"One Thousand Gifts"

One Thousand Gifts
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Every Wednesday in April we are getting together to talk about the book, "One Thousand Gifts."

It is a casual time.

Books can be purchased through Hulls and Chapters in Winnipeg or www.amazon.ca.

Let me know if you are in.

Lessons in the Classroom

Two years ago as part of the Brandon Jazz Festival, Suba Sankaran and Dylan Bell were doing a workshop with my vocal jazz group - Vocal Point. One of the warm up activities they did with us was a breathing exercise. They asked us to completely exhale all of the air in our lungs by the time they counted down from 10. We were to refrain from inhaling until further instructions. At 1, they then instructed us to exhale further. We all did. Of course the follow up question was, "why did you still have air to exhale when your instructions were to expel all your air?"
Hmmm.
So we tried it again. All the wiser.
Funny. Same thing happened again. We thought we were spent but there was still air to be had.

I felt I was in the middle of this exercise a few weeks ago - like I had expelled more air than normal. The startling realization that I had more to give. Only it wasn't air I was expelling - it was love.

I was able to sub in my eldest daughters class for a few days. I LOVED the experience. I LOVED being with her and being in the same school as all my kids. I LOVED having lunch with them in the family lunch room. First day was my request, second day was theirs!

The day and night before I went in, I prepared. I memorized every name with every face from the class photo we had at home along with a fact or two about each student.
I prayed.
I planned some fun math extras ("fun math" not meant to be an oxymoron!) should the opportunity arise.
I struggled with anxiety and spent time handing it over to God. Then I approached my eldest about my hopes for the days and also what I feared. Not surprisingly, we both had a few fears. She was worried about how the class would treat me. I was moved.

After the two days in the classroom, I felt I had worked harder than ever before! I wanted to think that I always gave as much as I could for each call I received. But this was different. As I was reflecting, I pondered the mix of personalities in the class as well as the opportunity to collaborate with the teacher ahead of time. This was a gift that I normally don't receive for the average sub call. I shared his strategies and I continued patterns the class already knew.
Perhaps the largest investment made was emotional. I can't remember ever caring so much for one person in the class; for ever wanting so much for the whole experience of learning and relationships around this one person to be as excellent as possible given all the variables that were present in this situation. My deepest desire was that God's love be evident in the way I transferred information, checked on progress, walked with them through questions, interacted with them casually, and my response to misbehaviour. I wanted everything to go well for the sake of the one.

What was so striking to me during my reflection was the unveiling of God's love to me; love given to us all. That determined work of God to keep each one of us obedient by giving us His Spirit and sacrifice through Jesus (1 Peter 1:2.) The great lengths that God will and has gone through to love us to Himself. We can see this love through so many things, through information that is passed down to us through God's Word, through moments of victory achieved that can only be attributed to God, through the forgiveness He graciously grants as we forget and fall into wrong, how He walks us through our questions and unbeliefs, how He calls us to Himself through moments of sanctuary in our days, how He orchestrates the details of our lives and how He loves us through the caring acts of others in our lives.
He wants to save us.

He has a gracious habit of saving people like Noah, Lot, Daniel,Paul... This message is threaded through the Bible. It would make sense that we, His image bearers, would find significance in living a way that would point others to this saving grace through our daily work.

I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3: 16 - 21

Journey to the Cross

Today is Ash Wednesday. It marks the beginning of Lent. A season of prayer, reflection, of self-denial.

The forty days of Lent is compared to the 40 days Jesus spent in the wilderness facing His enemy.

Practising confession and mourning for sins are part of the path to the cross.
Sins; obsessions based on the fleeting, unrestrained actions, blatant choices, bad habits.

Hope for change.
Hope to remember Truths known. Hope to really believe. Always.

Seeking to understand the significance and mystery of the cross.
Do we understand it if we don't know the depravity of our own soul? What is the weight of glory? What does it mean to be crucified with Christ Gal. 2:20?

Practising emptying of self.
I am giving up indulgence in desserts to practise gratitude.

Victory is already ours through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. How can we embrace this Truth fully this season as we Journey to the cross? How can this time be used as a springboard for change?

Turn your eyes upon Jesus.
Look full in His wonderful face.
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim.
In the light of his glory and grace.

Recommended reading: Contemplating the Cross by Tricia McCary Rhodes

When the Uglies Come Out

I think about the study that we are working through, "Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl" and I identify with Lysa TerKeurst's desire to make Jesus more than a theology. I remember her words that speak of the "quest to live out the realities of Jesus in the midst of everyday life." I share the yearning to know what to do when "the uglies come out!"

This week in our homework we are practising the presence of God by praising God. I have been encountering this theme lately.
Practise.
A friend said, "Practise how you are going to respond in situations during your quiet time with God. Be intentional about rehearsing."
Choosing to give praise to God is something we learn. Ann Voskamp says of living a life of eucharisteo, or thanksgiving; "learn it to live fully."

Philippians 4:11 - 12
I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything.
I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.

It is a learned choice to abandon, with purpose, self-filled emotions instead of harbouring them obsessively in our thoughts, words and actions. In turn we replace that emotion by inviting God into the situation and hold on to God, His promises.

I have been practising and praise does not always come easy in the moment. In fact, it is crowded out by the overwhelming space given to the hurt.
God you are bigger than this.
The hurt fights back.
God, I'm thankful for your strength.
The ugly remains.
Am I merely reciting? Does this really work?
But while thinking, there has to be a way? I feel called to invite God into this hurt. When God is invited in, the problem doesn't go away but there is peace. There is hope that God will direct the course of action that needs to follow. So now I wait and hope and God is praised.
He is mighty to save. He is mighty to save.

Today I happened upon this entry in Lysa TerKeurst's blog that pealed away another layer on this topic. I thought you might be interested too.

The Root of My Rot

Confessions of a Note Taker

Last week I subbed a high school class where I was asked to teach note taking. The request solicited many dismissive gestures, eye rolls, slumped posture,slamming books, ripping paper. Their disdain was obvious. Students tried all sorts of variations and short cuts like taking pictures with their phones promising later transfer and highlighting on the computer.

I think I understand their position. Although my perspective was different the learning outcome was likely similar. I remember being in high school and making notes. I remember and taste the success of goal achieved. The key was efficiency and quantity. Quantity was as good an indication of being on the right track as anything. I added in neatness and organization for good measure - headings and under linings and a special spot for definitions. Colour coding was the ultimate bonus!

I stood looking at the kids in class desperate to find a way to pass along the importance of good note taking. Why was this so important to me?

I guess it is here that I should probably confess that I am an avid note taker. I love recording things. I love pens, paper and the thought of learning something new. However, like anything I have realized that it can become a goal in itself. After this many years of living, quantity and speed aren't great goals of achievement if the learning is peripheral.

In a book that I am completely engrossed in called, "One Thousand Gifts," by Ann Voskamp is the following quote,

"Hurry and impatience are sure marks of the amateur."

Reading that completely stopped me in my tracks.

I am an amateur in so many ways!

Is my note taking a pseudo learning shortcut? Is it an exercise in looking studious or a true reflection of taking in information? Do I take notes so I can refer to them and ponder them? Do I wrestle with the ideas by flipping them back and forth, frontwards and backwards? Do I think things through and persevere to gain understanding?

Do I come late for things because I truly don't know how long it takes to perform certain tasks?

Which situations do I need to discipline immediately? Which ones need an unhurried response?

Why do I misread so many instructions or recipes?...

Taking this quote along with me as I go about my living has made me more aware of the what's, when's, where's, why's, how's and who's of hurry in my life. It is making me aware of all that I am missing in the moment to get to where I think importance is waiting. Living for a destination just means that I regard only me - appointed times as important. If I remember to slow in the now, I can savour the gift that is right in front of me, the opportunity to most carefully help my child out the door, or the fun of enjoying a game with the kids while waiting in a vehicle for a dead battery to warm up. It is when we slow to work through something thoroughly and intentionally that the Spirit of God is able to meld together our note taking, theological ponderings and continuous prayers and make sense of them for us. Allow us to practise obedient living in the moment. To mature us into thoughtful people who prepare for action and obedience that in the end will result in glory to God.

Watermelon of Peace

I received the following letter in an email this week. I wanted to pass it on to you all to encourage you to continue praying for and supporting Dave and Louise Sinclair-Peters and their family in Thailand.

Hi Friends,

Last night at the Burmese worship service, the church was packed with seekers and worshippers of Jesus, enjoying God's presence. Suddenly out of the blue, our drunk neighbour became irate with the noise and started yelling and cursing at everyone, especially Sandy, telling her to stop the noise.

In a rage, the man went and got a gun and started firing it off into the air repeatedly!

Sandy quickly got all the kids and adults to go inside and shut the door. We felt very bad for all the Burmese inside, and their constant fear of being arrested by the police.

With everyone safely inside, Sandy stood outside the church all alone, guarding her people. With news of the angry neighbour, Dave raced back from the market to help Sandy. He boldly went over to the man with the gun and spent time listening to his complaints.

Then like a good Anabaptist, Dave said sorry for the noise and gave the man a watermelon (too bad he didn't have any roll kuchen with him :)! After that, the man calmed down and went back to his house.

So today I would like to give a medal of bravery to Sandra Fender for her courage shown protecting our Believers last night.

I would also like to give a peace prize to my husband, Dave, for bringing the "watermelon of peace" and so gently diffusing the conflict!

Please continue to pray for the Thai and Burmese church as we live and work in this "wild west" Thai community.

Please pray with us for God's favour and protection for all the Believers.


Thanks for standing with us in prayer!

Louise

A Habitude of Gratitude!

The past few weeks I have been desiring to make a habit of gratitude. My eyes have been hunting for opportunities to receive God in my moments. To know His presence and to be overwhelmed by it. To want Psalm 27:4,

One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek Him in His temple.

Hurry and impatience have become triggers of ingratitude and a signal for a paradigm shift in thinking.

Here are a few of my thankful moments that have allowed me to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD...

While struggling with the immense task of zipping zippers of a grade one students, tying snotty scarves around exposed chins and curbing petty tattle-tailing I want to walk away and catch a moment in the restroom but am captivated by the gentleness of Mrs. "R" who is fully enjoying a moment of prolonged interaction with her grade 2 student, her little brother and her Mom. I am changed by her peaceful lingering, her honest smile and her sincere words.

Deciding that maybe it just was impossible to ring this little girl into the learning circle today. Maybe it wasn't worth the effort. Maybe she just deserved to be left to her own demise...but knowing that there had to be a way...maybe I just couldn't know it...
finding a moment of quiet...in that, realizing I was once again taking myself too seriously...my call is to love each one of them not to shoo them away...to take lessons from my husband and be silly with them...to entertain their silliness and their penchant for the moment.
She is engaged. She's had a change of heart. So have I. I am thankful for a sense of humour and a husband who broadens mine.

Hurrying home to tell the girls that their favourite song activity scored big subbing points in the classroom. Measured by student comments such as - "You rock!" Seeing their smile.

Some things come into view only because I want to notice them. Like the first light of the day. Our days are becoming longer.

A quiet moment.
A child writing letters on my back when I am tired.
A cozy blanket.
Watching our dog run wild somehow feeling in his winter fur that winter is losing its grip.
An impromptu date with my child.
Crunchy snow underfoot.
An afternoon nap.
A friends visit.
God loving a young heart to Himself.
A cup of warm tea with a new friend.
Knowing that a smile holds no language barrier between an ESL student and a teacher.

Receiving a video from my husband to watch with my son. Daddy knows his son so well.



Laughing with my boy.

Coming to cuddle with my boy at night and finding him with his knees up empathizing with the mini Darth Vader. Trying to use the force himself to raise the bedding. I say, "You use the force every time you ask me to cuddle at night!"

Seeing him smile.