Friday, January 6, 2012
I Am Sad About Church These Days
Today I have been reading some articles printed in various church magazines and newspapers. It seems that we are going through a time as God's people once again where we feel we have to show how much like the rest of the world we can be. The "logic" is that we will draw more newcomers if we become more like people outside of the church, become more relevant with our music and sermons and programmes, and let go of teachings like the virgin birth and such that make Jesus unique. My question is: if we continue to become more like the rest of our post-Judeo/Christian society what reason will anyone have to join us? Why would anyone start attending church when they are all ready part of communities and groups that are culturally relevant? Why would they need to add Jesus into an all ready comfortable, self gratifying, self confirming lifestyle and community? What happens then to those who do NOT find secular life to be fulfilling and the ultimate truthful lifestyle? Why is it deemed wrong to continue to consider Jesus unique and necessary for life here on earth and in the future? If Jesus is watered down to be simply a good teacher, or an all accepting nice guy who may or may not be more attuned to God than I can be on my own, what would I possibly need him for? The church historically has thrived because of its very differences from the rest of the world. Maybe as God's people what we need to do is not worry so much about cultural relevance and just start loving our neighbours and families with the love of God. The Bible lays out many details on what that means and how to accomplish it. That kind of love coming from my peers is what won me over to wanting to know Jesus and follow God. I got used to the cheesy worship choruses because they were sung to honor that God. I learned how to sit still for an hour and listen to good biblical teaching. I learned how to understand some ancient spiritual concepts that were very new to me. But mostly I learned how to be accepted as I was and then loved into changing more fully into who God intends me to be. Are we complicating ways to help people come to know God? Are we making things too difficult for ourselves and worrying too much about being relevant? Are we using our programmes to deflect ourselves from having to be sacrificially giving and loving in order to show Jesus to the world around us? I am not sure, but I am wondering..........
The First Accident
This broken ankle is not the first injury accident I have experienced. The first accident happened when I was 18 years old. I had met Jesus only a few months previously.
The night of the accident I had been to an evening service at my church where the minister's sermon was titled "The Problem of Pain". It was my introduction to The Book of Job and to the idea that God doesn't always stop pain and suffering in our lives, some possible reasons why not, and some ideas on how to cope when pain and suffering occurs in life. The minister was Dr. Harold Mitton, and he was a most kind hearted and sincere minister. His sermon that night gripped my heart and I wondered if I would ever have reason to utilize his ideas. 2 hours later as I was getting off a transit bus and crossing the street to my house I was hit by a car.
It was the last bus of the night and so was nearly empty. I had been talking to the bus driver, Chester, an ex-pat American who had recently completed a long term in the war in Vietnam. He had seen his share of violence and was grateful to be alive. The bus stop near my house was located too close to the crossing, and there were no traffic lights at this particular crossing. Apparently a car travelling behind the bus had to stop when I got off, but didn't realize that the bus was still stopped in order for me to cross the street in front of it. The car driver pulled out from behind the bus and proceeded through the crossing as I was attempting to go across. I heard a terribly loud horn from the bus as Chester saw in his side mirror what was about to happen, but it was too late. I turned toward the car, saw the lights and thought, "I'm about to be hit!" The driver tried to stop but couldn't. His car hit me on the left side, then tossed me over 20 feet into the air. I remember seeing the tall street light going past me as I went up into the air and then seeing it below me as I continued to go upward. According to Chester I was coming straight down upside down and he was sure I would land on my head on the road and be killed instantly. All I had time to think of was "Okay Jesus, guess I'm coming to see you now." There was no pain, no fear, no panic, just quiet resignation in that few moments. However, Chester said that he could hardly believe his eyes when I suddenly flipped sideways just before I landed on the hood of the car that had hit me. It had rolled forward just enough to break my fall, again hitting on the left side of my body. As I rolled off onto the ground, pulling all the grillwork off the car and kicking out a headlamp, I also landed on that left side. I knew right away something was broken on that side.
As soon as I landed bedlam ensued. The car driver jumped out of the car, screaming at me for wrecking his new car, ran over to me and was about to kick me. Chester had jumped off the bus, so he grabbed the man and punched him in the face. It was CrazyTown! 2 students from my former highschool were also on the bus and came to take care of me until the police and ambulance could arrive. When the police came they decided nothing was broken and since it was a very cold night they tried to move me into the back of their squad car to await the ambulance. I screamed with the pain and they put me back down on the road.
So, to shorten this account, here are the things that stood out to me: Chester's presence to protect me from a very upset man who was going into shock; the fact that the police moved me sufficiently, despite every one of them knowing better than to move an accident victim, to break my cracked hip bone off completely below the ball joint which prevented the break from heading vertically down to my knee. Their incorrect response saved me from 6 months of traction in hospital and I was released 11 days after the accident and allowed me to have physiotherapy that had me walking with a cane 3 months later. One of the former classmates on the bus, a popular football player type who had never talked to me before, went to court for me. The accident bounced me from the courses I had just started taking at SAIT....great courses, but that I hated and had been wondering how to get out of without upsetting my parents and their chosen path for me. I entrenched myself in my husband to be's heart because of the cheeriness I was blessed with to deal with the situation. So many wonderful things came from that accident. I never felt alone. I had my notes with me that I had taken from Dr. Mitton's sermon that helped me so much. I made friends with people I am friends with to this day. There were not that many tears or frustrations, I was able to change my life plans, and it all worked out so well. I never felt alone. The accident cemented my relationship with Jesus in a very personal way because I knew that I knew that I knew he was with me. I had lots of time for Bible reading. The personal nature of being a disciple of Christ hit me forcefully. The accident was instrumental in forming my world view and creating good plans for the rest of my life. I am grateful...grateful for caring people and grateful for God's presence.
The night of the accident I had been to an evening service at my church where the minister's sermon was titled "The Problem of Pain". It was my introduction to The Book of Job and to the idea that God doesn't always stop pain and suffering in our lives, some possible reasons why not, and some ideas on how to cope when pain and suffering occurs in life. The minister was Dr. Harold Mitton, and he was a most kind hearted and sincere minister. His sermon that night gripped my heart and I wondered if I would ever have reason to utilize his ideas. 2 hours later as I was getting off a transit bus and crossing the street to my house I was hit by a car.
It was the last bus of the night and so was nearly empty. I had been talking to the bus driver, Chester, an ex-pat American who had recently completed a long term in the war in Vietnam. He had seen his share of violence and was grateful to be alive. The bus stop near my house was located too close to the crossing, and there were no traffic lights at this particular crossing. Apparently a car travelling behind the bus had to stop when I got off, but didn't realize that the bus was still stopped in order for me to cross the street in front of it. The car driver pulled out from behind the bus and proceeded through the crossing as I was attempting to go across. I heard a terribly loud horn from the bus as Chester saw in his side mirror what was about to happen, but it was too late. I turned toward the car, saw the lights and thought, "I'm about to be hit!" The driver tried to stop but couldn't. His car hit me on the left side, then tossed me over 20 feet into the air. I remember seeing the tall street light going past me as I went up into the air and then seeing it below me as I continued to go upward. According to Chester I was coming straight down upside down and he was sure I would land on my head on the road and be killed instantly. All I had time to think of was "Okay Jesus, guess I'm coming to see you now." There was no pain, no fear, no panic, just quiet resignation in that few moments. However, Chester said that he could hardly believe his eyes when I suddenly flipped sideways just before I landed on the hood of the car that had hit me. It had rolled forward just enough to break my fall, again hitting on the left side of my body. As I rolled off onto the ground, pulling all the grillwork off the car and kicking out a headlamp, I also landed on that left side. I knew right away something was broken on that side.
As soon as I landed bedlam ensued. The car driver jumped out of the car, screaming at me for wrecking his new car, ran over to me and was about to kick me. Chester had jumped off the bus, so he grabbed the man and punched him in the face. It was CrazyTown! 2 students from my former highschool were also on the bus and came to take care of me until the police and ambulance could arrive. When the police came they decided nothing was broken and since it was a very cold night they tried to move me into the back of their squad car to await the ambulance. I screamed with the pain and they put me back down on the road.
So, to shorten this account, here are the things that stood out to me: Chester's presence to protect me from a very upset man who was going into shock; the fact that the police moved me sufficiently, despite every one of them knowing better than to move an accident victim, to break my cracked hip bone off completely below the ball joint which prevented the break from heading vertically down to my knee. Their incorrect response saved me from 6 months of traction in hospital and I was released 11 days after the accident and allowed me to have physiotherapy that had me walking with a cane 3 months later. One of the former classmates on the bus, a popular football player type who had never talked to me before, went to court for me. The accident bounced me from the courses I had just started taking at SAIT....great courses, but that I hated and had been wondering how to get out of without upsetting my parents and their chosen path for me. I entrenched myself in my husband to be's heart because of the cheeriness I was blessed with to deal with the situation. So many wonderful things came from that accident. I never felt alone. I had my notes with me that I had taken from Dr. Mitton's sermon that helped me so much. I made friends with people I am friends with to this day. There were not that many tears or frustrations, I was able to change my life plans, and it all worked out so well. I never felt alone. The accident cemented my relationship with Jesus in a very personal way because I knew that I knew that I knew he was with me. I had lots of time for Bible reading. The personal nature of being a disciple of Christ hit me forcefully. The accident was instrumental in forming my world view and creating good plans for the rest of my life. I am grateful...grateful for caring people and grateful for God's presence.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Chinese Food OUR Town Style
There are many interesting conversations to be had in our little town. Many of them leave us shaking our heads in disbelief. One of the more interesting ones, brief though it was, happened today. After a half hour of vigorous exercise chipping thick ice off our sidewalks, the visiting rellies decided that some take out Chinese food would be in order. We circled 'round the collection of take out menus in our kitchen drawer and made some selections. However we had no menu for the supposedly best take out place in town. So my husband placed a call to their phone number. Turns out that is the number of the pub attached to this restaurant. No, there was no way to transfer his call to the kitchen. They gave him another number and he tried again, with success this time. The conversation went like this:
Hubby: Is this the restaurant?
Staff: Yes.
Hubby: Do you have take out food?
Staff: Yes.
Hubby: May I place an order then?
Staff: Yes.
Hubby: Do I go to the pub to pick up my order?
Staff: No, this is the restaurant, not the pub.
Come to the ~~***~ door.
Hubby: I'm sorry, what did you say?
Staff: The ~~***~ door.
Hubby: Okay, never mind, I'll find the door.
Staff: I all ready told you it is the ~~***~ door.
Hubby: Okey dokey then.... So, I would like to order spring rolls, chow mein, ginger chicken, and beef and broccoli. Do you have those things?
Staff: Yes mister, this is a Chinese restaurant.
We have all the Chinese food dishes here.
Hubby: Oh, great! I would also like an order of fried tofu.
Staff: TOFU??? TOFU?? Mister, we don't got no tofu.
This is a PUB!!!!
Yeah....................welcome to our town..............hahaha
Hubby: Is this the restaurant?
Staff: Yes.
Hubby: Do you have take out food?
Staff: Yes.
Hubby: May I place an order then?
Staff: Yes.
Hubby: Do I go to the pub to pick up my order?
Staff: No, this is the restaurant, not the pub.
Come to the ~~***~ door.
Hubby: I'm sorry, what did you say?
Staff: The ~~***~ door.
Hubby: Okay, never mind, I'll find the door.
Staff: I all ready told you it is the ~~***~ door.
Hubby: Okey dokey then.... So, I would like to order spring rolls, chow mein, ginger chicken, and beef and broccoli. Do you have those things?
Staff: Yes mister, this is a Chinese restaurant.
We have all the Chinese food dishes here.
Hubby: Oh, great! I would also like an order of fried tofu.
Staff: TOFU??? TOFU?? Mister, we don't got no tofu.
This is a PUB!!!!
Yeah....................welcome to our town..............hahaha
The Visiting Rellies
Last night Dell's sister and her husband arrived from out of town. They brought a lovely tortierre for dinner and Dell made a fantastic salad with grated carrots, slices of red and yellow peppers, sliced pears and bocconcini. After dinner the rellies did all the dishes to give Dell a break. How kind as he was feeling quite ill again last night with his cold. Today they are in the city for the day and tonight we will order in some good old fashioned teeny town Chinese food and they are planning to do our day's dishes again tonight. Neither of us has a large extended family. It makes a couple of days like this all the more special. A sister can see you when you are ill and want to help. Dell was able to go to bed super early because I had them here to assist me in the evening. We are generally very much on our own as we live too far away for receiving/giving help very often from/to our little family. What with the son here at Christmas and now my visiting sister in law, we have received a ton of assistance with many things. This time is especially sweet as we are so in need of it. Hoping we will not be so far away in future so that we can also be of help to them when next they need it.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
You Know You Live in a Small Town......
....when the grocery and errands list your husband lost over a week ago shows up today in your post box down at the post office!! Our list had his first name on it and also my first name, no other ID, but there it was, placed there by a post office employee just in case it was important. There ARE some good things about living in teeny prairie towns after all! Yay small town Postal Employees! Thank you!
Monday, January 2, 2012
Hopes for the New Year All Ready Met For Some
I am excited today for 2 good friends. 2012 has only begun and all ready the hopes and dreams they have had for a long time have started to happen. I have seen both these dear friends mired in long standing problems both personal and professional. They have been bogged down and unable to see hope or to have motivation to make changes in their lives. As of yesterday they are both on the path to a happier life. One is making huge plans to change her career path and the other is moving to a whole new city to start again. Their news has cheered me immensely! Just when it seemed there was to be no hope for either of them to experience new challenges and new adventures the answers started to come, and with them the energy to implement change. I am thrilled for them!
Yesterday a newly widowed aquaintance in the neighbourhood was able to drop in for a rare visit together. She was having a terribly difficult day, missing her spouse who passed away less than a month ago. We sat and talked together and she reminisced. Then she shared her plans for the immediate future and once again hope was expressed. She has plans, she is determined to manage as best she can on her own. She is very wise in her thoughts and actions in the midst of deep grief. Once again there is hope. Seeing the answers coming in the lives of others, answers that have been awaited for years in some cases, gives me hope too for my life, for our family, for our future and ministry. This kind of hope is deeper than a New Years Resolution. It is the kind of hope that genuinely expects change and works toward it every day, will settle for nothing less. Happy 2012 to my friends who are moving on at last.
Yesterday a newly widowed aquaintance in the neighbourhood was able to drop in for a rare visit together. She was having a terribly difficult day, missing her spouse who passed away less than a month ago. We sat and talked together and she reminisced. Then she shared her plans for the immediate future and once again hope was expressed. She has plans, she is determined to manage as best she can on her own. She is very wise in her thoughts and actions in the midst of deep grief. Once again there is hope. Seeing the answers coming in the lives of others, answers that have been awaited for years in some cases, gives me hope too for my life, for our family, for our future and ministry. This kind of hope is deeper than a New Years Resolution. It is the kind of hope that genuinely expects change and works toward it every day, will settle for nothing less. Happy 2012 to my friends who are moving on at last.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Happy Happy New Year 2012
Wow, a brand new year is upon us. A time to reassess what is going on in life and see what changes need to be made! It is a time to rejoice in the good things that happened last year and set aside some of the upsets. I love New Year! A feeling of hope steals over me each time that annual calendar changes. This year could be even better than last year! The mental/emotional slate is wiped clean and anything good could happen. Was able to phone my son last night for a chat and learn of his good plans for the evening and for the start of the new year; got lovely emails and phone calls from other family and friends. The sun is shining and it is crispy cold outside. My husband is getting closer to healing from a bad cold and still has some days to get some rest before the full winter church schedule begins. Family is coming this week for a visit. My ankle is more flexible today than it has been. Our people are returning to town and church after their holidays and sharing the fun they experienced with their families. AND, best of all, today is the first day to use my 2012 Hello Kitty calendar! hee hee Yeah, I am worse than a little kid for enjoying "cute". I admit it.....happy new year....
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