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Easter Baskets

Mar30

Easter was an exciting time at our house when our children were small. During the weeks leading up to it, we read stories, painted eggs, did Easter crafts, watched for signs of spring, and focused on the true meaning of Easter: the death and resurrection of Jesus. I picked out dresses, spring coats, purses and gloves, and polished little white shoes for the girls. My son’s clothes were less fancy but still nice. And then there were the treats. We always gave our children their Easter baskets after church. This was practical. My husband pastored two or three-point pastoral charges, and couldn’t always be home before the services on Easter day. It also spared me from having to take sugar-high children to church. None of them ever complained about this arrangement. They knew our tradition and were confident that the baskets would be waiting for them when we returned home.

Predictable patterns can bring grounding and security to people’s lives. They teach us what is expected in a variety of situations. In difficult times, they also bring hope. No matter how dreary the winter, we know spring will return.

But life is not always predictable. The birth of Jesus ushered in an era that was so huge and unprecedented that even his closest followers could not fully comprehend it. Angels announced Christ’s birth. Miracles accompanied his teachings. The Old Testament contained prophecies about the coming Messiah that the religious leaders would have been familiar with; but, with very few exceptions, they either could not or would not recognize Jesus for who he was.

Jesus chose twelve disciples to share his life and ministry. Did they understand who he was? Peter declared: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16, NIV). The disciples knew, at least in part, that Jesus was the Son of God but one betrayed him and one denied him. They failed to see the enormous scope and bigness of what they had witnessed. It was difficult for them to grasp that Jesus had not come for an earthly kingdom, or to displace the Romans, but to bring a brand new covenant into existence.

Mark 9: 30 to 32 tells us that Jesus explained to the disciples: “‘The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.’ But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it” (NIV).

We can hardly blame the disciples.

Yes, they knew the Old Testament prophecies. Jesus witnessed to their hearts that he was not an ordinary man. But, the disciples were living out the final days of Jesus with him. We have history to look back on. We have the Gospels to tell us how the narrative unfolded. The disciples did not. Even when Jesus appeared to several followers, after his resurrection, on the road to Emmaus, they didn’t understand what had happened, until Jesus taught them from the Scriptures.

But we know that Jesus died, for our sins, and rose again. We know that if we accept him into our hearts and lives, that he will forgive us, and give us his Holy Spirit. We know that our Easter baskets are waiting for us! And they are full of good things!

 

Happy Easter!

 

 

 

 

Everything Changed

Apr6

How many of you are fans of the spring time change? There is something about losing an hour that is far more difficult than gaining one. This year, I attempted to organize and purge our coat closet the Monday after the clocks went forward. My unfocused brain couldn’t make a decision on what to keep and what to donate. Most of the coats ended up in the “decide later” pile. In the long term, we appreciate the extra hour of sunlight in the evenings, but it can take a few days for our bodies and minds to adust.

At no time is the transition between darkness and light more pronounced than at Easter. Luke describes the death of Jesus this way: “It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining….Jesus called out in a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ When he had said this, he breathed his last ( 23: 44, 45a, 46; NIV).” When the light of the world hung on the cross, God supernaturally caused the sun not to shine.

Everything changed when Jesus died. The barrier between God and mankind was broken. The human race could now freely approach God and receive forgiveness for sins. No one but God could see this yet. Those who knew and loved Jesus experienced deep grief, the “dark night of the soul (John of the Cross).” But when Jesus burst into life on Easter day, the world knew a brilliance it never had before. God’s grace was available to all. Everyone could have a personal relationship with the Saviour.

One Sunday morning, when I was five, my mom stayed home from church with me, because I was sick. Instead of resting in bed, Mom found me running around my bedroom. When she came in, I was expecting some sort of punishment. Instead, she sat down and asked if I would like to accept Jesus into my heart. I prayed a short prayer with her, asking God to come into my heart and forgive me. It was that simple. At five, I didn’t understand all the theological concepts behind this prayer, but I knew immediately that God lived within me, and I would go to heaven when I died. My faith in God continues to sustain me to this day.

Jesus brings us from the darkness of Good Friday to the light of Resurrection Sunday. Our part is to accept the light he brings. Even in the dark times we all experience, God has plans for the endgame. Darkness is merely the absence of light and God has already defeated the darkness.

Happy Resurrection Sunday!

 

 

 

 

Valentine’s Day Thoughts for 2023

Feb13

I began 2023 with every intention of putting down some thoughts for the new year. As they say, life happened, and with it, not much was accomplished in the way of writing. But the year is still very young, and Valentine’s Day is a good opportunity to reflect on our priorities for the blank pages waiting to be filled.

A friend once said to me that Valentine’s Day is her favourite holiday. Many celebrate friends, family, and romantic partners. We may have our own traditions, such as sending cards, going out for dinner, or giving treats or gifts. When my kids were little, we read special stories and did crafts, such as making Valentine’s people out of paper hearts. Another fun activity was the “hunt for hearts.” I wrote clues on cut-out hearts and the children loved running through the house, following the trail, and eventually finding their bags of treats. This is something we still do with whoever is available!

Whether or not we incorporate special events into Valentine’s Day, there is a message to carry into the year. Jesus says in John 13: 34: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another (NIV).” God cares for us with agape love, a completely selfless giving of himself for us.

We are living in a world that is desperate for love. A question we can ask ourselves is how to show kindness and compassion, both on a local and global scale. The answers will be different for each person. As the saying goes, we can’t do everything, but we can do something. Perhaps a way to start is to develop an awareness that each encounter contains possibilities. A word of encouragement, a smile, a helping hand, and a pleasant attitude may touch someone else in ways we will never know. Our days are full of choices, full of seeds to sow into the hearts of others.

Each of us can begin a ripple effect of active love and consideration for others in 2023. Individually and collectively we can all write on the pages of the new year and make a difference.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

 

 

 

 

Our Way or God’s Way?

Apr14

Frank Sinatra, in his famous song, “My Way,” expresses how at the end of his life, the most important thing for him to be able to say is that he lived it in the way he personally chose. While there is nothing intrinsically wrong with choosing our paths and being true to ourselves, Easter calls us to evaluate this sentiment in a deeper context.

If anyone had a right to do it his way, it was Jesus. As the Son of God, equal to the Father, Jesus could have used his power for his desires. Jesus chose a different way. For three years, he travelled with his disciples from village to village, preaching, encouraging, healing, and offering hope to a broken world.  We think of the deity of Christ but he lived his earthly life in a human body. He became tired, slept in the back of a boat and walked for long distances on dusty roads. He experienced hunger, thirst, rejection, grief, and misunderstanding.

Many thought that Jesus would liberate them from the Romans, but his purpose was not an overthrow of the government. He said, “…render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.” (Matthew 22:21, NASB). His mission was to set people free by bringing them into God’s kingdom.

Jesus knew what bringing people into the kingdom of God would cost him. When he rode on the back of a donkey into Jerusalem, the people cried “Hosanna!” and placed palm branches on the ground. He entered Jerusalem as a king but knew that some who welcomed him would later, influenced by the religious leaders, clamour for his death.

What would have happened if the biblical narrative had ended here? What would have happened if Jesus had decided to do it his way, to exercise his rights and freedoms as the Son of God and turn away from the cross? When a follower of Jesus took out a sword and cut off the ear of one of the high priest’s servants, Jesus condemned the action and said, “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than ten legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53, NIV). What would have happened if Jesus had done that?

No cross, no Saviour, no resurrection, no hope, and no importance to the stable birth of the infant Christ.

Jesus chose to do it the Father’s way.  In the Garden of Gethsemane, he prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet, not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39, NIV). Jesus chose the cross out of obedience and trust. He knew there was no other way for people to enter the kingdom of God than for him to pay for the sins of the world on the cross.

There are numerous opportunities in life to do it our way. We all have different interests, desires, passions and dreams. At this time of year, I love seeing colourful spring flowers blooming in my garden and anticipate getting my hands in the soil. What the story of Easter teaches us is that there are times when we may need to set aside what we think of as our rights and consider the individual and collective good of others. John Donne wrote: “No man is an island entire of itself.” Rights and responsibilities go hand in hand.

Jesus did it God’s way.

Have a blessed Resurrection Sunday!

Grandma Love

Feb18

I reached for the phone, which lay on the floor beside my bed, and heard the welcome voice of my son-in-law.  “Ruthmarie is in active labour now. You can come to the hospital.” In the stillness of the early morning, my husband and I quickly dressed and headed for the van. The late July sky grew lighter, as we made the hour trip to our destination. Andrew and I had raced to the hospital before for the birth of a baby, but this time was different. This time we were about to become grandparents.

When we reached the hospital, I answered the required COVID questions and practically tripped over my own feet, in my haste to reach the maternity wing. A nurse, perhaps observing this frantic behaviour, took me up to my daughter’s room. Shortly after, the cries of a newborn filled the air. My grandson lifted his head, over and over, already anxious to try out his new freedom and strength. About an hour later, the nurse bundled him tightly and placed him in my arms. Even though my husband and I had raised five children of our own, I had the irrational fear that I might drop him. He cried a little and I performed my first duty as a grandma by rocking him gently. I had longed for a grandchild, and here he was, Emerson, a beautiful child held close to my heart.

We discovered that Emerson was on the way in late November of 2019. When our daughter gave us the news, I was overtaken with happiness. Soon March of 2020 arrived. During these first bewildering months of the pandemic, our family looked forward to the new arrival. Ruthmarie told us on a messenger call that the baby was a boy! We sent Ruthmarie maternity clothes and the aunties busily shopped on Amazon for baby supplies. I imagined what he would look like and thought about how he was already deeply loved.

Although I had visions of being required to meet my first grandchild from a six-foot distance, the rules changed in time. We made the trip to the little town on the ocean, where Ruthmarie and Graham lived, as often as possible over the weeks after his birth. Images of joy, new life, warm baby snuggles, ocean waves, light and sand will always play in my mind when I think of the summer of 2020.

Words have now replaced newborn cries. Emerson is an energetic, outgoing and confident toddler. He has the heart of an explorer and is interested in every detail of his world. In between visits, we interact with him on messenger chats. He knows who we are and plays little games with us. Every visit, every chat, reminds me afresh of the wonder of being a grandma.

Valentine’s Day is about the celebration of love. This year, I am celebrating grandma love, the love of a grandma for her grandchild. Emerson captured my heart from the first moment he was placed in my arms.

My blog site is called 5 X Mama. Now, it should be, 5 X Mama and 1 X Grandma!

Happy Valentine’s Day to you and yours!

 

 

Thanksgiving

Oct9

This month, I have challenged myself to be diligent in writing in my gratitude journal. Lucy Maud Montgomery, in Anne of Green Gables, writes: ” I am so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” Every month brings its own kind of beauty but October seems to shout it from the rooftops. October is a month for thankfulness.

Outside my window is a tree that is exchanging its green leaves for red and orange. Eventually, the leaves will fall and the starkness of a winter tree will take its place. But not quite yet. For a few more weeks, this glorious burst of colour will be ours to enjoy.

All of us are affected by the darkness of these unprecedented days. We may wonder when and if life will return to something recognizable. October reminds us that it is especially important during uncertain times to see the beauty around us. It is especially important to reach out in gratitude to family and friends. It is especially important to make thanksgiving an action word, to be kind, forgiving and tolerant, to consider ways in which we can share beauty with others.

We all have our unique ways to express gratitude. One of mine is to write down my blessings. I am thankful for so many things. I am thankful to God for the ways in which he cares for us each day. When October passes, the nights are longer, and the leaves fall, there will still be much to enjoy. Good times are ahead.

Happy Thanksgiving and God bless you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three hearts plus four hearts

Apr8

Social distancing. Flattening the curve. Self-isolation.  Covid-19. These words have become part of our everyday vocabulary. Our world feels smaller and eerily confined as we grapple on a daily basis with the restrictive chaos of an unprecedented global pandemic.

Yet, all of us are creating stories out of our unique circumstances, tales that will be remembered and told, which will form part of the history of the future.

Almost twenty years ago, my family and I moved from our home province of Ontario to Nova Scotia. We have been blessed to maintain old friendships while also forming new ones. During the past weeks, some of these relationships have interconnected in an amazing way.

On March 16th, my friend, Donna, from Ontario, and I exchanged a number of texts about her son, Curtis, who was with three friends on a hiking trip in Peru. After President Martin Vizcarra declared a state of emergency, including border closures, the boys tried to reach the airport in Lima.

If only returning home was that easy.

When Curtis and his friends arrived at Cusco, Donna told me that they had met up with three young men from Halifax.

I texted my Nova Scotian friend, Kelly, and told her the story.

Kelly said, “I wonder if one of the boys might be my friend, Carla’s, son Jordan?”

After several more texts back and forth, Kelly put the pieces of the puzzle together. Donna’s son, Curtis, and his group had met up with Carla’s son, Jordan, along with his friends, on a street in Peru! Curtis texted his mom that they noticed that one of the boys was wearing a Blue Jays cap and decided to ask them if they were Canadian. The three boys and four boys joined together to become seven, trying to reach home.

The distance from Cusco to Lima was far too great to travel before the borders closed. The boys travelled in rental cars from Cusco to Arequipa. On some parts of their journey, there were no roads, only dirt.

After they reached Arequipa, Curtis and his friends spent the night in a hostel while the other boys stayed at a hotel. In the morning, the Ontario boys found out that they couldn’t drive because of the state of emergency. They decided to join the Nova Scotians at the hotel. The staff were very kind to them. The boys were apprehensive about leaving to get food because of the police presence on the streets so at one point the head of security made the trip for them.

On the homefront, many contacts were made with officials both in Nova Scotia and Ontario. One friend chose a day to send e-mails to the premiers every hour on the hour. Many people prayed for the boys’ return. On Facebook posts, the defining signature became three hearts plus four hearts, for the seven boys. The Canadian government began sending in planes to bring stranded citizens back and finally, the seven young men were taken by bus to Lima, and then on a military airport, put on a flight to Canada.

What were the chances of the four young men from Ontario meeting the three from Nova Scotia on a street in Peru, and then finding out that there was actually a connection between Curtis and Jordan, through friends in both provinces? Coincidence? No. I believe that God brought the boys together for mutual support and protection. He used my friend, Kelly, to put the pieces of the puzzle together, which led to Carla, Donna and others building relationships which provided mutual support, comfort and finally, shared joy. Donna and Carla were complete strangers, in two provinces, but were brought together at an appointed time, just as their sons were. I would call this a divine appointment, not a coincidence

None of us know exactly how long the spread and effects of Covid-19 will last. We need to do our part to stay home, practice social distancing, observe good hygiene and offer hope and encouragement to others. The story of Curtis, Jordan and his friends reminds us that we are not alone. God hears our prayers and works in ways that we could not have imagined. No matter what happens in the days ahead, I will always associate Covid-19 with three hearts plus four hearts for seven brave young men, and new friendships formed.

May  God grant us all peace and protection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Hunt for Hearts

Feb22

Our young friend ran up and down the stairs, searching for paper hearts which each held a clue to help her find the next one. My daughter, Andrea, had put some ingenuity into these clues. One heart was inside the freezer in heart-shaped ice. Finally, our guest found the last heart, which led her to a bag of Valentine’s Day goodies, hidden under a cat patterned blanket.

During February, we are reminded of the issues of the heart. Valentine’s Day is a celebration of romantic love, friendship and family. The Heart and Stroke Foundation raises heart awareness and canvasses for donations to further medical research. It is important to keep our physical hearts in good order through diet and exercise.

The heart is figuratively speaking the place of our emotions. What we feed our spirits and minds is as important as what we feed our bodies.

We all struggle with negative thoughts and emotions. Working through pain, disappointment, sadness and many other feelings is a process. It is helpful to ask, though, whether we are nourishing ourselves from a place of forgiveness and gratitude or a place of bitterness and dejection. We may need to count the small blessings, reach out to others, and remember that life moves on and circumstances change.

Sometimes, we need to be like our little friend, going from one clue to another, enjoying the hunt and anticipating the reward at the end!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Look at your feet

Jan7

I was almost ready to give up. The night before, a friend and I had attended a large annual Christmas craft sale, in search of gifts or other treasures. An item had caught my eye but I hadn’t purchased it. Neither had I forgotten it. After my husband returned from work, he took me to the second night of the show so I could buy this gift for my daughter.

At least if I could find it. The vendor stall was near the back of the building. The dense crowd made it difficult to navigate. I pushed my way through, scanning the merchandise, turning corner after corner, trying to complete my coveted goal. Finally, I wondered if I should accept defeat. And suddenly there it was. The stall I was looking for. I gratefully made my purchase and prepared to exit the building.

If it were only that easy. Where was the exit? Everything became a maze of stalls, merchandise and crowds of people, crowds so dense that it was difficult to make any kind of forward progress. I am not exactly agoraphobic but could feel myself getting hot and anxious. It seemed I was wandering in circles, seeing the same tables, going through exits only to find that they didn’t lead to the front of the building.

Some years ago, I learned that if you need to make your way quickly through a crowd, one of the best strategies is to look at your feet. This technique sounds counterintuitive but works. You retain your sense of where people are but are not distracted by other sights. I looked at my feet and kept moving, kept trying new directions and finally arrived at another exit. By this time I was looking up again and saw a lady I had worked with. She told me how to get to the front of the building by walking outside for a short distance. Soon I was in the van with my husband, telling him the story of my harrowing experience.

As we enter 2020, many of us have goals, dreams and challenges. Sometimes the path ahead is clear and straight forward. Often it is not. The obstacles may seem too bewildering or difficult to overcome. We may be tempted to drift into the future, taking the path of least resistance. What are our options?

Don’t give up

If I had not walked a few steps further, after debating if my search was futile, I would not have found the gift for my daughter. Unless you decide that your goal is not your destiny, keep going until you obtain it.

Wait

David said, “I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry” (Psalm 40:1, NIV). This type of waiting is not passive. David was waiting on God with expectation and hope. Some situations are simply out of our control. They may be dependent on another person or other factors. Our active waiting and trust release our faith. God hears our cries and answers in his time.

Take action

In other circumstances, we may be required to take action. We are still waiting, still trusting in God’s guidance and power, but need to pursue our object aggressively and relentlessly. I would not have found my way out of the building standing still. Sometimes we have to push forward, retrace our steps, turn corners, find another exit, change direction, ignore our discomfort and put one foot unceasingly in front of another until we reach our destination.

Look at your feet

My pastor has often said that when we are stuck, we may need to do something different. Shake things up, consider new possibilities. Looking through a small crack in the wall can open up an entirely new vista. Making a small change can bring sudden resolution. Look at your feet!

My daughter, Andrea, loved her gift. It was well worth struggling through the crowds. In 2020 go after your dreams. May this be your best year yet!

Happy New Year!

 

 

 

 

 

Choose Gratitude

Oct15

Many years ago, during a difficult time in our lives, several friends provided us with a turkey for Thanksgiving. The direction our path had taken was both devastating and unforeseen but for this moment in time, I was overwhelmed with a sense of richness, as my family sat down to our Thanksgiving dinner. There were many dark days to come before our circumstances gradually shifted with new opportunities and unexpected solutions. However, the sense of excitement our family felt over this bountiful meal will always be one of my best memories of Thanksgiving.

Gratitude for all we have is a practice to cultivate even when, or especially when, our realities do not match up with our dreams, or even our needs. We can view the proverbial glass as half-full or half-empty. Choosing a positive lifestyle is not always easy. Pain, loss, fatigue, anxiety, lack and shattered hopes can reduce the light we hold to a bare flicker.

Here are a few ways to intentionally build gratitude into your life:

Look Back

In the Old Testament, the children of Israel are constantly reminded to remember what God has done for them. After a victorious battle against the Philistines, the prophet “Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer saying,’Thus far the Lord has helped us'”(1 Samuel 7:12, NIV).

Find your Ebenezer. What has God done for you in the past? What prayers have been answered? Has a situation been resolved in an out-of-the-box manner that you hadn’t thought of? Place your Ebenezer before you. Trust that the power of God in the past is still there in your current circumstances.

Look Around You

What blessings are in your present? In what areas are you experiencing joy and plenty? An excellent practice is keeping a gratitude journal. Write down each day a few things you are thankful for. Include the good things you see happening in the lives of others. The more you practice gratitude, the more exponentially appreciative you will become of the small and large blessings already evident.

Look Ahead

What is your vision for your future? What are your hopes and dreams? What is God calling you to do? Our lives will not always look like we had expected them to. We all experience difficulties. Look towards the future, though, with faith, not fear. Pay it forward by being grateful for all the good things which lie ahead.

This year, we were able to make a contribution to another family’s Thanksgiving meal. We also celebrated a tradition with our own family of going around the table and sharing something we are thankful for.

All year long, let’s choose gratitude as a way of life.

Happy Thanksgiving!