Practically Prophetic

It was just a few days ago that this nation was celebrating its birthday! Patriotism was at its peak, and expressions of love and devotion were seen and heard everywhere, including declarations of loyalty posted on the ever blossoming social network sites.

One phrase seemed to stand out more often than many and that was a line borrowed from the Canadian National Anthem.....“Oh Canada, we stand on guard for thee...” In the fervour of the moment those words became personalized, by the declaration “...I will stand on guard for thee.”

I am no stranger to the truth that as Christ followers, it is important to pray for my country, or for the country in which I live. At times our appeals to the Almighty tend to be rather lofty in nature and somewhat directional and (dare I say it) arrogant, as we presume to know exactly how the country should be run and who should and who should not be running it. There are occasions when God does reveal His specific plan and purpose. In those moments, prayer in accordance with how we understand what He has shown us is appropriate. However, these ‘revelations’ are not everyday “guardian orders”.

I was watching the weather report yesterday and the news was not good for the Prairie Provinces. Even though there is too much water on the fields in my area, Alberta and Saskatchewan are experiencing a drought. As I listened to the commentator describing just what this could mean to the farmer’s involved, their communities, their provinces and the country as a whole, the words “I will stand on guard for thee came flooding back into my mind”. The Lord was giving me a practical way to guard my nation without being presumptuous. You see, if the weather is good, the crop is as it should be. Then the farmers are content and not making political demands that cause unrest and even bring about premature and expensive political change.etc. By praying for rain I can “guard” against something that God may not intend for this country at this time.

Simplistic? Yes, but Providential reminders are often just that...simple and tightly connected to what is happening around us. Those with prophetic hearts, insight and vision must keep clear eyes fixed on Jesus, open ears which listen to the sound and movement of the wind and their feet planted in and upon what is simple and sensible. The task then is to “flesh that out” in what is actually ‘Practical Prophetic Prayer’ and yes, stand on guard for the nation.

Canada Day

Little Miss She and I began the day with a run back and forth across the field...going from one set of bleachers - the white ones - to the much more fun 'orange ones'. Mum - the lucky one - could lag behind and take photographs. The three of us were on a Canada Day outing to one of the local play parks. This child can run..and run...and run...she has stamina that is beyond what a two year old normally has and it is fun to watch. She certainly needs to be involved in some kind of extreme sport when she gets older!

The powers that be tell us that today Canada was 142 years old, but we know that is utter nonsense as the First Nations people have been living here for ever and ever and ever...Today they were celebrating with a Pow Wow down at The Forks

July 1st is a day where most people do their best to be a little frivolous and attempt to
be rather outgoing in the way they express their love for Canada - even if it means wearing your pyjamas in a public place!

I got plenty of exercise today for I had decided to use public transportation. I rode my bicycle to my daughter's house and from there 'attempted' to take the bus. My trip downtown got me half way there...then I walked. And after my time at The Forks I walked back - the whole way. Not one bus passed me by and I trundled along for over an hour. Things were a little slower than normal due to the amount of 'traffic' (namely people who had also given up on ever catching a bus) taking the same route home as I did.

As I passed through 'The Village' (where there was another frolicking good party going on) I came upon this jolly soul who was cheering us all on and reminding us just what the day was for
It wasn't only about the big parties (and the little block parties for that matter)
the hot dogs and other vendored goodies...the bands that blasted us from here to smithereens and tried to get us dancing....no....
it was all about looking for a new leader...and there he was, waiting for us!
'Oh Captain, My Captain' !!!!!

Whisper His Name

Thinking of someone I knew in Den Haag named Marijka ....today she moved to Paradijs.

A song in her honour for her family and friends.
Deluge - Whisper His Name

Dreary Downfall

It seems like the water loves to follow me around.
I opened the blinds this morning to raging trees, their presence being tossed around by the ceaseless winds and driving rain.
What I saw did not make me want to move quickly and so it was a couple of hours until I was prepared to leave the building with the days 'supplies' slung over my shoulder. Whenever I babysit the tools of the trade travel with me. Laptop, snacks,
large handbag with makeup, crossword books and money....and a bag full of gym gear in case I want to stop and work out on the way home!
My apartment is on the second floor and so I use the stairs most of the time to access my car in the underground parking. But the underground stairwell had about four inches of water on the floor. No access there for me as I was not wearing a pair of Wellingtons...just my hot red runners and I was not about to dip into any type of pond with them on.
Surprisingly the elevator still worked.
The doors opened to a garage floor covered in water with large pumps, hard at work...I thought the flood was last month...this is however, Winnipeg. A city of surprise. There were a few moments of pity for the 'hard at work' building caretakers - but those left as quickly as they came when I remembered that they get paid on such occasions.
I made it out safe and sound, but with the promise of another night of heavy rain the expectation is not that it will be better later on. So my boots, which live in the boot(pun intended) of my car will be moved to the front passenger seat for the journey home.As for the supplies I brought with me - the computer has been used, the snack(which is a rhubarb dessert with a meringue topping)devoured, money was spent at a girls morning shopping trip ..only the crossword books remain untouched. Oh, and of course the gym gear...but that, like the Wellies, is for the road home.

Winnipeg's Worms.

Living in The Bible Belt has its moments, both good and bad.
Parts of the nastiest spring/summer season here also have a biblical connotation.
And therefore it is with great sadness that I announce "The Plagues are Upon us!!"
Manitoba - loosely translated as the Voice of God -is under a time limited curse!!!!

The worms are here.
There is always a humorous side to their appearance each year...for me, it is the memory the "little wigglers" evoke of a childhood song I used to listen to on the BBC Children's Hour about such creatures......If you cannot quite tell what the little angel is singing, the lyrics follow!

There's a worm at the bottom of my garden,
And his name is Wiggly Woo.
There's a worm at the bottom of my garden
And all that he can do
Is wiggle all day and wiggle all night--
The neighbors say what a terrible fright!
There's a worm at the bottom of my garden,
And his name is Wiggly,
Wig-Wig-Wiggly,
Wig-Wig-Wiggly Woo!

Our worms are not at the bottom of the garden.

they are in all of the trees and form an umbrella over us, no matter where we walk.
They flit and fly like a troop of monkeys on forest strings and manage to end up in every nook and cranny of the human anatomy, which is what makes them so disgusting. We must endure though, for it is one of the lesser plagues that attack this province - the greater being that of the mosquito, our provincial pet....whoops I mean pest.

So, for now, the great and mighty - (dare I say Godly) oracles that should be uttered from within our Provincial Boundaries have been replaces with loud, pain ridden yelps of disgust and horror....

until the angel who cleans all things up passes by and finds us worthy...either that, or until the moment when all the leaves of the trees have been devoured - and their food is gone.

Lakeside Lovliness

I am sitting in a most wonderful place, on a deliciously hot – first day - of summer!
Surrounding me are walls and walls of second hand books and jazz music is washing over me as I sit, carefully chosen books by my side...and I wait for a friend who is browsing in other areas of town that interest her more than shelves of literature!

It has been a weekend of surprise.
I did not expect to be spending these sunny days walking and biking around one of Manitoba’s beautiful lakes. Neither did I expect to be throwing myself – with abandon – into the cold, clear water just to cool off!




It was not that many days ago that Manitobans were ‘enduring’ day after day of cold and seemingly unending rain! It does not take long for those things to be a memory once the heat hits!

But here I am....enjoying what Canadians enjoy the most in the summertime – long, lazy days and long luscious evenings – at the lake!

I have returned.....
to The Peg
and suddenly the weather has turned
from cold and dreary
to days when shorts and a t-shirt are actually too much - how wonderful that is.

The worms are here (canker) and the mozzeeeees
but they are bearable
at the moment
won't be long though until they drive us indoors!

I am almost sorted out in my new living quarters.
Some things will have to wait until my Father arrives
as he is good at doing the things I cannot figure out.
One thing I can figure out is how to get to the park from here and so each morning I walk there before most people are up and out of their beds. It is actually a combination walk/run routine....the serious runners in the neighbourhood fly by me but not without a cheery hello. I can tell by this that I am no longer living in the centre of the city. There the runners tended to be friendly when they were running in a group, but not the loners. Here, everyone has something to say! And that I like. It is a lot quieter as well. I don't ofter hear a siren during the night. In my old place their noise cut through my sleep at least once every hour - except between 4 and 6 in the morning - for some odd reason. I came to call those the 'silent hours' and knew that then I would get some rest - unless my neighbours were screeching and yelling and thumping around in all of their madness. And I do not miss having to move in the middle of the night to the chesterfield because of air pollution.....the ventilation system in this building seems to work well.
There is a lot that I do miss about my old location though - it is always like that I guess when you hop around from one place to the next!