OK, so I was stupid. I can be forgiven for a bit of stupidity. I sailed over to Pictou Island to spend the night in the safety of the Western Wharf with my family. The next morning I planned to … Read more
Archive for June, 1997
The Rudder
You have no idea how much work goes in to preparing for the sailing season. Hours and hours are spent on the hard stuff – scraping and sanding and smoothing and then painting and polishing. Making the boat look good … Read more
Set Your Sails
When you sail, everyone thinks they have instant gifts for you. All they need to find is something with the word in it and 'presto', an instant gift. Take the new mug in my office. It contains a picture of … Read more
Sitting In The Sailboat
It's the race of the year. Every bit of gear has been checked and rechecked, every piece of rigging gone over again and again. We are ready for anything. The starter's horn sounds and we're off! And there we sit, … Read more
A Season For Sailing
OK. Why is the Church like a sailboat? Give up? Because so much energy goes in to keeping the thing repaired and so little time is left to do the activity it was made for. When I talk about sailing, … Read more
A Troubled Heart
Recently I was talking with one of my neighbours over the back fence as we hung out our laundry. Suddenly the conversation plunged from trivialities into one of those deep places that are always there, just under the surface. She … Read more
The Journey's End
The phone rings in the night. A childhood friend has just died. I sit in the dark and wonder again about life and what life means, especially for her now that death has come. She found out many years ago … Read more
Lawn Mowing
Yesterday I passed by a young boy learning how to mow the lawn. He stretched his arms up as high as they would go just barely reaching the mowers' handles. Even over the motor you could hear the young child's … Read more
Keep The Ball Low
In an old Peanuts comic strip, Charlie Brown attempts to explain the mystery of life to his friend, Lucy. He says, "Be kind. Don't smoke. Be prompt. Smile a lot. Eat sensibly. Avoid cavities. Mark your ballot carefully. Avoid too … Read more
It Takes All Kinds
Max Christensen has written a book entitled, Turning Points: Stories of People who made a Difference, and in it he recounts the stories of many nobodies who become somebody because they trust God and believe God wills the very best … Read more
More Than Skin Deep
Evidently, judging from Jesus' parable of the mustard seed, God looks at things differently than we do. Is that surprising? What we regard as common, small, of little account, God regards as miraculous, wonderful, what the kingdom is all about. … Read more
In God's Eyes
A Sunday School teacher was trying to talk to the fifth grade class about being called by God. The teacher really tried to make the story come alive, telling of Jesus' call to those who fished or collected taxes, the … Read more
Why Me Lord? (What Have I Ever Done?)
William Willimon begins a meditation with a series of questions we do well to ask ourselves. "Why are you here?" he asks. "Not why are you here, here at church, but why are you here, you of all people? You … Read more
Miracles And Wonders
As a young person I was impressed with the number of people that Jesus healed in his ministry and how this was continued by the apostles as in these verses from Acts 5. Healing the sick was clearly a normal … Read more
Don't Worry – Be Happy
He came to me again after church and simply said "Luke 12". He's done this before and I know the code for a breakthrough in this man's life. He had experienced personal, health, and business failure and his life had … Read more
Prayer Of Abandonment (2)
Yesterday I offered you this "Prayer of Abandonment" to God, written by Charles de Foucauld: Father, I abandon myself into your hands; do with me what you will. Whatever you may do, I thank you: I am ready for all; … Read more
Prayer Of Abandonment (1)
At the beginning of this century, Charles de Foucauld, a deeply committed servant of Christ, took these words from the Lord's Prayer and made them personal for the immense benefit of folk who are seeking to grow spiritually. This prayer … Read more
The Graduate: Part 4… Love
Be true to yourself, believe in yourself, and love yourself. Remember the story of Narcissus who looked into a pool of water and fell in love with his own reflection? This isn't what I mean by self love. Love of … Read more
The Graduate: Part 3… Trying
There is an old saying that goes like this: You never know what you can do until you try. Maybe you feel that way about graduation, maybe even more about what you will be doing next. Bonaro Overstreet has added … Read more
The Graduate: Part 2… Happiness
A word of wisdom that no book can ever teach is how to be happy. The longer I live the more I realize that God wishes for us to be happy in life, to enjoy life and love life. Long … Read more
The Graduate: Part 1… Kindness
Henry James was one of those strange philosophers who would use twenty words where one would do, and who would speak in riddles when plain speaking was necessary. When his nephew Billy was leaving home, Henry James called him aside … Read more
Serving, Not Self-Serving
When Jesus visited Mary and Martha in Luke 10, Martha chastised Jesus that he allowed her sister Mary to sit listening at his feet rather than help with the preparations for the meal. Jesus kindly rebukes her and sets her … Read more
Clare The Angel
Peter tells us that everyone has some gifts; everyone has something that they can do. It's simply a case of finding your gift, accepting the opportunity to use it and then following through prayerfully. When I was home after the … Read more
What Do You Want Me To Do For You?
Jesus takes the time to heal blind Bartimaeus when he cries out for mercy. The Son of God, surrounded by endless requests and wearied by miles of walking, looked need squarely in the face and asked, "What do you want … Read more
Job Description – Servant
In Genesis 24, Abraham asks his chief servant to find a wife for Isaac, not among the women of Canaan, but among Abraham's own people in north-west Mesopotamia. Eliezer takes the first step in being a faithful servant and accepts … Read more
Serving, Not Self-Promotion
These words were spoken by the Son of God on a day when his disciples needed a proper perspective on servanthood. James and John ask Jesus if they might sit on either side of him in heaven, one at his … Read more
- Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy