Wednesday Aaaah

Yesterday we ended up with 16 Students and Leaders and Teacher from Keeseekoowenin School,   a Canadian-Ukrainian family,  a fellow looking for Irish musicians, a Museum Volunteer's  Brother-in-law from Red Deer Alberta,   a Condo Board Director,  a Cap Badge enthusiast,  a Reservist,  and an Officer coming into the Museum.   At the end of the day,  Mr. Neale (Curator Emeratus of 87 years of age) said, "I think I need a seat!  I am tired!"   Indeed.  Yet his enthusiasm never waned.   How neat is that!  Joyous Occasions.


Wednesday Retreat....
Prayer:   Holy God,  as we go out into the world this day, may we know Your presence as we give witness to Your love and grace.   Help us to know the peace of Christ in times of trouble, doubt, and sorrow.  Help us remember that You are with us in our life’s journey.  For this and all things, we give You thanks and praise.  Amen.

Read St. Matthew 22: 1 - 14

Jesus tells the Chief Priests and Elders another Parable.   Jesus begins by saying,
“The Kingdom of God is like a King who threw a wedding banquet for his son.” 

Everyone likes a wedding!  It is a time of great joy!   Yet this was a wedding were all of the invited guests would not attend.  WHAT?  Who wouldn’t want to attend a wedding?

God’s love is open to all but many ignore God’s love.   

Then  the King tells his servants to go out into the streets and invite anyone to come to the wedding.    People came to the wedding in droves.  It was a joyous occasion.

Yet the King looks out over the guests and spots a man who wasn’t properly dressed. 

In Jewish culture,  guests donned a “wedding garment”…this garment was not an everyday piece of cloth but something saved for special occasions.   This man was not wearing a wedding garment.    But to be asked at the last minute to attend a wedding and then get all upset because a last minute guest isn’t wearing the proper clothes seems to be nit picking.     In fact the King says to the man, “Friend, how dare you come in here looking like that!”  The man was speechless.  Then the King instructs his servants to tie up the man and throw him outside into the horrors of life.

Huh?   Does that make any sense?   Why did the King get upset with a guest who was invited at the last minute and then wasn’t dressed properly?  Two reasons.  First  God’s invitation is one of grace. God’s invitation is open to anyone.   Christ dined with tax collectors and sinners.   Yet this one guest at the wedding stands out and then gets tossed out.   Here Jesus is stating that sometimes those who accept God’s grace end up abusing God’s grace.  And that is not acceptable.  There is more to this story than merely wearing the wrong cloths.  This man had the wrong attitude!  Second reason was even at the last minute when one is invited to a wedding and knows that one needs to wear special clothes,  this man decided to be lazy and not take the extra two seconds to find and wear the special wedding clothes. 

Jesus then says that many are invited but only a few make it.   

Prayer:  Great God,  we pray that we may grow together in the knowledge and understanding of God’s Word.    Strength us by Your Spirit so that we can share Your love and purpose with everyone we meet this day.  This we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Tuesday at the Museum

For Old Son and myself,  yesterday was a time of retreat.   A time away from the ordinary work of Church and Museum and Cadets and Reservist duties.    Yesterday we went out to the Firearms Range and had a blast!  Two handguns and one M-4.  Wow.   What amazing weapons.   But who knew that the stance for a handgun was the same as the stance for Tai Chi!    It is in times of "hummm"  when one realizes that there is one Creator over all.  And that is reasurring.   Especially as the Museum has a big grant application to complete before tomorrow and a new tour booked for next week.   We are already praying for God's guidance and healing in trying to do too many events in too short a time.

Husband Mine is in Winnipeg for the week.  Many prayers for hospitality at all meetings he attends and for travelling mercies as he drives to all the meetings.   

On the quilting front.... I am doing research on what quilt design to create for our Tai Chi Society's  January New Year Celebrations. (Which means quilt books all over the living floor!)   The fabrics are all purchased:  red, gold, and black with dragons on the black fabric.   But for months the quilt design has alluded me.  If anyone has any ideas,  please let me know!

Remember this day to make time to be in God's presence.  Rest in God's love and compassion.  And most importantly,  like Jesus asking the two blind men "What do you want me to do for you".... we can answer this same question with God.  Our God is a God of love and is delighted to hear from us.  And then we need to remember to listen! :)

Tuesday Retreat.....

Prayer:   We cry out to You today O Lord,   have mercy upon us.   Have mercy upon us and grant us Your peace.   Amen.

Read  St. Matthew 20: 29 – 34

Two blind men were sitting by the side of the road.   The two men were sitting by the roadside in order to ask for money.   Because they were blind,  the Jewish community assumed that either they have sinned or their families had sinned.   Being blind meant that you were excluded from being part of their family.  How were they to eat and live?  By sitting away from any town,  by being on the roadside and asking anyone who walked by for alms. 

Yet when Jesus walks by,  the two blind men shout, “Lord, Son of David!  Have mercy upon us!”    Jesus stops and asks them “What do you want me to do for you?”  The two blind men respond that they want their sight.  Re-gaining their sight means they were whole and healed and could re-join their families.   

Jesus has compassion upon them,  touches their eyes (which made him unclean.  Hummm!) and they are healed.     

In order to verify that they were healed and could go back to their families,  they would have gotten up and presented themselves to the Priest.   The Priest would then have declared them healed.

What do you think the Priest would say when he saw these two men healed of their blindness?     

What do our Churches do this day for those who are on the outside of our communities?  Do we help heal the blind and those who are ill?

Prayer:  Almighty King,  we go forward with Christ, from death to new life.  We move on a firm foundation of dry ground that is none other than the faithfulness of God whose loving mercy endures forever.  Help us O Lord to take courage knowing that as we help others,  the promises of God of renewed life are for us and for all others.  This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Many blessings!

Delightful Tuesday

Old Son and I were at the Swiftsure Sea Cadets last night giving a Presentation on D-Day.   It was a great learning experience for all of us.   The majority of the Sea Cadets did not know anything about D-Day.   It was an honour to share some of the Veterans memories of D-Day and describe why it is important that we never forget events like D-Day.   Next Monday,  the Sea Cadets will be serving Tea and Sandwiches to the Veterans, their families, and the community at the Museum's D-Day Event.

How awesome to be able to share history with youth aged 12 to 18.   Hopefully they will never forget D-Day and the sacrifice from all countries involved in D-Day.

How too with the Gospel.  May we share the Good News of Jesus with youth so that they never forget God's wonderful grace and love.

Today is a Museum tour for the Kiwanis Club of Brandon.  It will be an honour to give them a tour and let them know why we keep artefacts from XII MB Dragoons and 26 Fd Regiment Royal Canadian Artillery....     Keeping the history alive is even more important when sharing the Good News of Jesus!  No matter what age-- share the gospel!    

Prayer:   Lord,  You have walked with others.  Be our companion now and in the days to come.  Embrace us in Your steadfast love and give us that deep peace which comes as we live in You and You live in us.  This we ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.   (PCC The Book of Common Worship)

Read St. Matthew  18:  1 – 9

And frequently we think the Disciples have really understood the words and work of Jesus and then a story like this comes along and we realize how “human” the disciples really were!

The disciples come to Jesus and ask who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Did Jesus smack his head against a wall and start muttering, “How come they just don’t get it?   After all my teaching,  how come they just don’t get it?”   No,   Jesus looks around and finds a child.  Jesus places a child in the midst of the disciples and says, “I’m telling you that unless you return to square one and start over like children,  you’re not even going to get a look at the kingdom, let alone get in.  Whoever becomes simple and elemental again, like this child, will rank high in God’s kingdom. What’s more, when you receive the childlike on my account, it’s the  same as receiving me”  (The Message  St. Matthew 18: 3-5).

Now Jesus is not talking about keeping our faith at a Grade 1 level all of our lives but trusting in Jesus simply and easily.    

It is simple really.  Trust in Jesus.  And there you are!

Prayer:   Gracious God,  forgive us and help us to forgive others.  Heal us from the pain of self condemnation.  Free us from the burden of failures that cannot be corrected.  Renew us with Your loving assurance that our sins have been forgiven, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Redeemer.  Amen.  (PCC The Book of Common Worship)

Many blessings!