Well, I haven’t blogged anything since last year!!! I have been crazy busy, particularly for the past month working to get ready for the Truth Project. I (we) have put a lot into this project and we are trusting God for big things from it. Big kick off today!
I have been thinking about other things though, I just haven’t had time to write about them! I have actually been wanting to write on something that has been very much on my mind. I suspect very few people haven’t been taking in the events south of the border.
The inauguration of US President Barack Obama last week was something else wasn’t it! Wow! History in the making for sure. I am so happy for all those people who identify with the new president because of the colour of his skin. I am happy for anyone who has been encouraged and has found a measure of healing in all of these events. I can only imagine the kind of deep emotional woundedness that has been their’s. This is easily observable when you just watch them respond to these events with such … words fail me here, but it is so very powerful and moving and so touching to see the humanity of it. I want to cheer with them and for them. This is very personal for them. It is their day and it has been far too long in coming.
I sincerely mean that, just in case anyone is questioning my sincerity as someone who is ‘white’, though I don’t really (consciously at least) think of myself as being ‘white’ or ‘Caucasian’, in terms of my identity I mean. But I guess that is the difference because I haven’t had to fight for a sense of personhood and I guess I don’t know what that is like. But my heart goes out to anyone who has had to live with that type of bigotry and oppression. I pray that God will in deed heal those wounds and that they will be able at last to see past the colour issue and realize their own humanity and full worth before Him.
Getting past the colour issue is what I really want to write about. I think it is quite ironic really. I understand in one sense how this feels like a victory to black people who have felt oppressed all of their lives for generations in America. But it is ironic that a victory over racism is won when so many black people voted for a black man only because he was black! I know that a lot of people voted for him because of what he believes and stands for but a lot of black people voted for him only because of the colour of his skin. And many chose not to vote for him for the same reason.
Here is what I hope. I hope that now, after this, Americans can start to talk about the issues. I hope that now, they (and we) can finally start to see people “judged by the quality of their characters instead of the colour of their skin.” Because the colour of a person’s skin should have absolutely no bearing on our opinion of them as a person. The common humanity that we share has nothing to do with skin colour. I have more in common with so many dark skinned people than I do with so many people who just happen to have lighter coloured skin as I who just happen to have lighter coloured skin.
If I understand him correctly, Barack Obama seems to believe in abortion on demand. He appears to believe that the definition of marriage should be changed to include homosexual unions. Indications are that he believes that the type of stem cell research that shows no regard for unborn children is a victory of science over religious conservatism. None of these beliefs have anything to do with the colour of his skin.
I’m not sure that Martin Luther King’s dream has been realized. I tend to think he would have some issues with Barack Obama even though the popular media likes to wrap Obama in King’s mantle and ride on his coattails. But maybe this event needed to take place so that America can finally BEGIN to START and realize that dream, because maybe now it will not be about the colour of a person’s skin anymore. Maybe now people can begin to talk about the real issues. Maybe now there will be no more excuses for that great nation of people who are called to be ‘one nation under God’.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Thursday, December 18, 2008
The Feet of a Deer
Some of you will know that Florence and I live on a riverbank. I say bank, but in places it is more like a cliff, where the water course had run years ago before changing its route and had worn away the bottom of the bank creating some pretty treacherous terrain that requires a significant degree of caution. I was out there today and noticed tracks in the fresh snow. And it was quite obvious that the deer had, with great agility, negotiated the terrain that for me would have resulted in definite injuries to my person. I was reminded of the words of King David:
“He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights.”
2Sam 22:34
[I found the King James version of this passage quite curious when I was a young believer…. ‘hind’s feet’. Wasn’t there a well known devotional called ‘Hind’s Feet on High Places’? Who was that written by?]
The words are actually part of a song that David wrote and sang and the context does include the background which helps us to appreciate what David meant by those words.
“David sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.” 2Sam 22:1
Can you just imagine with me what it must have been like for David to have lived in exile in the wilderness all those years with Saul and others hunting him constantly? Can you picture David watching the deer scale the heights and thinking about how God protected him by giving him great abilities. Sometimes God just delivers us quite in spite of ourselves. But sometimes, in fact a lot of the time, God gives us abilities and these too we need to acknowledge Him for.
We come to the New Testament and we read the words of Paul:
“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Phil 4:13
After all, God made the deer with his feet. So can God make my feet like the feet of a deer.
And then there is that notion of ‘heights’ again. I could launch into some musings about mountains but I’ll restrain myself. But I think it is just pretty cool – the feet of a deer… standing on the heights. What a picture!
“He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he enables me to stand on the heights.”
2Sam 22:34
[I found the King James version of this passage quite curious when I was a young believer…. ‘hind’s feet’. Wasn’t there a well known devotional called ‘Hind’s Feet on High Places’? Who was that written by?]
The words are actually part of a song that David wrote and sang and the context does include the background which helps us to appreciate what David meant by those words.
“David sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.” 2Sam 22:1
Can you just imagine with me what it must have been like for David to have lived in exile in the wilderness all those years with Saul and others hunting him constantly? Can you picture David watching the deer scale the heights and thinking about how God protected him by giving him great abilities. Sometimes God just delivers us quite in spite of ourselves. But sometimes, in fact a lot of the time, God gives us abilities and these too we need to acknowledge Him for.
We come to the New Testament and we read the words of Paul:
“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Phil 4:13
After all, God made the deer with his feet. So can God make my feet like the feet of a deer.
And then there is that notion of ‘heights’ again. I could launch into some musings about mountains but I’ll restrain myself. But I think it is just pretty cool – the feet of a deer… standing on the heights. What a picture!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Spending Money We Don't Have
Well, the news is full of it. Yesterday I spoke on debt. I mentioned the 34 year old temporary maintenance worker in the US who got trampled to death last month by rampaging shoppers rushing to get bargains on DVDs and big-screen TVs. I mentioned the fact, that in the US, advertisers spend almost $300,000,000,000 a year on advertising. I also mentioned the fact that Statistics Canada says that both Canadians and Americans have been spending more than we earn consistently for the past six years now. Credit card debt has tripled over the past 20 years simply because of ‘easy credit’. Our governments are in debt, our corporations are in debt and our households are in debt. It seems we are consistently spending money we don’t have.
Contrast this to the words of Jesus. Even though these words are lifted from a parable intended to teach about the cost of following Jesus, they are significant even in and of themselves apart from the context.
“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’” Luke 14:28-30
Contrast this to the words of Jesus. Even though these words are lifted from a parable intended to teach about the cost of following Jesus, they are significant even in and of themselves apart from the context.
“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’” Luke 14:28-30
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Paul Baloche on Leadership
Reading an issue of Worship Leader Magazine (Nov/Dec 08) this week and found an article written by Paul Baloche of real interest. For those of you who aren’t familiar with his name (though most of you probably are) he is the author of such songs as ‘Open The Eyes of My Heart’, ‘Hosanna’, ‘All The Earth Will Sing Your Praises’, just to name a few out of hundreds. But Paul is much more than a song writer. He really is a worship pastor.
In the article he shares his personal experience of going from being pretty much uninvolved to being stretched way beyond his comfort zone as a young believer and how that set him on a path that eventually led him to pastoral ministry. It is the same old story that I never grow tired of hearing - how, against fear and trepidation, someone steps out (or is pushed) and ends up, eventually, being just an amazing leader.
It is quite a journey with lots of learning along the way. I found the following words from Paul to be particularly thoughtful:
“The church needs leaders. It’s easy for us to sit back and let someone else do it. It’s easy to analyze and criticize the decisions that our elders or pastors make. But I learned very quickly how difficult it is to wrestle through the endless array of problems when I stepped up to be an elder myself. Wow! What a revelation it was. Since then I have gained such an appreciation for those who are willing to sacrifice hours and hours for the sake of the local church, getting involved with everything from the most difficult personal issues of church members to mundane minutiae of buildings and budgets. So many times we want to walk away and leave it for someone else to figure out, while we sanctimoniously sip our Starbucks from the sidelines and point out the flaws and inconsistencies.”
Enough said,
Steve
In the article he shares his personal experience of going from being pretty much uninvolved to being stretched way beyond his comfort zone as a young believer and how that set him on a path that eventually led him to pastoral ministry. It is the same old story that I never grow tired of hearing - how, against fear and trepidation, someone steps out (or is pushed) and ends up, eventually, being just an amazing leader.
It is quite a journey with lots of learning along the way. I found the following words from Paul to be particularly thoughtful:
“The church needs leaders. It’s easy for us to sit back and let someone else do it. It’s easy to analyze and criticize the decisions that our elders or pastors make. But I learned very quickly how difficult it is to wrestle through the endless array of problems when I stepped up to be an elder myself. Wow! What a revelation it was. Since then I have gained such an appreciation for those who are willing to sacrifice hours and hours for the sake of the local church, getting involved with everything from the most difficult personal issues of church members to mundane minutiae of buildings and budgets. So many times we want to walk away and leave it for someone else to figure out, while we sanctimoniously sip our Starbucks from the sidelines and point out the flaws and inconsistencies.”
Enough said,
Steve
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Sunsets
I didn’t get to see the sunset tonight. I bet it was beautiful. I didn’t get to see the sunset last night either. But I did get to see the sunset Tuesday night (my day off). It was spectacular and not only did I see it but I took a few shots too. All three of these pictures were taken the same night as we watched God put on a show for us.
I love sunsets. One of the things that I am reminded of as I watch the sun set are those old movies where the hero rides off into the sunset. What an ending! But, I don’t think I ever watched a show or a movie like that, without somewhere in the back of my mind being caused to wonder whether it was really ‘The End’? After all, there is always the chance of a sequel, right! And not only that, but there is just that knowledge that we have that the story never ends there.
As we watch the sun set each day, or on those days when we are able to catch it, and think about it, it is a kind of signal for us. Not only does it bring a close to the day, but it goes down in hope - the hope of another day; a sequel if you will. It speaks of life. When the sun sets on our lives we have the amazing hope that it is not the end. There will be a sequel. There will be another day, and it will be glorious.
I think of the words of Job who said,
“I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.” Job 19:25,26
Steve
Monday, November 24, 2008
My Weather, My Wife, My World
Welcome to winter. A narrow band of snow has been sitting over our area for days now. While most of Nova Scotia has some, we have more than 2 feet of the white stuff, and even as I type this I’m watching it come down still!
It has really caused me to think lately about how much the weather is a part of our lives here in Nova Scotia. Being a maritime region that juts out into the Atlantic makes for lots of weather. And then, on top of that, our more northern location bring the winter upon us each year. It is no wonder we obsess about it really. It seems that everything we do is effected by it.
I have to tell you a story. Yesterday, late in the day, Florence and I were cuddled up to the fire in our home watching it snow. After a period of silence, she says, “I love winter.” And then she adds, “Don’t you?”. I say, “Well, I don’t much like shoveling snow and chipping ice and driving in slush and …”, to which she responds, “Yeah, you’re right. I hate winter.”
Sometimes I don’t know how she puts up with me really. I do know I am so thankful for her and I shutter to think what I would be like if God hadn’t brought this positive source of joy into my life. I guess this post isn’t so much about the weather as it is about her. Or is it about me? Yeah, I think it’s about me and how difficult this attitude thing is.
I think back to Saturday when I wrote … “I began by pushing the broom across the roof. When I did, it made a tunnel through the snow and the thought that immediately ran through my mind was – this is perfect snow for digging snow tunnels and building snow forts and…” Maybe there is hope for me yet!
I took this picture on my way home this morning after driving Florence to work. I didn’t want her driving on those roads today because I still have summer tires on the car.
Steve
Saturday, November 22, 2008
The Down Side of Growing Up
Today we woke up to another several inches of fresh fallen snow. When I went out to first try and ‘sweep’ the snow off the car, I began by pushing the broom across the roof. When I did, it made a tunnel through the snow and the thought that immediately ran through my mind was – “This is perfect snow for digging snow tunnels and building snow forts.”
Isn’t it amazing how our perspective changes as we age, I mean in some cases, totally! Our situation determines to a great degree how we see things. Something can go from being a blessing to being a curse, without really changing intrinsically at all, but only because our situation has changed which then changes our perspective on it. As they say, “Some see the glass half empty and some see the glass half full. And then there are those who know if they stick around long enough they are going to end up having to wash that glass.”
This is not a new thought and hardly original but every time I come back to this realization I can’t keep from thinking there must be some profoundly practical lesson that we should be learning in these instances because they present themselves to us a hundred times a day. So what is it, I wonder?
Maybe, and I hesitate to even continue because usually when I learn a lesson, it is one that I have learned a thousand times before and have somehow managed to forget again! Anyway, maybe God is trying to tell us that we are what needs to change, not our situation or the circumstances around us.
I read a story one time about a farmer who had two boys. One day a neighbour was giving him a hard time because he was making his boys work hard all day out in the corn field. The neighbour made some comment about how reprehensible it was for the man to be treating those boys like that just so he could raise a bunch of corn. His response is a classic. He said, “I’m not raising corn. I’m raising boys.”
Maybe that is how we need to look at all of this. After all, God does control the weather. (See Job 38:22-30) He can make it snow or stop whenever He wants. But maybe God isn’t so much concerned about the weather, or our plans for the day either for that matter, as He is about us. And maybe He isn’t as concerned about our comfort, or our agendas, as He is about our character. Maybe the reason we are always struggling with our environment is because without struggle, without adversity, there is no growth. Maybe God isn’t changing the weather. Maybe He’s just changing us.
Steve
Isn’t it amazing how our perspective changes as we age, I mean in some cases, totally! Our situation determines to a great degree how we see things. Something can go from being a blessing to being a curse, without really changing intrinsically at all, but only because our situation has changed which then changes our perspective on it. As they say, “Some see the glass half empty and some see the glass half full. And then there are those who know if they stick around long enough they are going to end up having to wash that glass.”
This is not a new thought and hardly original but every time I come back to this realization I can’t keep from thinking there must be some profoundly practical lesson that we should be learning in these instances because they present themselves to us a hundred times a day. So what is it, I wonder?
Maybe, and I hesitate to even continue because usually when I learn a lesson, it is one that I have learned a thousand times before and have somehow managed to forget again! Anyway, maybe God is trying to tell us that we are what needs to change, not our situation or the circumstances around us.
I read a story one time about a farmer who had two boys. One day a neighbour was giving him a hard time because he was making his boys work hard all day out in the corn field. The neighbour made some comment about how reprehensible it was for the man to be treating those boys like that just so he could raise a bunch of corn. His response is a classic. He said, “I’m not raising corn. I’m raising boys.”
Maybe that is how we need to look at all of this. After all, God does control the weather. (See Job 38:22-30) He can make it snow or stop whenever He wants. But maybe God isn’t so much concerned about the weather, or our plans for the day either for that matter, as He is about us. And maybe He isn’t as concerned about our comfort, or our agendas, as He is about our character. Maybe the reason we are always struggling with our environment is because without struggle, without adversity, there is no growth. Maybe God isn’t changing the weather. Maybe He’s just changing us.
Steve
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