Getting to work...

October 30, 2009

I live in downtown Winnipeg and I bike to work. Or, at least I will if it isn’t raining or snowing or really windy…basically the sun needs to shine and then I bike (I wish I was more hard core than that, but I’m just not). These last couple of mornings it has been chilly. The grass is often white with frost, you can usually see my breath and wearing my long johns has become permanent thing when I ride! BUT, the sun was shining (or at least trying to), the leaves on the trees are turning their yellows and reds, some nearby geese were honking and there were other cyclists out on the road…all these things made it feel warmer, but perhaps not for the reasons you think. Let me tell you why:
1. The sun itself makes sense…Sun=warm.
2. The trees were turning yellows and reds and oranges and browns….all of these colours warm me just to look at them.
3. The geese…while really annoying a lot of the time remind me of the changing seasons. The geese just know what to do in order to prepare for winter….it’s incredible how they just know. I also “just know” (because the thermometer says so) how to prepare for winter…it means big cozy sweaters, leg warmers, hot chocolate and afghans. All these things=warm.
4. The other cyclists and joggers….well, those things just made me feel not so alone…and when you are with people, then it just feels warmer.

But I think above all….it was these things because all of them together reminded me that these are the things that God created. It wasn’t the road, or the cars or the buildings that made me feel warm, it was the nature and the animals and the people….God’s creations. Sometimes, living in the down town of a city, God feels far away because nature is sometimes hidden in the “big city.” But this morning I was reminded that not only is God here, so are God’s creations….sometimes you just have to look a little harder!!
-By: Kristy Letkeman (the new program director of Camps with Meaning:)

Welcome to "Here and Now!"

This came about at an end of summer meeting with the Bible Instructors from all three camps (Moose Lake, Koinonia and Assiniboia) and we were thinking of ways to extend that "summer feel." After summer, for campers (and staff), the high that we find ourselves on often disappears. We made memories at camp, we sang, we learned, we laughed, we ran! We were able to see God in nature, in each other, in the things we learned and now….it's back to every day life. Sigh. Every day life is often challenging, boring and it's often hard to see God. But guess what (even if you already know this, it's good to be reminded!)?! God is in the every day stuff! God continues to work and to love and to take care of you…whether you can see it or not. Isn't that fantastic?

"Here and Now" is a space where staff from this past summer will take a minute or two to share about the spaces and places that they were able to see God in their own lives and in their every day interactions. It might happen on the bus, in the classroom at school, at church or youth group, at the grocery store or simply walking down the street. God is everywhere, and there are a few staff who want to tell you about it. Sometimes, we need reminders of where God is in other's peoples lives when things are not going so well in our own lives….or even if things are going great in our own life, God is still at work!!! So, read and enjoy…make comments or share your own experiences.

Side note: This is on a bit of trial basis. We are going to make this happen (ie post about 2 times a month) until next summer…hopefully enough of you will use it and enjoy it and inform others about it….and if it all works, we'll keep it going next year. :)