Cabinet Keeper Flames

Last week campfires crackled over perfectly dried pine and maple logs. The more wood the higher the flames. Perfection in my eyes, since I'm bit of a pyro. Plus, the bigger the fire, the better the coals. Deep reds, pinks, and whites. The art changes in the pit, but by morning the fire is gone.

As children, my brothers and I used to burn huge boxes that my Dad's Maitland Kabinet Keeper cupboards were shipped in. We'd take three or four boxes, sometimes 2.5' by 5' tall, and create picturesque teepee fires. On days when we were feeling slightly more adventurous, we would take a pail full of sawdust from under Dad's table saw, and hold it over the fire, sprinkling the sawdust slowly over the fire so that the fire had a ladder to climb. We would toss the bucket when we could no longer handle the heat in our hands. I must admit that we did this when Mom and Dad weren't around, but one time we still got caught because the flames had risen so high and hot it killed half the new maple tree beside my Dad's shop. He wasn't impressed, we could have destroyed his livelihood.

Big fires, little fires, or a tiny candle, they all burn when they are being fed... and that made me think about my soul at the moment. I am a small candle that is struggling to burn. I feel like I have lost a lot of zeal and I want to once again be on fire for God.

Last night, Dad was super tired, but decided that he would still read the Today Booklet (July 28, 2010) and Bible after supper, for devotions. When he came to the final prayer he read: "Father, we know that now is the time for us to pay attention and stay awake." And then he let out a huge yawn, and I started to chuckle, thinking that was ironic timing. He continued with "Help us so that we can be in tune with you always, like Jesus. In his name, Amen. "

The yawn was a second reminder of how dull I feel life is for me. I'm ready for adventure, service, passion... and I am really trying to pay attention to God's voice in all these things.

John the Baptist once told the people that "I will baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." Matthew 3:11

Just a few short years later, in Acts 2:3 "They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them."

Lord, please send your fire into my heart, so that I can burn bright for you.

Life

Waking up to the sound of a humming noise, my first thought is that Dad is making a cake. Upon traipsing upstairs I notice that Dad is not standing at the kitchen counter - mixing, but sitting at the table, feeding a paper shredder. "Life, oh life!" is being shredded. 2001, 2002, 2003 will not be moved again.

Deciding to have cereal for breakfast, I open the cupboard door and choose to eat (shreddie-shaped) cinnamon flavored Life. Life is being torn up in my mouth, but hopefully the nourishment will strengthen my day... which is so different than the paper shredder that has erased a part of life.

Last week I celebrated 34 years of life and I thank God for every moment. The adventures God has brought me through have been truly spectacular. And I'm simply excited about continuing to journey with the Lord, wherever He may lead.

"Jesus answered, 'Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.'" John 4:13,14

A Sunday Drive

Can we pretend that airplanes
In the night sky
Are like shooting stars?
I could really use a wish right now...
The new B.O.B. song blares from my radio as I head out in my silver Cavalier, bright and early Sunday morning. For the past two weeks I have been watching a lot of planes fill the sky, especially when the G20 and G8 took place, and so I often found this little tune passing through my radio head. And most of the time my wish is that I were on an airplane, in any coloured sky, flying somewhere new. BUT, for now, I am home and enjoying the beauty of my surroundings.

I stopped on my road trip to take a picture of majestic horses grazing in the hills.
By 9:30 am I arrived at my destination - Stratford CRC, to attend the baptism of my cousin's daughter. It was a precious ceremony of both confession and celebration. Confessing how often we take new life for granted, and celebrating how this little doll is officially a part of the family of God.

Sitting with Excitement

Happy Canada Day with Robin Mark
(Last night)
In an open field north of home, 1200 plus people are sitting on lawn chairs, accompanied by millions of mosquitos. A trailor stage is set up to host Robin Mark from Northern Ireland and a wonderful praise team. I'm lounging off to the right side, in my lawn chair, or dancing behind the chair, worshipping an amazing God, and fellowshipping with great friends.

(This morning)
Alone in the living room, I am sitting on the edge of the cushy couch, cheering for the Netherlands. Hup Holland Hup!! World Cup Soccer at its finest. The game ends 2-1 and I am pumped and wishing I were actually back in the Netherlands, cheering with some old friends.

(Now)
I am pondering about the excitement of the most glorious place - where God is sitting:

"After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments.".... The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: "Amen, Hallelujah!"
Then a voice came from the throne, saying: "Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both small and great!" Revelation 19:1,2, 4,5

Bird's Eye of a Child

Peering up in to the red maple tree, I spot a mama bird protecting four blue eggs. A precious gift of new life to decorate God's creation. I was with a preteen who was very curious about the birds and ended up spending an afternoon playing an imaginary game of "Tweet Tweet".

This young man snuck into the house and grabbed an egg from the fridge. He went outside and found a one foot dip in the ground that he decided to turn into his own nest. He surround the eggs with pine needles, placed a hoola hoop around the hole and sat in the middle of it.

I was absolutely enthralled by how he just sat there and tweeted in to the air. He continued to hold the egg, shake it, and listen to it and then return it to the nest. He was certain that the egg contained a true bird.

Eventually we went off to play other games and when we got back to the hole, the egg was gone. He was shocked. He thought his bird had already hatched, so he called out to the tree tops in search of his child. After twenty minutes of tweeting to the sky he finished his game with a smile, proud that he had taken care of such an independent and fast growing baby bird.

Now, if only we had the same excitement for the real mama bird as we have to wait patiently for days for the tiny blue eggs to crack.