Emmanuel's Seniors Journal

  As an introduction for Sunday’s service, I mentioned that during these warm summer mornings, I have made it a practice to go out to my deck each morning. Today was an exception, 13C   was too cold unless I took a heater out with me!   I go out not just for the warmth of the summer sun, but to take in all the goodness and beauty around me.   The above photo is of one of my backyard spaces to enjoy the goodness. I have been pondering Ecclesiastes 3 and appreciated the preacher's poetry that there is a time for everything we will experience on earth.   Then the preacher follows in 3:9-11 with a great question and his conclusion: " What do people really get for all their hard work? I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. Yet, God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end." Yes, daily life can be full of burdens, even if...

Hi Friends, I have been enjoying sending out a weekly devotional every Monday.   It is my hope you are enjoying the warm days over this August weekend.   Murray, Alex, Hailey, and I ventured out at 5:30 am today to try and catch a few fish for supper.   The fish were not biting at all however, I do enjoy early summer mornings sitting in the boat enjoying the sun.   The devotional today is from Kari Elliot.  

I am so glad I can connect with you through email and the Emmanuel Blog.   I am missing worship together on Sunday mornings, but coming together does not only happen on Sunday.   I also appreciate the new ways I have found to connect.   Last week, I had pleasant visits in backyards, the church parking lot, over a bowl of soup, on long walks in the park, sitting on a park bench, and of course, through zoom groups, texts, and emails. The conversations have been delightful and encouraging.   I have also enjoyed hearing the different ways people are abiding in Christ. Very inspiring. We are continuing to connect through listening to one another’s thoughts on what it means to be part of the vine, as we walk through our daily lives, walking with Jesus and one another.   Today, I listened to the morning service sitting in the sun, at 9:30 am imagining others were also worshipping at the same time. A few weeks ago, I talked about taking time to pause, and last wee...

Alex and I have been riding our bikes each night out into Lakeview park.   There is something beautiful about riding a bike in the summer, like a warm wind blowing across your face (I was going to say through your hair, but I wear a helmet). Then the freedom of being on a bike, and being with my grandson.   I like to get on the bike and ride until I get home, without too many stops.   Alex wants to ride, pause for a few moments he calls it fueling up his bike, then off we will go again.   We stop, chat, and take in the surroundings while he fills up.   During a forty-minute ride, he will stop at least five times.   I am learning from him to pause and enjoy the world around me.   Not to be so focused on completing a task instead, stop and be aware. Being still and practicing pause is vital to good health.   There are three areas of life we need to keep in balance, even when we consider taking time to pause silently, they are: physically, emotiona...