Salvogesis

James 4:13-15: 13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”   Luke 12:20 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’   We were in Ottawa for a memorial service. This reminds us that indeed we never know when our time will end here, when we will be called home or – as we used to live in Ontario and our job is what it is - even when we will move to a new appointment, a new community. We never know when will be the last time we will see someone we love. I have friends I used to see everyday in different towns we used to live whom I haven’t now seen for years and I...

As you know we were in Toronto since I last had a chance to chat with you here. It was good. Our work here was actually mentioned in two workshops as positive examples – one on shelters was apparently all about our shelter (but they didn’t mention it’s name; so, that was a little weird) and one on Public Affairs (we received quite a few shout outs). We also got to go to a Blue Jays game which was fun and see a musical but then I had to go home. My cap and part of my tooth fell out – so I had to get a plane, trains, bus, ferry, and a ride to get back home in time for the dentist to try to save the tooth. I think she did. I have another appointment in the next week or two. We had planned to be in Toronto but I wound up back here. This reminds me of   Proverbs 16:9: In their hearts, humans plan their course; but the Lord establishes their steps.    and James 4:13-15: Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on bus...

My oldest daughter and I recently completed a cross Canada drive. We drove for thousands of kilometers from Toronto to Port Alberni, BC, on Vancouver Island. One of our stops along the way was Swift Current, Saskatchewan. We used to be posted to Swift Current so my daughter and I both still have friends in that community. We each spent the day driving around town and visiting our old friends and dropping into our old corps and thrift store. It was great. The sun was out. It was a perfect day. In the morning we continued on our way. We saw a pretty big funnel cloud off in the distance (I don't know if it touched down anywhere). We ran into some hail - literally the size of baseballs (I was afraid for my windshield). And Swift Current flooded. It was quite something. Yesterday Swift Current was as hot, dry, and nice as anyone could imagine. Tonight when I looked at my news feed I saw pictures of how parts of the city were underwater. This surprised me and reminded me of James 4:14 ...

Today when we hear the name Rahab, we often think of this lady whom the LORD used to save the spies and deliver Jericho into the Hebrews’ hands. Did you know the name ‘Rahab’ translated from Hebrew means ‘broad’ or ‘fat’ and in common usage it refers to ‘fierceness’, ‘insolence’, and ‘pride.’ In the Bible, the word ‘Rahab’ is used commonly as an insult for the country of Egypt. Rahab, the lady in this passage, was a marginalized, prostituted Canaanite. But Rahab is saved and Rahab is redeemed! After Rahab’s faith and deeds were used by God to save the Hebrew spies and deliver Jericho over to the LORD, do you know how the Lord transformed her life? According to Jewish tradition, she, a lady who was extremely marginalized, became the ancestor of eight priests (Tal Megillah 14b). She is listed as one of four women of  surpassing beauty  (Tal Megillah 15a). Rahab may mean ‘broad’ but this Rahab is nonetheless a beauty. She is – to quote Reba – she is not a back of the store l...

When my eldest two daughters were six and five, I would go to the park with them. In the winter we'd take our sled but in the summer we'd often ride our bikes. My six year-old had been riding her bike for a couple of years and had grown quite confident. She was quite proud that she didn’t even need training wheels anymore. She could race everywhere – zooming past her sister and I. She was an excellent bike rider. She took some risks; sometimes she crashed but she was a great bike rider and she knew it. My younger daughter was still learning to ride her bike. She told us that she was also really fast. She hadn’t been riding as long as her sister and still needed training wheels. She struck out in faith but sometimes – after a crash or getting stuck too often – she just wanted to quit. She hadn’t yet developed the perseverance that comes from faith that she can ride her bike ‘really fast.’ My elder daughter, on the other hand, knew that even if she falls off she can get up ag...

I don't know if you are familiar with the game of Cribbage. When playing a hand of Crib, you are dealt 6 (or 5) cards. The idea to to keep cards in your hand that are the same number, runs of three or more cards, or cards that are all the same suit or that add up to 15 points. Of the six cards you are dealt, you are allowed to keep four of them. You want to keep as many points as you can in your hand so you make the best choices you can. After both players have chosen hands then the deck is cut and one more card is selected. The card that is turned up becomes part of both players hands. As you can imagine that extra card can be quite significant. It can be the difference between a four point hand and twenty point hand. Sometimes the card cut favours one player, sometimes the other, sometimes neither, and sometimes both. There are games when you can't seem to get a card you want cut. There are days when you seemingly play every card perfectly but you never seem to get the cut ...

When my eldest two daughters were six and five sometimes I would go to the park with them like I do with my youngest now. In the winter we'd take our sled but in the summer we'd often ride our bikes there. My six year-old had been riding her bike for a couple of years and grown quite confident. She was quite proud that she didn’t even need training wheels anymore. She raced everywhere – zooming past her sister and I. At six, she was an excellent bike rider. She took some risks; sometimes she crashed but she was a great bike rider and she knew it. Her sister, at five, was still learning to ride her bike. She told us that she is also really fast. She hadn’t been riding as long as her sister and still needed training wheels. She headed out in faith but sometimes – after a crash or getting stuck too often – she just wanted to quit. She hadn’t yet developed the perseverance that comes from faith that she can ride her bike ‘really fast.’ My six year old daughter, on the other han...

Never Give up: Father Brebeuf, with Fathers Daniel and Davost, in 1634, "took up again the challenge of the Cross and re-established the Huron mission near the shores of the  Georgian Bay." The salvation of Souls, and the Great commission was the motivating factor for the noted perseverance of this Jesuit Priest: "Don't paddle unless you intend to always paddle" was his motto. There were people out there who did not know Jesus and he would sacrifice everything to win the continent for Christ starting with Heronia! By 1648, eleven mission posts had been set up among the Heron AND their neighbours! No less than 18 priests and four lay ministers were involved in this  ministry. Then the Iroquois attacked: "When the assault began, the two Jesuits raced among the men, shouting encouragement, urging them to pray, tending the wounded, baptizing the dying. The Iroquois prevailed. Brebeuf, Lalemant and sixty Huron warriors were captured, beaten and herded to St...