rest

My word of the year for 2024 is rest, but not as in laziness and sleep. Rest as in Psalm 116:7, "return to your rest my soul, for the Lord has been good to you". God has been faithful and oh so good to me. I can rest that He is in control and that He will continue to be good and faithful.

The word used for rest in that Bible verse is also connected to quietness. I love that. Pastor Jon suggested trying a new spiritual discipline this year, so in light of rest, I am also going to try more quiet. This means less social media, less listening to those who just add noise, but nothing of value to my life. Less speaking and more listening.

Things everyone loves that I do not...

1. Cirque du Soleil. I recently went for the first time. Although I had a good time, I didn't love it. In fact, I would not pay money to go again. Yes, the acrobatics are amazing, yes the music is good, the tightropes are death-defying, but I just don't care. I was impressed but I have no desire to go again.

2. Disneyland. I went once and that was enough. I don't like crowds, lineups, rides, heat, expensive food, crazy parking, and I hate what Disney stands for these days.

3. Camping. I live in BC and feel like I should love it. I don't. I love walks in the forest and sunsets and the beach. But then I want to get into my airconditioned car and drive home to my own house, my own bed and my own bathroom. I don't want camping food, shared showers and toilets, cramped quarters, cold, wet, bugs, more bugs, and to smell like smoke. Just no.

4. Ketchup. Ew. No thank you.

5. Taylor Swift. I like some of her music. That's all I got.

6. Mr. Bean. I don't find stupid funny. Or endearing.

Why Teach?

 

I have about six students in grade two this year who are concerningly below grade level in reading and writing. So, my coworker and I signed up for an intensive intervention program that would combine reading and phonics instruction. It required extra training and honestly, extra work. But. The results have been truly amazing and heartwarming. Seeing the girl in the middle in the photo LIGHT UP as she discovers the joys of reading and writing is why I teach. To get to be part of that process is such a privilege.

Autumn

I am leaning into my favourite season of colours and pumpkins and novels and fireplaces and scarves and candles. Today is Nov 4 and there are still leaves on the trees and the sun was out. Yes, the world is raging all around. Yes, I have a cold. Yes, it's report card writing season. But. I can still find joy and I will.
 

Beauty-a reminder from a favourite writer

Beauty is a defiance of war. God made this world for health and loveliness, for communion and cultivation. Don't forget that amidst the headlines. Don't stop ordering your world or tending the souls around you or cooking them good food or planting flowers. Every one of those acts is a defiance of the evil we see raining fire and death upon innocent people. Don't lose faith in this time of despair with the square of earth you have been called to keep and the people who depend on your love.

It's so easy to suspend normal life in the face of relentless headlines. I have too often this week succumbed to the endless checking of my phone, to a disconnection with those around me, a sense that the thousand faithful acts of our ordinary are useless in the face of such destruction. But that is another arm of evil. Faithfulness is vital, it is our good work, our duty, our gift both to the God who made us to flourish and the suffering who yearn for comfort. We must keep faith so that safe and loving places still remain in the world. We must be ready to receive the war torn, to recognise the lost when they arrive on our doorstep. We must make our homes places of hospitality that are tethered to heaven, ready to feast and heal whomever God sends.

Evil disorders and disintegrates what God crafted with his own hands and called good. Evil unravels affection and history and safety and and hope. Evil breaks families apart and destroys narratives of love, and bombs the homes it took decades to build. But love rebuilds. Love defies evil by doing what God did in the very beginning of our story; speaking the world alive, calling it forth to ripening life, filling it with beauty, naming it with love.

That work is still possible, is the one thing necessary in the face of war. It's being done by those right in the thick of war; feeding the displaced children and sheltering the refugees and binding the wounds of those who have been bombed. We must give to that, pray for it from afar. But we may also participate in it by keeping faith. By claiming and cultivating spaces that are opposite to war, defiant of evil, allowing Beauty to be at work in us to claim and renew this broken world.

summer 2023

I had a really fabulous summer which ended with a belated birthday party for me with three of my friends from childhood. It was literally the last day of summer and it was still warm and lovely and we were on my friend's beautiful patio. She had cooked up a feast and there was so much laughter and reminiscing and fun. 

On my actual birthday in July, I was on a girl's trip to Victoria and Galiano. It was relaxing and beautiful and quiet. The great thing about going to the island is that I feel like I am on holiday as soon as I get on the ferry. The weather was spectacular and we were on the deck admiring the stunning beauty of BC. In Victoria, we walked around downtown, we ate fabulous food, we went to Butchart Gardens. We stayed in a lovely air b&b from which we could have walked to the beach if we'd had more time. On Galiano, we stayed in a lovely cottage air b&b looking out over the water. I was very pleasantly surprised at the good restaurants we went to, considering how small the island is. My favourite was a little outdoor cafe attached to a bookstore. It was quaint and adorable and the food was delicious.

In August, I went to Whistler with Lesley. We teach at the same school and have known each other since we did teacher ed together over 20 years ago at UBC. I hadn't been to Whistler in years and I wasn't super excited, but after much hemming and hawing about where to go, we settled on Whistler because it seemed easy. Low expectations are always great because they are so easy to exceed, lol. The drive up was spectacular and we stopped to take pictures. Our air b&b was fantastic, in the upper village, walking distance to everywhere, included parking, and had a hot tub. The floor to ceiling windows, which from the 4th floor looked out on to a wall of evergreens, made me feel like I was waking up in the middle of a forest. We walked around, we went to the Scandinave Spa, we read and we planned for school. 

Of course, I also spent time with my family. But that was very bittersweet since Matias moved out at the end of summer. I will maybe blog about that some other time. All in all it was a relaxing summer and felt gloriously long. Now the rains are here and I am ok with that; feeling grateful for a great summer.

Hope

Where do you get your hope? When you are anxious or discouraged or unsettled, where do you go? I go to my faith, and more specifically to the author and finisher of my faith. He never lets me down because my peace is found in a person: Jesus. I don't need to reach a certain level to find peace. I don't need to use breathing techniques or search for inner peace from within or escape my circumstances. I don't need to read a 10 step book. I just need to go to Jesus.

Last night I was anxious. I had trouble getting to sleep because my mind was buzzing and it was too hot. Somewhat ironically we are literally in Hope and Pentti and I had decided to go to church here, so I also worried about not getting enough sleep as the countdown to my alarm got shorter and shorter. I prayed. And I eventually fell asleep.

I got out of bed a little reluctantly and got ready for church. I am so glad I did! It was so uplifting and so timely. I was so, so encouraged. I am sure lots of people took the message to heart from Philippians about not being anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, taking it to God. But I felt like the message was especially for me. And sitting there I felt God's deep and abiding love for me.

One of the lyrics from one of the worship songs said: "why should I be afraid, when you put the stars in place"? Why indeed. He is sovereign and He is good.

PS. The song is called You Shine by Brian Doerksen. You should listen to it.