A Time to Cry by Rose McCormick Brandon

A time to cry . . . Ecclesiastes 3:4

Humans are the only creatures on earth that produce tears. We are hard-wired to cry. Before we looked at the faces of our parents, before we were snuggled into a warm blanket, we opened our mouths wide and wailed with gusto.

There’s something to be said for bawling like a baby. When stresses accumulate, often the best thing to do is to have a good cry. Some wise people recommend it.

Often, when we feel God near, our first inclination is to weep. Somehow His presence melts the layer of toughness we develop to help us survive in the world. When we come to a moment of truth, when it’s just God and us, the barriers come down and tears flow.

We cry sad tears in times of grief and loss. We cry for joy at weddings, births and graduations. When the first note of a cherished piece of music hits the ear we become misty-eyed. In many circumstances weeping is the most suitable way to express ourselves.

Tears are a gift from God. We should never be ashamed of them.

When tears of trouble flow the best thing to do is mix them with prayer. When we weep before God He helps us see our troubles from His perspective. Sometimes a little adjustment in our thinking is all we need to chase troublesome tears away.

All these wept: Abraham, Esau, Jacob, Joseph, Naomi, Ruth, Hannah, David, Hezekiah, Esther, Job. Several times the entire company of Israelites broke out in tears. There’s a time weep, but God promises that “those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy” (Psalm 126:5).

The mind can’t put into words what the emotions can express through tears.

You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. Psalm 56:8

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the ability to cry. It serves me well. When I can’t express my prayers in words you understand my tears.

***

Rose McCormick Brandon is the author of Promises of Home - Stories of Canada's British Home Children, One Good Word Makes all the Difference, numerous magazine articles and personal stories for compilations like Chicken Soup for the Soul. Rose writes two blogs, Promises of Home and Listening to my Hair Grow. Contact her at: rosembrandon@yahoo.ca

"Wisdom of the Aged" by Peter A. Black

Humble and hardworking, Millie was a farm girl who lived through World Wars I and II and the Great Depression. She witnessed technological advancements from the early days of telephone, air-flight, radio and television and atomic power, to space-flight, micro-computers, smart phones and 3-D printers. And now she’s gone. In her 100th year, she’d outlived her husband and two children.

My wife's late bro-in-law. 

A delightful man.

Since June is Seniors Month, I'm focusing today on seniors' wisdom. 

Some readers may recall that we featured Millie in several posts here during the past year-and-a- half. I was privileged last week to play prelude music, present a vocal solo and accompany the hymn-singing at her memorial service. She has exchanged her cottage in the woods for a dwelling in the heavenlies, with the Lord she loved and served.

A host of extended family members and friends gathered to celebrate her life, including elderly seniors – some stooped over, leaning on canes – and through all age groups to babes in arms. After the interment they crowded into the church hall to share lunch and fellowship together. Yes, this lady was loved and respected, and it showed.


Millie demonstrated the wisdom of age and life experience in the way she approached the art of living during her years of bereavement and diminishing strength.

This isn't our Millie

Credit: Istock via google-free

Courtesy:

GoogleFreeImages

She manifested the serenity of contentment and was satisfied with sufficiency, and she especially evidenced the grace of gratitude.

When in her presence, I sensed an aura of quiet confidence with which she lived from day to day, allowing people to come and go via the unlocked door of her home.

Hers was the wisdom of trusting God in the small and the great moments of life, and in times of need as well as in days of plenty. These qualities contributed towards her emotional health and wellbeing.

Her nephew, when giving a eulogy in behalf of the family, referenced that healthful aspect in relation to Millie’s journey through the Great Depression of the thirties. He used the word grit. She was a gritty woman, putting her hand to the plough literally and metaphorically in exercising courage to press on and make the best of extremely difficult circumstances.

And so, I honour her memory for the person she was and the example she set as one who lived with the “wisdom of the aged.”

I appreciate the emphasis our First Nations place on their elders.

Whereas in the general culture we often witness mocking disparagement of the elderly, many First Nations youth are turning to their elders, seeking out their generational wisdom and learning for stewarding life and land.

Poignant question:

How would I like younger people to treat me if I were old and feeble?

The Israelites were instructed (in Leviticus 19:32 NIV):

“Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God.  

I am the LORD.”

~~+~~

Peter A. Black is a retired pastor – well, sort of retired – and lives in Southwestern Ontario. He writes a weekly inspirational newspaper column, P-Pep! and is author of Raise Your Gaze ... Mindful Musings of a Grateful Heart, and Parables from the Pond – a children's / family book. ~~+~~

Acts of Kindness by Eleanor Shepherd

           

Glen and I were in Quebec City for a fund-raising event. When it finished, we decided to go to one of our favourite restaurants, near the hotel for a quiet supper.  We entered by the front door, but asked for a table near the back of the restaurant where we knew it was quieter and we would be able to chat. 

            The hostess seated us at a table by the window and placed the menus in front of us. We had just begun to scan the menus, when a young man whom I assumed by his casual attire and backpack was a university student, entered the restaurant by the back door, near where we were sitting. On the way in, he grabbed a menu from the rack and seated himself at the table across from us.  Our waitress looked a little surprised when she discovered him there as she brought our ice water with lemon and placed it in front of us. 

            I glanced over while she went to get a glass of water for him and the impression that I had was that he was worried or troubled about something. Then I wondered if he might just be hungry. I think he must have been because he did not hesitate to give his order for a dish of poutine when the waitress returned with his water.  

            My attention shifted from him when our soup and salad arrived and as Glen and I chatted, about the day’s activities, I forgot that he was there, until I saw the server place his healthy serving of poutine in front of him. As I finished my salad I glanced across to see him eating the last bites of his meal and swallowing them down with the water remaining in his glass. He wiped his mouth with his napkin, threw it on to his empty plate and looked quickly around. He avoided eye contact, as he looked our way. The next thing I knew was that he hoisted his backpack that had been on the floor by his chair, on to his shoulder and headed out the back door.

            He was gone so quickly that I had no time to react. I wondered if I should go running after him and tell him to wait for his bill. Clearly that was not his intention. Then I thought to myself, if he is so hungry that he has to come in and order something and leave without paying, he is probably pretty desperate. I think we should ask the server to add his bill to ours.

            Glen, who had his back to the door, asked me, “Did he leave?” I nodded in response. Then Glen said, “We do not want the waitress to get stuck having to pay for him. You remember how hard it was for Elizabeth (our daughter) when she had to waitress all through university.” I agreed.

            It was a few minutes before the waitress finally came by again. She did a double take when she passed the table and said to us, “Has he gone?” Then she said to herself, “But I did not even bring him his bill.” 

            We said to her, “If you have to cover this yourself, we are happy to add it to our bill.”

            

             “I don’t know what happens,” she replied.  “Nobody has ever done this to me before.” I was happy to learn that this was not a common occurrence. It restored some of my faith in the common decency of people. 

            Eventually she found out that she would not have to pay, but our gesture of kindness transformed her attitude toward us. Until then she had been polite but not particularly friendly. After our offer of kindness, she smiled and although she was delayed in bringing us our desert she was most apologetic.

         
             It is not an exciting story. Why do I share it with you? Simply to help us all remember that He who is the source of kindness gives us many opportunities each day to pass that along to those who come our way. It can help them avoid the cynicism that can be engendered by the wrong done to them by others.

Short listed
Word Guild Awards
2018

Word Guild Award
2011

Word Guild Award
2009

Identifying The Weeds by Carol Ford

His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
³⁷ He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. ³⁸ The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, ³⁹ and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
⁴⁰ “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. ⁴¹ The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. ⁴² They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³ Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear. 
Matthew 13:37-43 (NIV)

When we purchased a different park trailer last fall, I had not considered the challenge of the garden beds that were included. I’m not a gardener, and our last lot only featured grass and moss. So last week, before we went north to our new retreat, I purchase my first pair of gardening gloves in a lovely shade of orange with knobby palms for a better grip, and a container of plant food for healthier blooms. I was ready.

On arrival, I walked around the yard and observed the residue of leaves and the winter effect on the plants. It looked like a lot of work. I found a rake and wheel barrel in the shed and, much to my husband’s amusement, started cleaning up the obvious debris. Once this was done, I was then faced with the difficult task of determining which plants were weeds and which were for show.  I recognized Lily of the Valley from my childhood and those cute little plants were sprouting everywhere, even in the lawn, but for the rest I was at a loss. Weeds can sometimes look quite pretty with small colourful flowers.

My experience with this new hobby, made me think of the above scripture. As Christians we buy resources such as a variety of bibles and devotionals to equip us in our walk with God. We also clean up the obvious sins left over from our old life, but like my garden, when we have to sort out the ‘weeds of sin’ from the ‘fruit of the Spirit’ we don’t always want to do the hard work of removing them. Old habits and temptations are often stronger to uproot.  They also can be pleasant to our senses.

Jesus often used the analogy of seeds, planting and gardening to explain his heavenly kingdom. Someday the weeds will be separated from the good plants and have eternal consequences.

Over the summer I’m going to use my gardening time to consider this truth.

I welcome your comments. You will find more information about me at https://carolfordassociates.wordpress.com/

I have several recorded broadcasts on Careers and Worklife on Hope Stream Radio - Life Under The Sun https://hopestreamradio.com/program/life-under-the-sun/

If you are a writer or speaker, you might like this devotional: https://www.amazon.ca/As-Ink-Flows-Devotions-Christian/dp/0817017674

STEALING LILACS: A Tribute by Heidi McLaughlin

The first time it happened I was only four. “Mommy why are we stealing these lilacs?” “Do those pretty flowers belong to us?” I was bewildered as I watched my gentle mother on her tiptoes reaching and snapping the branches from the vintage purple lilac bush.  Soon her arms were filled with bunches of purple and the succulent aroma made her smile from ear to ear. I must have been mistaken, my quiet and tender mother would never do anything wrong.  Certainly not steal. Captivated by my mother’s joy I clung to her hand and bounced along as we headed back to our compact bungalow nestled in a small village in Germany.

World War Two left bomb shelters, broken dreams and poverty throughout Germany. Yes, the rubble was being transformed into its former beauty and culture, but families were still struggling to re-establish their former lifestyle. My young and innocent mother was confined to the bareness and poverty after a devastating war, and I knew she longed for beauty. We were very poor. There was no garden to grow fresh vegetables or soil for my mother to grow the Dahlias, Sweet Williams, pansies or carnations.  Her heart yearned to fill our home with vases filled with cut flowers of every shape, color and fragrance.

MY MOTHER YEARNED FOR BEAUTY

When we moved to Canada it felt like paradise to have our own vegetable garden and flowerbeds. Mother and I with our knees close together, poked holes in the soil and she showed me how to gently insert the tiny seeds and cover them just right. Soon our yard represented a painting of asters, dahlias and any flowers that survived the harsh winters and cooler summers of Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. Often, I saw mother heading outdoors with a pair of scissors to cut just the right combination of flowers that filled many of our crystal vases.  Finally, she had the freedom to unleash her inner desires and create a home filled with beauty, peace and fulfillment.

Over time I observed mother expressing and modeling beauty through various avenues. I was fascinated by the way she hung clothes out in the fresh air, laboriously and lovingly securing each item with the wooden cloth pegs. With perfection, she was able to iron and transform dried wrinkled messes into absolute perfection. For hours she was either on her knees or stooped over a buffing machine to wax and polish our floors until we could see our reflections. Somewhere in the house, there was always the aroma of a flower or the smell of freshly baked bread. She found it difficult to say, “I love you” but every day she reflected her love by creating images and fragrances that let us know we were the most important people in her life.

MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME WELL

As the years passed I learned to appreciate and understand her quiet quest for peace and beauty. Now that I’m all grown up, I live in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. Each spring the earth awakens with Saskatoon berry blossoms, forsythia bushes and daffodils. My joy erupts when I walk through the surrounding vineyards, and then along a fence where I find a particular purple lilac bush.  Its branches creep outside of its normal enclosure and I just happen to have a pair of scissors in my pocket. Without hesitation I snip off a few branches, carry them home and put them into a vase to watch them burst open in all their splendour.

Through strolls in the meadows my mother cultivated my heart to explore and enjoy the simple things in life. I am so grateful that she modeled how to infuse simplicity with beauty to create a beautiful loving home. My mother taught me well.

Heidi McLaughlin lives in the beautiful vineyards of the Okanagan Valley in Kelowna, British Columbia. Heidi has been widowed twice. She is a mom and step mom of a wonderful, eclectic blended family of 5 children and 12 grandchildren. When Heidi is not working, she loves to curl up with a great book, or golf and laugh with her family and special friends.

Her latest book RESTLESS FOR MORE: Fulfillment in Unexpected Places (Including a FREE downloadable Study Guide) is now available at Amazon.ca; Amazon.com, Goodreads.com or her website: www.heartconnection.ca