Don't Sweat the Big Stuff

Do you ever wonder the big stuff? Like, I mean real big stuff. Not necessarily God Big, but, big for you and me. My one professor told us one day that his wife dealt with the small stuff of running the house and he dealt with the big things; like, world peace, cure for cancer and that sort of stuff. We smiled politely.

Thinking this way has been on my mind for a while as I tried to discover if I had any big stuff in my life. There I sat for too long wondering if my life had any big stuff accomplishments over the last sixty years or so. To find it we first have to rid ourselves of the God big stuff, like keeping the moon in place and orbit. Some of us, the big things included life decisions that got us to where we are today all while dodging big problems that appear out of no where.

Even picking the right profession for ourselves has had its problems and triumphs. Just the other day I almost asked a clerk at the store if this was where she thought she would be in life when she graduated out of school. Almost. Maybe that is an important question we need to asking ourselves.

You might agree with me that big stuff seems to come at the least expected moments. Like the time I started talking to someone and the conversation turned to faith. And I shared Jesus with them and their heart soared to heaven.  And so many times I have stood in front of the congregation, shared something or other, only to feel when I was done that I have blown it. I was dejected, until someone came up to me and said something like: “How did you know? You were talking to me today, thanks, I needed that”.  This even happened again this past Sunday.  The truth I see is the big stuff can be found in small packages.

The ‘Big Stuff' shows up in an insignificant moment when God, me, and another person all show up together, just to talk. That's it! It’s not about great things it’s about making a difference in each other’s life. Remember some of those big moments are wrapped in small stuff? Mother Teresa said, ‘We can’t all do the big stuff but we can do small things with Great Love’.

Something to think about.

Rob

Whiter Than Snow

A sunny day seems to make any day wonderful.  Not always, but most of the time.  When the sun shines, it warms our outside and our insides. It changes our disposition. We feel good; we look good and life is almost always good. I think part of that is because with the sun out, we can see everything around us. There are no dark shadows that distort our perception of what is just around the next corner. For a person with a ‘sunny’ disposition, like my friend Joyce, every day is wonderful.

Here is a scenario for you. I know about this because I did it last week. Went in to clean the bathroom like usual. Most people with an untrained eye would say, the room looked good. But is it? You and I know that there is nothing out of the ordinary to clean. It’s simple, someone who wants to do it, supplies and time. Mine was the usual day to go about cleaning it. No, not because company was coming because company was not anticipated. The first thing we all do is turn on all the lights if you have more than just the two or three over the sink. We have seven lights. With them all on, you can’t miss a thing. There was nowhere for the dust bunnies or cobwebs to hide with all that light and my reading glasses on.

The same happens to us when the ‘Son’ of God comes into our lives. The dark areas in our lives, the sins if you will, are laid bare when He shows up and there is nothing in all of creation that can cover them up or remove them but the gift of God in Christ, and that cleaner is forgiveness. And when that happen, our Sonny Day is because of Him. When He forgives our sin, the bible tells us we are as white as snow. Have you asked Him for forgiveness? Put on a 'Sonny' disposition.

Something to think about.

Rob

Measurable, Achievable Timely

With school starting in a few weeks we all need to know we are all winners.  Sure, you can buy a lottery ticket and you have just bought a ticket to win a chance to buy another one. Then if you go to an auction, you win the chance to up your bid again until no one wants it more than you.

We can also be a winner at life. If we get a focus and work at it with all our heart, we will get to the goal. If it’s to have lots of money etc., than we need to never get distracted from reaching for the stars. Well, maybe not the stars because, if you get there, they can be pretty hot, and you would be pretty old. Maybe that’s the analogy we want to think it as attainable.

Many of us start out young and ready to take on the world. I was like that, and some people thought I was just a dreamer. They actually thought I was crazy. After all, we were not the richest family in the neighbourhood. You probably know this but it’s worth saying, ‘without dreams, we have nothing to strive for’. When I was young I joined the army cadets. I was two months short of my 12^th birthday. My goal was to be the cadet in charge. Never taking my focus off that, it happened. Next, I wanted to join the infantry and I did. Not long after two years of that I found another focus and it was in the band (that's me in the middle right between the right two drums). I did that, well until another better, bigger, bolder focus came along. And I was on a role of winning!

Each successive focus moves us to greater things. You should know that God will be in this born to win mentality. He really is. Paul talked about it in Philippians when he shared with all of us about his many focuses he was winning. His final goal was to know Christ and the power found in the resurrection. He strove to get better and better finding his focus, until he realized that knowing Christ was the ultimate goal his heart and life strove to win. What’s yours? Paul leaves us with an earth shatter goal.   “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” That my friend is winning.

Take hold of His hand and realize it’s something to really think about.

Rob

Christmas In July

I was to the store the other day, well, actually it was July 30th. I assumed it would be one of those days when I would be seeing a lot of stuff for 'back to school'. Sure enough there they were; and lots of them. Books to backpacks, paper to pencils, calculators to computers. Just as expected, not a kid in sight. There was lots of stuff and only a few parents wandering around with really not too much in their cart.

No sooner did I see all this stuff, then right behind them I took notice of a whole wall of - ready - fall decorations! Yes, I said, fall decorations. Sure I've seen lots of fall stuff over the years, especially with apples, and apricots at the front of the church with all those fake fall leaves. And I guess I was expecting to see lot of this array of fall colours. Still, I don’t think I’m quite ready for the fall stuff just yet. Not to say, I was put off by it, after all, we have to start sometime.

I motored on and around the next corner what should I see?  But a boat load of Halloween stuff. How nice to see everyone getting ready to celebrate my birthday so soon? That's nice. Or is it? Its three months away. When I was a kid, my mom wouldn't ever think about costumes until, well, the night before. But that was back before people went to a store to buy the costume. Sisters dressed like dad and the boys dressed like ladies. Got the pictures to prove it.

Just getting over the shock of the Halloween isle when, another surprise greeted me. Or should I say, almost tripped over this big display right in the middle of the isle. Yes people, there were four huge boxes right there for everyone to see, boxes of tubes of 'Christmas wrapping paper'. I couldn't believe my eyes. What is this about? Its five months ahead of time! It's crazy don't you think?

But then again, maybe it could be a ‘Christmas in July,’ sale or something. Or just maybe there is always a time to remember Jesus came to redeem us all from sin. It was God's way of reaching down to us in love. He wants us to know Him. So, He sent His Son to redeem us and bring us back to a everlasting relationship with Him. In doing so, we can never get tired of being reminded of the Jesus who first appeared as the baby Jesus, our Saviour, in a manger.

Something to think about.

Rob