Late August is a time ofchange for everyone. No matter whether or not we have family members connected with the world of academia we all, still, must take note of the “change” from Summer mode to autumn mode! Meetings which take a summer hiatus, seem to start cropping up again. All of us, in Canada, start to think about pullingout the sweaters and other autumn clothing and we look at adding blankets andquilts to our beds.
In Montreal we are still sweltering in +30C weather and everyone with school looming on the horizon has spent the last week in denial, but Change is in the air!!
I normally wait for the “Changing of the Decorations” until Labour Day Weekend but with my Boarder arriving this Tuesday and with a steady stream of visitors both last week and this I decided to take the plunge and “do it” over the last 3 days. Of course it was a mad decision as I have had a number of small children and babies visiting on Thursday and Friday, on Saturday I was going out to dinner and today I was serving lunch at Church (which I had to MAKE yesterday). And to top it off the modem went berserk last Tuesday and the repairman could only come this afternoon (as you see he was successful or I would not be writing this post even if it is a day late!!!!!) So the house has seen a whole slew of physical changes in the past week.
I think it has been a real Blessing to spend a lot of time in cleaning and sorting and packing and unpacking and arranging because that sort of “hands on” work gives my mind a lot of time for prayer and this week has also been a time when a number of friends and acquaintances have spoken to me about some huge life issues (changes) Some have asked outright for prayer urgently, or in a more offhand manner, and others have just told me what was going on in their families. Some have had personality conflicts, some major health issues, some legal or financial woes. All really serious, really scary.
Sometimes when I hear those stories the only way I can possibly respond is to immediately commit to pray because there is so much pain or grief or worry between the lines that I would feel overburdened without the option of turning to God. When the Internet was
actually functioning (maddeningly it kept randomly turning off and on!) I read this blogpost and it was just SO perfect when I considered the stories I had been listening to. Do check it out.
And where is Day Camps in all this Well right in the middle of many of these stories because virtually everyone I know is linked with Crosstalk Ministries.So sometimes the “work” of a Day Camp Director, can look very different from the nuts and bolts of counting
glue sticks and can take a turn or CHANGE in another direction.
God, in His infinite wisdom, orders the Season of our lives. It is always a privilege to draw alongside someone in prayer but there is a real danger to think of oneself as “important” or “a better pray-er” which is, of course a big lie! But I try to visualise myselas a clear pipe or tube connecting the person in need with God in a special way. Not “me” doing anything but more just “being something”. The tube has to be clear, and it has to be clean.Both of those things mean hard work. So while I haul tubs of china and physically clean and scrub, I am also scrubbing my “prayer tube” and trying to maintain a clean and clear conduit between those who are hurting and He who heals.
And now a new week is about to begin. As always I have no idea where the path will lead, but I do know, who prepared
that path!
One of the prayers that is part of my morning intercessions comes from Ethiopia and I think it makes a good ending to this week’s
Post.
“ Oh God, in peace you have prepared
the path I must take today.
Help me to walk straight on
the path you have made.
If I must speak, remove lies
from my lips.
If I am hungry, take away
from me all complaint.
If I have plenty, destroy
pride in me.
May I go through the day
calling on you.
You, O Lord, who know no other Lord.”
This past week, as noted, I did feed a bunch of extra people (quelle surprise!) but I also enjoyed a few quiet dinners alone, with Wil at my side, and the cryptic crossword propped up on my dinner tray.
One such meal was a lovely Chinese recipe for Trout Filet with Tomatoes. I served it over plain steamed rice, with some hot Green Tea and a few wedges of local melon. Yum!
Chinese-style Trout and Tomatoes
- 1 Rainbow trout filet
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 2tsps.cornstarch
- 2 Tbsps. coconuct oil
- 4 cloves garlic,chopped
- 6 thin slices fresh gingeroot
- pinch of sugar
- 2 Tbsps. Tamari
Skin trout and cut into large chunks, sprinkle all over with cornstarch. Heat 1Tbsp oil in a wok, over high heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook for 2 mins. until golden and aromatic. Add tomatoes and sugar, reduce to med. And cook for 3 more mins. Remove to a warm dish. Reheat wok with 2nd Tbsp. oil over high heat. Add fish and fry quickly on both sides until opaque. Be careful not to break it up while turning. Return tomato mixture to wok with fish and
reheat, briefly.
Serve over plain steamed white rice. Serves 1.
