A Noble Theme

Can I make a confession – I mean, there’s just the two of us here. I love so much of what I do in my job but, if there is one particular part of the job that I have never really liked, it has got to be the “recruiting.” I just don’t enjoy going to people with hat in hand (at least that’s what it feels like) and saying to them “Please, would you take on this job or fill this position for us.” I think that what I mostly dislike about it (apart from the inescapable fear of rejection) is that the underlying message of the conversation usually seems to be the similar to what I referred to in my recent blog post: “Because I’ve been doing it for thirty-five years,” she said impatiently, and I’m really tired. It is time for someone else to do it instead.” In other words, the conversation is all about needs and people taking turns and how somebody needs to do something. It really isn’t about what actually matters. That is why I am so happy about my recent “recruitment” eff...

The house that we purchased when we moved to Hespeler came with a beautiful back yard planted with a lovely perennial garden and adorned with a fish pond bursting with an enormous population of fish. It has very quickly become our favourite place to hang out. Not being expert gardeners (but willing to learn) it is like an adventure each time we head outdoors. We don't know what those who have worked here before us have planted and we just get to sit back and watch it all explode in life around us. What a privilege. Today -- on Victoria Day afternoon -- it was a wonderful surprise to look up and see that four beautiful iris flowers had just appeared. What a pleasure to be blown away by unexpected beauty!

St. Andrew’s Hespeler: Living in Christ, Sharing his Love. St. Andrew’s Hespeler Presbyterian Church has what I think of as a motto or a slogan. It is emblazoned on a plaque at the main entrance of the church and often printed on such things as letterhead. It is, I know, a slogan that means a lot to some of the people at the church – a slogan that has encouraged us to stretch towards worthwhile goals like getting more involved in our community – reaching out to people and helping to meet needs.   So I hardly want to mess with a good thing. This slogan really has helped make us who we are. But I do sometimes wonder if it is enough given the challenges being faced by the church in these days.  It is possible to read that slogan in a completely non-challenging way. It is kind of like being in favour of mom and apple pie. Of course these are good thing and we are in favour of them but are they really pushing us to be more and do more in the name Jesus? The ...

Lost Generation - YouTube You have to watch this one all the way through.

In her most recent book, Christianity after Religion , Diana Butler Bass tells about a conversation with a woman in her Episcopal (we’d call it Anglican) Congregation: "Would you like to join the altar guild?" asked an older woman, a member of a church where I was a member. After all, you like to arrange flowers. She was a nice person, diligent in her service to the church. Most every week, she showed up early on Sunday morning to set up the altar. She ironed the altar cloths, shined the silver chalices, and laid everything out. Sounded like holy housework to me. Instead of saving yes or no, I responded, “Why?” “Because I’ve been doing it for thirty-five years,” she said impatiently, and I’m really tired. It is time for someone else to do it instead.” Not exactly an appealing invitation. I turned the offer down. I suspect that the woman had a rich faith life. I always wondered what might have happened if she had answered the question this way: You k...

When you buy new a computer online direction from Apple, you are given a free option. They offer you free engraving. So when I bought an ipad from Apple about a year ago, I had a problem. I was not about to let a free engraving go to waste! But what would I engrave on my new device? Just putting my name simply didn’t seem to be enough. I wanted something that reflected my approach to life. After some deliberation I finally settled on these words: “Scott McAndless - ‘My heart is stirred by a noble theme.’” I chose to engrave that not merely because it fit in the allotted space and didn’t include any prohibited characters. I chose it because it reflected my approach to the writing that I do – the writing that I expected to do on the ipad. The verse is taken from the Book of Psalms (NIV version): Psalm 45 1  My heart is stirred by a noble theme     as I recite my verses for the king;     my tongue is the pen of a skillful...