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Where is the Joy?
As we venture closer to the Christmas season there are many representations of the concept of joy. The world likes to present joy as having all the stuff you want and celebrating with the people you want. If you have just the right gifts or the perfect table setting, then you will be happy. If your house has that perfect Christmas decorations, then all will be well. Christian joy is another matter. As believers, our joy is not centered on ourselves, but on Christ, the Author and Perfector of our faith. It is a celebration of all that God has done for us and all He continues to work in…
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Every Moment of Every Day
Life gets busy. Some days seem to go by in a blur of activity. I get to the end of the day and wonder what did I truly accomplish. It is easy to get caught up in the things of this world. Family issues, job expectations, household upkeep, financial concerns, health habits – all intertwine to keep our minds on the go. Perhaps, like me, you find it hard to fit the spiritual in all that some days. It’s not that I ignore God but I assume I can get to matters with Him at some future point. Sure, there are little blips of prayers going heavenward in a day,…
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Help Wanted
It is the time of year in our congregation where we are seeking nominations for various church boards. Even though our local church is a good size; it seems to be an ongoing struggle to get people to help with the ministries of the Church. It is not just our church that sees this issue. We face this lack of willing workers with various town organizations who are looking for volunteers to run programs. What’s with the lack of service attitude that seems to be increasingly prevalent today? The standard answer people give is that they “are too busy”. Having just come off of a few weeks of doing report…
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A Time to Talk
This morning is one of those when I wish I could have a long chat with my mother. While I can have a conversation with her, her unclear mind prohibits the close talks we have always had over the years. My mother has been my sounding board. I was usually able to figure things out when I would explain situations, concerns, problems, to her. Somehow, my mom always seemed to have the steady answer I needed, even if she didn’t totally understand the circumstances. I often found that in the process of explaining things to her, it would clarify my own thinking and help me find the path I needed.…
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Abundant Thankfulness
The day is calm with the sun just rising. Those early morning trips to work bring a wealth of autumn beauty with sultry pockets of fog in low lying areas and crisp coloured leaves on the myriad of trees along my path. It is a lovely drive until disaster strikes. A large metal object comes out of nowhere off the back of another vehicle. As it hurtles toward me, panic threatens to take hold. I cannot veer left or I will hit oncoming traffic. I cannot veer right or it will hit my driver’s window. In the flash of a second, I slam on the breaks, hoping to ease the…
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Mindfulness
There is a lot of talk about mindfulness these days. It is something I teach, even to my young students. It involves focusing on the present moment and accepting your thoughts and feelings, with no judgment. As a teaching tool, it is meant to calm us as we try to regulate ourselves in the midst of the flurry of what is going on around us. My naturopath actually brought up the concept of mindfulness again, suggesting I would improve my digestion if I practiced mindful eating. What is that about? It means focusing on just eating – not TV, reading a book, or texting. The theory is that if my…
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Going in Training
As a new school year begins, I face a whole new crop of students to love and direct. We spend our early days getting to know one another and building new routines. It is the same each fall as I forget how well trained my class was in the past school year. My students learn what is expected and by the end of the year they easily follow routines and tasks because they are well versed in what to do. Then I get a new batch of students who have no idea how I operate my classroom and what I expect of them. It takes many weeks of training for…
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It’s Good to Remember
Today has been a day of much thoughtfulness. As much as I would like not to, memories invade my thinking processes and emotional well-being. Why do these thoughts wheedle their way into my day? Can I not just put them aside and move forward? Two years ago, today, I faced cancer surgery. That was definitely high on the list of hard days in my life. While the memories dim somewhat, the pain of that diagnosis still makes me shudder. I really can take these memories two ways. I can dwell on the “why me” aspect. That leads me down a path of no good. My other option is to remember…
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A Living Legacy
The morning sun seeps into the room, but the woman knows it not. As I sit with her, she asks why the light is not on as it seems so dark. Her beautiful blue eyes, ones that have looked out on me since my birth, are now unseeing and darkness prevails. The sparkle is gone and struggles take hold. Another woman sits in her wheelchair, alone in a strange place. No one is familiar to her and she seems lost in the vastness of the new facility. Her joyful chuckle is not totally silenced, but it is vastly diminished. She is filled with great unhappiness at being separated from all…
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Who is Fighting This Battle Anyway?
Do you ever feel like you are continually on edge, struggling against forces seemingly out of your control? It can happen in many areas of life – physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Whether it is dealing with health issues, financial difficulties, weather elements, or relationship challenges, it can become overwhelming when the fight to stay afloat is a continual occurrence. I know I could give you multiple examples from my own life. Far too frequently I am weary with trying to continue forward when the forces against me seem to prevail. Just trying to keep one foot in front of the other can be a challenge when the walls of…
