Bppp..rrrr..ooom!!

I went to a car racing show last night. I had declined my son, Dale's, invited several times previously. So when he offered to pay for my entrance fee I accepted.

It was my first time at a live car racing event. It captured my attention for over 2 hours and it had some surprises for me. Not surprising was the deafening noise of the cars speeding past our vantage point at each lap around the track. The smell of exhause fumes mixed with the smells of crunched metal and spilled flueds was nauseous to the point of tasting it. The sight was frightening. To involve all my senses I could say that the feeling was gripping as the cars crashed against the wall in excruciating pain. "It's all right," Dale said. "They are not even bringing in the medical people."

I was surprised at the behavor of the spectators. I had expected outburst of unruly demonstrations of approval or disapproval. After all this is an emotional high speed sport. On our way home I commented to Dale, "I actually enjoyed that." I think he was surprised.

How do you link this to God? Probably you could find many points of analogy. Just let me say this. I'm going to attend a church service this morning to settle my nerves. Why don't you find a place of worship...the experience may surprise you..

The Dash Between the Dates

Elsa is 93 years old and she has only one prayer. "Lord take me home." And she has only one unanswered question that matters to her and that is, "Lord why don't you take me home?" Somehow we are not familiar with, nor are we comfortable in agreeing to that kind of prayer. I'm not sure that we would feel the same way if a person died while praying for them as when, from death's door, they suddenly spring back to life. From visiting Elsa in a home for elderly women we went to the hospital's maternity ward.



So it was with a different sense of purpose for our prayer. The day before we had visited Tatiyanna, who at that time was very distraught because one of her twin girls, born on Friday was not breathing on her own, and required a specialist to fly in from Vancouver. We prayed that life would be sustained and fully developed. On our second visit yesterday we received better news. Little Isabella was improving. Hopefully it will be a prayer that will be answered. I wondered, "what is in store for Isabella should she live to the age of 93?" Someone else will record that chapter. Consider Psalm 103:15-18

489 and counting

The man who was the founder of an organization called Burden Bearers, which is an organization that will help people who have scrwed up their life too many times to be trusted, had this personalized license plate on his car. "7 x 70". Jesus, the master teacher recommended that equation as a formula for peace. See Matthew 18:21 & 22. Here is my thought that is worth thinking about.


When we have LOVE THAT IS UNCONDITIONAL

And grant to others GRACE WHICH IS UNMERRITED

It is posssible to extend FORGIVENESS, UNLIMITED

Then RELATIONSHIPS ARE UNBREAKABLE.

Mentors from another kingdom

In the book of Proverbs an unusual role model of wisdom is presented. Proverbs 6:6. "Go to the ant, you sluggard, consider her ways and be wise."
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We fought to eliminate the ants that appeared in our kitchen every spring. We found them stuck in the honey, surrounding a piece of fruit on the counter, drowned in a glass of juice and generally a big nuisance. One day our neighbor gave us an "ant stick", which we smeared along the ant's suspected path of entry. The result is - no more ants.
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I always thought that the ant was a part of the curse placed on mankind, along with mosquitoes and thistles. My question to the ant wouldd be; where do you get away with claiming some kind of divine right for youer exisetence - then to receive an endorsement from the writer of the book of wisdom, as our mentor? But I'm afraid to ask the ant lest I am really considered to be an idiot. So I'll ask the creator of the ant.
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God why did you make the ant? To this God has already stated a reason in the book of Proverbs, that is, to teach us a lesson about the folly of laziness. Citing the ant as a diligent provider the author reminds us that that is a mark of wisdom. In the animal kingdom we call it instinct, (in this case I suppose antstinct would do). Doing what is logical and proper is a sign of wisdom. There are many other things that the ant can teach us like cooperation, committment, endurance, timing. It also teaches us the importance of little things. I guess what the author of Proverbs is saying is, "If you think you are so smart, take a look at a tiny creature and learn some valuable lessons.
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Okey ants, I'll give you that - but STAY OUT OF OUR KITCHEN!

cool it

We knew it would be another hot summer day in the Okanagan. So we were looking forward to the Sunday morning church service in a refreshing air-conditioned building. We were met by a deacon of the church in the parking lot. He was visibly in some kind of a crisis, frantically gesturing the effects of the heat. We soon discovered that it wasn't the heat outside, it was inside. "The power is off," he said. "I came down yesterday to make sure that the air-conditioning was properly working. We have checked all the breakers and they are all on, we can't find the problem. Do you know anything about it.

Soon a group of "experts" were looking for the problem and offering tips while looking through a maze of wires installed a half century ago by volunteer labor. There were murmering of discontentment among the ad hauk commitrtee. Comments were heard; "It will have to be a shorter service." "People will fall asleep in church. One person was heard to say, "I'm not coming back to this church if it doesn't have air-conditioning." I wondered if the pastor had anything to do with this. Did he conspire with the janitor and jinx the system. Was this going to be one of his illustrated sermons? Let me guess. "If you think it's hot up here - don't 'go to hell.'" Romans 6:23

The service commenced with the deacon offering a disclaimer. Half way in the service the poweer came on and the deacon interupte the service and explained that the hydro service people had arrived and found a dead crow at the bottom of as power pole. It doesn't take much to interrupt your journey of life.

gratitude

Yesterday Fay and I visited Frank. Frank is 95 years of age. He calls us children and we are not offended coming from a man who is nearly a quarter century older than we are. Frank is now in a care facility. He is almost blind and gets around very slowly with the aid of a walker. However his mind is clear and his wisdom is sharp. There are many reasons people may give for longevity, but I think Frank has discovered the key and has use it constantly. When you ask Frank, "how are you?" Frank will most likely reply with one word - "thankfull"

Frank was a successful potatoe farmer at one time and took the title of potatoe king of Canada. He was an avid golfer. Can you imagine a farmer being a golfer? Born in Poland he came to this country as a young man, bringing his skills with him. He also brought an attitude of gratitude. At 95 Frank is ready to meet his Maker. He has finished his chores so why hang around on this planet. Maybe if for no other reason it is to teach the rest of us compassion and patience toward the needs of others. How about this gem of wisdom from Ephesians 4:32. "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one anotheer just as Christ also forgave you.

eagleeye

I wouldn't call myself a bird watcher, I just watch birds. From the smallest song bird to the great preditors of the sky, birds each in their own unique habitat are such clear evidence of a Creator. So call me a bird watcher. More specifically an eager eagle observer. On the back steps of our home I have the binnoculars mounted on a make shift tripod and focused on an Eagle's nest with a family of Mom & Dad and to babies. They are probably looking at me without binnoculars. For several weeks now I have observed their daily routine, which is actually quite boring at times as they sit in or on the edge of their nest for hours. They are finally learning the use of their wings and flying several feet off their nest. Since I can't talk eagle dialect I can only wonder. Are they afraid of height at first? Does the mother worry about her babies safety? Will they survive on their own? Of course the Eagle will survive - he is the monarch of the sky. I will update my observation in the days ahead.

The prophet Isaiah wrote about the weariness of human life. Then he gave the analogy of an eagle soaring as it takes flight far above the landscape, in a figure of speach to talk about God's buoyant strength over life's struggles. Check it out Isaiah 40:28-31.

G-0-L-F

The game of golf is not everybody's cup of tee. Some would call it downright silly, pointless; chasing a little white (color optional) ball all over a grassy field. Personally, the game had always intrigued me, but I never swung a golf club until I was in my late 40's. You might say that I was in my mid-life crisis. Since then I have learned a few valuable lessons.

Golf is a healthy sport that one can pursue longer than most sports. The game provides opportunities for developing new friendships, which leads to conversations among fellow golfers, which are totally boring to non-golfers. It brings out the human tendancy to stretch the truth - in this case shrink the truth - swing the club five time, yell fore and write three on your score card. There are endless excuses most golfers have in their vocabulary, for example: "It didn't break", "I pulled (pushed) it", "It's a fast green." This, however is not to be taken too seriously. The quicker you go in the hole the more succesfull you will be."
I love to golf with my neighbor, Dave and I love to golf with my sons, Dale and Kerry and my sons-in-law Mike and David. Yesterday I golfed with my neighbor AND my boys. Life doesn't get much better. Appendix: I have lived with Parkinson's disease for over 10 years. Things we take for granted become huge accomplishments in life. My ambition is to share some of my experiences with readers of my blog and if somehow they sound familiar I welcome your comments.

The Master painter

This is Canada Day and the beauty of our country is always an inspiration to burst out in poetry

GOD'S GALLERY

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An artist dips his brush

To draw a line and mark the scene,

'Twil be the outline of a Thrush,

Or rolling hills of summer green.

~

His work of skill will be displayed

For all who love to see,

The prize for which a price they paid

In a famous gallery

~

The Master Painter comes each morn,

With brushes and varied hues,

Upon His easel paints again

The reds, yellows and the blues.

~

Each day mountains are not new

But always painted differently.

One day they're crowned in royal blue

The next time shrouded in secrecy.

~

Just yesterday the sky was clear and blue,

It framed the sun, which sparkled on the dew

But while all were sleeping in the night,

He etched a cloud in shades of white.

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To pay for this we'd be denied

The price for merely a glimpse to see,

But who could be more satisfied

Than those who visit God's gallery.