So Good

God is good.

Two weeks ago, my fiancé and I flew out to Edmonton for a quick weekend trip to visit my grandparents. It was a very precious time. And I'm so thankful Grandpa and Grandma, married 65 years this April, were able to meet Kevin, who I will marry next April. My favourite was holding Grandpa’s strong hand and Grandma’s soft hand.

And so, when Grandpa died yesterday, I was able to say with tears, “God is good.” Grandpa loved God and loved his family. But regardless of whether I was able to see Grandpa just two weeks before his death—regardless of circumstances—I ought to be able to say, “God is good.” Because I can trust in God’s character, which never changes. He is so good. So good to us.

God loves so deeply that he first created us so we could experience his great love. And then, when we chose to live our lives in denial or in defiance of him, he chose not to ignore or retaliate, but to give. He gave his only Son, Jesus, to come to earth and live a perfect life. To show us what love is, and then to show us the ultimate love by giving up his life so we don’t have to. In Jesus’ death, he paid the debt for our sin, sin that hurt the One who is so holy that we cannot be in his presence as unholy people. And in his resurrection, he defeated death. God’s great plan to restore means that we can be reunited with our Creator, that we can have peace with God, that we don’t have to live this life alone, that we can spend eternity in his presence, that we can enjoy God as our Father, that we have hope in someone who never changes. This gift need only be accepted, believing that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that he is sufficient.

God didn’t need to do all this for us. But he is Love. And love always gives.

 

Quiet Waters

In the past nine days, I have been lead to quiet waters like never before. I've expressed in previous blogs that being on the water is my peaceful place. I've had several opportunities to be on the shoreline of Lake Ontario this week on walks at Scarborough Bluffs and Guildwood Park. These times have been serene, but this is not quite what I mean.


The notion of quiet waters, as I know it, comes from the Twenty-Third Psalm, perhaps the most well-known Psalm of all. I've had these six verses memorized since I was very young. And I've even been lead there before, but never like this time.

I am grieving a loss. We've all been there. Devastation. Hopelessness. Broken dreams. Empty. Physically sick. Sleepless nights. Tears. Hard to breathe. Confusion. Feeling worthless. You know what I mean.

I've been feeling all of those things...but even more so I've been lead by my Shepherd and my Saviour to quiet waters. How has he done this for me? The Psalms.

I've read the Psalms before - all 150 of them. I've heard so many people speak of the Psalms tenderly, as words which truly resonate with their hearts and minds and souls. But I haven't quite had that experience until now.

At times when the silence is too much to bear - because my mind can quickly drag me down - I've been turning on my Bible app on my phone as a male voice reads any portion of the Bible you choose. I started at Psalm 1 and I've been listening to it when I get up in the morning, when I drive to work, when I go to bed at night...

I can't believe the effect these Psalms have had on me. Some of them I've listened to over and over again; others just once and move on to the next one. These poetic words of anguish, questioning, worship, pain, and awe express how I am feeling. 

There's so many sections that have put into words how I'm feeling. Here's a taste. Can you pick out some of the emotions I connect with right now? Do you feel this way too?

• "How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? Look on me and answer, O Lord my God. Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death." (Psalm 13:2-3)
• "One thing I have asked of the Lord, that I will seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple." (Psalm 27:4)
• "For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does...But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you." (Psalm 33:4,18-22)
• "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." (Psalm 27:14)
• "Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Saviour, and my hope is in you all day long. Remember, O Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O Lord." (Psalm 25:4-7)
• "I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me." (Psalm 3:5)
• "Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer...I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety." (Psalm 4:1,8)

How can just words do so much to help my spirit? It's not really logical, when your heart is broken, for mere words to give you some peace so you can fall asleep or face daylight the next day. I've come to the conclusion that it's because these are Living Words. Jesus is the Word (John 1:1,14). I find comfort in Jesus, and so I am finding comfort in the Bible. These are ancient words, and yet they reflect my heart's cry in 2012. It must be because they are Living and True. 

As I've been listening to and reading the Psalms, I've been surprised at how many of these verses I already know. One, because I memorized a lot of verses as a child, both at home and in Sunday School. Mom had verses written out on little index cards and arranged on a little hunter green flip-style stand on a little table in our dining room or in the kitchen. I can still picture it. In her perfect printing and often with a sticker on the index card. I especially remember one with a lamb sticker on it. We memorized verses to a beat oftentimes, and I still remember the rhythm today. 

A lot of these verses and passages are also familiar because they are the content of songs we sing today - hymns of old, choruses, modern worship songs, children's Sunday School ballads. It's wonderful to know so much Truth, and for it to be at the forefront of my mind thanks to music. I've been singing these songs to myself constantly - in the car, in the shower, and especially on walks outside. Lots of verses I've memorized have been coming to my mind as well, so I've been quoting them out loud to myself. This is a great source of comfort.


One of my professors in seminary said that while most of the Bible is God's words coming down to us humans, the Psalms are human expressions going up to God. I can relate to the Psalms because they reflect the human condition - things that we all struggle with like pain, stress, justice, joy, despair, hope.


Don't get me wrong, the hurt is still there. My questions are pressing. Particular hopes and dreams have been snatched away. I'm still counting on my dear and faithful family and friends for encouragement, comfort, and advice. But the greatest source of comfort and hope has been coming from the Psalms. It's been my "peace that passes all understanding," the inexplicable peace I've only received a couple times in life when I don't have the stamina to continue on my own.


These words show me that it's okay to have these intense feelings and to express them to my Heavenly Father. He knows pain too. I can tell him my fears, ask him why this has happened, express my disappointment and frustration, praise him for his faithfulness, enjoy his creation. In all of this, I am still directing these thoughts toward Him, because I know he cares for me. 


Is that my crutch? Well consider this: would you rather be dealing with all this on your own with no higher being to present your questions and emotions to, or know someone's listening? What if you were all there was? I can't imagine having to find the hope and strength required to live out my life inside of myself, when I am a broken person. It has to come from Someone bigger and better than me. Only he  can lead me beside quiet waters and restore my soul. 

Reading is Like Oxygen

Reading is...
I wasn't sure how to finish that sentence because there are so many words to describe the value of reading good books. So I typed "reading is" into Google and "reading is like oxygen" came up. That's a good way to put it. Hence the title of this blog.

With 2011 coming to a close, here are some excellent books I've read this year:

• Christian Theology by Millard J. Erickson: My favourite read, by far. This book is a few inches thick, brimming with sound doctrines that have helped me understand what I believe and why I believe it. It has also caused me to question many things, but my foundation is now solid enough that my inquiries cannot rock my faith.

• What Colour Is Your Parachute? by Richard N. Bolles (2011 Edition): I'm currently reading this best-seller, recommended to me by my big brother. So far, the thing that has impacted me the most is found in chapter 11. There is a "prioritizing grid" exercise to figure out which of the nine listed values grips me the most - the values that I most want to invest my life in, and thus pursue a career in. My top three are: 1) The Human Spirit (you want more faith, love for God, and forgiveness in the world) 2) Heart (you want there to be more love and compassion present because you were here), and 3) Will/Conscience (you want more morality, justice, and honesty to be your major concern).
• Our Witchdoctors Are Too Weak by Davey and Marie Jank: Missionary stories are the most inspiring and invigorating books for me to read. This is the true tale of missionaries to the Wilo people in the Amazon. It took 10 years to learn their complicated language and animistic culture enough to begin translate the Bible and teaching them the Good News. But it was so worth it!
• Crazy Love by Francis Chan: Another bestseller. I'm kind of surprised it is, though, because of how incredibly honest, convicting, challenging, and difficult it is to read...this book contains some hard-hitting truth, straight from God's Word. Read it if you dare.
• The Black Stallion by Walter Farley: A classic children's favourite. Not necessarily my favourite book of the year, but more a matter of who I read it with. This summer I worked at a non-profit childcare centre. I was asked to plan and lead the Jr. High Summer Program. I loved it! And one of the best times of the day was reading to them after lunch. My mom recommended this, and I assumed my kids would think it was too much like school. They did complain a bit at first, but my mom was right! She chose The Black Stallion, knowing the girls would like the horse and the boys would like the adventure. The kids were always asking for "just one more chapter!" and whenever I glanced up from the pages, they were always staring at me attentively, eyes wide open and alert.

I already have a stack of new books to read in 2012 including The Peacemaker by Ken Sande, Trust by Lydia Brownback, and several by John Piper.

Lessons During Crisis

At about 10 o'clock Tuesday, November 22nd I received a shocking and upsetting phone call from a dear friend of mine. Her father had died suddenly just that morning. Devastating news. There had been no warning signs. Just gone. Our families had been friends for 20 years. I met this friend when I was 3 years old. We both started attending the same church the very same Sunday. Since then, we've had countless sleepovers growing up. I used to get dropped off at her house before school every morning so I could catch the bus with her to a school out of my district. Sleepovers often entailed playing hide-and-go-seek with our older sisters who were good friends too, and playing board games and card games with her parents. Regardless of whether company was over or not, their family always sat down to do family devotions after dinner. When I heard the news I wanted to be there, so my sister, niece, and I drove up through the States the next morning.

Even in times of crisis, there is opportunity to learn new things. Amidst the devastation and pain, I do believe that God is still present and active. So, here are a few things that I took note of this week or that made an impact on me:

• Being a grown up means acting like one when it's hard. I've been feeling so grown up lately driving my own car, but when it really counts is when you have to drive that car through high winds and torrential downpour in the dark by yourself when the tears in your eyes are blurring your vision just as much as is the pouring rain.
• God will give the the appropriate strength at the appropriate time. During that drive, I was praying for God to just get me to London where I could be with my sister and we could drive together from there on. I really felt like giving up, but God got me there safe and sound even though I could hardly see. I am also terrified of bridges but I was given the strength at just the right time to drive over a total of 4 bridges throughout the trip, including the Mackinac Bridge, which is the third longest suspension bridge in the world.
• A hug is worth more than almost anything. My friend and I texted eachother many, many times between the time she first called and the time we arrived up north. She told me she just couldn't wait for a hug from me. I felt the same way. Hugs are simple gestures and yet they are so profound. The first hug I gave her was at the private visitation at the funeral home. Many more hugs followed. Clinging hugs. Emotional hugs. Hugs of sorrow. Hugs of friendship.
• God can use even modern technology to speak to us. On the first night we arrived I couldn't sleep. I was trying to read the Bible and pray. I found Lamentations 3:22-33 and I read it over and over again. While checking my phone, I noticed my Bible app's daily verse, Matthew 5:4, right there on my screen: "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."
• Prayer is powerful. When my friend first called me, I really had no words to say to her. I prayed with her on the phone. I prayed throughout the day. I had my family and friends and church praying. We prayed for peace, comfort, grace, strength...and I believe God listened to our prayers.
• Saying "I love you" is of the utmost importance. At the memorial service, my friend's Mom was able to share a beautiful, moving speech about her beloved husband of 33 years. Her last line recounted the last words her husband said to her. Thankfully, they were "I love you." How many times do we head out the door for work or school feeling frustrated, bitter, annoyed, distracted? It's not trite or sappy to say "I love you" to your loved ones every day. Wouldn't you want those to be your last words?
• Travelling with a baby makes things longer but it also makes things more lively. Whenever my baby niece would wimper, we would try to console her. At one point during our journey, this meant singing non-stop for about an hour. We sang Christmas songs. We sang worship songs. We sang old Sunday School songs we hadn't sung in probably over a decade. We sang campfire songs. Singing also does the heart good. It was a good time with my favourite sister, a time of relief and joy, in the midst of turmoil.
• It's never too late for reconciliation. For those of you who know my past, there has been a certain relationship that I have desired to be resolved for four years now. Without sharing all the details, I can say with joy that a long overdue conversation brought peace to my heart, closure to that part of my life, the lifting of a 4-year-long burden, and - I know for sure - was pleasing to the Lord. I know this because He calls us to be peacemakers, as in Romans 12:18: "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." I read this entire passage right before the conversation and my best friend prayed with me. I felt like this was the right time to talk...and it was. It could not have gone better. Praise the Lord! He is Healer, Redeemer, Restorer, Saviour.

There are probably a host of other lessons I learned throughout the week. But I will leave it at this list for now. To the family who lost someone so dear, my heart, mind, and body ache with sorrow for your loss. The memorial service was truly God-honouring. What a legacy he left behind to his children, grandchildren, relatives, friends, and church family. He served wholeheartedly right to the end, even at church the Sunday right before he died. He will be missed by us, but we can have comfort with the knowledge that he is now in heaven with his Saviour. As the pastor at the memorial service said, he does not long to be back here with us - because being in heaven with God is our ultimate destination - but he does desire that we will one day be there with him.

"What is an Abortion?"

"What is an abortion?" One of my eleven-year-old boys at work asked me this loaded question today. We had been playing an energetic game in the gymnasium with a super bouncy rubber ball. Someone came into the gym to take over for me while I took my break. I came back a half hour later to find my kids sitting on chairs and on the hard floor all talking together. We got into some pretty serious stuff, like drugs and alcohol. I do not bring up these topics but they were all talking about the kids in high school who do those things and relatives they know who are smokers or drink a lot. One of my eleven-year-old girls - who is fairly mature for her age - mentioned that she knows what rape is and has heard about abortion. Gulp. I didn't want to say too much. That's for their parents to talk to them about. Then out of the blue, from across the gym where he had begun bouncing the rubber ball again, one of the boys called out, "What is an abortion? I've heard that word before but I don't know what it means."

You want to know what an abortion is? I just wrote a twenty-page paper on abortion for a seminary course called Moral Theology. The title was, "Is Abortion Ever Justifiable?" I wasn't quite sure what to tell this group of youth who were all looking at me expectantly. So I decided to tell them the truth. Now, I don't want to lose my job or have parents getting angry at me, but the kid asked a question and it's kind of common and legal in Canada so I told them. These children are always telling me about graphic murders they've seen on TV shows, explicit dancing they've watched on YouTube, and violent games they've played on gaming stations. But, to my relief, they were absolutely shocked at what I told them. And I was not graphic at all; I told them very briefly and matter-of-factly what an abortion is so that I don't get in trouble. I told them that when a woman or girl gets pregnant and does not want to keep the baby, she can go to a clinic and pay to have them kill the child. They were horrified. While they may not be innocent in some ways, their dumbfounded expressions told me that they still hold some innocence as children in this century. They just could not fathom a woman deliberately ending her own child's life. So naturally, they asked, "How?" And I said there are a variety of ways. I told them I just wrote an essay about it and I had seen some extremely upsetting photos in books and websites. I said two common ways are sucking/vaccuming the baby out or burning them. Well, they could just not believe that anyone would do that to their own child. And that's all I said. The horrific reality of it was enough.

The girl who had earlier mentioned rape declared that even if she were ever raped she would keep the baby. She said that it doesn't matter how the baby got there because if it is inside of her, it is her own child and she wouldn't give it up for anything. Amen. That was pretty much the thesis of my paper. She went on to say that she'd heard you're not allowed to have an abortion in Canada unless you had been raped. I informed her that, sadly, that is not the case. Any girl or woman can have an abortion at a clinic. In fact, virtually all abortions are simply cases of "inconvenience" and not cases of rape, a deformed child, or the mother's health at risk. I found this website very helpful in my research: http://www.abort73.com/abortion/.

I would have loved to tell them what God thinks about the matter - that he created their inmost being and knit them together in their mother's womb. That they are made fearfully and wonderfully (Psalm 139:13-18). That regardless of how they were conceived they are precious in his sight and loved so much that the God of creation would send his only Son from heaven to earth to die a horrible, shameful death in order to save them from their sin so that they could have a fulfilling relationship with their Creator and spend eternity with their Saviour.



A Tiny Taste of Heaven

This holiday weekend (Civic Holiday 2011) has been an incredible one, although the word "incredible" can't really do it justice. On Friday evening I picked up my best friend at the VIA Rail station. She'd come to visit me for the weekend. I'd planned a bunch of fun things to do, one of which was go for a long bike ride along the St. Lawrence River. So Saturday morning we put on our workout clothes (but foolishly, no sunscreen) and grabbed a backpack filled with water and snacks and set off. The bike ride was just lovely. It was a hot day but there was a glorious breeze along the river that provided the relief we needed. Along the way we passed many other people enjoying the great ourdoors - walking, biking, fishing, and roller blading. We also met some creatures in their natural habitat, including a snake, a groundhog, a beaver, and a turtle with a slug and a snail stuck on his back. At one point, we meandered off the paved path, set our bikes down, and cooled our feed in the flowing water. Later on that day we drove to a nearby beach and played in the fairly warm water. With it being the long weekend, the beach was packed with families. It was good to see people sharing life together and taking a break from the daily grind. I am so very grateful for holidays when we can relax, rejuvenate, and relish the time we have with loved ones.

On Sunday we planned on going to the Ottawa Busker Festival. We decided to go to a large AGC church in Ottawa called The Met (Metropolitan Bible Church). The building was impressive, with a large library, a fireside room, a beautiful children's section, and so on. Part of me was slightly skeptical because sometimes churches - especially big ones with appealing "attractions" - seem like the service is more of a performance than a real worship time. Thankfully, I was wrong. Very wrong. The man leading the service looked a lot like John Piper. They began with prayer and singing instead of announcements. I cannot begin to describe the singing time. The songs weren't all modern, nor were they all fast-paced tunes. Some were new and some were old but the message in them all was the same: we worship a good, great, and holy God who loves and cares for us and is worthy of all our adoration. 

I can't now recall the individual songs we sang but I'll never forget the experience. It didn't feel like a concert. Sure, the people up front were playing the instruments and leading the music, but it didn't feel like a show. I closed my eyes for much of the singing and I had a taste of something I'm not quite sure I've had before: I think I had a tiny taste of heaven. There were so many people around me singing like I've never heard before and it was beautiful, breathtaking, glorious, worshipful, heavenly. At times I had to stop singing because I couldn't even swallow, but I enjoyed it even more when I couldn't hear myself, but rather hundreds of people around me worshipping the Lamb. Revelation 7:9 says that one day in heaven there will be a great multitude that no one can count, people from every nation, tribe, people, and language, who will be standing before the throne and before the Lamb, worshipping him.

 Just as my fun weekend was refreshing in that I got to spend time with a dear friend, it was also refreshing because the Holy Spirit blessed me with the minutest glimpse of what heaven will be like. The Bible says we cannot even fathom how wonderful heaven will be (1 Corinthians 2:9). I'm most looking forward to eternal life because I know God will be there, and I cannot wait to see his face. I appreciate this thought by John Piper, "People who would be happy in heaven if Christ were not there, will not be there." Heaven is what we have to look forward to because it is when we get to spend eternity with the Lord of all creation, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, the God of wonders, the Lover of our soul. Many times when I've considered eternity, I've been terrified because, to be honest, it sounds a little boring. But the unique experience I had this weekend clarified for me that spending eternity in heaven with other believers worshipping the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all day long is the most fulfilling, most wonderful, most beautiful thing I could do. I look forward to it with great anticipation!

The MET

Red & White Celebration

Happy 144th Birthday, Canada! Living only one hour from our nation's capitol, I had the privilege of celebrating Canada Day in Ottawa this year. In 2008 I went with my friend's family. We went early enough that we got to stand right in the spot on Parliament Hill where the Prime Minister and Governor General exit the vehicle and greet citizens as they make their way up the path to the stage. This year, however, was entirely different. This year, our new Royal Couple, Prince William and Catherine, were in our midst. Just weeks ago I arose early in the wee hours of the morning to watch the Royal Wedding. And today I was just a stone's throw from the same celebrated couple!

This year I attended Canada Day with the same family as before. We parked far away from downtown and rode our bikes in on the bike path. It was a lovely ride along the Ottawa River. We came up behind Parliament, locked up our bikes, and joined the merry, red-and-white throng of Canadians on Rideau. Parliament Hill had been full for hours of eager people who had camped overnight or since the early morning. We found a spot along the barricade to wait for the carriage to pass us by. We waited for over an hour and a half. The crowds pressed in closer and closer until we could hardly breathe and sweat was pouring down our backs. Everytime someone around me shuffled, I inched my way in closer and closer (I was told you have to be aggressive). Just before they were to arrive my camera announced the memory card was full. At least I'd remembered to charge the batteries! Thankfully I found another memory card in my bag - just in the nick of time. When the carriage passed by I was almost up to the barricade. Everyone was screaming and cheering. Kate was gorgeous in a cream dress and red maple leaf fascinator. After that exciting moment, we had to watch the rest of the action on the massive screen.

During the singing of Oh Canada, with nearly half a million Canadian citizens around me proudly belting out our national anthem, I was overwhelmed with patriotism and thankfulness to live in such a diverse, beautiful, peaceful, and free country. My arm was aching as I held my camera high in an attempt to capture the song but I sang along with my fellow citizens. It was indeed a special moment that I'll never forget.

We weren't able to stay for the incredible fireworks display but I did have a chance to see them last time. Fireworks are one of my favourite things in life. As is Canada Day, and wearing my annual Canada Day tattoo on my cheek. Biking back along the quiet pathway, we stopped for a rest and stuck our feet in the Ottawa River to cool ourselves off. Such a dramatic change from the bustling, overcrowded downtown core. Tonight I'll be attending the local fireworks display in my own little down. Today I am so very proud to be Canadian!

I Worship a Creative God

Sea of Galilee Sunrise, May 2010



I have always loved being out in God's creation, probably partly due to the fact that I grew up in Northern Ontario where the autumn colours are truly magnificent and partly due to our family camping trips for one month every summer when we would be away from the city and appreciating the serenity of the woods and the delight of wildlife. My family would testify to my dislike for bugs, snakes, and outhouses, but I really do love the trees, the stars, the water, the clouds, and most of the other amazing things God has placed in nature.

Living in Southern Ontario for the past five years for school, I have really missed living so close to the water and the woods. After twenty-two years on this earth, I have come to the conclusion that being on the water is where I feel most at peace. Sitting on a dock and having the gentle waves splash up against my legs or paddling a canoe with my Dad or swimming in the cold but beautiful Lake Superior is just so relaxing and tranquil. I hope that wherever I settle down in the future, I will have the blessing of living close to water, as I've realized how much it means to me. It also means a lot to me to be able to escape the city lights every so often and sit at a beach where I can focus on the stars. They shine so much brighter and more and more stars appear the longer you watch them. This reminds me of a time at Galilean Bible Camp when a few of us went down to the beach at night and sat on the rocks and looked up at the gorgeous night sky. All I could do was sing God of Wonders by Chris Tomlin: "Lord of all creation, of water, earth, and sky. The heavens are your tabernacle. Glory to the Lord on high. God of wonders, beyond our galaxy, you are holy, holy. The universe declares your majesty. You are holy, holy."

This past year has been an incredible year of growth for me. As I've learned more about God in school each day, I have come to appreciate his creation far more than I ever have before. I am more in awe of my Maker. I see his handiwork in the little things, such as inspecting the intricacy of a single flower blossom. I see his creativity in the variety of trees he has made. When I felt the sun and the warm breeze on my face this spring, I felt him near. I consider myself a creative person, so I love to marvel at the immense creativity God has displayed in designing his world. It makes me love him all the more. He could have made one type of tree, one season, one kind of flower...or no birds, no colour, no variation. Instead, God exercised his creative powers in making an incredible, complex, and beautiful world that would both delight us and bring glory to himself.



Shades Mills Conservation Area, May 2011

Yesterday a friend and I got up early and drove to a conservation area to go kayaking. She went first and I waited on the shoreline. I brought textbooks to read, but I just couldn't read them. I borrowed her Bible because as I sat there soaking up the sun and listening to the hundreds of different bird songs, it was all I could do. I needed to hear from my Creator when I was out enjoying his creation - enjoying God's Revelation while out in his creation. As I read from the Psalms (the best place to dwell on his majesty and creativity), I tried to single out some of the bird songs. And I thought, these birds aren't singing for their own sake. They're singing because that's what they were designed to do! They are singing to their Maker. How else could they be making such a lovely sound or why else would they do so?

Bird Conservation Area, Morrisburg, January 2011

They are singing sweet songs just like he created them to do, and this brings glory to God. Psalm 19 says, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." They surely do! Whether it's bird songs in the morning, shifting cloud shapes in the afternoon, or glowing constellations at night, everything in the earth is doing what it was designed to do so that God will be magnified. The last Psalm in the whole book, Psalm 150, ends with, "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord." That is what creation lives and breathes for everyday. Are we doing the same? Do you stand in awe of the Lord of all Creation when you are out enjoying the world he designed so creatively and sustains so mightily?

Lessons in Chemistry

 Yesterday afternoon I had the honour of attending a chemistry talk at the University of Western Ontario. My sister, a chemistry PhD student (I know, it sounds so smart), invited me to go with her, as she had thoroughly enjoyed the session from the previous day. UWO had brought in a very distinguished chemist with a list of awards that seemed to go on forever. When we arrived at the session, there was a long line of people who I thought were waiting to get inside the room, but my sister clarified that they were actually in line for the free food: drinks, cookies, and fruit and veggie trays. I suppose that's how they entice attendees!

Academic chemistry is a whole new world to me. While my sister and I are both graduate students, I spend my days writing papers about theology. She spends her hours in a crisp clean laboratory, complete with machines worth thousands (and I think perhaps even millions) of dollars. My sister, the chemist, wears a white lab coat and goggles, which I find humorous because she looks like a scientist in a movie. When I was visiting before, I loudly noted how much she looked like a "real scientist" in her get-up. Everyone else in the room just stared at me because, of course, she is a real scientist and so are they.

Before the chemistry talk, she showed me some of the experiments she is conducting at the moment. Although my sister is excellent at explaining things - the mark of a good teacher - it was still way over my head. Smile and nod. But really, it is fascinating and I am thankful that there are people in the world who can do this kind of work. If I had to be a chemist, I would get fired within the first five minutes. I almost walked into the lab with my lunch which apparently is a huge no-no. It would contaminate their samples, I suppose. The projects she is working on are so complicated I could not even begin to explain them here. My sister is a genious. She works so hard and she's so intelligent. Christina has been in the newspaper and on television, not to mention the journals in which she has had her reports published. I am so proud of her. I asked her yesterday why she chose a career in chemistry and she said it's because she loves problem solving. From the time she was young, you could often find her hunched over a new puzzle on our bedroom floor.

Christina and Bethany, Winter 2011

This is the first lesson of two that I learned yesterday. I am so thankful to God that he creates each of us to be unique! I mentioned to my sister that it's so strange how different our areas of academic interest are, considering we grew up in the same home and had similar life experiences when we were young. But God gave her a different brain than me - different abilities, skills, passions, and goals. Imagine if we all wanted to have the same profession or if we all had the exact same skills. Obviously society wouldn't run smoothly if that were the case. God is good and God is sovereign. He knows the plans he has for us. While Christina spent plenty of time playing the piano and figuring out dolphin jigsaw puzzles, God was shaping her into the chemist he wanted her to be. Of course, she is so much more than that! She is a disciple of Christ, a loving wife, an incredible mom, the world's best sister (to me...hopefully not to our brother, as I'd like to share that title), a cherished daughter, a beloved friend, and on and on it goes. I look up to her like no other.

The second lesson I learned yesterday occurred during the professor's lecture. Unfortunately, I can't even tell you what the topic was. A few words stand out: photosynthesis, respiration, hopping, proteins - along with lots of intense equations and graphs. But at a couple of points throughout his hour-long presentation in which I forced myself to stay awake (probably thanks to the yummy Starbucks hot chocolate Christina treated me to earlier), this man noted that this process in the body is life-and-death. From what I understood, respiration hardly makes sense, as our bodies should be overheating considering everything that's going on inside us. Cars overheat, appliances overheat, so why don't we? I don't have to be a scientist to tell you that! God is the omnipotent, omniscient, magnificent Creator! I absolutely love that God is so creative. I consider myself to be a creative person, so when I see his creation out in nature, I want to praise him, sing to him, love him, and worship him. And when I learn new, complicated concepts in a chemistry talk I also want to thank him for making us so wonderfully. He could have made us simple beings, but instead he uses his creative powers to form us into intricate persons and gives us the minds to study his marvelous works as well.

Tea, Scones, and the Royal Wedding

Call me crazy but I set my alarm for 4:30am this morning so I could watch the Royal Wedding of William and Kate. My friend and housemate and I went to Starbucks so we could get tea and scones. I bought an Earl Grey tea and a pumpkin scone. Then we checked and the British Bakery was open so we went in there and bought some delicious apple muffins. There was a group of middle-aged women enjoying a traditional English breakfast and watching the Royal Wedding on the flat-screen television in the bakery. I asked the young woman working there and she told me this bubbly group of hat-wearing women were waiting at the bakery doors this morning when she came to open it at 4:00am!

Courtney and I came home to sip our tea and warm up in our blankets while watching the Royal Wedding on our laptops. It was so exciting. We spoke in British accents, of course. We both had butterflies and couldn't stop smiling. We're watching history in the making! Although I'm not looking my best at 5:00am, we took a few photos of ourselves with our tea and scones so that we would always remember this momentous morning. Just think: we are only a few years younger than Kate so one day when she's as old as the Queen we will be able to tell our grandchildren about this special day. It's definitely worth waking up for! I know lots of people think it's silly and giving the Royal Family more power but it's fun and beautiful and exciting so I make no apologies.

I was pleasantly surprised at how sacred and Christ-centred the wedding ceremony was. It was an intimate ceremony and I loved how they both were trying to hold their smiles in and had a few special moments together. The Scripture reading from Romans was wonderful and it's a passage that I have memorized. The music was almost all based off Scripture, including the Psalms. The sermon was excellent and quite convicting. I pray that the Royal couple actually heard and understood the words of the priest. May their marriage last for life and be one that honours God.