SETTING SAIL

I’m standing on the seashore. A ship appears and spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the ocean. She is an object of beauty and I stand watching her till at last she fades away on the horizon and someone at my side quietly says, "She is gone." Gone where? Gone from my vision, that is all. She is just as large as when I saw her last. The diminished size and the total loss of sight is in me, not in her. Just at the moment when someone at my side says, "She is gone," there are others who are watching her coming and other voices take up the joyful shout, "Here she comes!"
-- Robert Browning

Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel... Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
~Ephesians 6:19-20~

SAY WHAT?!

for the past 23 years, i've attended many surprise parties for other people. and each time, i've wondered whether i'd ever get my turn. well, last night, i got it good. and the funniest thing was that it wasn't a birthday party, or even a going away party. it was my church commissioning service! yah. a surprise commissioning service. :)

my good friend conned me into going to church by booking me for coffee and then saying she had to photocopy something at church. so i happily went along. hah. little did i know what was waiting for me! anyway, it was a very touching evening and i feel more undeserving of the love of God and of all my friends as ever. to understand the story fully though, i must backtrack a bit. 'cuz i realize it might seem odd to have to have a mid-week surprise commissioning service.

my commissioning service was originally scheduled for this past sunday. however, on saturday, the church sewage pipes burst (eew) and the decision was made to cancel church the next day. my initial reaction was disappointment and frustration at God - how could He allow church to be cancelled on my commissioning sunday?! i've mentioned before that i've been going through the excercise of asking God to let me look into His eyes and really see His face. so saturday night, after i heard the news, my thoughts were God, i don't understand you right now. i can't even vaguely see your face let alone look into your eyes! and God softly answered shhh... put aside your initial emotional reactions and look closer. so i did. and i actually saw His eyes for the first time. eyes full of deep love. smiling eyes. eyes with a little twinkle in them. as if God had something up His sleeve. and i smiled, knowing that there was something surprising and delightful that was in store for me.

and so, after the initial shock of seeing a room full of people who were there expressly for me, i got the joke. had the sewage pipes not burst, none of us would have experienced such a beautiful, memorable evening of celebrating God's goodness and stepping into a new place of faith. this was why God had a twinkle in His eye! :)

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD , "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future [and surprises!]"
~Jeremiah 29:11[translation mine]~

WHY THE MOON?

the following is an excerpt from a speech delivered by President John F. Kennedy at Rice University after he was told it would take forty years for man to reach the moon. its content reflects part of my motivation for going overseas and taking on the challenge of utilizing the arts to tell the multitudes in East Asia about the love of Christ.

But why, some say, the moon? Why choose this as our goal? And they may well ask, why climb the highest mountain? Why, thirty-five years ago, fly the Atlantic? Why does Rice play Texas?

We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard! Because THAT GOAL will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills. Because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept,... one we are unwilling to postpone,... and one we intend to win, and the others too!

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
~Philippians 3:14~

ME? JUGGLE?

strolling through Place Jacques-Cartier in the heart of Old Montreal, our family came across a crowd of people watching a street performer intently. in front of him stood a boy, about 9 or 10 years old, listening carefully to the man's instructions. the lesson at hand? juggling 101.

from the boy's sheepish demeanour, it was obvious that he had never tried juggling before, let alone in front of a group so large. but the busker was skilled. he only asked that the boy keep looking at him and concentrate on catching the bowling-pin-shaped object with his left hand, switching it to his right and throwing it with his right hand to the man's left hand. simple, really. and so they practiced with one pin. then two. then three. then four. by then, we were all cheering and laughing at the wonderful accomplishment this was for the young boy. but then the busker added a FIFTH pin! this just topped it all. within the span of maybe ten minutes, an untrained boy was juggling five objects back and forth between him and this master!

as the show ended and we all carried on our merry way, i couldn't help but notice that my heart was lighter and i had a smile on my face. and i reflected on how the simple act of empowerment by this street performer had probably made the day (and maybe the life!) of this young boy. i marveled at the ripple effect it had on everyone watching.

seemingly impossible tasks are not so bad when you trust the right coach to lead you through.

I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.
~Proverbs 4:11~