It is almost Valentine's Day and we talk a lot about love and hearts. We give cards and gifts to those we care about; and there is always chocolate!

But let's think about hearts from a different view. How do we keep our heart open for God? How do we share God's love to others?

This week I was thinking about a song from a movie and it seems fitting for this theme. Here are a few stanzas:

"For one so small
You seem so strong
My arms will hold you
Keep you safe and warm
This bond between us

There are so many sources of light in our world, both real and artificial. One source that we don't always remember is ourselves.

It can be hard to think of people as light but we are, especially when we shine the love of God around us. To remind us to be a light from within, we made fireflies! I didn't get a photo of one that was made today so these are from online.

Light is light, real or artificial. Be a light in the world.

Peace and love,

Michelle

I hadn't chosen what to do in Sunday School before today. Last week made me think a lot and I could not wrap my head around what to do today or even what to say.

I wouldn't called it a blessing or that I was blessed with a quick mind but something stuck from the beatitudes. I have been thinking on this for awhile and have wanted to do a whole series on them. Today, I found a new angle.

We are blessed because we show comfort to those who mourn. We are blessed because we can be comforted. It

This is the Week of Christian Unity. It is not always easy to have this unity. It's easy to say just get along. But we have to also be open to learning from each other.

We have to have hope. Hope that we can be united with one goal for a better world, a world where love is more important than hate. A world where we think about everyone and not just us vs. them.

We have to have faith. Faith is the core of everything we do. Faith in us, anf faith in God.

So have faith and hope

Listen. Can you hear it? Can you feel it? Can you see it?

We are all called to do something, to be something. But it is not always easy to hear that message over everything. Our lives feel so full of stuff, people, worries, and everything.

But don't worry! The call will not just be once, it will not be over in an instant. We just need to be open to hear it.

Listen!

Peace and love,

Michelle

It's the first post of 2023 and it's amazing to be back. I know I didn't post anything for Christmas but there was other things on my mind and I wanted to take time to relax.

Back to epiphany....it was a long journey and some people call them late, the wise ones. But does that make it any less important? Or any less special? Sure these gifts were worth money but it was also that they came with love.

My Christmas was quiet and I got to spend the time with just my parents. I do not remember the last

Love is a flame that opens our heart....

I have been starting to deliver gifts to people and instead of using bright, colourful bags; I have been using plain white ones. Is it because I already have them? Partly but I want to focus to not be on the wrapping, it's in the giving. It doesn't matter that it isn't the shiniest or loudest. A gift is special because it shines with the love of the giver.

Find ways to show love without being loud...a quiet word...a simple gesture...it's a spark that changes everything.

Love,

Michelle

Joy is a song that welcomes the dawn, telling the world that the Saviour is born.

Today was filled with joy and song. It was beautiful outside and inside. We have Sunset Kids Sing perform and so many came back to make more ornaments. I was thinking about the sun and how it shows different colours in stained glass. It's something to brigthen the day and our Christmas trees. Dozens of ornaments made and I am happy and filled with joy.

Joy is magic.

Joy,

Michelle

Peace is a ribbon that circles the earth, giving a promise of safety and worth.

We want peace, we wish for peace. We want peace to wrap the whole world and make us happy. It's something amazing. I made an ornament with different words on pieces of paper. I have to shake it up to really find peace. Maybe that's the trick, you have to work at it. It's not just going to magically appear.

Find a way to make peace important to your life.

Peace,

Michelle

Hope is a star that shines in the light, leading us on till the morning is bright.

Hope can be small but it can also be big. It can fill every part of us but it can also be that small voice inside. I was inspired by the Advent candle song this year. So, I made a luminary. It shines and shows me that hope still lives even when we can't see anything.

Find some way to create hope in your life. Maybe it's time to make your own luminary.

Be hopeful,

Michelle

This is a day of thanks and a day to reflect. We look back and we look forward. It is a moment to think on all the blessings that we have and all that we can share.

I am grateful for this church that has space for kids and youth.

I am grateful to be a part of this family of faith when my family is out of city or out of province.

I am grateful to have somewhere to live in safety.

I am grateful to be able to travel.

I am grateful to have somewhere to work.

I

Welcome back to Sunday School! Just a reminder that I will have something for kids to do each week at church, so you are welcome to join us once, twice, or for each week of the year!

I know that things are starting for you in other ways as well. This year is not just a return to "normal" but I hope the start of something new. Take what you have learned and esperienced to make things better in your school, for your friends, for everyone.

In a way, this is kind of like being a good steward. Use the

Shh...what can you hear? People talking? Mechanical humming? The air conditioner going? The wind blowing? God speaking?

Listening can be hard for us. We want to connect with people and we want to use our words to exclaim our joy. But we need to take the time to just listen. Just let everything else happen around us and be in that moment.

You learn by listening. And after you hear it, take time to understand. It's not always something you need to remember but that it up to you. Then you can ask questions.

I did this a lot as

We all need a healping hand now and then. Sometimes it's for something big, like the picture or it's for something small like allowing ducks to cross the road without running them over.

It is not always easy to offer help and it is not always easy to ask for it. I don't know about you, but I like to be self sufficient. I want to be able to do things on my own, but it is never a bad thing to ask for some help and accept that help when offered.

I remember back in 2006 when I had

Water. It something we have every day, in some form. We need water to survive. It is so important and yet we sometimes forget how much we need it. When someone comes to visit us, the least we can offer is water. It's just always there.

But that is not the case for everyone. Some have to travel long distances, some have to boil every bit of water to ensure that it won't make them sick.

At church, water takes on another meaning. It is used in baptism. The water is blessed and full of God's love and it used

Goodbyes can be hard. It can be the last time we will see someone for a while. It can be the last itme we will ever see someone.

Today, we said good bye to Tricia after 4 years. I don't know about you but I just wanted to hold on tight and not let her leave, but I know that leaving is also something good. There will be new things and excting things for us and for Tricia and her family.

We have to be free to make choices and changes. We do not want to be stuck in one

I had this one all ready and goofed when I published it. I will do my best to re-write what I had. So sorry.

The Lord's Prayer is something that comes up every week in church. There are some versions that are more popular and there are other version which use different language to reflect the different realities. I want to invite you to think about the prayer using colours.

In church, we had 8 different coloured pieces of ribbon: blue, white/silver, purple, green, yellow, red, orange, gold. Tie the ribbons together after each piece is said or read.

Blue

Pride is a protest. Pride is a celebration. Pride is important.

It wasn't always easy to be who your authentic self. It wasn't always easy to love who you wanted to love. And it some ways and some places, it still isn't.

It wasn't that long ago that being gay was illegal. Being who you wanted to be was dangerous. It has been hard and it has not been an easy road.

I am so thankful that we are able to have a massive Pride Parade and I, and anyone who wants to, can walk in it as themselves with

Pentecost is a celebration.

It is also time of wonder and mystery. With tongues of fire, the disciples of Jesus were able to speak in other languages. I wish it were that easy to learn another language. I am luckily bilingual but it was hard work and I have to practice or I will lose it; it will go out like a flame.

Even today, people are more able to communicate when they can speak other languages. You can make connections around the globe by speaking in someone's language. Even if it is just a few words, people appreciate it.

Music has played an important part of my life.

When I am happy, I listen to music. When I am sad, I listen to music. When I am angry, I listen to music. When I just want to relax, I listen to music.

It can make you feel so many things. There is a reason why movies and TV shows use music to portray emotions.

So this is what I want you to do. Pick a song. It can be anything. Maybe something you have sung in a performance. Maybe one that you heard being sung. Maybe something from church.