Life Goes On

A few weeks ago we attended the wedding of my neice.

 She married our lifelong neighbour's son!

At the wedding hubby and I chatted for a little while with the groom's uncle
 (age 63) who moved to Manitoba years ago and raised his family there.

He encouraged me to make/take the time to go with Jim/hubby sometimes
because we just never know what life can bring.
Since that conversation 3+ weeks ago Jim has met him completely unexpectedly (twice!)
as he drove through Manitoba.
Suddenly a truck pulled alongside his truck and a man with a friendly smile
and honk waved as he went by. It was Ken Weber!

Yesterday he passed away suddenly due to a heart attack!

A few days ago a this community was rocked by the death of a young woman
 killed in an awful traffic accident, leaving us asking,
(after coming through a sorrow-stricken October)

 who/what next?!!

 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death,

 so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.
For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again,

we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.…

1 Thess. 4:13-14 

This song was played the other Sunday for our 'hurting bad' church family

as we mourn the sudden loss of a few of its members...

because, life goes on!

Life goes on

The holes where loss

Leaves gaping wounds

Ah, who can fill?

Where Death

(That Ruthless Random Beast)

With precise aim

Is never still

Life goes on:

Worlds rocked anew

With Grief’s insistent

Unforeseen

Where all we knew

Cannot return

To be the way

That it had been

Death’s sickle swings

Ah, who is next

To fall beneath its

Binding blade

Where love, ah love

Will suffer long

The aftermath

Of parting’s trade

Where life goes on

In spite of Death

(Though much is taken

Much remains)

To stir our hearts

And steal our Breath

As Hope in God

Alone sustains

Life goes on;

It eddies, swirls

Where love and sorrow

Ache and brim

As love of God

Kindly consoles

And fills the holes

With hope in Him

© Janet Martin

Hope, Courage's Candle...

...but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. 

They will soar on wings like eagles; 

they will run and not grow weary, 

they will walk and not be faint.

Isa.40:31

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable 

to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

Luke 18:1

Hope fords the streams where dreams have died

It forges faith from yielded fear

Where morning spills Time’s virgin tide

It bids us to be of good cheer

And where we reach but cannot see

Hope whispers through the pining air

And beckons us to trust in He

Who keeps us in His tender care

Hope puts its arms around our dread

And ushers step-by-stepping stone

Where no one knows what lies ahead

Hope is God’s hand over our own

And as we rise to meet the day

Where night becomes a molten sea

Hope is a Voice that seems to say

Be of good cheer and trust in Me

Hope helps us look toward The Prize

Though trouble takes no holiday

As sure as the spark upward flies

Hope holds a lifeline through the fray

And where the ash of days gone by

Can sting our eyes with founded fear

Hope lifts courage’s candle high

And beckons still, ‘be of good cheer’

© Janet Martin

For This Roller-coaster of Experience and Emotion...

 What a roller-coaster weekend this was...

funeral, wedding, wonderful worship service, family thanksgiving dinner/ celebrations

where hearts grief-tender sought and found comfort 

in the unfailing kindness of fellow believers and God's Word.

 The verse below was shared yesterday morning at our worship service 

by a mother whose daughter donated one of her kidneys to a little boy this week.

Ron Seabrooke (whose funeral was on Saturday) was also a dear friend of their family...

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--

how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

Romans 8:32

...and then this verse by our dear brother Richard Haverkamp 
who reminded us we did not lose 'our pastor'! 
We lost 'one of our dear pastors'. 
We thankfully have a team who will by God's direction and grace carry on!

Someone shared this verse of comfort and exhortation;
 Heb.13:7-8
 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. 
Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

What glorious reminders to give thanks in spite of all we do not understand.

Yes, you know how it is…the ups and downs of love and life

Can lead us into temptation to live in doubt or fear

The could and might of Possibility that wields its knife

Would be too hard to bear without God’s promises to cheer

How could we face tomorrow and the sorrow that yet waits

Without the Hope of He who was, is and ever will be

The faithfulness of God who swings wide morning’s gleaming gates

Will not leave or forsake we who need Him so desperately

…then we press on, though reason leaves our answers full of holes

In the how-why of He whose thoughts and ways test mortal trust

Still, we know He who gave His only Son to save our souls

Will never leave us comfortless in come what may and must

…and we are filled with humble, hopeful, joyful gratitude

Although we cannot see the way, His mercies never cease

Where we would fall prey to despair our courage is renewed

As surrender’s great mystery bestows strength, hope and peace

Yes, you know how it is …the highs and lows, high-fives and blows

Unfurls a roller-coaster ride of both pleasure and pain

Where heart-broken farewells are hinged to handshakes and hellos

To fill us with hope’s thankfulness that words cannot explain

© Janet Martin

Jesus Makes All The Difference

Brandt Jean's Act Of Grace Toward His Brother's Killer

Brandt Jean's forgiveness gives us a small picture of what Jesus has or wants to do in every single life; forgive us...because as Brandt stated, we have all done something we should not do! 

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so,

 I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

Jesus~

John 14:2

The window to the world flings wide with daybreak’s blush and gold

The life that we are lent extends Love’s promises once more

Where time, like a tugboat draws us; and whether young or old

We cannot tell how near or far we are to ‘yonder shore’

And who can bear to meet the One who wears redemption’s scars

And realize too late the awful state of Deathless Soul

Jesus and only Jesus breaks guilt’s hopeless prison bars

Jesus and only Jesus makes the broken sinner whole

Jesus makes all the diff’rence in the way we love and live

He wakes in us awareness of a fount where mercies brim

Then, because He forgave us we ought also to forgive

For He makes all things possible if we believe in Him

…and though we do not know as yet what battle we must fight

Jesus makes all the difference if we His Gift receive

Knowing the trying of our faith is but to prove His might

That indwells ev’ry one of us who repent and believe

© Janet Martin

Little did I dream that before this post is up...

how far more deeply relevant the above devotional would become!

(I wrote the poem early this morning but our internet is a little 

like a child playing with a light switch! blinks on and off non-stop)

...but oh, how little we know what a day will hold!

Our dearly beloved pastor Ron Seabrooke passed away suddenly this morning!

We are in heart-broken shock but

we do not mourn as those with no hope...

1 Thess. 3: 13-14

Please pray for comfort for his family
and our church family.
He touched lives world-wide and many mourn our loss and heaven's gain!