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Exchanges By Ruth Mattam
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After having lived most of my life in a country where exchanges at stores were not easy (to say the least), I dreaded having to return a malfunctioning coffee pot almost as soon as we bought it for our new home. So off I went, armed with the receipt and a long explanation! There was a long line at the customer service and I was quite worked up and flustered by the time I got to the counter.
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Just A Matter of Focus By Ruth Mattam
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There I was, dressed in my oversized gym clothes, on a machine that seemed to be a cross between a treadmill and a row-boat, trying valiantly to look someone who was thoroughly enjoying the ordeal! The idea being that if I got through this half hour looking like I enjoyed it, my body would cooperate with the machine to make me into the size 10 that I had given up on, a long time ago.
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‘Star’ Quality! By Ruth Mattam
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There are books galore on how to bring up kids! Just go into any bookstore and the longest line of books (next only to “How to become rich in 3 weeks” books!) is on raising children. And as parents, we’re bombarded on every side with advice that covers everything from birth to managing children-in-law!
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Challenges By Ruth Mattam
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The Oxford dictionary defines a challenge as "a call to prove something"; "a demanding task or situation". How many times had I bowed down before the enormity of a challenge that lay before me? How many times had I bowed out of challenges because I was overwhelmed by day to day living?
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It’s Only Words... By Ruth Mattam
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Amusing for sure; it made me smile, but, at the same time left me thinking about the power of the tongue! It certainly must be very important to God because His Word has so much to say about our words. If someone actually 'asked' me to say a few words, I would for certain pause to think, before I spoke.
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Defying Gravity By Ruth Mattam
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A dear friend and beloved sister in Christ entered the Lord's presence a couple of weeks ago. We had been holding onto the Lord for a miracle so hard and for so long, that when I got the news that the Lord had taken her home, I found that I just couldn't release my fingers. Doubts, fears and discouragement flooded in! Have you ever gone through a time when you have been clinging on to the Lord so hard that your fingers kind of stay in that position when the Lord answers in a way that isn't what you asked or hoped for? To unfurl them hurts, doesn't it?
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The Father’s Heart By Ruth Mattam
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“As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.” (Psalm 103:13)
We, as a family, had the pleasure of having my dad with us for a few months, and I am very grateful to the Lord for this time because, after all these years, I got to spend quality time with him. And it also felt so good to be the recipient once again, of his loving concern! His verbal appreciation for all that I do, and his tears on my behalf before the throne, sure was balm to my soul!
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Empty Vessels By Ruth Mattam
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Life must have been very much like our life in the world today. When we hear arguments about the Bible being outdated and God's rules outmoded, aren't we also tempted to make compromises? With all the justifications, sin doesn't seem like sin any more.
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Weighted Down? By Ruth Mattam
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Weighted Down?
Ever have a moment (or a few, if you’re anything like me!) when life just doesn’t make sense? A couple of weeks ago, as I sat looking at my prayer list that gets longer by the day, I felt utterly overwhelmed. The list went across an entire spectrum of needs. A precious niece was in hospital bravely fighting a battle with Crohns. A dear friend lost her job. Another was fighting an addiction that seemed so fearfully entwined into her very being. Several loved ones were battling cancer. Thieves had broken into the home and church office of a pastor we know and love while they were at the Sunday service. A couple, who were church leaders, were getting a divorce. A teenager had to make a career choice. The list went on...And then there were all the personal needs... I stared at the paper with a very troubled heart.
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The Battle For The Mind By Ruth Mattam
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Olympic fever is slowly building here in British Columbia. It's a well-celebrated fact in this region that BC is hosting the Winter Olympics of 2010, and the one year count down has begun! Almost every time I turn the television on, I see one or the other of our athletes explaining how much they crave to win the gold for their country and how long and hard they've been training to achieve that dream. They passionately believe they can do it! The image fades from the screen with the words, "Do you believe?"
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Treasures of the Heart By Ruth Mattam
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We were racing up and down the supermarket aisle (I was rushed for time as usual) as she kept up her endless chatter. And somewhere inbetween the butter and the yoghurt came the question, "If you dropped a $100 note mum, would you pick it up?" And the reply was quick - I didn't have to even think. "Of course I would, darling." If you dropped a $50 note, would you pick it up?" And up and down the aisles we went through every single denomination of notes and coins (with one checkout lady adding in her penny's worth to the conversation as well!).
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God’s Gift Bag of Promises! By Ruth Mattam
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One of my friends who has had a hard year with a divorce, finances and so many health issues, was given a Christmas gift basket - filled to the brim with gifts and gift cards for her and her children - things we were sure would bring great joy to that little family. I could just picture the squeals of delight as they dipped their hands into the basket on Christmas morning. And as I prayed for a Word from the Lord for the first month of 2009, I felt in my spirit that the Lord wanted me to send out this gift basket of His promises. Believe me when I tell you that the joy and peace you will receive from His Word will far surpass the joy the best earthly gift you could give you!
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Born to Die By Ruth Mattam
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Colored lights that outline each house and sparkle brightly through the darkness of a cold night, is definitely one of the first reminders of Christmas. I always look forward with great anticipation to the festivities that surround the season! Christmas carols, baking smells, decorations, candle-lit services, and of course, the wonderfully decorated Christmas tree with gifts piled around it...! I love it all! I'm one of those people who thoroughly enjoys this time of year, and to be honest, gets quite carried away by all the festivities!
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Biblically Challenged? By Ruth Mattam
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I learned that it’s politically correct to use the word “challenged” for a disability or handicap of any sort, some time ago and, ever since, I’ve definitely been partial to the idea of being called “mathematically challenged”! My inability to calculate anything beyond the 10 finger radius is very well-know!
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FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS! By Ruth Mattam
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Growing up in the 70's, I have vivid memories of listening to stories (from horrified adults) of teens and young adults dropping out of colleges and universities to "find themselves". An identity crisis was sweeping across campuses. (Of course, these stories were repeated in front of me as dire warning - I’d better know who I was or else...!) And I did. Or, at least, I thought I did.
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Living Wisely and Well! By Ruth Mattam
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Isn’t it the absolute truth that time takes on a totally different perspective the older one gets?
I remember watching an ad on TV where a baby in a mother’s arms changed to a toddler taking her first steps, to a little girl playing with her dolls, to a college graduate…all in the space of a few minutes! I’m not sure what the ad was about but as I stared at that screen, I realized that that was my life! That ad represented each of my babies! Suddenly how I regretted all those “If only’s…!”
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Winds of Change By Ruth Mattam
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Story goes that on a dark, foggy night, the Captain of a battleship noticed a strange light closing in very quickly. He ordered his signalman to flash a message to the unidentified vessel, “Alter your course 10 degrees to the south”. Back came the reply, “Alter your course 10 degrees to the north”. Not wanting to back down, he curtly responded, “Alter your course 10 degrees – this is Captain Walker. And just as quickly came the response, “Alter your course 10 degrees – this is Seaman Walsh. Infuriated at this seeming insubordination, the Captain personally signalled, “Alter your course, I am a battleship.” The reply was instant, “Alter your course, I am a lighthouse.”
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For She Hath Loved Much By Ruth Mattam
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Goals, ambition, aim, purpose, objective…are words that fall easily from the lips of mothers of teens. And in fact, from the time our children are old enough to understand, we try to get them on the road to ‘focused’! Let’s see how it goes. At the start of the school year it’s, “Try to stay focused this year. You’re at an important stage in your life.” (It’s actually quite amazing how every year seems to be important.) Then during the year it’s, “How can you remain focused if you hang out with your friends/watch tv all the time?!” Around exams, “It beats me how you can study Math with an ipod in one ear, your cell phone in the other and your Facebook page open!”
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Lost in the Desert ? By Ruth Mattam
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6 am: I was on my way home from the airport after dropping someone off, and headed straight for work. It would be just about an hour’s drive. Not too familiar a route, but I was confident of getting there. I had after all, printed step by step directions held firmly in my hand. And, believe me, I held onto it as firmly as I did the steering wheel! Soon I was cruising down the highway, out of the labyrinth of the city roads. And then, I made the one mistake that’s always costly! In my overconfidence, I put down the directions on the seat beside me. After all, I had successfully driven through the complicated network of city roads, and now I just had to keep an eye out for my exit. How difficult could that be?
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