It was the third time in less than a week that someone asked if I was still writing? I suppose followers of my blog, and friends close to me may have noticed I haven’t blogged in over four months. I took the summer off. Plain and simple.
This past week, I knew I had to write again. I couldn’t stay silent, not when my heart was in such turmoil over the assassination of Charlie Kirk. I did not know much about the man before his death, I admit. I had seen only a handful of videos on social media, and thought his debating skills were extraordinary. He held similar positions on many topics as I do, though I did not always agree on some of his political views. That said, after his death, I have come to admire him greatly, especially his walk with Jesus. He had a genuine faith, and was a passionate evangelist who wished to see all people saved and become followers of Christ. He was especially focused on addressing high school and college-aged students, sharing Biblical Truths with them to ensure they would not be taken captive by the worldly lies and schemes of the enemy. Contrary to what his critics say about him, I have seen no evidence of bigotry, spreading hate, or derogatory remarks directed at those he debated with. Instead, he declared himself over and over as a follower of Christ, and stated unequivocally his desire for all to come to a personal relationship with Him.
That is MY desire too.
Our Interim Pastor on Sunday, challenged us during a Leadership Course he is conducting, to think about the spiritual gifts God has given us, and to write a personal Mission (Purpose) Statement. As a mother, and grandmother my “purpose” at this stage of life is to be intentional to pray for the next generation. To tell them MY story of faith and demonstrate unconditional love to all my children. That is my primary purpose, but I have a secondary purpose with my writing ministry, and that is to honour God in all my writing endeavours.
Charlie Kirk used his voice to boldly proclaim Christ as Lord. May I be equally as bold in my writing!
In a world of high tech, I’m probably as low tech as they come. I don’t have the most recent smart phone. In fact, it’s probably so old, it’s considered a “dumb phone”. My computer is at least ten years old, not a laptop, and it has been refurbished and upgraded so many times, it’s definitely running on borrowed time. Up until recently, I was running an older version of Windows, that refused to open some programs I needed for writing. My old computer tries to incorporate the new apps and technology into it’s already overwhelmed system, but it’s like teaching an old dog new tricks. It refuses to obey my commands.
My year old grandson, grabbed my daughter’s “smart” phone the other day, and by pressing a few buttons ordered a few things off of Amazon before she noticed what he was doing. Luckily, he is still not savvy enough to figure out how to pay by credit card! My almost three year old granddaughter plays with an old Nintendo Gameboy and feeds, walks and plays with her digital “puppies”. I can hardly figure out how to turn the Gameboy on!
For the past week I’ve been trying to access iCloud so I could download the pictures that mysteriously sync with my devices whether I want them to or not. I was blocked at every turn. Access was denied because, (1) I couldn’t remember my password, and (2) I couldn’t remember the answers to my security questions needed to verify that it was actually me trying to get into my account.
Ok. Not tech’s fault that I can’t remember passwords etc. That’s on me.
Finally, out of desperation, I prayed a fervent “HELP ME!” prayer to God and like the Red Sea being parted, iCloud opened without a glitch, and I was able to enter the Promised Land…uh…I mean program.
Canada is voting today to choose a new Prime Minister. I voted in the advance polls a week ago and had to laugh at the “low tech” manner in which my vote was cast. Yes, the polling station, an Elections Canada station, verified my identity and address by computer, but then it was a hands-on process. I was given a folded paper ballot which I marked with an X in pencil, for my candidate of choice. I stood behind a cardboard screen while filling out the ballot. I returned my refolded ballot to the elections official, who chatted merrily with me while handing me an envelope. I placed my ballot inside the envelope and peeled off a sticky strip to seal the envelope. Then I was given another envelope to put the first envelope in, and given a glue stick to seal that envelope. I was told to sign the envelope and date it, and then on the back place a check mark to declare I signed on the front. (No wonder advance polls took an hour or more to clear!). I was then able to place my ballot into the cardboard ballot box. It was a bit of a convoluted process, but I appreciated the fact there were no armed soldiers stationed outside as is the case in some countries. There was peaceful chatter amongst voters and it was a pleasant way to perform my civic duty. Tonight my two envelopes will be unsealed with millions of others and my vote will be counted in the democratic process. Canadians will elect the leader they want as Prime Minister, or the leader we “deserve” as a nation.
Let that statement sink in.
John MacArthur often speaks about the consequences of societal sin and its impact on leadership. He suggests that a nation’s leaders are often a reflection of its collective moral failings. Psalm 2 is often cited by MacArthur to illustrate the consequences of rejecting God’s authority and the potential for leaders to act against God’s will. He suggests that such actions can lead to God’s judgment and the selection of leaders who reflect that rebellion. In other words people will get the leader a nation deserves, rather than a leader who follows God wholeheartedly in his personal life and in his leadership role.
No matter the outcome tonight, I know God is in control. God is Sovereign and I will pray for our PM and the men and women who will lead our country over the next four years. They need our prayers!
“Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling.”
My youngest with her husband and two toddlers moved in with us on Monday. It is a transition as they save money to purchase their own home to leave the rental market behind them. It’s a tough housing market with Cochrane and Calgary considered to be the fastest growing cities in Canada right now. They have big dreams to get a home with a big yard for their kids and their dog. They hope to be in their new home by the end of August, but in the meantime we are helping them save rent etc. by staying with us over the next few months.
I LOVE having the family here. My son-in-love works fifteen days up north in the oil patch, and home six days, so my daughter has her hands full when he’s away with two very active toddlers under three years old. Her thirteen month old boy, is just about ready to take his first steps. With his pixie grin, and little tongue sticking out when he concentrates, he boasts a few bruises from tumbles. It doesn’t detour him from getting back up and toddling about some more. He’s so proud of himself, whenever he accomplishes anything new!
His big sister is a chatterbox, learning new words daily. She loves her stuffies, filling her crib with a rotation of stuffed animals for naps and nighttime. Her favourite phrase is “I NEEEEEED…” with emphasis on the word “need”. It’s imperative she gets what she wants and her mom is trying to train her to be patient. I have to admit when she says, “Grandma, I NEEEEED…”, she has me trained to get what she wants right away.
My bad.
I thought having a big dog in the house again would be more of an adjustment than it is. In fact, Mila has settled in nicely, living her best life running around our acreage and getting way more “puppy treats” from Grandma than she normally gets at home.
My bad…again.
This morning I woke up to the sound of my granddaughter’s voice, “NEEEEEEDing” something and my daughter’s soft voice telling her to be patient. I ventured past what is now the toddler’s bedroom, and my grandson was standing quietly in his crib rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Seeing me, he reached up his arms to me and my heart melted.
I know this is a short-term arrangement, but having babies in the house again, just fills me with gratitude and joy. Seeing my daughter and son-in-love with their two children is like stepping back in time when my husband and I were raising our sweet babies. The constant activity, the endless “NEEEEEEDs”, the bumps, the tears, the smiles, the ups and downs, and…yes…the exhaustion at times made for long days. But, little arms reaching up to hug, to cuddle, to have one more story read, one more snack, one more game to play, or a song to sing, made the years go by all too quickly then. I want to cherish each precious moment with my grandchildren now.
It’s a busy household here. Quiet times during the day are found when the babies nap. Running prayers are the norm, as I chase after them trying to keep up with my grandson’s toddling steps and my granddaughter’s quick dashes.
I may not have as much time to write, but that’s okay. I just NEEEEEED to soak in this season of life and count my blessings!
Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged. Proverbs 17:6
Lynn Dove's Journey Thoughts 