I sure hope 2013 is as great as 2012 and I sure hope 2013 is a lot less painful than was 2012. Conflicting thoughts? Yes they are, but then 2012 was a very interesting year for me.
Last year Sandra and I had some of the most exquisite, incredible hiking and camping we have ever experienced. We roamed over the Rocky Mountains in Banff National Park, Waterton Lakes National Park and Kootenay National Park in Canada and in Glacier National Park in Montana. We saw mountain splendour that we can’t even begin to describe. We were close to mountain sheep, mountain goats, black bears, grizzly bears, marmots, deer and many more animals. It was an awe inspiring summer. However, to offset that, I suffered a horribly broken shoulder and ribs in February when a snowboarder ran into me while I was teaching a ski lesson. Then in December I suffered a devastating injury to my lower right leg while skiing which resulted in surgery, a long hospital stay, a stainless steel plate at my knee and a titanium rod through my fibula between the knee and ankle. The new year begins with orders not to put any weight on my leg until the middle of February. So it was a great year to remember and also one to forget.
One of my favourite Bible verses is Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Good or bad, happy or sad, joy or pain, God is working for my good. It is easy to see that in fun times, but we often question what God is doing when things hurt. I trust my Lord with my life. I trust that he will use even my serious injuries for good. I can’t see it right now, maybe I will never understand, but I will continue to trust my wonderful Lord. God is good.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Community
Meetings. I spend too much time in meetings. Some meetings are online with Skype or GoTo Meeting. Sometimes I travel to another city or another country for a meeting. Those are the ones which eat up a lot of time - time in aircraft, time in airports, time travelling. Right now I am in Spain. Why bother? Why not just do things on your own?
In our organization, World Team, we do things together, in teams, cooperating synergistically. We get more done and do a better job when we do things together, so that means we have to get together either electronically or in person. So often today people seek to be alone. They are with their computer, with their video game, seldom with others, seldom having social interaction. Being constantly alone robs you of something; we are incomplete. God created us to be in community, to be together, to work and live together in community. Our example of perfect community is the Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Our communities here on earth can’t be that perfect, but we do need each other. We get things done better when we are doing things with others, planning with others, working together.
I’m in a meeting, with great people, fellow workers in the gospel and together we can plan and stimulate one other to do our very best. We will do more together than we can do alone, just as in a church people do more together than they could alone. God called us to community, to work and live together, to serve together in community. It is vital to who we are as human beings. Together, in community, we will find our greatest joy because that is how God made us.
In our organization, World Team, we do things together, in teams, cooperating synergistically. We get more done and do a better job when we do things together, so that means we have to get together either electronically or in person. So often today people seek to be alone. They are with their computer, with their video game, seldom with others, seldom having social interaction. Being constantly alone robs you of something; we are incomplete. God created us to be in community, to be together, to work and live together in community. Our example of perfect community is the Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Our communities here on earth can’t be that perfect, but we do need each other. We get things done better when we are doing things with others, planning with others, working together.
I’m in a meeting, with great people, fellow workers in the gospel and together we can plan and stimulate one other to do our very best. We will do more together than we can do alone, just as in a church people do more together than they could alone. God called us to community, to work and live together, to serve together in community. It is vital to who we are as human beings. Together, in community, we will find our greatest joy because that is how God made us.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Take A Hike
I just watched a news item which stated that if you leave your busy city life and go for a hike you not only feel better, your brain is refreshed and you will see a remarkable increase in productivity and problem solving ability. In fact, a study recently published in Proceedings, an online medical journal of the National Academy of Sciences, states that hiking or walking grows brains. Hiking is good for you, and not just for your physical health.
I love the outdoors, I love hiking and skiing, so of course I am glad to read the results of this study. It’s not going to change much in my life because I already spend lots of time in outdoor activities, but maybe it will prompt me to encourage others to get more exercise so they stay fitter and smarter. There’s another thing I’ve read lately which has some dramatic advice for living better. It’s called the Bible and it has some great words on how to enjoy life more, live better and be more joyful. It also has some great thoughts on what happens after death and how to make sure that your after-death experience is a good one. I am excited to share with people that hiking will help them, but am I just as excited to share that knowing Jesus will help them? I’m even more excited about Jesus than I am about hiking, but I notice that friends are more apt to listen to my words on hiking than they are to my thoughts on how much I love Jesus and what He has done for me. Perhaps it is that people don’t mind adding hiking to their life, but realize that asking Jesus into their life will change everything. They’re willing to talk about modification but not about transformation.
Go take a hike, it’s good for you. Get to know Jesus, it’s even better for you, now and for eternity. Yes, it means transformation, but don’t be frightened. A caterpillar becomes a butterfly in it’s transformation. God wants to do something just as dramatic in your life.
I love the outdoors, I love hiking and skiing, so of course I am glad to read the results of this study. It’s not going to change much in my life because I already spend lots of time in outdoor activities, but maybe it will prompt me to encourage others to get more exercise so they stay fitter and smarter. There’s another thing I’ve read lately which has some dramatic advice for living better. It’s called the Bible and it has some great words on how to enjoy life more, live better and be more joyful. It also has some great thoughts on what happens after death and how to make sure that your after-death experience is a good one. I am excited to share with people that hiking will help them, but am I just as excited to share that knowing Jesus will help them? I’m even more excited about Jesus than I am about hiking, but I notice that friends are more apt to listen to my words on hiking than they are to my thoughts on how much I love Jesus and what He has done for me. Perhaps it is that people don’t mind adding hiking to their life, but realize that asking Jesus into their life will change everything. They’re willing to talk about modification but not about transformation.
Go take a hike, it’s good for you. Get to know Jesus, it’s even better for you, now and for eternity. Yes, it means transformation, but don’t be frightened. A caterpillar becomes a butterfly in it’s transformation. God wants to do something just as dramatic in your life.
Monday, August 27, 2012
True Joy
I'm sitting in an airport looking at people, all races, many nationalities, all passing by me. Some pause for a meal, others wait for flights. Some looked bored, some tense, but I seldom see a smile anywhere. Is anyone happy?
Before I looked up to watch people, I had been reading the Gospel of Mark, thinking about Jesus and what He did on the Sabbath. He didn't follow all the Jewish customs for the Sabbath. He healed people on the Sabbath, went for walks with His disciples and did other things that infuriated the Jewish leaders. He told them that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. People don't understand God, they don't understand that a Sabbath day of rest is for our good, to allow us to recuperate and give us extended time to spend with God. And of course people in general don't understand that the only way we are going to be truly happy in life is if we have a great relationship with God,. Living in relationship with God, with Jesus, is not enslavement, it is liberty. Following God's desires for us will give us a wonderful life and a happier one. Living for Jesus does not deprives us of joy and wonderful experiences it provides joy and wonderful experiences. As I look at the frowning, sad faces around me in the airport I wonder how many of these people have a true, wonderful, vital relationship with Jesus.
My observation of people is that they do many things searching for happiness but only find it in fleeting moments. And watching Christians shows me that those who are truly joyful are the ones who have wonderful, intimate relationships with Jesus. It's not church attendance which brings joy, not reading the Bible or reciting long prayers which brings joy. Joy comes when we do these things because of our loving, intimate relationship with Jesus. I choose to share my days with Jesus, to talk with Him about everything. I know that is the path to true joy and fulfilment.
Before I looked up to watch people, I had been reading the Gospel of Mark, thinking about Jesus and what He did on the Sabbath. He didn't follow all the Jewish customs for the Sabbath. He healed people on the Sabbath, went for walks with His disciples and did other things that infuriated the Jewish leaders. He told them that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. People don't understand God, they don't understand that a Sabbath day of rest is for our good, to allow us to recuperate and give us extended time to spend with God. And of course people in general don't understand that the only way we are going to be truly happy in life is if we have a great relationship with God,. Living in relationship with God, with Jesus, is not enslavement, it is liberty. Following God's desires for us will give us a wonderful life and a happier one. Living for Jesus does not deprives us of joy and wonderful experiences it provides joy and wonderful experiences. As I look at the frowning, sad faces around me in the airport I wonder how many of these people have a true, wonderful, vital relationship with Jesus.
My observation of people is that they do many things searching for happiness but only find it in fleeting moments. And watching Christians shows me that those who are truly joyful are the ones who have wonderful, intimate relationships with Jesus. It's not church attendance which brings joy, not reading the Bible or reciting long prayers which brings joy. Joy comes when we do these things because of our loving, intimate relationship with Jesus. I choose to share my days with Jesus, to talk with Him about everything. I know that is the path to true joy and fulfilment.
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