Tag: Life of Faith

Clogged Drains

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

I ignored the flash of lightning and tried to hide my concern about the heavy pattering of rain as I helped my toddler into her pajamas.

My husband headed downstairs to check how the drain in our driveway was doing. He returned with good news. The drain was keeping up with the rain. No sign of flooding.

Cheerfully, my husband proceeded with our toddler’s bedtime routine while I prepared to settle our baby for the night.

Once our toddler was in bed, my husband decided to check the drain again. His return wasn’t so quick this time.

Instead of hearing his footsteps coming, my phone buzzed. He had sent me a video.

It was a 3 second video of water flowing over the doormat just outside our door.

That’s not good!

My phone buzzed again.

This time it was a photo of water beginning to seep under our garage door.

I hurried to finish putting the baby down.

Before I finished, my husband came in.

“I pulled the drain cover off. It’s working now.” He crossed the room.

“Good!” I replied.

“The next door neighbours opened their door at the same time,” he continued. “They swept off their drain. It’s working now as well.”

He reached for his flashlight.

“The main drain on the street is backing up. If it doesn’t get moving, it’ll flood soon and then our drain won’t be able to keep up.”

“Uh oh.”

“I’m going back out.”

“Okay. I’ll come too.”

By the time I got downstairs (baby monitor in hand), my husband had pulled on rubber boots and a raincoat and was heading outside with a broom.

I followed suit.

When I got outside, I spotted my husband standing some distance away on another neighbour’s driveway. The lightning had moved on, but the rain still poured down.

I glanced at our drain. It was keeping up, but the water on the road was nearing the brink. Soon it might overflow to our little drain. Then what?

I watched my husband gesturing. Evidently he could see the neighbour through the window.

From where I stood, I could see why this neighbour hadn’t opened their door. A lake of water, deeper than their doorstep, pressed against their door.

Something must be wrong with their drain.

Spotting me, my husband came over.

“He already has his drain cover off, but it’s still not working. He’s mopping inside his door.”

“Is there anything we can do to help?”

“Not really since his drain isn’t working.”

Gesturing toward the growing pond on the road, my husband continued.

“I tried to get the main drain going. I stuck the broom handle down as far as it could reach, but there was nothing. The jam must be further down, or the volume of water is simply too much for the drainage system. If it gets much higher, we’ll be in trouble.”

Just then, a car drove by. The wave it caused in the pool crested over the edge of our driveway and down towards our drain. Thankfully it was a small wave.

We spotted yet another neighbour staring at his driveway drain from a distance. We walked over.

Evidently he’d used the door on the other side of his house to get out. The pool on his driveway was several inches up his front door and his garage door.

My husband offered to try to help.

The man shrugged. “You can try, but I don’t think anything will help. I have an inch of water in my garage already.”

My husband poked at the drain with the broom handle to no avail.

We stood chatting with the man as we helplessly watched the pool of water.

Eventually we noticed that the water line was receding slowly, very slowly.

I glanced back at the road. That puddle, too, was draining away.

Our property had weathered the storm sufficiently, unlike some of our neighbours who now had to deal with clean up and repairs. The question on our minds was “How can we prepare now to make sure our home isn’t the one flooding next time.”

It wasn’t until nearly a week later, as I was praying about which allegory to write, that I noticed the lesson for me.

When I think of the rain as all the wear and tear of life, and the drain as my ability to pass those burdens to the Lord, the story holds a significant reminder.

God has invited me to cast all my cares upon Him. No, that’s not the right way to put it. “Invited” is too soft a word for it. I am instructed to cast my cares upon Him (1 Peter 5:7).

Am I casting my cares upon the Lord?

In the light rain shower of day-to-day life, only a small amount of water reaches my drain. If my drain (my ability to cast my cares upon Jesus) is slow, but existent, I can handle the small day-to-day trials without getting backed up or overwhelmed.

Even if my drain were totally clogged, the small puddle would dry up when the sun comes out and no one would know the difference.

The real test comes when a storm hits. Can my drain handle the huge volume of rain that gushes towards it? Or does a lake form, seeping into my home and thus causing damage.

In such a situation, sandbags could temporarily help. I could protect myself from water damage, but sandbags would also block the use of my door. I’d be cutting myself off from the good as well as the harm.

Indeed, even two weeks after the aforementioned storm, as I walked by my neighbour’s house, I noticed sandbags piled against her door. This rendered the door impassable, though the day was warm and sunny.

I don’t want to rely on sandbags to hold the water out. I want my drain to work so that I can give my burdens to Jesus.

Is there anything I can do now to help prepare for the storms of life that will undoubtedly come?

Yes.

For our driveway drain, keeping the area swept clean from debris – pinecones, flower petals, leaves, and so on – helps keep it from clogging.

Perhaps this symbolizes keeping my life free from sin (no matter how seemingly small) and grounded in the truth of God’s Word.

Sharing times of fellowship with other Christians certainly helps as well. We hadn’t known that we ought to sweep our driveway or that our drain cover could be removed until we observed a neighbour tending to his drain.

Sometimes, however, there is a deep underlying problem in my ability to cast my cares upon Jesus. In such cases, seeking help from a pastor, Christian counsellor, or other mature Christian may be needed.

This parallels the situation for my neighbours whose driveways flooded. A couple of days after the storm, I spotted a plumber assessing their clogged drains. Their clog was too big for them to fix on their own.

Oh, that I may learn to keep my drain functioning well so that when the storm comes, I may say with David:

“The LORD is my strength and my shield;

my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.

Therefore my heart celebrates,

and I give thanks to Him with my song.”

Psalm 28:7 CSB

 

 

If you would like a real-life example of what this looks like, I highly recommend the book: “Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret” by Dr. Howard Taylor and Geraldine Taylor. It is available as a paperback, an audiobook, or on Kindle.

Water Displacement

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

Having used the toilet, I pulled the lever to flush, but nothing happened. There was no tension on the lever.

I frowned. Something was evidently wrong with the toilet. Not a fun problem, and in a house we’d only recently moved into.

With a sigh, I closed the toilet seat lid and lifted the top off the tank.

I peered in, frowned, then looked again. Something was in the toilet tank.

What was a small plastic jug doing in the toilet tank?

I looked closer at the plastic jug, its lid barely above the water line. It looked like a familiar shape.

Hesitantly, I reached into the cold water and pulled out… apple cider vinegar?

Who puts a full jug of apple cider vinegar in their toilet tank? 

Various theories rushed through my mind – as an author, I can come up with some pretty wild ideas.

Was the previous owner hiding something? Perhaps drugs or something valuable? Did they leave it behind accidentally when they moved?

Yet the container appeared to be still full of apple cider vinegar – likely never opened.

The previous people in this house were respectable and smart. Perhaps there was some other reason? A logical helpful reason rather than something sinister.

I spotted the problem I had originally opened the tank for – a break in the chain causing the failure to flush. Based on the rusted safety pin at the end of the chain, it had broken and been fixed before.

Reaching in, I pulled the chain to complete the flush.

When my husband returned from work, I wasted little time before telling him about the toilet troubles and my discovery.

After taking a look, we decided to check our other similar toilet tank.

Sure enough, it also had something in it but this time it was two standard plastic water bottles filled with sand.

My husband, who is very intelligent, suggested right away that the previous people may have added them to displace some of the water in these large, not-so-water-efficient, toilets.

For those unfamiliar with how this type of toilet functions, here’s a quick toilet 101.

The tank on the back of the toilet sits full of water. When you press the lever to flush, a release valve is opened and all the water rushes into the toilet bowl washing away whatever is there. Once the water has left the tank, the release valve closes allowing the tank to refill with water.

This particular toilet had a large water tank – larger than it needed. Therefore, the previous people had added a jug of apple cider vinegar into the tank to displace some of the water. This allowed the tank to reach “full” without using as much water.

To the untrained eye, the toilet still flushed effectively. However, it was conserving water – a helpful thing for both our city’s water supply and our utility bill.

It wasn’t until a few months later that it occurred to me that this toilet held an important allegory for me to learn from.

Although in the story above, the apple cider vinegar was a good, simple, and inexpensive improvement to the toilet, in my life an apple cider vinegar jug displacing the living water is a bad thing. Let me explain.

Jesus taught the crowds about living water in John 7:37b-39a:

“Jesus stood up and cried out, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, “Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”‘ Now this He said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive…” (ESV)

I don’t know about you, but I want this living water in my life and overflowing out of me. I want to be filled with it fully. I don’t want something displacing part of the living water that could otherwise flow through me.

Sure, when there is displacement in my life, it may still appear the same on the outside to the untrained eye, but the power and effectiveness will be decreased.

I want to be fully effective in the ministries God has given me. That is only possible when fully filled with the living water so that it may flow through me.

So, what does the apple cider vinegar jug represent in me? Unless I stop and take a look inside, I’ll never know. I probably won’t even realize there is a jug displacing the living water in me at all!

Rather, I must ask God to reveal this jug to me. Often He does so through prayer, study of the Bible, and fellowship with other Christians.

As I went to write this allegory, I took a moment to pray asking God to reveal my jug of apple cider vinegar. As I did so, I added “but please don’t reveal it to me through trial and hardship.”

That right there was my answer. My love of ease and comfort is the apple cider vinegar jug that is displacing some of the living water in me.

With God’s help, I will be able to remove this jug from my life.

Then it will be time to ask Him if there is another jug displacing the living water within me.

What about you? Will you dare to take a moment to ask God if there is a jug of apple cider vinegar displacing His living water in you?

As David wrote:

“Search me, God, and know my heart;

test me and know my concerns.

See if there is any offensive way in me;

lead me in the everlasting way.”

(Psalm 139:23-24 CSB)

Faithfully Working In Me

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

While my husband finished his breakfast, I let our toddler cuddle up on my lap, or what was left of it. At 36 weeks pregnant there’s not a lot of room left on my lap for her.

We chatted about the plan for the day.

I gave my daughter a little squeeze. “You get to stay with Grandma today while I go to a doctor’s appointment for baby.”

My toddler rested her head against me. “Strong and healthy.”

“That’s right. The doctor is checking to make sure baby is strong and healthy.”

I glanced across the table at my husband. “It’s a routine appointment. They’ll likely want me to book another one for next week since I’m so far along now. What are you up to today?”

My husband launched into a description of his expected meetings and the project he had on the go at work.

His words trailed off when our daughter sat bolt upright, shock covering her face.

I laughed. “Baby just kicked you.” I had felt the strong movement too.

Her shock turned to a grin, as she shifted to rest a hand on my belly.

“You really felt that didn’t you?”

“More?”

“He might kick you again, but I don’t know if he will. Sometimes he kicks a lot, but sometimes he is sleeping. I think he was sleeping just a minute ago, but then he kicked you.”

It wasn’t until the next morning that I found myself thinking about how the movements of my soon-to-be-born baby can stand as a meaningful reminder to me of how God works in my life.

Let me explain.

The kicks of an unborn baby are a wonderful, reassuring thing (though sometimes uncomfortable). Each kick is a reminder that he is alive and active. At checkups, the doctor asks if I’ve been feeling the baby kick because it is an important indicator that the baby is doing well.

Yet the baby isn’t always kicking. Sometimes he is sleeping.

More often than not, it is when I am busy or walking about that he sleeps. Then, within minutes of my sitting down or lying down to relax, I feel him start kicking.

His movements aren’t always the same either. Sometimes I feel his kicks on the right side, sometimes on the left. Sometimes he jabs at my ribs (those aren’t so comfortable), while other times he kicks deep within me. At times his movements are big and pronounced, visible to those sitting beside me. At other times, they are subtle and easy to miss. Still other times his movements are not kicks at all. Instead they are the steady rhythm of hiccups.

When I don’t feel him actively moving, does it mean there is a problem? No, unless the stillness lasts too long. He is most likely taking a nap while he continues to grow and develop.

Similar can be said of my relationship with God.

Sometimes I can see and feel that God is actively at work in my life. I know that I am walking with Him and He is growing me closer to Him.

Other times, I can’t feel Him. I sometimes start to worry – am I still following God? Have I become distant? Is He still at work in my life?

Just because I can’t feel God at the moment, doesn’t mean there is something wrong. God can still be at work in my life, even when I don’t feel it.

Often it is in the seasons of busyness that I feel Him less – such as the season I’m about to step into as the mom of a newborn.

That said, to help my baby’s growth and development be at an optimum, I must continue to eat a reasonably healthy diet, take my prenatal vitamins, and drink water – lots and lots of water.

Regardless of whether I have felt my baby kicking in the past while, I continue to eat for his optimum growth.

The same should be the case in my walk with Jesus. Regardless of whether I feel super close to God at the moment, it is still critical to be ingesting a healthy spiritual diet – Bible reading, worship songs, prayer, and times of fellowship with other Christians.

These elements will help keep me growing and learning more about God whether I feel it or not.

Today, whether I feel it or not, may I trust that, “He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6 CSB)

Simply Thank God

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

I helped my toddler climb into her booster seat, then clipped her tray in place. I placed her water cup in front of her.

“Hmm. Something is still missing.”

My daughter looked down, then patted her tummy. “Bib missing.”

I grinned as I reached for her bib. “You’re right. You are missing your bib. Here, I’ll put it on for you.”

I settled into my seat and pulled a slice of bread from the bag.

“What would you like on your bread this morning?”

My toddler straightened. “Pea-butter. Stra-sa jam.”

“You want peanut butter and strawberry jam? Okay. That sounds yummy.”

I spread the bread for her, then set my knife aside.

“Okay. Now it’s time to pray and then you can eat your bread.”

My daughter leaned forward earnestly. “Mary, Tommy, Dada, Mama.”

I nodded. “Okay, we can pray for your cousins and for Mommy and Daddy.”

Folding my hands, I bowed my head to pray, but before I began, her little voice piped up again.

“And wawa.”

“Yes, we can thank God for water.”

Her eyes scanned the area. “Pea-butter, stra-sa jam, bread… and tray too.”

“Okay. We can thank God for those too. Let’s pray now.”

Satisfied, my toddler folded her hands and sat quietly while I prayed.

“Dear God, thank You for Mary, Tommy, Mommy, and Daddy. Help us all to have a good day and to know that You love us. Thank You for the yummy food we get to eat. Thank You for water, peanut butter, strawberry jam, bread, and trays. Help them make our bodies strong and healthy. Amen.”

I passed my toddler her bread.

Happily she took a big bite.

This sort of interaction just before, or more often right in the middle of, prayer has become common recently. Almost any time we tell her it is time to pray, she lists off various cousins and relatives. Her eyes then roam the room looking for anything else we should pray for.

Water, various food items, tray, bib, crib, soother, bear, clock… Nothing is too insignificant to mention.

This got me thinking. How often do I stop to thank God for His many blessings?

When was the last time I paused to let my eyes roam my surroundings and simply thanked God for what I have?

Certainly not recently enough.

So many times we are instructed in the Bible to give thanks to God, yet how rarely I stop to do so.

Here are snippets of a few of those places. I encourage you to read the full passages to get proper context.

“Be filled with the Spirit … always giving thanks to God the Father for everything…” Ephesians 5:28b,20a NIV

“… Singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Colossians 3:16b-17 NIV

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV

Beyond giving thanks for the things I have, how often do I pause to thank God for the people in my life?

Over and over again Paul mentions that he thanks God for people. (See 1 Corinthians 1:4, Colossians 1:3, and Philemon 1:4, among others.)

Furthermore, when was the last time I thanked the Lord for who He is? Regardless of my current circumstances, God never changes. There is always much to be thankful for regarding who He is.

As the psalmist puts it:

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever.” Psalm 136:1 NIV

Today, may I take a moment to simply thank God.

The Wise Gift

Posted on by S. J. Little

 

I scanned through the list of names and Christmas gift ideas.

I highlighted the gifts we’d already purchased and circled the ones we still needed to buy.

A few ideas I crossed off. They simply weren’t a good fit for the person.

I let my eyes trail down the list.

Candies and toys for the nieces and nephews. They would have fun with those.

Plenty of chocolate and many practical items for our siblings and their spouses. Everything from kitchen items to socks. Hopefully they would be helpful.

I smiled. All the items on our list now seemed fitting. They would be useful and/or enjoyable for those who received them.

Next I considered the gifts we’d chosen for our little one. As a preschool teacher, I greatly enjoy children’s toys, much like a computer programmer gets excited about a new mouse or a carpenter might be thrilled with a new tool belt.

I had put a lot of thought into what to get for her, and done plenty of research – perhaps too much.

Some toys would thrill her for a week or two, but quickly become boring. Other toys were too advanced. Some toys were of flimsy materials that wouldn’t last.

It was hard to narrow down the options, but I finally did.

I chose a play food set since she is just beginning to get into pretend play. This should last her until she is 6 or older.

At a second hand store, I found an exciting puzzle – one with latches and doors. It’ll be a little challenging for her, but I’m certain she’ll like it.

We’re also adding blocks to our block set since she plays with them often.

Satisfied, I set aside my Christmas shopping list.

My mind wandered back to a joke I’d seen on Facebook.

It was a Christmasy comic. It showed Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus in a barn-type environment.

The caption read: “If there’d been three wise women instead.”

At the entrance, three well-dressed women stood holding boxes. The boxes were labeled, “Diapers”, “Formula”, and “Casseroles”.

Mary looked delighted as she exclaimed, “Perfect!”

At first, my eyes twinkled at the comic, but since then a much deeper thought has stayed with me.

The “wise women” brought the sorts of things I would give someone who’d just had a baby. It seems a very normal helpful response to the situation.

Then why did God, in His infinite wisdom, send wisemen with very different gifts – gold, frankincense, and myrrh?

Because God had something far greater on His mind.

The wise women were very helpful, yes, but casseroles only last a week, formula is done by 12 months, and diapers are typically a thing of the past by 3 or 4 years old. These women were only thinking about the next few weeks and months, or perhaps a handful of years.

While the wisemen’s gifts may have had immediate practical use, for example, the gold could have supported the family on their escape to Egypt, they foreshadowed something of greater significance.

God was looking ahead to the event, that would take place about 33 years later. A moment that would change history forever. On top of that, God had all of time on His mind when He chose which gifts to send. 

Gold was a gift fit for a king – a symbol of Jesus’ kingship.

Frankincense was used in incense – a reference to Jesus’ priestly role, and to His divinity.

Myrrh was used for embalming the dead – foreshadowing Jesus’ death on the cross.

(Reference: https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/smith_chuck/StudyGuides_Matthew/Matthew.cfm?a=931011 )

Why do I share all these thoughts? Because they have a powerful reminder for me.

Far too often, I find myself thinking like the wise women. I focus on the practical needs and think only of the next few days or weeks or perhaps a few years.

I forget that there is so much more to life than just the immediate practical needs.

I forget to think about eternity.

My conversations, my prayers for people, the greeting cards I write, the gifts I give… So often they are about current events or the very near future.

Yet eternity is a lot longer than now. Eternity is forever, but so much of now is temporary.

A part of me wants to argue. I can’t live with my head in the clouds. I have a household to care for, husband to love, and a toddler to raise. That takes a lot of paying attention to the now and the practical.

God understands these things. In fact, He is the one who has put me in this role. Yet still He says:

“Set your hearts on things above, … Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:1b-2 NIV

Another translation puts it: “seek the things above”. Colossians 3:1b CSB

What does this mean? I’m still working to figure that out in my current stage of life.

I do know, however, that I need to remember to think of the things pertaining to eternity more often.

How do I do that? Reading the Bible, going to church, and being part of a Bible study certainly help.

Another practical thing that I often forget to do, is singing songs of praise to God – especially songs that bring me back to the Gospel and thoughts of heaven.

I need to come back to the basics – the John 3:16 basics.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 NIV

Do all my gifts have to be Bibles and Gospel tracts? No, God understands the need for practical things and the place for enjoyment. Yet underlying my gifts and interactions should be a heart that longs for those around me to know the life-giving joy of a relationship with Jesus and the promise of eternity spent with Him.

To have such a desire, I must have eternity on my mind.

 

After Thoughts: 

I have found many hymns, such as Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, include the Gospel and mentions of eternity spent with God. These help me set my mind on things above.

 

Did you know many traditional Christmas carols also include whispers of the Gospel and eternity spent with God? Try listening to Hark the Herald Angels Sing and you’ll see what I mean.

 

Want to know more about the gifts the wisemen brought? I encourage you to listen to this sermon about Matthew 2: https://messages.calvarychapel.ca/?message=799&via=rmcccalgary