the end of the story

We left Karissa with sauce in her eyes, down the front of her sweater and through her hair. There were eight of us sitting around the table. We all watched this whole scenario as if everything was running in slow motion and then we just sat there looking at Karissa with our mouths hanging open. We sat there with all kinds of questions running through our heads, "Why? What had she done? Are we on Candid Camera?" After what seemed like an eternity, Karissa calmly picked up her napkin and started wiping the sauce out of her eye. At this point we jumped into action to help her.

Denise and Karissa decided to go to the washroom to clean up. Just as they were leaving, the man came back visibly shaken and quite pale. There was a moment of silence and then Denise reached out and asked if he was alright. At this he burst out "I'm so sorry, I thought the girls were laughing at me. I realize that they weren't. Are you ok? I'm so sorry." Both Karissa and Denise reassured him that she was alright. We asked if he had finished his meal, he responded "yes" and said "I need to go" and he quickly left.

Just that morning we had been challenged to walk in obedience to God and to expect God's presence in our lives. The Pastor reminded us that Emmanuel is with us and that we need to have a greater expectation of his presence in our home, in our community, in our country and in our lives. There are many ways that we could have responded in that situation...and maybe another day, another time, another place, our response wouldn't have been so filled with God. Maybe "number #1" would have been more present that day and we would have defended our rights to a quiet family meal with no dry-cleaning bill! Maybe we would have given him a piece of our mind!

We know that each of you have been challenged to think about how you would have responded... and of course we never know how we would respond in a certain situation until we find ourself in it. Only with God are we capable to respond with love and concern for the world around us. The world around us is hurting and only those who know God's presence in a personal way are able to spread His words of healing and encouragement and hope. We admit that we fail sometimes to let God flow through us. Our challenge for the year 2006 is to constantly ask ourselves if the presence of God is flowing through our lives? Are those around us feeling criticized, humiliated and turmoil? Or are they experiencing peace, love, and joy because of God in us?

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." -Romans 15:13