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Grow in Grace
The tree is up. Presents abound under his branches – those gifts of love to those who matter the most to us. Perhaps there are duty gifts there as well, for those to whom we feel obligated. It takes time to prepare gifts or search for those that suit the needs and wants of others. It is worth the effort to bring joy and happiness to those around us. Some people go to great extremes trying to show their care to others by extensive gift giving. Our Heavenly Father lavishes us with gifts also. His gifts are ones that don’t tarnish or break. God’s gifts are good and perfect. The…
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Turning the Agony of Waiting into a Positive Thing
Outside the sun rays waft their way through the trees. Morning arrives with all the hope and promise of a new day. Yet, that is not the way I feel. Sidelined with a cancer diagnosis and subsequent surgical recovery, I am sitting in my rocking chair, bundled in blankets…waiting and wondering – what does my future hold? I feel powerless and frustrated. Rewind back a number of years and again I sit and wait – wondering when God will provide me with a job. Questions arise – why is employment so hard to find? Why does there have to be a recession now? Let’s face it – if I think…
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Wham!
Have you ever had life going along relatively smoothly and “wham”, life changes in an instant? That was my week. An altercation with a deer on my rural commute left me quite shaken and my SUV in pieces. And so, my week changed. Time spent with the insurance company and auto body shop. Trying to arrange for a rental vehicle. All these details that I really didn’t want to add to my week but was forced to. I have relied on my four-wheel drive vehicle with its excellent winter tires to help keep me safe in snowy conditions. Now, I have a vehicle to drive without those things. With parts…
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When the Downside Turns into the Upside
The autumn breezes are finally turning chill. It has been an exceptional fall, with some of the warmest weather on record for our northern climate. Yet, as I walk through my garden, I feel somewhat dismayed. Weeks ago, I did my typical fall cleanup but the weeds have regrown and are going to seed because we have yet to have a killing frost. I start to lament and grump a bit. I have lots of other things I would rather be doing than weeding in October. When I consider the situation, I have to give myself a talking to. Yes, there are some negatives to our prolonged warmer weather, but…
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Being Thankful
In the course of this school week, I have read my students a number of Thanksgiving stories. One of my favourites is Mercer Mayer’s Being Thankful. The main character in this story repeatedly finds himself in situations where he wants more of something. For example, he sees someone with a fancy scooter and he tells his mom he wants one. His mother reminds him that he already has a scooter. He eats an ice cream cone but someone else has a fancy sundae and so he wants that instead. Ultimately, the character grows and learns to be thankful for what he already has, but it takes a big…
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Whose Answer Do I Really Want?
Do you ever have a day without questions for God? It seems to me that I wonder things most days. Things like – what direction God is taking my life, what I should be doing in particular situations, why a loved one is suffering, and so on. Not only do I have these questions, but in my own way I seem to discern that I need to figure out the answers. In my introspective way, I ponder many things. I plan and I organize – and frequently come up with a plan or solution that I think is wonderful. How often do I then take my so-called terrific thoughts to…
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Preservation
Terry Fox was an amazing young man who did an incredible job raising awareness for cancer research. In our class this week, we talked a lot about Terry’s cancer journey and his drive to provide hope to those with cancer. As we prepared to do our Terry Fox walk, we talked about the original Marathon of Hope and how Terry wanted it to continue, even if he was unable to do so. Trying to define “hope” for my students was a challenge. For them, the word conjures up images of wishful thinking. Yet, for the Christian, it is so much more than that. Hope is having confidence in our faithful…
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Hope for the Seeker
A new school year. For the most part, my students are eager to be at school and hopeful they will succeed and enjoy their year. They look forward to all the adventures the school year brings. I also have many hopes and dreams for my students. I want to build a strong classroom community and I want them to grow and learn throughout the year. I hope that they will be caring and kind to one another. My aim is that they will become the best students possible. Do these hopes come to fruition if I sit and do nothing? Not at all. It takes many hours of hard work…
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Reaping a Harvest
The day was sunny and bright as we returned from a short camping trip. As we approached our deck, something was amiss. The lovely flowers that had graced my entry way now looked smashed. My first thought was about what creature might have been at my plants. But then it dawned on me – there had been severe weather when we were camping, perhaps it hit at home as well. With trepidation I went out to my large garden, fearing what storm evidence I would find. Sure enough, hail had wreaked havoc to most of my plants and fruit trees. I cried. And then I had moments of just wanting…
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Getting Things in Focus
The trees start their dance as the wind picks up speed. Soon the rain joins the chorus and the active weather is upon us. As we sit in our RV in a campground, my uncertain feelings escalate as I read the weather app on my phone – tornado warning! While praying, I look for something to distract me, but the puzzle book I grab does little to help. My thoughts are all still over the place. My mind teems with anxiety as I consider all the unpleasant possibilities. The “what ifs” take hold. I am akin to the tight rope walker who is told not to look…
