An Open Door

As I was concentrating on my emails, the other morning I opened one of my daily emails that always has a picture attached. What appeared before me was an old derelict home. It didn’t look great compared to the mansions on the hill top but it possessed a certain beauty. Even started going over those words in my mind: “I’ve got a mansion, Just over the hilltop. In that bright land, where we’ll never grow old.” At first I couldn’t place it. I found myself just staring at the picture. The multi layers of peeling paint were chipped and dried. The window pains were cracked with pieces missing or missing all together. There was beauty in that picture. The photographer saw it, I saw. I saw the door missing with only a couple of shards of wood still screwed to the two simple hinges.
At one time it would have been home to someone, maybe a whole family. It had a certain charm that drew me to just sit and take it in. After a while I realized what I was looking at.
There was more in this picture then I realized. I saw my life and yours. The picture told it all. It told of the ravages of time and the storms it’s been through. I saw the pain and the sorrow, the hard roads we have all traveled and I hoped beyond hope for a renewal of this home, yearning and searching for something new. Maybe someone will come and . . .
But what was it that kept me staring? The peeling paints, some broken windows, missing door and the refuse of time at the doorway. Looking beyond all we see, we yearn for something more, something better, just something. Looking for something in this picture that would bring each and every one of us some hope. Then it hit me, there it was. It was the open door, or more correctly, the missing door.
Jesus said, “Behold I stand at the door and knock, if anyone opens the door, I will come in.” This is the answer. We sit behind our doors closed, isolating ourselves and trying on our own to weather the storms of life. There is still time for all of us to swing wide the door of our hearts and invite Jesus in. We need not just sit there huddled inside waiting for the knock from a nail scared hand. Fling open the door and wait for Him. He said he is going to be there. So open the door, rip it off the hinges and wait for Him with expectance. Remember what Paul said, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” He is coming.
He is coming now.
Something to think about.
Rob

One Step At A Time

Yes, another Sunday snowfall. After church this past Sunday I decided to go for a walk. Not something I do very often but it looked so nice out and my granddaughter was over and she wanted to venture out. We went to see how beautiful it was outside and not just observe it from the warm side of the glass. I knew this would take some preparation with coat, scarf, gloves and boots. Like you, I’m past the point of worrying about how I look. Practicality reminds me, it’s cold out there and I will be warm no matter how bad I look. Sorry, no knitted hats please. Haven’t gone that far yet.
So there we were, standing at the end of the driveway, looking first one way, then the other, trying to decide which way to go. One way I could see there were a good number of sidewalks shoveled and the other way the same. So, I did what any normal male would do, I counted the number of sidewalks not shoveled and started walking toward the most shoveled. Elementary, we males would say.
Each time I came to an un-shoveled sidewalk, I did what every male who is worth his salt would do, I walked right on through. After all, we’re strong and we can take it. That is until the snow went over the top of the footwear. Now don’t get me wrong. I can take a little snow. Used to love playing in the snow with the girls. Oh, right, that was looong ago.
But I got through that. On I walked. One young fellow was out shoveling and only stopped long enough to let me by. I think he was angry because I saw dad looking out the front window with a coffee in his hand. Then there was the fellow who ran his snow blower up and down, up and down. Smile on his face. He stopped long enough to say how wonderful it was and the blower really makes small work of a big job.
Then another un-shoveled walk. With a wet sock on my right foot I decided to give in to the snow and walk softly. I had been cooled once and that was enough. With confidence I stepped forward and right into the foot prints of someone else.
How easily we can get though life by just following in anothers footsteps. My mom told me a long time ago that her oldest brother would put on the snowshoes every morning. He would then walk ahead of all the girls on their way to school in rural Manitoba.
In front of us have been many people whose shoes we could never presume to wear. But, we can follow in their foot steps and how wonderfully to know, that Jesus Christ has gone before all of us, and we can follow in His.
“Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ.” I Cor. 11:1
Something to think about
Rob

Snow?

Okay, who is it? I want to know the person or persons who keeps on singing, “Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow”? Someone out there thinks this is funny. Just get the driveway done and BOOM, out we go again. If that wasn’t so bad, someone a week or so ago must have been singing along with Gene Kelly, “I’m singin’ in the Rain”. I have one word for you, “Quit it!” Okay, it’s two words but you know what I’m saying?
There is a phrase in my vocabulary that I don’t like and it goes like this, “Too much of a good thing”. Well, except for chocolate. But there is another, “Enough is enough!” Know what I mean? Maybe it would be good to get it all in one shot and have it done with. More people have been using this phrase since Christmas, “It is Canada and it is winter” then I have ever heard in a long time.
Remember the winter of ‘77 or ‘78. Lots of snow. But we were younger then. It was definitely a good thing this years first dump of snow melted. Went by the mall yesterday and there was so much snow pilled up around the perimeter that I couldn’t see the buildings. Now that’s a lot of snow. Or how about the snow plow that drives by at 3:30 am and piles it up at the end of the drive just so we can get our morning exercise in before going off to work or play.
Sometime, just sometime there is too much of a good thing. Yes, you read right. Too much of a good thing. It may be true that we need the cold and snow to kill all the germs and we need it to help the plants get ready for spring. Someone out west told me once that we need the snow to cover the dirt and protect it from blowing away. There are all kinds of reasons we need snow. So, reluctantly I will admit, it’s nice to look out the window in the morning and see a fresh layer of snow. It’s not only part of God’s creation, its part of His plan to blanket the land in sleep.
As I stand here, looking out the kitchen door, watching the late morning reflective sun rise on the fresh snow , I am reminded that there is one special ‘too much’ and that is God Himself. There is never too much of God in our lives. Every minute of every day is filled with His presence. The seasons come and go, but He is there. The snow has occasions of coming and goings, but He is there always and forever. Maybe the snow is one of God’s ways to slow us down in this frantic world. Slow us down so we can appreciate some time with Him.
Stop pushing the snow, lean on the handle and look around. Do you see Him? Never too much of God? I think not.
Something to think about
Rob

Just Checkin' In

I know, I mentioned about the new year being a new slate or a new pad of paper we have not written on yet. Well people, you have, and we are almost a week into the year. Most of us have filled the first few pages with important things. Set goals. Accomplished a few things. But for the rest of us, up until today, there had been little written on that pad. Well almost. There is some doodling. You know what that is about. We do it when we are on the phone talking to someone and not really listening. HA! Caught you. You sit on the phone with a pen in hand from doing something else and before you know it you have circles and flowers and . . .
Let me assure you, that’s all right. It is. Nothing wrong with doing nothing every so often. Sometimes we even earn it. After a long day, we kick the feet up and just sit there tired but not ready for bed. It’s a down time if only for a few minutes. Just before the kids and the dog come running around the corner to discover you sitting there, head back, feet up and eyes closed. After they jump all over you and lick your face, kids and dog in that order, you are back to doing and planning and accomplishing.
But wasn’t it wonderful for just a moment? I have discovered over time that these are not only important but they are the best moments of all. Not that we fall asleep but that we have opportunity to relax and take time to have a chat with God. In the last few days these moments have taken on real meaning. At church on Sunday a lady told me of her search for a quiet time and how she found it early in the morning. While everyone else is just stirring, she takes time to get out of bed and go down to her favourite chair and just say good morning to God.
In an email, I read about the wonderful things we can accomplish in our days as we seek to try and create a wonderful year this year that we will look back on with pride. The last year we look back on possessed strides forward amongst more then a few blocks of time that were empty and seemed to be time that just disappeared. And scattered in the midst were moments with God. The article went on to take about taking ten minutes daily with God in the middle of the day when things settle somewhat from the hectic pace of modern life. Time similar to what we had when we had that phone call. We put other things on hold.
I remember back a number of years ago when every day, my dad would call me up just to say hello. They weren’t long conversations. Just time to say hi and that I was thinking of you and thought I would “just check in.” And they developed into just that. Over the years, one of us would call the other and say those words, “Just checkin’ in.”
I miss those calls today. But I won’t miss the ones I have with God my father.
“Hi God, just checking in.”
Something to think about
Rob