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How Children Develop

I have watched my children grow up and I have enjoyed every stage of their development. Now that my children have reached the stage that they are out on their own, I’m enjoying that part too.

IMG_1648It’s good on a couple of levels. It’s nice to have my house to myself … with my wife, of course. It’s also great to see them stand on their own two feet and makes me proud that, in all those years, our parenting has worked.

Lily and I actually accomplished something! I know parents since Adam and Eve have achieved this marvel, but to each parent it’s truly an amazing revelation.

… I think my parents were in shock for a lot longer than most.

But as much as our children have exercised their wings and been flying on their own, it’s not like they have it all together.

It’s just impossible for them to leave home, set up their own dwelling and be able to have it all together like an adult of, let’s say, late 50’s (very late).

The other night my wife and I were staying with our daughter in her home. In the past three years we have gone from sleeping on the floor when we’ve been there to sleeping on an air mattress.

This time, however, we were upgraded again to a sofa bed. My daughter – I’m so proud of her – we actually slept on something that resembles a real bed in her home!

But as happy as I was to sleep on her new sofa bed, she has to get some pillows!

I didn’t get the soundest of sleeps because the pillow I was provided with was so thin my head was barely lifted above the mattress.

You know how those microfibre blankets are so thin, yet provide a great deal of warmth? Well, it doesn’t work with pillows. Micro-thin pillows are an oxymoron for no pillow at all.

I had the feeling that I was sleeping downhill. Every time I turned in bed I had to fold the pillow in half just so the blood wouldn’t rush to my head. When I changed my sleeping position I kind of woke up in order to keep my melon from slipping off my origami cushion.

I have already reverted to engaging my parental mode by thinking of how I might purchase new pillows for her, which would actually not be for her but for me.

I used to buy her pillows when she lived at home and never thought anything of it. Now that she has her own home, I’m still thinking of making sure she has adequate night gear for her visitors.

It’s like she is in this quasi-state of being all grown up but not fully capable of looking after herself. But as her Dad, I kind of think I’ll always see her a little like that.

I’m going to resist buying that pillow, even if I have to use duct tape to keep that darn pillow folded.

Here’s the thing: As Christians we are loved by God. He loves us just the way we are, but more than that, He loves to see us progress, grow and become more mature in our faith. Though God would like us to have it all together and be just like His Son, He is patient, gracious and loving no matter what stage we are at. God loves you and roots for you to keep on growing in Christ. Let’s keep growing.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What is it about your maturing process that makes you thankful God is patient with you? Leave your comment below.

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Apparently I’m A Binge Drinker!

The other day I had a conversation with my wife, Lily, and she called me a binge drinker. I know some of you are now eager to hear some deep, dark secret of mine. Well, don’t start salivating like one of Pavlov’s dogs for some juicy morsels just yet. Let me explain …

I was complaining to Lily about how much water I have been drinking lately and how it’s interrupting my life. The thing is, the more water you drink, the more you find yourself visiting the washroom.

I used to use the facilities only a few times a day like when I got up in the morning, at noon, around dinner time and at bed time.

Not now! I’m hitting the john about every hour or so and it’s all because I’ve been drinking more water. Since we are supposed to drink more than most of us actually do, I got an app that helps me track how much water I drink. So naturally, I’m drinking more now.

In fact, I’ll have four glasses of water from the time I get up in the morning until the end of breakfast. When Lily heard this she shook her head and said, “You’re a binge drinker” … and I guess I am in a way.

So I started thinking, “When did it become so difficult to live that I’m not even drinking my water at the proper intervals?”

It used to be that we got up in the morning and didn’t think about when we drank water; we just did it because we were thirsty. Now it seems I need to read up a little more on the subject because my water bingeing is probably not that healthy for me.

I can still walk a straight line. I can even touch my finger to my nose and I never poke myself in the eye.

People don’t tell me that I’m slurring my words after I’ve had a couple of quick glasses of water either.

But I guess I still need some help because I found out I’m drinking too much water at meal times. My daughter tells me I shouldn’t be drinking water any closer than 45 minutes before a meal.

My question is, “How did people who lived 100 years ago survive?!” I’m sure they didn’t know this stuff back then. I understand that people didn’t live as long as they do now; maybe that’s why?

I think I may need a few lessons on breathing too. Apparently I breathe out of my mouth more than I should.

I wish I had a computer chip in my brain that could be reprogrammed so that I breathe and drink properly. When I look around it amazes me how many people seem to be living fine and they don’t follow any kind of breathing rules, or drinking rules for that matter.

All I know is that my mother taught me how to drink when I was a baby and I’ve been doing it ever since. And as for breathing, well I think a doctor smacked me on the butt when I entered this world and I haven’t stopped taking a breath yet.

Here’s the thing: We can be Christians with very little understanding of what that means. But if you want your life to be effective, then getting some special training is necessary. Don’t neglect the training you can get through the study of God’s Word.

That’s Life,

Paul

Question: Where could you use some focused spiritual training? Leave your comment below.

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I’m Not Going To Read Anymore Reviews

If you have ever written a review of a service or product, this post may offend you. I’m just giving a general warning that may or may not apply to you.reviews

With the advent of the Internet and social media, it seems everybody wants other opinions on products, services or what they are going to be doing at 6:05 this evening.

It sounds like it might be a worthy endeavour but, let me tell you, it really is a waste of time.

When I get a notice that an app I use wants me to rate it, I always decline. I don’t give reviews, and I don’t often take surveys online.

The reason is it doesn’t really help anyone.

Have you ever been interested in staying at some resort or hotel, or even eating at a certain restaurant?

You go online to see what others say about it, and what you find is an array of responses that range from “absolutely the worst place in the world; do not go there; do not spend the money” all the way to “this was the best experience I have had in my whole life”.

The point is people see things very differently. People have different standards. Some people can figure things out easier than others.

… Of course the slew of spelling mistakes in these reviews take away from the confidence you might have in the expressed opinions.

I wish you could tell from the review what kind of person wrote the comment. I’m thinking maybe with every review you should have to fill out a mini IQ test.

The results could be listed at the end of their review so that the reader gets a better grasp of the intelligence of the reviewer and can take the review with a “grain of salt” (whatever that means … I know you know what it means).

Instead of an IQ test, they could use some algorithm to measure the number of spelling mistakes against the total word count to create a score for the reviewer. The higher the score, the more nuts the reviewer probably is!

I know I’m being a little overdramatic here, but today I was in the market for a sleep app for my phone and watch. I looked at several and narrowed it down to a couple.

Then I started to read the reviews … not helpful at all. I started talking to myself, actually arguing with myself on the pros and cons of the app from the reviews I read.

I felt a little schizophrenic.

One reviewer wrote that it was difficult to install the app. If you simply touch the price or the “get it” box, basically it gets installed on your phone. I’m not sure what that reviewer was trying to do. He did have a few spelling mistakes in his review though.

The problem with all these reviews is that even though you know half of them are completely worthless, they put an ever-so-tiny doubt in your mind which makes you hesitate taking a chance.

Here’s the thing: Everyone has an opinion of God. Some of those opinions can’t be trusted, but they can put doubts in your mind. The only way to really know God is to experience God for yourself. If you seek Him, try things His way, listen to His voice, you won’t have to rely on well-intended people who maybe should not be giving their opinion at all.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: When has a review put doubts in your mind about God? Leave your comment below.

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There Are Too Many Voices In My Head

Sometimes when you tell people your problems, they make stuff up. They don’t have a better solution to your predicament, but they come across as experts anyway.

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Even when you tell them what remedy you’re trying, they disagree and give you a fix that you don’t want to have to resort to.

People do this all the time.

Recently I got a new pair of skates (you can read that post here). They are awesome skates but there is one issue that I was having with them.

They were rubbing and causing about a 2 1/2” long rug burn on each ankle.

It wasn’t too bad the first time it happened, but then I played hockey a couple of days later before the rug burns had healed. That time it kind of opened the wounds up and made them a mess.

If you know anything about rug burns, they take a long time to heal – longer than a straight cut. So the next time I played, the scabs quickly opened up and it was very sore to play at first until I got used to it.

I knew I needed to do something or they would never get better … well, at least until after the season.

My solution was bandaids that were long and padded. I found some at the drugstore that were four inches long. I hoped that covering and cushioning my ankles would stop the disaster they had become.

I figured all I had to do was get the skin healed up. The skin would get tougher so that this situation wouldn’t happen again.

The next time I played I tried out my bandaids. Surprise, surprise – they worked like a charm!

There was a little blood but it was minimal.

This is when all the experts came to my rescue. As I was taking off the bandaids, the guys in the dressing room turned into Dr. Bob or something.

They all had solutions. My ankles still looked pretty messy so they didn’t think my solution would work.

The “back of a pack of matches” physicians had to give me their second, third, and fourth opinions. “Wear socks”, one said. Another one said, “Cut the foot part off a sock and just wear the ankle portion”.

Others agreed with the diagnosis and said there was no other way. “You have to put something over your ankles.”

I disagreed but smiled and said, “We will see.” They all trashed my solution.

Well, I’ve been doing the bandaid thing for a month now. I’ve stopped wearing one on my right ankle and it’s crazy – like magic, the skin has toughened up and I have no more issues!

The other ankle is almost ready to go. The next skate I’ll take the bandaid off and give it a shot.

Maybe Dr. Silcock does know best after all. … I’m sure glad I didn’t cut up socks and wear them like sweat bands around my ankles!

Here’s the thing: Other people will be the loudest voices in your life and it will be easy to listen to them. They are well-meaning voices and they may even have good ideas for you to follow. But the best voice to listen to is the still, small voice of God. It might be hard to hear God’s voice over all the other voices, but if you listen closely you will hear Him and He will give you the best advice hands down!

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: How do you hear God’s voice over other voices? Leave your comment below.

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Facebook Just Sucked Thirty Minutes Of Life Out Of Me!

 

I just spent a half hour doing nothing on Facebook.

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Most people know that Facebook sucks you in and keeps dangling the carrot in front of you to stay connected, but I’m kind of new to the Facebook scene. I think I’ve only had friends for about a year now. I used to be a loner.

At that time all my friends were through my wife. She was my entire source of friends until I decided to branch out on my own.

Last year I finally broke down and got myself some friends. The thing is, I’m not that good of a friend. I don’t go on Facebook enough to know what my friends are doing or up to.

I keep getting emails that let me know what I’ve missed since I’ve been away. It’s usually a few notifications, maybe a friend request and a poke.

I don’t even know what a poke is.

The thing is, I don’t have time to go through all the stuff that’s posted on my home page … and truthfully, with some of the stuff, I don’ t want to either.

They say – whoever “they” are –  that you have time for what’s important to you. That may be true for me.

Now I’m not saying that my friends are not important. No, they are important; it’s just some of the stuff that gets posted doesn’t really interest me.

It’s possible that my friends are not that interesting and that’s why I’m not getting stuff on my home page that draws me in.

But that’s not really it either. I just don’t go on Facebook that much.

There is always something else I could be doing or should be doing that keeps me from sticking my head in the Facebook world.

But this morning I was scrolling the apps on my phone and saw a number 5 beside my Facebook app.

My first thought was, “I have a little time. I’ll get rid of that little red number”, but when I went inside there were a number of videos and pictures that were staring right at me.

I wasn’t in a hurry and I didn’t have anything that was pressing, so I started to scroll.

I did learn a few things, like that David Bowie died of cancer. I saw some motocrosser do some amazing tricks with his bike, and I watched 19 construction works try to corral a power trowel that got away on a freshly poured slab of cement.

I’m not sure any of that is going to help me today. I doubt I’ll be able to use any of this info in a sermon … well, maybe the cement workers and the trowel – there’s got to be an illustration there!

The one good thing about the half hour I spent on Facebook this morning is that it’s a lot like Kentucky Fried Chicken: once you have the experience, you don’t need to go back for a while.

I’m sure my friends don’t mind; there are plenty of other people who stay glued to their walls.

… It was nice to see a pic of a buddy with Bobby Orr though.

Here’s the thing: When you think of how much time you spend on things like Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media, do you find it hard to squeeze some time in your day to read the Bible? Here’s a challenge for you: Make 2016 a year you read through the whole Bible, and get God’s perspective on the world.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: How much time a day do you spend on social media? Leave your comment below.

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My Goal Setting Disaster

There is something about the beginning of a new year that sparks an urge in many of us to set goals or think of plans for the months ahead. New Year’s resolutions are at the top of people’s minds, with dreams of what the coming year will bring, and an anticipation of making those dreams come true.

For the last few years I’ve been following a plan to set my goals. I’m not naturally a goal setter; on my own, I’m more spur of the moment, but since that doesn’t jive with my world, I force myself to plan.

However, this year I’m having an issue right out of the gate. I’ve decided not to purchase the plan I’d been following in recent years; instead I’m going to try to set my goals with the materials I already have and the process I’m now familiar with.

The problem with that is it is now up to me to get going. I don’t have email reminders and links to motivational videos that press me into making time to get my goals down on paper in a manner that is realistic but challenging for the year.

Having a coach or trainer who encourages me to get going and to follow through has helped in the past, but this year I have to be coach, trainer and student.

I can do it, but there are times I feel a little schizophrenic, or like I’m having conversations with another part of myself – like the guy in the old movie, Taxi Driver. He stood in front of a mirror and started talking to his reflection, saying “Who are you looking at? You looking at me?”

I know I can get past this, and move myself on to set goals this year, but the other problem is time.

I’ve had a very busy Christmas season this year. Yes, I called it a “season” because, for me, there is about a six week span that is pretty much completely focused on Christmas.

I really haven’t had any down time to make room for setting goals. Normally there is a bit of a lull between Christmas and the first few days of January before it’s back to the regular pace.

I didn’t get that lull this year.

To do my goal setting the way I’ve been doing it the last few years, I need about thirty minutes each day for five days to pull it all together.

I’m not seeing that time this next week, and I’m away for most of the week after that.

It might not be until the end of January that I have the time to clear sufficient space in my life to set some goals. I don’t really like that plan, but it might be my only option.

On the other hand, though I feel overloaded, and like I don’t have a window of time to set my goals, I really only need thirty minutes a day. I should be able to squeeze thirty minutes into the next five days if I make it a goal.

Look, I’ve already set one goal!

Here’s the thing: The beginning of a year is a great time to make commitments of how you want to grow in your relationship with Christ for the coming year. It’s easy to put off; it’s easy to think it’s too late. But the best thing to do is decide right now when you will make your spiritual growth commitment for this year and then keep that date.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What do you find hardest about setting goals? Leave your comment below.

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I Can’t Believe I Forgot that Event!

How can you forget an event you had planned for and were looking forward to? … You might do that if you were very busy and it was just one of many things you had to do.

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Well, I did that when I had nothing else to do. And it wasn’t like I remembered part way through and was able to just get there late. I didn’t think of it until it was over!

It was New Year’s Day, our daughter was in town and there was an OHL hockey game scheduled. Being the chaplain of the team, I’m kind of expected to show up to games.

I usually make arrangement for tickets the week of a game, but with the holidays things got messed up. So just two days before the game, I called a guy and arranged to get three tickets.

The tickets would be waiting for me at the main gate … They’re probably still there waiting for me.

I was looking forward to going with Lily and Karlie. We didn’t have anything else to do or anywhere else to go, so it was perfect.

New Year’s Day was a pretty lazy affair. I went to see Star Wars in an empty theatre with my son, took an afternoon nap, and worked on my sermon.

I was looking for something to do, wanting something to do before Lily suggested something that I didn’t want to do.

She suggested that we play a game … and in hindsight you’d think that would have triggered thoughts of the hockey game we had tickets to.

Since I’m not a fan of playing games, and since I had nothing else to do, I decided it would be a good time to put the winter tires on the car … I didn’t really want to change the tires but it was something that needed to get done.

After that task was finished, I checked in with Lily and Karlie playing a game, each of them trying to beat the other and beat their own scores.

That didn’t even jiggle loose any memory of the hockey game from the far regions of my brain.

I then decided it would be a good time to rent a movie. After checking out all the possibilities on TV and having to make a tough decision on a rental, I finally settled down to my movie.

The first couple of scenes came on and I don’t even know what it was, but all of a sudden I remembered – WE HAD TICKETS TO THE GAME TONIGHT!

It was 9:30 pm at that point; the game would have been over. I yelled down to Lily and Karlie, “We forgot we had tickets to the game tonight!” … I heard many groans of disappointment from the basement.

It turned out that the boys didn’t need me cheering them on. They won 5-3 on their own.

Maybe I need a little more in my schedule to keep me attentive to the things I have planned.

Here’s the thing: I don’t know how many times I have forgotten to ask God for help, until it was almost too late or was too late. There have been times someone else has said to me, “Have you prayed about that yet?”, and no, I hadn’t. The great news is God never forgets about us, so learn from your forgetfulness and keep going. There’s always another game.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What are some reasons why you don’t think of first asking God for help? Leave your comment below.

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Christmas Time Is All About Travel

You know it’s Christmas time when you start making several long distance day trips.

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Some people know it’s Christmas time when the lights go up, when the snow starts to fall, or when they start hearing Christmas songs on the radio.

For me those are only the birth pangs of Christmas. In the Bible we’re told that wars and earthquakes aren’t the end of the world, they are just signs that it’s getting close.

When we have our Christmas program and dinner at church, I know it’s getting close. When I hear the “Boss” Bruce Springsteen singing “Santa Clause is Coming to Town” on the radio, I start to feel the rumblings.

But I really know it’s Christmas when I have to pack the car for a day trip to Toronto and another day trip to Ottawa.

We live the farthest away from both sides of our family so we are always on the move at Christmas. The downside is that we usually meet on the Saturdays before and after Christmas so I have to be back home the same day in order to be ready to preach the next day.

It makes for a couple of long days.

The first trip is three hours to Toronto, followed by a game of hockey with our sons and nephews trying to show us up on the ice. They’re all getting pretty big and good … or my brother, John, and I are getting old and slow. Worse … maybe it’s a combination of both!

After hockey we have dinner and then hang out, eating some candy off my dad’s old candy tray. John has taken Dad’s place, every year meticulously purchasing and arranging the candy on the three-tiered server.

Then before it gets too late in the evening, we make the three hour trek back home.

The second day is very similar, minus the hockey game. There’s more chill time, but we still have the commute on either end of the day.

The travel is what makes these days exciting. You just never know what you are going to get from one day to another or one year to another.

We’ve travelled in blizzards, rain and freezing rain. We’ve driven on bare roads, ice,  and ruts with six inches of snow.

This year should prove to be the best driving weather we’ve had in many, many years … but you never know until you make the trip. And the way home can be very different from the way down.

But you know what? It’s Christmas time and that’s what we do at Christmas. We spend a little time with our extended family. We take some time to enjoy each other’s company, to eat and laugh, share stories and remember.

One of the best things we do is remember – remember our family when it was younger and smaller, remember family members who are no longer with us. We remember the good, the best of how we got to be where we are.

It’s Christmas time; that’s what we do.

Here’s the thing: The first Christmas story is not that dissimilar to our Christmas each year. Joseph and Mary had to travel a long distance. The conditions were anything but ideal. There was a little drama when they got to Bethlehem, a little competition for a place to stay. But in the end, it was an event that created a memory for them they would never forget.

In fact we remember this event now. Hey, it’s Christmas time – time to remember Christ’s birth, time to remember how much God loves us.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What will you do to celebrate Christmas this year? Leave your comment below.

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How To Get The Pie You Really Want

Most people like pie. In fact, if you ask anyone, they will tell you what their favourite pie is.

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We all have a favourite.

When I was young, my aunt took me to a restaurant and for dessert she ordered me a piece of lemon meringue pie.

That immediately became my favourite … but I was young and impressionable at the time and I did not have a lot of experience with pie.

I learned over the years that there were many pies that I could consider as dear to my heart. But there became one pie that stood out from all the rest …

Raspberry pie.

You see, we had a large raspberry patch in our backyard and we enjoyed raspberries for a good portion of the summer. Every year my mom would make one or two pies from the fruit of the patch.

It takes a lot of raspberries to make a pie … well, to make a real pie –  it’s just raspberries and sugar. (My mouth started to water as I wrote that last sentence.)

I would savour that pie and, if I was lucky, I would get two pieces. They were so good I had to lick the plate! I know that’s not polite to do, but when something is that good you can’t let any of it escape your taste buds, can you?

Since that time, when I’m looking for a piece of pie, I’m always on a quest for raspberry.

I remember one time stopping on the side of the road in the country. A little old woman was selling pies and she had a raspberry one. I was so excited I bought it and couldn’t wait to get it home to eat. But my joy turned to disappointment at the first bite.

I couldn’t believe a grandmotherly, farm lady would make her pie out of jam! There should be a law against that.

You get the idea that raspberry pies are sacred to me and they need to be crafted in a purely natural way, without foreign additives.

So you can understand that at our church Christmas dinner, where the men were requested to bring pies for dessert, I kind of put a plug in for raspberry pies.

I had good intentions. I figured that since I was usually near the end of the line when it came to the meal, if there were a few raspberry pies, I might have a chance to get a piece.

Well, yesterday was our church Christmas dinner, and I guess I pumped up the raspberry pie pretty good because someone told me there were about six!

I shouldn’t have been worried. I should have been patient, but when I saw the lineup for dessert, I couldn’t help but eat faster.

I was one of the last to go through the meal line, and many were finishing their dinner when I was starting. So when I finished my food, I snuck to the front of the dessert line and snagged me a piece of my precious!

I’m not proud of it, but it didn’t sour the taste of that delicious raspberry pie going down … with a little whip cream on top too!

Here’s the thing: We go to great lengths to get something that we really like or want. We don’t let obstacles get in our way. We need to be that way with God. We should not let anything get in the way of our relationship with Him. Let nothing stop you from spending time with Him … that”s how much we should want God.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What lengths have you gone to to get your favourite pie? Leave your comment below.

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This Watch Really Has Changed Everything

You know how you can get something new and think to yourself, “Hey, this changes everything”?

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Well, maybe you haven’t ever thought that, but Apple thought of it. In a recent advertising campaign, that was the slogan they used: “This changes everything”.

Well, about five months ago as a gift, I got an Apple watch. Since then it really has changed everything. Besides the fact that it will do everything short of cooking my breakfast in the morning, it really has changed my life.

It’s changed how I think through my day. I used to go through my day without a thought for my body. Then I got a step counter and I consciously considered how many steps I take in a day.

But that’s nothing! Since I got my watch, I’m thinking of how many calories I’m burning in a day, how often I’m standing during the day, and how much exercise I’m getting each day.

I used to feel good if I played hockey a couple of times a week. Now I’m trying to get thirty minutes of exercise in each day.

It would be nice, however, if the watch could shut my mouth in the evenings to liquorice or chocolate. But I’m figuring out that there’s a part that I have to play that’s more than just wearing the watch on my wrist.

Some people would call it deficiency; I call it first generation Apple watch … they’ll figure that out in future editions.

My watch has also changed how I use the stuff in my pockets. I don’t haul out my wallet or phone nearly as much anymore.

I answer texts by speaking into my watch (like I’m an FBI agent speaking into his hand). I get my points for purchases right from my watch; no more swiping a card. I even answer my phone like Dick Tracy used to do in the cartoons when I was a kid.

My watch has got me to be conscious of how much water I drink in a day. Now I know when I need to take a sip. As a result, there have been a few times where I’ve had to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom.

They say we are 96% water … I may be approaching 97% on those nights. I think I’m a little waterlogged!

This watch has even changed how I play hockey. The other day I was on the ice, playing defence. The puck was at the other end of the rink when I suddenly remembered I wasn’t recording my on-ice exercise.

I took off my glove to set it, but as I looked down at my watch, I saw the puck go through my legs and heard some heavy breathing. I fumbled with my stick and dropped it. I had to control the puck with my feet, move it to a corner and then kick it over to a teammate.

I wasn’t that successful, but they didn’t score. When the puck cleared again, I hit the start button on my watch and everything was good.

Here’s the thing: Christ changed everything over 2000 years ago when He died on the cross for our sins. What we need to consider now is how have we changed our lives because of Him? He changed everything, but it really only changes everything for us when we accept the changes and implement them in our lives. Give yourself completely to Christ’s change.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: When you look at your life, how has Christ changed everything for you? Leave  your comment below.