The Things I Do for My Kids

Posted on February 22, 2024 by Lynn

When we purchased our acreage thirty years ago, we prayed that our family would utilize every square inch of our yard and home. We particularly hoped the indoor pool would capture our children’s hearts and they would invite their friends here to swim and play. Over the years the pool has served as a baptismal for our church, we have hosted countless family pool parties, celebrated birthdays, church youth nights and many adult fellowships. On one memorable occasion, we had fifty students come for a youth group pool party. At one point all fifty decided to jump into the pool at the same time. The ensuing displacement of water caused a tsunami that rolled into my living room and out again. I shrugged my shoulders and decided not to panic and thought, “I will just go with the flow…literally!”

Our adult children still live close to us, and our home continues to be filled with the laughter and splashing in our pool of my kids with their friends, all their friend’s kids, and of course regular visits with our grandchildren. Summer camp outs in our yard, with young families in tents is a welcome treat. The grandchildren have swim lessons and pool parties with their friends here now.

We welcomed our seventh grandbaby into our family on February 1st. One look at our darling Luca and I was in love for the 7th time! I cherish cuddling him every chance I get. I try to memorize his newborn face because that stage goes by in the blink of an eye!

My oldest grandson turned thirteen this week. What did I just say? I blinked and thirteen years were gone just like that! I agreed to hosting his birthday pool party with ten of his friends last Saturday. I am happy to say there were no tsunamis but a good displacement of water nonetheless. The boys spent most of their time bonking each other over the head with the pool toys, doing massive belly flops and creating an impressive whirl pool while they all chased each other in one direction in the pool. A few boys, including my grandson, thought it a good idea to run outside in +2 C temperature and roll in the snow in our yard and then jump into the pool again to warm up. All good fun.

After their swim, the boys ravenously consumed eight large pizzas, drank several litres of pop, and wolfed down bags of chips. It was epic.

I spent several hours the next day mopping up floors, squeegeeing water spots off windows and vacuuming potato chip crumbs out of furniture. “All worth it,” I sighed, remembering the laughter and frivolity the day before. I give thanks to God for blessing me with a home my kids and grandchildren love to come to.

That said, I can’t imagine Luca turning thirteen…

Blink.

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Applause from Heaven

Posted on January 31, 2024 by Lynn

Last night during our small group Bible Study, we were camped out in Romans 8:1-11.

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.”

What an incredible passage! Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans is a clear presentation of the Gospel, and then how believers fall into God’s plan, and he elaborates specifically how to live according to that plan. Because of Christ’s sacrifice once and for all of us, all believers are no longer condemned to death; there is no eternal punishment for us even though we still sin. Of course Paul is quick to point out that though we may be freed from punishment, we should never think it’s a free ride to sin or “live according to the flesh”. Maturity in Christ means to live “in accordance with the Spirit” and to desire what the Spirit desires.

At the end of December, I along with close to four hundred people, honoured the life of a woman who was dearly loved by so many and was my mentor and friend. Her memorial, was not a sad event, but a wonderful celebration of a life well-lived! Barbara was a humble servant of the Lord, serving tirelessly in numerous ministries, not wanting special recognition, but modelling what it means to honestly desire only what the Spirit desires.

This past weekend, another celebration of life was held for a dear man, who Pastored the Cowboy Church in Cochrane, Alberta and was known in the ranching and farming community far and wide. Bryn was a Cowboy poet, with a rich sense of humour, and a genuine love for people and the cowboy culture. Over one thousand people attended his memorial held in a large horse arena near Sundre. Bryn was a unique character in many ways, but his devotion to the Lord was evident in everything he did.

Both Barbara and Bryn are now in the presence of the Lord and have received their immortal bodies. They heard the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:23) Though their lives may have deserved a round of applause from all who knew them for the impact they had on so many, they did not live for that kind of earthly recognition. They lived for that Glorious Applause from Heaven.

And they likely got a standing ovation too!

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Standing On the Promises

Posted on January 10, 2024 by Lynn

It’s been a rough start to the New Year for me. My sweet husband, for the third year in a row, is supervising a seismic project north of High Level, Alberta. He will be gone for several weeks. I miss him. Thankfully, with my adult children living close to me, and outstanding neighbours keeping watch, I am well looked after. However, a winter cough and cold since New Year’s Day, has kept me housebound and miserable.

I thought I had taken all necessary precautions. I had another Covid booster shot before Christmas and a shot that is supposed to ward off pneumonia. I meticulously wash my hands, and I try to avoid shaking hands at church. I suppose the Covid years have made me extra vigilant, but still with my compromised immunity, those nasty viruses always seem to sneak in and level me. It’s frustrating.

Today I woke up to -22 C temperatures (-7.6 F). My husband up north woke up to -40 C (-40 F). We Albertans are hearty folk, but I am thankful for a warm home on these bitterly cold days.

January is considered to be the most “depressing” month of the year. In fact one U. K. Psychologist has determined January 24th the most depressing day of the year. There’s little scientific evidence to back it up, but there is a perfect storm of factors that may contribute to understanding January’s depressing nature. We experience post-holiday let down, holiday bills coming due, less daylight, and cold winter weather. Then, of course if we listen to the first five minutes of any news report lately, we are bombarded with “bad news” about wars, violence, poor economic outlook, global climate fears, etc. etc. (I have purposefully stopped watching daily news broadcasts for my own mental well-being.) Add to all that doom and gloom a persistent cough and cold that has my body ache and feel run-down, it isn’t unusual for me to feel a little “blue”.

I don’t make New Year resolutions per se, but I have resolved to be, especially through this “blue” month, more in The Word and rest on God’s promises throughout the year. According to a Canadian school teacher Everek R. Storms, in his 27th reading of the Bible, decided to tally up all of the promises. It took him a year and a half to list 8,810 promises in total with 7,487, or about 85%, being promises given to man from God.

In 2013, I compiled 25 encouraging verses for the New Year, and I have been reading through the verses in my daily quiet time. It is not surprising that most of them are promises from God that no matter my circumstances or situations He is in control and He is with me – ALWAYS.

If the start to this New Year has you feeling a little blue, I encourage you to join me in immersing yourself in God’s Word. Rest on His promises, and experience a very Happy and Blessed New Year!

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