Sunday, December 23, 2018

Psalm 93, 96 
Isaiah 33:17–22 
Galatians 3: 15-22 
Luke 1: 67-80 

Your eyes shall see a king in his splendour and will look upon a land of far distances. Isaiah 33: 17


Coming to Canada from Pennsylvania ten years ago with the hopes of traveling with my husband and the dreams of remodelling a summer cottage soon were turned around. The saying “If you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plans” certainly applied to me.

Of course, I was a religious person. I went to Church every Sunday, sang in the choir, was on altar guild, always helped at church suppers and even visited the sick. I wanted to take a break. And then the Bishop of Algoma called saying he would like to meet with my husband. “Only for eighteen months,” he said. “Just ‘til the six churches in Muskoka get settled and a new priest comes.” I might say I said some not too nice words at this point. It was all about me, you see, and what I wanted. That was nine years ago.

I have learned in these nine years that altar guild, choir and church suppers are not what following God is all about. Rather than being in the center of everything, it is more simply being in a quiet relationship with God. I do not do the work of the church to be noticed or to say how hard I work. I do it because it’s part of my love for and worship of God.

I believe my granddaughter, Grace, was right when she told her mother, “I think I’ll stay in Canada with Grammy and Pop ‘cause God lives in Canada.” Seeing a King in his splendour in a distant land – absolutely! How wonderful!

– Lynne Van der Hiel