Canada Day in the park

Every year on Canada Day admission to our nearby National Park is free and we decided to spend the day driving about, admiring God's beauty and meeting friends for a cookout dinner. I wanted to share some of the pictures Rick snapped along our way.

One of the out of the way, quiet lakes where we had time to be alone with God.

This is one of the pelicans we encountered. It's mate was not far off.

I can't help but think of the words to the old Anglican hymn All Things Bright and Beautiful:

"All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, all things wise and wonderful: the Lord God made them all."

The road sides and fields were washed with wildflowers. They were bright splashes among the leaves that were more shades of green than I knew could exist. How can we look upon all our God has created and not say as David said:

"On the glorious splendor of Your majesty and on Your wondrous works I will meditate." Psalm 145:5 Amplified

Two views of the road

Rick and I were blessed to spend Canada Day last Wednesday in the national park close to home. Rick with his camera has given me many inspiring photos to use in my blog posts. As we were driving down this road I felt led to ask him to stop and take photos from both directions. I wasn't sure why until I sat this evening looking at them both.

This was the view of the road behind us. It looks fairly straight and you can see for quite a distance. It's similar to the kind of vision we have when gaze at our past and where we've been. There's not much to surprise us as we look back, and not much to fear. We can settle in and get comfortable and live on the memories. But, I know that's not what God's plan is for us. He places a road before us, and desires that we step out in obedience and in faith.

Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this Psalm 37:5 NIV

This was the view of that road ahead of us, with a turn that leads to somewhere that we cannot see. That's where the trust comes in. Can we have enough faith to believe that God is waiting to take our hand and walk each step beside us?

Today I choose to take a step, however small, down the path the Lord has set before me, even if it feels safer to stay still. For in that movement forward, in that act of obedience, His promises will be activated.

You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11 NKJV

I am Undone by "Scared:A Novel on the Edge of the World"

I have spent much of the past two days reading the first novel by Tom Davis called "Scared: A Novel on the Edge of the World". If this was simply fiction it would have been an easier read, but there is so much fact, so much sad truth behind the story that I frequently broke down in sobs and tears and needed to take breaks to dry my eyes and deal with ever running sinuses.



I found myself praying often. For Africa, for the children, for the desperate. And I prayed for those of us who walk in freedom and comfort and riches and yet grumble and complain about petty and trivial inconveniences in our lives.

This is a tale of sorrow, need and unspeakable acts. But it is also a story of hope, redemption and transformation; for we serve a God Who's name is Love, Who works all things for good as is promised in His Word:

"We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose." Romans 8:28 Amplified

If you can read Tom's novel and remain untouched then you have been formed of steel, not flesh. I challenge you to read this and allow your heart to be broken for the things that break the heart of the Father.

I challenge myself to allow these words to stir me to action, so that I might be a change agent; so that it might be said of me what was said of Stuart (the protagonist):

“Brother, you are God’s vessel. You, my brother, are the hands and feet of Christ, the hope of Christ to the people.”

Only God knows

I have to confess that I love the moments when I can grab Rick's camera and wander about our yard, never quite sure what lovely pictures I might catch or what God might choose to speak through them.

When I look at the strange beauty of the bud on this bachelor button plant I realize that although I can expect it to be like the other flowers on the plant, God alone knows exactly what it will look like as it unfolds. I'm sure there are hundreds of billions of bachelor buttons and yet each separate flower is unique and precious in His sight. How much more does He know and see and care for each of us?

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart" Jeremiah 1:5a NIV

Cafe Chat July 2nd

This week Kim posed the following question: When it comes to an issue or truth that you believe in, maybe even feel like God revealed that truth to you; how do you respond to another Christian that might have the opposite view from you? Do you feel like the way you respond lines up with how God would want you to respond?

I have struggled with an interesting twist to this issue. Even when I knew, that I knew, that I knew that my Lord had revealed something to me, if it ran contrary to what others believed I would begin to doubt that I heard correctly. I have learned to trust His voice, whether it is a whisper or a shout. The Lord is also teaching me that everyone has their own understanding, and though truth is truth and not relative we are all on different points along the path to His glory.

I do share what I sense Jesus expects from me, without trying to condemn those who do not feel called in the same way. I know that the Lord has asked me to consecrate myself unto Him, and for me, that includes not watching most television shows and movies. In obedience I have set myself apart. Do I expect others to follow suit or think of them as less spiritual or less Christian than I? I pray that I do not, for as Paul wrote:

"Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. For instance, one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? They are responsible to the Lord, so let him judge whether they are right or wrong. And with the Lord’s help, they will do what is right and will receive his approval." Romans 14:1-4 New Living Translation

I pray that I reflect His light and His love at all times, both to those in the brotherhood of faith as well as those who have not yet met my Jesus.

How would you answer Kim's question? Join us at Cafe Chat and share your thoughts.

Feeling Dry?

We check the weather forecast on the Environment Canada website several times each day, where sometimes it mentions precipitation and sometimes it doesn't. I'm not sure why we look, for no matter what they predict there has not been measurable rain in our area in quite a long time.

It's dry. Very dry. When we drive down our gravel roads the dust rises like clouds around our vehicles. One learns to drive with the windows closed. Hard for things to grow without the nourishing refreshment of rain. Plants being to grow pale, wither and fade in the hot sun.

How does our vegetable garden grow? How do I maintain the bright splashes of colour that flowers provide?

We are blessed to have a very deep well on our property, an endless supply of water, free water. Rick can go out and turn the sprinkler on all night if he needs to, providing the moisture that is so badly needed. Our plants then grow, thrive and produce.

In the same way, our spirits cannot grow when we are dry. We too grow pale, wither and fade. But there is good news! We have an abundant source, an endless supply of everything that we need. The Lord is always there waiting for us to draw upon the resources He so graciously provides.

So often, instead of turning to the only One Who can satisfy, we go our own way, dig our own wells and assume we can handle life in our own power.

"My people have committed a compound sin: they've walked out on me, the fountain of fresh flowing waters, and then dug cisterns— cisterns that leak, cisterns that are no better than sieves" Jeremiah 2:13 The Message Bible

Help us, help me, Lord, to turn to You first and always. You Are Jehovah Jireh, my Provider, in times of lack and in times of plenty. May I always remember to cleave to, trust in and rely on You.

"He who believes in Me [who cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me] as the Scripture has said, From his innermost being shall flow [continuously] springs and rivers of living water." John 7:30 Amplified

Too much sun

This was the first year we decided to try growing a few shade plants on the east side of the house where we used to be overrun with hollyhocks. Now, I loved the hollyhocks, which were here when we moved in. They were a variety of almost Victorian pinks, but the last two years some sort of disease had plagued them, so we (okay, Rick) dug deep to remove what traces of them he could find.

We started two different hostas early in the house and they were growing well. We had high hopes that they would thrive where we planted them. It appears however that we get more sun on the east side than we had imagined, and the hostas were not at all happy. Looking at them last night wilting and fading struck something in Rick and though he knows that transplanting can be shocking and often even deadly he dug them out and moved them to a new spot on the north side where we hang begonias and other shade loving flowers. When I took a walk about the house and checked on them this morning they already appeared to be healing.

This leaves me wondering how long some of us tolerate conditions or situations that are harming us simply because we fear that the process of change will be even worse. God didn't design us to merely exist, He desires us to prosper so that we may bear fruit for His glory. He loves us too much to allow us to stay stuck in the scorching sun if shade is what will help us grow. I pray that I become ever more sensitive to His voice as He tries to direct my every step.

"Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it."" Isaiah 30:21