I like to get lost. I enjoy it.
I like to find another way. I want to see the surprising view, the hidden vista.
I want to feel clever when my directional acumen (that’s a real thing – and I have it) lands me in the right neighbourhood again.
I welcome the unknown road. I welcome the bend that reveals a new landscape.
It brings me joy. It is like a deep sigh.
I met a friend for lunch today. We are facing into greater restrictions in Ireland, and so we will not be able to meet again until December.
She said to me, “I just feel sad; this heavy weight of sadness.”
“In the darkness something was happening at last.
A voice had begun to sing…
There were no words. There was hardly even a tune. But it was, beyond
comparison, the most beautiful noise he had ever heard. It was so
beautiful he could hardly bear it.”
from The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis
Two weeks ago I was asked to spend some time “reflecting on my life’s journey”. I was given some ideas of how to structure this, but the impression that I kept coming back to was the description of the creation of Narnia as told by Lewis in The Magician’s Nephew.
Aslan sings and calls the animals from the ground, and breathing on them, he gives them voices and intelligence of their own. His tune calls the flowers from the ground and the chorus of the stars joins in his song.
Psalm 42:1-5
As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, my God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
When can I go and meet with God?
My tears have been my food day and night,
while people say to me all day long,
“Where is your God?”
These things I remember as I pour out my soul:
how I used to go to the house of God
under the protection of the Mighty One
with shouts of joy and praise
among the festive throng.
Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Saviour and my God.
Psalm 42 and 43 were probably once all one psalm. They were written by a Levite, a “son of Korah”, one who led worship for the people of Israel.
The author finds himself in exile among the Gentiles (43:1). They oppress him, mock and taunt him for his faith (42:3, 10; 43:2). It seems like it will always be like this. Read the rest of this entry
This week I bought a ukulele. I did a little research and I found some shops within a reasonable distance that sell ukes (as those of us who love them like to call them). I decided to buy an alto (or “concert”) ukulele. It’s just a couple inches longer than the soprano ukulele and has a fuller sound. And so I did it. I bought a ukulele at a music shop not far from here. Read the rest of this entry
Tomorrow is Father’s Day, and I’ve been thinking about my Dad.
My dad lived by this verse…
Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 1 Corinthians 4:2
My Dad always endeavored to be faithful – as a child/servant of God, a husband, a father, a grandfather, a friend, a pastor. He would say that he was not always so, but that was his desire. Read the rest of this entry
About two months ago I was invited to a barbecue. The shortened version of the invitation read like this:
BBQ
Saturday, May 25th
Kathi’s house
Kathi has plenty of space if anyone wants to sleep over…
As I read this I laughed out loud, my mind began to race and I had to ask myself the question, “Did I know about this? Did I forget this?” I was fairly confident that this was new information to me, as I had no recollection at all of a related conversation (other than “we should have another barbecue…”). I checked my calendar and responded that I would be free and able to attend the barbecue at my house on the 25th. (The one who issued the invitation then sent his first apology, followed by two more apologies… at which point I told him to stop.) Read the rest of this entry
Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; and I will glorify your name forever. Psalm 86:11, 12
My heart is undivided. I want to know God’s way and walk in His truth. I’m not tempted to follow any other path. I fear His name. I want to praise Him with all my heart and glorify His name forever. When I read these verses, as I did today, my heart leaps and responds and confirms these things within me. Read the rest of this entry
This week I read again a verse in Genesis that is always reassuring to me. In Gen. 12:1 the Lord says to Abram, “Leave your country, your people, and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.” That’s all the information Abram had. “Go to the land I will show you.” And Abram did it – left his country, his people, and his father‘s household.
It reminds me of a similar command that Jesus gave to some fishermen. “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matt. 4:19) They didn’t hesitate. They didn’t stop to ask – Fishers of men? What? It says in vs. 20 that “At once they left their nets and followed Him.” Read the rest of this entry
What I Would Have Said 