Big Races Over

In three days time I have completed two things that I have never tried before. Wow – two new experiences that have left me a little numb.

Both of these are the same in many ways. Both took a lot of time to take part in and both appeared on TV for more than three hours. Both cost millions and many people were involved. In both cases there was a great rush to begin with and in the end there was a winner – kind of… but we are all sorting through what we watched.

Tada…
I watched my first ever NASCAR Race on TV last Sunday evening – all 334 laps of cars racing almost 200 mph around a small, half mile or so track.

Then last night I sat and watched the whole election results for Canada from the first announcements in our area to the completion when the victory/conciliatory speeches were given.

No wonder I feel a little run over today – pun intended.

Comparisons…

• NASCAR races are fast and always changing. Leaders are given points for every time they hold the first position in the race around the track. Elections are that way in the end.
• Elections are fast as well in telling you what people thought… so is NASCAR.
• NASCAR has winners sometimes that you think are going to win – but don’t in the end – the high level of expectancy is there and will be to the end results – so does the Election.
• Elections have a tremendous ‘what if’, ‘maybe it will’, ‘no it can’t be so’ – elements in them from front to back – plain old excitement charged with possibility – so much like NASCAR
• NASCAR covers almost 200 miles going absolutely no where and makes a tremendous amount of noise with crashes and spin outs and flashes of color everywhere… Elections are almost the same if you are a politician.
• For someone that dislikes cars going in circles and going no where…. He or She can identify with those that think politicians do the same.

The one difference for me is the feeling that I have after it is all over. I am drawn to pray for the Politician after the race is over – where the NASCAR racer does not invoke that same need. They race again next Sunday – the politicians – both winners and losers must go on and do as best that they can.

Family dynamics were changed last night as result of the elections. Many will need help to get through their next weeks and months with the changes that they underwent after Oct 14 was over. Truly they will never be the same again.

On the Side…
As I watched the NASCAR race it began with the pre-race stuff. It was then that something interesting happened. The spectator stands were jammed full of thousands upon thousands of people. It may have been an audience as big as any Super Bowl Football Game and a TV Audience to match.

There was an announcement asking everyone to remove their hats, and stand as Pastor ***** leads us in prayer. Then a Pentecostal Pastor – someone like me – stood there in his sport jacket and blue jeans and prayed one powerful prayer in the “Name of Jesus”. As he prayed the camera swept over the crowd and there was not one head raised or eye open – the whole audience was praying. Hokey Mokey! Holy Mackerel! Holy Cow! I couldn’t believe it.

Can you imagine that happening in Canada? No way! Not at our football or hockey games. Not even at our high speed road races!

They prayed to God for guidance and protection. It was a God moment that everyone there needed.

What would happen if we did the same thing at our major events…prayed…?

What would happen if we prayed before an election?

What would happen if we prayed for our politicians before the race, during the race, and after the race?

What if we prayed for the whole time a government is sitting – two to four years of prayer?

Can you imagine what would happen to our country?

Today I begin to pray for our new government. I pray for the individuals that won and will leave their families for weeks on end. I also am praying for our Canadians that ran but didn’t win… and their families.

WOW Murray… that is a lot of praying isn’t it? Yes – it can be. But God kind of directs as to who should be prayed for today – the “now” of today is His.

But there is an emotional toll in this work. Today I am tired but I need to begin praying… for men and women that are even more tired than me.

God bless Canada’s leaders and our Government beginning Oct 15, 2008.

~ Murray Lincoln ~

Sources to consider:
http://www.nascar.com/races/cup/2008/31/data/results_official.html
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/v5/content/election2008/provincial-results.html

Acting Badly

October 14, 2008 Election Day… VOTE!

In our area there is a wide range of ages represented in our political candidates as we go into this election today. There is also a wide range of opinions and attitudes.

The ages go from being able to be the parent to being able to be the daughter of at least one of the other candidates. There may be at least 20 years difference. This very much holds true in the attitude category as well. From youthful new ideas to the old party line – “They are bad – we are really good.” – or – “They haven’t got a clue – we are your only clue to good government.”

The youthful candidate stood and proclaimed that “Yes we can do it and make a difference.” The oldest candidate cuddled up to the idea that we need to vote for me in a “Strategic” way.

One older and well known community person that has been known strongly for her strong and vocal support for one party – loudly voiced her opinion about “Strategic” voting and said everyone should do it. But in doing so she added her personal dislike for the person now in the powerful place of leadership. Of course this is all in front of TV cameras and press hounds.

Stop for a moment in the middle of this muddle – and think about some hidden little people – young people that must be deeply affected by what is happening. They are the children of the candidates. (The youngest person running in our area is the only one that I think doesn’t have kids yet.)

Can you imagine how the kids feel when people hate their father or mother? In our area it will be the kids of two men that will be deeply affected. (The one older woman has grown children – so less affect I am sure.)

I feel for these kids and the emotional roller coaster that the family must be on right now. Their friends at school have to know that their daddy is trying hard to win an election… and maybe even picked up on the thought that daddy hasn’t been home a lot for 5 weeks of grueling handshaking and listening to people yell at him.

Mothers of kids with a daddy in politics are the real heroes. They guide families through the race course, rough channels of politics, and the weather of the weird world of political attitude.

You may have guessed that I am not political…but if I have to be something…maybe I am “a-political”. I really don’t think it matters who gets in – the problems are so big that come their way – that few will have a real new idea to deal with any of it. The difficulties that we face financially and socially are so big that the best they will do is to surf the waves of problems. That certainly makes more sense than trying to stop the wave or drain the ocean.

Political stuff takes a toll on everyone. After the end the 5 weeks of raging on and on…with your TV set almost hot by the many silly promises and subtle threats of our adults leaders… we are so glad to have it over with.

This P.S.(political stuff) also hits hard at the young and soon to enter the world of responsibility. My grandson is 13 and asked me one day not long ago, “Grandpa, who do you think will win? Who do you think is the best one?” We talked a while on the way to the Baseball Game he was playing in. He is very astute to say the least. One thing that he had picked up on was the fact that none of these folk in the P.S. were listening to each other. And each of them seemed angry at the others.

In our area a newspaper columnist stated a fact that is real. If the youth and young adult of our area came out and voted today – they would decide the election. Which ever way they went with their vote would elect our leader. But they likely won’t. Their apathy is very evident. They do not want what the older folk are yelling and threatening. (Reference here to the “Strategic” voting called for by the older lady.)

The youth are like a sleeping lion or tiger – if wakened they might just change the world we are in.

Election time has taught me one important thing – and this year is no different. People that get caught up in this P.S. act badly and turn off those around them – adults or the youth – and for that reason they stay away from voting stations.

Oh boy – do we ever need prayer for the people that run these races – either running in these races or running with the racers. We need to ask God for his guidance in these P.S. matters. Then if we have time to say just one more sentence in the prayer ask God to keep his hand on the family of our politicians.

I know what happens to the kids of Ministers in churches – when the P.S. is happening around and towards their dad and mom as leaders. It isn’t good. My friends, the politicians, have an even greater burden – and so do their families.

~ Murray Lincoln ~

Eating Cold Meat

The headline leaps from the Monitor Screen… 'I'd never seen anything like this,' expert says of listeria test results”

For those not living in Canada, “listeria” is a nasty sickness that comes from “tainted meat”. People that eat it become very sick.

The nasty part is also that the blame is constantly being laid on politicians…as if they walked into a production plant somewhere and purposely put a bacteria in the meat…. It is our Prime Minister’s fault that the bacteria got into the meat and then was packaged and sold to Senior’s homes and hospitals. It is Harper’s fault – all his fault!

Now I don’t put it past the opposition parties to have placed a really bad dude in the meat cutting and prep areas… or at least have people that are that insane to hurt others…

But it is Harper’s fault!

Recently Liberals in Toronto experienced the wrath of someone that hates LIBERALS (or maybe just hates people). Their brake lines were cut and nasty things done against people with Liberal signage on their lawns.

That is also Harper’s fault… not a nasty vandal that hates red signs.

On Tuesday we need to vote for a new government. Locally the Progressive Conservative is being strongly challenged by the new-to-the-block Liberal that is making lots of noise.

Before I go too far into dangerous political territories... I need to go back to the cold meat issue. It is happening where people like seniors are vulnerable…. Someone else prepares the food for them… ordering it from a so called reliable source and producer…then serving it to unsuspecting people that cannot protect themselves from harm.

People at important places of the food chain – don’t care what they are doing. They do sloppy jobs and want to be paid for it… and it only takes one person that doesn’t care at all… to make everyone in the meat packing business look bad.

But then that has happened in politics as well. It has only taken one bad person to make everyone look bad. And one thing that I have watched happen – it is only “the bad” that people remember.

The simple solution to all this cold meat mess… is put it under some heat… fry it! Do this until the issue of inspections is in a better light. Until we all can be sure that what we are getting is clean. But for goodness sake don’t turn your back on the problem and go about doing what you usually do. Cook your meat… and if in doubt about what you have – throw it out and get some new meat.

And if you don’t like the politicians that lead us… stop complaining… and VOTE. What is really sad in my mind… everyone complains but so few do anything about it. When less than 35% vote in some communities… and only up to 60% in other areas… they deserve “tainted meat”.

Now there is a great danger that you think that I think that all politicians are bad. Not so. I am just a little doubtful about the people that they have to lead…that is where there is tainted meat.

Now I ask you one thing… will you begin to pray for our politicians today? Pray for the winners before they win… and the losers before they lose. Did you know that 99% of them have close families that are making huge decisions as to what they will do after dad or mom is voted in or out?

~ Murray Lincoln ~

Sources:
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2008/10/09/listeria-tests.html

Warm Sunshine – New Friends – And a Wee Bit of Guilt

We were bathed in sunshine for the entire day. At first the grass was wet as we set up the awning that would cover our display table. Then everything was perfect. A perfect afternoon to meet people…dozens of them from all kinds of places across Ontario… came by to talk to us.

It was a warm Saturday in a large backyard of our new friend Charlie. Charlie is a fellow wood carver that has added some spunk to our area with is carvings. He has also stepped on a few toes from what I hear. With his flashy van paint job – actually a photo mural – he has kind of moved outside of the norm around him. In Peterborough that can mess up the balance.

Charlie is my new friend. I like him. He likes people too and for that reason his patrons do come to support him, buying his carvings and asking advice.

I love people as well. And to be able to do this with no strings attached, no ulterior motive, no hang ups – was simply wonderful. It is a new world for me. Maybe it is all in my head – but people seem different now… .

The man with the recent operation for a brain tumor was great. He had a hard time getting some words to describe what he carved. But together we enjoyed the common interest. He sent me photos of his wood carvings when I got home. A new friend for sure.

The lady with the broken foot hobbled over the uneven ground to talk. She was alone. She broke her foot last Christmas day and has had much difficulty since that time. It was a good but short talk. My guess is that she is a lonely lady that talks to few.

The young blind lady that arrived in the really fancy new BMW impressed me the most. Or maybe I should say her husband impressed me a whole lot. He guided her over to the display table and then described the things on the table as she picked them up to feel each one. Her admiration for what she “saw” was so rewarding. She said with awe, “Oh wow… that is so beautiful! How did you ever do that?” He fingers traced the things she was “looking at”.

The couple from the place south of Lake Ontario, near Niagara Falls, stopped by to just meet some local artists. They have bought a huge home not far from here and are retiring soon. They were connecting with their community. He is a fireman and she is a nurse. They love the area and want to connect again.

Now I see how Charlie does it. He loves people and they come. Many have never met him before – but leave as his friends… and mine too.

Two men left me a little envious. They carve wood but not much here in Ontario.

One of them heads south to Texas each winter – where he sits and enjoys the beach area, the warm water and the friendly people – while he takes carving classes.

The other guy heads further west and spends his whole winter in Phoenix, Arizona area. They have a place too where it is warm and dry all winter. In the place he is at they have 300 wood carvers meeting for a carving session each week.

I have lived here for 10 years and have never met any of these people. They live not far from our church, where I used to serve as the pastor. I was so busy working with church people that these folks just were not in my life – or even close to it. I missed this “meeting new people”…very much.

Our Weekend…
It is Thanksgiving Weekend in Canada… a holiday weekend with Monday off. We will eat hearty and enjoy each other’s company. But this is new for me. After many years of trying to get a new sermon for this traditional weekend – something new and different to keep people awake… I didn’t have to stress it – at all.

It was last night that I almost felt guilty…almost. Then a wave of relief swept over me as I thought… “I don’t have to preach tomorrow! WOW!” What a wave of joy swept over me…! No stress…none at all. I felt a small wave of guilt that slipped in to bug me…but that evaporated as my thoughts returned to the blind lady, the man with the tumor operation and the lonely lady with the broken foot. They were on my heart again after the day in the yard.

BTW – We head back to help Charlie again today – back to his yard to carve and meet people. It is part of my new, “soon-to-arrive-and-be-announced” business of wood carving.

Today on my “not-needing-to-preach-weekend” - I will think of my fellow pastors trying to keep their hungry congregants awake for the last hour before lunch. The sun is shinning again today from all reports…and I expect to meet a whole flock of new people. I will also think of my fellow pastors at about 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM as they step up to work at it again. Bless you richly Guys and Gals!

BTW#2 If you are in the area… come to Bridgenorth… just north of Tim Hortons there is “Woodchuk Charlie’s” carving shop – a house with a big backyard… You can access the yard by the back street – the same one that Chemong Lodge is on… DROP BY and spin a yarn with us. I would love to hear what your minister preached about today…

~ Murray Lincoln ~
Happy Thanksgiving Sunday!

Magic in the Old Cupboard in the Middle Room

When it rained there wasn’t much to do on the farm. The entire outdoors was kind of off limits as the mud would track into the house. Besides that it was yucky and cold when it rained.

There were two special places that were pure magic on a rainy day. Combining the two of them would leave lasting memories forever. Let me take you to them.

The first one was an Old Cupboard in the Middle Room of my grandparents farm house 5 miles west from Truax, Saskatchewan. The second was the large hay loft in the barn on that same farm.

The things that triggered this memory started when I read on the Internet of the new OLED – ‘organic light emitting diodes” being printed on a machine as big as a semi trailer. The OLED are already being used in cell phones but on a much smaller scale than the size that is now possible.

The words in the article read…
The size of a semitrailer, it coats an 8-inch wide plastic film with chemicals, then seals them with a layer of metal foil. Apply electric current to the resulting sheet, and it lights up with a blue-white glow.

You could tack that sheet to a wall, wrap it around a pillar or even take a translucent version and tape it to your windows. Unlike practically every other source of lighting, you wouldn't need a lamp or conventional fixture for these sheets, though you would need to plug them into an outlet.

The sheets owe their luminance to compounds known as organic light-emitting diodes, or OLEDs. While there are plenty of problems to be worked out with the technology, it's not the dream of a wild-eyed startup.

OLEDs are beginning to be used in TVs and cell-phone displays, and big names like Siemens and Philips are throwing their weight behind the technology to make it a lighting source as well. The OLED printer was made by General Electric Co. on its sprawling research campus here in upstate New York. It's not far from where a GE physicist figured out a practical way to use tungsten metal as the filament in a regular light bulb. That's still used today, nearly a century later.

What a rush I had as I read these words. It was not the information itself it was the feeling I had when reading it. I was swept back to the Middle Room in the old farm house. Then I was taken immediately to the barn’s hay loft to be sitting in a huge pile of hay near the large open door. The rain was falling outside and the sky was gray…but the warmth of the loft was amazing. The only sound was creaking from the barns frame work…or maybe an odd chicken down below clucking…or scratching…

How in the world does that happen? The two sections of this thought are so widely separated in content – from OLEDs to a Barn Hay Loft. Whoah!

In the Middle Room, in the old cupboard, bottom shelf, right side was a store house of amazing old magazines… “Popular Mechanics”, “Mechanics Illustrated”, “Science Illustrated”, and other magazines of inventions and ideas were piled up in that cupboard – to be taken out by grandsons and savored over and over again.

When the magazine was selected I walked to the West Room – which was kind of a Living Room on the far west end of the small structure. In that room there was a collection of old soft couches and arm chairs that were perfect for curling up and reading. There was a clock ticking some where nearby mixed with the sound of rain hitting the windows. Some of the storms that brought the rain had wind as well and that beat against the side of the old house making its presence known.

But none of it was there from the moment that the old magazine was opened. I totally left the farm and was engrossed in the place that the new invention was being tested… California, West Virginia, Michigan or Germany. I had never been to any of those magical sounding places so far away from that farm in southern Saskatchewan. As the rain fell and the wind rattled the old house – I was far, far away.

Taking a pile of these magazines carefully to the Barn Loft was the ultimate experience. The smell of the hay mixed with the warmth of the barn was simply magical. The comfort of snuggling into a huge pile of hay and the light from the open hayloft door made you never want to leave.

I think I discovered the two places and the magazines when I was about 8 years old. The World War II was over 6 years before that. Most of the magazines had something in them about War and War Machines that would make it easier and better to fight. The USA and Canada were right in the middle of the Korean War (1950 – 1953). The stories of helicopters and jets flying were magic to an 8 year old mind.

Can you imagine how far the Hayloft near Truax is from the battle front in Korea? – or Germany? Through the stories in the magazines it was only a turn of a page.

Just now another thought came… I looked out the hayloft door to the fields and the open country side… and wondered… “Will I ever see these places? Will I be a part of that magic?” Only the smell and sounds of the creaking barn answered my silent question…then a kitten crawled up beside me…

Then another thought came…
“Be still and know that I am God….” I remember when I first read these words… I had traveled to some places already and had seen a world that was amazing… then God stepped into my life and the new adventure began. From that moment on it has been one adventure after another, letting me see almost every place in the old magazines and then hundreds of others – China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Irian Jaya, Kenya, most of the USA and all of Canada.

This is Thanksgiving weekend in Canada. Along time ago we traveled to the farm and it was on a weekend like this… it was then that I took out the magazines and found the chair or the hay…

Today I am so thankful… almost all of my dreams have been realized – and I am happy – so very happy!

~ Murray Lincoln ~
Sources –
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/10/10/sheets.of.light.oleds.ap/index.html
http://www.ideaconnection.com/resources/interesting-new-products.html

The Old Farm House - go into the ktchen door(center) then turn left... Old cupboard was on your right - just above the trap door to the celler....

Explosion at Liberty

As I poured through the pages of research I was led a stray again. The story of the Statue of Liberty was amazing – I couldn’t resist the diversion.

There was a time that you could walk up in the Statue of Liberty’s arm to the torch...but not anymore.

The Statue has remained a powerful symbol over all the years and has remained. Everyone knew the story of how it stands at the harbor entrance and welcomes immigrants to the USA. Much has been written about that romantic part.

Alida and I first saw the Statue of Liberty in 1967 – the year we were married.

Some of the facts about this structure are amazing…

• The head is offset 24 inches from its frame inside. The arm is 18 inches to the right and forward of the frame.
• Bartholdi, the artist that designed Liberty, made the changes as they were building it.
• The frame first was designed and constructed by another very famous person named Gustave Eiffel – who made the other really famous tower in France names after him.
• The frame was made of Iron and the exterior of the Statue is copper – later on this combination would prove a problem was the copper leaked and the iron corroded.
• The story of the face of the Statue of Liberty is fascinating in itself…it is either the face of Isabella Boyer, wife of Isaac Singer – the sewing machine guy, or it was the face of the artist’s mother…Charlotte Bartholdi…

(You see when you start to search something you can end up in amazing places.)

On June 30, 1916 at 2:08 AM, in Jersey City, New Jeresy, there was a horrific explosion - named the Black Tom Explosion. Black Tom was an island that was situated beside the Statue of Liberty and it was the storage place for the ammunition used and shipped by the Americans to the Allies in World War I.

The explosion was equivalent to an earthquake of 5.0 to 5.5 on the Richter Scale – breaking windows up to 25 miles away.

From the report I read I found the following…
“It was reported that on the night of the attack, two million pounds of ammunition were being stored at the depot in freight cars, including one-hundred thousand pounds of TNT on the Johnson Barge No.17, all awaiting eventual shipment to Britain and France.”

There is a plaque at the site of the explosion that tells more…
Explosion at Liberty!On July 30, 1916 the Black Tom munitions depot exploded rocking New York Harbor and sending residents tumbling from their beds.The noise of the explosion was heard as far away as Maryland and Connecticut. On Ellis Island, terrified immigrants were evacuated by ferry to the Battery. Shrapnel pierced the Statue of Liberty (the arm of the Statue was closed to visitors after this). Property damage was estimated at $20 million. It is not known how many died.Why the explosion? Was it an accident or planned? According to historians, the Germans sabotaged the Lehigh Valley munitions depot in order to stop deliveries being made to the British who had blockaded the Germans in Europe.You are walking on a site which saw one of the worst acts of terrorism in American history.

The last statement is odd and slightly outdated… in that directly across the harbour is where the Twin Towers once stood until 9-11 took place.

So what has it to do with us today?
I have come to see again the power of the story behind the story…and how powerful it can be.

Behind every person that I saw yesterday was a hugely important story. A young lady I met in the morning explained her journey from birth and rearing in Peterborough to her upbringing in North Bay and finally coming back to Peterborough. She is only about 24 and has already lived a lifetime.

In my class, the lady that say across the table from me is a mystery…the fellow beside her is quiet and deep – very creative, the lady beside him is mature(but younger than me) and has a deep, quiet beauty. The fellow between the two of us is noisy and makes a statement about every single thing the teacher talks about.

The stories that each of us have may never be told – but do they ever empower our lives… and touch the lives of many others.

As I have been thinking of this the Psalm 42 came to mind…
In the Message it reads…
6-8 When my soul is in the dumps, I rehearse everything I know of you,
From Jordan depths to Hermon heights, including Mount Mizar. Chaos calls to chaos, to the tune of whitewater rapids.
Your breaking surf, your thundering breakers crash and crush me. Then God promises to love me all day, sing songs all through the night! My life is God's prayer.

And in the New International Version Psalm 42 is written…
6 my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.
8 By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life.

It is the “Deep calls to Deep” and/or the “Chaos calls to Chaos” that stirs me. Every story has meaning… every life has a story…

~ Murray Lincoln ~
Sources –
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_of_Liberty
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Tom_explosion

When Big Men Lose Their Jobs

For the past few weeks I have watched the two major men in my world changing a little each time they are on my TV. Carefully one step at a time they are walking closer to the Big Day when everything might change.

President George Bush is about to leave his housing situation in Washington – at the White House. Stephen Harper, our Prime Minister, doesn’t know if he should get out his suitcases or not.

President Bush will move from a $400,000 a year salary – and with 8 years in office he should have saved a little out of the $3,200,000 that went his way. And there were benefits on top of that.

Prime Minister Harper came to power in January 2006 with a salary of about $294,000 a year – he has only been able to collect just under $600,000 total. With an election that may produce another Minority Government – he is set for another $600,000 at least maybe even $1,200,000 in four years.

Now I must sound like I am envious I am sure. Anyone pointing to another person’s income has to be – right?

No – that is not true. This past week in my journey’s downtown to take the classes to set me on track again… I have met a lot of unemployed people... like me. We once made money and now make little. That is what unemployed means. No pay.

More than that, just outside the office that our classes are held in is the “Ontario Works” office. Many nice and fairly well dressed people walk in and out of that area – right past where I chain up my bike. Then within about an hour the “needy” start walking into the office to get help. These are people that we once called “Welfare People” – social assistance people…down and outers… people that have nothing.

I sat at our break time and watched my fellow Canadians that were all around me in their break times as well. Talk about a world that I knew little about… a world away from me. Now I see it… and live in it.

It is doubtful that Mr. Bush or Mr. Harper will ever come down for their breaks where I take mine. Few people will mill around them looking shiftily from side to side to see who else is where we are. They will never feel the distrust that exists at these levels.

One year ago now I was a big man in town. I was a pastor in a large church. I was ministering each week and I was in control (and over burdened) of a world that is no where near this place that I frequent now. 12 months can make a real difference in how you see things.

As I walked along the street I met a person that I have known for about 4 years. The person had known me through the position I had at the church. The person asked how I was doing and what I was doing down downtown with my bike. I explained I had just moved from E.I. to O.S.E.B. to begin a new business. The person looked at me and laughed very loud for all of the people on the street to hear. “What happened did you get FIRED? I can’t believe you are not at THAT church anymore!?”

I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t answer.., and then sputtered something about the church not having enough money to pay salaries. But that petered out when then asked what the church is doing now for a minister…

When Big Men lose their jobs they become ordinary men – looking for work.

One other pastor that had left his church a few years back said to me, “I will pray for you. I know what happens when you leave the ministry. Now one calls anymore.”

I winced when I heard that one. It was too true. The phone did stop ringing. No one wants to know if they can come to preach in my church anymore. Strange feelings happen around you… very strange.

I have had very good support from fellow pastors and some of the lay people in the church. Calls, emails, coffee times, are all great… that has really helped to transition out of what I was before…to the new person that I am becoming.

I have thought a lot more about the men and women that are now running for election now. A few will lose their jobs in less than a week. They will stop being Big Men and Women – because some one else is now a bigger man or woman than they are.

As I watch our local MP try to state his case that he has done a good job in his short two years… the runner up, who is Liberal, is loud and forceful, and tries to let everyone know that she is a CREDIBLE VOICE and would be better than the other poor slob that is there now. She has never served in Government ever – and she says she is credible… okay?! I met her on my front porch – she is forceful and won’t listen to even one question…. Oh boy!

Both of these two need prayer – along with the other two that are dividing the vote into smaller sections.

My Point…
Today I ask you to pray for each politician in your area – Canada or USA. Take a look at them differently – as if they were you. As if you were taking their job over or losing it like they might. How might you feel then?

In our area there will be one winner and four losers. They all deserve your support and prayer.

Tim Schindel, my partner from BC, told me that they were looking into signs to put on everyone’s lawn that would take them. The Sign would state something like – “I am praying for my leaders.” or “I am praying for the Government”

What a great idea!

~ Murray Lincoln ~