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So . . . I’m Easily Distracted

Writing a sermon is a curious thing. I’ve been writing them weekly for over 17 years now and I still haven’t found a formula that makes the process easy and predicable. There are parts that I have systematized, but the actual sit down and write part, it’s like a new adventure every week.

distracted guy

Let me give you a little insight into my week. I’m pretty regimented early in the week because I know if I’m not ready to write by Thursday, the end of the week will be a disaster.  And we don’t like disasters, do we?

When I first started to preach, I worried about staying up all night Saturday to get ready for Sunday morning. That fear was real because every paper I ever wrote from high school until the day I graduated with my degree, involved burning the midnight oil.

The day after a paper was due I was a zombie. I needed coffee bad – except I didn’t drink coffee, so I’d substitute Super Big Gulps to get me through.

There was no way I would be able to sustain a weekly routine like that for very long. So I decided I needed to have a routine for preparing messages: I start on Monday and do a little work each day.

But I don’t start writing until Thursday or Friday and that’s when all the scheduling, routine, and systematizing goes out the window. It’s new every week. There are distractions, interruptions, unexpected issues to deal with.

But probably the worst issue of all is me. I need to be mentally and emotionally ready to write my sermon. And if I’m not, oh baby, it’s going to be a long day.

That’s what it was like this week. I had a great Thursday, finished my outline, even wrote the introduction to my message. But Friday … I just couldn’t get my mind to settle down. I might have ADD – but in my day the medication for that was a slap on the back side of the head and a scolding of “PAY ATTENTION!”

So Friday I was on my own with no chemicals or synthetics to bring my mind into sync with my sermon. My mind even had the added bonus of a few interruptions to my day that lured it to wander in unnecessary directions long after the interruptions ceased.

By the afternoon, everything and anything was a distraction. The lint that glistened in the light streaming through my window caught my attention for a while. I read an email that lead me to a website which led me to watch a video debate on science versus creation.

My message is not on creation this week. It was interesting, but I couldn’t even extract an illustration to work into my sermon. I was so distracted that I forgot I had brought a lunch to work, so I went out and bought my noon meal, only to come back and see my lunch sitting on a table in my office!

It came in handy because I worked so late I ate that forgotten lunch for dinner and kept working.

Here’s the thing: You may not get distracted like me, but every one of us runs into distractions of some kind. When we get distracted from serving God or spending time with Him, that’s when it’s time to employ a strategy to deal with those distractions and get back on course.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: How have you been distracted in the past?  Leave your comment below.

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Signs

Currently I’m on vacation some where near a sandy beach, on Lake Huron.  While I am away I am featuring a guest blog about once a week.  Today’s blog comes from Adrian Greyling who is a financial planner,  husband to Shawna, and father to Leah, Ian and Avery.

“Sign, sign, everywhere a sign

Blockin’ out the scenery, breakin’ my mind

Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign?”

sign

Driving home from work one day I noticed the plethora of signs that literally litter the side of the road.  I started counting them to get an idea of how many I pass by on a daily basis going to and from work.  I had to stop as I closed in on 100.  (Not just because I was getting near the end of my ‘counting ability’, but because counting signs while driving is probably just as dangerous as talking on a cellphone.)

And what an amazing assortment of signs too.  Plenty are advertisements for everything from plumbers to restaurants to dog walking services.  Others are just informative, like: Glenmore Blvd.  (You know, the street you just drove by that you were supposed to turn left onto.)

Some are pretty fancy, with beautiful typefaces and eye-catching colours.  Others look like they were painted by a 3-year old who was in too much of a hurry. There are hand painted signs on cardboard, “animated” neon signs, as well as those on plain old wood or plastic.

Many signs offer warnings too.  (It’s always helpful to know which way you should be driving on a one-way street.)  Most signs are helpful, but occasionally you find signs that are downright confusing.  For example, what exactly was this sign trying to say? (It was outside a secondhand store.) “We exchange anything – bicycles, washing machines, etc.  Why not bring your wife along and get a wonderful bargain?”  Here’s another example of a sign that isn’t terribly informative:  “The Town Hall is closed until opening.  It will remain closed after being opened.  Open tomorrow.”  (Huh??)

God also posts signs for you and I.

They’re not necessarily 30 foot billboards with neon lights on the side of the highway.  Sometimes they’re much more subtle and it takes real effort to recognize them.  God posts His signs for you and I in various ways; through His Word, through good advice from reliable Christian friends, and sometimes through “gentle whispers”, (as He spoke to Elijah).  And thankfully, God speaks to us in ways that aren’t ambiguous or contradictory.

God never points us in the wrong direction, but every time He says “Don’t!”, He’s saying “Don’t hurt yourself”.  And every blessing we enjoy is God’s emphatic “Yes!”  His plans often unfold in unexpected ways and follow a timeline we wouldn’t choose, but God never makes empty promises.  To put it bluntly, God’s signs are ultimately reliable.

Following God’s signs won’t get you lost or misinformed.  In fact, God’s signs often point towards a future hope.  I’m reminded of Jeremiah 29, when the children of Israel were in the midst of a 70-year captivity.  Even in the midst of being judged, God offers a comforting signpost to His people:  “For I know the plans I have for you; plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV))

I can almost see Jeremiah’s billboard:  “This way to a brighter future!”  That’s what God is advertising to you and I today; a brighter future.  Look for God’s signs and embrace them!

Adrian

Question: How do you recognize God’s signs? Leave your comment below.

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Moose on the Loose!

Currently I’m on vacation some where near a sandy beach, on Lake Huron.  While I am away I am featuring a guest blog about once a week.  Today’s blog comes from Lily Silcock.  Along with being my wife, Lily works for SureWx as an executive assistant. She volunteers at Kingston Alliance Church and does all the editing for this blog.

Sometimes I shake my head at the situations I get myself in and the things I’ll do for my kids.

After a long work week a few weeks ago, I found myself exhausted and boarding a plane to Regina. Why Regina, you ask? Well, that’s where our daughter wanted me to meet her for our road trip back to Ontario … Not beautiful Calgary to be of assistance in helping her pack up her earthly possessions to move. Not in Edmonton – her first stop – where I could visit some dear friends, but Regina where there’s nothing and no one!!

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So I flew in to Regina, all eager to spend some quality time with Karlie as we drove back to Ontario. What I didn’t realize was that I’d almost need to ride on the roof for lack of room in her little Hyundai Accent! With bags at my feet and no room to recline the seats even an inch, we left. But that was ok; we were spending time together.

Our first day, we planned to drive from Regina to Dryden ON – a very do-able 940 km. What we hadn’t planned on was no vacancies at the hotels in Dryden at 7:30 pm. “No problem”, we said. We could go another 4 hours and easily get a place. After all, Thunder Bay’s a sizeable city.

I was tired but Karlie was happy to keep driving … until we passed the first “Moose on the loose” sign, followed almost on cue by a humongous moose standing on the shoulder of the road! And just as I was trying to assure her that that was probably a fluke, we passed another one!

Well, that ended any chance I had of catching a nap. I had to spend the next 3+ hours sitting bolt upright (not a problem since the seats weren’t reclining anyways), squinting and scanning the dark landscape, on the lookout for moose on the loose.

But I didn’t mind … I’m a mom and we do those things for our kids. Besides, I was looking forward to a nice, comfy hotel bed down the highway.

Little did I know that when we finally made it to our destination at 1 am, there would not be a single hotel bed available in that city either! Who knew that the national diving championships were being held so far up north this year?

Our only option at 1:30 am was the stuffed-to-the-gills tiny car we’d already spent the last 16 hours in. It’s a good thing my daughter and I are both vertically challenged!

After 4 hours of contorting in our seats, trying to get comfortable, laughing at the insanity of our predicament, and maybe getting a total of an hour’s shuteye, I laughingly announced, “I’m too old for this! Let’s hit the road.”

As exhausted and stiff as I was, I didn’t mind. It was a pleasure to be on a road trip with my daughter. I love her like crazy! Really, when it comes down to it, I’m a parent, and I’ll do just about anything for my kids … willingly.

It’s not surprising then that God calls Himself our Father. He willingly gave it all for us. We can count on Him, His help, His support, His company. He loves us like crazy!

Lily

Question: How have you gone the extra mile for your kids or loved ones? Leave your comment below.

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It’s Raining

Currently I’m on vacation some where near a sandy beach, on Lake Huron.  While I am away I am featuring a guest blog about once a week.  Today’s blog comes from Dr. Munier Nour who currently lives with his family in Calgary. He and his wife, Mary, have been married for 7 years and have two young sons aged one and three. Munier is a subspecialist in the field of pediatrics. He and his family lived in Kingston and attended KAC until 2010.

I’ve struggled to write this blog entry for a few weeks now. I’ve started writing a few times and have always just thrown it away. I think I’ve wanted a neat and tidy package of a story to tell people. I want to share a story of resolution and pack in a quaint lesson learned. But as much as I’ve tried that’s not a story I can tell… yet. Mine is still a work in progress.

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Despite putting this task aside for the last time this morning my confirmation came this evening that I need to articulate my struggle – if for no one else, then for my own benefit. We spent the evening in hospital with our youngest son for the third time in the past few months.

A year ago I had a neat little plan for our family. I had finally finished my ridiculously long medical training, we had our two healthy children, and my dream job was about to become available. It looked like I couldn’t have planned it better. I would quickly interview for the job, get it, we’d move into our new home and life would be in cruise control from there on. I had it all figured out. God had different plans.

In a series of seemingly rapid fire steps all my hard work and planning for a care free life seemed to come undone. It started out with our youngest son getting quite sick and being hospitalized with breathing difficulties when I was on the other side of the country. If narrowly missing an ICU admission wasn’t enough, he went on to repeat the process not two weeks later (and again tonight). Weeks later we were told that he also had another rare issue. It seems he had suffered from a perinatal stroke before he was born, a condition previously called hemiplegic cerebral palsy. While he has only shown mild symptoms it has been very difficult to understand and grasp this as parents wanting nothing but the best for our child. Following these medical events, I received the news that my prospects for work would go to another applicant – leaving me with essentially with no options of work in my field in the entire country.

It’s at this point that I feel the need to say something quaint or cliché. Something like ‘everything happens for a reason’ or ‘God’s got something bigger and better in store’ or ‘God will never give you more than you can handle’. While these are all good intentioned, the fact of the matter is I don’t really want to hear them right now – plus I’m not sure they even necessarily apply.

When I turn to passages like the story of Jesus calming the storm (Mark 4:35-41) my tendency is to look down on the disciples. How could they not realize Jesus was in control? How could they not understand that they were still safe? How could they have so little faith? In the midst of my storm, I wish I could say I was different from them.  I feel the rain starting and I run and panic.

As I’ve begun to navigate this small storm – while it is not easy – I am comforted to know I am not alone in this boat and that He commands even the winds and the water.

Question: When the storms come in your life, where do you turn?

 

When everything is wrong
The day has passed and nothing’s done
And the whole world seems against me
When I’m rolling in my bed, there’s a storm in my head
I’m afraid of sinking in despair.
…
‘Cause I’m a child of little faith
I feel the wind and forget Your grace
And You say, “Peace, be still.”

Teach me, Lord to have faith
In what You’re bringing me will
Change my life and bring You glory
…

There on the storm, teach me God to understand
Of Your will that I just cannot control.
There may I see all Your love protecting me
I thank you Lord, You are the calmer of the storm.

  —  “Calmer of the Storm” by Downhere
http://youtu.be/Z5gqZHifyQM

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Happiness

Currently I’m on vacation some where near a sandy beach, on Lake Huron.  While I am away I am featuring a guest blog about once a week.  Today’s blog comes from Wendy Lehmann who is a work from home mom with two boys, ages 10 and 6. She has been married for 17 years and originally hales from Winnipeg.  Though being a mom is primarily her main “job title”, she runs a small side business sharing tea with friends.  She is presently working on starting a blog which should go live September 1st.  You can check Wendy’s blog out then at www.taketime4tea.com

To begin I am going to say that I am first and foremost a mother of two very active, and very boy-like boys.  There are other areas of my life that I enjoy, but none as much as I enjoy my kids.

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One of the best things about being a parent is seeing my kids being happy.  Kids can be happy to a level that we as adults rarely achieve.  I have wondered why that is and I think it is because they can be happy without thinking about being happy, they just are.

There are some rare occasions when you can see your kids reach a level of happiness that is above and beyond the run of the mill, get to stay up later than usual type of happy.  You know what I am talking about; the Christmas morning type of happy; the get to stay home from school type of happy; seeing grandma and grandpa type of happy.

We recently took a family vacation to visit friends and I got to see my kids reach that extra level of happy, and I loved it!  Our friends live in Wisconsin, so we decided to take a road trip.

Now, some of you may think that is crazy, driving for 17 hours with a 10 year old and a 6 year old to visit friends for 4 days, but we haven’t seen them in a couple of years, so hey, why not?!

On our way down we noticed a Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World store.  For those of you who have never seen one of these stores they are VERY impressive. Just imagine a store the size of Costco filled with anything you could ever imagine needing/wanting/buying-if-you-won-the-lottery for fishing, hunting or camping. There are 8 aisles of fishing lures, 200 reels to test out and more fishing rods than you could possibly count.

Now imagine being 10 and 6 year old boys who live and breathe fishing.  When we first walked through the front doors they just stood there in awe, and then it sunk in and they were off!

They did not know what to look at first. They went running up to look at the 25 ft floor to ceiling fish tank, then realized there was a 40 ft floor to ceiling tank with salt water fish at the other end of the store.

They went on the glass elevator at least 5 times so they could see the possum hanging in the tree. The boys took pictures of every taxidermy specimen from a moose to a family of foxes.

Now, anyone who knows me knows that this is not my “cup of tea” at all.  I am a vegetarian and cannot get excited about fishing, and definitely not hunting.  But, do you know what?  I was so happy to be in this store to be able to experience it with my kids.

Truthfully, I should say I was there with 3 kids because my husband was almost as excited as the boys. To be able to see that look in their eyes when they saw a wall full of fishing lures or tried out a cool new rod and reel was a really fun moment to be a part of.

As a parent we learn to read our kids, their moods, good and bad. We can tell when they reach that uber-happy level.  I’ll tell you what, I saw that level of happy that day.   What made me realize they were truly happy was when they could not stop thanking us for taking them to “that super awesome store”.

It is through their gratitude that their true happiness was revealed.  Both of them thanked us for days for making that stop on our trip, which made us want to do more of what makes them happy.

God, as our Heavenly Father, wants us to be happy; he also wants us to be thankful which is how he knows we are truly happy.

When thinking about the last time you were happy, truly happy, were you thankful to the One who is always thinking about our happiness?  Leave your comment below.

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Get Out Of The Line!

Last weekend I took part in a funeral. It all went very well until it came time for the interment. Getting to the cemetery meant a twenty minute drive through the city and in the country.

FUNERAL ETIQUETTE

Only family and close friends attended, while most others opted not to take the drive … probably a good thing because they never would have made it.

You see, most people don’t follow other cars very well, driving too far behind the person they’re following. It’s like they’ve watched too many TV detective shows and they try to follow so the lead car doesn’t know they’re on their tail.

I once had a person follow me to a destination they had never been to, yet they kept going slower and slower and falling farther and farther behind. At first, I slowed down to make sure they wouldn’t lose me, but then they slowed down even more! Finally, I just decided to drive and let them keep up to me. They never made it; they got lost and went home.

In a funeral procession, people really need to drive close to the car they’re following, especially through intersections. Personally, I like to get close to the car in front of me so the vehicles traveling in the other direction see that I’m part of a procession and don’t T-bone me when the light changes green for them.

Those other drivers on the road can be a real problem. Most of them act like they have no clue what’s going on. They see the hearse, the flashing lights, the long line of cars with little flags on their hoods like it’s a diplomatic motorcade, and they STILL try to jump into line like they want to be part of the parade! After all, their shopping trip to the mall has been timed down to the last minute, and they didn’t calculate running into a funeral procession.

There was a time when cars pulled over to the side of the road when they came upon a funeral procession – like we’re supposed to do with emergency vehicles. But then again, some people are not good at that either. I’m not sure whether people drive without looking around or whether they just don’t understand the unwritten rules of the road.

When our procession of cars got out of the city, some cars pulled over to the side of the road, and two ladies who were walking stopped and just stood as the line of funeral cars went by.

But most cars just kept going and even drove around the cars that had pulled over.  These people were both young and old – I know because I looked at them, trying to stare them down!

We finally made it to the cemetery, with no accidents, and only missing one car with several of the family members in it. They arrived late because some car cut into the line and then didn’t go through and intersection with the rest of the procession.

Going home from the cemetery only took about 10 minutes … there were no funeral processions to stop for.

Here’s the thing: In a funeral procession, you need to keep up and others need to pay attention. If you don’t keep up, other cars don’t know there is anything to pay attention to. In your Christian walk you need to keep in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25) so that others will pay attention and see a difference.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What do you find difficult about following someone?  Leave your comment below.

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We Should Be Amazed

This week I am away on my yearly planning/prayer/study retreat. In place of my blog we have a guest blog from Dr. Munier Nour.  Munier works in pediatrics in Calgary, he is husband to Mary, and father to Elias and their newest edition James.

 

“Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see.” ― C.S. Lewis

Working in pediatrics, I have the privilege of working with families during some of the most delicate times in their lives – times things don’t go as planned. Recently, I’ve had close interactions with a family whose baby did not develop properly in utero. The birth of their child coincided very closely with the birth of our second son, James. As I interacted with them, I ached with the knowledge that I had a healthy, perfectly formed newborn – something they so longed for.

Outside of clinic, my summer has been filled with studying for my final clinical exam in September. I once again find myself burdened by uncomfortably large text books and a steady supply of caffeine. I often find myself frustrated that during the beautiful weather of summer my skin is warmed by florescent lights rather than the sun. I tend to resent the material I am studying, rather than be amazed.

Occasionally, though, it hits me. Did you know at least four hormones manufactured in six different sites keep your blood calcium tightly in balance? If your calcium level gets too high you’ll develop kidney stones, too low and you’ll have a seizure. Your cells have a complex mechanism to sense when to make more hormones. Each hormone is manufactured following a precise blueprint in your DNA then carried through your bloodstream until it finds the precise receptor. These hormones keep your calcium at just the right level – not too high, not too low. Calcium is just one of hundreds of minerals and compounds the body tightly regulates.

Even despite whole volumes written on hundreds of the body’s mysteries, a similar phrase continues to pop up in my textbooks: “This process is not fully understood” or “the mechanism is not yet known”. It seems strangely similar to what Paul wrote: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.” So where does this this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish…The foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength. (1Cor 1:19-20,25)

Even as I write this blog entry, the above hormones are at work, not to mention countless other behind the scenes actions of my body. My heart is pumping 74 gallons of blood in an hour, my nerves are sending near instantaneous signals between my brain and fingers, while my lungs exchange gases to keep me alive. Again, each process an infinitely complex miracle – yet simply taken for granted.

I am thankful to be given a chance to explore a bit deeper the mysteries of the human body and use that knowledge to help others. It is a unique chance to daily see the ways in which His creation declares the glory of God.

As I enjoy watching James grow before my eyes I am reminded of God’s grace and goodness. To see God’s perfect design unfolding as James grows and develops. His eyes now recognize familiar faces and light up with recognition and adorable smiles… nothing short of a miracle.

You have made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous – how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!        Psalms 139:13-17

Question:  What do you take for granted, that you should worship God for?  Leave your comment below.

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Mmm … That Smells So Good!

Today’s entry is a guest blog from my wife, Lily.  She does all the editing for my blogs and  awhile ago she was inspired to write one of her own.

I just love the smell of coffee!  There’s nothing quite like it.  It’s one of those aromas that’s comforting.  A house always seems cozier when you smell coffee brewing.  For some, when you wake up in the morning and smell the coffee, somehow you feel more awake, and everything seems like it’s going to be ok.  Or when you come in from a bitter February winter storm and smell coffee, you immediately start to relax and warm up … even before you get your first sip!

In fact, I like the smell of coffee so much that when I saw some coffee decorating ideas on Pinterest, I just had to try them.  I now have coffee beans in some of my candleholders, constantly emitting that delicious subtle aroma of coffee in our living room.

The other day I went to Tim’s to meet a friend.  We get together occasionally to chat and catch up on each other’s lives.  We choose to meet at Tim’s not because we’re both coffee addicts, but because it’s close and convenient for both of us.  As a matter of fact, my friend usually orders a tea, and, although I like coffee, I could honestly take or leave it.  Actually, this particular time, because I walked there, I was way too hot to drink coffee.  I ordered a water.

We enjoyed a great visit and then headed home.  As soon as I got in the door, I went to my office to check phone messages and email.  As I sat at my desk, I was suddenly aware of a wonderful aroma.  I started sniffing around … I smelled coffee!  How strange since I hadn’t made coffee in the house for a few days, and there were certainly no coffee bean filled candleholders on my desk.  I kept sniffing around perplexed.

And then it dawned on me.  The aroma of coffee was coming from me!  My clothes, my hair, and even my skin smelled like coffee.  After sitting in Tim Horton’s for almost two hours, I had obviously absorbed that coffee aroma.

That got me thinking.  Do I spend enough time with Jesus that His aroma is left on me?  Can my friends get a whiff of Jesus when they’re around me? … or do they just smell me?  Lately I have to wonder.  It’s so easy to get caught up in the daily grind, in the stress of doing life that I, too often, cut short my time with God … or crowd it out all together.  And then what’s left? – just me … just me and my busyness, or impatience, or agenda, or preoccupation with various people or things.  If I haven’t been in Jesus’ presence, how can His aroma, His fragrance, His character be transferred to me?

Just like grabbing a coffee via the drive through won’t leave the aroma of coffee on me, I’ve got to stop trying to pick up Jesus by a quick drive through.  If I want to be like Him, have His fragrance on me, then I have to park myself and spend some time with Him … maybe over a coffee!

Take care and smell good!

Lily

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A Strong Foundation

I am on vacation at this time and while I am beaching it up I will have guest blogs once a week. Today’s blog is from Christine Benoit, who is a business owner and mother of two.

Before falling deeply in love, having two children, becoming a military wife and moving to Kingston Ontario, I had the great pleasure of growing up by Nova Scotia’s lush South Shore coast line.

The rich memories of having sunny days at the beach, countless hours of hunting for sand dollars and beach glass, and watching breathtaking sunsets are just a few things I think on often.  However my fondest memories have me reflecting on the church I grew up in, Pleasantville United Baptist Church.

The community of my youth is called Pleasantville and the church there had, and still today has, a fantastic children’s ministry.  Among the children’s ministry are the usual programs like Awana, VBS (Vacation Bible School), church camp, youth group and so on and so forth.  Needless to say it was/is a great way to teach kids about Jesus while having loads of fun.  I’ve always been so thankful for that ministry and its bearing on my life.  And today I’m thankful that it now has a bearing on my children’s lives.

Many of the people that served at Pleasantville Baptist Church are still there to this day, offering themselves to the little community of Pleasantville with a great desire to see today’s youth impacted for the Kingdom of God.  Always ready with a joke and a smile, they are just great people all around.

As many of you know, my kiddies, (Gabriel and Renee) get to spend a month with my parents in Nova Scotia every July.  This year is a bit different for them.  For one reason or another in years prior we were unable to put the kids in the VBS week at the PB church, activities or something always got in the way.  However this year, was the first year they were able to attend.

My children have jumped into the VBS program full force and wake up every morning asking “can we go to VBS yet Nanny??”  Nothing makes me happier then knowing my children are consistently learning about God’s character as well as the living Word.

To this day it surprises me the things I can recall from VBS and Awana.    So I know that my kids will feel the same way in the future.  It’s such a blessing to have been steeped in rich biblical teaching at such a young age.

As a parent you wonder all the time what your kids will grow up to be like, and the major component to that thought pattern is the health of their Christian faith.

I know the foundation I had growing up has made a deep impact on my spiritual life.   I will hold on to that foundation with purpose and intent in order to carry on a generational love and desire to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” Mark 12:30 (ESV)

The programs we offer at KAC (Kingston Alliance Church) are affecting lives of youth more then we’ll ever know, and this is a great support for parents.  Having a church that offers such strong programs outside the home that reinforce the biblical principles and Godly values you teach there is an invaluable alliance, one I’m so pleased to have.

Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (ESV)

Question: How do you ensure you are passing on important truths to others? Leave your comment below.

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When it Rains it Pours

I am on vacation at this time and while I am beaching it up I will have guest blogs once a week. Today’s blog is from Adrian Greyling who is a financial planner,  husband to Shawna, and father to Leah, Ian and Avery.

As a family, we enjoy camping, and got the opportunity to do so recently.  Although Shawna took care of 99% of the packing, it’s my responsibility (mostly) to get it all in the van (or into the pop-up trailer we drag around).  Since our office closes at 1:00pm on Fridays over the course of the summer, we had the opportunity to make our way to Presqu’ile Park a little bit earlier.  After getting home from the office nice and early, I set a (very arbitrary) deadline of 2:30pm to be on the road.  Of course we missed that deadline by about half an hour, but it was an arbitrary deadline anyway, and if traffic wasn’t too bad, we’d still hit the campground with plenty of time to set up and get dinner underway.

Barreling down the 401, I had a revelation.  Nope, not the good kind either…  After Shawna and I were discussing what was on the menu for Friday evening, (hamburgers & hotdogs) it dawned on me that I forgot the portable BBQ in the garage.  Too bad that wasn’t the worst of what I’d forgotten…  I had also forgotten to bring the keys to the trailer.  Now we’re hurtling down the 401 with a big brick on wheels behind us that’s eating into my gas mileage and has no useful function when we get to the campground, except make it look like we belong there.

At this point, camping isn’t the enjoyable getaway it usually is…

After setting up camp, (which included using an axe to open locked compartments on the trailer) we stuck to the menu of burgers and hotdogs, although the cooking method, (that is, frying!) left much to be desired.  (Nothing like draining your hamburger on paper-towel before eating it!)

Thankfully, the weather forecast looked great all weekend.

Then the rain came on Saturday morning.  Not a light sprinkle the kids can still play in, but a rain more akin to drought relief.  Camping in the rain is, well, unpleasant.  You can tolerate mosquitoes, you can build fires when it’s cold, but when everything is wet, camping isn’t fun anymore.

I was sitting across from Avery as we ate Cheerios for breakfast together, listening to the rain and wondering how long it would take to become stir crazy from being cooped up in a little trailer when I looked out of the plastic “window” at the trees.  At this point, 16 hours into our camping trip, the beauty of the park (even in the rain!) kind of caught me off guard.  It’s no wonder it’s a popular place to visit, I thought, God really put some sparkle into this little corner of His creation.  It reminded me of the cliché, “Sometimes you can’t see the forest for the trees.”  In my case, being self-absorbed with my “camping woes” was blinding me to one of the primary enjoyments of camping; seeing God’s creation in all it’s beauty, up close and personal!  It made me wonder how many other blessings I’ve missed that God puts squarely in front of me to notice.  Or that I take for granted because I’m staring at my own shoes.  The Psalmist wrote, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”  Our lives should declare God’s glory too, and if we’re willing to count our blessings, we’ll quickly run out of fingers and toes as we realize how incredibly blessed we are!  Self-absorption can’t do that!

Question: What do you do to remind you to look for God’s blessings in your life?  Leave your comment below.