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From the Record of Christian Work, Volume 40 (1921) – words of A. B. Simpson.  Simpson passed away in 1919 but apparently the journal continued to publish some of his devotional thoughts.  they also gave a positive review of Thompson’s biography of A.B. Simpson, published shortly after he died.  [Simpson was the founder of the Christian and Missionary Alliance church]

“When we cease from our works, God works in us.  When we cease from our thoughts, God’s thoughts come into us.  When we get still from our restless activity, God worketh in us both to will and to do his good pleasure, and we have but to work it out.”  (p. 968)

“Thanksgiving is the outcome of remembering the goodness of God.  Forgetfulness produces fretfulness.  Meditation inspires praise, which in turn fosters joy.”  (p. 906)

“True peace is found only in the presence and possession of God, which consists in believing his Word and obeying his will.  Worry kills joy, and gnaws out the very heart of gladness; but the death stroke to fretting care is, ‘Rejoice in the Lord.’”  (p. 825)

Our plight is the plight of the world.

The names given have ranged from China flu to CORVID to COVID19.  And I’m sure there were more names – some not so nice.

Various approaches to remedy the situation have been forwarded.  Some are spiritual, some are scientific, some are apathetic.

Let’s bring this down to earth.

What are you doing for Christmas (or Thanksgiving in the USA)?  Are you hunkering down at home?  Are you carefully (within some form of guidelines) planning a gathering?  Are you disregarding restrictions and trusting in prayer, or your age, or . . . ?

We are reassessing this once again.  Our physical context is one of prairie openness, no cases of COVID in our district, and somewhat isolated from hotspots.  Our social activities have changed in the last while – I’m actively involved in a college setting, my wife has employed others to assist in her job, and our destinations for travel are mostly to “hotspots”.

Discernment is our word for this moment in time!

My next-in-line brother passed away 15 years ago.

I’m looking through his photographs which are stored at my house.  He had an eye for beauty and a knack with timing.  Even the family photos jump out at you.

We literally grew up in the same bed together – he vigourously complained when I went over the middle line of the mattress (yes, there were days where siblings shared beds!).  Then as he was into his 20’s he roomed with my wife and I.  Then our physical worlds were separated by jobs and ambitions.  We seldom spoke or wrote.  Family reunions were our way to update.

Now I’m reviewing his life – the part where we were apart. 

He was a world traveller.  He captured the beauty of mothers and their children exquisitely.  His friends were friends for life.  He was unassuming and yet totally captivating.  He was athletic and competitive.  He was compassionate and loved by others.

I have a feeling I would benefit from the writing of a book called – “The brother I did not know.”

My neighbour and I were shovelling snow yesterday.

She turned to me and explained a revelation she had.

Our countryside is covered with white snow.  Not dirtied snow from dust or mud.  Not rutted snow from others passing along.

Just white snow. 

So what does it mean to be white as snow?

I couldn’t see definitions of ups and downs.  Or holes and rises.  There was no diversity, need for equality or inclusion.  That was all taken over by the white snow.

Everything was just covered and completely clean.