Saturday February 28, 2009
The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. Joshua 10:13.
Joshua had some pull to get a day extended so he could get his work done. I wonder if he had jetlag as result. We can get a day extended artificially by flying west around the world, but there is always a payback time on the return trip. Ann and I could have done with a couple of extended days to get our work done—but on second thoughts the standard day is tiring enough. I can’t believe that it is Saturday already; just too busy this week to keep you up to date on this blog. Perhaps as we wind down our organized confusion will abate some also.
Jack and Rae, our replacements, arrived Thursday as planned, and the time to date has been orientation for them from us, together with the inevitable round of introductions and farewells this part of our journey provokes. We are genuinely sorry to say goodbye to the folks here who have been so gracious and an inspiration to us both. Our next trip to England is uncertain. Not only are increasing age and possible decreasing health a hindrance, we have other places to go as well—New Zealand is calling again: no time to stop yet!
We may not get any extended days—probably just as well—but we have started on an extended journey home. We moved out of our Mews residence into Winchelsea on Wednesday to make room for Jack and Rae, and leave room 5 here today. Then a week with my sister in Brighton with a few last trips planned for the week. Next Saturday we fly to Montreal for a few days with Alex, our youngest daughter and husband, and Luciano our youngest grandchild. Then finally home in the middle of the following week!
Perhaps then we will have time to think about the immediate future, particularly surgery which is always simmering on the back burner. But also a time to reflect on the unusual cold and snow, but above all the memorable times we have had here—and especially God’s goodness in providing these opportunities.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Monday February 23, 2009
You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Psalm 32:7
Monday already, and well into the final week here at Winchelsea. Not only has it been busy, but the place has provided us with some problems to add to the experience. The heat in the car we were using went out, and the heat in our bathroom went out in sympathy, all during the coldest and snowiest winter for two decades. Then radiators in the house started joining in over a two week period. Yesterday the heating system finally gave up the ghost giving no heat anywhere.
So an assortment of electric heaters is now spread through the occupied rooms giving out their attempts at comfort. Fortunately, the occupant count is low, enabling us to leave a large section of the house at the mercy of the elements. Furthermore, the temperatures are now in the double digits during the day and comfortably cool nights have descended to aid our sleep and blanket use. Getting this antiquated system repaired may take time as the forces available for this work are in great demand, probably for the same reason in a town that boasts many stately homes with the same stately heating systems!
Thursday is another trip to Heathrow airport to pick up our replacements. Then two days of orientation before we move on to a quieter week at my sister’s house in Brighton. But in the meantime, laundry to be completed; Ann’s papers to be completed; all scripture references for our book to be repaginated, and we need to start packing. Nothing like a challenge to motivate us—I’ll be looking for those songs of deliverance later this week.
You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Psalm 32:7
Monday already, and well into the final week here at Winchelsea. Not only has it been busy, but the place has provided us with some problems to add to the experience. The heat in the car we were using went out, and the heat in our bathroom went out in sympathy, all during the coldest and snowiest winter for two decades. Then radiators in the house started joining in over a two week period. Yesterday the heating system finally gave up the ghost giving no heat anywhere.
So an assortment of electric heaters is now spread through the occupied rooms giving out their attempts at comfort. Fortunately, the occupant count is low, enabling us to leave a large section of the house at the mercy of the elements. Furthermore, the temperatures are now in the double digits during the day and comfortably cool nights have descended to aid our sleep and blanket use. Getting this antiquated system repaired may take time as the forces available for this work are in great demand, probably for the same reason in a town that boasts many stately homes with the same stately heating systems!
Thursday is another trip to Heathrow airport to pick up our replacements. Then two days of orientation before we move on to a quieter week at my sister’s house in Brighton. But in the meantime, laundry to be completed; Ann’s papers to be completed; all scripture references for our book to be repaginated, and we need to start packing. Nothing like a challenge to motivate us—I’ll be looking for those songs of deliverance later this week.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Thursday February 19, 2009
When God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God. Ecclesiastes 5:19-20.
Tomorrow we attend the funeral of the husband who committed suicide last week. In some ways a fitting end to our visit to England. The work has been heavy but is finally winding down—the next folk have an empty house for three weeks! This visit has finally assuaged our nostalgia for the old country—we are feeling all the reasons we decided to emigrate in the first place. The traffic is horrendous and we are only just beginning to feel warm as the weather here warms up. Oh to be in Canada to feel warm again!
That is not to say this visit has not been enjoyable. Meeting up with the great folk we got to know a year ago; perhaps visiting for the last time and wrapping up our desire to see the places of our younger days; mingling with what is now a different and dogged culture, and above all the reunion with so many of our family on old and familiar soil; all this has been a experience with memories for a lifetime.
This truly has been a gift of God. To find the joys in the mundane and often difficult areas of life is a gift of God. We do indeed have wealth and possessions compared with most of the world, but to enjoy them when so many don’t: this is a gift of God. To have those special happy times together is also a gift of God. Whatever we make of it, life is a gift of God.
When God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God. Ecclesiastes 5:19-20.
Tomorrow we attend the funeral of the husband who committed suicide last week. In some ways a fitting end to our visit to England. The work has been heavy but is finally winding down—the next folk have an empty house for three weeks! This visit has finally assuaged our nostalgia for the old country—we are feeling all the reasons we decided to emigrate in the first place. The traffic is horrendous and we are only just beginning to feel warm as the weather here warms up. Oh to be in Canada to feel warm again!
That is not to say this visit has not been enjoyable. Meeting up with the great folk we got to know a year ago; perhaps visiting for the last time and wrapping up our desire to see the places of our younger days; mingling with what is now a different and dogged culture, and above all the reunion with so many of our family on old and familiar soil; all this has been a experience with memories for a lifetime.
This truly has been a gift of God. To find the joys in the mundane and often difficult areas of life is a gift of God. We do indeed have wealth and possessions compared with most of the world, but to enjoy them when so many don’t: this is a gift of God. To have those special happy times together is also a gift of God. Whatever we make of it, life is a gift of God.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Tuesday February 17, 2009
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart. Jeremiah 1:5.
The family are all home to various parts of the world, the house load is winding down and now we have the memories for a life time and about 2000 pictures between us to help us remember. We are overwhelmed with the graciousness of God to let us have this special time together. But then he knew all about us before we were born, all the joys and sorrows that would accompany us on our earthly pathway. I would rather live with this knowledge—in good times and in bad—than in a solitary lost existence somewhere in the universe.
To live without God is to live as an orphan, bereft of any identity or ultimate knowledge of the reality and substance of life, and also no knowledge of what is beyond this life. My apologies for coming back over the last few blogs to death, but this is where the rubber meets the road. Either we have the assurance of security for the future or we don’t and this is where it shows. Someone facing a terminal illness recently asked the question: “Where am I going?” When God incarnate in Christ has done so much to reassure us, the ultimate tragedy is not knowing.
But it also counts where we are now. The events of the last few weeks, in spite of the heavy load at times, will rank as one of the great highlights of this life. And it is all the more meaningful knowing he knew all about it, rejoiced in our happiness, and also has all those pictures to reminisce with us when we are all together again permanently.
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart. Jeremiah 1:5.
The family are all home to various parts of the world, the house load is winding down and now we have the memories for a life time and about 2000 pictures between us to help us remember. We are overwhelmed with the graciousness of God to let us have this special time together. But then he knew all about us before we were born, all the joys and sorrows that would accompany us on our earthly pathway. I would rather live with this knowledge—in good times and in bad—than in a solitary lost existence somewhere in the universe.
To live without God is to live as an orphan, bereft of any identity or ultimate knowledge of the reality and substance of life, and also no knowledge of what is beyond this life. My apologies for coming back over the last few blogs to death, but this is where the rubber meets the road. Either we have the assurance of security for the future or we don’t and this is where it shows. Someone facing a terminal illness recently asked the question: “Where am I going?” When God incarnate in Christ has done so much to reassure us, the ultimate tragedy is not knowing.
But it also counts where we are now. The events of the last few weeks, in spite of the heavy load at times, will rank as one of the great highlights of this life. And it is all the more meaningful knowing he knew all about it, rejoiced in our happiness, and also has all those pictures to reminisce with us when we are all together again permanently.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Sunday February 15, 2009
Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. Matthew 6:20.
It’s always been said that you cannot take anything with you when you die. But this verse suggests that you can send it on ahead! Certainly in a time of financial crisis, the loss of earthly wealth is hardly the same tragedy if you have already started saving in the bank that will never need bailing out. But the question always arises, what to deposit there? It is certainly not money; in fact, a later verse suggests that love of money is a barrier serving God.
That, of course, does not include the need of money for the essentials of life: food, shelter and clothing. The tragedy of the current recession is the huge number of people worldwide who are being denied those essentials because of the greed of those in the banking systems that caused the current crisis. If it is possible to send money on ahead it would be to use it to alleviate that lack of resources as well as all the other suffering that this world tolerates. After all, even a glass of water given to a person in need, Christ considers is given to him.
But in the wider context of the passage I have quoted from, it is not the money itself which is the problem, but rather prestige. Jesus continually criticised those who sought places of influence, particularly at the expense of others. And while money can buy almost anything, its greatest purchasing power is for prestige and influence over others. This is the pride of life that the Bible abhors, and we don’t have to be rich to seek it. Ambition for personal gain can be a seductive motive in any of us.
On a seemingly irrelevant note, there is a continuing conflict over the “no God” bus advertising on both sides of the Atlantic. Personally, it doesn’t bother me to see the words “There’s probably no God,” because it suggests the possibility that there is one! What’s more disturbing is the following injunction to “stop worrying and enjoy yourself” that suggests there is no accountability beyond this life. That’s all we need to continue the same old same old that caused the current financial crisis in the first place!
Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. Matthew 6:20.
It’s always been said that you cannot take anything with you when you die. But this verse suggests that you can send it on ahead! Certainly in a time of financial crisis, the loss of earthly wealth is hardly the same tragedy if you have already started saving in the bank that will never need bailing out. But the question always arises, what to deposit there? It is certainly not money; in fact, a later verse suggests that love of money is a barrier serving God.
That, of course, does not include the need of money for the essentials of life: food, shelter and clothing. The tragedy of the current recession is the huge number of people worldwide who are being denied those essentials because of the greed of those in the banking systems that caused the current crisis. If it is possible to send money on ahead it would be to use it to alleviate that lack of resources as well as all the other suffering that this world tolerates. After all, even a glass of water given to a person in need, Christ considers is given to him.
But in the wider context of the passage I have quoted from, it is not the money itself which is the problem, but rather prestige. Jesus continually criticised those who sought places of influence, particularly at the expense of others. And while money can buy almost anything, its greatest purchasing power is for prestige and influence over others. This is the pride of life that the Bible abhors, and we don’t have to be rich to seek it. Ambition for personal gain can be a seductive motive in any of us.
On a seemingly irrelevant note, there is a continuing conflict over the “no God” bus advertising on both sides of the Atlantic. Personally, it doesn’t bother me to see the words “There’s probably no God,” because it suggests the possibility that there is one! What’s more disturbing is the following injunction to “stop worrying and enjoy yourself” that suggests there is no accountability beyond this life. That’s all we need to continue the same old same old that caused the current financial crisis in the first place!
Friday, February 13, 2009
Friday February 13, 2009
Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9.
Life is precarious, and facing our own death or that of another is the ultimate challenge. For most of us, death is the one final experience which can make us terrified for it reminds us of our own mortality. For those without some comfort regarding the next life, it is a taboo subject leading to avoidance or even denial of its reality. I recall visiting a funeral home in Vancouver many years ago and the room for viewing those ready for burial was called the “Slumber Room.” I think that says it all!
Even for Christians, death is not an easy transition from this life to the next especially for those left behind, and difficulties in relationships increase the trauma of parting. I wrote briefly a few days ago of a wife in the mission here whose husband’s mental health was deteriorating. We have known her for over a year and the problems go back further than that. About two weeks ago, the situation was so chaotic, she felt she had to leave the home. Yesterday her husband committed suicide.
We cannot know the pain this friend is going through. Apart from the loss, there are the personal recriminations: “what if . . . ?” “If only . . .” that will plague her, whether justified or not. Knowing her, the strength of her faith will eventually carry her through, but the immediate effects of this tragedy will take time to deal with. She has sympathetic friends in the mission who will stand by her, and prayer becomes a basic resource, for her and all of us. But above all, it is the promise that “the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go” that will be her greatest reassurance.
Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9.
Life is precarious, and facing our own death or that of another is the ultimate challenge. For most of us, death is the one final experience which can make us terrified for it reminds us of our own mortality. For those without some comfort regarding the next life, it is a taboo subject leading to avoidance or even denial of its reality. I recall visiting a funeral home in Vancouver many years ago and the room for viewing those ready for burial was called the “Slumber Room.” I think that says it all!
Even for Christians, death is not an easy transition from this life to the next especially for those left behind, and difficulties in relationships increase the trauma of parting. I wrote briefly a few days ago of a wife in the mission here whose husband’s mental health was deteriorating. We have known her for over a year and the problems go back further than that. About two weeks ago, the situation was so chaotic, she felt she had to leave the home. Yesterday her husband committed suicide.
We cannot know the pain this friend is going through. Apart from the loss, there are the personal recriminations: “what if . . . ?” “If only . . .” that will plague her, whether justified or not. Knowing her, the strength of her faith will eventually carry her through, but the immediate effects of this tragedy will take time to deal with. She has sympathetic friends in the mission who will stand by her, and prayer becomes a basic resource, for her and all of us. But above all, it is the promise that “the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go” that will be her greatest reassurance.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Wednesday February 12, 2009
Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12.
The cold is not subsiding, I still breathe through my mouth which dries out overnight and tastes like the bottom of a birdcage in the morning. But it is a reminder that every setback in life causes us to question our attitude to life and whether we are going in the right direction. Every day going the wrong way is wasted time. I remember in my architectural student days, we had to do some freehand drawing which I was not particularly fond of. The instructor reminded us that we were going to put two hours of our life on that paper, hours we would never have again.
Some say time is money, but in fact time is life. Money spent can—in theory at least—be replaced, but time wasted can never be restored; it’s gone forever. How many times have we heard of someone changing their whole attitude to life when it is threatened? Facing our mortality may be morbid for many but it is a corrective to our thinking about life and certainly teaches us “to number our days aright.” In fact, the closer age brings us to death the more critical it becomes to make all our moments worthwhile.
That’s probably why shortage of time promotes wisdom. Who really wants to look back on life lived at the bottom of a birdcage? The reverses of life, however unpleasant—and in my case a simple cold and impending surgery—are meant to make us aware of our eventual accountability. We may get away with a meaningless, selfish or even destructive existence in this life, but not in the next. Do let that cold—or whatever—get you down. It may make the difference to the rest of your life!
Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12.
The cold is not subsiding, I still breathe through my mouth which dries out overnight and tastes like the bottom of a birdcage in the morning. But it is a reminder that every setback in life causes us to question our attitude to life and whether we are going in the right direction. Every day going the wrong way is wasted time. I remember in my architectural student days, we had to do some freehand drawing which I was not particularly fond of. The instructor reminded us that we were going to put two hours of our life on that paper, hours we would never have again.
Some say time is money, but in fact time is life. Money spent can—in theory at least—be replaced, but time wasted can never be restored; it’s gone forever. How many times have we heard of someone changing their whole attitude to life when it is threatened? Facing our mortality may be morbid for many but it is a corrective to our thinking about life and certainly teaches us “to number our days aright.” In fact, the closer age brings us to death the more critical it becomes to make all our moments worthwhile.
That’s probably why shortage of time promotes wisdom. Who really wants to look back on life lived at the bottom of a birdcage? The reverses of life, however unpleasant—and in my case a simple cold and impending surgery—are meant to make us aware of our eventual accountability. We may get away with a meaningless, selfish or even destructive existence in this life, but not in the next. Do let that cold—or whatever—get you down. It may make the difference to the rest of your life!
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