The Year in Books, Part 1: An Overview

Given that next year is only a few hours away, I think it's safe to say that my book reading for this year is done. I read a lot (110 books), and enjoyed most of them. To answer the most frequently asked question: by reading all the time. I read on the bus, I read on breaks, I read in the evenings... I read wherever and whenever I can. There are advantages to living alone and taking public transportation!

I also often read just to read, not necessarily for huge insights. Some books stick better than others, and some I just read quickly to get the main ideas. When I really want to study a topic, I read more carefully and more slowly. I'm also not trying to memorize everything I read, but to know where to find more information on a topic when it comes up in conversation or reading. I have been told that "quality is better than quantity" to discourage me from reading so much instead of focusing on a few good books, but I think that varies between people. I read a lot of "good" books (read: deep, insightful, not just fluff), and given the speed at which I read, it's actually amazing how much information sticks in my head to pop up at the right moment.

I divided the books into 2 sets of categories:

Fiction: nonfiction = 36:74 (which is what I aim for: around 2 nonfiction for every fiction)
Adult: youth/child = 82:28 (which is not to say that none of them could appeal to the other category)

I did try the Challies 2017 reading challenge. I made it through the Light Reader (13 books), Avid Reader (13 more books), and Committed Reader (26 more books). I read enough books to include the Obsessed Reader (52 more books), but did not fulfill all the categories (I came up 3 categories short). I did much better than last year, where I missed around 16 categories; this year's was more flexible. I haven't decided if I'll try next year's challenge. I'm interested in brushing up on history next year, and reading various books that I have lying around the house waiting to be read.

Over the next couple days or so, I'll bring you my best in fiction and non-fiction. I haven't figured those out yet.

Merry Christmas

Yesterday I spent the afternoon and evening with friends from church. They let me be part of their families, and we just had a nice time together, and while the crazy ones went caroling in the very cold, I stayed in to watch the little ones. I read them stories, and when the baby woke up, I got to hold him and tell him how adorable and wonderful he is. It was a good day.

Later today I will join other friends for Christmas dinner and a long afternoon and evening of fun and togetherness. It will be a good day.

What I am remembering right now:
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not, cannot, will not overcome it.

Merry Christmas, my friends.

Sunday Notes

Yesterday was Christmas Concert day (which is why I'm a day late again; there was enough to do yesterday). We had rehearsal in the morning, then the service, then home for lunch with friends, then a short break, then back to the church to do a dozen or so things before the concert started.

The concert itself went really well. Everyone did his or her part well, the children sang their hearts out (and looked adorable), and the candle-lit singing of Silent Night did not result in any fires. It was fun, and I'm very thankful for the entire team who made it happen.

I'm still tired this morning (I was awake a couple times in the night), and I'm happy that I don't have to think about the concert for another 10 months (that's my recovery period).

There are only a few days left of work, and then it's Christmas!

Sunday Stuff

Today we learned that if you have a couple boxes of candles that you want to use for the Christmas concert, and if these candles were in storage (inside and outside) for a couple years, they may have softened and hardened just enough to fuse many of them together. We also learned that if you drop them on an un-carpeted floor, it will help them separate, or at least loosed up enough to pull them apart. I'm glad we learned that this week instead of the night of the concert.

We got new books for the library today. There was a stack of commentaries, some for the children (fiction and nonfiction) and a mix of others. New book day is always a good day. My assistant library was extra happy because we got one that he was wanting to read, so he entered it into the system and then checked it out.

It was a good Sunday. In Sunday school, we're learning systematic theology. It's been mostly introduction stuff last week and today. In the new year we'll get into it more, starting with soteriology. Pastor Mike was concerned last week that he was too technical, but I wasn't the best one to ask that; I like the technical stuff. Adult Sunday school makes me happy. It's like being back in school, only without the papers or exams.

Your Christmas song for this week:

Sunday Notes

I did not yell at anyone during concert practice yesterday, which is amazing because I have my voice back and could yell now. I did smack them with a rolled up script on occasion. They wouldn't stop playing with the baby in the manger (and getting straw everywhere). They poked it and flipped it around (because it looked better the other way) and asked if it was necessary to change the baby's diaper. The chief angel tried to convince the other angels that they had to do what he did, the shepherds kept poking each other, and one of the Scripture readers wouldn't slow down (it was actually funny because he kept insisting that he was slowing down, but he kept reading at the same pace). I'm pretty sure they were all determined to drive me crazy, but somehow we made it through. Next week there is no practice, and then the weekend after we have the big dress rehearsal, the final rehearsal, and the performance.

In other news, life is pretty normal. I had lunch with my nephew and my brother on Friday. This is first nephew, the one in the Navy. He taught me about his job and how his training will look long-term. My other nephew is joining the Air Force next year (I think he's due to be at training in February or something close to that). This has already led to some good-natured rivalry between the two branches.

I had friends join me for dinner on Friday. They have a tall son, a small son, and a baby son. It was fun, especially since I got to hold spend the evening telling the baby son how adorable he is (he is very, very adorable).

Beyond that, life is moving along normally. It's only 3 weeks until Christmas, and I'll have a few days off then to relax.

Happy December!!!!!!

Weekly Update

Yes, it's Wednesday and I'm 3 days late. My apologies to anyone who actually expects a Sunday post.

It's crazy busy right now. There's stuff going on at work, there's a Christmas concert to organize at work, I'm trying to be all social and hospitable, and last night I took my friend's son to the symphony. They were playing the music of Star Wars, so that was a lot of fun.

Right now I'm just tired and I've been fighting a cold. I think I'm winning, but it messed up my voice and I've decided that I'll never talk properly again. I just need to rest my vocal cords or something, but I spend a lot of time at work talking to parents and teaching students, so that won't happen for a while. On the other hand, I have an excuse for not talking to people at times because my voice needs a break, so that's nice. Laryngitis is an introvert's dream illness: you don't feel bad, but you have an excuse to avoid conversation without seeming rude!

Overall, life is good. I'm planning to have friends over for supper on Friday, and they have a baby, so I can spend a couple hours telling the baby how adorable he is. They insisted on bringing supper (since I tend to play hostess; it's easier on all of us if we meet at my house), so I don't have to worry about that (although, to be honest, I was planning to order pizza). I'll also have the bigger kids to play with, and the parents to talk with. It's going to be a good day.

And....it's almost Christmas!

Sunday Stuff

Today was a bit different in that while I was at church, I wasn't participating a lot. I've been fighting a cold, and I was coughing a lot this morning. I thought about staying home, but it was the first Christmas concert practice, so I figured I should be there. By the time I left (at about 9:00), I wasn't coughing very much.

Anyway, I was needed as a "helper" in a classroom today as there was a teacher off sick. Mostly I was just needed as an extra presence, so I wandered in and out, taking care of stuff. I did a pile of photocopying for the concert (songs and lines), and sat in the Sunday School room and organized it all. Then, when it was time for the service, I decided not to try sitting through the service. I didn't have the energy to stand for singing, and I couldn't sing anyway (my voice is rather rough) (as a side note, no one would care if I sat down during the singing; at the most, they would worry that I was unwell). I also didn't want to disturb everyone if I started coughing. Happily enough, the service is piped into one of the Sunday School rooms (so parents have a place to bring restless children), so I hung out in there.

Practice went about as well as the first one ever goes. I was with the grade 5-12 students, trying to get them to stop talking long enough for me to give out lines and explain things. There were questions (that would have been answered if they had listened); plenty of "helpful" advice; and an attempt to convince me to use a real baby for Jesus (no, no, no, no, no!). We did get through the readings, and I understand that the younger children at least heard the songs (and some of them even sang). It's a start!

I have a bit of a different Christmas song for you this week. Enjoy!

Sunday Stuff

I don't have a lot to say today, mostly because I'm tired and have a bit of a headache. I didn't sleep well last night, so today was a bit tough. It was a good day, though. We had a sandwich lunch at the church after the service. As always, there was an incredible array of sandwiches to choose from, and an incredible array of breads/buns used. As a single person, my responsibility is to bring a tray of veggies or fruit, which is the easiest thing. I generally eat with the young people, and it's a lot of laughter and fun; I love spending time with them.

We had a baptism service after the lunch, and 5 people were baptized. It's always a good thing, hearing how God has worked in people's lives. One of my former Sunday School students was among the newly baptized this time, which always makes me feel like there's one more child safely in the fold. Of course, every year there are more for me to watch over.

I know I'm not supposed to play Christmas music until December or something, but I'm going to post another Christmas song anyway. Enjoy!

Remembrance Day

Sunday Stuff

Today in Sunday School I learned that I'm not allowed to get drunk and start beating people up. I think, from context, that it's the people at church whom I'm not allowed to beat up, but I'll try to refrain from beating up anyone just to be on the safe side. Adult Sunday School rocks. I spend a lot of time wondering what I've been missing out on all those years of teaching instead of sitting in the adult class.

Today is the official start of Christmas Concert season. We had our meeting and got people signed up. As always, there are a lot of small children who will be part. One wee one kept asking if we were having the concert today, no matter how many times I said no; another one was concerned that they would have to guess at the words of the songs, but I put his mind to ease. This year is a bit different because I have a lot of older kids. I'm missing the chunk in the middle, aka, all the shepherds. I have angels and I have someone to play Mary, but most of the grade 5/6 kids aren't in it this year. I think I'll have to recruit shepherds from grades 7 and 8. And, as always, I need a Joseph. No one wants to be Joseph.

In honor of the start of the season, here is my favourite Christmas carol:

Sunday Notes

Today started off emotionally messy for no apparent reason. Then I looked at a calendar, and figured out the reason. Sigh. One day this will be all over and my emotions will stop jumping all over once a month.

The rest of the day was better. I was able to make a couple Sunday School teachers happy with a new whiteboard and easel for their class. The whiteboard will also be used for other groups meeting in the library, so a lot of people get to be happy. I was made happy with a new computer for the library. The one we have works, we just need to turn it on before the service and it's all good to go after the service. The new one turns on quickly. We just need to get the program moved over, and we're good to go (and by "we" I mean "someone else" since none of the librarians can do it; however, one of the husbands will do it for us).

James preached about serving, and being willing to be a slave for the best good of others, and how freedom is being willing to give up our rights for other people. I need to think about it more and about how it applies to my life.

I had friends over this afternoon. We had ate, talked, and laughed. It was good.

So the day started rough, but went really well. I really wanted to hide somewhere and indulge my emotions, but being with others was so much better. It really does help on the bad days.

For your enjoyment, a song that I enjoy:

Sunday Notes

I was hanging out in various Sunday School classes again today. There seemed to be a number of students absent this week, so the classes were quieter. The little guys were sweet, and their teacher gave me a star for showing up, so they're currently my favourite class! The classes as a whole seem to be going well; there are just a few notes for them to help make things better. I like that I get to spend time training teachers this year, rather than assigning them classes and then mostly leaving them on their own. I think things will go more smoothly for everyone.

I'm incredibly tired today. My downstairs neighbours were in a party mood last night. They did move inside, but every time I started to fall asleep properly, they came back outside for a smoke, and they were loud. I don't think people realize how well voices travel at night, nor do they realize how loud they are when they're talking and laughing. Eventually they decided to stay inside, or I just fell asleep deeply enough to not notice.
The funny part was that I overheard a conversation where the guy said that he never hears his upstairs neighbours. It made me feel better about the amount of noise we were making Friday evening when I had a family from the church over. They have 9 children, and although they're fairly well behaved, having 9 children playing in my small apartment does make it noisy. And of course it's usually quite quiet in my apartment since I live alone.

One of the fish died at work. When I got to work on Wednesday, I knew it was sick (it was tilting while swimming). It died on Friday; I got to work Saturday morning to find 2 notes. Note one said, "Pebbles died. I didn't know what to do with her." Note two said, "Fish died. Fed it to the porcelain coffin." The students don't seem to be concerned; they are more interested in the pregnant fish.

Here is your song for the week:

Sunday Stuff

I spent some time observing Sunday School classes today. The little guys were obsessed with cheese, so that was interesting, and rather silly. The others were a bit more normal. It looks like my teachers and their helpers are doing a good job. I'll spend some time next week with them as well, just keeping an eye on things. Then I'll go back to being a regular student in the adult class. It's a good life.

I had a few days off this week. I haven't done much of anything exciting: lunch with a friend, supper with other friends, a bit of shopping (books and shoes), and some relaxing (watching movies and reading). It's been nice, and I'm feeling pretty unstressed now. I have a couple more days before I go back to work. I'm hoping I can hold the unstressed feeling even when life gets crazy again. It's not about what's happening, but about how I respond to the craziness of life; that's what I've been learning in the past few months.

Sleep is still hit-and-miss. I have more good nights than bad nights, so that's nice. I usually fall asleep fairly quickly; it's just staying asleep that's a challenge.

Overall, life is good.

Sunday Notes

I'm pretty tired today, and there's not a lot to say. Church was good. The only problem is that Pastor James preached a "part 1" sermon, and now he's off for a couple weeks, so Pastor Mike is preaching. I like Mike and his preaching, but really...to leave us with a cliff hanger for a few weeks? That's just mean!

I can share my friend's son's joke with you. He send it to me for my birthday:

What do you do when you can't find any socks?
You run around with stinky feet all day!

He's six.

My birthday was nice. There was cake, and friends to share the cake with, so it was very good.

Here's a song for you....

Sunday Notes

Today in Sunday School, Pastor Mike taught about the parable of the wedding feast (Matthew 22:1-14). I'm pretty sure we were supposed to learn about how the Israelites (and especially their leaders) rejected Christ and refused to repent, and so the kingdom of God went to the others (that would be us), and maybe about evangelism. What I learned is that it's very bad manners to kill someone who invites you for dinner. I think this will be useful information.

That's pretty much all I have for you today. Work was crazy this week, and there were some very long days. I'm feeling better now, and next week will be more regular. The following week is better: Monday is Thanksgiving, Tuesday I work, and Wednesday I start vacation days. I have a week off, and I'm considering spending it doing nothing important (except the few things that I should do). I may explore parts of Edmonton that I don't know yet, and I'll probably read a lot. I also have the entire series of The Sarah Jane Adventures from the library, and I plan to watch them that week.

Enjoy a song....

To Think About

"It has often been observed that the Christian life is not a sprint but a marathon. But even those metaphors fail to adequately express reality. The Christian life could better be described as an obstacle course of marathon length. Think of a race course just over twenty-six miles in length. Add to it walls to climb over, streams to forge, hedges to jump across, and an endless variety of other unexpected obstacles. That is the Christian life."

Trusting God, Jerry Bridges, NavPress, 2008, page 186 (emphasis in the original).

In Which Change Does Not Bother Me

This was the first Sunday in 8 years that Sunday School has been taught and I have been at church and not involved in any way. There were, of course, summers off, vacations, and days when instead of teaching, I was observing other classes or having meetings about Sunday School. There was also the occasional Sunday when we were having a conference and there was only one class so the teachers could also attend.

Today was different. Today I not only did not teach, I attended the adult class as a student. Not only that, I plan to keep doing this. There will be weeks when I'm in the other classes, observing how things are going. For the most part though, this year I will be in the adult class and I will be a student.

I wasn't sure how I would feel about it, but it was very, very good. I loved being in a class, and I didn't miss teaching. The best part was during the service, when I was relaxed and not thinking about Sunday School and the other responsibilities I have on a Sunday morning. Junior Church is no longer my domain (we put the 4 year olds with the 3 year olds and called "preschool nursery"). The library runs itself without me when I need it to. And now Sunday School is going and I can relax about it.

Until I slowed down, I didn't realize how tired I was and how much I needed a break. I didn't realize that I was sitting in church every Sunday, trying to focus but with so much going through my head. I didn't realize how much I was missing of the service and how burdened I always felt. Today was so different from previous years. I think this was a very good idea, and I should have slowed down a year ago.

Also, I really, really enjoyed the adult class. I have been listening to Pastor Mike teach Sunday School for at least a year on-line, but being in class is so much better. Not only is it easier to focus, I can hear what everyone else says (when I listen on-line, there are gaps (some of them long) when other people are talking).

So, despite my dislike of change, this one, I think, will make me very happy.

A Story For You

It started with the joke of the week from work:

Question: How do you get a baby alien to sleep?
Answer: You rocket!

I texted it to a friend (just the question, not the answer). She said that her small son (who is not quite 6) thinks you give it a teddy bear. Also, he was considering (and seriously thinking) that I had a baby alien at home.

Where some people hear a riddle to solve, others hear a request for parenting advice.

What I like best is that he completely accepted that I might have a baby alien.

I told her the answer. She and the older son were amused. The little guy didn't get it, so she tried to explain the rock it/rocket idea, but that was a mistake. He became fixated on the rocked and started asking her all about it. She said that conversation went on for too long.

I may have to send her all my jokes so she can try explaining them the her small son.

Sunday Notes

Sunday School started. Last Sunday we had 55 students enrolled. With the last minute enrollments this week, we now have 67 students, ranging from preschool - grade 6. It's a lot of students. I taught the grade 2/3 class; it was fun. I'm looking forward to sitting in the adult class next week, though; I've been teaching for 8 years and have been really looking forward to this break. There will be weeks when I'll be observing the other classes, but for now I'm going to let them get settled and enjoy the adult class.

By the end of Sunday School time, I was exhausted. The service was good, but in all honesty, I didn't focus all that well. I was developing a headache, I still had a dozen things running through my head about Sunday School, and I was tired. I'm hoping that next week I will be more relaxed and able to be part of the worship.

Bible Study starts tonight. Women's study starts on Wednesday. Then everything will be started and routine can start and life will be busy but organized. Right?

I'm so tired right now. Here's a song for you. I didn't check to see if I'd posted it recently. It's a good song anyway.

Bits of Stuff

Sunday School starts tomorrow. I think I'm ready. I'm not even teaching this year (except tomorrow, to cover for the teachers who are still on vacation) and I still feel overwhelmed by the amount of stuff I needed to do to get ready. It's probably best that I'm taking the year off of teaching! I'm actually using the year to train teachers, and to get more structure in the program. The best news is that we have substitute teachers now, so I won't even have to fill in that often.

The other day I was had a small student reading a sentence. It started "The rules..." which he read "The reptiles..."! I stopped him and had him actually look at the word, so he stared at it, and then tried decoding, and came up with "letters". How? How do you get from reptiles to letters anyway? He said that he forgot about the first r in the word.

I am loving the cooler weather. The temperature drops nicely at night, and hovers in the mid-teens during the day. Fall makes me happy.

Today I made soup and a rice-and-sausage casserole. I also made grape juice because the grapes weren't good for eating (they were sweet, but the peel was not nice, and I was not going to peel all my grapes). I need to let it sit over night and then strain it again, so I'm not sure how it turned out.

It is 25 days until vacation. I plan to stay home and relax and maybe get stuff done.

Life is nice right now.

Sunday Notes

Life was supposed to settle down now that school is back in session. I hope that happens soon! This past week was pretty crazy, just getting schedules and stuff set up at work, and dealing with piles of paperwork. Next week I'm able to shift back to my regular schedule, so that should help.

I almost have things ready for Sunday School. Registration is done (and I think everyone is registered, although there will probably be a few more when we start next week). Each class has 10 or 11 students, except for the grade 5 and 6 class; they have 14 students. We have 55 students registered (preschool-grade 6), plus whatever we have in the junior high class. This year, the high school kids are joining the adult class, which I think will work best for everyone. There is a huge gap between grade 7 and grade 12, and the class was getting really big. Most people seem pretty happy with the change.

Wednesday morning women's study starts soon as well. Next Saturday is the potluck kick-off, and then the following week is the class itself. For the most part, I'll be taking care of the home school room, where I'm completely happy. Once a month, I'll also teach a counseling class. I did it last year, and it went well, so I'm looking forward to continuing it this year. I have a great group of ladies, and I like that we're training women to counsel women in the church.

That's about it for now. I am planning to blog more, but I'm waiting for the fall church stuff to get organized and going, and then I can relax a bit more.

Summer's Over

Yes, yes....we have a few weeks before summer officially ends, but whatever. The kids go back to school tomorrow, so summer is over. It's been a really long summer, and I just barely made it to the end this time. Now my days will be free to catch up on paperwork, and I can work set hours. It's cooling off so mornings and evenings will be nice when I'm going to/from work, and without the extra time at work to cope with summer, I'll have time to get other work done at home.

My plan for fall is to up my bogging to twice a week, but no promises there! We'll see how things go.

This weekend has been nice. I had coffee with a new-ish friend on Saturday. We laugh at the same things, so we're on our way to being good friends. Yesterday was church, and Pastor James preached a very encouraging sermon on Psalm 119:41-48 (you can here it here).Today I spend the afternoon with a good group of friends and their children, and that was all sorts of fun.

That's about it for now.

The Last Week of Summer

Of course I know that summer doesn't really end until near the end of September, but I still run on a teacher schedule, so summer ends on the Labour Day weekend. Then the kids go back to school and I get my days back, which means finally catching up on paperwork and such. It also means working more regular hours (not "normal" hours from, say, an office worker's perspective, but I can settle back into routine).

I have been sleeping better the past few nights, including a full 8 hours Saturday night (and it's been a really, really long time since that happened). It's always easier to deal with life when I'm at least a bit rested.

Yesterday was Sunday School registration. From the best I can figure, 2 families were there and didn't register, 1 family was away, and there are a few others who came sometimes near the end of last year that I'm not sure about (the didn't register, but they may not be planning to attend). I think my numbers are fairly accurate, so I can start organizing classes and materials.

As I left church yesterday, I noticed one of the little guys (he's around 3) wandering outside. He was just at the edge of the parking lot, and had obviously escaped whoever was supposed to be watching him. I suggested that he should go inside, and he just looked at me, so I asked one of the older boys to bring the little guy in and hand him over to his mom. The older boy was willing, but the little guy still wouldn't go until the older guy said, "Let's race to see who can get inside first!" It worked (of course). When I told the big guy's mom, she was pleased that he had that figured out, but then realized why that trick no longer works on him.

That's about it for now. Life at work is about to settle down; life outside work is about to get busy (Bible study, women's Wednesday morning group, Sunday School, and counselling class are all ready to begin next month).

First Lines

I'm tired. The summer schedule at work is always brutal, in part because the days are long, and in part because there are always people around. I also didn't sleep well last night, so I'm counting down the hours until I can try sleeping again (there's no point in going to bed too early as that always makes for a broken night's sleep).

So...this is the best I can do for you right now.

"The roar of thunder was deafening."

"'Well, if there be any truth in the old adage, young Herman Brudenell will have a prosperous life; for really this is a lovely day for the middle of April -- the sky is just as sunny and the air as warm as if it were June,' said Hannah Worth, looking out from the door of her hut upon a scene as beautiful as ever shone beneath the splendid radiance of an early spring morning."

"Any Christian who is feeling down or discouraged about anything should study Paul's great letter to the Philippians."

"Wendy and I stepped out of a creaky, multicolored boat onto the dust-packed bank of the Tungabhadra River."

At the Start of Another Week

There are 3 weeks before school goes back in my area. Some of the outlying school districts start back the week before, but my kids go back the day after Labour Day. I know most people don't count down to the end of summer, but I'm ready for a break. During the summer, we have students in the centre all day (10-2, 4-8, and sometimes 2:30-4:00 as well). I like the kids and I love teaching, but there is paperwork that never seems to get done, and having people around all the time is really, really tiring. So I'm looking forward to having quiet days again.

Also, summer means longer days at work most of the week, so I'm looking forward to more regular work hours. I don't get as much done in the summer because I'm at work a lot; also, the heat drains me. From most to least, I like spring, fall, winter, and summer. I'm not a fan of extreme cold or hot, but I function better with cold. It's possible to bundle up enough to avoid the cold. Last night had some fabulous thunderstorms. This morning is nice and cool, and it's not supposed to get very hot today, so I'm happy.

This week will be crazy-busy. There's a lot going on at work and away from work. We need to plan Sunday School for the fall, and I'm babysitting on my day off. And I know that 2 things don't seem like a lot, but the Sunday School stuff will take a lot of time. It always does at this stage of preparation.

And that's my life right now.

Sunday Update

Today has been a pretty low-key Sunday, which I like. There was the light issue at church. The lights at the front weren't working properly; at one point during the singing, they were jumping between colours (which was interesting to watch, but probably disconcerting for the guy leading the singing and anyone prone to seizures or migraines). Mike preached in odd lighting, where we could see the shadow of his head on his chest as he preached. It was distracting at first, but quickly became normal.

Today's sermon was good. We finished Ephesians 4, talking about how to live as new men and women in Christ. Mike showed that it's not enough to stop sinning, but we also have to do good for each other.

The past week has been crazy busy. I had family in town for a couple nights, so the apartment was full. We had a blast at Telus World of Science on Tuesday (it was too wet to visit the zoo). We were there for 7 hours; I think we say everything!

Friday evening my Bible study group and another group were at the associate pastor's for a BBQ. Mike had put up the tarp because it was supposed to rain, so of course it didn't rain. I had a chance to inspect his books, and his sons' books (although the 5 year old's books weren't that exciting, but I admired them when I went to see his brother's books). It was just a nice evening.

It was a very social week. I'm ready for a break from people; good thing tomorrow's a holiday.

We sang this hymn today; it's one that I'm not familiar with. Enjoy!

Sunday Notes (on Sunday for a Change)

Today we finally got the church library organized. We sorted through the piles of stuff that hadn't been catalogued for whatever reason, and the ones that had been catalogued, but never stamped or shelved. And we got the youth fiction sorted, pulling out all the non-fiction that had been mixed up in it and alphabetizing the fiction. It looks a lot better now, and it only took about half a year.

Mike preached about who we already are in Christ. The old person is gone, and we are new people, knowing and belonging to Christ.

Tomorrow evening I have some family coming: my dad and sister, and my sister's youngest 2 children (who are getting pretty big now; sweet niece is 14 and small nephew is 11). They're in for a couple nights. The plan is to go to the zoo on Tuesday if the weather holds.

For your listening pleasure:

Monday Notes!

I feel a bit bad about not posting on time two weeks in a row (but not really bad). I'm pretty sure my memory is going as I get older.

Yesterday was a pretty normal Sunday. The sermon was good (it always is, really). We spent some time getting more books and videos catalogued, stamped or labelled, categorized, and shelved. We still have a mess of stuff to go through (anonymous donations, things that have been left in the library that don't belong there, and forgotten items), but that is next week's task. I think some of the shelves still need to be organized. I wonder if we can get the kids to do it.

The afternoon was mostly down time, and I didn't do much. This week is crazy busy at work, so I'm glad for a quiet afternoon before it started.

This is not a hymn, but I like it anyway. It's my song for tough times. Enjoy!

Sunday Notes (on Monday again)

I have no excuse for not posting yesterday; it just slipped my mind. I think I was enjoying not being hot for a change. I know a lot of people love the heat; I love that it was rainy and cool yesterday (and windy and cool today)!

Yesterday was a pretty normal Sunday. Mike preached. I loved his sermon title: "Unity Through Diversity: Or How the Body of Christ is Built Up & Grows Towards Unity Through People with a Diversity of Functions & Gifts". That is an awesome title. The sermon was also very good. It was from Ephesians 4:11-16, and he talked about how we all have gifts to use in the service and building up of the church.

The rest of the day was quiet. I baked muffins (because it was finally cool enough to turn on the oven) and made strawberry syrup (it's great for making strawberry milk). I finished a book of short stories/essays by knitters and started a biography of a Muslim who became a Christian. In the evening, I went for a walk and watched the ducks and geese swimming with their babies.

This week's hymn is one of my favourites. I was reading up on the writer (Thomas Chisholm). He was a regular guy who led an uneventful life. Great is Thy Faithfulness celebrates the regular works of God's faithfulness in our lives, and His daily provisions. It also reminds us that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and we can trust Him to care for us.

Sunday Stuff

It's hot. It has been so very, very hot lately, and even with the fan, I have not been sleeping well. The good news is, the A/C at the church had been fixed; last week it was broken, and had it still been broken today, we may have all roasted. On the other hand, there is a severe thunderstorm watch. I like thunderstorms.

After the service, I was up in the library, getting some of the new books shelved. There were a couple small children running through the library, shrieking (they all seemed to be in a very shrieky mood today). After telling them to stop and chasing them out once, I decided to return a couple of them to their parents. The one small guy ran from me...right to his mom to tell her that Miss Dorothy was coming. He doesn't quite realize yet that her response is to ask why Miss Dorothy is coming. That worked out well, especially since his dad came from the other direction (I think he had been up in the balcony, which is just off the library, and had seen/heard what was happening), and had him tell me that he was sorry for running and screaming. He agreed not to run or scream in the library again.

Sunday Stuff

Pastor Mike preached today about unity in the church. It was good; he was talking about how all believers are already united in Christ. He also showed how unity cannot be based on shallow beliefs, but needs to be based on the truths of Scripture. It was encouraging, and it helped me understand how the bond of unity with some people I know can still be strong even though we disagree about some things (mostly to do with how the church is run, and a few other non-essentials).

Canada Day was a lot of fun. I spent time with friends I haven't seen in a few months (some even longer), catching up on things, laughing, and eating. I was only intending to go for an hour or so in the afternoon (we were celebrating an 80th birthday), but ended up being invited for supper since I'm considered family. In the evening, I went to see the fireworks with a family from the church. There are fireworks close to where we live (I could probably have watched some of them from my balcony), so we got to celebrate and get home before midnight. It was a really good day of fellowship and fun.

Next week is one of the busiest at work. It's the first week of summer break, and everyone will be getting schedules sorted out and such. The good news is, it's only a week (or two) and then things settle into summer routine.

Here is a hymn to start your week off well.

Happy Canada Day!

Enjoy some Canadian songs to celebrate 150 years!












 

Sunday Stuff

It was a good service this morning. We talked a bit about missionaries to day, mostly that we are considering supporting (or helping support) a missionary heading over to Japan. We also had a short video about the pastor training academy we help support in the Philippines. We're still a pretty young church, but we're starting to get more involved in evangelism and missions, and that's good.

Today was the church picnic, but I missed it to spend time with my brother. He lives a couple hours away and occasionally comes into the city and we have supper together or something. It's a nice chance to catch up and build our relationship. I like having family this close. Now if I can just get the rest to move out this way! My dad, my sister, and a couple of the kids are coming out this way in a month or so; maybe I can convince them to stay.

A Story for You

When Mum was visiting, she brought me a pile of stuff from my childhood, including some stuff that I had written in grade 7. I thought I should share, so I bring you this amazing piece of literature:

The Kangaroo

The kangaroo was very vain. Now you may wonder what he had to be vain about, because he wasn't very pretty, or smart. But he was vain. You see, the kangaroo was the best jumper in the jungle. Now, everyone knew that because he was always bragging. Even at the rabbit's wedding!
"You may get married, but I can hop faster," he said.
Finally, the rabbit went up to him and said, "I think you brag too much."
The kangaroo just gasped, and lunged at the rabbit. The rabbit hopped as fast as he could, but the kangaroo went faster. Ahead was a wall. The rabbit jumped up, and what he saw made his heart miss a beat. Down he jumped, barely missing the wall, and what was behind it.
Up came the kangaroo, and sailed over the wall. Splash! [in the original, I drew water drops around the word Splash!] He landed in an alligator pool! The rabbit hopped over the wall again, while the kangaroo splashed around wildly, and full of fear. When he got out, he never bragged again.

Moral: Look before you leap!

There you go: amazing literature from a younger me. Can you believe I only got 8.5/10 on that? It may be because there are no jungles in Australia (although there are rain forests). There are also no alligators in Australia. I probably lost marks because of geographical confusion.

Sunday Notes

Today was good. It's always a bit strange to switch to "summer church" since we leave over a hour later (for most of the year, Sunday School starts at 9:30 and the service at 10:45; for the summer, we keep the service time by don't have Sunday School). It makes for a longer pre-service morning. I wonder if anyone showed up at 9:30 for Sunday School this morning?

The service was good. We're still in 1 Corinthians 7, but we're switching things up for a while starting next week. Pastor Mike will take over, and he's going through Ephesians. He's going to be preaching for 8 weeks, and then the new missionary we plan to support will be here for a Sunday. It will be late August/early September before we get back to (and finish) chapter 7. I've been loving it, of course, because it's about marriage without glorifying it, and about the benefits to singleness. It's about so much more, as well: about being content where God has put you; about being Christ-focused instead of world-focused; about looking at all of what Scripture says about a topic instead of just what you like.

We just started talking about planning for Sunday School, because it's been a whole week since we finished! It seems like the work never stops, but the truth is that I'll do some stuff this month (mostly wrapping things up and talking to people about teaching in the fall), and then let it go for most of July. Then in August, I'll start ramping things up again for our start in September.

And now it's just a quiet afternoon.

Sunday Notes

Today was the last day of Sunday School, and now we're on our summer break. I gave the kids their final exam. The rules are that they must answer all questions correctly, and they can't ask anyone over 15 for help. Then, after explaining that, we did most of it together and I wrote the answers on the board for them. It was fun. We wrapped up with a nice snack of worms in dirt (in honor of Martin Luther and the Diet of Wourms) and now we're done. I love my class, but I'm also looking forward to a break.

Today will also be the last Bible Study, and last Wednesday was the last counseling class. Things are winding down for summer, and I'm already planning for fall!

The sermon was really good today, and just what I needed. I'm going to have to listen to it again this week (maybe more than once).

This is why I like expository preaching over topical sermons (although I don't mind the occasional topical sermon): eventually, James (or Mike) will preach on exactly the passage I need that day (frequently, actually, because all of Scripture is useful and because God is good and uses my pastors for our growth and His glory). If they didn't preach through books, I think a lot of topics would be missed. This way, eventually they will preach on everything (although it will take years to get through the Bible!).

Here is a hymn for today:

Sunday Notes

Yes, yes, I know it's Monday. Yesterday sort of got away from me. I meant to write in the afternoon, but got distracted by things. Then I had a family from the church over for dinner and to spend the evening. It was a lot of fun, and I totally forgot after that I hadn't written anything.

Yesterday ended my Reformation lessons. We talked about John Calvin. At the end, he was ill and had to be carried to church to preach. The students wondered how he could preach if he couldn't stand, and I pointed out that he could sit to preach; standing wasn't a law or anything. It's just easier to preach if you're standing because then you're higher than the congregation (and you can be seen and heard better).

This led to a discussion about how our pastors could sit to preach. The seat would have to be very high, and they would need stairs to reach it. Or, one student said, the chair could be lowered from the ceiling, with the pastor on it. I'm not sure what the pastors would think about that!

There's only one more Sunday School left before we break for summer. I have mixed feelings: I love teaching and there's so much left to teach them. At the same time, I'm ready for a break.

This hymn was new to me this week, Enjoy!

Sunday Notes

Today is a very good day, because my Mum came to visit. She and her best friend are doing a road trip, and they spent the afternoon/evening with me. They've headed back to the hotel now, with plans to join me for breakfast before I have to head to work and they have to start back east.

My Sunday School class did their homework presentations today. Each student had the name of a missionary to research and then present some basic facts: the name of the person, date of birth, date of death, why the person was famous, and at least one interesting fact. They're not always good at "interesting" facts, or even relevant facts. Some of them managed to talk about missionaries without ever mentioning where they went or what they did, instead choosing to focus on "he died of heart trouble" or "he had 2 wives".

The associate pastor had to fill in today because the main pastor (who was going to preach) was not well. Pastor Mike preached on the good Samaritan and the question the lawyer asked: "What must I do to inherit eternal live?" It was a really good sermon, and he showed us that it is impossible to earn salvation, since we would have to love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and our neighbours as ourselves, habitually, constantly, continually, on-going, all the time. None of us do that, so none of us can earn salvation. The good news, of course, is that we don't have to because God has already done all the work for us.

It's been a very good Sunday.

Sunday Notes

Double posting today: you should all feel special! I wanted to have a post just about the sermon (because it made me very happy), but there is more to say about Sunday.

I taught my Sunday School class about the 5 Solas of the Reformation, thereby tying the regular lessons and the Reformation classes together. By the end of the class, my chalkboard (because I'm very old-school and prefer a chalkboard) was covered with the 5 Solas and several other words that I put up as they did their worksheets because none of them can spell. It was a good class, and we learned and laughed a lot.

After church, one of the families came over for what we decided was Sunday dinner (I'm not sure what meal you eat at 3:00 on a Sunday afternoon). We started with carrot sticks and strawberries, and then the Swiss Chalet delivery showed up. It was so very good! Later we all walked down to the pond and then hung out at the playground for a while. The mom and I talked while the dad and the kids played. I think the nicest part, for me, was how relaxed and comfortable they felt at my house: the were able to kick back, rest, take a short nap, and none of us had to worry about being "on" the whole time. That's what I've wanted for my home: for it to be a comfortable place where people can feel at home and just relax for a while.

It's been a nice day. I'm a little sleepy (fresh air and sunshine will do that!), and feeling pretty relaxed and happy.

For your listening entertainment:

Today's Sermon

I have always had the feeling that singleness was viewed (both in and out of the church) as less than marriage, and that I was somehow lacking as a single person, and that the married people were feeling sorry for me. If I ever said that I liked being single, many people looked amused or sympathetic or something. They would reassure me that there was someone out there for me, and that I needed to trust God more.  Either there was something wrong with me for being happy with singleness, or I was in denial, or I just hadn't found the right guy. It has been a challenge sometimes being in a very family-oriented church, with children everywhere, and the expectation that everyone would grow up and get married. Sometimes I felt like I was getting God's second-best (or at least that this is how people viewed my life).

In all my years at church, I have listened to several sermons about marriage. I know how to be a godly wife; I even know how to be a godly husband. Last week, I listened to a sermon about physical intimacy in marriage (1 Corinthians 7:1-6). That was....interesting. I have been waiting for years to hear a sermon about people like me: single and happy, and not even looking for marriage.

Today Pastor James got up to 1 Corinthians 7:7-9:

"Yet I wish that all men were even as I myself am. However, each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner, and another in that. But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I. But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion." (NASB).

Yes: Today I finally got my sermon. When I discovered what we wold be hearing today, I was both excited and anxious. I have been waiting a long time for this sermon, and especially since Pastor James started preaching through 1 Corinthians. I knew this sermon was coming, and I was not sure that it could live up to my built up expectations. So it was with some mix of expectation, excitement, and trepidation that I opened my Bible and notebook and waited for him to start.

I am very, very happy to say that Pastor James met and exceeded my expectations. You can listen to the sermon here. I couldn't keep up with my note-taking in parts because I wanted to write down everything he said, and I wanted to make sure everyone else was listening too. And I may have cried a bit when I realized that I might finally be able to tell people that I'm happy being single and they'll accept what I say as okay and biblical, and that there's nothing wrong with me. I'm not less of a person or of a Christian, and God is not holding out on me. Singleness is a gift, and given so that I can serve the church more fully.

And there's a more to come: 1 Corinthians 7 will later include verses about why singleness is good, and about the advantages of staying single in being able to focus on God and serving Him.

Today I am very, very thankful for a pastor who preaches expository, verse-by-verse through a book sermons, and that he decided to preach through 1 Corinthians.

Church Notes

Today we were learning about Thomas Cranmer in Sunday School. Last time I taught about him (5 years ago), I explained my reasons (you can find that post here), so I won't do that again. Cranmer was a complicated man who failed many times, but always God was gracious and forgiving when Cranmer repented.

We did get sidetracked by British history today (last week, too), as we discussed Henry VIII and his many wives. We talked about how each marriage ended for each wife (divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived), and which ones he actually liked (number 3 was his favourite, and he stayed friends with number 4 even after the divorce). In the end, the children learned 2 things for sure: don't marry Henry VIII, and don't help the king get a divorce! I'm fairly certain that they learned about Cranmer and God's mercy as well!

I also gave the students their homework today. They have 2 weeks to research a famous person (they're all missionaries this time) and then report back to us about the person's life. I choose the people, write them on slips of paper, and have each child draw a slip from the pile. They seem to enjoy the homework, although that could be because they know there will be a reward for doing it (usually a roll of LifeSavers®). I like it because they learn more than I have time to teach them (both from their own research and by listening to the other students present their findings), and it gives me a break from teaching.

First Lines

I'm sitting in my apartment with a gang of Sunday School boys who are alternating between eating everything in sight and watching Rogue One (except the boy who is alternating between reading Charlie Brown and watching Rogue One).

Since I've already finished eating, and have already watched Rogue One, I think it's time for another installment of "first lines of books I am reading/recently read".

"The word community is used for a variety of purposes to denote groups of people who have something in common."

"Some years ago we planted a tree on the west side of our house expecting it to grow and eventually shade us from the afternoon sun."

"That amiable youth, Jimmy Thesiger, came racing down the big staircase at Chimneys two steps at a time."

"Mr. Mayherne adjusted his pince-nez and cleared his throat with a little dry-as-dust cough that was wholly typical of him."

"Before plunging into the first passage of the Bible, it might be helpful if I tell you where we are going in this series."

"A biblical understanding of idolatry dramatically changed my own life and exposed how far I had drifted from the gospel."

Sunday Notes

Once a month (twice this month), I teach my students about men of the Reformation. Today we learned about Ridley and Latimer, two English reformers during the time of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Lady Jane Grey, and Queen Mary (we also learned a bit of British history). Ridley and Latimer were eventually burned at the stake. We ended up having a discussion about being burned at the stake vs. being strangled vs. being beheaded. The final decision was that being beheaded would be best as it would hurt the least, and if you were burned at the stake, it was best to have gunpowder tied around your neck (so it would explode and kill you quickly) or to breathe deeply and die of smoke inhalation. Yeah....I taught my students how to be martyred.

Pastor James preached on 1 Corinthians 6:12-20, about glorifying God in our bodies. It was a great sermon, and very powerful. There are some things he said that I'm going to have to ponder on for a while to make sure I understand, and to see how they affect my life. Mostly, I'm thinking about how if we are all members of Christ's body, then any sin I commit will affect the whole body. I was reading True Community by Jerry Bridges this week, and he says much the same thing: that we're all part of the body, so what hurts one part will hurt the rest.

We were there after for a long time as the people I ride with were locking up, and a couple of the elders had a meeting (making it even longer than normal). I was going to do some research in the library about a passage I'm studying, but ended up talking with one of the other ladies for a long time. We're at about the same stage in life, are both finding the change of life really rough going. We were able to commiserate with each other and encourage each other to glorify God in our tough times. I have just recently been getting to know this sister in Christ, and I count her as one of the really good things that God has brought into my life this year.

It was a really, really good Sunday.

Sunday Stuff

Today was a very, very busy Sunday!

Sunday school went well, and I think they understand the concept of the fruit of the Spirit. I emphasized that you can't break the fruit into separate fruits, but need all of them, and that they all work together. Then we had a special snack of Kinder® Surprise® eggs, and we were thankful for post-Easter chocolate sales! Near the beginning of class we had a wonderful interruption: a family who had moved away 9 months ago has moved back and this was their first Sunday back in Sunday school. They were a bit late, but we were too happy to mind!

The service was really good (I've included one of the hymns below). Pastor Mike preached on Ephesians 3:20-21. You can listen to it here. I found the reminder that we have working in us the same power that raised Christ from the dead, and gave us life as well to be a perfectly timed blessing for me today (Mike said it way better than that, so you should just go and listen to him). We ended with communion, which is always a serious and yet joyous time.

After the service we had our last-Sunday-of-the-month soup-and-sandwich lunch. I was ordered to join a group of teenage girls (by one of the girls), so I did. I like spending time with them, so I was quite willing to obey!

Next, we had baptisms: 10 people were baptized today. It was really, really good to hear their testimonies and how God has worked in so many lives in so many different ways. Some of "my" kids were baptized today; one of them I've known since he was a baby (he's around 13 now). I love watching them grow up and grow in their faith.

Finally, we had an elder appreciation time. It was just a short bit, with one of the men talking for all of us to our elders and their wives, letting them know that we love them. I think he did a good job, talking to each on specifically about why we love him (and his family). There were flowers and notes and gifts, and I think not a few tears. It was good.

And now I'm at home, washing baptismal robes, and wondering if I should head out for a walk before it starts to rain (it seems to be clouding over). I think I'll head out when I put the next lot in the dryer.

Sunday Notes

Today we started on the fruit of the Spirit in Sunday School. We talked about abiding in the vine to bear fruit, and how good trees bear good fruit, and bad trees bear bad fruit. We read from Matthew, about how you will know people (and particularly in that case, false teachers) by their fruit.

Then I used an example of an orchard. If it's late summer, early fall, and you're in an orchard and you're not sure what type of trees they are, how can you find out?
The answer I was given: By their leaves.
Trust me: even this boy doesn't know the leaves of the trees well enough to tell one type of tree from another.
My response: Where in the Bible does it say "You will know them by their leaves?????"

Oh, well; maybe next week they'll get it!

After the service, I was talking with another lady about our various menopausal symptoms. Yeah, I'm at that stage of adulthood now. I'm glad that I'm not going through it alone though; it's nice to have someone else sympathize with the hot flashes followed by chills!

Here's a hymn for you. Have a great week!

Sunday Notes

Okay, yes: It's Monday. Yesterday was very busy, so you get the Sunday post today. I hope I didn't drive off all 7 of my readers by doing this!

Yesterday was good. There was no Sunday School (we give the teachers a break for Easter). After the service, I learned how to play quarter hockey (which, it seems, should be penny hockey, but no one has pennies now). It was a very exciting game to watch as the two boys battled it out for bragging rights. I also watched an interesting snowball fight; one of the older ladies got involved, and she has a good arm.

I spent the rest of the day with friends and their family. There was good food, good company, and lots of laughter. One of the boys and I still need to play another chess game; we're tied 1-1. He wanted the best of 3. I really thought he'd beat me in 2, but we battled out the second game until I won. I had to assure him that I didn't let him win the first game. I've had some people tell me that I should let kids win games and that they'll feel better about themselves if I let them win, but I disagree. I think it's insulting to the children, gives them a false sense of how wonderful they are, and makes it harder for them to lose later in life. Also, they know that they won because they played better than I did; that's what makes them feel good about themselves.

And on that note: Here's an Easter hymn for you:

Sunday Stuff

We finally finished the order of salvation this morning in Sunday School. I showed them where Paul refers to all believers as saints, and explained that when we become Christians, we are called saints by God (although we are not yet perfect). We also talked about how sanctification is an on-going process, and is a combination of our work and the Holy Spirit's power. I really pounded that one home; I do not want them thinking that they have to do all the work, nor do I want them to think that they can just sit back and wait for God to do stuff in them.

We are enforcing the "parents need to pick up their children after Sunday School" policy. For a while, parents were sending older siblings, or just taking forever to get their children (perhaps waiting for us to stop waiting and bring the children out). The issue with older siblings is that they tend to come with their friends, and there really isn't much room for that many people; also, they don't leave quickly and quietly. This seems to be going well, except for that one mom I overheard today muttering about what nonsense it was to have to pick up her children rather than sending a sibling. I wish parents would understand that we're not trying to make their lives harder. We're trying to make it easier for the Sunday School teachers (who would like to have a few minutes between Sunday School and the service to at least find a seat), but our primary reason is to make sure the children are safe, that they get to their parents, and that they don't wander off somewhere. I didn't respond to the mom (who seemed to talking half to herself and half to her small child as they headed off to get a slightly older child), since everything I was thinking was rather sarcastic. Sometimes I can keep my mouth shut!

Here is this week's hymn for you. I really like it, and it uses "propitiation" which is a great word to find in a hymn.

For the Tough Days

Some days are easy. Some days are tough. On all of them, my desire is to praise God, to glorify Him, and to hold tight to Him and to His promises.

Sunday Notes

Today was a reformation lesson: we learned about Tyndale, his love for God's Word, and his work in translating it into English. He was captured and killed before he finished the entire Bible. Then we tried to figure out how many Bibles we each had in our homes. I have 10 Bibles, covering a total of 5 different translations. We have been incredibly blessed in our ability to access God's Word, which my be why so many people (and I'm only talking about believers here) don't care enough about it. If it was suddenly banned, and hard to find, and illegal to read, I think we might see better how precious it is.

During class, we suddenly heard a violin playing O Sacred Head Now Wounded (the hymn I posted below). We stopped to listen and wonder where the sound was coming from. Someone thought it came from the nursery, or close to it, because when it started, all the babies became quiet. It turns out that one of the junior high students was practicing to play it during the offering this morning. The babies could undoubtedly hear it, since we could, so maybe that did settle them down. If so, we need her to play for them regularly!

Sunday Notes

This week and last week, Pastor James has been preaching on church discipline (1 Corinthians 5). I was explaining the passage and the overall method of church discipline to my Sunday School kids at the end of class, in preparation for the sermon. To explain how church discipline happens, and why, I used my helper as the person who is sinning and refusing to repent. She's actually the sweetest person, so it was extra funny to them.

We also talked about repentance today in class. We talked about how is requires us to admit that what we did was wrong, and that we were wrong to do it (without making excuses); ask forgiveness; and then not do it again. My example had one of the girls killing one of the boys. The boy's brother cheered....brotherly love at its finest!

We had our monthly soup and sandwich lunch today after the service. Last month, we had piles of soup left over. This month, we had piles of sandwiches left over! We're split by last name as to what to bring, so they may need to adjust the break-off spot to even up the food.

Today was also communion Sunday. It was really good for me this week, to focus on and remember God's blessings through His Son, and His faithfulness to me always. It's been a bit of a tough week, but things feel more settled in my heart now.

On that note, here's a communion hymn for you.

Sunday Notes

Well, we finished reviewing election, atonement, and God's calling in Sunday School today. I think it was a really good class, and I'm pretty sure they understand things better now. Next week we'll move on to the next step (regeneration/conversion/adoption/justification).

After the service, we had our annual general meeting. Because we're an elder-led church, we don't have to vote on everything, so our AGM is very, very short. Basically, we affirm the current elders and deacons (we would also affirm new ones, but there weren't any this year), and then we all have the annual report (with reports from the various ministries in it) so we can read it and ask questions later if anything isn't clear.

There is some confusion about what being elder-led means; I've had people think that the elders are dictators. This is simply not true. They do make the major decisions, but they always listen to and consider what people have to say, both in terms of getting input before making decisions, and concerns about the decisions they make. We are called in Scripture to submit to the elders, but this doesn't mean blind obedience. Also, the elders aren't power seekers, nor are they prone to lord their authority over us; they love the congregation, serve them, and seek their good.

This week's hymn is one we sang this morning.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Here you are, the true story of St. Patrick, complete with flannel graph:



The next video is the reason why every time I teach on the Trinity in Sunday School, someone calls out, "That's modalism, Patrick!" It got to the point where I gave them a few minutes at the beginning of class to get it all out of their systems, and then told them that Lutheran Satire was banned from class for the rest of the day.

Enjoy!

Church Notes

I was a bit optimistic this week when planning my Sunday School class. We're starting the order of salvation, and I planned to cover election, atonement, and calling. Well, we did get through all three, but we were rushed at the end, and we didn't get to the worksheet. The good news is, I don't have to write next week's lesson, since it's going to be a review and worksheet week! Next time, I'll do election as its own lesson, and then do atonement and calling. There are still 3 points to go (justification/regeneration/conversion/adoption; sanctification/perseverance; and glorification). I'm definitely doing those as two separate lessons.

We had a short Sunday School meeting after the service, mostly just to give me a chance to touch base with the teachers and deal with any potential issues. Things seem to be going smoothly, for the most part, with only a couple small areas to tighten up a bit (that's the way it is all the time, I think). We also talked about the emergency evacuation plan in the event of fire, and the plan to have a fire drill one day when spring has come for sure, and the blacktop has been laid (we believe in fire drills, but only when it's nice outside). We also had a brief discussion of the plan for an earthquake (same as fire), a nuclear attack (we all die), and a tsunami (we live in central Alberta; this will not be a problem). I believe the conclusion is that we will deal with disasters through sarcasm, and that the other teachers are sometimes worse than I am!

Pastor Mike preached on Ephesians 3:14-19 today. It was a very, very good sermon, and you should listen to it here (it seems to be uploaded already). The passage is one of Paul's prayers, and it's such a big, confident, amazing prayer for the church he loved, that they would be strengthened with God's power, indwelt by Christ, and know His love so fully. I may have to listen to the sermon again.

Here's a hymn to go with the sermon:

Church Notes

Today in Sunday School we learned about Zwingli (who has a great name), the Swiss reformer. One thing we talked about is that sometimes you need to make a stand. Erasmus (a contemporary of Zwingli) tried to stay in the middle, refusing to take sides or debate or anything, and in the end, neither the Protestants nor the Roman Catholics trusted him. Zwingli tried to reform the church from within for a time, but eventually had to side fully with the reformers and the Bible. We talked about how sometimes you can be flexible (not everything is a hill to die on), but other times you need to choose, and if you try to stay in the middle of the road, you'll get hit by a car.

We also had a library meeting, now that things are getting settled in the library. We talked schedule and policies. One thing we need to keep an eye on is the children playing in the library. We want them there, but not running around or sitting too close to the fireplace. Also, if they are at the edge of the balcony looking down at everyone, they need to keep both feet on the floor (and definitely not on chairs). We want the children there, and are planning a "children's corner" where they can hang out and read or colour. We just don't want them to get hurt. Among the librarians, we have 3 moms, a grandma (so technically 4 moms), an older brother (and I can testify as to how bossy older brothers can be), and me (I love the children, so I'm very firm with them when I need to be, and they listen to me). I think we can keep the children in line!

I've just listened to half-a-dozen versions of this, looking for one where I could understand the words, and where they didn't change the words. Appreciate my effort for you while you listen!

This Week in Books

I had a Calgary trip on Monday, which meant some uninterrupted reading time on the way down and back. In that time I read 8 Women of Faith by Michael A.G. Haykin. The 8 women are Lady Jane Grey, Margaret Baxter, Anne Dutton, Sarah Edwards (because there's probably some rule that states that if anyone is writing a book about women of faith, they must find a way to include Sarah Edwards), Anne Steele, Esther Edwards Burr (mother of Aaron Burr who famously shot Alexander Hamilton in a duel), Ann Judson, and Jane Austin. It's a good book, and gives a picture of each woman. It piqued my interest in some of them, and I may need to do more reading.

I also started No Little Women by Aimee Byrd. I haven't finished it yet, but I am enjoying it so far. She puts women's ministries/studies squarely in the ministry of the church (and under the guidance of the leaders) where it belongs, rather than relegating it to the fringes, where it so often ends up. Reading about how it gets neglected in some churches makes me more thankful for my elders, who oversee all the aspects of church life, making sure that Scripture is taught, and that we're not given "pink" books that either relegate women's teaching to a handful of verses for women (Proverbs 31, Titus 2, Ruth, and Esther are all women need to know, right?), or lead women to emotions-based rather than Scripture-based theology.

The big news is that I finally finished Ben Hur (spoiler alert: Jesus dies, but then He's resurrected). I'm not sure what I'll talk about with my friend's son after this Sunday, when I can tell him that I finally finished. It's a good story, but there's a lot of description and people on camels in the desert.

I also finished Heidi. It's much preachier than I remembered, but I still really like it.

There are more books that I'm reading and plan to read, but those are the highlights of this week.

It Made Me Happy

I've been watching too much What's in the Bible...With Buck Denver lately. Someone donated a pile of them to the church library, and I wanted to see if they should be in the library. They're not going in, since I will have parents upset with some of the theology. I've been enjoying them, though. There's a pirate who teaches church history, and Sunday School lady (with her magic flannel graph board) among other characters; what's not to like?

This, though, is my favourite part so far.

Church Stuff

Today I learned that someone at the church makes the most amazing ham sandwiches: good bread, real ham, and just the right amount of mustard. I'm looking forward to the next soup and sandwich lunch (we're planning to have them once a month) to find out what other amazing types of sandwiches this person can make.

I have a proper storage cabinet in my Sunday School classroom now, which means that all of my supplies are locked up, and all the extra Sunday School materials that were in my apartment are now neatly arranged on the bookcase in the classroom. Also, Quinn the plant has been moved from the windowsill to the top of the cabinet to hide the scrape I put in the wall while unpacking the filing cabinet. All I have left to bring to the church are a stack of books to add to the library. That is almost organized (we're still alphabetizing things), and then I'll feel properly settled in the church.

The annual general meeting at the church is in three weeks. They're planning a Q&A session with the elders after the meeting. I'm trying to think of some good questions, and possibly some not-as-good questions for my own amusement.

We sang this hymn this morning. When I listened to this version, I thought it should have fireworks at the end. I'm not sure why; I could just hear them in my head. Enjoy!

What I'm Reading

I've been reading a lot this year (big surprise, right?). I've also been working a lot, and reading has helped me relax. A couple trips to Calgary for work has given me uninterrupted reading time on the way down and back (the person I go with likes to listen to her music as she drives and not talk much, and I can read in the car without getting carsick).

Anyway, here are some of the books I've been reading. Today's focus is on children/youth fiction.

The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald. It's been years since I read this; it's still good.

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson. A friend recommended it; it's not bad. It's a pretty easy read, and somewhat predictable, but it flows well and ends well.

Your Momma Thinks Square Roots are Vegetables by Bill Amend. Actually, this is a book of Foxtrot comics. I like Foxtrot comics.

Warriors: Into the Wild by Erin Hunter. A lot of the kids are reading this series, and they convinced me to try one. It's about cats in the wild. They have tribes, fight among themselves, and eat a lot of mice (and talk a lot about biting into fresh kill). It was interesting enough to finish the one book, but not interesting enough to read more of them (also, the eating mice parts were icky).

Right now I'm reading Heidi again, and planning to borrow the sequels from a friend. And I'm working my way through Ben Hur, which is not technically for children; however, my friend's 13 year old son read it (but he reads more than I do). Now every week he asks how far I am in the book, so I need to finish it soon!

That's about if for fiction so far this year.

Church Notes

We're still trying to get the library organized. Today I managed to get the children's books in the right places (I think), and I found the rest of the "family issues" section (somehow with the "Christian living" books) and put it where it belonged. That was about all I could accomplish. There were people in and out to return and check out books (which is good), and children everywhere. The children like the library a lot as a hang out spot, but I may need to find a way to contain them or something, as they tend to get in my way when I'm working. Maybe I'll just put them all to work! I am insisting that there is no running around or wild playing in the library. Sitting and talking, playing a game, or playing on their electronic devices (as much as I would like to ban the electronic devices) is okay.

About the electronic devices: I know it makes me sound like either a Luddite or a curmudgeon when I want to ban them. My problem is that one child is playing, the others are watching him play, and there's no interaction with each other. I'd rather they played a game together where everyone is involved and doing something significantly less passive than watching someone play something.

In Sunday School, we're doing an overview of the Bible, focusing on each part. This week we were talking about the Pauline epistles. Pastor James has been preaching through 1 Corinthians, and the students were able to tell me some things that he has been talking about, so that was good. On the other hand, Pastor Mike has been preaching through Ephesians, and they remembered nothing at all about it! I let them off lightly, though, since he hasn't actually preached since the end of December.

Here is a favourite modern worship song/hymn of mine:

Church Notes

This was the first Sunday School class in the new building. We spent some time being happy and thankful for the new room. I told them about past rooms I'd taught in since the church began:

The first Sunday with Junior Church and nursery in the same room.

The hotel where the divider between the 2 classes was a coat rack with a tablecloth thrown over it.

The classroom/overflow room in the school, where we had to pack up the tables and straighten out the chairs at the end of each class to be ready for the service (we also had to set up the tables, but usually the people who came early to open the building did that for me).

The classroom most of them remember from the school, which was divided into two classes and a library.

And the latest classrooms at the church we were renting, with no windows and poor lighting.

We were all very, very happy today!

Then we named our plants. We have 2 trees in our room, as well as a plant on the windowsill (happily enough, none of them are real, so we don't have to worry about keeping them alive). The trees are Fred and Frieda, and the other plant is Quinn.

After the service, we started to organize the library. We have the books in groups according to topic; next week we will alphabetize them properly. Then we can start entering the new books that we have acquired over the past couple years.

It was a good Sunday.

Matthew's Begats

I know it's not Christmas, but I'm pretty impressed that he can sing all of them:

First Sunday

The first Sunday at the new church was good. We didn't have Sunday School; rather, we had coffee and cookies and a chance for everyone to explore the new building. It was nice, and next week I don't have to spend the Sunday School hour explaining to everyone where their rooms are!

The library is sort of ready to go, meaning that the books are on the shelves, but not sorted. We needed the room already for extra seating for the after-the-service luncheon, so we had to get the 40-something boxes out of the way! There are 2 students who have already chosen what books they will check out when we open for business next Sunday, and one of them alphabetized the Christian Heroes Then and Now series for us. I've already recruited him to help organize things starting next Sunday.

The sanctuary is a good size. We thought originally that we would have to have 2 services to fit everyone, but it turned out bigger than anyone thought, so we fit in with room to spare, and the plan to build 3 tiers of seating in the small balcony so we can fit in even more people.

The best part, apart from "God has blessed us with a wonderful building" is "we never have to move the church again"!

We Need More Words

As you may know (if you read my last post), on Sunday we're moving into our own church building, after 11 years and 3 months of planning, praying, waiting, and longing. It's a big time in the life of our church.

I have two definite feelings (or sets of feelings) about this, and I tend to feel them at the same time.

First, there is the joy, excitement, and delight at moving, at the new building, and at not having to move again after this one, or set-up-and-take-down every week, or haul stuff around. I can move all the Sunday School material that has been stored in my closet to the new building and leave it there. Also, the building is beautiful. The classrooms and the library are bigger than I pictured (the building plans meant nothing to me, except to count how many rooms there are). It's all fun and exciting and happiness.

And then there's the other feeling. We had the fun and exciting and happiness 11 years and 3 months ago when we started the church. It was a good time, and everything was new, and we looked forward to this day when we'd have a building of our own. But so many of the people who were there that Sunday won't be there this Sunday. Some have died, some have moved, and others have chosen to attend other churches. Mixed with all the happy emotion is the sorrow and grief and longing for those people, an almost overwhelming desire that they could all be here with us on Sunday.

I tried to find a word that describes how I've been feeling lately, but there doesn't seem to be one, and all my attempts have uncovered inadequate words. It's not ambivalent or bittersweet, since I don't have mixed feelings about the move (I'm genuinely excited about that). It's also not melancholy, since that focuses on the sorrow side (also, it's more of "sorrow with no discernible cause" and I know the cause). It's just....joy at what is, and a longing for what was, and the knowledge that things have changed we can't go back, and excitement about the future, and so many emotions at once!

English needs more words.

My Church

Eleven years and three months ago, we started a new church. In that time, we've met in 2 hotels, 2 schools, and are currently renting space from another church.

This is our last Sunday in someone else's space, our last Sunday of renting space. Next Sunday, we will be in our own building.

It's been a wild trip getting there. We started off as a small group of people who wanted a church where the truth is preached, and whose foundation is Christ and Him crucified. Over the years, the church has grown, and grown, and grown more (both through people joining and people having babies).

To give you some idea of growth, based on my ministry (children, of course): When we started, we had 2 Sunday School classes from preschool-grade 6 (with only a few children in each class). I'm not sure there were enough children for a junior/senior high class (and the ones we had were all siblings or cousins), and Junior Church had about 4-5 children ranging in age from 3-8.

Currently, we have 5 Sunday School classes from preschool-grade 6, with over 60 children registered. Junior/senior high has up to 15 students each week, and that doesn't count the ones who attend the adult class. Junior Church was seeing about 18 children each week, and we cut the ages back to only 4 and 5 year olds (the 3 year olds are in the nursery, and the older children are in the service). I have no idea how many children are in the nursery, only that it's a lot.

There have been some bumpy spots along the way, but God has blessed us greatly in our desire to serve Him and to bring Him glory. He has given us godly pastors and elders who teach His word faithfully (even the tough parts), and who genuinely love God and the church. We don't really have impressive programs or an exciting children's ministry; we just teach the truth from Scripture every week. Far from turning people off or boring the children (both assumed if you don't have the right program with glitter and glitz and excitement), I have watched my students grow up and get baptized, confessing Jesus and Lord, and I have rejoiced at God's faithfulness.

Don't misunderstand: we're okay with having fun. There's a lot of laughter in the classes (and it's not all me laughing at the children). Sometimes the younger children colour, and we have silly Bible quizzes (such as "What is the 7th word in the 3rd chapter of Isaiah, based on the version I am looking at right now?"), and we enjoy ourselves. Sometimes we even laugh in the service (gasp!). It's just that our goal is not to have fun or make people laugh; it's to teach them solid, biblical truths, and to become more like Christ.

Today will close another chapter in the church's life: that of renting. Next week, we move into the building that He has provided, with its lovely Sunday School rooms and a library big enough for all our books. It's an exciting time.

This Year's Focus

I have a lot of imagination. I spent my childhood years making up stories and putting myself into the books I read. It's a good thing, this imagination. It got me through tough times, and boring times, and and allowed me to escape when I needed to. It also, I think, has helped me put myself in someone else's shoes, to think about why he/she is acting or speaking in a certain way. I think it has given me more understanding and empathy.

Of course, as with all good things, there is also a down side. This imagination also lets me escape when I should be focusing, and when I just don't want to deal with things. I find myself in my own world too often instead of listening to people, and years of escaping into a daydream has made it a habit that needs to be controlled.

And then, when you couple an imagination with a tendency to worry, you get even more trouble. I can anticipate every possible outcome of any conversation or event, and most of what I imagine are the ways things could go wrong.

This is the trouble I have found in my own life lately (it's been there for a very, very long time, but I've only really been dealing with it lately): my thought life, and mostly this ability to escape through daydreams (where I am almost always the hero and other people in my life are the bad guys); or worry about the future; or not let go of the past (but reliving it and trying to "fix" whatever went wrong). It's one of the ways that God is pruning and weeding in my life, and it's been painful and tough to deal with, to admit that there is so much sin just in my thoughts, and to constantly confess it to God and seek His forgiveness. It's an ongoing battle, but He is patient and faithful to forgive me and give me ways to escape when my thoughts try to rule me.

So this is my focus for this year:

Finally brethren,

whatever is true,

whatever is honorable,

whatever is right,

whatever is pure,

whatever is lovely,

whatever is of good repute,

if there is any excellence

and if anything worthy of praise,

dwell on these things.

Philippians 4:8

First Lines

I have a lot on my mind, but nothing I'm ready to write about just yet. Instead, I'll give you the first lines of books I'm reading, recently finished reading, or plan to start reading next.

"In the 1700s in the New World, thirteen small British colonies hugged the Atlantic coast -- separate colonies, not one country."

"If you shall chance, Camillo, to visit Bohemia, on the like occasion whereon my services are now on foot, you shall see, as I have said, great difference betwixt our Bohemia and your Sicilia."

"The Jebel es Zubleh is a mountain fifty miles and more in length, and so narrow that its tracery on the map gives it a likeness to a caterpillar crawling from the south to the north."

"There was once a little princess whose father was a king over a great country full of mountains and valleys."

"Now consider the tortoise and the eagle."

"1. A point is that which has no part."

"Children, grace be with you. Amen."

"I didn't know how much I needed to read this book until after I'd written it."

"Some controversy is crucial for the sake of life-giving truth."