It's Cold Out There

Winter has definitely arrived. As you stand on the right side of the glass, you can look out the window and see all the signs that make you realize winter has arrived in this part of the country. The fields have given up their crops and now lay bare.  It’s been a while since the last leaves of summer have turned their God given colours and fallen. Then we notice the hint of snow lying along windblown lines of roads and sidewalks. The cold crisp crystal clear air gives us another sign of winter that is wrapped in a darkness that falls so early and a daylight that breaks way too late. All signs of winter.

The glass in front of you is cold to the touch and you retract it quickly and place it again on the warm coffee mug. Someone walks by out there in the cold. Bundled up, head to toe, they wave their glove covered hand to you. You wave back with the now warmed hand as you observe the frosted breath in front of them.  Yes, it’s cold and this has just started. There are four more months of this. Did you notice there are not as many people out walking, and fewer cars driving about? But we are inside, nice and warm.

For some, this is the best time to stay inside, all curl up on the couch and just take notice of all that winter in Canada has to offer. But this is not how we live. We do venture out, where we are greeted by so many homes decorated and flooded with lights for Christmas. It is another sign of winter. These are the wonderful signs of Christmas, of happy times, wonderful times, family times and joyful times. Winter for all of us is more than cold and snow. This indeed is Christmas.

A few days from now we will engage in another sign of Christmas. Sunday will be the first Sunday of Advent. The sign it brings will be the lighting of one solitary candle, the candle of Hope. As you gaze at this candle, ask yourself what are you hoping for? No, not as a gift on Dec. 25^th. What do you hope for? In this dark time of winter, living in a dark world, what are you hoping for? Over two thousand years ago, the Jewish people were hoping for a deliverer, a Saviour, who would be a gift from God. God answered their prayer. He came and lived and breathed and did all He was called to do.  God has not changed, He still answers prayer. What is your hope?

It’s dark outside right now, and what I hope for as we prepare to light the first candle is that its light will break through the darkness and bring light to your life and mine. I hope Christ will come to your home and to your heart this Christmas. He’s alive and is still the sign of God’s love, wrapped up in all that we hope for.

Something to think about

Rob

Get Some Sleep

Are you a morning person?  Or maybe you’re a night owl. We’ve heard of both and I know which one I am. The interesting thing is, I don’t know word is used for a person who gets up at a normal time and goes to bed at a normal time.  I know there are lots of you out there. When I was young most of us got up around 7:30 and went to bed after the 11 o’clock news. Back then it was considered normal.  That was until a tv station moved the news to ten and everyone went to bed by eleven.

If truth were told, there is no such thing as normal. And to prove that, just get to know the sleeping habits of any teenager. I would imagine there have been lots of studies on our youth and their sleep habits which are so different then, should I say it, ‘normal’ adults. But, really, there is no such thing as normal when it comes to sleeping. What works for you works and that’s that.

When I was in my twenties I believed that sleep was an interruption to all the things I wanted to do in life. Sleep for me was short and sweet. I called it the biggest waste of time. That was until I had to sleep following open heart surgery. Now, sleep is no longer a disruption but a necessity which keeps me going through my waking hours.

This probably means things change in some ways. Our lives change. Yes, I’m still an early riser but it also means I go to bed early. But more than that, other things in our lives change as we get older or even more mature.  Back then I thought I might be indispensable. After all someone might need my help or someone would need to call me anytime to talk. It has taken me years to realize that, yes, people sometimes need me to talk to or be by their side. But more than this, now I realize something more important. No not just that I need more sleep. I realize that God never sleeps and He will take care of each of us.  After all, isn’t it true what the song says?

“People need the Lord, people need the Lord.

When will we realize, people need the Lord?"

Something to think about. 

Rob

Questions, Questions and More Questions

Don’t you just love it when someone asks you a question? I’ll give you an example. At the check- out they inevitably ask, “Did you find everything you were looking for today?” MMMM, let me think, no, I couldn’t find my wife! The clerk didn’t laugh. Then just the other day someone asked me, “What do you think?”  If it's a simple question, five seconds and you're done. But if it is something with significant depth, you can possibly answer one of two ways.  The first one is to say, “Well, . . .” and then you go on and on about what you think about a certain issue. But remember what they may really want is to tell you what they think. Answering a question like this is all well and good if you know for sure the person really wants to know what your opinion. 

The second way to answer a similar question is to do what a good counselor would do.  The counselor would just say, “Well, what do you think?” Done this many times and lived to tell. Thank you - Counselling 101. I have found this works best with most people. Yes, they appreciate your view but in the final analysis, some just want to voice their own opinions and have someone listen, and agree with them. And that is decent as well. It gives people a voice and gives you opportunity to listen. As my mother used to say, “You learn more when you keep your mouth closed and your ears open”.

If you’re wondering why I am asking, it’s because Jesus once asked a very specific question in Matt 16. He began by casually asked all the disciples, “Who do people say I am?” Again, a five second answer. It's interesting their answers to that one as you can read later on your own. But then Jesus got very pointed about the question. He turned to Peter and said, “And who do you say that I am?” Every person who has ever lived will have to answer that question. There is no getting away from it. Peter answered with words from heaven. He said, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God!” One day, Jesus will ask you. What will you say?

Something to think about

Rob

Somewhere Over The Rainbow

Those immortal words were first heard January 1st 1939.  Near the end of the first colour film, Dorothy repeats these heartwarming words, “There’s no place like home.”  Yes, there is no place like home. I know it full well since we have just arrived back home from a three week holiday. Nice to be away and to enjoy warm weather but as Dorothy said in The Wizard of Oz, “There is no place like home”.

Just walking in the door seems to bring relief. You may have even thought or voiced similar words.  Words like, “We’re home”, or “It’s so good to be home”. As we drove those many miles facing north, I found myself looking around at the homes and churches dotting the landscape. It got me to thinking that for someone, they are home. I may not be at that moment but other people are. Even noticed some old churches where my mind wandered and I was thinking about all the people that had called that church their spiritual home over many, many decades.

We drove on. No clicking of our ruby slippers and instantly arriving home. No sir. It was mile after mile, state after state. It took a while to get home, just as it always takes a while to get where we are going.

The same is true in our faith journey. We have to go mile after figurative mile. It’s a process. No one arrives in an instant like Dorothy or Toto. Years ago, I loved the journey. Even drove to Saskatchewan a number of times. For those that might consider it, it’s a thirty three hour drive one way. But I loved the journey.  You see, there was always something at the end of the drive. And that something was home.

We are all on our way home. And for those that love Jesus, heaven is our home and we are on our way there. As I again think of those many churches along the way, I imagine that sometimes, the church we attend seems like a home away from home to all of us. It’s a place that contains all that we hold dear. And it’s the place where we can meet Jesus and travel home with Him beside us. What a journey and what a friend we have in Jesus as we travel this road.  So, this week, get back to church. Join us and those there and let the church be your family and home right now.

Something to think about

Rob