I grew up with picture books with children who were white-skinned, usually with blond hair, though sometimes with brown. The families in the books always had two parents, one male and one female. What we see and experience repeatedly as children becomes what we consider normal. This sense of what is normal is formed at a very young age and shapes our assumptions and biases going forward. It is possible to keep expanding what one considers normal, but it takes intention and effort.   That’s why it is so important that we choose books for our children that expand their understandings...

Gracious God, …we know that your heart echoes with the sorrow of our pain, and so, we bring to you all that is in our hearts today…   These are opening words from a prayer of thanksgiving and concern that I often use during a funeral service. These words come to mind as I sit with the recent and current events unfolding since the murder of Mr. George Floyd in Minneapolis/St. Paul on May 25, 2020.   There is so much sorrow and pain in this death. It echoes in God’s heart and it renders the human heart broken. Actually, words...

June 20th is coming. In High River and area that is a significant date. Anyone who experienced the Flood of 2013 will never forget this date. In fact, it is woven into the fibre of our being and of our community. This year we come to the June 20th date while living in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are noticing that you are feeling a bit more nervous and alarmed as June 20th approaches, you are not alone. There are good reasons for people in this community to feel more on edge this spring – and it has...

How long, o Lord, how long?  Why is this happening to us, o God?  Those questions come easily to our lips as the weeks and months tick by since our world was turned upside down by this particular coronavirus.  We are struggling with being separated from loved ones and friends, with keeping businesses going and with trying to avoid catching the virus.  Our personal worlds have become very small, living inside a small bubble of safety.   Yet, the other question I believe we must ask is, “What is God revealing to us during this pandemic?”  Now I don’t mean that...

For ten weeks now, we’ve been instructed to shelter at home and physically distance from anyone not in our home bubble.  Our minds are filled with the images of the worst of the pandemic in other countries that showed us why we must heed the daily warnings of our own health officials.  We’ve taken the warnings to heart.  Home is safe.  Out there in the world is the virus.  Wash hands.  Don’t touch your face. Keep six feet (2 metes) distance from others. After ten weeks, these precautions are now starting to be ingrained in our lives.   As we shelter...

Give your children the gift of prayer. It is one of the greatest gifts you can give them - a gift that will last a lifetime. Prayer is a place to rest when we are overwhelmed. In prayer, we lean into God when we are sad or frustrated or feeling alone. Our kids need us, and they also need to know that they can turn to God in prayer.   Prayer is a place to express every emotion. We don’t have to edit those emotions or be nice to God. We can tell God everything and anything, and know that God...

Can any good come out of this pandemic?  The pandemic obviously isn’t good for the health and well-being of the people on this planet.  But can good come out of this situation, in which we are all sacrificing in so many ways.   I’ve always been puzzled by the apostle Paul’s statement in Romans 8:28, “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God.”  Hmm… I can think of circumstances where those who love God and who live their lives faithfully, have experienced things that have not worked out for the good.  Yet, in pondering Paul’s...

What do I do with my cranky, grumpy, clingy kid? You might be noticing that your children or grandchildren are more clingy, demanding, and out of sorts than usual.  That isn’t surprising. Whether they are 2 months, 2 years or 12 years old, they are feeling the emotional effects of this pandemic as much as the adults.    A child doesn’t have to cognitively be able to understand what is going on before they feel the emotional effects. Babies and toddlers pick up the energy of their parents and grandparents.  They sense, without any rational analysis needed, that the people who...

Note: The first seven parts of this series are found earlier in the blog posts. In this final blog on marriage (committed relationships of any kind), I want to explore being a soulmate and surviving this pandemic, all in this one piece to end the series on “The Seasons of Marriage.” First, soulmate…. What exactly is a soulmate? Is my spouse/partner truly my soulmate? Can my soulmate spouse suddenly no longer be a soulmate?   A soulmate seems to be considered someone who just “gets you.” They understand you, anticipate your needs, respect who you are and love you unconditionally. You...

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.  Prayer isn’t magic.  When we enter into prayer with God, it isn’t expecting a genie to grant us our three wishes or Santa Claus to deliver on our wish-list for Christmas.   Prayer also isn’t about trying to manipulate God, the loving energy behind and within the universe.  While we might beg, plead, or demand things of God, while we might try bargaining with God, these are not the actions that make prayer the gift that it is.  We are welcome to take all of our emotions into prayer, the frustration and...