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The raised eyebrows did it.  Of course, pointing out that the eyebrows were raised didn’t hurt either.

I had just answered a question with a straightforward “no.”  The other person, without asking but just raising the eyebrows, wondered where that had come from. 

I proceeded to give a variety of reasons.  All of which I thought were very straightforward as well. 

Until the evening wore on and I contemplated what I had said. 

Was I being fair?  Was my answer merely one of emotion?  Was I looking back on the past and coloring the future with that brush?  What would it look like to consider how Jesus would have answered? 

By the end of the evening, I was ready to rethink my answer.  I realize that the answer may not change.  That is not the question – or the answer.  The answer is in being willing to be wrong, to own up to that, and to change.

Not an easy road.  But no one ever said the road would be easy.

Yesterday afternoon was spent in Saskatoon.  World Vision sponsored a forum on Shifting Stats – the changing face of the religious landscape in Canada.

What stood out?

Well, three areas were addressed.  The first was immigration.  The second was family and youth.  And finally the whole area of finances and technology.  A final address was given on the Gospel and reaching out.

I was reminded of much that I have seen in the last while.  Even in small town Kindersley there are a number of new immigrants.  They are looking for a place to belong – and the church can provide that.

Families are very different from the past.  The two parent, single income home is almost obsolete.  Well, not quite, but it has become less the norm!  Youth need to be given leadership. 

Finances – we have more debt than income (163 %) on average.  Technology means that our communications need to adapt.

In all, there is much change and yet much encouragement to go ahead!  God is not dead – he has great things planned.  We just need to continue to seek His Kingdom!

This week has proven to be one that will be busy.

I began the week realizing that our music festival is on.  I would love to take in all the sessions – there are children and teens I know who are involved.  I will take in a few sessions.  In between, I also have other appointments.  There is the seminar and hopefully hospital visits in Saskatoon.  On the weekend my wife will be away to a ladies retreat.  In between I have an afternoon appointment with a couple and various appointments with individuals.  Staff meeting will be sandwiched in between preparing a sermon and Sunday School class.

So, I’m up this morning, as yesterday morning, and trying to get a good bit of work done before the 9:00 hour rolls around!  That is the usual time that I would begin my work day.

The sky is not yet lit with light – I will be able to watch the sunrise later in the morning.  Soon I’ll have a soothing shower and head off to my office at the church.  On the way I will care for such mundane things as banking and filling the car with gas.

The end of the day I am planning to arrive home in the early to mid part of the evening.  I’ll spend time with family and head to bed to rest before another day begins. 

All of that to say:  I have become suspicious of the plans that we manufacture.  Within minutes or hours plans could change – and have!  God directs – my part is to be sure I stay on the path he sets. 

So the best thing I need to do is to be consciously living in the presence of God as the activities of the day unfold.  That way the unfolding will not crush me, but rather allow me to see what God is doing (and enjoy it!!).  I guess that is what the ancients would have called giving glory to God.

Lent is engaging me this year.

I began preaching a sermon on Lent the first Sunday of this Christian calendar season.  The sermon was a beginning – encouraging us to get invested in a Lenten project. 

I personally said that I give up worrying.  Sounds like a high goal.  Abstract.  My wife chose a goal where she could write on a list each day whether she had accomplished something.

At first I brushed off whether there was a way to achieve my goal.  The idea was good, and over the years I have seen how worry has taken over my life.  With the great stressors of these past years, I could predict that anxiety would increase. 

Yesterday my wife asked me how I was doing with my Lent goal.  I stopped to consider.  I had actually set aside a particular worry in the past few days.  I had done so, in part, because I had determined to do so – at least at the back of my mind.  With that prompting, I have now moved my intentionality further forward.  I am consciously asking myself how worry is being set aside in my life!

A little prompting can go a long way!