Coffee Table Munchies

I saw this in a magazine and decided to try it. I put out walnuts, dried fruit, banana chips and threw in some star anise and cinnamon sticks for looks . . . it's become a snack, surprisingly hard to resist.

Believing God Is Who He says He Is

For this is what the Lord says – He who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited – he says: “I am the Lord, and there is no other. I have not spoken in secret . . . " Isaiah 45: 18,19
We are not called to a blind faith. Children accept facts with child like faith, and God honors that kind of faith, but He has also left plenty of evidence in our world that testifies to the truth of what He has declared.

In the Old Testament David proclaims, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.” Psalm 19:1

In the New Testament the apostle Paul writes, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” Romans 1:20

Beth Moore tells about a scientist and former atheist, John Clayton, who came to believe in God while attempting to prove that the Bible contradicts known scientific facts. In a book called The Source, which he co-authored with Nils Jarma, a case is made for creationism by assessing the vast improbability of our planet possessing all the conditions needed to support life by chance. With an explanation of how improbabilities work, these scientists came up with a mathematical equation of 1 in 15,000,000,000,000,000 odds that life on this world could have come about by chance. I don’t know how to read this number, but it seems to me that it may as well be a zero chance. The list of variables needed to spin our earth, with life as we know it, into motion is fascinating to read and only tells me that it had to be designed by someone who knew.

Beth puts out an interesting challenge. The challenge is to believers not only to have a stand of faith, but a walk of faith . . . being willing to access what we believe and learn about what we believe. I’ve had a number of chances to listen to Loui Giglio point out unbelievable things that the Hubble space telescope shows us today and scientific facts about our DNA that truly put Darwin in the dark ages. It turns out that the more we dig into science, the more we see how amazing God is and that He truly is Who He says He is. This is the foundation that helps me in times when I'm called to simply trust Him.

A Role Reversal

On Monday, around two AM in the morning we were sitting at the hospital, waiting with mom for her test results and wondering if we would be taking her home or leaving her there. She was in pain and discomfort from a nasty fall, and she was concerned . . . concerned about us staying up at all hours of the night with her. A nurse came around and simply said, “Something tells me that a few decades ago you were the one staying up at night with someone here. . . so maybe it’s just their turn.” Mom smiled. Of course she would not have thought of that.

It’s amazing how quickly things can change. One day she is going through her Christmas to do lists and the next day she cannot drive to do those things. She cannot write her cards, she cannot bake cookies . . . she has to rest in the fact that Christmas will be without finishing her list. It is obvious that it's the things she cannot do for others, that she is concerned about. Her first thoughts are not about the fact that she cannot even dress herself.

In the meantime, I am learning to care for her in a similar fashion that she cared for my needs as a very little girl. The one who bathed me and showed me how to bathe my babies, now has to sit as I wash her feet. It’s a humbling experience for her . . . but at the same time it gives me the chance to give back. I see I have big shoes to fill.

When a Son Becomes a Father

It's his turn . . . and I'm smiling.

How Can I Believe?

Photo scanned from Dec. 2008 issue of the Focus on the Family Canada magazine

So, if faith is so important, the question that comes up is, “How do I get it?”

First of all, I can ask.
In the time of Jesus, a father came to Him and asked Him to take pity on his son. This father’s contrasting sentiments echo how I have often felt.
“I do believe. Help me overcome my unbelief.” (Mark 9:24)

A second way to acquire or increase my faith is to listen.
Romans 10 :17 says, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” This verse answers a question a few verses earlier where it says, "How can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?”
It is by word of mouth and by reading God’s word that we come to believe.

Thirdly, and the one that resonates most with me, is to feed on God’s faithfulness. This involves remembering what God has done in the past. A heart that stores up memories of what God has already done, has more to draw on when our belief is tested. Remembering increases our faith.

Dear Lord, sometimes it's just hard to know what to believe. I have faith that you can do the impossible, but then I wonder if it's your will. So I ask that you gjive me the faith to ask boldly or show me how to pray according to your will and give me peace in that. Your peace in a difficult situation is a miracle too . . . I want to trust that you see things from an eternal perspective . . . and one day I will understand fully . . . just as I am fully understood by you now.

Window Washing and Window Shopping

We began our day in the city with breakfast. He had a ham omelet and I had raisin brioche French toast with mandarin/orange syrup.

Outside . . . dangling from another high rise . . . two window washers were busy at work in the cool morning. He saw them just before we sat down to eat, and chuckled, “how would you like that, me and you washing windows on a Saturday morning?”

After breakfast we milled about the display of Christmas trees, at the Four Seasons and the Pacific Center Mall. The trees are put up by individuals and corporate sponsors to raise money for the BC Children’s Hospital. Some are beautiful, some are interesting and unique, while others bring smiles, as they showcase the interests of the sponsor involved. The mermaid with the loot was sponsored by a Law Firm.

For a while we joined the shoppers in the underground mall, getting out our lists and checking them twice even as late ones were coming in on his blackberry. We had a quick lunch in the food court and then emerged onto the street above where we huddled close under our umbrella, as we ducked in and out of the shops.

We’ve done this two years in a row now. Maybe it’s becoming a tradition? Such an enjoyable way to spend the day together and find that special something on each list. Yes . . . the kids are grown . . . but continue to bind us together as we build upon the years and continue to make choices on how to bless them in this stage of their lives.

We came home in time to heat left-overs for dinner. The next afternoon, I was standing by the sink and preparing a meal for company, while he was on the ladder, in the cold, quickly washing our back windows. I must say this man knows where he is needed.