Hold The Door!

Are we a society that always seem to be in too much of a hurry? Since I have been traveling on the hi way again, I am seeing this more and more. People are in so much of a hurry they dart in and out. Either they don’t plan for traffic or something happened and they got away late. The result is, we all see them weaving in and out in too much of a hurry. And this causes people behind to hit the breaks and before you know it, the traffic slows down and we drive for miles and miles in the stop and go traffic. But even more then that, it seems like everyone is in a hurry. We must be in a society or world for that matter that is consumed with the misguided precept that they are more important then everyone else so get out of my way! Am I wrong? Or am I missing something here? I thought it might just be me until I went for a drive with my neighbour. He is a very laid back fellow who seems to never be in a hurry and takes things as they come. Well, as we drove over to Home Depot he even commented on the drivers. Aha! It’s not just me. Driving to my brothers home out on a county road with solid yellow lines, doing just over the posted speed and someone goes blowing by me. Why in such a hurry? Are you late for something? Didn’t you leave early enough? I read an article a while back that suggested that we refrain from derogatorily commenting on this strange behaviour because just maybe they are on their way to the hospital or some emergence. Maybe that it true. But I don’t think in all cases. Something else keeps creeping into this old skull of mine. And it’s looking at this. Maybe this world needs someone, and many somebodies to show the world how to slow down and smell the coffee or the roses, depending on which old saying comes to your mind. I’m not just going to suggest that we start out early so we can take our time. We all should be doing that. But I am suggesting that we let others go ahead. After all, haven’t we been in too much of a hurry for too long ourselves? Let’s just step aside for others. It can be as easy as letting someone go in front of you at the store. Opening a door to enter and stopping to let someone else go ahead of you. Start with the little things and move to bigger and better slow down good deeds. And by the way, do it at church as well. Get up early. Arrive way before its time to start. And when you get there early, open the door for others, Say hi. Linger a while at the door or by the back pew. Be at peace from the frantic life out there. In quietness, enjoy the worship. Then, after it’s all over, linger a little while and leave late. Nothing like starting to slow down and give some time to others. And do it in the presence of God. Something to think about Rob

Advice in the Produce Dept.

Too many years have gone by since that quiet fall day at work. It gave opportunity to have an interesting conversation with a gentlemen who thought my young life needed some wisdom. Yes, I was just a kid. And like most kids, (and some adults), I was learning through scrapes and bruises that come from maturing by living through life experiences. Oh, I had heard my dad say to me that I should watch him and learn from his mistakes because I couldn’t live long enough to make them all myself. This wisdom was something different.

So he bent my ear and shared with me something that has stayed with me to this very day. That means I will share this wisdom with you today. I had just started working at Loblaws here on the Hamilton mountain. This was before malls and box stores and Walmart. Yes, we had individual stores that dotted most major corners of our city. I had built up enough nerve to make my first venture into company/employee arrangement. Walking into the store I sheepishly asked for the manager. As I remember it, that was how we did it back then. When he came forward from the office, he asked me very politely, “What can I do for you son?”. With a shaky voice and my head a little down I asked if he was in need someone to stock shelves. He looked me up and down and I think when he saw this scrawny kid he thought I couldn’t lift a box of soda crackers let alone a case of V8 Juice. But he said that he might be able to use my help in the dairy department. I remember walking out of the store with much dignity but when out of sight, I did the happy dance all the way home. It was great to have a job and the money needed to take out my girl It was in this store that I met the produce manager. He was older and because of that I thought he might know a thing or two. One day as we talked, or should I say, I listened, he began to tell me his primary piece of advice. He said this; “When you look at every person you see, look for that one beautiful thing that they possess, everyone has at least one beautiful thing about them”. I have never forgotten that. And his words have always been right and true and memorable. Each and everyone of us has something beautiful, both externally and internally. There is something awesome and amazing. If you doubt his words just remember this; God said, “I have created you in my image”... There is indeed something in and about each and every one of us that is beautiful. Not just our hair, or chin. Not just our humour or our way of smiling. Try it. Next time you are out for a walk, or at the store or even at church, take a look around you and find that one thing about everyone that is beautiful and wonderful. At the same time remember, there is in each one of us a heart that seeks after God and in that person, in you and me, lives the Spirit of God that makes us not only beautiful, but makes us a child of God. And that beauty, I believe is how we look like Him and how He sees us. Something to think about.

Rob

Sometimes you wish the world to stop so you can get off. I used to read the Calvin and Hobbes comic every day. That does date me because it’s been a long time since that day it last appeared in our paper. Today is much different and I find myself reading it on line but not so often anymore. Something prompted me to read it last week. Calvin yells at Hobbes as he was going by Hobbes roller skating down a hill; “How do I stop?” Hobbes yells back; “Steer into the gravel sidewalk and fall down.” Calvin comes back into the next frame all covered in gravel and dirt and looking injured. On seeing this, Hobbes said to him, “That was only a suggestion.”
While it does have some humour to it, I think there is more to it then a polite smile. Isn’t life like that? We are enjoying life and going along wonderfully. We are indeed skating down a slight grade, and the ride is exhilarating. Nothing could be better and the thrill of the ride is more then we could ever believe we would enjoy in life.
For some of us, it’s the thrill of the ride. We enjoy the wind in our hair, and we believe nothing could be better. That is until we realize we have had enough, or it’s going just a little too fast for our liking or the end of the real estate is coming at us very quickly. Then we think it’s time to get off. For us slower paced individuals, it could be akin to getting on a Ferris wheel that never stops. You can only go around so many times and you have had enough.
You may be out there on the never-ending ride. You could be going around and around with no end in sight. It can be a terrible feeling when you realize that you have had enough and you want to get off and off right now and it’s almost beyond your control. The rat race is not necessarily filled with cheese or the grasping of a gold ring. I think we do enjoy it for a time. But then . . . The musical, with the circus as the backdrop, says it all in its title: “Stop the world I want to get off” Does that say it all for you?
The time comes, and we know beyond a shadow of a doubt, it’s time. Unfortunately, this might come with some scrapes and bruises. Life is that way. And when it happens, because it will, Jesus will be there to pick us up and put us on solid ground. He is there and He is not silent because He cares for you. Then and only then can we sing this song and know what it really means. Sing with me;
He never, never, never leaves us
He's always standing by
To pick us up if we stumble
We're the apple of his eye . . .
Something to sing about
Rob