Thankful



Survival

On a beautiful spring day my daughter and I saw this green comma in our yard last week. It was the first butterfly of the season. It had overwintered as an adult butterfly. After a cold winter it seems to me a miracle how this little creature survived. I feel encouraged by this butterfly. Since it survived the harsh winter than I too with God's help can survive the harshness of this life. "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."Phil. 4:13 kjv 

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In the woods

I was walking with my daughter through the black spruce tree's behind my property. There are no roads in here making it a wild space. I was looking for birds when suddenly large, dark wings dropped down through the tree's and as silently as a feather falls through the air it disappeared ahead. We walked on in breathless anticipation when suddenly I saw the alarmed great gray owl looking uneasily at us with yellow eyes and then it swooped down among the black, inky, green trees and disappeared. I did a victory dance. I had turned 50 and my daughter 13. I was alive, healthy and despite all the heartache, loss and sadness I felt joy. I am thankful to God who sustains not only the owl but me. "He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." Matt 5:45 NIV

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Care

One of my biggest joy's last week was seeing a small flock of hoary redpolls. These tiny birds- no more than 5 1/2" long with a tiny red cap are visiting from the arctic where they live and breed on the tundra. They allowed us- my daughter and I to approach them - we were on our bicycles and come quite close. They were eating dirt on the icy road the sanding truck left behind. The experience reminded me of a bible verse in St. Matthew 10: 29-31. "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows." 

His Love

I'm waiting and listening for a particular sound but I haven't heard it yet. Instead I have heard male, red winged blackbird's calling from the unthawing creek. Another sound I heard was seagull's calling as they flew over the creek. When the temperature is above freezing I hear the sound of dripping water from the thick blanket of snow melting around the cottage. But the sound I am listening for is the ocean.

When I moved with my young daughter I drove 11 days across Canada before I saw the ocean again. It was a long journey for me and it showed me in a physical way the vastness of God's love.

I know that no matter which island I call home He sustains it all. This month is our birthday's and the three year anniversary marking that move. God has been with us when the sea of life was calm and when the storms of life were raging. His love has been eternal like the ocean. No matter how much of a wretch I am He has shown himself to be a God of love and it's this enduring, faithful love that binds me to Him. "We love him, because he first loved us." 1 John 4:19 Happy 10th birthday to my sweet daughter!!

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February 18, 2022

The early Christian church would eventually lose it's rock- Jesus and become pagan. It became so satanic it killed and tortured all who would not agree with it. Is this murderous spirit consistent with the character of Jesus or with his Jewish enemies?

My country is a Christian country as stated in part 1 of the 1982 charter of rights and freedoms. It reads, " Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of law." But when I see my government charging, imprisoning and freezing bank accounts of peaceful protesters on parliament hill in Ottawa who do not accept the government's vaccination mandates I question. Isn't this the same evil tyrannical spirit that belongs to the devil and has no place in a truly christian government which is defined by democracy?

Jesus never pushed the gospel on anyone. His gospel was of peace. There is a story where after he healed the demoniacs the people in the surrounding villages asked him to leave and he did. (Mark 5)

How does the spirit of tyranny that I see coming from my federal government represent Jesus and democracy?

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Prayers

Almighty God I thank you for Jesus and for your love. Help me to be perfect. Forgive my trespasses. Look upon my country with pity and in your great compassion throw off the iron fetters of the Trudeau tyrannical government. Reveal to my fellow Canadians the constant evil lies and corruption of mainstream media including the publicly funded CBC. Give us light. Release us from the snare of communism and socialism the media and government is imposing upon us through fear. Reunite us through democracy, Christian love and honesty. Please save this country- O Lord, for what good will the physical and moral darkness serve? Amen. ( The prayer in the post picture was taken from A Book of Prayers published by the United Church of Canada, 1977)
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