The dawn may take some time

Last night I posted on Facebook that there is a big hole on the street and a deep trench through my front yard where work is going on to connect water and sewer to the new house we're building. I added: "I guess it's progress that things get torn apart to get put back together." One of my friends commented, "Sounds theological to me!" I hadn't really meant it in that way but it is a week that we Christians contemplate things torn apart before they are put back together - that death comes before resurrection.

I'm sad this week that things are torn apart in my friend Carla's family - Carla's big sister Eileen died last week, too soon we would say. I think of the gaping hole in my yard and know that the piles of dirt will fill it up again either today or tomorrow - but I know that it will take longer to put things together for Carla and her family. We need to walk tenderly with those who grieve without rushing them to the Resurrection. The dawn that emerges from this darkness takes time but we can be hopeful. We can hope because the One who walked the path to the cross walks with those for whom things are torn apart.

21 Days

A friend recently shared the sermon message at her church. The pastor challenged the congregation to consider how their lives might be different if they knew they only had 21 days to live. It made me think. What would change in my life if I knew I only had 21 days? Would I stop doing some things? Would I start doing other things? How would I relate to my family? Friends? Colleagues?

I've been mulling this over for a few days and here's what I've come up with: I would get up earlier and enjoy sunrises that I rarely see. I would stop and enjoy sunsets that I miss by being busy with other things. I would thank God for the many gifts He has given me. I would bless others with the money and possessions that I would no longer need. I would make sure my nephew knew that blowing bubbles is a simple thing that makes nearly everyone smile. And I would make rhubarb pie for my husband.

What about you? What would your 21 days look like?

ATM

I'm using a devotional book for Lent called, "There's no ATM in the Wilderness." The reflections are written by a variety of people who are active in the United Church of Canada. There is a Scripture passage, a reflection, a prayer and ideas for journalling or action. Last night's text was from Mark 12, especially the first part of verse 17: "Jesus said to them, 'Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor's, and to God the things that are God's'" One suggestion in the journal reflection part caught my attention: "John Wesley suggested praying before spending money. What if, every time you spent money, you simply asked the question: Remembering it's not really mine, is this how I want to spend God's money?" Something to ponder.

A Bright Sunny Morning!

Good morning everyone!!!! My name is Mary and I am from the United Mennonite Church in Black Creek :) It has taken me a bit to get on here but I've gotten my act together, well, a little bit, hee hee, and signed on up. My husband and I (and my mom) are on our way to Church for our Annual General Meeting today that will be full of information and of course elections...now that will be interesting! lol Cal, my husband, and I have been married for almost 14 years (I'm 37 yrs). I just wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself, and also ask for prayer for our Church as we go into our AGM :) I will be doing some more blogs with poems, thoughts, prayers, and such as time goes on! Thank you and God bless!!!!!

Giving Up or Adding On?

I was chatting over lunch the other day with a young woman I know. She and her husband have been married a few years and have faithfully given up something during the Lenten season. Chocolate, coffee, going out for restaurant meals and movies, that sort of thing. She said that this year they had been kicking around ideas. TV maybe? They didn't watch it much anyways. Restaurants? Done that already. Ditto chocolate and coffee. What to give up that would be significant and a sacrifice?

Then inspiration hit. What if, instead of giving something up, they added something on? 40 days of something extra? She's going to run outside daily. He is going to walk the 1.5 km to and from work. Normally going to work means using the ATV or car but for Lent, he will walk both ways. February and March in southern Ontario are still firmly in winters grip. It’s below zero with snow and ice covering the ground. Green grass and flowers won’t be seen until April normally. Committing to run or walk daily is not for the faint of heart.

I'm impressed by their determination and creativity to honour Lent and the idea of sacrifice. As for me, I haven't firmly decided yet. What about you?

Another perspective on Giving Thanks

I went out for coffee with my friend Willard yesterday afternoon. Because Willard lives in Ontario, we don’t see each other often and this was the first time we meet in person after he experienced the earthquake in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti last month. Willard works for World Vision Canada and was on a partnership tour with church leaders from Atlantic Canada in Haiti. The hotel in which they were staying was damaged but they were not injured. Because someone at the hotel had some emergency medical training in their background, word went out that there was a doctor at the hotel and Willard and his colleagues were faced with streams of injured people coming to them for help. They tore lots of bedsheets to make bandages but Willard said in email that it was such a helpless feeling to face such an overwhelming need to which he could not fully respond.

I’ve known for a long time that Willard is a person of generous heart and spirit. He feels experiences deeply and reaches out in whatever ways he can to help. Over the years as a pastor, and now working for World Vision, he has done mission trips to many places of incredible need. The impact of these trips led him to produce a small volume of table graces for World Vision called “Thanking God with Integrity: Table Grace in a world of hunger.” He writes in the introduction, “when sensitized to the global inequity concerning access to food, simply thanking God for ‘our’ food feels terribly inadequate.” Acknowledging this, Willard has written these prayers to express thankfulness in light of a celebration of response and purpose.
Here is one of the prayers from his book:

Lord grant that we may eat this food in peace;
guarded from guilt and protected from shame.
Cause this food to become nutrients that
feed the spirit of generosity and sustains a life of service.
Then, Oh Lord, we receive this food not only in peace
but in true worship.
Amen.

What do you think about giving thanks?

Welcome new MFC staff in Abbotsford!

For those of you who live in or around Abbotsford, I just want you to know that Mennonite Foundation of Canada has new staff in the Abbotsford office. Arnie Friesen is the new Stewardship Consultant and Irm Nickel is the new Admin Assistant. MFC is all about helping congregations and individuals connect faith and finances and offers good resources for will and estate planning, charitable gift planning and financial literacy from a Christian perspective. Unfortunately, Arnie & Irm are working in the midst of drywall dust as the MFC office in the Golden Age Society building is renovated but I'm sure they would be happy to meet any of you who drop by!