Christian Perspectives: Life is Exciting!

April 16, 2016 · 0 Comments

Pastor Maxine McLellan, Grace Church of
the Nazarene, Shelburne, ONJOY Center of Learning
Resources for Building Lives
www.JOYCenter.on.ca

Spring is coming – yes it is!

I know, because the birds have arrived in pairs, in flocks, and individually, and they are filling up on our bird feeders.

My sister is known to say that the flocks of geese flying north and the massive flocks of little birds, which we grew up calling “bird weddings” are great family gatherings.

The birds seemingly catch up on family and friend news that they may have missed over the long winter. Who has new babies? Who will soon be first time parents?

Unfortunately, they sometimes find out that someone did not return from winter stomping grounds, or did not survive the long, cold winter here.

So sad.
People are not much different when you think about it.

My tiny grand-daughter, Ella Rose was born in March 2016. What excitement!

Great-gramma can hardly contain herself while waiting to get pictures taken to her. What an
impact Ella will have on her family, her world. Exciting.

My husband and I were honoured to each write a chapter in an anthology book, the Reno NV edition of The Power of Giving, which was published and received in early March.

What an impact that book will have in the world. Again, exciting.

But then, there are the sad news reports.

Former Toronto mayor Rob Ford, was laid to rest in March of 2016. I was travelling and did not get to see the event on the TV or the news, but my mother-in-law told me she had never witnessed such a great crowd at a funeral.

She was moved to see the thousands of individuals linking arm in arm, walking 15 abreast as they travelled the streets approaching the Church, which could in no way accommodate the
crowds.

They were apparently shouting out that Ford was the best mayor ever.

What an impact Rob Ford had on his family, his world.

On March 31, my brother´s 84-year-old mother-in-law, Evelyn Ward passed away. Having been housebound for much of the past 15-or-so years due to health issues, many friends had passed or faded away so the memorial service in her honour was small and more intimate.

But still, her influence will linger on in the hearts of loved ones and friends. And yes, the impact of both of those lives are still exciting and still rippling.

As in the birth and arrival of new birds, the new baby, the new book, the drawing to an early close of two souls and the dawning of their new plane of existence, today is the first day of the rest of your life!

Someone wrote, “Even though there are days I wish things could change that happened in the past, there’s a reason the rear-view mirror is small and the windshield is so big. Where you are headed is much more important than what you have left behind!”

Dare to dream dreams, to have meaningful goals, and to have a life you can get downright excited about!

My husband, Rev. Bob McLellan says, “What you think, what you believe, what you say and the intentions of your heart matter, because it impacts your actions which determine the outcomes of your life.”

Of course, you do know that your choices create neural pathways in your brain which become habits that develop your character, which determine your reality, and which influence the ripples your life will make in the great sea of life.

Right?

We get out of life what we put into it so choose really carefully what you want to put into and to get out of life.

Will your ripples create and send forth positivity, joyfulness, peace, creativity, excitement, enthusiasm?

I surely do hope so.

A hint: the best way to achieve that type of life, those types of ripples, is to keep in mind the truth of the words to a song I wrote a few years back: “God is with me every day, every step of the way, bringing peace to my heart each day. I’m at peace with God and me, I’m at peace with myself, I’m at peace with who I am.”

And yes, that is exciting!