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Last week was a time to pray for people who desired healing.

I talked to a group of pastors this week and said that healing will require reformation.  I had read of a young lady who was miraculously healed — she couldn’t heal herself, only God could!  She found that being healed presented a whole new set of challenges.  She could no longer fall back on her sickness as a reason not to do something.  She could no longer blame her handicap for remaining in a weakened state of life.  She could no longer live a “normal” life.

Imagine what might have happened if you had been at that service.

Perhaps a physical ailment could have been healed, or an addiction, or a mental illness, or scars from a past relationship, or abuse and abandonment.  Would your faith have merely lasted for that moment?  Would you be ready to trust God for your after-care as much as you trusted him for your healing?  Would you be willing to revamp anything in your life that kept God from being your center?   Would you look forward to  giving God control over your continued daily health, or would the prospect of being outside your comfort zone have scared you? 

When you realize that reformation is a part of healing — that there is more than just a “good life” you are striving to gain through your healing — all of a sudden you begin to rethink your faith.  You refocus your faith — you are going to be living a new life, not trusting in all the old ways and patterns of life that got you through the day, but in God for your daily strength.  And for that you give God thanks.

Ask yourself the question posed two millenia ago: 

• Do you really want to be well?

It’s music festival time in our section of the prairies.  Tonight we will venture to the town down the road to listen to some of my nieces.  They will sing and make merry.  And we will enjoy it!

Here in town, I’ve watched a number of contestants.  All have played straight through their pieces.  That is a sign of a good teacher.  Most have played the right notes.  That’s a sign of some practice.  A few have caught the general sense of the music piece.  That’s a sign of musicianship.  A scarce few make me close my eyes and gently float on the notes as they echo in the auditorium.  That’s the sign of true talent.

I’m glad to say that we have this caliber here in Kindersley.  May that continue to grow.

There are meetings and then there are inspirations.

For the last few weeks a few of us pastors have been gathering together.  As one expressed today — this is inspiration.  At the end of the day we count this as the highlight of the day.

Not the good coffee at Tim Horton’s.  Or the computer program that actually worked.  Or the visit that encouraged the visitee.

No, the day is excited by, wowed by, inspired by a bunch of fuddy-duddy pastors who actually think that God is going to do something.  Something for our town, something for our churches, and not least — something for us as individuals.

And that’s where hope grows.  And peace lives.  And joy blossoms.

Christ in us, displayed in us, lived out through us.  To each other.  And to others.

Not bad for the 1 1/2 hours spent!!

The wind chill is -35!  A good day to stay inside (although we did venture out to buy some outside round roast — which I cut up in preparation for an upcoming event Jill is catering).

The great events of the day have been computer related.  Upgrading or replacing or installing new programs.  Deleting old files.  For me this is relaxing as well as consuming the time of the day.

This evening we will sit and watch some TV programs.  One is called “Chuck”, the other “Corner Gas”.  Both are comedies without a lot of “stuff” that is offensive.

And as the evening completes, we’ll sit and read.  I’ve been going through the Gospels of Jesus — what great stories.  Inspiring and world changing.

And that’s home, sweet home!