The World is a Stage
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A glowing-faced little girl got to pet Dolly, my licensed educational skunk.
She was so excited, and I said to her, "Wait until you go home and tell your Mom and Dad that you got to pet a real skunk today.”
With about 50-60 per cent of families splitting up, I should have known better. But what happened made my stupid comment well worthwhile.
Tears welled up in her eyes when she told me that her Daddy was dead. That stopped me cold for a moment, but then into my brain popped this answer: “Well, you can tell God, who is your other Father, and that He would be very happy for you.”
“Really?” she asked, her eyes brightening. “Oh yes," I replied, "even though He is with you all the time, He still loves hearing about all the special moments in your day.”
Trust me, that wasn’t my compassionate brain working there; I was just the conduit of that message. I do, however, know how true and wonderful that fact is.
All of this made me ponder. How do all the kids with out a Dad or Mom around handle it? Chances are that a young child today came from parents who also had parents that split up. Do the parents even know that their children could have the comfort of God? Do they know that they also could have that comfort?
I have had that comfort for a decade or two. When I am troubled I talk to God. When I am mad, I have been known to have some long talks with Him, which usually resolves with me realizing the truth. When I am lonely, He is there to chat with; to share the fun and special moments. He is indeed a great comfort.
Would you like to learn how to get close or closer to God? Do you think I am nuts? Would you like to learn how I found God could be my best friend, 24 hours a day? The answers all these questions can be found at the Alpha Course. I took it eons ago, with quite a belligerent attitude towards a God who allowed my father and I to suffer pain for years and a very bad point of view against most Christian religions. Trust me I had more questions than most people. I wasn’t too keen on a God who punished people for their ignorance and church people who seemed hypocritical in their snobishment.
The Alpha Course answered all my questions, logically, like why I could believe in the bible. There was no ‘going to church.’ Instead, everyone shared a dinner, watched a 45 minute DVD, then discussed it in a group. It was all non-threatening, with no pressure, and no church dogma and no stupid questions.
It was amazing how many other people at the course had the same questions, same feelings and all wanted to find that missing ‘thing’ in our lives. Some had tried to fill the hole in their lives with adrenaline rushes; some with spending money and some with anger.
Your relationship with God will be yours and yours alone. There are no right or wrong ways, it will be established by what you and He need and how you and He established it. It is really fantastic.
So if you want to fill that nagging void in your life; if you want to establish a relationship with God so you can have a Father with you 24/7, you need to come to the Alpha Introductory dinner, at First Baptist Church Thursday Sept. 18 with the meal starting at 6 p.m. sharp, in the Lower Auditorium at 97 Bidwell.
The course is on Thursdays for 10 sessions, all of which will end at 9 p.m. sharp. Everything that is said in your Alpha group stays in your Alpha group. Oh yes, it costs nothing. The whole purpose of this course is to reach out to everyone and the no-cost allows that. If it not a burden, donations can be given to cover the cost of the meal. First Baptist Church has been successfully doing Alpha for years, although they did take a couple of sessions off and are now back and ready to help you or someone you know who can benefit with a whole life.
If you have questions about life, wondering if what you have is all there is, Alpha has your answers. It is about the Christian faith, but in a relaxed, non-threatening setting and where you are free to participate in discussions or sit quietly and listen. Whatever is good for you.
If you would like to give it a try, please call Bruce at 519-842-6543 who will be able answer your questions and make you very welcome. If you are nervous and would like to go with someone, I would be honoured to escort you (519 842 9416). I love going to Alpha, it is like going home.