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Dear Sister,
In this part of the world
we are experiencing the first stirrings of Spring-- gentler
temperatures (2 degrees above zero as I type), slush, even
some rain this morning. The streets are a mess, but because
the weather is fine, we don't mind!
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This past week was ....
eventful! I had the distinct impression that God
was alerting me to be more obedient, more willing, and in
general to let go of "stuff" so that He could show me how
much more effectively He can work in my life, and in the
lives of others.
At the outset of the week
a friend shared her feelings of being overwhelmed by work,
parenting, and the necessity to always look over her
shoulder for a dangerous ex-spouse who has threatened to
kill her on more than one occasion. She had also had a
mishap with her vehicle-- backed into a car downtown-- and
was afraid of the economic outcome of that. She cried and
we did quite a lot of talking about how God does (and she
said, sometimes it seems like 'doesn't') work in her life.
I felt a quite a lot like Job's ineffectual friends-- my own
life seemed relatively comfortable and pleasant so it was
easy for me to 'gas away' about how God provides. The next
day, however, she called to tell me that she was feeling
much better. Another friend had sent her a book on the
Power of Prayer and she had been doing some praying for
others at work and was seeing real results. She had called
SGI about her car accident and did not have to pay anything
(honesty pays!). Her voice was entirely different from the
voice of the day before. She said that she could also tell
that we had been praying for her... she could "feel" it.
That was a reminder for me of the many benefits I enjoy
because others are praying for me.
"Do not be
terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will
be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9
On Monday I was
distressed by my mother's increasing fraility and my seeming
inability to meet her needs in any meaningful way. I felt
guilty for wanting to argue with her about some silly memory
snag when she telescoped 20 years together and had the adult
me and my young son living with her and Dad in
Vancouver. Two days before I had been at the nursing home
to do the 'sermonette' at the Sabbath service and had been
shocked by the mental deterioration of some of our former
Church members. Here, now, was my own mother
demonstrating a similar condition. "Do
not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my
strength is gone." Psalm 71:9
As I put my shoes on at
the door, my Dad told me about the health crisis of another
dear family member. In the evening, Ed and I called her and
she cried over the phone. We encouraged her to look at some
alternative ways of healing, as well as following through
with the regular doctors' pretty invasive and painful
procedures that she has some faith in. We told her we loved
her and said that we would be praying for her. It was a
strain, particularly for Ed, not to mention all the
complementary health practices that we have respect for, but
we know that she has probably already received piles of
well-meaning advice and "referrals" from others. She knows
already that we are kind of 'whacky' that way, so if she
wants to ask for our suggestions, we're here.
"God is our
refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble."
Psalm 46:1
Thank you to everyone who
offered prayers and other resources to K. who had her
University locker ransacked this past week and was left
without books and notes for classes (including essay
drafts). She has been very much strengthened by your prayer
and actually has found some good in this traumatic
experience: she has enrolled in an anxiety program that is
helpful in other aspects of her harried life as a
single-mom-student. God has placed an excellent counselor
and understanding, compassionate profs in the gap, as well.
Continued prayers will not go amiss, of course! "Call
upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you
will honour me." Psalm 50:15
For a short while we have
known that we are about to enter that joyful stage of life
called 'grandparenting.' We were very disturbed to hear
that our dear daughter-in-law had been hit in the abdomen by
the handlebars of a pedicab. The pedicab's driver was
apparently drunk and had swerved into her as she walked home
to their Manila townhouse. We made a few phone calls during
the week, trying to monitor ourselves so as not to appear
too intrusive... and, again, we prayed, recognizing our
total powerlessness to do anything else effectual. Marylen
went to her ob-gyn and we are pleased to report-- praise
God!-- that all is well and the little one's due date is
October 21st, the day before my parents' anniversary, two
days before my mother's birthday, 6 days after my father's
birthday, and about a year after their wedding date (October
24th, 2004). Mind you, we mothers know how inaccurate those
'due dates' are -- lol. We are considering another trip to
the Philippines to be there at our first grandchild's
birth.
"...we will
tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,
his power, and the wonders he has done." Psalm 78:4
On Friday our Church
hosted the Nutana neighborhood church collective's annual
World Day of Prayer. God had already given me a bit of a
spiritual work out routine during the week so I
didn't fall completely to pieces during our Thursday
'rehearsal' at the Church: there were ladders lying in the
aisle; the pianist announced that she had an appointment
with a specialist and would need to leave 3/4 of the way
through the program; our new Pastor and his wife had
volunteered to help out by providing special music but what
now? acappella?; I already knew that Kathy, the original
coordinator for the event, might not be able to make the
program because of her university classes (why I was
involved in the afternoon's co-ordination); and a host of
other dithery little details. Vera and Fran had come
earlier on Thursday and set up the room and left a nice
lay-out of dainties for the fellowship to follow the
program.
Ed reminded me that it
was the Day of Prayer-- that God
would be sure to honour our plans, and that our prayer about
the program would not be out of order. And sure enough! It
came off beautifully. We wore babushkas (head scarves) to
enter into the spirit of the program that was written this
year by the Women of Poland. The women from the other
churches did their scripted readings in good strong
voices. Pastor Steve Little provided a characteristically
encouraging sermon, congratulating the participants on their
'global vision' and their exemplary 'world-class
Christianity.' The music was lovely, and, miracle of
miracle, another wonderful pianist materialized at the piano
when the Pastor and his wife stepped up to sing their
song. "You
will pray to him, and he will hear you..." Job 22:27
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Check out Pastor Doug
Batchelor's excellent on-line video series "The Prophecy
Code." You can get there by going to the http://www.prophecycode.org/meeting-list.asp
site and then by clicking on the titles of the actual topics
you will be directed to the page for that. Then click on
Watch ENGLISH and you should bring up the programs on
video. If you have problems, let me know at
angelco_op@hotmail and I can likely help. Don't be
discouraged by some of the technical difficulties at the
beginning of the first session.... just scroll the
horizontal bar (under the picture) along until you get Doug
Batchelor speaking English. Just a first-night technical
glitch I think. Don't forget that you can also download a
study guide and a list of symbolic meanings for Revelation.
Let me know what you think of the series!
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Women's Ministries: Angel Co-op was set up as a
forum for ministries to and by women-- ways in which we
serve the Lord through our fellow (wo)men. If you wish to
tell about your ministry or to contribute your testimonial
to the Angel Co-op site, please just email me at
angelco_op@hotmail.com
The Saskatchewan
Women's Retreat is in Saskatoon the first weekend in April.
If you wish to publicize the dates of your Conference
retreat, just let us know here (angelco_op@hotmail.com)
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Have a
wonderful blessed week!
In Christ,
Cynthia |
