Back where I belong ...
OK, so Hello back from the American side of the Continent!
My Canadian vacation was truly fabulous ~ full of lots of visiting and family, worship and song, new friends and old ... it was everything I could have hoped for. I even got to experience FREEZING cold (we're talking -42 wind chill) and lots of snow (blizzard and the soft big flake kind). I got in enough winter driving to last me the rest of my life. I had plenty of Tim Hortons all along the way and even got to experience a bit of Salt Lake City =) (My plane was delayed in Edmonton, I missed my connection in SL (sat in the airport for seven hours!) and so was put up for the night (got to the hotel @ 1am) in SL to go out on the first plane to SD in the morning.)
I was pooped when I got home, and still had one deadline to complete that day for the county!!! But I did. And I have to say ~ it feels soooo good to be "home". Yes, I did say it, the elusive "H" word, which I never thought I could possibly use here. I didn't think I could call this place Home, until I left it, and realized that I feel that I fit here, more than anywhere else, right now. This is my home. The trees, the smells, the sun, the salt water -- it all calls my name now, more than ever before and I truly feel that I "fit" here.
My Canadian experience was capped by Break Forth, which is the worship and renewal conference that I work for. I was presenter care volunteer for Kathryn Scott, a worship leader from Northern Ireland. She has a heart of gold! I knew she would be pretty nice (she is a worship leader, after all!) but I was unprepared for the compassionate and down to earth person that she truly was. She pastors a church with her husband on the coast of NI. She LOVES people and truly has a heart to find the lost, the broken, the weary and show them the spirit of Christ, alive in the world today.
And you know, it sooo inspired me.
I really feel like that is what is missing in the churches here, the "Christian Climate" if you will, is sooo incredibly self serving, so focused on "selling" and "marketing" our churches, our pastors, the "worship" music. We package and primp ourselves to be "perfect" models of what THE WORLDS idea of Christianity is supposed to be that we completely miss the spirit of Christ. We miss the single most important commandment: Love the Lord Your God. And in turn, miss the beauty that comes from allowing our relationship with Jesus to spill out into all the other aspects of our life, and hence, truly making a difference towards others, and eternity.
This thought captures me right now. And in this uncertain and ever changing world, we do have a responsibilty. I am just beginning to see, and understand mine.
Till next blog. ~ a.
My Canadian vacation was truly fabulous ~ full of lots of visiting and family, worship and song, new friends and old ... it was everything I could have hoped for. I even got to experience FREEZING cold (we're talking -42 wind chill) and lots of snow (blizzard and the soft big flake kind). I got in enough winter driving to last me the rest of my life. I had plenty of Tim Hortons all along the way and even got to experience a bit of Salt Lake City =) (My plane was delayed in Edmonton, I missed my connection in SL (sat in the airport for seven hours!) and so was put up for the night (got to the hotel @ 1am) in SL to go out on the first plane to SD in the morning.)
I was pooped when I got home, and still had one deadline to complete that day for the county!!! But I did. And I have to say ~ it feels soooo good to be "home". Yes, I did say it, the elusive "H" word, which I never thought I could possibly use here. I didn't think I could call this place Home, until I left it, and realized that I feel that I fit here, more than anywhere else, right now. This is my home. The trees, the smells, the sun, the salt water -- it all calls my name now, more than ever before and I truly feel that I "fit" here.
My Canadian experience was capped by Break Forth, which is the worship and renewal conference that I work for. I was presenter care volunteer for Kathryn Scott, a worship leader from Northern Ireland. She has a heart of gold! I knew she would be pretty nice (she is a worship leader, after all!) but I was unprepared for the compassionate and down to earth person that she truly was. She pastors a church with her husband on the coast of NI. She LOVES people and truly has a heart to find the lost, the broken, the weary and show them the spirit of Christ, alive in the world today.
And you know, it sooo inspired me.
I really feel like that is what is missing in the churches here, the "Christian Climate" if you will, is sooo incredibly self serving, so focused on "selling" and "marketing" our churches, our pastors, the "worship" music. We package and primp ourselves to be "perfect" models of what THE WORLDS idea of Christianity is supposed to be that we completely miss the spirit of Christ. We miss the single most important commandment: Love the Lord Your God. And in turn, miss the beauty that comes from allowing our relationship with Jesus to spill out into all the other aspects of our life, and hence, truly making a difference towards others, and eternity.
This thought captures me right now. And in this uncertain and ever changing world, we do have a responsibilty. I am just beginning to see, and understand mine.
Till next blog. ~ a.
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