Colds and Confirmations.....

Greetings! Oh, how the days are getting longer, but time seems to be going faster....

Monday morning I woke up with a big, swollen gland on my neck....the "Governator" would say that it was "not a tumor"....although it certainly felt like one. I had been sore throat-y and phlegm-y for a month, but figured it was allergies caused by the beautiful display of God's Spring pleasure in my yard.....um no, it was not that.

It seemed I had a bacterial infection in the glands in my neck associated with sinuses. Mmmm. Apart from the difficulty in turning my neck and the feeling as though my head was going to explode, waiting three hours in the walk-in Care Clinic, was great fun. Two antibiotics and two antihistamines later from a doctor who seemed as though I was taking too much of his time, I was literally walking in the clouds. Ahhh Spring. I am feeling a bit better now.... the swelling in my neck is going away, too! Yeah, God!

This has been a hard week for Tim and I. We've been fighting some discouragement as satan is working overtime to get us distracted and fearful. It doesn't help being sick, either. It seems to exaggerate the situation. Ya know? We've just been coming into logistical difficulties around silly things like buying computers, losing driver's licenses and bank cards....being overcharged for items we have no control over. And yet, we are encouraged by the small things like a friend of mine offering some vitamins and spending a couple of hours playing cards with Uncle Bob and Sylvia or that I had enough energy to pack a portion of the kitchen. I am delighting today that I have a chance to sit down and write after a week of business.

A BIG blessing this week was that Tim and I got attend one of our girls' "Confirmation" ceremonies. Our 12 year-old girl (and her sisters) goes to a Catholic school and though I've heard there seems to be a stigma associated with Catholic school-goers, she deeply loves Jesus and takes joy in these ceremonies. I do, too.....especially when you can make faces at the kids and embarrass them with a little waving! :)

Although I am not Catholic, I was blessed to see how clear and 'confirming' this event was to the kids. It preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the 'Confirmandi' or candidates had the opportunity to share their love for Christ in a very public way. These kids are given a choice to be confirmed....they aren't forced to do it....they choose a sponsor that walks them through what they really believe in their heart is the purpose for their life and the truth of Jesus. Then they are honored for their faith by the archbishop of Vancouver and are prayed over for the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It isn't some 'new age' voodoo thing, but one of great truth and reverence. I was in awe with the respect and honor these 37 candidates showed to God through their behavior, words, and attentiveness. They were desiring to be 'true witnesses of Christ'. They knew it was a BIG deal to have their lives controlled by the Holy Spirit....it is a decision that should be marked by great reverence. It's a big decision and I was glad to see how encouraged our girl was and how sure she was of her choice.

Ya know, reflecting upon seeing a few of our kids receive Jesus into their lives, I think a ceremony of some kind where they are given the opportunity to share what they really believe and where they have a sponsor who walks them through those beliefs should be in every denomination.....like 'confirming' what they believe in a public setting to give them confidence and faith....so that others can walk along side them and encourage them in reminding them of the commitment and sacrifice they have made to follow the teachings of Christ and be filled with His Holy Spirit.

We have ceremonies for weddings, funerals, and banquets for accomplishments and parties for birthdays, but what about a kid (or adult) who makes the hardest and most important decision of his life....? We pray a prayer with them and give 'em a Bible.....are we communicating the deep value of the moment? Yeah, a ceremony would be a bit spendy, but if there's a party in heaven when a person makes Jesus Lord of their life...I wanna be at a party, too! Our 12 year-old certainly felt grown up in her faith....I loved seeing that. Maybe there's room for change in how we celebrate new life in Christ.

Be blessed!