Amazing Thursday

Today is Day Two of the Brandon Summer Fair.    The Museum has a 10 foot booth for the
Summer Fair.   Old Son wore a WW2 Battle Dress ensemble and now has a real understanding of the words "wool"  and "hot".     Old Son dawned the Battle Dress ensemble and toured through the MidWay of the Fair handing out Museum Brochures.     We had twenty people tour past our display table.     Each person that trotted past looking (either for food or the washroom,  we're quite sure) ended up being given a 1 cup serving of the Queen's  Buckingham Palace Garden Party Tea.   We said that is was to commemorate D-Day.     Guess today when we hand out the tea it will be D-Day +1.   :)

Today there are enough volunteers that we don't need to fill in anywhere so all we need to do is show the volunteers what we have to set up and then we are away to begin accessioning the Bennett Collection.

In this summer time of busy-ness,  remember to take time to be in God's presence!  I am so greatful that in these past four days of standing and lifting and hauling that there is created something called "Epsoms Salts".  It is so refreshing each evening to stick my aching feet into a pail of epsom salted waters.   Thank you God for epsom salts!

Thursday Retreat....

Prayer:   Great God,  whether we are to sit in Your presence,  rest in Your love,  or work sharing the Gospel,   may we do what we need to do today with Your joy and in Your great love.  This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Read  St. Matthew 20: 1 – 16

What is the Kingdom of God?   Jesus tells the disciples that the Kingdom of God is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard.  They agreed upon a wage.   The landowner discovers by the third hour,  sixth hour, and ninth hour that he needs more help.   And he agrees to pay the men all the same wage.

At the end of the day,  the men who were hired first were upset because everyone received the same wage.  The men who worked a full day did not think that it was fair to be paid the same amount the men who only worked one hour were paid. The landowner then says that he was not unfair.  They had agreed upon a wage and he had paid them that wage.     The last shall be first and the first will be last.

    

So too those who have been God’s chosen people for thousands of years had been called “God’s chosen people”.  Yet,  the gentiles now were becoming God’s people.   No matter how long or how short of a time one returns to God,  God gives love unconditionally.

Prayer:   Creator God,  we return to You again this day seeking Your guidance for our lives.    We come before You in silence now so that we can listen to Your words this day………     (sit in silence for a few minutes, listening for the word of God).     Great God,  we are listening,  speak to us……….       For the words You have given us today we give You thanks and praise.  In Jesus’ name we  pray.  Amen.

D-Day Commemoration

Today is the commemoration of the landing of troops on Juno Beach,  Normandy France ...
 6 June 1944.     It was great knowing that 21 youth (Sea Cadets of 60 Swiftsure) now know what D-Day is all about and will never ever forget what our Veterans did for them.   

And a huge thank you to Husband Mine who washed dishes and table cloths galore yesterday.  A huge thank you to the Museum Volunteers for having the stamina to do the D-Day tea,  museum yesterday, then driving to Virden to celebrate with joy and saddness the XII MB Dragoons 2528 Virden Army Cadets.   A couple of weeks ago one of the Virden Cadets died in a bike accident.  Many prayers for his family and the Cadet Corps.   The Annual Ceremonia Review was amazing!  They are one fine Corps!

Today is also the beginning of the Brandon Summer Fair.  Our Museum is involved with a display table.  Hurrah for sensible sandals!  :)
Remember today in the midst of the hustle and bustle to take time to just be in God's presence....

Wednesday Retreat.....
Prayer:  Great God,  we already know you have given us eternal life.  Kindle in our hearts the ight of Your love so that we can share Your love with others ths day.  this we ask in Jesus' name.  Amen.

Read  St. Matthew 19: 16 - 30

One day a man stops Jesus and asks him, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"  Or as the King James translates "Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?"
May have eernal life... is another way of asking how one can inherit eternal life.  Eternal life can not be inherited.  Eternal life was given to us upon Jesus' death.

Jesus asks the man who he wants to know what is good.  God is good.  If the man wants to enter into the life of God, just do what God tells him.  Keep the commandments.  the man persists, "What in particular?"  Jesus provides the man with a partial list of the Commandments.  The man replies that he has done all these things so what is left to do?   Jesus responds and says, "Then give all you have to the poor and follow me".  The man was not expecting Jesus to say this, so he walks away taking his riches with him.

Jesus says to the disciples that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.
There is no mention here of how rich the man acutally was, only that he was a rich man.  Perhaps he had three more sheep than everyone else in his village.  We don't know.  But one thing we do know is that it was his riches that become a stumbling block between he and God.

What about our Church finances.  Are these Church finances becoming a stumbling block to sharing the Good News of God within our community?  Are we keeping our Church monies for a rainy day for the Church building and not sharing them with missions?  Does Jesus tell us again through this story of the rich man to give away all our Church's Finances to the poor and follow Jesus?

Prayer:  You give to us blessings,  honour, and power forever to do the work of Your Church.  Give us joy to carry out York work in this world so that when life gets touch and others get distressed we may shine forth Your light and Your love.  In Jesus' name we pray.  Amen.