InsightForLivingCanada

A Quick Start Guide to Life

“When all else fails, read the instructions.”

That little, seven-word warning ought to appear on every electric train set, every plastic model, every backyard swing set in a two-ton package, every high-tech gizmo—anything that comes disassembled or requires electricity. Don’t try to pretend this doesn’t apply to you!

Planted

My husband and I learned how to garden at a late age. There’s not much opportunity to garden when you live on the 17th floor of an apartment building in Toronto, but we did learn to garden when we moved to Africa. Friends taught us what to plant, how to plant, how to carefully take care of our young seeds, and even how to break up cow manure to spread it evenly.

Jesus told a story about a farmer who was gardening and sowing his seeds (Matthew 13:1-23). The story can teach us a lot about how to stay planted when we first become Christians.

Freedom 85

Some find it not entirely coincidental that my mother went up to Glory at the exact time a power plant in our town went up in flames.

Given my reputation for mischief, several have asked exactly where I was at 6 a.m. Monday. I was asleep in bed. I have a witness. My daughter has an alibi too. She was with her cousin Lena a few feet from the grandest graduation ceremony a soul could wish for: the passing of her grandmother into the presence of Jesus.

Christians to Avoid

The Christian life is a life of resisting those who would bring you into bondage. Paul says, “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8).

Beware of the legalists. He calls it “philosophy.” He calls it “empty deception.” He bases it on tradition of men. Notice it’s not the tradition of God.

Raging On

Ever heard of Murphy’s Law? It states, “If anything can go wrong, it will.” There are also corollaries to that law such as: “If there is a possibility of several things going wrong, the one that will cause the most damage will be the one to go wrong,” or “If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something,” and finally, “Left to themselves, things tend to go from bad to worse.”

Grandparenting: Get in the Game!

Tomorrow morning, my wife and I head out for our holidays. So what’s our destination? Alaskan cruise? Cottage on the lake? Golfing safari? Nope. We are driving straight for the grandkids! We’re bypassing palm trees to soak up all the whispers, giggles, and lap time we can hold—and then ask for just a little bit more.

When All Else Fails

A barbecue I recently purchased came with a set of directions for assembly. It also included a “quick start assembly guide.” What nonsense. I’ve always avoided following directions so I certainly was not about to rely upon some watered-down version!