This coming Tuesday, Feb. 25, 1:30 MST on Zoom!
It will be fun! I promise! You might even win a prize!
Just click this link to get the zoom info – https://siretona.kit.com/pondrings
Hope to see you there!
Pond’rings is Launching!
Marcia Laycock
Never Say Impossible
When I told my mother that my husband was going to be a pastor she said, “Well, you’ll never be rich. She was right. But she was also wrong. When we sold the log house we’d built on the banks of the Klondike River near Dawson City Yukon, to attend Bible College in Saskatchewan, I thought, well, we’ll probably never own another home. And I thought our travelling days were over. God had other plans.
I love travelling. The ability to go off to foreign places has been one of God’s gifts to me over the years, in spite of our lack of finances and my lack of faith. My first adventure came during university when a friend urged me to put my name on the list for a trip to Spain being organized by the faculty of Geology. I balked at first. “Impossible. There’s no way,” I told her. It was almost the end of the year and I was almost broke. But when extra seats opened up and I was offered one, the pieces fell into place and off I went. Travelling around Spain, Portugal, France and Switzerland opened my eyes to the wonders of Europe and gave me a thirst for more.
Then I found myself in the Yukon and travel to anywhere was expensive. “But everyone has to have a honeymoon,” my new husband said, so off we went to California, arriving in San Francisco on Chinese New Year. Now that was a cross cultural experience!
Not long after, we made the leap of faith, landed in Bible College on the flat Canadian prairie and then moved one province to the west to begin ministry in our first church. I thought our travelling days were definitely over. But God had more in store for us.
After seven years it was time for a year-long sabbatical. “Papua New Guinea,” a missions expert advised us, “That will be a good place for you to go.” I wasn’t even sure where PNG was, and I wasn’t sure I could take the heat of a tropical climate, but God made the doors open and before I could voice all the ‘what ifs’ we were there. Life in the third world was both challenging and exhilarating as God opened our eyes to the need to trust Him every moment of the day. Coming home was harder than going, but slowly God worked on our hearts and minds and souls and we adjusted once again to life in Canada.
We received a call from the head of our church’s association one day. “How would you like to go to Israel?” Impossible! But he explained it was sponsored by the Israeli government and a tourism organization, which made the price too good to refuse. Walking the land of the Bible was a profound experience.
Then seven years later God moved us from our comfort zone, where we’d pastored for 20 years, to begin a new work in a small community. My husband’s salary dropped into the bottom of the barrel once more. And once again, I thought our travelling days were over.
But God had another plan. It included eighteen months of cancer treatments and a slow recovery. “Take your wife somewhere warm,” the doctor said. Impossible, I thought, but before I could list all the reasons why not, we were walking on the warm sands of the Caribbean.
A cruise was not something I had ever envisioned in my future but when my husband’s mother turned 90 she decided she wanted to celebrate with the whole family – on a cruise ship off the coast of Alaska. All 23 of us wandered around the ship wearing pink Tshirts that said, ‘Betty’s Birthday Bash.’ It was indeed! When she turned 92 there was one more trip on Betty’s bucket list – the long cruise to Hawaii, and she wanted me to go with her. I had to think about that for just a second or two.
Last year my oldest daughter turned 40. She decided she wanted to celebrate in Italy and convinced a friend to go with her. The friend had to back out at the last minute and when K said she was going alone, I voiced my objections. “Then come with me,” she said. Impossible, I thought. But I remembered my art history professor telling me to put seeing Michaelangelo’s David on the top of my bucket list. Apparently, God thought that was a good idea. The David was amazing. St. Peter’s Bassilica was a highlight as a booming voice chanted, “Laudate Dominum, Laudate Dominum, Laudate Dominum.” Praise God, Praise God, Praise God. Indeed!
Spain, Portugal, France, Switzerland, the Yukon, Alaska, Papua New Guinea, the Caribbean, Hawaii, Itady. Not bad for someone who thought she’d never leave the borders of her own province, let alone her country.
Yes, it’s been a joy to see it all, to experience so much. But even more, it’s been a blessing to see what God wanted to teach us through it all. There have been many lessons about trust, about His provision, about His generosity and exceptional love. With every adventure we learned more about Him.
“Surely you have granted (us) unending blessings and made (us) glad with the joy of your presence.” Psalm 21:6
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Bird On A Wire
By Marcia Lee Laycock
A friend of mine once revealed his hidden talents. He sent us a Christmas card with a picture of a painting he created some time ago. The card sat on our table for quite a while after the season was past, because I loved the image. It’s a winter scene of a tiny bird sitting on the curl of a barbed wire fence.
As I stared at it one day it made me think of how true a representation of life it is. There are so many contrasts in our lives – many things that are beautiful, soft and fragile like that tiny bird, and many things that are hard, hurtful and ugly, like that strand of barbed wire. Though the two seem to be so opposite, they both have purpose. That tiny bird is part of a huge eco-system that is finely tuned and elegantly balanced. Its song adds to the air of our existence and its beauty gives us pleasure. Tiny birds are examples of God’s goodness to us – that he would give us such things just to make us smile and turn our world toward harmony.
And that barbed wire – the cold, sharp and ugly wire – has a purpose too. Just ask any farmer who has stock to control. Without barbed wire, animals would wander, perhaps into dangerous places. Without the boundaries that wire represents there would be a lot of chaos in our world.
Several people we know have gone through some hard and ugly things lately. Some of those things are ongoing. It’s hard to see purpose in them, hard to see that there will be any good come of these things, yet we know some day there will be. Some day we may even see and understand. We know that, because we know our God. He is a God of order and balance and beauty who sees all things – the greater good, the bigger picture, the expanse of the eco-system He created – and He is in control of it all. We can know He is working all things out according to His purposes.
I was teaching a group of children about this recently. We were studying the story of Joseph in the book of Genesis – that young boy who was so loved by his father and so hated by his brothers. We talked about the hard and ugly things Joseph went through – betrayal by family, slavery, wrongful imprisonment. But finally we came to those famous words Joseph spoke to his terrified brothers –
“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:20 NIV).
God was, is, always will be in control. He told his disciples as much, and He has told us –
“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NIV).
As we launch into a new year – 2025! Can you believe it? – Knowing God is in control is a great comfort to all believers. If you have not yet received that gift, but want to, please contact me. vinemarc AT Telus dot Net
And have a wonderfully blessed New Year!
Christmas is for Kids
My mother always said, “Christmas is for kids.”
She’d make that statement several times every Christmas season. When we “kids” got older it seemed to be kind of a hint that we were too big for all the fanfare and fuss. But I always thought to myself, oh good, I get to act like a kid again! I suppose, in a way, my mother was right. It’s the kids who generate the excitement, the kids who take delight in all the presents and decorations. And sometimes it’s the kids who teach us what Christmas should be all about.
Now that I’m an adult, watching little ones in the shops and malls is a delight because they are so enthralled with everything they see. They seem to see all the tinsel and glitter as though it were silver and gold. They seem to have the ability to just believe in all the wonder and mystical possibilities of Christmas.
We recently watched the classic Christmas movie, Elf. The story is about a man who was raised by Santa’s elves and goes in search of his real father when he finally learns he’s human. (A little suspension of disbelief is obviously needed by adult viewers). The story is about a man with a child’s heart. Everything delights him. Of course, he slams up against the cynicism of the real world, time and again, but he manages to keep his child-like innocence and eventually manages to affect change in the hearts of the cynical adults around him.
Having a child’s heart isn’t only a prerequisite for enjoying Christmas, it’s also a prerequisite for belonging to the kingdom of God. Jesus said so Himself in the book of Luke, chapter 18, verse 16 – “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
What is it that children have that we must have, in order to gain this kingdom? Their innocence, certainly; their willingness to accept that there is someone bigger than them who knows better; their immediate outpouring of love in response to love bestowed on them; their unabashed willingness to tell others what they believe, even if those others scoff.
And most of all, their wholehearted, unreserved faith. Children believe with their whole heart, their whole mind, their whole strength. It’s not something they have to force or work at, they just let it happen. They receive the love and forgiveness intended for them and then act accordingly. Oh, to be a child again! To open our hearts to God’s love and then let it pour out, that’s the message of Christmas we all need to receive. Yes, Christmas is for kids. And we all get to be kids again. Maybe, if we start today, it will last all year long.
May your Christmas be all that God intends.
Just a Little R & R, Please
I get a little nervous whenever my husband starts hmmm-ing around my – uh, excuse me, our – computer. It usually means he wants to change something. It usually takes him several weeks to convince me it’s a good idea. He managed to do so a while ago and it entailed some major changes to our internet connections. I reluctantly gave up my chair and let him sit at my – um, our – keyboard.
He fiddled for quite a while and was on the phone to get help a few times, but finally it was all set to go. Then he clicked into a menu with two rather scary options listed. The first selection was “release all,” the second, “renew all.” I held my breath. Spence double clicked. Then he grinned at me. “See? he said, “That was easy.” Well, not quite. It took a few more persistent phone calls, but eventually the new system was complete. And I had to admit it was a lot better than the old one.
Release all. Renew all. Two phrases that have parallels in our spiritual lives. In the book of Ephesians, the apostle Paul talks about the process. “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires…” Perhaps if Paul were alive today he would say, ‘release all’ – release all the habits and ways of living that have taken us in the wrong direction. They are habits that have corrupted our connection to God.
Like a computer, a person cannot be renewed until he gives God the permission to begin the process in him that will get rid of the old ways. He then has to grow in an awareness of his new identity in Christ. And as he does so, he releases more and more of what used to be, the corrupted connections, the “old man” who is now a decaying corpse.
Paul goes on to say – “to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Renew all. Once the old is dead and discarded, the new can begin to grow and flourish. Our new identity in Christ, the identity we were originally intended to have, is a clear connection to our Father, one that cannot be corrupted.
Does that sound easy? I wish I could say it’s as easy as double clicking a selection on a computer’s menu, but it’s not. Real life is never easy, but the rewards of persevering in this pursuit cannot be underestimated. The rewards lead us straight to God, to His holiness, His righteousness, His love. As we strengthen our connection with Him, He pours all of these and more into us and through us.
Release all. Renew all.
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The Fear Factor
It was a beautiful summer day. My friend, Lynn, and I chatted as we strolled among groups of people heading for one of B.C.’s main tourist attractions. I had glanced at the brochure Lynn showed me the day before and had a moment of hesitation when I saw the picture. Since falling on the cliffs on the north shore of Lake Superior the year before, I had developed a fear of heights, but I listened as Lynn read the details in the brochure and was confident I would have no problem.
We rounded the bend in the path and there it was, The Capilano Suspension Bridge. I watched as a young boy ran out onto it and jumped up and down. The bridge bounced and swayed. I hesitated. Lynn stepped boldly out and was almost half way across before she realized I wasn’t behind her. She waved me on. I took a deep breath and stepped onto the creaking boards.
I made it about two meters. Then that same young boy ran onto the bridge from the opposite end and jumped up and down again. The bridge swayed and buckled. I froze. My hands seemed glued to the steel cable, my feet would not move and my eyes would not focus on anything but the roaring Capilano River, two hundred and fifty feet below. I had never had a panic attack before. I didn’t know what was happening to me, but I knew I could not move, neither forward nor back. I heard Lynn calling from the far side of the gorge, but I could not turn my head away from the river below.
Then I felt Lynn’s hand on mine. She urged me to look at her, and I finally pulled my eyes away from the gorge. I allowed her to remove one of my hands from the steel cable. Then I shuffled my feet as she led me back toward the closest side of the gorge.
Fear. It can destroy all sense of logic and reason. I knew the statistics about the bridge – that the cables were encased in thirteen tons of concrete at both ends. I knew that thousands of people had walked across it safely. But fear blocked all reason and left me paralyzed.
When we are in a place of extreme stress, fear can be a powerful factor. Like that day on that bridge, it can keep us from moving forward. At such times it’s good to have a friend like Lynn, one who will gently guide and lead us back to a place where we feel safe. Jesus is standing beside us, ready to be that friend. Through the prophet Isaiah, He says –
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)
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True Faith Acknowledges True Love
Why is it we struggle to believe God loves us? The enemy of our souls keeps whispering, and sometimes screaming, that God does not even care that we exist. That’s how I felt when I was in high school, watching some of my teachers who seemed to have a strong connection to God. I tried to do all the things I was told would get me into his “good books” but none of it worked. I knew I was faking it and eventually became frustrated and angry, sure that God wanted nothing to do with me. So I walked away from the church and from God, telling myself He didn’t exist.
I think there is an underlying knowledge in our souls that we are part of the world that “lay in sin and error pining,” as that wonderful Christmas carol, Oh Holy Night, says. We are all too aware of our dark side, the side that is capable of horrific things. We cringe when we hear about those who commit them, because deep down inside we know we are no better.
There is a story about a Jewish man who was called to give testimony at the Nuremberg trials at the end of World War 2. The man had been a victim of the Holocaust, imprisoned in one of the camps where thousands were tortured to death. As he walked toward the witness box, he faced one of his torturers and collapsed. The judge assumed he was overwhelmed by the atrocities that had been committed by the Nazi on trial, but he said no, he was overwhelmed by the knowledge that he was capable of doing the same.
Yes, we know the depth of our darkness, if we are honest with ourselves. But that darkness has been overcome by the mercy and grace of God. To deny that truth is to deny what Christ’s death means – that we have been freed from the chains of our sin and made righteous. As the wonderful O Holy Night, says, “He appeared, and the soul felt its worth.”
Henri Nouwen says it well – “When Jesus talks about faith he means first of all to trust unreservedly that you are loved, so that you can abandon every false way of obtaining it.” We can live in the light of that truth by staying close to God, reading His word, following His commands, listening to the Holy Spirit who lives within us.
When we listen to His voice, the enemy has no power over us. We belong to Jesus. He knows us, loves us deeply and “as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.” (Isaiah 62:5)
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A Day at the Beach and a Few Links of Interest
The day couldn’t have been more perfect. The sky was clear, the sun dancing off the water. The beach slowly filled with parents and children, out to enjoy a day at the beach. After an overnight camp‑out, my friend and I had brought a few girls from our church’s Kids’ Club to have a swim and a picnic. We stretched out on the sand and chatted as we watched the children play. Little ones were busy making sandcastles. An older pair tossed a frisbee above their heads.
A little red-haired girl caught my attention. She had wandered in front of us a few times, as she dashed from the edge of the lake to her mother, sitting in a lawn chair not far away. I watched as she stood still, her small head bent studiously over something in her hand. She turned and started toward us, stopped and peered at her hand once more, took a few more steps and stopped again. Her progress was slow as this pattern was repeated. As she approached, I could see a moth cupped in her palm. She tilted her hand each time it moved, stopped when it crawled dangerously close to the edge and moved slowly forward when it was secure again. Eventually the little girl reached her parent, holding her hand out for her to admire the precious treasure.
My delight in watching that little girl deepened as I realized God had just given me a picture of Himself. His care for each one of us is no less complete than the careful protection she provided for that small moth. Isaiah 46:4(b) says ‑ “I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” God holds us in His hand and takes great care to keep us there. In John 17:12, as Jesus prays to His Father on our behalf, He says ‑ “I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost …”
Like that child who was so obviously pleased to show her mom the treasure in her hand, Jesus delights in presenting us to His Father, the God of the Universe. We are His precious ones. As He prayed in John 17, Jesus presented us to His Father and asked Him to protect us, to set us apart from the evil in the world and draw us into a complete relationship with Himself. He makes some startling statements in that passage, statements which reveal the depth of the concern and love God has for us. He says ‑ “May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” How incredible to think God loves us as much as he does His own Son!
Are you aware of being cupped in God’s hand? Know his love and protection are sure. “None has been lost …”
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Don’t Wait for a Burning Bush
A while ago I watched an old video called The Prince of Egypt. It’s the story of Moses and the exodus of the Hebrews out of Egypt. Although it is a cartoon version made in Hollywood, the creators kept it fairly close to the Biblical account. I have seen this movie several times, and there is one scene that never fails to move me — the point where Moses encounters God in the burning bush. When he asks that wonderful question, “Who are you?” God’s answer is at once mysterious and absolute. He says: “I am that I am.” (Exodus 3:14, KJV)
We know from the Biblical story told in Exodus that Moses responded to God’s call and obeyed His command to return to Egypt and confront Pharaoh. Though he was reluctant and believed himself to be inadequate for the job, he obeyed. I believe his obedience was in direct relation to his understanding of who this God was. He had been seeking God for some time, and when God called, drawing him to a place where he could hear, the overwhelming effect of that encounter impressed upon Moses that this was the God of the universe — one not to be trifled with. Moses did not have an opportunity to create God in his own image. His perception of God had come from the source.
Unfortunately, most of us do not have that same opportunity. Burning bushes aren’t a common occurrence, even for those who are deeply spiritual. Perhaps that is why we tend so easily to distort the image of God. We see the evil and pain in the world, and call God cruel and unjust. We don’t get what we want in life and believe God does not love us. We desperately want to live our lives on our own terms, so we create a God who will go along with our plan. We want to live in a world without pain or suffering, so we insist God must be a magician, there to perform miracles at our command. We want to live comfortably, so we espouse a prosperity theology that justifies the accumulation of wealth. We want to justify our actions, so we assign God to be on our side.
Without the miracle of a burning bush that is not destroyed, and the very voice of God in our ears, we will create all kinds of gods who are nothing like the real thing. These gods made in our own image may make us feel better for a time, but they are idols. Idols never fully satisfy our longing for truth. So how do we guard against this? How do we get to know the real God?
We do what Moses did. We take off our sandals and acknowledge the holy ground. In humility, we admit we don’t know Him very well. We ask Him who He really is, and when we hear His answer we fall on our faces. We study His word, the Bible, seeking His face in every verse. Then, when we hear Him command, like Moses, we obey. None of us may ever see a burning bush, but if we humble ourselves and truly seek Him, we will find the true God.
“I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving … When the humble see it they will be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive (Psalm 69:30 & 32, ESV).
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