The Greatest Love Story Ever Told

Love is all around us, and of course it is in the forefront of our minds this week, as we observe the wedding of William and Kate.

There have been many great love stories throughout history, and if you like Shakespeare, they are also usually great tragedies. Personally, I prefer Elizabeth Barrett-Browning.

In the Old Testament, you find love stories sprinkled throughout.
Not so in the New Testament. Why not? Because from the beginning to the end, it is in fact one great love story - the greatest love story ever told.

At first glance, one may see it only as a tragedy, after all, Jesus was crucified, and we are confronted by this picture on Good Friday, which also happened to fall on Earth Day this year.
He came not in royal splendour, even though we know He was of royal blood. He came as a "commoner". He sought neither wealth, position, nor power in the earthly sense. During the temptation, he showed how all these things are simply illusion. He did not come to conquer through a show of force but through healing. He showed that a person could in fact be judged not just by their words but by their acts, and how they live their life. How we choose to live our life is up to us as individuals, and we make that decision every day. If you believe in the 6 degrees of separation theory, then we could all consider ourselves to be of royal blood. Christ's blood was shed for each and every one of us.

This royal wedding was not touted as a fairy tale. It's a true, modern love story. There may be joys and sorrows, trials and tribulations. This union, however, looks like it will have a happy ending. In a similar way, this is how and why we celebrate Easter.
Wishing you every joy and happiness.


Sparky
PS Diana would have been 50 this year, so this picture is in honor of her memory.

Song for those under 30: Price Tag by Jessie J

What's Growing in Your Garden?

About a month ago, we were privileged to listen to a talk by Robert Massoud, founder of Zatoun (please check out their website), a grassroots company dedicated to helping the people of Palestine. This blog springs out of that conversation. A funny thing happened at work this week. I brought in some roses to have on my desk, 'cause some days in gloomy, rainy Vancouver, you just have to do something to perk yourself up. A couple of people actually asked me if they were from my garden. Now, we do like to consider ourselves the California of the North, but trust me, we do not have roses blooming in our gardens this time of year! In fact, our local mountains have been enjoying nothing but snow for the past couple of weeks. Naturally I said no, they are not from my garden. Then I had a thought. In this deeply contemplative time of Passiontide, what if I considered this question more closely? The question then becomes, what am I growing or intend to grow, in my garden? What am I cultivating, hoping to burst forth in bloom at some future point? Will I even be here to see it? What is lurking in my garden that has no business being there? What kind of food and nurturing will it need? Is it something that will need some kind of protection? What will grow well in our particular climate? These are all food for thought. I don't have a place anymore for a real garden, but I think I know just the spot in our church garden for a nice rosebush. And maybe given the microclimate that our manse enjoys, we could try growing a real, live olive tree, just like in Palestine! Sparky

More F Words

There will be a Fundraiser for the Furnace on Palm Sunday, April 17th, at our church. Just in time for Easter, we're calling it Fun with Fondant. If you have been wondering and watching any of the shows about cake decorating lately, you will know this is the latest Fad, so come on out and see what all the Fuss is about. You will be taking home a beautifully decorated cake, as demonstrated by our own budding baker, Steve Johnson. Class size is limited and children are welcome. Watch for our Easter appeal letter for more information. Sparky

Healing

Dear Friends:

I have been racking my brain for the past week on the devastation in Japan and what could be done. Then I finally thought of Dr. Masaru Emoto and his work. He has been busy working on this disaster, too. Check out his website at masaru-emoto.net. He has already posted two articles since Mar.11. It seems to me that he is best qualified to help, and there are several suggestions on his website on ways you can be involved in a meaningful way. March 22 happens to be World Water Day, so let's join together in thought and prayer on that day for the people and land of Japan.

Through water all places in the Earth are connected.

Through the blood of Christ, all people of the Earth are the same.

Arigatogozaimasu

Sparky

The "F" Bomb

Hands up, how many of you watched the Academy Awards Sunday night? Since my daughter started working at a local video store, I'm much more up on movies than I used to be, so I was curious to see how they would go. I admit, being a girl, I love to watch just to see what the women are wearing, and the fact that Colin Firth (one of the best looking 50 year olds on the planet) was there in person, was a bonus!
There was a bit of a stir when one of the award winners dropped the "f" word - you know the one.
For your board of directors, though, it stands for FURNACE. The poor thing has been limping along for some years now, and you know it's bad when your 80 something retired priest is stamping his feet, walking briskly, trying to get the blood flowing before the service, because there is NO HEAT! This happened again this Sunday, apparently, in the middle of a freak snow storm. That's another word we don't like here in Vancouver. So, instead of leaving the church with that warm, fuzzy feeling, people were just glad to get into their warm, heated cars. Susan Locey was left holding a monkey wrench in her hands, and I'm sure certain words were going through her mind, too.
We got the bad news from the plumber this week - our furnace has officially bit the dust, and a new one has had to be installed. So this Sunday, let's hope all is well - and come check out the newest addition to our family.

Warmly,
Sparky

New Year's Resolution

Kung hei fat choy!

Did you know that although our New Year's is already passed, the Chinese New Year is just gearing up? If you live here in Vancouver, it's hard to miss. That means it's not too late for all of you who have procrastinated on setting a resolution for this year, including me. Two events happened recently at our church, though, that have helped me make up my mind. The first was a community meeting discussing questions sent out by international executive committee. The second was a very special baptism.
The whole community comes together to witness and celebrate certain special sacraments, baptism being one of them. It means we will support this child in whatever way we can, through to Confirmation, and beyond. But where are we during the Children's Service? If we don't have children of our own attending, we often give it a miss. What does this say to the parents and the children themselves?
This was one of the points made in our response to the executive - the need to support the Children's Service. Now this service is very special to me. It was one of the things I missed most during the 14 months that we waited for an active priest. The language is simple yet beautiful, or one could even say, beautifully simple, and it speaks to me in a way that the adult service does not. So I have made up my mind this year to come half an hour earlier, and be present for this service whenever possible.
How about you?
Sparky

Bonanza

Hi there:

We had a great meeting this Sunday, discussing the questions sent out by the Executive Committee of the Foundation The Christian Community (international). (These were sent out with the Advent letter.) The atmosphere was most heart-warming and positive. More will be sent out to you later on this.
Since we had to give up our planned 2012 Conference meeting, I thought I would send along this nugget.

Do you remember an old western style tv show by the name of Bonanza? It was very popular, and one my dad used to like to watch. This is also a term one finds with regard to the subject of gold or treasure. What does the word mean? It means a mine or vein rich in ore. A sudden and unexpected source of luck or wealth. This is how I felt last week when I found the 1942 lecture of Rev. Alfred Heidenreich.
In Spanish, bonanza also means good luck, or calm sea. Hmmm, now where have I come across the term, calm sea before? In the Bible of course! There is a very famous pictorial of Jesus calming the sea, while the disciples are out on the water, and then walking out on the water to meet them.
This term still is present in our modern language. To be able to walk on water means someone who can do the impossible, or for whom there is no such thing as "can't be done".
Lord knows I have been swimming in very rough water the past 2 years, but things are finally calming down. In the process, I have learned a little more about putting my trust in God, and that whatever seems impossible or insurmountable to me, is possible with Him. I have had to learn that God's time is not the same as earth time. Also, Heidenreich writes that going through a crisis is actually a growth process. Finally, I hope I have learned to look at other people and situations with new eyes, and with more compassion and understanding.

Calm sailing to all.
Sparky