Thursday, August 23, 2007

Summer's End

Summer is quickly winding down. Lazy days and free time are drawing to a close. The evenings are cooler and the leaves are beginning to turn and fall. College/University students are preparing to begin a new semester and schools will be open for classes before we know it. This season is about to transition into the next. Time for reflection.
What is your answer to the question: "What did you do in the summer of 2007?" Have you accomplished your goals for this summer? Was it all you expected it to be? Did you take the time to enjoy the season? We are just over a week away from the Labour Day weekend, then we will be launched into the Fall schedule - ready or not!!
Take time to reflect before this season closes. There's still time to plan quiet days to enjoy God's creation in the beauty of summer, or a family get-away before the kids are back in school full time. Whatever you need to do - enjoy the final days of the "Summer of 2007"!!
Selah Y

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Baby Beluga

Baby Beluga in the deep blue sea, Swim so wild and you swim so free.
Heaven above and the sea below, And a little white whale on the go.
from the song “Baby Beluga” by Raffi and Debi Pike

This song is in a book called “Baby Beluga” that is read to my 22-month-old grandson every night before he goes to bed (along with other good night books). I had to learn to sing the song to be part of the “good night bedtime tradition.” By consistently reading to him at bedtime, we have created a routine that is familiar to him. He can repeat the song and he often sings it to himself before going to sleep.

A few weeks ago, they traveled to BC for a family wedding. While in Vancouver, they visited the Vancouver Aquarium. It was an event to remember – my grandson saw his first – live & up close – for real – Baby Beluga. My son captured the moment in this awesome photo. You can feel the “WOW” as he watches the whale swim by the glass. There really are Baby Belugas!! They are not just make believe and they are more awesome than he ever imagined them to be. The little bedtime story book couldn’t fully prepare him for encountering a real, life-sized whale.

When I saw this photo, I thought of the scripture: Psalm 107: 24: “See the works of the Lord and His wonders in the deep.” I saw the wonder of a little child as he realized that the character in his storybook was real – not just someone's imagination. It brings a whole new perspective. This event will forever change how he sees his book. He now has a reference point that brings new meaning to the story. Now when he sings the song, he will “see” Baby Beluga as he never could before this encounter.

Isn’t this also true for our experiences with God? We can read stories about God – whether in the Bible or someone’s testimony – but when we have an actual personal encounter with God, we are left in awe – forever changed!!

Remember the first time you realized that God was real? It changes how you see everything. When we really realize that God is always with us - wherever we go – that changes our perspective and brings a new awareness that can’t be understood until it is experienced. That is when we have our own “WOW” moment - just as my grandson did with Baby Beluga.

I remember the first Christmas when all of the Christmas Carols “came alive” for me. They were no longer just familiar, memorized lyrics – they were ALIVE with the Truth – the Gospel message proclaiming Jesus’ birth. I had a “WOW” moment as I realized what I had been singing without actually “hearing” the message. The hidden treasure in every song had been unlocked. The same is true with the Bible. It will no longer be a book of “Bible stories” – it becomes the Living Word of God to us.

Have you experienced the “wonder” of realizing that what God says is true – really is Truth? It WILL change your life and then change how you face each future situation. It brings things into perspective. It allows us to see them the way that God sees them.

How big is a whale? You don’t REALLY know until you see one close up. How big is God? Allow Him to reveal Himself to you and get ready to be “WOWED”!!

Selah Y

Tuesday, August 7, 2007

A Day by the Pool

Sum – Sum – Summer Time. Taking the time to relax and soak up the sun. :o)

We had a very relaxing day on Friday by enjoying my son’s in-law’s pool – taking a much needed break. This past weekend was a long weekend for us (4 days for me with having Fridays off in the summer). We made a mini-vacation of it, enjoying some "us time" and not checking the computer.

My Summer blog entries have been sparse and will probably remain so until the Fall and cooler weather. We have to enjoy the sunny days while they are here. Canadian summers are short, but certainly hot and humid here in Ontario.

God Bless you as you enjoy family time and vacations. God doesn’t take a vacation, but He doesn’t mind if we do – just not a vacation from Him!!