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.

Childhood Home

Standing on the steps of the old town hall in the hamlet of Whitechurch, I gaze across the street and glimpse my childhood home. It felt rather strange to be looking at the house where I spent the first 23 years of my life. After being gone for 12 years it's almost easier not to see the old home.

This is the view of the front of the house.

This sign is the saddest reminder of days gone by. A running joke, and yet it hurts. This sign post used to host a sign that advertised my father's cabinet keeper business. Over the years I have seen this sign frame hold clothes for a garage sale or just remain bare. And I only have one question... why has the sign post never been removed.

Here is the view I spotted from the steps of the town hall. My bedroom was the second one in from the top left... I wonder if it is still a pastel pink room with green and brown carpet.

And this is papa's shop - a place where we spent many hours using our hands and some fun equipment to build wooden things of beauty. The smell of sawdust still brings happy memories to my mind.

"Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of your deeds."
Psalm 73:23-28
Celebrating 25 years of marriage with neighbours I used to babysit for was a blast. Being invited over to an older set of next door neighbours was quite cozy, but as converstations continued it was hard to hear that so many of the people that are a part of my precious memories have passed on. A few have moved away, but the village will never be what I remember it to be... a small community with only forty houses, and very few kids. My brothers and I spend endless hours together, roaming free around the village... and loving every minute of it.
But the Lord has led us all down different paths, away from the hamlet and in to the suburbs. Thankfully I can delight in the Lord... He will always be my Home away from home. My shelter from the storm. My resting place.

Wash Me

One big toe slips under the shower curtain, braving the temperature testing, and realizes that the water is perfect for the rest of the body to join. Water splashes down from above - washing off the dirt and dead skin. With a little help from a cloth and a bar of soap, the extra grime, stickiness, and stains disappear and wash away down the drain. Like so many other bathers, a song pops in to my head... "Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow!"


It dawned on me that it's not about how hard I work at becoming clean, or striving to be good. Grace is all about God and His precious Son, Jesus. Continually I need to ask for the Holy Spirit to come in, cleanse me, renew me, and guide me so that I can live a life that stays away from the dirt stains and sticky saps.

"Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow." Psalm 51:2,7

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless." Ephesians 5:25-27