Early Morning Sunrise

Morning started early today. So early you don’t want to know. Before long I was out the door and taking care of an early morning errand. The cooler night breeze was nice after living through a very hot yesterday. Gazing into the summer haze of what we have grown to expect in summer, was the full moon. Even as I looked up I realize that the light it gives off is not its own. It’s only the reflection of a greater light. A light that even though it is off somewhere in the north east had not yet started to make itself know to me at this early hour.
That is how the day dawned. Dawned? Interesting word, especially as we remember the old saying, “It’s always darkest before the dawn.” I’m a sunset kind of guy. Love to go and watch them. Feel the peace they bring before sleep envelops me. Some are more amazing, more awe inspiring than others, but they all have this, this, draw on me. Then there are the odd times that I have opportunity to witness the opposite phenomena, and that is the dawning of a new very long, very hot and hazy summer day in late June. This was one of those precious moment.
It was just past 4:30am when I noticed something off to my left. There in the distance over the big city was a faint ribbon of light, so faint indeed that I even questioned my own vision. Was I seeing right? This early? After a couple more glances out the side of the car I realized I was not seeing things. It was true. For there just above the dark clouds of the lower sky was dawn. It was coming again. But coming differently, and not unlike the sunset, it will never the same. Never a hint of been there done that. Just a scratch of light changing the black sky by pushing away the darkness.
I had to pull over, turn off the car and get out in the quietness of the morning and witness the amazing slender of the moon on one side of the road and the dawn on the other. You had to be there and see the wonder of Gods creativity in His splendour. 
As I said they are all different this experience seemed wonderfully different. Away from the hustle and bustle of our lives, in the tranquillity of the moment out in the country so far away from the lights and noise of the city, I realized again, we live complex lives. We face one way and our life possesses only a sliver of light but we turn around and see that it has opportunity to reflecting off something else. That my friend is just before God comes and pushes the darkness away. As I stood there in the spender of God’s creation, I reflected on dark moments in my life, and in yours, when God shone brighter than everything else we knew as true and right and proper.  This is what it means to be a child of the King. It is when Jesus does the same thing in our lives. Jesus Christ brings light into those dark days that we just can’t shake. It’s not only a true light but the only light that can push back the darkness and we can again experience a bright new dawning in our lives not unlike this morning in the sky above me. Then, and only then, do we have opportunity to reflect His light.
Something to think about.

Rob

SCHOOLS OUT!!!

Another year of school is coming to a close very soon. For some, mostly parents, it only seems like yesterday that the munchkins went off to start a new year.  Where has the time gone? Go ahead, put them up against the door jam and put another mark with another date. Another two inches taller, or is that 10.16 centimeters? Yes they have grown. Don’t say it. Don’t say it only seems like yesterday that . . .  It wasn’t. And it isn’t. Life is like this. Days grow into weeks. Weeks into months and before you know, a lifetime has passed.

For most of us, it has been an amazing journey. Remember when you were in grade six, or maybe seven? Remember the friends?  Or how about that special teacher? Well, right now, the children who are desperately anticipating that final bell of the year are building memories, wonderful memories. Interestingly as I sit here thinking about it, there are few things I remember learning during those years. I must have learned something. After all I did pass most years at school.

We all learned information. We took mathematics, science, physical training. The list is endless. Someone told me that there is more emphasis away from the 3rs these days. To which I say, mmmmmm.  It’s amazing to sit with children today who are going to school and learning things with calculators and spell check. Every night when they get home from school, they are asked the same questions we were asked when we were greeted at the end of a school day, “Well, Sonny, what did you learn at school today?”  To which most every child will say, “Nothing”. I guess we know it all at every age.

With the end of school, there is now a different form of learning for everyone. It’s what we call learning by living. Learning is not something that ends at the close of a class or end of the day or week or even year. Learning happens every time we explore new vistas. There are always new adventures, new places to go, things to see. And we do it every time we step out our front door. All of us. Not just the children who are excited about vacations.

Here is a truth from God. He created this world for us to not only enjoy but to explore. In doing so, we can see in the smallest molecule or the largest galaxy the creative genius of God. He is in everything we see, smell, touch, taste and hear. Life is a continual learning experience. We can even learn every day about God. And that my friend is the best learning of all.

Something to think about.

Rob

PERFECT!

How many times have you heard something and scratched your head? Exactly. Me to. Like, who comes up with these things? I know that when they say this is the ‘car’ of the year, they have facts and statistics and, well, a number of things and issues that go to prove the worthiness of each vehicle being considered.

I imagine it’s the same with some others like, truck of the year. Or maybe even the best computer, printer, or telephone to buy compared to all the rest. Here is where I scratch my head. Just recently I heard a commercial that toted a website that you can go to to find a competent carpenter, plumber, electrician etc. And for those people who have had work done you can nominate your choice. MMMMMMM. I’m not saying but wondering if anyone stacks their own deck. The reason I say that is, each year some papers have this Reader’s Choice campaign. And each business gets everyone that goes there to choose and vote for them. I know because the gym I go to prints out hundreds of ballots. But how do those who vote know if it’s any good if they have not compared it to other business places? Same things with Canadian Idol I imagine?

Even if there are comparisons, isn’t it subjective? We all have our preferences, and our own likes and dislikes. Yes there might be criteria but in the end isn’t it all to do with preferences? A long time ago I was doing some research on facial features. There on my computer were websites devoted to each item on the list. The World’s Best Lips, The World’s Bests noses, The World’s Best Eyes. They went on and on.

Again, as I looked over first place, second place etc., I realized they were nice but, . . . it’s another case of being subjective. And that is the point. Subjectivity. God said that He made each and every one of us, ‘in His image’. That tells me He doesn’t make junk. Your not junk, I'm not junk. There are no assembly line lemons made on Friday afternoon shift. It even said that He knit you together in your mother’s womb. Subjective? Maybe to us but not to God. He created you perfect, and beautiful, full of everything that makes us unique, amazing and perfect in every way. There is nothing we can do to make us any better than He created us to be. You see I don’t think He made any mistakes in making you – or me.

I remember watching an artist one time. She mixed colours, and brush strokes. Many times she stopped, took a step back and just stared at the painting. After a while she stepped back for the lasts time and said, “Perfect”.  And that is what God did in you. Now, as with the artist, stand in front of that mirror and say to yourself, “Perfect”! After all, I believe that is what He said when He created you.

Something to think about.

Rob

Swimming with Dolphins

Time for the obvious.  Every morning you routinely do the very same thing. You swing your legs over the side of the bed and put your feet on the floor. Well, except for those of us that have planned ahead and your feet instinctively go into a pair of slippers. We are creatures of habit.

The next important thing we might do in our morning is to go to the kitchen and brew some coffee.  Well, except for those people that have prepared ahead and that means the coffee is ready before your feet – slippers step across the threshold onto the cold tile of the kitchen floor.  Life is like this you know. Maybe that is why we think our lives are full of same old, same old.

Aha, caught you! Thinking about your mornings aren’t you?

When you get to your place of employment you start another routine. Park in the same spot, go in the same door, sit in the same place, have the same lunch, talk to the same people almost always about the same things.  Well, again, except for those people who never go to the same place twice.  Their job may be the same thing, just a different place.

At the same time our habits are good for us. They give us some sense of stability. In fact most people love routine, i.e. stability. It keeps them firmly planted in the life they are living. But I want every single individual that is reading this right now to know something. There is a whole other world out there to be explored. Especially as our Canadian summer approaches. It’s a world you never dreamed about before you put your feet on the floor this morning.

There are places to go and explore. There are people to meet and be met by. And how you get there and what you experience is only limited by your inability to break from a routine that only gets boring. You don’t have to travel half way around the world to experience these things. Even though right now a few friends are delightfully off in the far reaches of this planet.

A number of years ago, the kids wanted me to break from my routine and they convinced me to do something simple. All they wanted was for me to take them to the Lion Safari.  While there, I had opportunity to pat a baby elephant. Amazing! Nothing like I had imagined. Last night, friends told us about going for their routine swim in the Gulf of Mexico yesterday.  But it was no ordinary routine. They were in the water when they noticed a group of dolphins coming towards them. The dolphins came inside the roped off area for swimmers and they swam together. An experience better than any other! Don't you agree?

Here is what I know. God created this wonder – filled world. It was and is beautiful, perfect and amazing in so many ways. According to the book of Genesis, He decided to share it. He created us to explore it and see everything that He created, and to do it with Him. And the only way for us to experience it, is to step occasionally outside our comfort zone and see Him in His creation. Oh, and while we are His creation, explore each other while we explore God each and every day.

Something to think about

Rob