Category: Gratitude

Treasures in my heart

My son has reached the age of milestones. We attended his graduation ceremony a couple weeks ago. It seems almost inconceivable to see this little baby of ours turn into this wonderful young man.

When he was in kindergarten I used to walk him to school; past the high school. We’d see the teenagers flood out at lunch. The day that he would attend the high school seemed a million years away and yet here we are – he is leaving that phase of life behind him.

Along the years there were moments, wonderful subtle views into his future. The day I stumbled on a book mark that he made. He was only nine or ten. It read ‘Christian in training.’ Or later popping in to say goodnight and finding him in bed reading his Bible. Or hearing him chatter about philosophy and life with his Grandpa.

Oddly enough I didn’t get emotional at his graduation. But I did get emotional when I was telling him about the moment when I understood he had become a man, and a good man at that. I tried to put voice to the feeling, but I could hardly contain my emotions.

Here is the moment when I saw the boy I raised become a man.

Several years ago, in the fall, Wes was working at the table on house plans. He got up complaining of a headache. It went down hill from there. Within an hour the paramedics were at our house and taking him away to the hospital. The kids were all awake. I asked the girls, their faces showing signs of shock and confusion, if they wanted to sleep in our bed. They did. I tucked them in and said, “I’ll be home as soon as I can.”

I then went into Gavin’s little room and said, “You are in charge, son.”

He looked at me and nodded. No fear on his face, just resolve. An hour or so later I called him to make sure everything was OK. He told me not to worry that everything was fine.

He was fifteen. They had never been ‘alone’ at night. There had always been an adult with them. At this moment I saw the man my son would be. And I was filled with pride. This boy of ours has grown into a Godly and wonderful man. The sort of man who often reminds me that, “the Bible says not to worry Mom, so don’t worry.”

I don’t know what the future holds for this young man, but I pray that God will bless him and make his path smooth.

Luke 2:19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Trust in the Lord

We are built to see the negative. We can have 100 positive things happen and one negative. This one will toss our world and cause us to fall apart. The negative occurrences occupy our memories, affect our moods and even impact our outlook.

Some of these negatives are bad and indeed should impact our world. But sometimes, we give them more head space than they deserve. How do we combat this propensity to see the negative?

We need to look for the positive. We need to look for God’s hand.

Late Saturday evening our boiler stopped working. We were frustrated, unsure of what to do. It was late so we turned it off. We have radiant heat, so it meant no hot water and no heat in the house. I was crushed. Another expense. Another problem. I was reflecting on the advice I read earlier in the day, to hand our troubles to God. I thought, “Well God I’ve handed you a stack, here is another.” Wondering if he’d ever help with any of the that pile.

Then I started to think, “Well at least it happened now and not mid-January.” And then, “If there is a problem it would be great to get it fixed before winter.” Somehow the problem took a different turn. Was it a pain? Yes. Was it frustrating? Yes. But, there was still so much for which to be thankful.

Jeremiah 17:7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.”

Grace is sufficient

Many of the ideas in the Bible are counter-cultural and even counter-intuitive. They go against what is instinctive for humans. The best example of this is the Sermon on the Mount. I don’t pretend to fully understand these ideas. They are a struggle – my humanness gets in the way of my understanding.

Lately, Paul’s phrase ‘my grace is sufficient,’ has been running through my head. How do we feel this in the face of personal loss? How do we understand this when our life is stuck in neutral? How do we share this when we see others facing serious trials? And yet, this is the most important idea for a Christian. Grace. Pure simple grace is enough. It is sufficient.

Wrapped up in this is the hope for a better tomorrow. The hope of reunion with loved ones. The hope of a dwelling with God. The hope of resurrection. Grace. The one complete act.

It is my job not to be distracted by the failings of life, by sin and the earthy trials. Grace! It is my obligation to not let my heart be drawn into the pleasures of earth. Grace! It is my responsibility to not be seeking affirmation from the world. Grace!

What other prize and trophy or reward could compare with grace?

2 Corinthians 12: 9-10 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

My list

I have been discouraged lately. I decided to make a list of all the things in life that bring me joy.

MY CHILDREN!!!
My husband
My extended family
My dog
My neighbours (we live in the best neighbourhood in Calgary)
My garden
Having a barbecue to cook on in the summer
A safe vehicle to drive
Old favourite books
The picture my youngest painted on the living room wall
Memories of my Grandparents
Afternoon naps
Popcorn

This is not an exhaustive list, but these are some gifts God has given to me. I am blessed beyond measure.

Ephesians 5:20 …always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Story

I see it in my mind. The image is saved in that special place where our treasures are stored. I can pull up the memory with little or no effort. When I am lonely or sad or in need of a friend, the memory is there.

The image is of an old woman, her white wispy hair pulled up in a bun. The younger woman barely an adult. They sit together over a cup of tea, always served in a china cup. The older woman shares her memories. Tells her stories. The young woman soaks in every word she can. She knows her Grandma won’t be with her forever.

The Grandma uses her stories to guide. But it’s deeper than that. The young woman doesn’t see her Grandma as a teacher, but as an ignition. She is braver, stronger and more determined because she absorbs her Grandmother’s story. The old woman tells of her triumphs and achievements. The young woman thinks, “She succeeded, so can I.” The old woman tells humorous tales. The young woman thinks, “I can also find the humour in life.” She tells of perseverance and trials. The young woman grabs onto her example and holds it tight for the future, when she will need it more than she ever imagines.

The old woman’s stories are like a lantern, guiding the young woman through her life. Her faith and Godliness a standard that the younger woman will work to emulate.

Our stories are alive. Live them. Share them.

Proverbs 31: 26 She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

Linger at the park

I couldn’t get my little dog to leave the off-leash park yesterday. He was enjoying himself and showed no interest in leaving. He stayed at least 20 feet from me, confident of his ability to out run me. He is normally not so difficult, but it was a beautiful day and I sympathized with his desire to stay. I was however, unwilling to let him dictate my day.

Eventually he couldn’t resist attention from a stranger. While he was getting his head scratched I asked the man to grab him by the collar, then I attached the leash. I might have to trick him, but I will have my way. Silly dog!

While I won’t let a dog control my life, I will let him teach me a lesson. Enjoy the sun while it’s here. Soak up the moments of happiness. God’s world is beautiful enjoy it when you can.

Friday morning thoughts

I went for a walk with my husband and my dog. We drove over to the off leash park and walked along the river. The dog ran and sniffed and explored, while we walked along holding hands. Occasionally I had to loosen my husband’s grip. He is strong and sometimes he holds my hand too tight. He always apologizes and we laugh about it.

The path way is lined with people walking their dogs. Lots of smiles and hellos and “what breed is your dog?” conversations. The answer is a mutt, in case you were wondering. My mind drifts back a couple years. A young boy, a recent émigré, would come talk to Willis and me after school. He more than once asked if my dog is a mongrel. It’s such an uncommon word for Canada. This lovely little boy wanted to be a vet one day, I wonder idly if he still does.

The sun is almost hot enough to make me take my hoodie off. Spring has arrived in Calgary. My spirits are lifted. God’s sun is shining on me. This park with all the happy dog-people has been a respite from the craziness of the world we live in. I am never sorry I chose to go (well except that one time when my idiot dog started a fight with a young border collie).

Fear leaves me when I rest in God’s presence. When I slow down and let the sun touch my skin I forget to be afraid of the world around me.

Malachi 4: 2 But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves.

Be thankful

My husband and I have been… what is the best way to say it? We’ve been living under a cloud for years now. Whether financial struggles, serious health issues, worldwide collapse of everything normal… you get it, it’s been tough.

It can be easy to feel discouraged. I was reading about depression the other day, I think it was something Tim Pippus (a great preacher – look him up) posted about depression. Women tend to exhibit feelings of depression as sadness, while with men it tends to be anger. We need to be aware of this. We need to learn not to react to each other based on the outward emotion, but try to see past the bevahiour and find the root of the problem.

Even doing this can be frustrating. Sometimes you know the cause but can do nothing to change it. Life is hard! Not just for us, but for everybody. We all have difficult times and struggles.

We are admonished to be thankful in all circumstances. It isn’t a choice, we should just do it, even when it’s tough to do. I have found when I do this, even when I am least thankful, that I soon come across blessings I had not contemplated before. This is the key to seeing God’s hand in our life. We will never see our blessings if we forget to look for them.

Sometimes it’s like finding a needle in a haystack, other times it’s a cup overflowing with goodness. Either way we must seek and see God.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks
in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Treasures on earth

I had a visit with my mom today about all the stuff she has accumulated! A lifetime of gifts, purchases, things; some have monetary value, some have sentimental value, some have neither (like her weird little spoon collection). We talked about people who came before us and what they left us and why it matters.

I have a few tokens, gifts, and heirlooms that I treasure because of the people that gave them to me. I know I can’t carry them forward to my next life and they may not mean anything to my children. But I still have them, and I still treasure them. The blanket my Grandmother made for my mom when I was a child, is the bedcover in our spare room. The book my Grandfather gave me when I graduated is in my bookshelf. His mother gave it to him when he finished grade ten. He was the first of his siblings to get that far in his education.

We landed on the importance of the photos. The photos tell the stories of our families. They show the connections, the faces, the relationships. These are the most important things to carry forward.

Whether it is through photos or a precious treasure, I can remember and think of my loved ones and that gives me comfort. I know one day I will see them again.

My family history gives me a framework to build my life. It creates a structure around which I can build my own identity. I am extremely blessed that this history is one of faith, dedication, suffering and love. I want my children to share in this history. I want them to build their own characters in the shadow of the people that came before them.

So yes, its lovely to have physical possessions. Things that I can look at and handle that remind me of the people I have loved. But the stories and shared history… these are the building blocks of my life.

Matthew 6: 19 – 21   Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, 
where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin
do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

I am thankful

A friend called. A friend I haven’t talked to in far too long. A sister in the faith with whom I’ve had a relationship for a very long time. But she is not alone. I have other friends who have also been there for me, over the years. They are still there for me now.

There is a very special bond that you share with people who also love God. It is almost indescribable. A commonality of spirit that can help focus you when you need direction. It can be a support when you need to be held up. These friends and loved ones are the greatest joy of our lives.

I may not be the best at reaching out right now, but just know how much appreciate and love you all.

Ephesians 1: 15-16  For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in
the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped
giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.”