His Story!

I just returned from a week long trip to Nova Scotia as a chaperon with my daughter's high school choir and band. Garry and I each had 10 young adults in our charge. We had a blast with them and no one was lost along the way. The week was jam packed with concerts and educational trips to historical sights in the area. I was in history heaven. We went to at least 4 museums. I wanted to be a high school history and geography teacher so this was right up my alley. Sometimes I would see the students eyes glaze over with boredom and I just wanted to get them excited about what we were learning. I have come to the conclusion with the help of my husbands mocking that I am in fact a history nerd. I was amazed at the stories of the people who settled the area and what they must have gone through. I imagined my own family in those situations and was moved. It made me think of history in general. HIS STORY!!!!!!!

All that happens to us as individuals and as people groups and nations somehow all fit into the saga of mankind. The story of people. People who God created to worship Him. How grossly we have failed to live up to our purpose. How grossly we have followed the way of sin. History is the story of the war between light and darkness. The story of a fallen people and the Savior who paid it all to get them back. The encouraging thing to remember is that we know the end of the story........Christ wins. The victory happened at the cross where Satan was made a spectacle. God is being extremely patient as He waits to end this thing because He wants all to come to salvation. How it must break His heart that some will not choose Him after all He has done to provide the way.

We spent an afternoon at Peggy's Cove, a quaint ocean side village that was in the news several years ago when the Swiss Air crash happened 8 km off its coast. It was breathtaking to sit on the rocks and look out at the ocean. I had a great cup of coffee and took it all in. I also freaked out as I watched high school students standing a little to close to the edge for my liking.

We spent an evening on the shore of the Bay of Fundy at a camp fire. I spent an hour combing the rocks for shells and found mussels and snails with beautiful shells. I was having a ball when I heard the girl about 5 feet away say, "Oh cool, an eel." I headed back to the beach quickly praising God that I had not found that creature. We watched the tide come in and I was a happy girl enjoying God's creation. I found myself looking at the ocean and thinking that God's love is bigger then that body of water for me and for you. I was overwhelmed in that moment. I watched students cook hot dogs and marshmellows enjoying each others company and thought to myself that this is exactly what God wants for us. Enjoying each other and Him. I vowed to spend more time enjoying life with people that I love and enjoying the life that I have been given by a loving God.

I have learned much this week. He has taught me about Himself through His creation, through history and through the laughter of teenagers. God is always showing us Himself if we are paying attention. This week was a gift. He said things that I might have missed at home.

1. Tell His Story to others. Make sure their eyes do not glaze over with boredom when you are communicating the gospel. Tell what He has done in you. Tell your story.

2. Sometimes you need to sit with a cup of coffee and take it all in. Be quiet. When I think of the verse which states that "the rocks will cry out in praise", I have a new picture. Look at creation and watch it praise God in its beauty and then join in. He is worthy of all of our praise.

3. Enjoy people. Enjoy life. Laugh much.

4. Explore the treasure of His Word like combing the beach for shells. Watch for God. He is speaking.