In the Dollar Store

After bible study I went to the dollar store. I was looking at photo type paper, I don’t know how you call it. But anyways. This guy came by and started looking at the paper and asked me what it was for. So I explained that it was the paper people want to use when they print their pictures at home, it looks like “real” pictures you know. Then he showed me a sheet of paper, it was golden and he started to tell me that he bought it for 50 cents and he was going to use it for the cover page of the book he’s writing. I asked what kind of book he was writing and he said “poems” and then he showed me several of them in a portfolio he had. Then we talked about if he should add his drawings to the poems and so on. I just thought it was pretty different. At first I thought he was talking to himself when he came by. But we ended up chatting about his poems and drawings and music, and smoking pot, he smoke for “inspiration” he says (if I really understood what he meant). But oh well, it was just different, usually strangers don’t start chatting with you like that. I told him I played the guitar, so he asked me what kind of music I played. I told him I was a Christian and that I usually play songs to thank and praise God. We didn’t go further that way, we exchanged our names and then he left saying: “Keep praising God”. Interesting people. It was rather fun. I delight in simply being a Christian and being able to talk here and there about God, Jesus. My opportunities are rather “de petite envergure” (not impressive… small), but I hope I have more and more of them and especially with people I rub shoulders with on a regular basis. Just today at bible study, our conversations were not really on topic, but at one point we were discussing the need for us Christians to care, not so much for the big issues and to be against the world when it is against our beliefs, but to simply be a light to a few people, do a lot of one-on-one, setting an example, speaking about the Gospel of Jesus Christ… influencing a little bunch. These in turn will influence their little bunch and so on. I know it’s cliché. But we need to focus on bringing the Gospel to individuals, not raging war against issues that go against us Believers. There is a balance for sure and we are not to be weak and passive. We are rather strong and active when we seek to share the good news of Jesus in spite of going the easy way of doing like every body else when we’re hurt. 

My ideas seem to be a little vague but I hope you got the point.  

BANK FOR NATIVE MISSIONARIES: 0$ yet. This month’s monies will be given to GFA so they can provide their missionaries in South Asia with winter clothing. Thanks!

What’s Important

So the laptop has been on all day long. I’ve been thinking and working with it (can I really do that?) so much. I didn’t accomplish as much as I wanted, my mom got a webcam for me so she can see me when I’m talking to her on msn. I was always against having a webcam, but oh well, it’s kind of fun, I can pick my nose and do all kinds of stuff that will entertain the world… well, just the person I’m talking to, which is fun for now, but I’ll get used to it and then I won’t really care.  I wanted to accomplish at lot. I wanted to focus on assignments and projects for school. But really, tonight I didn’t do much. Have you ever seen a wretched person, or worse, a wretched Christian? I have. So this wretched person came up on msn and I started chatting with her. After a couple silly gestures for the webcam and a few questions on how she was doing at school and the usual stuff, I told the person, “Listen, you don’t have to answer this question, but I wanted to tell you that to me, you look unhappy, is this true or just something I think?” She said that I was right, that she was unhappy. I asked her why and then she told me. All she said did not surprise me at all.  

I chatted with this person for a while and I was telling myself, “Gabe, you really should get back to work” but I decided to stay on and keep learning and trying to encourage this person.   I think that it is a big issue in the lives of college and university students, to be focused on school so much that they can’t spend meaningful time with people who love them or need them. It is true that there are always a lot to do and it is important to do our best, but we can’t just go on and on, getting busier and busier with good stuff. We all need to stop in order to get rest and in order to do good. I think that I might be too easy-going (
Saskatchewan’s attitude still strong in me!) … but seriously, why do we believe that we are going to accomplish anything by our own means? Why do we think that we’ll succeed if we keep getting busier and busier because of school assignments and papers and studies? Why can’t we simply trust God? Do not take me wrong; I am not saying that we can just sit and fool around and we’ll succeed in everything and the papers will be written and etc. Not at all. We are responsible to give God our best, and He’ll take care of what’s left. I think it is an attitude that we must have. Yes, we can’t deny we’re busy and that there is pressure. But our minds are at peace because we trust that God is always on His throne, in full control. Whatever He allows to happen, it is fine, it is great, better.  So I keep in mind it’ll be all fine, I don’t need to worry and I should take up the opportunities to help someone one the way to the library or to sit a little longer with this person who needs my care. Even when it means I won’t have as much time to do the “important” things. What is really important anyways?