Down From the Mount!

Easter morning. Brimming over and full of hope. I awake as if I'm already smiling. The sun peaking through the blinds confirms the state of my soul. My day starts earlier than normal because I want enough time. Time to visit the tomb. To meet the angel waiting. Time to hear the Lord speak my name. It has been a journey of sorrow and today all within me wants to celebrate!

I read the familiar resurrection story from all the gospels.

I have seen the Lord. John 20:18

Glowing from my quiet space and time I walk down into the mess of the home. I walk into crying and apathy.

Coming down from the mount is hard. I, like Peter, want to build a shelter so that I can stay in that place. But that is not what we are called to. With each step I am reminded of my former way of life and think how easy, yet defeating it would be to walk that path. But I have been on a journey. I have seen the Lord. Not merely an earthly Messiah but the Soul of Eternity!

I don't always get it but this time I did. My first thoughts were to preserve what I have experienced. To push away anything that will prevent me from keeping leaving the mount. This time, because of the Cross, the fruit is not self serving. It serves. We slowly and carefully enter into the problem and work it out. Dignity is maintained. The love of Christ surely brings a victory.

I need to learn the lesson well. For again, after a celebratory church service, I am reminded that there will be a descent down the mountain. The week will start again. I am left with memories and with promises. How will I live them out in my home and at work? Will I remember? Will the mount inform me?

In the cross is an ocean of love yet unrevealed, a mountain of power still unreleased, and a sea of truth not yet fathomed....There is something utterly exhaustless about the provisions of Calvary.
S. Franklin Logsdon

Here & Now, Thanksgiving!

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 2 Cor 9:15

How do we describe the meaning of the resurrection in our lives? In a zig-zag ish life of remembering and then forgetting, of satisfaction then ingratitude, its impact on our lives is incalculable!

Even if we can't describe it properly or fully, Paul has given us instructions for practising an appropriate response - thanksgiving!

Here and now, on Easter day, are a few verses of thanksgiving that speak of God's regeneration in my life.

My family. My children. My spouse.
Revealing both opportunity and mandate to serve them by training to follow hard the Way of Jesus, by loving them deeply in all moments, not just the convenient ones. Asking me to release them ultimately into God's unending care.





Places of work.
Truly revealing the power of the resurrection in replacing reactionary habits, in peace and perseverance in surprising chaos and apathy, in opening eyes to see selfish pride.



Perspective.
Seeing life through the lens of God's Word not through my own lenses of self wants and dreams.



In the new.
New moments. New opportunities. New neighbours. New friends. New hopes. New insights. New life...



Promises kept.
God will never leave or forsake us. God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. God is faithful, He will do it! God is determined through the work of the Spirit to keep us obedient.



Yes. This is my refrain;
Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 2 Cor 9:15

What does your verse include?

I Thirst

I recently finished reading "Mother Teresa: Come be My Light, the private writings of the saint of Calcutta," by Brian Kolodiejchuk. I was disturbed by the struggles that Mother Teresa faced. From this side of the world the torment was not observable. Even so, she bore much fruit and witnessed to the great love of God as she served the needy in Calcutta. Her desire to understand the suffering of Christ compelled her to love deeply. She lived Truth-based faith.

I recall a quote I read by Ann Voskamp that said "the opposite of faith is fear." I think about my own fears of following whole heartedly and see that my fear is that He won't know what is best for me.

The Cross shows me otherwise.

I am inspired by Mother Teresa's faith which was not guided by her emotions. She had a deep longing and thirst for God. She often wrote of her desire to "satiate thy thirst for souls." (p. 165) It was among her service to the poor that she knew God to be real to her. Her own deep longing for God and her desire to meet the call of God made her want to give her entire life to following Christ.

Last night we read the story of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. We talked through our own "sleepwalking" and pondered what it would mean to watch and pray. How would that look in our lives today? How could we practise that?
Famous artwork accompanies the reflections on Lent. After reading and while reflecting one child leaned over to peak at the next days masterpiece, grimaced and turned away.
It was Jesus crucified on the cross.
"That's why I don't like Good Friday! Why is it good anyways? I don't even want to look at it!"

It is hard. Hard and beautiful all at the same time. Hard because it is at the Cross that we see and hear of the thirst of Christ. It is sobering and puzzling. He knows the weight of each sin. He knows deeply the oppression of each. He calls out "I thirst" on behalf of each. He is poured out, dried up Ps. 22:14.

It is beautiful for it is there we blind receive sight. Think of the perspective we would gain if we would take our moments of temptation and place it in front of the Cross. If we would believe that the power of God is our salvation for every temptation! If we would recognize our great thirst for Christ and His great thirst for souls.

While kneeling together in prayer last night there was an eyes-all-open feeling. A need for self-denial. The posture of adoration shows what my living reveals and creates desire to be filled with the everlasting water of life.

How do you approach the thirst of Jesus? Only one secret - the closer you come to Jesus, the better you will know His thirst. Jesus thirsts even now, in your heart and in the poor - He knows your weakness, He wants only your love, wants only the chance to love you. Mother Teresa

Easter Reflections

Sin hadn't entered your being for thirty three years and then in a number of long, agonizing hours you willingly drank in the sin chosen by the created - all of it.

The magnitude of the sins You carried is hard to grasp. The weight and horror, the fear of losing holy communion with God, your Father, who abides deeply in every word and every action and every thought; I can not comprehend. The bits I do, crush me.

You know the weight of each sin. The agony it causes. On the Cross, You bore each one from the very beginning of time to the very end. Mine are among and still you gaze at me compassionately from the Cross through your swollen and injured frame.

I want you to come down. To show everyone who you are and who they are.

By remaining you display the deepest of love, the upside down nature of your Kingdom. As you hang on the Cross alone and brutalized, you still determine to love, and purpose to eternity. Never have I seen such control. You determine to fulfill scripture. In Your suffering You remember the details of loving. You remember your Mother who birthed you into this world and your beloved disciple who didn't flee the cross. With eager forgiveness You embrace a criminal into eternity. You determine to love by remaining obediently silent.

As I ponder these acts of love and mourn my part, my posture bows. I am starting to understand the reverent fear of the Lord.

For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross. Col 1:19-20

Habitat House Dedication

Unbridled excitement, uncontained joy, reverent acceptance.

The excitement could be felt while walking through the rooms and meeting family, friends and co labourers.





Joy was evident in the movements and faces of the givers and receivers alike.



The joining together of communities of people around Winnipeg to build hope and share God's love.



The reverence and hope felt as the gift was so gratefully received.



The gentleness shown in giving gifts to those so excited to accept them.



Joy at being part of such a wonderful moment and having the opportunity to represent Eastview Church and Women's Bible study group.

Easter - Tuesday Reflections

The Word of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18

Many a Lent have I been among the throngs of people hurrying to prepare for the celebration. Like my evangelical roots, I have embraced the resurrection - the happy, the powerful.

Journeying towards the Cross is hard.
It is dark.
It is lonely.
It is painful; physically and emotionally.
Mysterious.
It exposes my sins.

Truth is, even though I am scared, I want to face the ugliness. It is my only salvation. My hope for living this life well. The Cross is the only act powerful enough to save me from myself.

...and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Cor 10:5b

As a result, He doesn't not live the rest of His earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 1 Peter 4:2

But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved. Eph 2:4-5

The Cross exposes the great love of God. And as I search scripture I see that word again, determined.


God the Father has His eye on each of you and is determined by the work of the Spirit to keep you obedient through the sacrifice of Jesus. May everything good from God be yours. 1 Peter 1:2 MSG (Emphasis mine.)

And I am reminded of my way, the life empty way.

...apart from Me you can do nothing. John 15:5b

For you know it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 1 Peter 1:18-19

What can I say? What can I do? But offer this heart oh God, completely to You.

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us or sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8-9

Passion Week - Monday Reflections

Determination.

"The act of coming to a decision or of fixing or settling a purpose."

The word is weakly defined around personal failures concerning food, anger, spending, words ill spoken...I am reminded of lack of resolve, fear and misguided attempts, the lack of completed action and wavering purpose.

I am in awe of repeated examples of determination embodied by Jesus; fully human, fully divine. Even one complete example of full determination, no faltering - is impressive. The fact that the Easter story (all of Jesus ministry) is full of this determination is overwhelming.
It is beautiful.
Amazing.

In the garden of Gethsemane, boldly walking into His purpose, He is a mighty warrior. Not the type we thought He would be on Palm Sunday but the one He preached about and lived for the past three years of His ministry. The one He prepared for in the wilderness. The Galatians 6:10 - 18 one that Paul would later write of.

He made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross! Phil 2:7-8 NIV

He used His servant body to carry our sins to the Cross so we could be rid of sin, free to live the right way. His wounds became your healing. 1 Peter 2:24 MSG

As I reflect on this amazing love that propelled Christ to bear our sins and die for us (two things He never would have had to do) I find in Him, determination. It needs to be a servant determination. One that decides solely on a purpose that is act-able. Like Jesus posture, I surrender arms wide, letting go of my own reasons for determination. Habitually, my own are climbing upward and God calls me downward.

On Christ the solid Rock, I stand;
all other ground is sinking sand,
all other ground is sinking sand.

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus Name.

When darkness veils His lovely face, I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay.

When He shall come with trumpet sound, oh, may I then in him be found;
Dressed in his righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.

Spring Break

Spring break already feels like a distant memory. Pulling up a few pictures helps to capture the moments again. To remember.

We love driving places together as a family. In fact the kids will sometimes ask to go for a drive or to take a long and different way home. They truly are their mother's children. I grew up with the slow Sunday drive checking on the progress in the fields. We watched every stage of growth, weeding and harvest, the amount of rainfall and proposed time lines for crop care and harvest. The hope of the Sunday drive was the possibility of ending up at an ice cream store, at a beach or unique destination we hadn't been to in awhile. Our family loved these impromptu adventures.

Although our break wasn't impromptu it did necessitate a drive. Scenery, books and snacks made it all go quite quickly!
Once we arrived the guys took off for an evening out and the girls had some time to do a bit of shopping and then came back to the hotel room to do pedicures, manicures, foot massages and look through American girl doll magazines!
Here are a few images of our time away.


This made Dave VERY, VERY happy!


Fun at Lego World building people.


So many choices!


The aquarium was really amazing!






We had the most amazing sunset on our drive home.


Upon arriving home...
Beautiful gift from my husband.


We were inspired by a friend to make homemade pretzels!






Who knew boiling them was part of the process!






The most fun of having a tea party was talking hockey and using chocolates for hockey players!

It's Been Awhile!

It has been awhile since I have posted anything. We've celebrated life as a family and enjoyed spring break together. We have been intentionally walking through the heaviness of Lent. And we have been working hard. I'll use this post to catch up on the Birthday celebrations.

Dave celebrated a big year - big 4-0 (way back in February)!!


He has always wanted to see the Celtics play, preferably in Boston...however, for the time being he and Alexander were able to take in a game during Spring Break in Minneapolis.


Max turned 3 this year on St. Patrick's day. We love hiding his presents.


He loves finding them!


Our sweet Lori-loo turned double digits this year!!! She is thrilled.


Dave did a fine job making her favorite skor bar cake! She was relieved to have blown out all the candles in one blow! Less teasing!


This last picture is taken on her actual birthday - the first half was eaten during her birthday party with her friends a day earlier.