months later, it happened: 

beautiful flowers appeared, filled with fragrant nectar.

      O what a beautiful illustration of the truth that:

 "All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

Keep Trying

One time, while talking to my neighbor,

 I noticed a bird trying hard to catch a pretty yellow butterfly. 

As it was trying very hard, 

a second bird came along and also tried to catch it. 

Then, suddenly along came a third bird,

and do you know...it succeeded.

The efforts of the first two birds contributed to this.

You may say, what team work! We are all called in life to be part of a team. 

How you and I play will affect someone greatly. 

When we keep trying, we make it easier for someone else.

Keep trying and then you'll get it or you'll help someone else get it.

Strength in Each Other

      "And all seven said: Without each other, none would have made it...."
-That quote from the Winnipeg Free Press about the seven Canadians held hostage in the Ecuadorian jungle for 100 days.

      There is a scripture that says: 

 "We then that are strong ought to bear
 the infirmities of the weak,
 and not to please ourselves." 
Romans 15:1

      Each one had a unique measure of strength and although each one was in the same predicament, they shared that strength to uplift their fellow prisoners.

      As Paul in the Bible said,

 "When I am weak then I am strong."

2 Corinthians 12:10.

      We are all connected by our humanity, and we need each other.

The Comforter

    "Before I was a Christian, 25 years ago, I would have wanted revenge...God has done a lot of work on my heart."

Those are the words of Rev. Dale Lang, Anglican Minister from Taber, Alberta.

His 17 year old son was gunned down by a 14 year old boy in the local high school.

    Lang said his faith has been strengthened, not weakened by the ordeal. That strength showed up while he led his parishioners through a series of songs in an outpouring of grief and celebration.

"God our Father who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God."

 2 Corinthians 1:4.

Faith, Hope and Love

      Faith, hope and love.

      But the greatest of these is love.

      Love can come in the form of praying for a friend

 who has been in a wheelchair for a number of years. 

  
      Our friend as a child was thrown out of her parent's car

 in an accident by a drunk driver. 

      Thank God she survived.

       It truly was a miracle.

      In my prayer for her I said,
"You are more whole than many people who are physically well, because of your graciousness in accepting your physical handicap.

      The key was and is in your forgiveness of the drunk driver.
      Wallowing in self pity would have destroyed you.

      You became whole by forgiving."

      Now that takes all three: Faith, hope and love.

Team Players

       "Successful players are good soldiers. A good example of this according to the coach of the Detroit Red Wings is Steve Yzerman. When he scored a lot of goals, his team was a loser. When Scotty Bowman took over he wanted him to become a checker, a passer, and all around leader! That year, 1997, they won the Stanley Cup even though Steve only scored 24 goals all year."
       -Quoted from the Winnipeg Free Press Sports page.

God wants us as well to be team players; like listening to our spiritual mentors and learning to follow orders, even if we don't like the assignment.

2 Timothy 2:3 says, 

"Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ."

The Lost Sheep

      A man walking along a beach 

was overwhelmed by the sight 

of hundreds of stranded starfish.

      More surprised by the sight 

of a young woman tossing the starfish 

back into the water one by one, 

he asked,

 "Why do you bother when you can't save them all? 

What difference does a few make?"

      Holding out the starfish in her hand she replied, 

"It makes a difference to this one."

-Quoted from a writing that moved me.

"And He spoke this parable unto them, saying, what man having a hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not go after that which is lost, and layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing and calleth together his neighbours, saying, rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep." 

Luke 15:4-6.

Yes, you, me and His little lambs.

The Flowing Waters

There are two seas in the Holy Land.

The Sea of Galilee is one of the land's most beautiful features.

Fed by the Jordan River, it irrigates fertile valleys 

and helps produce a bounty of fruits and vegetables.

The southern sea differs greatly from Galilee. 

Its air is filled with the stench of debris and filth.

Its very name reveals its nature: the Dead Sea.

But why the difference?

It's because the Dead Sea has an inlet to receive the fresh waters, 

but no outlet to send them on.

What a challenge we have at Easter to celebrate what God has done

 through Christ the Lord. 

Let us always strive to allow the blessings of Jesus to flow through us to others.

God Is At Work

   

 "If you stand still you'll fall behind." 

That statement is from the career page of the Winnipeg Free Press. 

    President Clinton, in a speech, made an even more sobering statement:
   

     "If you're not getting better, 

chances are you are getting worse."

He was referring to his spirituality which he described as "a work in progress."

    But we need not despair if we truly put our trust in God, as Paul says in Philippians 2 verse 13: "For God is at work in you both to will and to work for His good pleasure." RSV.

    We must do our part by examining ourselves to see if we are in the faith; as Paul admonishes us in 2 Corinthians 13 verse 5.

All That Goes

    
    "I make the most of all that comes, and the least of all that goes." So said Sara Teasdale. Quoted from the Winnipeg Free Press.

    For the Christian, it tells us in 2 Peter 1:5:

"We are to add to our faith virtue; 
and to virtue knowledge; 
and to knowledge temperance;
 and to temperance patience; 
and to patience godliness; 
and to godliness brotherly kindness; 
and to brotherly kindness charity.

    And now, "for all that goes," I would like to quote Paul, in 1 Timothy 6:6, which says:

 "But godliness with contentment is great gain. 
For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out."