The bible teaches us to be careful because we will reap what we sow.  That’s still a valuable life lesson for people to learn today, the concept that our personal choices have consequences.

A Montreal woman recently posted negative comments on social media about her OBGYN, as well as calling the Doctor’s receptionist snooty, and then she was shocked when her doctor dumped her as a patient.

The woman, who is four and a half months pregnant says that she should be allowed freedom of expression and have the right to post her thoughts.  She actually has both of those things.   Nobody has said that she can’t express her opinion or post her thoughts online.  She just needs to learn that there are consequences.

She has the freedom to express her opinion about her doctor and her doctor has the freedom to no longer be her doctor, it’s just that simple.

I don’t remember a lot from physics, but I do remember Newton’s third law?  You know the one that says: “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.”

Every choice we make will have consequences, sometimes good consequences sometimes bad consequences, but we have to understand that they are our choices.  And maybe then, we will make better choices.

Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible

A number of years ago, a friend of mine bought a book entitled, “The 100 Most Important Events In Christian History.”

In the course of a conversation, he asked me what I would consider fit into that category.   It didn’t take me very long to come to my conclusion, “My salvation”, I replied.

And maybe you are thinking, “ . . . but what about the Reformation, the Crusades, Wesley’s conversion and Billy Graham’s 1949 crusade in Los Angeles?”    Oh sure, they were important and maybe even earth shattering but in my opinion they pale in comparison to September 2nd 1979 when I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ.

I wasn’t terrible, hadn’t robbed a liquor store or killed anyone, but I was in need of God and had done nothing to deserve His favour and yet he reached down from heaven and forgave the sins of a young fisherman and made me a child of the King.

My conversion story may not get into my friend’s book, but it did get me into Gods book and that has to be one of the most important events in Christian History, at least that’s the way I see it.  And your salvation is every bit as important as mine, or Wesley’s or Augustine’s.    Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible

Recently I have found myself immersed in a book of wisdom. I’m sure Angela is growing tired of my constant interruptions as I regale her with yet another new discovery. As I read I am constantly thinking:” Wow!” “Amazing” & ”I didn’t know that.” Stories of great achievements by folks with obscure names and stories of inspirations share the pages of this book and I want to share many of the things I have discovered with those around me. Of course, you realize that I’m talking about Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader.

I have also discovered a few mistakes in my reading. Not major mistakes but enough that I tend to read the rest with a grain of salt. Uncle John, I am sure, would remind me “To err is human, to forgive divine.”

And then he would let me know that quote came from Alexander Pope in An Essay on Criticism that Pope wrote in 1709 but wasn’t published until 1711. But I digress.

Too many people view the Bible the same way. It’s an interesting book that is full of neat things, but they aren’t sure they can trust it and it certainly isn’t life-changing. And it will never be life changing until we embrace it for what it is: the Word of God.

Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible. 

Perhaps you’ve seen some of the warnings and maybe you’ve even shared them. Many of the warnings have been showing up on Facebook and other social media. They involve Dihydrogen Monoxide (DHMO) and they are alarming and true. People are being warned that DHMO is used by the nuclear power industry, that it is used in the production of pesticides, is present in most poisons and it is guaranteed to be fatal to humans in large quantities and yet it is still used in everyday products and food.

And it is amazing how many people simply hit share in order to warn their friends about the dangers of Dihydrogen Monoxide without further investigating the claims about this mysterious and supposedly deadly compound. If people checked, they would discover that DHMO is a colourless and odourless chemical compound, and is simply another chemical name for. . . water.

And that’s just funny and pretty much harmless. But not everything that people share on social media is funny or harmless and if you share it then you are responsible for it. Be sure that what you are sharing is consistent with your faith and your witness and maybe even ask yourself: WJST? Would Jesus share this? Because if He wouldn’t, chances are, you shouldn’t either.

Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

A couple of weekends ago I broke a tooth.  It was nasty. I could feel it with my tongue and half of the tooth was missing.  I wasn’t sure if it was the tooth or the filling that was broken, but I knew that something had to be done.

First thing on Monday I called our dentist who was able to fit me in in three days.  And during that time, I wondered if I would need a root canal or a crown, how much insurance would cover and how much I would have to pay.

When the dentist came in I told her what had happened, and she told me to open wide.  As she examined the damage she exclaimed “that little thing?”  And I said “No,
there’s a massive part of my tooth missing.”

The reality is that a massive part of the tooth wasn’t missing, I had simply chipped the tooth, she smoothed it out, touched it up and my portion of the bill was twenty bucks.

I spent four days, worrying about something that I couldn’t do anything about and ultimately never happened, time that I’ll never get back.

But, you probably never worry and fret only to discover what you thought was major was simply minor.   Or do you?

Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible

It is never pleasant when neighbours can’t get along.  You might remember years ago, there were two families in the news who shared a duplex in a nearby community. They were feuding, and it was just nasty.

In case you missed it, it seems like there is some quarrelling happening between Canada and our neighbour to the south right now.  And regardless of how you view the issues about trade, there are lessons to be learned.

There will be times that we disagree with people.  I’m pretty sure I’ve disagreed with everyone I’ve ever met, at least once.  That is the reality, and as long as we live and have opinions it will continue to be a reality.  We have no choice in the matter.

What we do have a choice in, is how we will react to people we disagree with.  The Apostle Paul, who disagreed with all kinds of people wrote, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

And that can be tough, but it’s especially important when we carry the name of Jesus with us.

So, let’s be careful not to demonize those we disagree with and remember that once we speak words there is no taking them back.

Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible

Some have called it a victory for women’s rights.  Others call it the day “Cultural Catholicism” died.  Others have no idea what happened in Ireland on May 25^th.

But whatever you view, and whichever side you supported you will have to concede that the future of Ireland will be different because the 8^th Amendment was repealed on May 25^th.

Most of the world wasn’t familiar with the 8^th Amendment, but in a nutshell,  it stated that mothers and their preborn children were to be treated equally in the protection of their lives.  It effectively prevented open access to abortion.  And on May 25^th, by popular vote, the life of the pre-born suddenly was worthless.

Let’s not play the semantics game of simply saying that because of the vote that more pregnancies will be terminated.  Because of that vote and the resulting legislation which will follow, there will be children aborted in Ireland who otherwise might have lived.

And the world will lose future musicians, artists, doctors, cab drivers and politicians.  Hopefully, the person who would discover a cure for cancer won’t be killed, but then again that may have already happened in Canada.

The gift of life is precious, and it is a gift that needs to be celebrated.

Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible

With the passing of my father last week, I was reminded once again of the importance of family.

We were surrounded by my sister and her family along with various cousins, nieces and nephews, many of whom my kids had never met before.

I continue to be amazed at how tragedies cause us to circle the wagons to protect those we love. And while we were together we all said that we need to get together more often and not wait for another funeral, but we won’t, we’ll see each other at the next funeral.

We also experienced the love and support of our spiritual family. We could feel the prayer support of our brothers and sisters in Christ, through the cards that people sent and those who made the trip to Saint John to attend Dad’s memorial service.

Believers came from a variety of churches from around New Brunswick and Nova Scotia to celebrate the life of Dad and to mourn his passing.  Heaven’s gain is our loss.

But isn’t that what being part of a family is all about? Being there for one another.  Thank you for being there for us, those who are family by blood and those who are family by His blood.

Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible

From ski slaloms to swimming pools.   What had once been showpieces on the world stage are now ruins.  The victims of war, neglect and bankrupt nations.

I read an article the other day about Olympic venues from around the world that are no longer in use and have fallen into total disrepair.  And that wasn’t the way it was supposed to be. When the host nations poured obscene amounts of money into these facilities, the plan was that they would be used for years. Alas, that wasn’t the reality.

For a little while these countries had been front and centre on the world stage as they highlighted the best of the best from around the world, but now they serve no useful purpose.

There is a lesson to be learned, personally and as a church.  As wonderful as the past was,
yesterday ended last night.  As someone once said, the past makes a great classroom but a rotten living room.

Unless we have a plan for the future, our lives and our churches will end up the same as those faded relics of Olympics past.  If we are to be as relevant in our lives and in our churches, tomorrow as we were yesterday, dreams will need to take precedent over nostalgia.

Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible