Queen of more

During our vacation this August, Brian and I took a little trip to Boston.  The objective was to see the Blue Jays play the Boston Red Sox. What a thrill to be at Fenway Park!

We went to a double header and they won both games!!

Another highlight for me was seeing the World premiere of the musical The Queen of Versailles starring Kristen Chenoweth in the magnificent Emerson Colonial Theatre. The show was such a hit in Boston that it is now on its way to Broadway. For theatre buffs, this was a big deal! The show is based on the docu/movie of the same title.  Essentially theme of the show highlights how our culture wants more.  More money, more property, more clothes…just more, more, more.

Truthfully I’ve thought, ‘If I just had more influence, or more money, I could do more. I could be more generous. I would open a food bank. I would clear any deficit at the church. If only I had more.”

But Jesus reframes that desire for more when he says in Luke 16:10.

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.”

For Jesus it is not how much you’ve got, it’s about how you use what you’ve got.

Rather than focusing on what I might do if I had more, Jesus invites us to consider how we are using what we already have.  Are we sharing our food with our hungry neighbour, are we listening to the voices of our children and showing patience to the co-worker that is driving us crazy, are we showing the people in our midst love and care?

It’s easy to think we could do great things if we just had more but if we are not faithfully using whatever resources God has given us then we are demonstrating that we wouldn’t be responsible with bigger things either.  With every kind word, every generous gift, every act of love we are partnering with God to restore creation.  These may seem small and insignificant but Jesus tells us that his kingdom is like a mustard seed. It is so small you can hardly see it but it becomes massive and blesses countless people.

So I don’t have to be the Queen of more to be faithful.  I will be faithful with the resources that God has given me and watch God do more!

So how might God be inviting you to join in building God’s kingdom with the resources you have?

Celebrate!

I LOVE birthdays! Not just my birthday, I love celebrating the birthday of my friends and loved ones. I love the hoopla with family, the balloons, the cake, the bright napkins... I love all of it. In fact, for those who know me, know that I have been on a campaign for years to institute “birthmonth” because a day just doesn’t seem enough to celebrate the people we love ;)

One would think that the older one gets the less likely they are to want to celebrate their many, many years on earth.  Not me. I realize I am getting older, but aren’t we all?  I know that I no longer bounce when I fall, or that my my laugh lines are deeper than they were 20 years ago, and that the reason I have bangs is really to hide the ever deepening lines on my forehead.  But, I am okay with it, why?

Because birthdays remind me of God’s faithfulness. As I take time to reflect on the year, I am reminded of how God has been there; how God has provided; and how God has comforted. And remembering that brings me closer to being in the presence of the One who has been with me all these years!

Have you read Psalm 71 lately?  The Psalmist talks about God’s presence through his life.

He says,

From birth I have relied on you;

    you brought me forth from my mother’s womb.

    I will ever praise you. (v.6)

Then he says,

Since my youth, God, you have taught me,

    and to this day I declare your marvellous deeds. (v. 17)

And I love this, maybe because I relate to this….

Even when I am old and grey,

The psalmist says,  

I [will] declare your power to the next generation,

    your mighty acts to all who are to come. (v.18)

The psalmist was blessed with God’s presence and faithfulness throughout his life and that is cause for praise! Notice he says he will “declare,” God has been so faithful, so powerful, so mighty through the years that he can’t keep it to himself.  He needs to tell the next generation!

So let’s celebrate birthdays!  Sure, birthdays signify the passage of time but they can also signify another year of God’s boundless love and faithfulness.

You are loved by an amazing God - embrace, wrestle but hang on…cuz' God ain’t done with us yet!

Thank you for helping me celebrate my BIG birthday last Sunday.  Our Amberlea family has caught on to the Birthmonth notion and I love them for it! Thank you!

God has given us much to celebrate!

Celebrate!

Celebrate often!

Celebrate one another!

A prayer for new season

The beginning of a new school year, feels like the beginning of a new year for me. Summer somehow creates a break in the year and in September we get a fresh start.

So whether you are a student going back to school, or starting school for the first time (how exciting!), or a parent sending your little or big kid off,  or perhaps you are an educator, or perhaps none of the above but you, like me embrace the Fall as a fresh start…. This prayer is for you!

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the gift of a new school year, a fresh start filled with new opportunities. Our hearts are full of hope and gratitude, and we look forward to the possibilities that lie ahead.

We pray for all the students who are on this journey, for their teachers, and for all the staff who will guide and support them. Grant them wisdom, patience, and a deep sense of purpose in their work.

Lord, bless the classrooms with an atmosphere of respect, kindness, and inclusion. May every student feel valued and cherished for who they are, and may they find joy in both their studies and their relationships.

For us all, we pray for good health, both physically and mentally, so that we may have the strength and energy to face whatever challenges come our way. Grant us resilience in times of adversity and the ability to find joy and contentment in the simple moments of life. We place our trust in you, knowing that you are always with us. Strengthen our faith, give us courage in the face of difficulties, and help us to persevere.

Lord, we also remember those who are less fortunate and may struggle. May we reach out to them with love and support, offering a helping hand when needed. Help us to understand what it means to be the church and to live that out.

Be with us all, dear Lord, in our various stages of life.

We offer this prayer in your name, Lord, trusting in your love and grace. May this new season be a time of growth, learning, and meaningful experiences for all.

Amen.