The Ticking of So Many Clocks

As I sit here in my home office desk, I find myself thinking about what is coming. No, not the winter snow. It probably has something to do with seven clocks ticking away and them striking the hour. Most of the time they don’t strike all at the same time. To me, it’s a symphony of multiple speed of ticking and many tones in the chimes and chirping of the cuckoo clocks. Yes, multiple.
I’m reminded of the line, “time and tides wait for no man”. Life ticks away before we know it, if we let it. And in moments like this, it causes me to go ever deeper into the inner person that I am. You probably do the same. I reflect on where I have been, the roads I have travelled, places I have been to and all the adventures we call life experiences. Along the way of our life journey we cross bridges that make us take pause and smile just because we are there. We experience amazing vistas of mountain top grandeur and struggle through dark valleys where it seems the sun never shines. It all comes together and we call it life. And it's good.
An amazing part of our life on this earth is, we are not on this journey alone. We have companions who come into our life for just those moment. Our moments and many times their moments. Just like in church were we talked today about raising a child takes a village. Looking around there today, I notice all those who are journeying through life together. Again, it gives me pause and I smile. What an amazing life were we have so many others to walk with and enjoy the journey together.
For us of faith, we have someone else who walks with us. Jesus is always there when we call out His name. He is there so we can share the triumphs, struggles, and experience together life’s defining moments. But He is not there just to stroll along, He also talks to us and guides us, and at times he even carries us. What an amazing experience it is.
And what’s coming? I don’t know. But one thing I do know;
Many things about tomorrow
I don't seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand.
Something to think about.
Rob.   

Where Have All The Birdies Gone?

It was so very quiet last evening as I sat quietly on the front porch. The sounds I heard most were the crickets rubbing their legs together, the odd sparrow chirping. Well, that’s about it. It made me realize the birds have flown the coop. Or should I say, they have started their journey south.

I even decided to go looking for the birds. Sparrows yes but little else. No Gold Finch, no Purple Finch, no Nuthatch. Not even a Blue Jay or Cardinal. I thought it might be the time of day until off in the distance I finally heard a Cardinal peeping. Sat a little while with my neighbour and we together talked about it. He said he had just seen a hummingbird the day before and almost on que, there he was, drinking in the sweet nectar of our Rose of Sharon blossoms. I felt better.  

Now, again sitting alone, I’m think more about it, about missing something and not able to find it. I realize there are times in our lives when we notice changes or miss something in our life. Or we just miss what we had and go looking for it. My bible tells me in, Jeremiah 29:13  "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart".

There are indeed times when we realize we are missing the presence of God in our life. Seems like just yesterday we were so close to the God who made us, loves us and cares for us more that we care for ourselves. Now, well, we realize life got in the way. We took a few Sundays off now and again and it stretched into weeks and seems to have stretched to what now feels like a lifetime. It's on days like this one, when we will realize we miss Him. We miss the conversations, being together. Then and only then will we decide we are going to find Him once more.

Maybe that day is today.

Something to think about.

Rob

Heroes In Plain Clothes

Do we have heroes today?  Not just Superheroes or Ninja Turtles. Do we have honest to goodness heroes? I wondered about that lately as I read the account of some war heroes and remembered my dad’s story.

During the war, dad was on the front lines doing what he was trained to do when an unusual situation happened somewhere on the western front in Holland. It seems that a platoons of Belgian solders were lost in the fog and no chance of survival if someone didn’t get to them soon and bring them out. No one stepped forward until dad offered to go. They agreed to let him ‘give it a go’.  He went off into the fog and using his radio, found them and brought all twelve men back. The Belgian Captain thanked him over and over and wanted to give him something for what he had done. Dad modestly didn’t want anything but said he would like a German pistol as a memento. The officer told him that he would get something even better.

The war ended and Dad was home and working as a carpenter in Hamilton. One day another carpenter drove by dad’s work site. Calling to him that sunny morning he told him that his name was mentioned on the radio that morning and he was going to get a medal for some reason. As children we never even knew about this until my daughter did a report for school on someone they knew who went overseas in the war. To us kids, he was just 'Dad'.

That radio announcement told him he had won the Belgium Croix de Guerre with Oak Leaf for bravery. It is one of only a handful ever given to a non-com soldier. Was he a hero? yes and no. To himself, he was just another human being doing what he could for another human being.

Our world is still full of heroes. Our history books and daily newspapers are filled with them and so is our bible. The disciples, going against unimaginable persecution made the decision to tell the world about Jesus. Even today, Christians all over the world are standing up for Jesus no matter what happens. And to those people who come to Christ and receive forgiveness and eternal life, through that one individual, they know who a hero is. Are you a hero to someone else?  Can you remember your hero? Jesus is more than a hero, because He died so I could live forever.

Something to think about

Rob

First Day Back

One of the beautiful moments in life is when you stand at the school yard fence on the first day back to school. It is a mixed day. Some like getting there and some don’t. It’s one of those amazing moments that we get to see only once a year. And for many, it’s the personal experience itself.
I stood there many times when my children were growing up. First day, first time would be a day of apprehension. Many with fear, not knowing what is beyond those walls and behind the windows. Yes I knew but they didn’t. Many want to go back home where it was nice and comfortable. We pushed them through the door, dragged them kicking and screaming. They made it in that first day.
But the best part is when you, or I took them back to school for the next grade. They had been there and when we came within a block of the playground, off they would run to rekindle friendships they missed all summer. They would run to each other, hug and jump up and down. It was that first day reunion that would in many cases, last them a life time. Some, not so sure of having to be in school but oh so excited about being back with their friends.
Most of us share in that experience. And as your mind drifts back to those many first day school days, I see many of you smiling, reliving an experience that never leaves you.
It can be the same with getting back to church. Taking time off is good and wonderful but then, we start to miss it. It’s the people, the music,  the experiences we go through together. But with church the best part is getting back to the Master. Jesus Christ is there waiting for us each week. But more than that, He wants to be with us each and every day.
Rekindle that experience this Sunday. Come and meet with Him, He’s been here all along and waits for you. 
Something to think about.
Rob