OnFire Encouragement Letter

Hi Folks, and Merry Christmas:

We’re doing better for weather than many places in Canada right now. Our snow stopped yesterday (Monday) after 15cm (6 in). Our school district was one of only a few open today in Nova Scotia.

We finally edited Mark’s sport stacking video from the competition and put it on You Tube this week. Check it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igwEsiKynMo I've had some trouble in the past with my hyperlinks, so if this doesn't work, copy the web address and paste it into your browser bar.

Our Christmas events begin this week. On Sunday I’m the guest story teller at Shelburne Museum’s Christmas party, and then we have a community Christmas service. These will be fun.

Apart from that, all is quiet. Blessings for your week.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

When we were still students, back in 91 & 92 (our kids think we’re ancient), Jan and I worked at a Christian camp. She was cook’s assistance and missions teacher, and I was the assistant manager. This meant, among other things, that I was responsible for the camp when the director was off site.

It always seemed that if something were to happen, it would be when he was gone. One week after the campers had bunked down for the night, the water quit. I checked the valves and tried resetting the pump and breakers, but nothing I did restored the water. All I could think was that by morning we needed water for over 70 people.

I started the staff on an emergency plan and called the director. I tell you, I was glad to see him when he arrived a few hours later. At about 2am he wandered into the kitchen where we were boiling lake water and announced we could stop. He had found the problem with the pressure switch and fixed it. I always breathed easier when he was around.

When the boys were a little younger, it seemed that no matter how late my evening meetings went, at least one of them would stay awake until I arrived home. They slept easier when I was around (of course, now that they’re older, sometimes we go to sleep before they do). Just as the director was a reassuring presence to me, I am a reassuring presence to my children. Sometimes I wonder as a parent why it is that my children most often wait to call me just when I’ve down to the basement, or to the bedroom, or even outside, sometimes to get a little space. I think that they sense that we’ve moved out of their presence, and want to make sure we are still there. A reassuring presence.

On Sunday a young seminary grad from our church spoke in our worship service. She’s waiting for a call to a church, and in the meantime she is helping us here in Shelburne. She is a gifted speaker and reminded us that when Jesus came, he dwelled among us (John 1:14 NIV*). What does this mean, however? The “Message” puts it this way - “The Word became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood.”**

I love that image. Jesus living next door. Up the street. Downstairs. Around the corner. Out for a walk. In my living room. Jesus is nearby. A reassuring presence. There is a difference between someone who lives close, and someone who lives far away. When someone says, “I’ll be right over,” and they live in the neighborhood, we know help is on the way.

A woman called today from another city. She and her husband may be moving here, and she wanted to know what it is like to live in Shelburne. She found our church on the internet and thought we might be able to help. She knew that it was better to talk with someone who knew what it was like to live here.

That’s the way it is with Jesus. He lived in the neighborhood, so he knows what we mean when we talk to him. He knows the people, the relationships, the issues, the joys, and the hardships.

At Christmas we can be thankful that Jesus became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood. We have hope because Jesus knows what we go through. And, because he sent the Holy Spirit when he ascended into heaven again, God still lives in the neighborhood. On my street. Next door. Even in my house. When I call, he’s already here. Help isn’t on the way. It has already arrived.

Hope this helps. Be OnFire.

Troy

ON FIRE is a weekly letter of encouragement by Troy Dennis. Troy To be added to or removed from the ON FIRE list contact him at onfire@eastlink.ca . Archives are located at www.onfireletter.com This letter published Dec 4, 2007. *New International Version, copyright 1973, 1978 by the International Bible Society. **“The Message: The New Testament in Contemporary English,” by Eugene Peterson, Navpress, 1993.