Friday 21 February 2014

Wonder and Belief!


   
Ice sculpture at the Festival des Voyageurs 

"Your eyes are windows, into your body, If you open your eyes wide
 in wonder and belief,
Your body fills up with light." Matthew 6:22   MSG                                        

There is so much wonder around me that my eye does not see.  How often do I come to the end of a day and feel as if I have been walking in a dark cave? Today was actually one of those days... I have to admit that I often choose walking in a dark cave instead of letting my eyes focus on the light around me.


Living on the Manitoba prairies, it is impossible to ignore the light.  Winnipeg enjoys over 310 days of sun a year (about 2353 hours) . That is a lot of sun compared to the average of 1650 sun hours in Germany.

Snow-shoeing in the White Shell


Amanda standing in an ice fishing shack

 It’s cold up here, but the sun shining down on the billions of snow crystals glistening like diamonds gives the feel of a peaceful and powerful serenity that leaves me breathless and in awe….almost a feel of victory...(can you tell I have been watching the Olympics :-)



Standing on the lake...that's an ice-fishing hole!











So let’s open our eyes to “wonder and belief”. Let the windows of your heart choose to see the God given beauty around us everywhere.  The ugly is certainly there, but I can choose to put shutters on those windows.



So take more pictures, write a blog, have a "thankful list" diary, laugh more and open your eyes in Wonder and Belief"!


At the  Festival des Voyageurs in Winnipeg




Enjoying frozen maple taffy at "la Cabane au Sucre"

The French Canadian actors enjoying the festivities




Maple taffy, made by pouring maple syrup on the snow and wrapping it on a stick


Tomorrow I take off for the Democratic Republic of Congo. The sun shines brightly there, but it is a place of many dark corners. I appreciate your prayers as a team of Congolese colleagues and I prepare plans for a new school in the city of Kinshasa. I hope to blog from there next.





Tuesday 11 February 2014

The Real Heroes


Feb 11, 2014

I’ve been surprised at my focus on THE COLD while living here on the prairies. Every morning since about November, I get up, open the blinds, check the thermometer outside, run upstairs, check my iPhone to confirm the minus temperatures that I already have seen, but somehow have a need to have it sink in even more and check the usually colder wind-chill factor which is also indicated on the phone.  Now I have herd that this is one of the coldest winters on record here in the Canadian prairies, but what shocks me is my “being stuck” on the COLD.  Why?  In my privileged, 1st world life my outlook should be outward, giving, others-focused….not inward, in a self preoccupied and in my case silly survival mode.

How quick am I to judge others who do the same in focusing on their survival needs. 


Phil and I have been working more and more in developing nations.  How often have I thought. “ God helps those who help themselves”, or why do you expect us to give a helping hand when you don’t seem to be able to maintain it on your own or simply “Do something!”






My narrow focus on surviving the cold is nothing compared to real survival.  I could give you a heart wrenching list here.  Phil and I hear and see more and more of this real survival. Children who are trying to survive man’s wicked and sick desires, corruption, hunger, and economic injustice.


Who are the real heroes?   
 You read about them once in a while, usually not the ones who write autobiographies, because it is never about them, always about others. They are the people who can set aside their need for survival and can channel their love into a sacrificial making a difference for others.    
 We think of names like Mandela, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, but they are all around us.    
 You know them.  I know them.

Buingo, a Congolese brother on the school start-up committee in Kinshasa I work with. Educated in Brussels, but has chosen to return to his native country, lives on a salary well below the poverty line, couldn’t even afford a second-hand computer until my brother gave him one, works for the Congo Alliance of Churches, is helping us start a school, and oh “on the side” has opened a home for unwed mothers and has plans to open a summer camp for young Congolese juveniles.  
                                  
A woman Phil met in South Africa who has moved into a slum neighborhood to work with over 100 street kids, many who have aids and no parents. She provides for them a safe place to come to where they can learn to read and write and be shown God's love in practical ways

My 85 year old aunt Shirley, who is still taking care of my disabled 56 year old cousin Cindy without a single complaint, gives most of her money away to missions and who still sends me birthday cards.

So what am I saying to myself in this blog. 


Don’t judge, 
learn from Jesus and those people who are examples around us, 
 love and help others,
 be thankful,
 give when you can,
 ...and put on an extra layer of warm clothing if it helps to change your focus.



Tuesday 4 February 2014

Winter Moments

Winter view of Lake Winnipeg

Whispers of winter....



There is something about a real winter.  I mean like the ones your grandparents told you about or the ones you read about in books that make your eyes twinkle, your hearts glad and bring a smile to your face.



Here some of my favorites:

Winter slows me down- It seems to help me make more time 
for the more important things- time God,
with family and with others.

A visit to with my godson Caleb!



Winter makes me stop and look,
 maybe take a second look 
at the little things I might have missed.






...or that go unnoticed to my hectic eye.












Winter makes me want to snuggle, enjoy the closeness and warmth of others.

Ev and Amanda


 The white gentle snow that falls
 reminds me of God's gentle and beautiful gift of grace.
 Grace that forgives,
 covers up
 and makes all things beautiful and right.









Oh the beautiful sunset reflections on the majestic white snow.
 What gentle winter beauty.


A prairie grain elevator

















Well, some day I will be that grandma, who, with a twinkle in her eye and a smile on her face will tell of the real winter of 2014 on the Manitoba prairies and my heart will be full of glad memories.