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Lent’s Meat

  My meat is to do the will of Him who sent me.” —Jesus It is the fourth week of Lent and I’m listening. Listening for the release from the bondage of religious discipline. Listening for the love that compels me to choose restraint over indulgence. I listen even in the moments when I break my fast in order to feast. Is this whole thing driven by “the shoulds” or guilt ? Is gratitude the thing that is going to drive my inner conversation with God. Why do I even do this?  Lent snuck up on me this year and I didn’t take too much time to be intentional about my fasting choice. I just made a quick decision and went for it and here we are in the middle. Is my fast transforming me more into the image of Christ? I wish I could measure the difference of what this is doing in me, but I can’t other than to notice difference in my digestive system and to recognize that I eat portions of food normally that are way too large!  Fasting is hard. Any type! To choose weakness so we can fea...
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Come Away: Practicing Solitude

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A few years ago I went on a retreat week.  Youth For Christ Canada has a retreat centre for its staff in beautiful BC! Before that time I had been coming to understand the need for my soul to carve space to “come away” for weekends of rest and solitude. It has become a way to tend and pay attention to the things of God and my soul’s relationship to Him like nothing else ever has. I tune out the noise of work, expectations, obligations and needs and be still. “Coming away” doesn’t always mean I’d leave town. Sometimes it means me, a pen, a bible, a book and journal in a room or park corner over a couple of days. Sometimes it means doing a fun, playful thing like dinner and a movie. Most times I cannot say that it’s been an earth shattering experience to practice this. To be honest there are times that I don’t want to be alone or even meet God in rest. This past chunk of the year actually has been hard to pay attention to that need. However in solitude there have been many mome...
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Tuna Tins & Anger

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A year ago around this time I sat with a Youth who became very angry and volatile at the drop of a hat.  One evening she came to sit in a space with me to "cool off."  Honestly, I was anxious about it as soon as I got the text she was coming!  Even though I knew this was the job I had signed up for,  I was tired of being yelled at and sworn at for no apparent reason.  It was a harsh reminder of what happens when kids in care have lives of not learning love, not learning trust or true family and blame those who try to give them glimpses of anything different.  If you are a group home worker, social worker,  foster parent or youth worker reading this I know you know what I'm talkin' about :) High fives to you when you do your job well--for caring long hard hours and enduring such emotional stress!  I pray your heart stays tender with a "thick skin" that gives you courage to continue to do your work well! I also need to give a few fist bumps to you i...
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