Clocks?

When Daylights Saving Time arrives at our side of the planet, it disturbs our internal clock. Personally if it was up to me, I would like just one thing that stays the same and that would be our clocks. You can change most anything you want as far as I’m concerned but don’t mess with the clock. Yes, the sun goes down sooner and it comes up later but, that’s okay as far as I’m concerned. I lived in Saskatchewan when they didn’t change it ever. And with twenty five or so clocks to reset, it takes time…twice a year.

I read in the bible where, at one point in time the sun stood still for a battle that was raging. Just so you know, McMaster planetarium found it and proved it was real. But, it hasn’t happened ever again. Almost all of us in this life want at least one thing to be constant, never changing. Technology won’t give it. Congestion on our roads won’t produce it. The clothes we wear change faster that we can afford. Unless you’re old like me and wear things out before getting new clothes. So, what constant do we have left?

Time is unchangeable. Other than the one hour change twice a year we get the same amount of seconds every year. There is the time to get up, go to work or school, times to eat, and the best ones of all, the time to lie down and go to sleep once more. But where they are in our day may  change as life changes.  I met with a family last evening that are on the edge of change. They are waiting for that moment of time as their elderly mom will no longer be there for them as she has been for over ninety years. Life will change for them in that moment she leaves this world and travels home to Christ. And there it is, that one never changing part of life, Jesus Christ. As the verse reads, “Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever”. It’s a great verse to memorize and repeat every time we look at our watches.

Something to think about.    

Storage Wars

I’m almost fully convinced that the next generation has something right. Mind you, it may only be just one thing right. Let me explain. That one thing is what they have grown to call themselves, and that is, ‘minimalists’. Which is a polite way of saying they only want to have what they need. No knickknacks for them, no doilies, no clutter, and no stuff sitting around gathering dust, which may also mean only one bible each. How did I come to this conclusion you might ask?

Well it started with asking my kids what they want out of our home when we either downsize or are gone to heaven. Not morbidly mind you. Almost as a chorus they answered, “Nothing”.

It was then that I started to think more about my stuff. While it played games in my head I found myself watching the idiot box. On it I came across a number of reality shows that demonstrate what I’m beginning to learn.  It started with ‘Storage Wars’ where people actually have to pay rent on a storage unit to keep the stuff they possess that won’t fit in the house anymore and they forget about them and someone else bids on buying all your old stuff. This spawned one in Canada, one in LA., one in . . . okay you get the drift.

Then there was another program where a company would come into your garage and clean it out for free. Their reward for cleaning up your ‘stuff was, they get to keep everything and sell it to pay the expenses. The latest one that I saw for the first time this past week is one that cleans out your attic. Don’t you just love brainless reality tv? There were lots of stairs and lots of calories being burned going up and down. I got so tired just watching them for two minutes I had to turn it off and catch a nap.

Before I drifted off I asked myself, what about my attic and my garage, and my cellar? Maybe I don’t have a storage unit I rent but I do have another building way out back of my very full garage for the summer garden stuff.

Maybe the next generation does have it right. But then the bible had it right thousands of years ago when God in His infinite wisdom said to all of us, “I will supply your every need”. MMMMMMM. Makes you think doesn’t it?

Something to think about.

 Rob

DIET?

With Thanksgiving over, many of us are going to be telling ourselves, “It’s Diet Time.”  Yes, the last feast before the next onslaught of candy that comes in three weeks.  Yes, Halloween is on it’s way and like Ralph in Drabble, dads buy a bag for themselves, or maybe two or three. I used to make it a yearly pilgrimage to head of to Walmart just after midnight on Nov 1st when the store marked the candy down to half price. I had the pick of the store. I imagined this was ‘Almost Heaven’. Not so much anymore.
Of course after all that candy we are going to again say, “It’s Diet Time!” That is until, the first, second, tenth Christmas party. They probably start just around the corner at the end of Nov and continue on to Christmas Day. What are we to do? It’s really a dilemma especially with all these fad diets all around us. I guess we need to do some research and find what does it for us. What gives us the best results. I found mine and it’s not eating anything made with wheat. What’s yours? Have you found it yet?
The same can be said about getting out of shape spiritually. Yes, we can try to get back into shape on our own but then again there are many fads but only a few tried and true ways. The first and best one is to go to the source. Get your bible out and read it. If you are an avid reader, sit and read it like you would any other book. Then go back and read it bit by bit. Other people might have their own way of doing it. Find what works for you. When you do, Christ will shine in your heart and life and you will be in great spiritual shape like you never been before. Here’s a thought - join the spiritual & physical in some amazing way.
Something to think about.
Rob

Thanksgiving, Coming In Out of the Cold

The sky says it all, well most of it. It’s the clouds, the rain, the wind and the lack of birds. Yes, the Robins and Goldfinches have all flown the coup. Even the calendar shouts it out to us. Fall is in the air and time to go inside where it's warm.

With fall comes the hurried work of putting all the summer stuff away. Most of you have probably already done that, right? Then again. . . we are hoping the good weather will be with us another day or week. Some of us even wait for an expected 'Indian Summer'. That one last burst of warm sunshine before the grip of fall knocks all the leaves off the trees.

Just the other day one of the evidences of fall came along with the Big Wind! We noticed it when we came home from church. A father and son were out front of our home picking up chestnuts. A bumper crop I might add. The son was furiously gathering, so excited and not wanting to miss one. I talked to the father and he said he had been gathering them at our house for twelve years now. Two hours later, they were back with even bigger bags and just as much enthusiasm. And to think they never heard of Conkers.

Reminded me of the story of how Jesus, (Luke 13:34) standing outside the city of Jerusalem started crying for the people that couldn’t be gathered. Interestingly I believe He is still crying for all the people in who won’t be gathered by Him. Church isn’t just a place to go on Sunday because there is nothing else to do. It’s a gathering. Where God opens His arms and gathers us like a hen gathers its chicks. A good time to gather is now. And while you're at it, Thank Him this Thanksgiving.

Something to think about.

Rob