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Last night I had the privilege of playing a songwriter's cafe for the "Annex" which is a group from a local church that meets each week at the local coffee shop. My friend Cam who hosts the event each week, invited me to come and play some music and share the thoughts and ideas behind some of my songs as a part of a recent series that they have been going through entitle "songs that make you think." This is the flyer for the series that appeared on their web site:
I love the "church? (we think so)." Even though this is an offshoot of the larger church, that meets in a coffee shop and not a sanctuary, that shares music and coffee and discussion rather that sermons, pulpits and choirs, I agree that it is church. I am reminded that church is people. The Greek word in the New Testament that would be translated church actually refers to people- those who are called out. The church is the collection of people who follow Jesus. We are the church whenever we gather together in the name of Jesus, whether that be in a traditional church building with steeple and sanctuary or a sports centre for Sunday worship. We are the church when we gather in the name of Jesus at a coffee shop or a home to discuss things of life and faith as we wrestle with living out our spirituality in this world. We are the church when we gather in the name of Jesus to serve those in need or to love our neighbour or to enjoy fellowship together. We, who are followers of Jesus, we are the church.
This is a great reminder as we enter this week in which we will remember Jesus' sacrifice on the cross and celebrate His resurrection on Sunday. Jesus did not die for a building or a program but for people, the people that God loves so much that he would send his Son and whom the Son loved so much that he would offer himself in our place. It began with two people, Adam and Eve, who walked intimately with their God. Their sin in the garden, among other things, meant that the relational intimacy that they shared with God was severed, an effect that would be shared by all subsequent people thereafter. Jesus offered himself and took on the consequences for sin that we deserved so that we might have peace with God, that we might be reconciled and brought back into relationship with God. People matter to God, we matter to God and the cross is an overwhelming proof of that fact.
It is a favourite annual event for me, when we head to the sugar bush to learn about the history and process of making maple syrup and then sample some of the good stuff. This past weekend I made the visit with a group from our church for one of our Worship with Creation events. I found myself reflecting on the process and being amazed at how God has orchestrated such an amazing biological process that would serve two integral and yet distinct purposes.
The trees undergo a biological process in the spring during which the warmer spring temperatures help the tree convert starch that was stored for the dormant winter period, into sucrose which is dissolved in water to make sap. A combination of below freezing temperatures at night (which 
causes water to be absorbed into the roots) and higher temperatures during the day (which causes pressure in the tree) make it so that the sugary sap flows. Interestingly there is a very short window of time when the sap is good to make maple sugar products, for when the buds finally develop the sap content changes. The tree has its own process that it needs to undergo in order to continue its cycle of life.
I find it amazing to think, however, that this process is also critical to the development of maple sugar products. We have come to think of maple syrup, or maple products as a treat. There was a time, however, when for First Nations peoples and for early pioneer settlers, these sugar products were integral sources of nutrients and energy helping many to avoid starvation and death in the harsh conditions. God saw it fit to lead humans to discover the the sap of these trees and to develop a process to boil it down and get the needed sugar.
God developed the trees and their life cycle and he did it in such a way as to provide humans with what would be an integral part of their diet. It is amazing to think of the detail, the 
intentionality and the care with which God created. As we look closely at all that God had created it always seems to lead to a sense of awe, wonder and worship.
Well yesterday I spent the day with my good friend Mike traveling around with my youngest daughter's Irish Dance school and playing fiddle music for the dancers as we celebrated St. Patrick's Day. We had a great time! The day has come to be a celebration of all things Irish, when everyone can be Irish for a day and come together to have fun and celebrate. For me, however, the day also reminds me of some important principles that I am reminded of when I stop to consider the origins of the day, and the story of the person who lays behind it.
Before green beer, or green frosted cup cakes, before Shamrock Shakes and "Kiss Me I'm Irish" T-shirts, before all that is St. Patrick's Day as we celebrate it today there was I guy na
med Patrick. There is much legend and story that seems to shroud the history of Patrick including stories of driving snakes from Ireland and using a shamrock to teach about the Trinity. There are a number of points that seem to be generally accepted, however, that are gleaned from letters written by his own hand. Some of these points would include the fact that as a teenage boy, he was kidnapped from Britain and taken to Ireland as a slave. After about six years he would escape and make his way home. Patrick would enter the ministry and eventually accept the challenge of taking the gospel to Ireland, returning to the country where he had been held as a slave. To me, this is a fascinating story.
It is a powerful story of forgiveness. Is this not a needed reminder and example for so many in Northern Ireland, and really, all of us the world over?
It is a story that once again demonstrates that "in all things God works for the good of those who love him.(Romans 8:28)" It is amazing to think that even years of slavery could be used for good as preparation for the amazing mission that Patrick would later undertake.
It is also an amazing story of mission, and an example to inspire us to ask "where is it that God is asking me to take the gospel?"
Those are just some thoughts that I have had as I reflect on the day that was.
I have recently had the opportunity to work some shifts at a warehouse here in the GTA. It has been a real blessing as I was looking for some occasional work to make some extra money. The warehouse had a need for some part time occasional workers and could be flexible which fit with my need exactly. I have really been enjoying the opportunity partly because it is so unique and different from how I spend the majority of the rest of my time. Speaking about differences, there was one that was particularly obvious.
My first day was a re-education in...shall we say..."colourful" language. I was most taken by the use of a particular word beginning with the sixth letter of the alphabet. It can be used with such diversity. It can be used to express something positive or negative. It can be an exclamation, a statement or a question, a noun and verb and adjective or an adverb and just about any other grammatical feature you can think of. The most amazing thing, I have come to realize, is that if someone is really on a role, then it can be used as all of the above in a single sentence!
So this has been my thought since being re-immersed in this culture:
Can I use (and by use, I don't mean actually making the word a part of my vocabulary) this particular word as a tool for measuring how well I am doing at living missionally? I have been reminded about how common a word it is, and how frequently it is used in so many parts of the culture around me. So, if have not heard this word with any frequency for some time, have I really been engaging the culture around me? Have I been venturing out into the world and trying to live incarnationally, to be salt and light in the darkness?
I don't mean that I want to become desensitized and come to accept it as common place, or worse, make it a part of who I am. On the contrary, after all, what use is salt after it looses its flavour? In fact, trying to live missionally makes times of detox, through spiritual disciplines of prayer, the Word, solitude and meeting with other Christians, that much more imperative. But still, when I hear such language I want to be reminded of our mission and purpose in the world, and if I am not hearing such language I want to ask myself why not.
It finally happened, after five years of almost daily wear, I went through the sole of my favourite pair of boots. When I bought this pair of boots, I spent way more than I had ever spent before but considering how long they have lasted I cannot complain. They were well worth the extra money up front considering how well and how long they lasted. The amazing thing is that although I went through the sole (which is to be expected after all these years of daily, all season wear) the rest of the boot was in great condition. This got me to thinking about the possibility of getting new soles put on them. I went to the Internet and got on the web site for the boot company to see what I could find out. Sadly, right on their web site, they specifically state that they do not recommend re-soling their boots. They use a a lot of big words and lingo, but basically they mass produce these things with a specific technique that makes it uneconomical to offer re-soling. Again the boots lasted five years, and they don't really owe me anything, but I am always skeptical when a company tells you not to fix something but to just buy new ones. I did a bit of searching and found a guy on-line who claimed to be able to put a new sole on, but after the cost of shipping and handling it was not all that less expensive an option. I had all but lost hope, when one day I was in the mall and remembered the old shoe repair place, a tiny shop in the corner of the mall that has been their for years. Could it really be that simple? I took my boots in and the guy behind the counter had a quick look and told me it would be no problem. I noticed that the boot companies web site doesn't mention that it is possible to have them re-soled by someone else, even though they don't do it themselves. The guy in the shop showed me the sole he could put on it, told me it would take a few days and I am happy to report that I now have an almost new pair of boots on my feet!
Now here is the spot that you are probably expecting a play on words and some devotional thought about a new "soul", or something like that. I will avoid the obvious pun! But, the whole thing has got me thinking about contentment again. I have mentioned this biblical theme before so there is nothing new here. I have been reminded, however, about what a challenge it is to remain content in a commercial culture that we live in here in North America. We are constantly being told about new things that will make our life better. Advertisers are constantly offering subtle (or not so subtle) suggestions that our lives are lacking or that there are things we need. We live in a culture in which it is increasingly rare to fix things, or have them repaired when it is faster and easier, not to mention so much more fun, to get something new! The truly sad thing is that it is often less expensive to buy something new than to have it repaired which seems so wasteful. I wish I had more practical ways to get around this phenomenon, but my boots were at least one way.
There are some general rules that I have been learning:
1) You don't need half the crap people tell you you need.
2) Watch less T.V., see fewer adds (especially your kids. Compare attitudes after watching commercial T.V verses commercial free/no T.V)
3) Take everything with a grain of salt.
4) Yes, there are some things that you can repair.
Not rocket science, I know, but worth remembering. Hopefully they may be small steps towards living out the scriptural principle to be "content with what you have" (Hebrew 13:5)
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