Archive for January, 2017

Matching Our Words to Our Words

Tuesday, January 31st, 2017

I can’t sleep.  It probably has a lot to do with the fact that I have a head cold, but when I get up (to let me wife sleep!) I made the mistake of opening my email and Facebook.  

The more I read, the more I can’t sleep.

I’m saddened by the lack of civil dialogue.  You can’t have a dissenting opinion any more.  It’s either right (i.e., the way “I” think) or it’s “stupid”.  

I’m dismayed by the lack of civility I see – people calling each other names – some so vile and full of hate that I’m ashamed for them.  

I see lies – outright lies being circulated as truth the politicians, by the media, and by friends.  

I see hatred – hatred for those of other races, religions, political leanings, gender, occupations, financial status.

I see hypocritical words everywhere – “I will always choose love, but I won’t love those people.” “I believe in dialogue, but only if you agree with me, otherwise shut up.” “I believe in freedom of speech, but those people shouldn’t be allowed to have an opinion.”  “I trust in God, but I’m going to take matters into my own hands.”

I’m sad.

I’m tired.

I’m going back to bed.

TTFN

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Trump is President – Now What?

Friday, January 20th, 2017

Well, a few hours ago, Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States of America.  What do we do now?  We pray for him to succeed.

First of all, let me say I am Canadian, so Donald Trump is *not* my President.  But for all my American friends, he *is* yours now.  He’s your leader.  He’s a huge influence to Canadian life by virtue of that fact as well.  If he fails; if he screws up; if he messes up life in general, we are all in trouble.

So… Would I have voted for him?  No.  Would I have preferred Hillary?  No.  Who would I have voted for then it I was American?  I have no idea.

But, the democratic process of the USA, as spelled out in their constitution says that whether you like it or not; whether you voted for him or not; whether you agree with him, his policies, or the people he’s raised to high positions, he *IS* POTUS now.

No amount of ranting, protesting, demonstrating, yelling, posting on Facebook, Instagram, or your personal blogs, is going to change that.

So you have a few choices.  1) You can complain, cajole and mock, which frankly will accomplish nothing except to give you ulcers and irritate friends who may agree or disagree with you, 2) You can hide in a hole for four years and pretend the whole thing didn’t happen, which is definitely not going to accomplish anything for you, your friends, your country, the world, or anyone! or 3) You can pray that over the next four years the decisions that are made by the President and his staff are the best decisions that can be made for the good of the USA and the world.

You can either pray that he will succeed, in which case American will become great or stay great (depending on your view of where it is today), or you can pray he will fail miserably, in which case we all fail miserably, and western civilization will hurt for a long time.

The Bible tells us to pray for our leaders.  It doesn’t say to pray for the good ones only.  It doesn’t say to pray for them to fail.  We are admonished to pray for them to make wise decisions and to rule justly.

I’m not crazy about Trump becoming President, just as I’m not overjoyed that Justin Trudeau is the Prime Minister of Canada, but I’m praying for both.

How about you?

TTFN

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Why Can’t I Sleep

Thursday, January 19th, 2017

Is it worry?  Is it excitement?  Is it fear?  Is it restlessness?  Is it sadness?  Or all of the above?

Not sure.

I’ve been awake since 3:30am….  Thinking….  Thinking about

  • the church
  • work
  • family
  • the world
  • political correctness
  • the lack of courtesy
  • the lack of communication
  • the lack of shutting up
  • my lack of sleep
  • finances
  • customer service

Proverbs 3:5-7 comes to mind.

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
So does Matthew 6…
25 Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?
31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
… and Deuteronomy 31:8…
8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
… and finally Philippians 4:8…
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
I think I’ll go back to bed now.
Thank you Lord!
TTFN

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Two New Sponsored Kids

Sunday, January 15th, 2017

Over the past few months, two of the kids we sponsored through Compassion Canada, dropped out of the projects in their respective countries and hence our sponsorship of them was terminated.  We lost Paula from Columbia who we had sponsored for 8 years, and Tasya from Indonesia who our daughter had communicated with for the last 5.  We were especially sad to lose Paula, as her family had pulled her out of the program after converting to Judaism.

But today we went to the Compassion Canada website and picked up two new little 5 year old girls — Narm, from Thailand, and Kimberly from Honduras.  I wanted to sponsor a little boy from Ecuador whose name was “Jesus” but fortunately when I went looking for him today — his birthday — he was “gone”.  Someone else gave him a wonderful birthday present :).

Narm (her full name being “Nongnapat Nawpraison”) lives with her mother and father in Thailand.  Her mother and father are sometimes employed as farmers.  There are 2 children in her family and she is in kindergarten where her performance is average.  She likes to play house, do art, and play with dolls.

Kimberly lives with her father and mother in Honduras.  Her father is employed and her mom maintains their home.  She also has 2 children in her family and she loves singing and playing with dolls as well.  She turned 5 just 2 days ago.

It will be great fun hearing from them.  The letters we receive are always so much fun (and sometimes the translations make it even more fun).  It is wonderful to hear just how much they are able to buy with the extra Christmas and Birthday gifts we send (and the things they spend it on). They are SO appreciative of the support they receive and knowing that we are helping not only the child, but also the family, brings many smiles to our faces.

We now sponsor 9 children all over the world in ages varying from 5 to 21.  Over the years, we’ve had the pleasure to sponsor 19 different children.  I don’t say that to brag, but to encourage you to consider sponsoring your own kids.  We cannot recommend Compassion Canada (or Compassion International) highly enough.  They operate with immense integrity (two of the projects we sponsor kids through were actually shut down temporarily while their operations were checked out by Compassion, but are now back up and running again) with as little overhead as possible on the funds you send.  Above all however, is the fact that the children in the project are exposed to the gospel.  Compassion in unabashedly a Christian organization.  Their motto is “Releasing children from poverty in Jesus’ name” they don’t sway from that (see some of my earlier posts).

I encourage you to consider sponsoring a child through Compassion.  The joy it brings to you is immeasurable, and the joy it brings to the kids and their families is invaluable.

God bless as you consider your role in enhancing the lives of the poor around the world.

TTFN

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