Shepherds - West Coast Style

As often happens, one of my granddaughters got me to thinking. This time it was the four year old.

It started because I gave her a Christmas sticker book. There was a page showing a stable and another page showing a field, both at nighttime with stars in the sky. There were stickers representing the main characters on the night Baby Jesus was born.  

The oppressor, the oppressed and the observer

My mind has been struck by an uncomfortable truth... I have been reflecting... I'll try to explain...

While studying Genesis 1 & 2, I became fixated on the fact that God breathed his breath into mankind whom He created. Who was a little lower than the angels. Who was made in His image, His likeness. God breathed His breath, His spirit, His very essence into man.

At the same time, hovering in my thoughts is the image we've all seen in recent days. An image of two men: one dressed in orange, subjugated, kneeling, and one in black standing in obvious superiority and brandishing a weapon. The oppressor and the oppressed.  But there is a third party in this scenario and that's me - the observer.  

What strikes me at this point is the central equality of all of us –

the oppressor, the oppressed, the observer.

Equally we are alive because we have had the breath of life breathed into us by God!

West Coast Psalm

It's too easy to take our beautiful West Coast for granted!  Having traded my prairie roots for this coastal region, I should know better!  But living where I do between the mountains and the ocean, usually it’s just another ho hum day. A trip by ferry to an island destination is just the thing to reopen my jaded eyes.

Happiest Place

I think I had forgotten how much fun it is to act like a kid!  

We just spent a few days with some of our family including little granddaughters in Disneyland and California Adventure Park!  For a few days, real life hardly existed.  We tried out pretty much all of the rides and attractions, enjoyed the parades, and we cheered and jeered as we watched live performances.  It was marvellous!

But – knowing me – I spent time reflecting somewhat on the big entertainment theme.  Shouldn’t the money have been spent feeding or housing the poor instead of building bigger, better and more technological rides?  Shouldn’t I have donated to a worthy cause - charity or church - the amount of hard earned cash I  spent on the tickets, not to mention the hotel and airfare? Isn’t the whole thing crass, degenerate, carnal – a monument to the gods of entertainment?

On the other hand, I can see it as a venue to bring families together to play together.   A tribute to the creativity and the abilities God placed within us. I don't believe God is dour - think of some of the imagery in the Psalms - the beauty and creativity in nature - "gladness" is mentioned quite often in scripture.  And I am very grateful to God for the resources He has blessed us with so that we could go.

It is a great place to shed the cares of life, just for a little while - whoop with glee roaring down the roller coaster – grin riding along with a child on Dumbo the flying elephant -- watch with pride as the 2 little girls dressed in their princess best eagerly await a lunch event with real live princesses – scream while getting splashed at the end of a ride – share a bag of popcorn or cotton candy – recall going to similar places with friends and family years before – enjoy retelling the Disney and old folk stories – talk about watching the more recent movies that inspired the theme attraction…

We had such fun!  Nobody had to eat their vegetables or go to work!  We trooped around with no particular plan in mind and our only concern was to fit in as much as we could. My highlight was watching the little girls’ beaming faces on the rides and as they met Mickey, Minnie and all the other characters!  We’ll talk about the experience and enjoy the photos for years to come!  

For a few days – for us – it was the happiest place on earth!! 

Every once in a while

I looked forward to retirement.  Really I did! Freedom!  And it happened - slowly in a sense, moving from full time to part time to casual and finally to naught.

But I must admit - every once in a while - I miss the hurly burly of the work-a-day world.  My current retired life is lovely, having filled it sensibly with family, travel, volunteering, hobbies -livin' the dream! some might say. But just now and then I miss things like -- winning the job posting, accomplishment resulting from the effort of doing a job well, being sponsored at seminars and conferences, the camaraderie of co-workers, the make it or break it, do or die, climb the ladder of success type of challenges.  Vacations and long weekends had more meaning.

DIALOGUE

Occasionally I'm involved in conflict - now don't tell me I'm the only one!

There's the spouse, the children, the grandchildren, work, volunteer activities, etc  

We don't always see eye to eye (surprised??!!)  

Interactions sometimes result in...

"Dialogue"

(what a nice way to say it!)

Recently I was struck by this comment--

"Dialogue should never degenerate into WHO is right,

but should focus on WHAT is right."*

And how do we know WHAT is right?  

Because we know WHO wrote the Good Book.

And why do we focus on WHAT is right?

Because God is RIGHT-EOUS.

(*Beth Moore, So Long Insecurity, p. 254, quoting Rob Jackson, counselor)

Who do you follow?

“Who do you follow?”

The question was asked of all of us in the room.  I immediately thought, a bit defensively, I don’t follow anyone! I'm not a groupie!  But the question has resonated with me.  Has demanded a response.

Do I Tweet?  Nope. No following or followers there.    

Facebook?  My skills are pathetic but I’ve been known to do a few “likes”.  

Pinterest?  Nearly as pathetic as Facebook.  

RRS? or is it RSS?  'Nuff said.

Do I follow any blogs?   Got me there!  

That kind of following is 21^st century but the concept is not new.   

Very Grand Birthday Party

It'll soon be my granddaughter's 3rd birthday.  She's been putting together her guest list:  Barbie, Cinderella, Aurora, Monsters Inc, Dora, Caillou, Madeline, Minnie Mouse and certainly Sophia the First.  If you don't recognize any of the above, you haven't spent enough time around little girls lately!

Before my recent birthday, the same little girl asked me who I wanted to invite to my party.  That got me thinking and I've decided it would be large and very grand.