Jesus

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This Store Closure Really Surprised Me

Have you ever been surprised by a store that was closed at an odd time? 

This store closure really surprised me

Since forever it seems stores have kept hours that really suited most consumers. But it wasn’t always that way. 

When I was a kid there were no stores open on Sundays. And on holidays you had better have gassed up your car because there were no gas stations open either.

Times changed and slowly Sunday shopping became a regular thing. No one batted an eyelash when parking lots were filled on Sunday afternoons.

Since then stores have stayed open later and later into the evening. … Well, that was until the pandemic.

During the pandemic everyday life kind of shut down. You basically needed an appointment to purchase a few 2 by 4s from the hardware store.

When the pandemic ended, stores didn’t go back to the same hours they kept before the lockdowns. Most stores had routinely been open until 9 or sometimes 10 pm, but now 8 pm is more the rule for store closing. 

There have been a few times that I’ve been caught by this new pattern. I’ve shown up to a few box stores at 7:59 only to find out that they were locking up. 

There was also the time that I left my house at 8:01 thinking I had almost an hour to roam around Best Buy, only to find out that the lights were out and no one was home at 8:10 when I arrived.

Still, eight o’clock is sufficient for most shoppers to get what they need from a store.

But this doesn’t account for anomalies …

I went to college in Regina, Saskatchewan in the early 80’s. I remember a couple of times I needed to get something from a department store on a Thursday afternoon – nothing more normal than for a store to be open Thursday afternoons. 

But I discovered Regina shut down on Thursdays. There was no shopping other than convenience stores and gas stations. 

Thursday! …. Why Thursday? 

I never found the answer to that one. You would think stores would be on a roll, ramping up for the weekend shopping. Nope. They just shut down in the middle of the week. 

It was crazy to my way of thinking. 

And so was this week for me …

My wife, Lily, had mentioned to me that we should try a Chinese restaurant we’ve never been to before. She had read some good reviews. She hadn’t taken anything out of the freezer for dinner so I suggested that we try it that night. 

A couple of hours later we went online to look at their menu and choose what we wanted. Like Pavlov’s dogs, we probably spent five minutes salivating over the different dishes that were pictured on the menu. 

Finally we made our decision. We were just about to order when we read their hours of operation: Closed Wednesdays.

What? …. Who closes their store in the middle of the week like that? I’m sure even stores in Regina are now open throughout the week. 

What a disappointing blow. How then do you even recover to figure out what to eat? 

It was a poor second choice but luckily Five Guys was open on Wednesdays. 

Here’s the thing: We can be caught off guard from time to time in life. But there is a time we should never be caught off guard. That time is when we will meet Jesus face to face. No one knows when that will be, so the best way to not get caught is to start a relationship with Him now. Place your faith in Christ and, whenever the time comes, you will not face a closed sign. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: When have you been surprised that something was closed at an inconvenient time?

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I May Have Left It Too Late Again

I looked out the window this morning and thought, “I may have left it too late”.

I may have left it too late again

I wanted to cut my grass one more time this fall. I don’t like it being too long through the winter. 

Today is a bright, sunny day and, though the temperatures are a little lower than what I’d like, it would be a good day to cut the grass.

However, there is one problem with that plan: we have leaves all over our lawn. My idea of one more quick cut before the snow flies is a good one, but first I’ll have to spend an hour vacuuming up the dead leaves.

If I had done it two weeks ago there would have been very little clean up to do first and it would have been much warmer outside. But I kept saying to myself, “the front yard doesn’t really need it yet, even though the back yard could use the cut now”. 

Well, four days ago I noticed that the front yard could use a mow. The grass was looking a little fuzzy, like the hair on your head does just before you go get a haircut. 

The thing is for the last four days the weather has been a little overcast and rainy – not optimal for getting out there with my lawnmower. 

This morning, however, with how sunny it is, I’m considering doing the task. I realize that the longer I leave the leaf problem, it will only get worse since our tree still has about sixty percent of its leaves hanging on for dear life. Many haven’t even changed colour yet. 

But that extra work of getting rid of the leaves before I cut the grass is creating a dilemma of whether to cut or not. I’m wondering if I’ve missed my window. Maybe I should just let the grass go until spring.  

I remember when I was a kid and it was my turn to cut the grass in the backyard. The task would take an hour and a half; there was never a time I wanted to do it. I would look at the lawn and think, “maybe I’ll wait till tomorrow”. 

I always left it too late and then paid for it. I ended up spending two hours cutting the grass because it was so long. 

I hated that task, but when I left it too late, I hated it even more.

You would think that so many years later I would have learned my lesson and not put off the things I should do … but here I am, considering if I’ve left it too late. 

I think I have one more window today and tomorrow before it rains again. 

I have a few other things that I need to attend to first. … I hope in the spring I won’t be shaking my head and muttering that I left it too late again.

Here’s the thing: Often we have adequate time to get something done, accomplished or settled. But how quickly that time goes. Concerning your relationship with God, don’t make the mistake and think you have lots of time. Be sure you have a relationship with Jesus Christ now. You don’t want to miss your window and for eternity shake your head that you left it too late.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What are you most prone to leaving until it is too late? Leave your comments and questions below.

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Just The Two Of Us From Now On

This morning when I got up, it felt different, like now there’s just the two of us.

just the two of us from now on

I’m not sure why that feeling hit me now because Lily and I have been empty-nesters for years.

It might have been that we had the kids home for Thanksgiving weekend and this morning there was just the two of us.

It could be that the house is fuller when the kids arrive – there’s a son-in-law, a girlfriend and a dog. 

When they all leave, it feels like … and then there was two.

In 1978 the rock group, Genesis, recorded an album called “… and then there were three …” In the late sixties the group consisted of five band members and by 1971 they had the lineup of musicians that would make them famous: Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford, Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett and Phil Collins. 

However, this group didn’t stay together. A few years later, their lead singer, Peter Gabriel, left the band. Instead of replacing him with another singer, Phil Collins, the drummer, took over singing responsibilities along with playing the drums. They continued as a group of four. 

A few short years later in 1977, their guitarist, Steve Hackett, left the band. With both Gabriel and Hackett gone, the band’s next album was titled “… and then there were three …”

Like a band, it’s natural for the members of the family band to depart, spread their wings, get involved in new ventures. But this morning there was something more to how I was feeling than that.

Normally Lily and I are quite used to doing things just the two of us. This summer we spent a good deal of time at our cottage together. We usually do things just the two of us, whether it’s going out to dinner or doing something else. 

But Lily just retired at the end of September. So now it’s not like it’s just the two of us, it really is just the two of us all day long.

For years I would leave for work in the morning and be gone all day. This past year, though I was retired and at home, Lily was working and spent most days locked up in her home office. We were still separated all day long.

This morning when I got up, and the kids were gone and the house was quiet, and there was just the two of us, something was different. 

Lily and I are now doing the same thing – nothing. 

We don’t have different itineraries or schedules or even places to be. We now have the same job. As Lily’s new T-shirt says, “busy doing nothing”.

It just kind of hit me. For the first time in our marriage it really is just the two of us. 

There is no one or nothing that stands between us. There isn’t a time she is busy with someone else or some responsibility. We’re on the same schedule now.

I think I just got some inspiration for my kitchen sign board. 

Here’s the thing: It’s important to have someone about whom you can say, “it’s just the two of us”. No matter what your relationship status is, you can have that “just the two of us” kind of relationship with Jesus. He died on a cross so that He could have a relationship like that with you. So be sure to treat your relationship with Jesus like a close, “just the two of us” relationship … or decide to start a “just the two of us” relationship with Jesus. Pray and ask Him; He is willing. 

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: Who do you have a “just the two of us” relationship with? Leave your comments and questions below.

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Just In Time For Christmas!

Just two days before Christmas we got a light covering of snow here in Kingston, Ontario. The white stuff came just in time for Christmas day. 

Some how, for us living in Canada, the presence of snow puts us in the Christmas mood. It feels like Christmas when everything glistens in white under the moon.  Snow makes Christmas.

There is a passage in the Bible that says, “But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.”

Like the snow came at just the right time, this year, Jesus came to us at just the right time.

That passage goes on to say, “God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.” (Galatians 4:4-5, NLT)

At just the right time, Jesus came, so that we could be made right with God. God wanted us to be part of his family, and Jesus makes it possible.

Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones.

And thank you for reading my blog.

That’s Life!

Paul

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Who To Deal With When Making A Purchase

The other day I needed to buy a present for my wife’s birthday. It was coming up soon – the next day, in fact – and there wasn’t much time left.

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All Lily wanted was end tables for the living room. I went straight to the Hudson’s Bay Company because it was close by, and they had living room furniture.

I found two different styles right away. One set was clearly on sale – that had my attention and interest. The other one I liked more, but the price was not to my liking.

It was just about then that a man in a suit came up to me and asked if he could help. We chatted for a moment and I inquired if the sale extended to the other style of end table. He did a quick check and, sure enough, it was on sale as well. My interest started to peak.

He said he could have the salesman pack it up for me, right then if I’d like, and I could take it home immediately. Those were magic words to me! I said, “Let’s do it.”

I left to move my car to the store entrance. When I returned, I noticed a picture of a man just inside the door who looked a lot like the man in the suit.

A salesman was waiting for me when I got to the furniture department. We sat down to do business but he didn’t seem all that happy about making the sale.

I mentioned that the man in the suit had said we could order in a new end table, and make an exchange later. That’s when I found out why the salesman wasn’t as excited about my purchase as I was.

He told me he was doubtful he could do that. A month ago a woman had ordered the same end table and there was still no sign of it coming in yet. He also said he didn’t like selling his floor models, because then he didn’t have anything to show people.

I thought to myself, “You have trouble ordering stuff in, but you don’t like selling floor models. What business are you in anyway?”

Instead, I asked him, “Then how come you’re selling this to me?” He answered, “You were dealing with the store manager.”

I joked, “So this is all his fault?” “Yes,” he said, “and if that woman who ordered this end table comes back, she will be mad when she finds this one gone.”

I smiled and said, “Just send her over to the store manager to explain.”

I got the impression this salesman was more interested in having his department filled with nice furniture arrangements than he was in selling anything in the store.

As I drove home I wondered if the store manager knew he had an employee who was not as eager to sell his merchandise as he was.

Here’s the thing: We just celebrated Easter – the greatest day of the year, because that is the day Jesus rose from the grave, having paid for the sins of the world. Jesus now offers to apply His payment to your sins, and your friends’ sins. If you’ve had your sins paid for by Jesus, then don’t be like that salesman who likes his store the way it is. Be like the store manager who is interested in letting others have what he has. Let others know they can have their sins paid for, too.

That’s life!

Paul

Question:  Have you found you are more inclined to keep your relationship with Christ more to yourself?

I’d love to hear from you; you can leave your comment below.

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End Well

Sometimes my wife just wears me down.  For the last sixteen years we’ve lived in Ontario, 2 ½ hours from Toronto, and Lily has said she would like to visit Casa Loma (http://www.casaloma.org).  I wouldn’t say she has insisted on going, but she’s suggested it with a really big smile, batting her eyelids and stretching out the word “please” for a long time.

It’s not like she’s never been, she just wanted to go again – together. I’ve put her off many times, but recently we were in Toronto for our anniversary and were looking for one more thing to do before we came home.

She had me at a weak moment.  I had very little options, no alternate plan, and if I wanted to keep those romantic anniversary feelings from crashing on the rocks, I needed to cave on this one.  In the end, it wasn’t a bad choice of activities.

If you know nothing of Casa Loma, it is this enormous home built at the turn of the 20th century.  It’s not a castle but it looks like it could be a castle. And if you owned it and lived in it you would feel you lived in a castle.  Now, however, it’s a great money-making tourist attraction for the city of Toronto.  The day we went they made thousands of dollars; there were people everywhere.

It has 98 rooms, secret passages, gardens, and an underground tunnel to the stables.  Still, I figured, if we went through the rooms quickly (the way I like to go through show homes when Lil gets the opportunity to drag me through them), we could be done in an hour.

But Lil wanted to get the self-guided tour with a phone-like device giving a commentary on all the features of the house – yes, all 98 rooms.  As soon as they slapped one of those devices in my hand, I knew we were going to be putting an offer in to buy the place.  This was not going to be a short in and out viewing!

What I found interesting from all the commentaries was the background on the owner, Henry Pellatt.  The commentary painted him as a generous, wealthy, kind man.  At one time he controlled one quarter of the wealth in Canada.  The home he built was supposed to cost about $500,000 but ended up costing $3.5 million, a hefty price for 1911.

Then one thing after another happened to Henry:  he lost a lot of money when the government took his electric power company from him without compensation; the stock market crashed; and he made some deals that didn’t work out.  In the end, he was bankrupt, and the city took ownership of Casa Loma due to back taxes owed to the tune of $27 million in 1933.

Henry ended up penniless.  When he died, at the age of 80, he was living in a room in the home of his former chauffeur.  His son hadn’t even taken him in.  … A magnificent house, a sad story.

Here’s the thing:  If for almost or all of your life things go your way, but you die without a saving relationship with Christ, your life ends up to be just a very sad story.  Jesus came to turn any life – good or bad – into a great story … and that’s worth checking out while you’re still living out your story.

Until Next Time!

Pastor Paul

Question: What kind of story will your life tell when its done? Leave your comment below