On Time

Just so you know, I hate being late.  I know that’s a pretty strong word but it’s true. My mother was like that as well. Then again, it could be on account of an old professor I had way back in prehistoric times. We had a class on ministry and he said, “If there is one thing you need to be,  it is . . . .” Before he finished the sentence, thought were racing though our minds as he might be about to say; holy, or spiritual or dignified or born again or whatever, but he said, “on time”. What? This is his greatest piece of advice? Really?To which he added; “If you are late, you don’t care about the other people you are inconveniencing”. Yes, it stuck and continues to influence me on how I continue to feel about being late. Maybe that is why I have so many clocks and watches.

Every once in a while I continue to think about this, especially when I’m waiting for someone else. Here’s a thought; can you imagine what church would be like if we ministers showed up at maybe 11:10? I’ve so wanted to repeat the professor’s advice with almost every doctor I have ever known. Well, except one. That one only books one patient every thirty minutes. Always on time and never in a hurry.

Wonder of wonders, I was on time this past week. As you might remember from last week’s article, I enjoy my time with seniors where I go to visit and listen to their stories. They do have lots of stories and I try to never be in a hurry. This past week was no exception. You see, I believe they are waiting for me to arrive, and seem to look forward to my visits as much as I do. The longer I know some residents, the closer we get and the more they open up to me. They even ask about the church and what I am going to preach on and, and, and. It’s so nice to share together.

As I was saying, I was not late and in fact arrived fifteen minutes ahead of time the other week. It doesn’t take long to start the normal routine of moving from one individual to another on the first floor. You could call it small talk. Then at the right time I proceeded over to the elevator and move on up to others waiting for a visit. Out of the elevator, walked the hall and turned into the first upstairs wing I normally visit. I was met face to face with one of the staff who had an unusual look on her face. She broke the news to me that one of the residents I visited faithfully had passed just moments before I arrived. I knew my resident would have been waiting for our visit, and parting prayer.

I had arrived on time. I stood outside their room and said a solo parting prayer in those quiet moments as the beginning of something greater began for this departing saint. You see, my friend was right on time to meet Jesus. He will always be on time, waiting for each of our arrivals. Are you on time? Will you be ready to meet Him at the right time?

Something to think about.

Rob

The Old Wooden Chair

One of the best things we can do and enjoy in life is listening to other people.  Just recently I had the most wonderful conversation with one very interesting individual. I sat and just let him talk. Not only did I learn about him and his life, but I learned what made them tick. That’s a pun by the way because he is my watchmaker mentor. Yes, we talk about clocks and he teaches me about how these wonders work but there is more. I feel like I’m the winner here as I grow in my knowledge of clocks, and then travel the world I will never see through his sparkling eyes.

There are more of these situations. Over the past sixteen years or so, I have visited the elderly most every Tuesday. I have sat and listened to stories. Heard about adventures and shed a tear at tragedy. Met with ornery individuals who sit day in and day out angry with the world and the people in it. Sat with them anyway and watched over the months how they soften and open up to tell stories of pain brought on by just living life with people who don’t care.

I’ve sat with people who want someone to listen to their story so badly they end every paragraph with, “and then. . .” My learning to listen originated way back when my mother worked as a ward air in the chronic care ward at Mt Hamilton General Hospital. It was Ward 6, but my young mind could not figure out why this was as it was on the third floor of the wing.

I would leave school and go over to the hospital to meet mom and walk home with her. Because I was always early, mom would encourage me to go visit with one of the residents there and try to cheer them up. Two individuals stand out in my mind. The first was Henry, a very old, big, thin, tall man who I only saw in his very old wooden wheel chair or in bed.  He told me about being a slave in ‘the south’. He told me good stories, especially of being cared for by a wonderful God. Maybe knowing him led me to read the only novel I ever read in my life, Uncle Tom’s Cabin. The other man was Cosgrove. He always sent me to the store for him and let me keep the change. He told me how to love life. The best day with him was the day they said he could go home. I was so happy for him. We hugged and he went down the hall and I last saw him as he waved to me and the elevator doors closed.

Life stories don’t close when the elevator door closes. Stories live long in our minds and hearts, just as the people that share them do. God has stories as well. He told them to many people and they wrote them down so we would not forget. Open your bible and learn about people’s lives that were impacted by God, and then, share your story and where God impacted it.   I’m listening.

Something to think about.

Robin

EXCITING!

When you pull up in the parking lot, you know what’s about to happen. Never been here before but you heard stories. A number of people you know have told you about what happened to them. They used words like, exciting, fun, sensational, interesting, informative, something for every age and they even used other words like, amusing and pleasurable. Seems like somewhere you would love to go.

You make the decision to go and set the date. You can’t believe everyone in the family wanted to go. Even your teenage son who never wants to be within two kilometers of mom and dad let alone with his kid sister, was yelling “Shotgun”. But before you get going you have some instructions. Smile, behave, be respectful and oh yes, have a good time.  Everything looks great from the car windows. Grass is cut and trimmed, sidewalks swept,looks near prefect and other people are smiling and laughing. Before you know it you are right at the entrance and the gatekeepers welcomes you by saying, “Come on in and enjoy your morning. Here a program that will tell you all that is going on.”  “What a nice man,” you say to yourself.  “I think I’m enjoying this already” you find yourself thinking, just before you catch yourself saying to you family, “Is this for real?”

Then back to your thoughts. Where are you? What is happening to and around you? This is amazing, nothing like I thought it would be. Most of you will be thinking Canada’s Wonderland, Westfield Village or The Lion Safari. Or maybe just over the border at Fantasy Island, maybe even Marineland. Its vacation time and we are all headed for one place or another where we can enjoy ourselves.

You see, none of us want to be in places that are uninteresting and so out of touch with what it takes to get people’s attention.  We want to be where people are glad to see us. Places where we get to love and be loved. Somewhere where a smile replaces a tear, where young and old hug each other and share with each other the amazing things we can enjoy together as family and friends.  

A long time ago there was the tv show called Cheers. It to was a place people wanted to be. Here are some of the words from the theme song,

“Sometimes you want to go

Where everybody knows your name,

And they're always glad you came;

You want to be where you can see,

Our troubles are all the same;

You want to be where everybody knows your name”.

My prayer is that all of what you just read makes you think of church.

Are you? Then help change it.

Something to think about.

Rob

It's Just Thunder

We all have our fears. Yes we do. When I was first on Facebook very early Monday morning to see how Sunday went for everyone, someone had already put a note that they didn’t like the thunder that we woke to 3 am. Just so you know, it’s call, Tonitrophobia Here is another one. Did you know there are some people who will never turn left while driving? Actually watched a program a few years ago that followed someone who would never make a left hand turn. MMMMMMMM.

They call them phobias. They are real and nothing to be laughed at. It’s defined as an aversion to an object or situation. I don’t think they have a name for my greatest fear. You want me to tell you what it is? Here goes, I fear having to do a wedding and forget it. No, you didn’t feel the earth shake. It’s just something some ministers fear. This got me to thinking and wondering about all those other fears people have. So I went onto my computer and took 36 seconds to find a list of phobias. Wow! I never knew.

I scanned the whole list and decided to share some of them with you but also to make myself available to anyone who has one of these fears and they want to talk about it. Before we get going, here is one just for fun. It’s Chronomentrophobia, or the fear of clocks. If you suffer from this, don’t come to our home as I have more than 15 just in just my office.

Seriously, here is the first one, Homilophobia is the fear of sermons. Go to our church website and watch one in progress. It might help to relieve some of your fear. How about Theophobia and Zeusophobia? They are fear of God, gods or religion. Yes there are some scary religions out there but I serve a God who is not mad at you. He loved the world and sent His son to believe in and receive eternal life. Which lead me to Eccleiophobia which is simply stated, the fear of church. Let me tell you, I have been in some scary churches in my time. And to be fair, I was only there once. You see, I believe the real church is the one filled with people who want to be loved by God, valued by others, accepted by other sinners who just want to show other beggars where they found bread.   

When I was growing up, there were a few ministers and churches out there that were nothing but fire and brimstone. They scared the hell out of us and God into us. It took me a long time to discover that wasn’t the God who called me to Himself. It was then that I met a God who wants nothing more than to walk beside us day by day, dispelling our fears and reassuring us of His love and care. In the bible it reads in Isaiah 41:10, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” If you want to meet the God I worship, give me a call so we can get together and I will introduce you to him.

Something to think about.

Rob