Soar...

I went to the Fredericton Dump with my husband the other day...the dump was massive.  Winding our way through I looked around and saw a number of Bald Eagles, of course there were lots of seagulls and crows but I was surprised by the amount of eagles. Some were juveniles and others fully grown with all their adult plumage. I saw one huge eagle soaring low across the sky, such a beautiful majestic bird and yet here he was in the midst of a dump, a stench filled place overflowing with humanities garbage. 

As we exited the dump we stopped at the weigh station to pay. My husband asked if I'd be allowed to come some day just to take some pictures of the eagles.  He said no, not at this time of the year as it's so busy at the dump.  Though in the spring I could make an appointment to come, they have people who come up from the states to take pictures of the eagles.  There are 50 resident eagles that live at the dump.  Wow, 50 resident eagles, this dump was their home.

I've been thinking about my trip to the dump and seeing all those eagles, such a majestic bird and yet here there are a number of them that live at the dump and scavenge for food through the massive mounds of rotting garbage.  Though it was neat to see so many eagles in one place, it was also sad.  This bird belonged along the water ways, soaring over the lakes, bays and shorelines in search of fish and other prey.

I'm sure for the eagle it's much easier to scavenge for food on an unending pile of garbage that gets dumped day after day.  Searching through our refuse for scraps and eating who knows what, toxins entering their bodies.  Studies have been done and it's been noted that the more mature the eagle the more it will search for it's own prey but the younger are more apt to scavenge if it's available. 

The easy way...that's what I saw.  The way of least resistance and least effort.

How often do I choose that way?  

The way of least interference in my life 

The way that requires little of me

The way that comforts me when I don't need comfort but need a push

The way that embraces my pride

The way that refuses to die to self

The way of hiding

The way of walling up on the inside

Earlier today I met up with one of the new men at the Village as I was heading to the office, he heading back to the dorm, suitcases trailing behind.  He choosing the tough road, the road that hurts, the road that is not comfortable, the road that calls him to really look at the sin and brokenness in his life, the road of much resistance.  He wanted to leave, life here was too hard and not because it's physically hard labour but because it's emotionally hard labour...the labouring and pushing through that brings life.

I told him I was proud of him for choosing to stay even though it's hard, even though it's not what he really wants, even though he'd rather scavenge his way through life then dare to venture where God would take him.  

He said he wasn't proud of himself at all. I told him he could be because here he was dragging those suitcases back across that road, and he'd be emptying them and heading back to work. That was something to be proud of.

I have two pictures in my mind...

The eagle sitting on that heap of garbage scrounging for food and the other picture of an eagle soaring high on the air currents and I am reminded of Isaiah 40:30-31 "Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but they who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint."

God wants us to soar, trust Him, do the hard stuff.  

Today one man did.

Things to be thankful for...

3671. Chat with Matt

3672. A good day

3673. Farm fresh eggs from back home

3674. Our God of hope in the midst of tragedy

3675. Chat with Matt

3676. Kindness from the men

3677. Celebrating Zach and Kara's birthdays

3678. Beautiful grad ceremony for Shawn and Chad

3679. Lives transformed

3680. The love and support of family and friends for Chad and Shawn

3681. The courage of the wife of one of the men

3682. The blessing of being used by God

3683. Jocelyne and Dan over for the service

3684. Chat with Matt

3685. Much needed rain

3686. Chat with Charissa

3687. Knowing I've made a difference in the lives of one of the men

3688. Air conditioning on a hot day

3689. Touring Kristen around the Village

3690. A call from Matt

3691. A monetary gift

3692. Clouds like cotton balls hanging in the sky

3693. Good flight - picked up by mom and dad

3694. Visiting with family

3695. Peaceful, quiet morning sitting outside

3696. Seeing family I haven't seen in years

3697. Memories shared of my cousin

3698. Being able to see my kids and granddaughter

3699. Game of Scattegories with my nieces and sister

3700. Drive and chat with Matt to the funeral

3701. Call from Charissa & Jocelyne while waiting at the airport

3702. Quiet flight home

3703. A good day - chatting with some of the men

3704. Good visit with Pastor John and Michelle

3705. Icecream

3706. Weeding the driveway with the guys

3707. Chatting about life

3708. Chat with Matt and Jocelyne

3709. Laughter with the guys

3710. A good visit with Jim and Karen

3711. Catching up

3712. Worship

3713. Sitting on the deck in the sunshine with my husband

3714. Chat with Kayla and Charissa

3715. Laughter

3716. My husband's love

3717. Cool night for sleeping

3718. Wind through the poplar trees

3719. A bit of rain

3720. Cooler days

3721. Laughter in the office

3722. Dinner and visit with Josh

3723. My husband's care for my heart

3724. Good nights sleep

3725. Nice chat with Matt

3726. Cool morning

3727. Video call with Will and Lily

3728. Nice chat with Heather at Home Depot

3729. Call from Charissa

3730. Hearing the laughter of one of the men after he's had a couple tough days

3731. Mad Gab with some of the men at games night

3732. Beautiful day

3733. One man's laughter

3734. Chat with Charissa

3735. Kenny & Shawn playing worship songs outside Sunday evening

3736. Being able to speak words of encouragement to the men here

3737. Peaceful evening sitting on the deck with my husband

3738. Some rain through the night

3739. Morning bird songs

3740. Breezes through the poplars

3741. Morning chat with Charissa

3742. Chat with Jocelyne

3743. Doing a video for one of the men

3744. Laughter

3745. Catch with a couple of the men and my husband

3746. Chat with my mom and dad

3747. Quiet day out with my husband

3748. Saw a whale as we took the ferry to Campobello Island

3749. Chats with Jocelyne and Charissa

3750. Game of Mad Gab with some of the guys at games night

3751. A good visit with my brother-in-law and sister-in-law

3752. Catching up and sharing

3753. Surprise visit from friends from Maranatha

3754. Lunch time conversations

3755. Prayer from friends

3756. Lots of visitors - seeing the men and their families

3757. Matt, Charissa and Kayla hanging out

3758. Chat with Charissa and Kayla

3759. Charissa and Kayla out visiting Will, Amy and Lily

3760. Wind blowing through the tops of the poplars out my front window

3761. Morning chat with Jocelyne

3762. Encouraging words from Arvi

3763. Rain Saturday night

3764. Kindness given

3765. Call from Matt, good to hear his voice as it'd been a while 

3766. Beautiful day with Jocelyne checking out downtown Fredericton

3767. Seeing men push through in the tough places

3768. Delicious meal made by Lori

3769. Chat with Charissa and Matt

3770. Strength and confidence in one of the men

3771. My fear lifted

3772. Morning video chat with Will and Lily

3773. Something lost was found

3774. Good choices made

3775. Nice day out with my husband

3776. Good chat with one of the men

3777. Gently falling rain

3778. Matt heading to North Bay

3779. Worship

3780. My husband

3781. Sunday afternoon sitting by the river - peaceful

3782. Beautiful clouds in the afternoon sky

3783. A visit with an elderly man and his dog

3784. Saw all kinds of Eagles at the dump

3785. Laughter with my husband and the guys

3786. Morning chat with Charissa

3787. Chat with Matt

3788. Beautiful cloud filled blue sky

3789. Celebrating Frank's 60th birthday

3790. Lily smiles and chatter

3791. Afternoon chat with Charissa

3792. Charissa content in her job

3793. Nice evening at the Village, bonfire, hanging out

3794. Chatting with Jody and Juddy in the night while they're gillin the ribs

3795. Homecoming Celebration at the Village, a great day

3796. One of the men seeing his boys after being away from them for eight months

3797. Kids having fun

3798. Family and friends fellowshipping

3799. Community

3800. Living testimony

3801. Afternoon out with my husband to Saint John to see the Tall Ships

The fog rolled in and out constantly while we were in Saint John, it was pretty cool to see.

3802. Sitting on a bench on the boardwalk, just resting with my husband

3803. Chat with Charissa, Kayla and Matt

3804. How my husband loves me

3805. Heart talk with Charissa

3806. God knows the desires of our hearts

3807. Good conversation

3808. Some of the men over for dinner

3809. A good talk with the wife of one of the men at the Village

3810. God restores and redeems

3811. One man's laughter

3812. Prayer time and communion around the bonfire

3813. Kind words from one of the men

3814. Blessed by prayer

3815. Stars in the night sky

3816. God's provision through His people

3817. Catching up with mom

3818. Chat with Matt

3819. Morning chat with Jocelyne

3820. Answered prayer, good choices made by one of the men

3821. Birthday celebrations for one of the men

3822. Three way call with Jocelyne and Charissa