Check out the sermon tab at www.kindersleyalliance.com for two talks given at our church today by Don Love, international worker in Japan. The talks centered on Japan relief and dealing with grief and suffering.
We are sitting in our home listening to Japanese. Our international worker, Don Love, is sitting at our kitchen table. Over Skype he is conversing to a small group of Christians in Tokyo. I’m not sure I understand the conversation – Don indicated that he would doing some “pastoring” work with them.
There is laughter and discussion. Sound like a great group. At one point Jill and I stepped in front of the camera and spoke to the group. They were amazed to see us in long sleeves (it’s a bit cool here today). They are in a hot season.
Their thanks are for our prayers during the tsunami. And even today we continue to pray for them.
If you would like to hear Don speak a bit about his work in Japan, and some of the relief work he did in the last while – he will be at the Kindersley Alliance Church tomorrow (Sunday) at 11:00 in the morning and at 7:00 in the evening. Both meetings will include different content – if you can attend both, please do so!
Lately I’ve run up against the “system.” There is the inequity of institutions that do not include mercy in their approach. Loans that cannot be renegotiated, policies that do not allow for latitude, people who work as managers without authority.
But this morning I was heartened to meet with a manager who is trying to work the system for the good of the people. She had talked to superiors and they gave some latitude. Now she would work with a board to see where things could go.
May we find more people who work for the people and find ways to make the spirit of the law overcome legalism!
As we sat down for lunch in the spacious dining hall at Caleb Village (our local seniors apartment), I glanced out the window. A block away houses are being built. And there on one was a figure.
The builder looked to be holding on by the fingertips. The posture was one of sprawling. As one would do on ice to distribute the weight and not crack the crust of the ice.
Except this was probably 10-25 meters up in the air, not flat on a lake’s surface!
We went back to eating and when I next glanced the roof top was empty. Was this a case of falling from the sky? Had the worker safely descended, or had gravity prevailed? Who would know?
Well, not to let the story out of the bag, or to speak of new chicks learning to fly – but I know the roof hanger! She has been working the last while, with a restraining belt hooked to a “lifeline”. I texted her later in the day and she indicated that she was still alive (at least she returned my text).
And so, another day passes and she can actually say she was “just hanging around!”
These past few days our community “young deaths” have plagued our thoughts. A suicide, then a twenty something whose health concerns didn’t seem that bad. On the other side was the death of a ninety-something whose last few years had gradually deteriorated.
But, unexpectedly today, I was confronted with another sense of grief and loss. Our community has also seen established leadership resign, move, and generally leave us! I didn’t realize how much I had developed a sense of trust, a sense of stability, a sense of a community team! This is the same type of thing that develops in a football team over years of working together.
But, right now our community is returning to a first year team. I grieve the loss of a former vision, but at the same time God is in control. Where will we go next? Only God knows! But it will be the best place to be!
Today I was discussing the phenomenon of “blogging.” For many of us who began blogging six of seven years ago – the novelty has worn off. The entries are not quite as frequent (although the desire is still there).
My dad often asked – “How do you think of things to write?” He wondered where the new thoughts arose, where creativity comes form. I sometimes wonder too! And then I sit down at the keyboard and start a sentence. And soon more comes. And in the words I find enjoyment!
I won’t promise more blogs – but I will try to sit at the keyboard more often!
Here is a great quote supposed attributed to Lewis Caroll:
I fear I agree with your friend in not liking all sermons. Some of them, one has to confess, are rubbish: but then I release my attention from the preacher, and go ahead in any line of thought he may have started: and his after-eloquence acts as a kind of accompaniment—like music while one is reading poetry, which often, to me, adds to the effect.
Since Sunday I’ve not had an “at home – sit down – lunch time – on time” meal (OK, Monday was close!). Unfortunately that has meant that Jill has been dragged along for some of the meal times.
Now, I enjoy fasting – my wife becomes jittery and has headaches. Better to eat on time than to explore life on the “past noon” side!
Resolved – that tomorrow’s lunch hour will be “at home – sit down – lunch time – on time”!
Food is best shared with others. So today we headed over to a seniors complex and ate with some friends. More friends were there with whom we conversed. The hour passed so quickly we felt as though we had just arrived.
My recommendation? Find a place to eat with someone else this week. At your home, a restaurant, a picnic lunch. The setting is not so much the important part, as the company.
Oh, and we happened to get the meal free of charge – a perk which we enjoyed!
So, as mentioned previously, we had been charged to use our own bags at Extra Foods. Not a happy camper – or shopper!
Today we took our bags in, and went through the till with a cashier we know. We told her of our previous adventure. The manager was standing nearby as we heard the cashier explain that things were now corrected.
Oh, back up a day or two. We had sent off our complaint to Extra Foods via the internet. An automatic response was returned mentioning that there had been an extraordinary volume of emails recently and they would get back to us as soon as possible. Perhaps others had noted the same complaint.
Back to the manager overhearing our conversation. He immediately pointed out how the computer/till now accommodated the “free bags” and even gave us PC points.
So, thanks for those who listen and make changes work!