Tag: #40Acts

And so we reach the end of Lent, the fortieth day. We are asked to evaluate our journey to this day, our experiences of generosity, to see if God is asking us to make a permanent Lent-type sacrifice in order to have a closer walk with God.

One of the most significant things for me has been to become more conscious of strangers I interact with in my day, people I meet in the stairwell, service representatives in store, etc, to make more of an effort to really see them, to smile, to make a personal comment. I think I already live a fairly generous lifestyle, and I want to continue on. It been a worthwhile journey.

“Whether it’s apologising to someone or forgiving someone, either can be difficult. Humble yourself today and take steps towards doing whatever you need to do in order to wipe the slate clean with someone.”

Don’t know what to do with this one…

 

Today, being Maundy Thursday, our challenge is titled, Washday. We are encouraged to wash something – something we don’t normally do, simple (coffee cups) to more complex (graffiti on a wall).

Bloomingdale Mennonite Church had a Maunday Thursday potluck supper and service planned for this evening, which would have included foot/hand washing. However, we are in the midst of an ice storm, so it has been cancelled. This week has been so busy, that I had actually planned not to attend before I received news of the cancellation. So I will only be doing the usual washing up today.

Today’s challenge is to share our faith with someone, for example, on social media. Seems to me that is what I am doing with this blog.

At Christmas I wrote about my three Christmas miracles. Today I have another miracle to share. Masood has written the auto mechanic’s test several times over the last number of years. It is an extremely difficult test, even if English is your native tongue.

About a year ago an inspector from the Ontario College of Trades came by checking on all the mechanics in the plaza where Delta Car Sales is located. Masood was told he was not to do any mechanical work on cars — he could change tires and such, but because he wasn’t licensed he wasn’t to do more than that. That put more pressure on him again to pass the test. Last fall he got 66%, but needed 70% so failed again.

While I was in California he wrote the test again. I informed the Prayer Chain at Bloomingdale Mennonite Church as well as many other people, asking for prayers that Masood would have a clear head and calm heart going into the exam. When I asked him how it went he was quite despondent, he felt he hadn’t done well, had guessed at too much.

Today he got a call the the inspector from the College of Trades, congratulating him on receiving 90% on the exam! Thanks be to God!

This is a wild card day, a day in which we have another chance to complete a challenge missed or enjoyed enough to repeat.  

I have found, on my first day at work after vacation, the day to be especially long and tiring. Besides two churches with extra services this week, I am helping to plan my own church’s sunrise service. So I haven’t given this challenge much thought or energy.

But I’m glad for second chances. Sometimes one mistake has terrible consequences, but most of the time we can try again. And these challenges will remain with me beyond Lent.