Whatever He Says

The sun warmed my skin as I rounded a curve in the road on my Sunday morning walk, my eyes drawn up to gaze into the clear deep blue dome above me. When I looked down again, there, to my surprise was a tiny bird's nest. I picked it up, amazed. I'd never seen such a small nest before, and when I looked inside, there was a miniature coppery pine cone, not moving from the place where it seemed to be secured. I hid the nest safely in some undergrowth and continued my walk. When I returned, I picked it up and took it home. Later, hidden in a small brown paper carrier bag, it went with me to morning service at church. I'd been asked to pray for the children that morning before they went down to Sunday School. I came across a small bunch of them in the church foyer, looking for all the world like a modern version of the 1950s TV show, The Little Rascals. I interrupted whatever mischief was brewing and told them I was looking for a "show-er" and a "reader o...

By Belinda A few weeks ago I wrote about winning a silent auction in which the prize was a breakfast each month at Cora's for a year . I decided to use these  breakfasts for precious time alone. For thinking/studying/writing--just solitude. This was after discovering accidentally, that a solitary restaurant breakfast was not the odd and lonely occasion that I had assumed it would be. October was the first month on my little blue card with 12 golden suns. One day last week I realized that I was rapidly running out of October mornings and so I penciled breakfast into this day in my Day-timer and then forgot about it until yesterday when I checked my agenda for today. I couldn't just abandon Paul entirely, so I had coffee with him and told him I was going to Cora's. "Alone?" he asked. "Yes," I answered, feeling suddenly awkward, as though eating alone was a guilty secret indulgence. I arrived with a bag full of books, knowing in my heart how rid...

By Belinda At the end of September I wrote about a breakfast date at Canada's best breakfast restaurant: Cora’s ; with my young musician friend; Luisa.. The post was entitled Go to the Instrument , and in it, among other things, I described our comedy of errors in getting together--me missing my exit from the highway and getting delayed by construction as I tried to backtrack to the restaurant--and Luisa sleeping in. In the process of all of the mix ups--before we actually did connect and have a wonderful four hour visit together, I had breakfast alone thinking that Luisa was not coming. Eating alone in a restaurant was something I had never done before and I found it unexpectedly wonderful; sitting with a book, some delicious oatmeal, and a coffee cup that was filled every time I emptied it. I wrote that God had given me a gift I hadn't expected that morning, the gift of solitude--and later I also got the gift I was looking forward to--a visit with Luisa. Earlier that mo...

My friend Dave wrote on his blog Chewing the Fat on Thursday, that he had a request for an interview from a writer in Alberta. The person was writing an article on people from the area that includes Dave's home town, "who went on to international success in their chosen fields." Dave was feeling nervous. A powerful speaker on his area of expertise; he lacked confidence in having anything to say about himself. And besides, nobody that knew him as a child, expected him to amount to anything at all. At the start of Jesus' public ministry a similar thing happened to him: Luke 4:22 (New Living Translation) 22 Everyone spoke well of him and was amazed by the gracious words that came from his lips. “How can this be?” they asked. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” I thought about the two questions that Jesus asked the apostles about his identity: Luke 9:18-20 (New Living Translation) 18 One day Jesus left the crowds to pray alone. Only his disciples were with him, and he asked the...

Matthew 25:19-21 (New International Version) 19 " After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.' 21"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' As I drove into work this morning I gave my day and my self to God. I prayed, "Use me." I laid my self open to him and asked for forgiveness; cleansing, from the sins that daily cloud my heart and soul. I prayed, "Make me usable." And I thought of what and who I am; created for a unique purpose in the fabric of this time and place on earth. I prayed, "Make me useful." Later that day, my co-worker Greg and I were doing an interview and talking with ...