Eyes on the sea

During a recent time away, Brian and I found ourselves on a tour bus weaving our way through tiny towns in an exotic place.  As we driving through the small towns the back drop was a magnificent view of the ocean. Small homes and businesses lined the streets with spaces between for access to and from the stunning beach that made up their back yard.

Town after little town, the urban planning was the same.  

Here’s what I found interesting.  As we drove through the towns lined with small houses and businesses people were seen sitting outside these establishments facing the street.  

Here we were a bus full of people from a far away land enamoured by the beauty and majesty of the ocean - literally craning our necks to see the grand movement of the waves as they crashed on the rocks.  And there they were, people who lived in this stunning location not looking at what we travelled so far to see but rather they sat facing the road.  

It seemed weird to me.  If I lived there, why would I look at the street?  I would look at the ocean.  

Or would I?

If I lived with the ocean as my backyard would I find the comings and goings on the street more interesting?  Would I turn my back to the beauty of the ocean as “oh hum”?

And then it got me thinking…. how often do we do that with God?

God is there.  Always.  A steady constant like the waves of the ocean.  Big, vast, beautiful.  Do we turn our backs to that which is to look for something that might be?  

This week we are continuing our sermon series on Elisha.  An ordinary guy who, by keeping his eyes on God was able to do extraordinary things.

Everyday gratitude

This past weekend we celebrated Thanksgiving. It was a wonderful service and my first one since returning from my Inter-Mission (Sabbatical). My heart was warmed by your gracious and generous welcome. Thank you! I am so very grateful for both the time away and the return. It is good to be home.

I pray that you had time, last weekend, between turkey (or whatever your tradition) and whatever sporting event was on to reflect and express gratitude to God and the people in your midst.

There are a number of studies done in the area of Gratitude.  In an article I read there are 7 scientifically proven benefits of gratitude.   

Did you know….

• That being thankful improves our physical and emotional health? People who describe themselves as feeling grateful tend to suffer less stress and depression than the rest of the population.

• Feelings of thankfulness also improves physical health. Apparently gratitude boosts our immune system and increases blood supply to our heart.

• Gratitude also opens the door to more relationships - who wouldn't want to be around a person who says “thank you”?

• Also people who are grateful report an increase in alertness, enthusiasm, and energy, but that’s not all, grateful people sleep better too!

The benefits of gratitude are many and real and yet, gratitude doesn’t come naturally to us. Do you remember the story of Jesus and the ten lepers?  Click here to read the story in Luke 17.

Jesus healed all ten of the lepers, but only one of the men turned around, shouting praises to God as he came back to Jesus. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet in thankfulness. 

“Were not all ten cleansed?” Jesus asked. “Where are the other nine?” 

Only one returned.  Here’s the thing, I imagine that the other nine were very grateful.  After all, they could now live a normal life, they could go home and hug their family members, they could get a job, they could be in public without the humiliation of this dreaded disease.  I am sure they were very grateful - but they got so distracted returning to their lives, that they forgot to pause and thank the giver of their great gift.

“Where are the other nine?” Jesus asked.

I don’t want to be one of the nine  - I want to be the one that goes back and says ‘thank you!”  Don’t you??

Because you, like me, recognize that every good thing we have comes from God above. 

I want to be like the one that came back. The one who turned his blessing into praise to our good God because God is worthy of our praise. 

That’s exactly what King David did in Psalm 103:2-5. As you read this, I hope this becomes a cry of your heart, as it has mine. 

Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things.

Thankfulness is not relegated to one weekend in the year - cultivating a spirit of gratitude everyday honours God, builds up our faith and strengthens our relationships with the people in our midst.

Join us this Sunday as we begin a new sermon series entitled Elisha’s sick Faith.

Come and bring a friend…. I look forward to worshipping with you!

Rediscovering the Lost Art of Being

My time away has come to an end but I pray that what I have learned will stay with me all of my days.  What I learned was simple, so simple that is actually embarrassing that it took me three months away to learn it!  I’d like to think I knew this, but my inter-mission/sabbatical allowed me the time to experience it. I learned that it is okay to STOP. Not do. Just be.

Confession time.  My first two weeks off were unbearable.  I was at loose ends.  My son Tyler’s wedding plans were well underway and the big day was approaching, but there was really nothing left for me to do. My assigned tasks were done and I was going stir crazy.  My closest circle said, “just relax”, “read a book”, “go for a walk”.  So, I did. Boring.  Let me accomplish something, I thought. So I finished off a knitting project that I has started 10 years ago and in a week I knitted an afghan, a baby blanket and started a shawl! Yikes!

I was four weeks in before my body, mind and spirit united, and without guilt, I sat.  I didn’t feel guilty that I wasn’t reading, or writing, or walking, or knitting.  I remember that moment when I sat alone on our balcony, the sun shining on my face and I just sat.

As Brian and I travelled we were both cognizant of just slowing down, seeing whatever sights we could and enjoying just being.

 Giving myself the permission of just being, allowed me to take it in.  To discover things about the world. To make space for new sights, sounds, smells, tastes and feelings.  To make space for the sacred found in all of those things.

 Everywhere we went we found a cathedral. While Brian explored its nooks and crannies, I sat.  I prayed. I was just there.

 For me, this time of “being” allowed me to worship God in new ways and to rediscover the lost art of being. 

 In doing so I also rediscovered the incredible power of gratitude. Gratitude for all things, big and small. Gratitude to a God that loves me so abundantly, and allows me the opportunity to serve Him.  And gratitude to each of you for allowing me TIME to rediscover the lost art of being.  

I look forward to worshipping with you on Sunday!