Monthly Archives: March 2013

This weekend had great plans.  A trip to teach a class, extended time with my fiance and future plans outlined.

As it happened, snow happened.  The class was canceled, the time with my fiance was drastically shortened and the future plans were outlined – only in a sketchy manner.

I have often stated that God is in charge.  I don’t doubt that.  I just wonder what the plan is. 

Maybe because it’s not my plan!

And so, for the hours past, and the hours coming – God, this is you planet, this is your country, this is your province, this is your town, this is your house, this is me!  As I plan and work for this day, may I put you first place and trust you to do your thing!!

This morning I was riding my exercise bike and reading an ordination paper (and also a college assignment paper) by my associate pastor, Ryan Lee.

I was blown away.  I should be getting used to it.  Last week his sermon on Luke 11 mined some thoughts that I have not heard explained anywhere else. 

This article is on the church.  Ryan uses the Greek of the original Biblical text, he searches the early church and relates to our current Canadian situation.  Then he comes to the end of his paper.  He tells us the church is not a group of lapdogs but a gathering of wolves!  Here I will quote some of his thoughts – hopefully you will catch where he is going!

The origins of the assembly of Christ in Canada could not be described by anything resembling a lapdog. The explorers, pioneers, and settlers of our wild Nation, boldly relied on God and his calling.

Not lapdogs, but wolves.  Majestic animals that work together in a pack, an assembly even, they work together in perfect unison to accomplish their goal to maintain their survival. Wolves cry out, with an eerily beautiful call, to the great light in the darkness, joined by the song of brothers and sisters, chilling the very blood of their enemies.

The assembly of Christ in Canada needs to be wolves once again. Crying out with the Gospel [of] Jesus, the great light in the darkness, a cry which gathers the voices of all the brothers and sisters of His assembly. It is that chorus of howls which will shake the very gates of Hell to dust in our Nation.

So, off to Calgary I did not go!

The roads are not the greatest and so we decided last night (three of us pastors) that the class on rural church ministry could wait for another time (April 5th looks good).  So, the morning light dawned and here I sit.

Not without humor launching a good thinking time!  Here is a version of the Lord’s prayer that has some truth to it!!  Picked it up from Patrick Laughlin, a youth from a few years back.

our father, who art a craftsman,
prefectionist be thy name
thy power tools hum,
thy walls be plumb,
upstairs
as they are in the basement,
give us this day a utility shed
and forgive us our borrowed tools
as we forgive those who borrow tools from us
and lead us not into renovation,
but deliver us from moving,
for thine is the hammer,
and the Skilsaw,
and the Duct tape,
Forever and ever,
Amen

For those in the equatorial areas of the world, this has no meaning at all!

But for those of us used to snow and road conditions, this is not good!

Roads west and south of town are closed.  The drifting and snow of the last day or so has caught up to us (actually it was with us yesterday).  We have cancelled a morning prayer time because those travelling in from out of town . . . And last night our children’s program was cancelled as well.

Not that we couldn’t have braved the roads.  I was able to make it to the church last night.

But you don’t know how the next few hours will fare, and travelling when the sun is not up is treacherous.

Having said all this, I did learn one new thing.  The pelting of hurricane speed wind blowing snow is good for the skin.  Much like a sandblaster that cleans the excess off a wall, I’m sure my old dead skin was blasted from my face.  I felt my face shortly after being outside and it was smooth (OK, I do have a few whiskers, but the overall effect was amazing!).

So, in the midst of some of the worst winter for some time, I find joy in the weather!  May your day be joyful as well!