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I feel good.  Other than the kind of cough that wretches from your toes.  And then your back begins to feel tense.  One cough too many and you walk a little less spritely.  Your head then begins to cloud a bit.

OK, maybe I’ve got a bit of a cold.  Had a meeting tonight but two out of four of us were not well.  We cancelled til a later date.

So, I’m home, relaxing.  Rearranging some papers and generally being lazy.

We’ll see how tomorrow goes.  I have an 8:00 meeting — after that, we’ll see!

This new year has been a new thing.  I use the word thing, because I’m not quite sure how to describe it.

For the techie geeks, I’ve found that I still enjoy the techie stuff — and love to adventure into the virtual realm of bits and bits.  I’ve just switched over to using Word (I started with MultiMate many years ago, then to WordPerfect, and by sheer dint of peer pressure have moved to Word).  I’ve been watching the continued evolution of computers — the ipod touch is a nice touch (and even that is now getting dated!).  But that’s not where my heart is.

For the weight watchers, I’ve found my ideal weight is coming closer.  I’ve been weighing myself daily, sometimes more often.  I’ve been watching what I eat with almost religious fascination.  Someone mentioned that the people who maintain the body shape they desire are those who are constant in keeping tabs on their progress.  But that’s not where my heart is.

For the mood swingers, I’ve found a bit more of a “normal” in my life.  The swings of the past year have become shorter.   I’m watching my stressors.  I’m taking  a day off each week.  Those around me are having to adjust to the welcome balancing of my highs and lows.  But that’s not where my heart is.

For the pastoral managers, I’ve found a renewal of my administrative bent.  I’m keeping detailed attendance of various church activities.  I’m following up more consistently on those who are absent.  I’m thinking ahead with visions of our local church in the short and long term.  But that’s not where my heart is.

And that is just a sampling of some of the progress over these past few months.  But, where is my heart?

My heart is following hard after God.  I can’t say that I’ve found the rut that will keep me on this track.  Some days I’m less than happy with my progress.  But at least I’m trying to keep a heightened track of that progress.  And my sense is that God is working to keep me on that path.  I sense His delight in me, I experience those “ah-ha” God moments and I’m cautiously optimistic that God has me here for just such a time as this!

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.