my experiences

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How To Ensure Your Direction Is Right

Usually, I feel that it’s other drivers who prevent me from getting to my destination. But yesterday it seemed there was a whole conspiracy at work that had nothing to do with other drivers.

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It was more like a government conspiracy, I’m sure. It could have been something like Orwell’s “Big Brother” is watching, or a group that my dad would always rage about, “the Bilderbergs”.

Now I don’t want to begin another fearmongering rumour, but there was definitely something going on that was a little like the Twilight Zone show . . .

I was coming home from my annual planning week up at my cottage. The trip had been pretty painless coming into Toronto, when suddenly the traffic started to get heavy and then slowed down to a crawl.

I thought I was in rush hour traffic, but it was Friday night at about 9 pm – it should have been clear sailing!

As I inched my way to a connector highway (which, by the way, would take me the rest of the way home), without warning – no sign, no detour route, nothing – it was closed.

I had to go west, in the opposite direction of my home. I had planned on a 2 1/2 hour drive home from there, but that wasn’t going to happen now.

What made it worse was that there was a road worker who looked like he’d just finished putting the pylons out to block my way.

That wasn’t going to stop me. The next exit was a familiar one and I knew I could get off and back on heading east to go home. I took it and thought, “This is not going to cost me much time at all.”

As I crossed over the highway to get going east, I noticed a road crew guy putting out pylons on that ramp as well. I couldn’t believe it! How did they think people were to get home?

I needed to go east, but instead I was forced to go west, and now I was going south! I got on an eastbound street as soon as I could and then came to a route that would take me back up to my homeward-bound highway.

But as I made my way towards the ramp, it was closed too and I was forced to continue north, past the highway I wanted, and basically coerced into taking a toll highway east towards home.

(If you’re feeling a little hypnotized right about now, you can imagine how I felt!) It was right about then that it dawned on me: They are trying to funnel us all onto the pay-as-you-drive highway to get a cash infusion towards their conspiracy plans!

I never saw that road crew guy again, but I’m sure he’s taken some blood oath of some kind to belong to some dark, unknown, secret society of asphalt workers somewhere.

Here’s the thing: We can be led by circumstance, friends, cravings and opportunities to go in directions we never intended to go in. It’s not like we started out with the thought of going there or doing that, it’s just one turn led to another and, “Oh look where I am now!” The only way we can protect ourselves from that happening is to monitor our direction with God. Let God navigate your direction, and, if you get lost or off course, check in with Him to get you back on the right road.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What has been your worst road closure experience? You can leave your comment below.

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How To Live Simultaneously In Awe & Frustration

Can something be good and bad at the same time? Can you be completely frustrated and awed in the same breath? Is it okay to clench your fists in rage while gazing at something beautiful?

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Not only do I think the answer to these questions is “yes”, I know it’s “yes” because I just experienced it on the weekend.

As crazy as it sounds, it’s true.

It’s almost like that trick you do with a toddler or a baby: you distract them with something else and they stop crying. You know the child is crying because he scraped his knee, but you say “Oh look, a balloon!” The child’s attention is drawn to the balloon, he stops crying, and life is good again.

It works like a charm every time.

It doesn’t work as well with adults. You can distract them with something else, but they are not going to forget the pain (whatever type) they are in.

I played golf on a beautiful course this weekend. Six holes have been fashioned after famous golf holes from around the world. The fairways were like hitting off carpet; the greens were like bowling allies.

They even had a set of bunkers called church pews – I was tempted to try them out but I stayed away.

The day was beautiful, sunny, hot, with no wind. The course was lush, green, with dramatic undulating terrain. You wanted to take a picture at every hole. In fact, some guys in my group did take pictures as we went around.

But to contrast the startling grandeur of the course was the brutal ineptitude of my play. On the practice tees I was straight and long. On the course, I missed all but one of the fairways with carpet-like feel to them.

I was looking at a picture of magnificence at every turn, but in what I was doing there was no beauty at all.

So I would line up my putt on grass that seemed like it had been cut with my razor that very morning, but when I hit the ball I had no control of when it would stop rolling. And on every hole it kept rolling and rolling and rolling.

I was amazed by the course but I wanted to hit it at the same time. In fact, there were two occasions when I swung my club really hard at the ground after another missed green, while staring at a scene that looked so inviting I could have lived there.

During my round, I couldn’t decide which emotion should win: awe at the stunning splendour of the course or my total frustration with my game.

It seemed that for the longest time the two emotions were entwined together, stuck like a vine to a trellis.

In the end, I would not have traded my experience. It was a great day, despite the play.

Here’s the thing: We can be utterly amazed at what God has done in someone’s life or ministry.  We can marvel at results that occur that clearly point to God’s hand of mercy or power. But at the same time, we can be completely frustrated by the lack of results or answers in our own life or ministry. We live here in this contrast, and to truly embrace Christ is to give glory to God while at the same time pleading out our burdens before Him.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What has amazed you while frustrated you at the same time? Leave your comment below.

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Why Some Experiences Should Linger

There are experiences that we have that linger and others that don’t.

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At our cottage we have a firepit. It doesn’t get used much. In fact, for half of the summer we had our picnic table sitting over it. We don’t even keep a fresh supply of firewood. The wood we have in our bin is a few years old, although I understand that only makes it better for burning.

We only have fires when our kids are around or we have guests with kids. It seems like kids of all ages like to sit by a fire.

I don’t mind sitting by the fire, and at the time I rather enjoy it – unless I have a steady stream of smoke funnelling towards my eyes. I’m not the greatest fire maker, but I’m pretty good at making smoke!

Recently we had a double whammy. Our daughter was up with a friend AND we had friends with kids over who had just moved to the area. There was no getting out of a fire that night.

I was happy someone else made the fire. I just sat down and enjoyed it.

Well, I sort of enjoyed it. When I sat down the smoke was directed right at me, so I had to cover my eyes for the first few minutes. After that everyone else looked kind of blurry because my eyes were still watering.

That’s one reason I don’t like campfires. But the biggest reason I don’t like fires is because afterwards you smell like smoke. You can’t get away from the smell either.

You can change your clothes but your hair still smells smokey. And if you’re a hairy guy or gal, the smoke even hangs on those hairs on your arms and legs (not to mention your back)!

Even washing your hair doesn’t really do the trick. Somehow the fire smell clings on even through the strong scent of Irish Spring soap and Dove shampoo. You come out of the shower feeling clean except for that hint of fire when you turn your head quickly to the right (down wind).

However, there are things about campfires I do like. They’re a real good place to talk. Somehow the fire has this hypnotic effect on people where they stare into the fire and words tumble over their lips … Like that pre-op drug they give you so you can’t keep your mouth shut!

This happens in a greater degree for some than others. The more the coals glow and fire burns, the more of a calming, reflective effect the fire has on people.

In fact, sometimes nothing is said but you’re still communicating. It’s like suddenly you all have mental telepathy; you’ve crossed over to a higher state of consciousness … not really.

Hey, maybe someone should try to bottle this campfire effect! You know, just like they make potato chips with a Canadian maple bacon flavour (how does President’s Choice do that?).

Still, as great as it is, there’s that smell of smoke that lingers that you just can’t shake.

Here’s the thing:  Our time of prayer with God should be like a campfire. When you approach God there should be an easy flow of thoughts back and forth. And when you’re done, there should be a sense of that time lingering … Only you don’t want to wash that sense away; you want to bask in it.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: How long does the smoke linger on you? You can leave your comment below.

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How To Receive Unexpected Gifts

Sometimes you get something unexpected, something you had really wanted but didn’t think you’d get. That happened to me this week.

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One of the signs you’re a pro at the beach is how you get all your paraphernalia to it. We have about a seven minute walk to the lake so we take everything we’re going to need with us in one trip.

In the old days (that would be the days when our children were little), we had lots of stuff to carry.

There are people who park their cars at the beach, and make trips with their coolers, chairs, blankets, umbrellas etc. Then there are those who walk and take very little, like a blanket and a book.

We like to take enough to make us comfortable for a few hours. We’ve tried a few different options over the years, and finally settled on a wagon.

We loaded everything in a big wagon and hauled it down and back each time. It worked really well, except for the person who had to pull it back from the beach (up hill all the way).

However, in the last few years we haven’t really needed the wagon but we have more beach stuff than is easily carried. We needed something in-between.

What we’ve seen work well are those baby trailers you hook up to your bike. If you’re not using them for child transportation, they work great as a wee moving van.

The problem with them is they cost loads of money – enough that it is hard to justify getting one just to take your stuff down to the beach and back.

My brother’s been looking for a used one for a couple of years now. Once he thought he found one at a garage sale but it looked broken so he didn’t bother to get it.

Just minutes later someone else bought it and it actually worked fine. John’s been kicking himself ever since for not investigating it more thoroughly.

But the other week he came across one, and the owner said he could have it – for free! It was just missing one piece, which John ordered online … it was good to go in a week.

And then the other day, John came over to my place with his trailer hooked up to his bike with all his beach stuff in it. It was sitting in our driveway when the guy across the street came over.

He asked if I also wanted a trailer because his son had one they were just going to give away. I jumped at the chance!

It was in great shape, and hooked up to my bike easily. I was now a beach pro! When you ride down to the beach with your little trailer filled with your chairs, your beach umbrella, your drinks, snacks and games, people know you’re experienced . . . that you’ve been beached.

Someday, maybe – many years from now – we may even let a grandchild or two get pulled to the beach in it.

Here’s the thing:  God sometimes surprises us with good gifts we never expected to get. When He does, be quick to recognize the source of the gift, and be thankful.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What have you received unexpectedly that was from the hand of God? I’d like to hear from you; you can leave a comment below.

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Why You Can’t Practice Your Faith Alone

There are things we were not meant to do alone. In fact, I would say we were created to do certain things together with others.

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Normally, my wife, Lily, and I attend a particular church while on vacation. But this weekend Lily was visiting our daughter, and the church we attend was having a farewell service for their pastor. So I decided I would not attend.

Instead, I streamed a service over the internet. I’ve never done that before because I’m usually preaching a sermon myself. I thought I would see what it was like.

The church I chose is a large church with several thousands in attendance. They also have satellite churches (nineteen of them) in other locations that have live worship music but simulcast the message on a screen.

I’ve attended conferences like this where you watch the speaker on a big screen. Since they want you to interact as if the speaker was there, they encourage you to clap when it’s appropriate, laugh out loud when he tells a joke … that kind of thing.

Basically, they want you to do the opposite of what you do at the movies yet while you’re watching a movie of someone speaking.

It goes against our natural or trained tendency of being silent and just watching the screen.

But this concept reminds me of the 1970’s film “Rocky Horror Picture Show”. I don’t recommend the movie, nor have I seen it myself.

The movie didn’t do well at the box office, but it has become a hugely popular midnight film. People show up dressed in the costumes of the characters, talk back to the screen at appropriate places, act out parts, and even throw toast and rice when applicable.

It’s extremely interactive.

Now I’m not saying that people should throw toast at the stage when they watch a preacher on a screen but there is something to say about the interactivity at church simulcasts.

It’s like watching a recording of a concert at home on your TV as opposed to being at the live event in the arena. You don’t get the interaction of the audience, and you miss the full value of the light show, the bigger than life stage, the whole sights, sounds and smells of the experience.

There is something about being there in person that you just can’t create on a screen.

As far as streaming a service to your computer goes, unless you’re with a group of friends, I don’t recommend it. Even watching the worship is less than exciting, and that’s with having the words to the songs on the screen.

It was a good message but the experience left me with no one to talk to about it; no one else experienced it with me. I was alone with my thoughts.

When it was over I felt … that’s it? Nothing else? Not even a coffee station in the foyer?

It’s always better live and in person.

Here’s the thing: You and I were not created to have a private faith experience with God. We can’t fully experience a relationship with God without others. We were created to interact with God as we engage and participate with others in worship, growth and service to our Maker.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: How have you sensed a need to practice your faith with others? You can leave your comment below.

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What Kind of Waiting Do You Practice?

This morning I’m sitting on my new deck with my new “conversation set” of outdoor furniture, waiting for the sun to fully come up.

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As we were finishing our work on the deck last week, I got the vision of a sitting area where we could be comfortable, like in our living room, but outside.

The problem with this furniture is that it is big and we only have a small car. Enter my brother and his SUV.

I did some calculations on the size of the furniture and the size of the back of his SUV and I figured we could get it all in.

I’m kind of getting used to borrowing vehicles to pick up large items. The other day I had to borrow a friend’s pick up truck to get three sheets of lattice and a 12’ piece of 2X6.

I remember the days of independence when I owned a mini van and could haul just about anything in that. Well it’s a new day and I need my friends now more than ever.

We made the twenty minute trek into the big city with John’s SUV and waited forever for the guy in the Canadian Tire warehouse to confirm they had all the pieces to the set.

It took so long that I imagined they had the chairs stored in one place, the ottoman and love seat somewhere else, and the cushions … well, they must have been stored in random spots throughout the warehouse.

I’m sure the guys in the back didn’t really want to give them up. They probably came in handy in remote sections of the warehouse for some part time employee to catch a few winks before his shift was over.

Well, about twenty minutes later, they had finally gotten all the furniture together in one place. We paid and headed around the back to the warehouse to pick up our load.

It didn’t take long (like about a minute) to realize that my calculations on the size of the furniture and the space in the vehicle was off. This stuff was not going to fit in easily.

About another twenty minutes later, after struggling with and rearranging the furniture several times, we finally got it in to the point where the back of the SUV was mostly closed.

There was no rope or twine to be found in the warehouse but they had some plastic string-like substance that we kind of doubted would work … but amazingly it held up very well for the last twenty minutes of our adventure back to the cottage.

It only took about five minutes to unload and set up the furniture … and it will take the next ten years or so to fully enjoy our new outdoor living furniture.

Here’s the thing: When I think of my experience purchasing this furniture, I think of how impatient I am with God and my requests. I don’t really like the twenty minute waits (figuratively speaking) here and there. I want my answers right now. I want to place my order with God like I would at Canadian Tire or McDonald’s and have my order answered in about the time it takes to process my debit card. But God isn’t a McDonald’s employee and He doesn’t take orders from us. Our attitude in prayer should be one of respect and patiently waiting. If God chooses to grant us our request we will have years to enjoy it.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: How have you had to learn patience when seeking a request from God? I’d like to hear from you; you can leave your comment below.

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Why You Should Share Your Embarrassing Moments

We all have them. Embarrassing moments when we do dumb, stupid things that we wish we could take back.

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It might be something we said or did, but the result is the same: red-faced, head down, too shamed to look up or around to see if anyone noticed.

Embarrassing moments on You Tube go viral. It’s all good … except for the person who’s embarrassed.

I once took a picture of a vehicle stuck on top of a snow pile. The owner was so embarrassed she begged me not to post it on You Tube. I didn’t post it, but I did bog about it (read it here.)

Well, what goes around comes around. The other day I was coming back from a bike ride with my bike on my car roof carrier.

As I drove by the back of my house, I hit the garage door remote button and, by the time I pulled onto my street and into my driveway, the door was fully open.

So, like I do every day, I drove right in . . . that is until I got some resistance and heard this crunching sound!

Immediately, I realized what I’d done. I backed up and then my bike came bounding off the top of the car. Just to add to the embarrassment, it clipped my side mirror which is now wobbly.

I sat there, in my car for a moment, thinking I’d wrecked my bike, my bike rack and my garage. And most of all, I’d embarrassed myself.

When I got out and assessed the damage, my bike seemed to be fine, and the top moulding of my garage only had a little mark on it.

The mirror, well, it was wobbly and will probably need to be replaced. The bike rack … broken pieces and bent parts. Me … bruised ego.

I was embarrassed. I wondered who saw it, which neighbour would bring it up at our street BBQ. I wanted to hide.

But you know, as embarrassed as I was, the next day I told a friend what I did.

Mind you, I couldn’t even look him in the eye. I looked down or away from him most of the time,  until he commented after my story. He said “Ya, I’ve done that twice”.

All of a sudden I had company in my embarrassment, and it wasn’t so embarrassing any more. It was more like I joined the club of guys who’ve smashed their bikes into their garages.

I got so bold that two days later I told a couple other friends and they started telling their stories of crashing things attached to their vehicles.

It turns out I’m not the one and only idiot to forget I had a bike on my roof. There are lots of us and I found healing for my embarrassment when I shared it.

Here’s the thing: When we sin, there is, often times, shame that goes with the sin. That keeps us from wanting to confess it to God or others. We feel alone in it, like we’re the only one who has ever sinned that way. But the truth is, that’s Satan’s way of keeping you in your sin.

Confession frees you from shame – first because it’s no longer hidden, or a secret; second, because you find that you’re not alone; and third, because confession is the first step to turning from your sin. Don’t remain in shame; confess your sin.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What embarrassing moment have you shared and then found comfort in? I’d really like to hear from you; leave your comment below.

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Why You Should Aways Read Labels

It’s always important to read labels on products you’re going to use.

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I remember the iodine bottle we used to have in our medicine cabinet when I was growing up. Even the dark brown colour of the bottle with that rubber eye dropper top made it look like there was danger.

But the real clue that this product was not to be fooled with was the skull and crossbones that was front and centre on the label or stamped right onto the glass bottle.

The bottom line is labels are meant to be read, like, for instance, the stuff I cleaned my trailer with last week. I got a big bottle of “Spray Nine” to clean the outside of our trailer/cottage. The trailer has vinyl siding and this stuff is apparently good for cleaning and even disinfecting.

I poured the liquid from the bottle into a pail. I intended to use a brush with an expandable long handle to scrub the trailer. But as I was about to start, my brother said they just did it by hand. He told me he got up on a ladder and with a cloth cleaned the trailer.

“Well,” I thought, “Okay, I’ll give it a try.” I grabbed a rag, dipped my hand into the bucket and started to work. By that time the bottle with the instructions and warnings had been tossed aside.

I didn’t think of looking at it. I just merrily started to clean. As I did, I periodically nicked my hands and noticed that those nicks kind of stung … which you might think would get me to at least glance at the bottle to see if there were any warnings.

But no, I was on a roll and I wasn’t going to stop to check some label.

I kept moving and completed the project in about three hours. Of course, the first thing I did when I was done was to wash my hands. But three hours in straight undiluted Spray Nine was now wreaking havoc on my hands.

Ladies, forget botox or liposuction, or having the skin on your face pulled back behind your ears. I have an easier solution – just soak your face in Spray Nine for about an hour!

The skin on my hands was so tight, it felt like my skin had shrunk at least one size and now didn’t fit my hands any more.

The little nicks I got from washing the trailer by hand stung constantly for lasted for two days. After about three days, my hands still felt weird but also were a little fuzzy. Apparently, my skin was peeling!

It took about six days before my palms and the backs of my hands stopped shedding and I felt like my skin was back to normal.

My trailer looks great though.

Here’s the thing: Reading labels helps us know how to handle products. In the US, LifeWay Research found that “while 90% of church-goers desire to please and honour Jesus in all they do, only 19% read their Bible every day. In Canada, The Canadian Bible Engagement Survey revealed that only 11% of Canadians read their Bible weekly, down from 28% in 1996. It’s difficult to know how to handle your Christian life without reading the Bible. We need to get better at that.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What kind of a plan do you have to keep yourself engaged in reading the Bible? I’d really like to hear from you; you can leave your comment below.

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Why Prayer Is Aways A Good Thing

There are things we will pray for right away and things we won’t pray about … or at least until we’ve exhausted every avenue.

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In my last blog, I told you that I couldn’t figure out how to get the front wheel off my bike and, in the process, how I lost two small ball bearings on my garage floor. You can read about that story, “How To Prevent Making Multiple Mistakes” here.

Let me tell you how that story finished up …

I was really kicking myself for taking the axle apart and losing the ball bearings, especially after I watched a YouTube video on how to take off a quick-release wheel with a thru axle. It is so simple and easy, I broke the part for nothing.

The next day I went into the bike shop and explained what I did, hoping magically they would have a new axle or a couple of replacement parts just waiting for me.

Sadly, the mechanic told me to bring the axle in and he’d look at it. So the next day I took the axle in and left it. The following day I called the shop hoping for some good news. Instead, what I was told was they didn’t have ball bearings that small.

Basically, they said it would probably be okay for a while, but a new axle would cost about $70 and they would have to order it in.

I was really out of options at that point. I went to the shop, got my axle and started thinking about whether to buy a new axle or not. When I came home and told my wife, Lily, her first response was, “Well, we will just pray about it and look again for those ball bearings.”

So I prayed “Lord, help me find those ball bearings” and even as I prayed it my thought was, “This is so petty. It’s not a prayer for some life or death situation. It’s not a prayer for some great cause or for provision for someone in serious need. It’s just, ‘Lord help me find those two tiny little silver glimmers of light rolling around my garage floor.’”

I stepped into the garage, looking for “a needle in a hay stack”. I walked over to the area when I had lost them and started moving things out of the way. I cleared the area of a few car tires, some wood, a ladder, and then looked down. Right in front of me was a gleaming ball bearing!

I hadn’t really even started my search; I had just looked down. There it was! I brought it into the house, and Lily got all excited. She came right out with me and knelt down in the area and in less than three minutes she found the other one.

Here’s the thing: I had looked for those ball bearings the night I lost them. I had searched pretty carefully at the time. So to find them this easily was just God saying, “You asked and here they are.” Something as insignificant as ball bearings God chose to provide. No matter what your need is, it’s always a good thing to pray. God even cares about the petty things that bother us.

That’s Life!

Paul

Question: What have you delayed praying for, that God answered when you finally asked? I’d really like to hear from you; you can leave your comment below.

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Who To Deal With When Making A Purchase

The other day I needed to buy a present for my wife’s birthday. It was coming up soon – the next day, in fact – and there wasn’t much time left.

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All Lily wanted was end tables for the living room. I went straight to the Hudson’s Bay Company because it was close by, and they had living room furniture.

I found two different styles right away. One set was clearly on sale – that had my attention and interest. The other one I liked more, but the price was not to my liking.

It was just about then that a man in a suit came up to me and asked if he could help. We chatted for a moment and I inquired if the sale extended to the other style of end table. He did a quick check and, sure enough, it was on sale as well. My interest started to peak.

He said he could have the salesman pack it up for me, right then if I’d like, and I could take it home immediately. Those were magic words to me! I said, “Let’s do it.”

I left to move my car to the store entrance. When I returned, I noticed a picture of a man just inside the door who looked a lot like the man in the suit.

A salesman was waiting for me when I got to the furniture department. We sat down to do business but he didn’t seem all that happy about making the sale.

I mentioned that the man in the suit had said we could order in a new end table, and make an exchange later. That’s when I found out why the salesman wasn’t as excited about my purchase as I was.

He told me he was doubtful he could do that. A month ago a woman had ordered the same end table and there was still no sign of it coming in yet. He also said he didn’t like selling his floor models, because then he didn’t have anything to show people.

I thought to myself, “You have trouble ordering stuff in, but you don’t like selling floor models. What business are you in anyway?”

Instead, I asked him, “Then how come you’re selling this to me?” He answered, “You were dealing with the store manager.”

I joked, “So this is all his fault?” “Yes,” he said, “and if that woman who ordered this end table comes back, she will be mad when she finds this one gone.”

I smiled and said, “Just send her over to the store manager to explain.”

I got the impression this salesman was more interested in having his department filled with nice furniture arrangements than he was in selling anything in the store.

As I drove home I wondered if the store manager knew he had an employee who was not as eager to sell his merchandise as he was.

Here’s the thing: We just celebrated Easter – the greatest day of the year, because that is the day Jesus rose from the grave, having paid for the sins of the world. Jesus now offers to apply His payment to your sins, and your friends’ sins. If you’ve had your sins paid for by Jesus, then don’t be like that salesman who likes his store the way it is. Be like the store manager who is interested in letting others have what he has. Let others know they can have their sins paid for, too.

That’s life!

Paul

Question:  Have you found you are more inclined to keep your relationship with Christ more to yourself?

I’d love to hear from you; you can leave your comment below.