Wind It Up!

It struck me this morning. I was sitting absorbed in thought about how the day would be unfolding. It was one of those moments where you thinking about this and that. There was nothing too important, but every though part of a normal day, as if there is such a thing as normal. I had picked up one of my many watches to wind and set it. You’re right, it is one of the old ones. To be more precise it is a wrist watch produced a long time ago that winds itself. Then it hit me, every one of us probably needs to be wound up once and a while. The interesting thing about this watch is, it is wound only when you wear it.

As you know me by now, my theme of life is found in Neh. 8:10, “The joy of the Lord is my strength”. With summer upon us we are all thinking about rest and relaxation. A close friend is getting ready for just such a week at the cottage. It takes time and energy to get ready to go and relax. People get wound up about going away for a week. And that is wonderful. Do you get wound up about going away? Do you get wound up looking forward to some holiday, event, or special day?

But what winds us up about going to meet God? What winds us up to recognize that to have the greatest gift of all started with God’s love to His Son. That love is passed on to us. And so we read in John 15:11 the words of Jesus himself; “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you and that your joy may be full.” Maybe, just maybe we need to wear our faith more often and for it to be continually wound up for Jesus. Or how about, do you get wound up on Sunday morning getting ready to go and worship Him?

Now that winds me up. How about you?

See you in church

RB

RAIN!

It's very difficult for many of us to have a conversation that does not somehow, include a reference to our lack of rain. Just talking with our daughter last evening, and she brought up in our conversation that there is not one green blade of grass anywhere around where she lives down near Fort Erie. Yes, we had a blast of moisture last week, but it was too fast and too short to be much help. Even the rainfall we experienced last night is still not enough. I just thought about it and I realized that I can’t remember any dew in the mornings for months.
As in our physical lives, maybe it’s also true in our spiritual lives? Are you going through a spiritual drought as well? Do you go through the motions of living and getting by only to turn around and say to ourselves, "Where is God?" Let me reassure you, He is there and he wants to rain down on us His love and compassion, His grace and peace. We just have to let the heavens of God open and to allowing Him to do just that.
How can this happen in a dry and weary land? We can do it by coming to Him, as He calls us come near to Him. Are you dry? Call out His name, He wants to be hear from you and be near to each and every one of us.

Something to think about

Rob

Do To Others. . .

The infernal internal clock went off again too early. Don’t know what it is that causes the body to wake at 2:30 am but it’s getting old very quickly. No sense just lying there. There is always something to do and something to learn. After getting up, the computer had been on for two hours when I decided it was time to go to the gym. It was one hour of stepping and upper body work out, and saying hi to all the regulars.

The newspaper was waiting for me when I arrived home as well as the weekly flyers. These presented the next task. Looked to see what’s on sale that we would normally buy and get to the store before everyone else gets up. It’s now almost 5 hours since the internal infernal clock went off and I could feel myself starting to slow a little.

Into the store, and walking around grabbed everything on the list and then some. I know I shouldn’t buy chips and dip and . . . but I thought I needed a treat. Or two. I was pleased with myself to be not only up and out but to be so organized as to have completed five tasks before the clock struck eight.

Something renewed my energy as I stepped out of the store into the refreshing morning air. I smiled at the man who was getting the buggies ready for the day. He was taking the paper and garbage left by other shoppers the night before from the buggies and then putting the carts one in the other like they were designed for. He smiled and said hi. Around the corner of the building, bags in the boot and back with the cart to gentleman with the bag of garbage. I pushed the cart into place at the end of the line of other ones.

With a broad smile he turned to me and said, “Thank you so much for bringing the cart back. I really appreciate it. Have a wonderful day today.” I returned the conversation with, you’re very welcome etc and smiled as I left him to continue in his morning duties, and I mine. Didn’t realize how much a very small act of kindness could mean so much.

I thought about him and the buggies on the way home and the verse came to me, “Do to others. . .” That’s the thing. We say we do but do we? I want you to think: "If I was that person, what would I like someone to do for me?" I want to encourage everyone, in every situation to think to yourself, “How can I make this other person’s life a little easier?” The clerk at the till? Pack your own groceries? The person at the drive through window, the gentleman who spends too much time out gathering buggies that we leave anywhere and everywhere out in the hot summer sun. You can come up with all kinds of others. By the way, the mistake you find with the item you are returning, probably isn’t the fault of the person you are yelling at.

Maybe this is one of those verses, Luke 6:31, that we should remember daily just as we do, John 3:16.

Something to think about

Rob

I Will Follow Him

Are you with me? If you are, that’s great. If not, I will go it alone. Sorry, I’m going to do it anyway. No matter what comes I have no choice. Something deep down inside me is calling to me. It’s telling me what I need to do. No, that’s wrong; it’s telling me what I must do.

I realize it’s not going to be easy. I know there will be a tremendous amount of push back, but I can’t do anything else. And there is no one that can talk me out of it. I have this deep down, burning desire to not only ‘do it’ but I also know there is no other option.

So, are you with me? Before you say yes or no, let me say, we live in a totally different country, no; we live in a totally different world today. Someone recently sent me an email asking what my thoughts on the following question are; “Why is there just an extreme amount of hatred, and rudeness, and self-centeredness in our North American Culture?”

There are three parts to the question and three distinct answers. Mull this question over in your own mind. Recognize that all of these points, hatred, rudeness, self-centeredness point to the root of all that is going on in our society today. I answered in part; “people love the sin they are in”. It is a non-Christian society that we find ourselves in. Gone is the basis of our country, there is no longer a Christian moral code that leads our country. Maybe it started when Rhett Butler used the word ‘damn’. The flood gates opened and now . . . well, you know.

So, are you with me? Will you still follow Him? Jesus said to the four apostles, “Follow me.” He repeats is over and over again to each and every person who comes to Him. To anyone who wants to really and truly be a Christ Follower. When we do, we will in some way, push back the hatred, rudeness and self-centredness of the society at large and we will make this world, our small part of this world a better place. We will live by a Christian worldview and no other. Then it will continue to be a place where Jesus is still, the King.

Something to think about

RB

Just An Ordinary Clock

A number of weeks ago, I was happy to purchase another old clock.  The email said it had not worked in a long time and was just sitting on the mantel collecting dust.  I figured it was from the 1920's era. Looked good. All there. Just the right one to start a new dimension of learning with. You see, I have decided to learn how to fix clocks.  After all I have enough of them that at one time in the future will all need cleaning.
This new one is not an expensive clock by any means. Just an everyday, ordinary, inexpensive (when new, and now as well), simple, wooden camelback, mantel clock. My plan was to pick it up, take it apart, clean it and put it back together. Something changed my plans on learning to clean this clock.. I was to pick it up from the people one day but life got in the way. I sent them an email letting them know I couldn’t make it as arranged and suggested another day.
When I finally arrived at the home to pick it up I didn’t find an old clock in need of cleaning but a clock the runs fine. The owner explained. They had lost the key many years ago and were unable to wind the clock. And, they were not happy with the chime going off every half hour.  And that is why it had not run for many years. From the time I told them I would take it until I picked it you, they found the key, wound it and found it to run fine.
Do you ever feel the same way as the clock? Sometimes we are neglected and dirty, in need of cleaning.  While other times we just feel like you have been put on the shelf. We sit there, with nothing to do. Just waiting to do what you do best. All you need is someone to come along with the right key and wind you up.
Come Lord Jesus, come and clean us on the inside, then wind us up and let us be of use for you.
Something to think about
Rob.