Canada Day!

Happy Canada Day!

As Nova Scotians, Canadians, and human beings we have SO much to celebrate. This is the message that I shared yesterday morning, but I think you might enjoy it too. Though a typical busy Sunday morning, my Canada Day turned out to be wonderful. I was at the church at 9:03am ...and I consider that to be late, I was reminded of this as two members of the worship team were standing outside...waiting for my key to unlock the door. To be honest, I was late because I stepped on a piece of glass, which slowed me down. After a great band practice, I did last minute touches on the Children's Story, and practiced reading the gospel passage for the service. I'd like to say that I'm not usually this busy on Sundays, and that this was an exception because the pastor is on vacation, but as I said, yesterday really was typical.

The message that I shared with the kids (and the adults) was about what it takes to be a true Canadian. I told them that what I had in my bag was what made me a super Canadian. I showed them my Canadian Tire money, my Canadian passport, I put on my Canada flag CAPE, tied my Canada tie, put on my Canada umbrella hat, my Canada glasses, and put Canada stickers on my face, of course.

I then told the kids that what was left in my bag was what made me a true Canadian.

(but shh that's a secret for now)

What was also left in my bag was what it takes for God to love me. I gave the kids hints by saying that it wasn't a bible that I had to read every day, it wasn't a super long prayer I had to say, and it wasn't a calendar that showed alllll the Sundays I had to go to church.

I reached in my bag....

and watched their eyes get really big....

and showed them the inside of the bag.

Inside the bag was....... 

NOTHING!

Because just like I can't be more or less Canadian than you, I can't make God love me more or less than you. There's Nothing I have to do, say, be, own, know, to make God love me, because he already loves us SO much!

I told the kids that although I looked realllly silly, that I was being serious and that I had a verse from Romans to share with them. I read from Romans 3, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Although this message is a Children's Story, we can all be reminded that this weekend is not only an opportunity to celebrate the free country we live in, but the FREEDOM we have in Jesus! 

Photo cred to fellow blogger, sister in Christ, and Canadian: Jessie. 

Whooo Hooooo! Happy Canada Day!