I first learned about this charming Scandinavian custom of fika through Norwegian missionary friends in Madagascar. Fika is deemed so important to Scandinavian daily life that it can be observed at any time of day. Our Norwegian friends invited my friend Bonnie and me to join them one day for their mid-morning fika, which was part party and part coffee break.

I've since appropriated the idea of fika, adapting it to become an occasional fun activity here in my retirement community. I make a Scandinavian treat, and others contribute by bringing baked items that they enjoy making. Cardamom buns are a fika favourite, but there are many delightful Scandinavian treats to sample. We've so far enjoyed Fika in the Garden on a beautiful early summer day in June, Fika in the Fall with autumn treats, and February Fika to celebrate Valentine's Day.

We who love the Lord can also enjoy a sort of spiritual fika through fellowship with fellow believers. It's good to sit down with a friend and talk about spiritual things over a cup of coffee. Not only do we encourage one another as we share our thoughts and prayers, but it also honours and pleases God when we talk about Him.

Malachi 3:16 – Then those who feared and loved the Lord spoke often of him to each other. And he had a Book of Remembrance drawn up in which he recorded the names of those who feared him and loved to think about him. (TLB)

We can also have a fika with God, spending time with Him, remembering what He has done, thanking Him for our many blessings, talking over with Him our future hopes and dreams, enjoying the beauty of the world around us, and turning over our burdens to Him. Quiet times with God like this help to deepen our faith and strengthen our bond with Him.

Psalm 46:10a – Be still, and know that I am God! (NLT)

This time of quiet reflection can then give us the impetus to get up and continue on with the tasks ahead of us. Just as a coffee break helps to carry us through a busy day of work, so a spiritual fika helps to give the balance of quiet times interspersed with the mundane activities of daily life.

Let's think about times and ways to slow down to enjoy a spiritual fika, either with friends or with God in a quiet, meditative place. Such a time is refreshing and rejuvenating. It's good for the soul!

Prayer: Dear loving heavenly Father, we know that it pleases You when we make You part of our everyday life. May we frequently take time to stop our busy activities and think about You and Your part in our lives. Help us to slow down and enjoy these moments with friends — and with You. Amen.

Life is like this sometimes, isn't it! A difficult life experience can also start in a small way, but little by little, incidents are added until things seem to be out of control, and we have a problem on our hands. James reminds us that words can create difficulties, just as a spark can start a conflagration.

James 3:5 – In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. (NLT)

It then becomes necessary to take steps to deal with the problem. Just as the problem grew from a tiny spark, the problem can be resolved, step by step. A wise piece of advice is to go back to the point where things began to go wrong. By retracing our steps, we can gradually clear away the clutter and confusion and return to a peaceful resolution.

How can this be done? The starting point is to confess any known sin and ask God to forgive us and give discernment in righting any wrongs. This may mean making amends with someone or rectifying an error. When we've done our part to resolve the problem, we can accept God's forgiveness and direction in moving forward.

Let's ask God to make us aware of the messes in life that must be cleared up before they grow out of control. Let's aim to keep our lives clean and clear of the clutter of unresolved sin. Let's clean up the mess.

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, You know the problems that we create by our carelessness and reluctance to face the truth. May we be willing to face up to our shortcomings honestly and to trust You for forgiveness and guidance in keeping our lives clear of unresolved sin. Amen.

Dogs can pay attention to — and serve — their masters in crucial, sometimes lifesaving, ways. We have two service dogs here in my retirement community, one belonging to one of our residents, and the other to one of our staff workers. These dogs have been carefully trained to alert their owners to the need to take action to avert a medical problem or avoid impending danger. The dogs are always near their owners rather than off chasing rabbits or barking at other dogs. They have important work to do!

Just as service dogs are servants of their masters, Christians become servants of Jesus when we place our trust in Him as our Lord and Master. Likewise, as a service dog requires extensive training, it may take much time and experience in diligent obedience for us to learn to be true and faithful servants of Jesus.

God may not speak to us audibly as He did to the boy Samuel:

1 Samuel 3:10 – And the Lord came and called as before, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel replied, "Speak, your servant is listening." (NLT)

He often, however, speaks through inner thoughts and impressions that come to our minds. Sometimes, His words come to us through other people who are channels of His message. Most often, however, His commands are found directly in Scripture, making it vital for us to read and obey what we see in the Bible.

Service dogs keep their eyes attentively on their owners, watching for signs their masters give them. In the human realm, human masters can also give unspoken orders to their servants. Sometimes, a simple nod of the head or crook of the finger can convey a master's wishes.

Psalm 123:2 – We keep looking to the Lord our God for his mercy, just as servants keep their eyes on their master, as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal. (NLT)

We can also see opportunities for service by simply looking around us. There is much human need all around, and much that we can do to serve Jesus simply by helping others.

How can we be attentive to God's commands, which can be both clearly spoken through Scripture and evident through visible needs all around us? May we focus daily on ways that we can serve our Master.

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, show us how we can be true and faithful servants in ways that please and honour You. May we be attentive, watching and listening for Your commands and wishes. Amen.

The Bible is also full of firsts and lasts. Eve, the first woman, gave birth to Cain, the first human baby. Noah and his family were an interesting contradiction of firsts and lasts. They were the last members of the human race remaining after the great flood, but they were also the first (and only) family to step out of the ark onto dry ground, giving humanity a new start after the flood had subsided. The Bible itself begins with the words, "In the beginning… " (Genesis 1:1 NLT) and ends with Jesus' words, "Yes, I am coming soon!" (Revelation 22:20b NLT) foretelling the end of time as we know it. Even more specific firsts and lasts are Jesus' words about Himself as the ultimate beginning and end of all things: "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." (Revelation 22:13 NLT)

So, what difference does this musing about firsts and lasts, beginnings and endings make in our everyday lives? These firsts and lasts bring spice, significance, and a rhythm and purpose to life. Just as years and seasons move regularly and predictably through time, so do memorable events that serve as markers in our lives.

As we reflect on our lives, we can remember significant firsts and lasts. May these milestones remind us of meaningful points and steps along the way. Placing my faith in Jesus as my Redeemer was the beginning of a lifelong walk of maturing trust. My last day on earth will be only the beginning of eternity in heaven. What meaningful firsts and lasts in your life are you grateful for — or looking forward to?

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, You have created time, which can serve as a way of marking important junctures in our lives. May we pause to remember meaningful firsts and lasts, giving thanks for their purpose and meaning. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Jan and I were the quintessential "country mouse" and "city mouse". She was a tall, beautiful, sophisticated girl from Portland. I grew up in a rural community in Washington State and knew little about city ways. We never forgot how — when we needed to cross a busy intersection a short distance from campus to reach the ice cream shop on the other side — I would squeeze my eyes shut and grab her arm to get me safely across.

Though our paths separated after college, we were bridesmaids at each other's weddings and stayed in touch throughout the years. Our life paths stretched to opposite sides of the globe, but we both eventually returned to the Pacific Northwest and loved occasionally meeting for lunch — usually with a group of our other classmates.

Then, one beautiful fall day in September, Jan was working in her backyard when she fell and hit her head on the hard ground. She never fully regained consciousness. As I visited her in the hospital and hospice, I held her hand as I reminisced about our lifelong friendship and our fun times together. I read Psalm 23 to her and played — on my cell phone — Day By Day, our favourite chapel song in our school days. My closing gestures were a kiss on the cheek and a prayer for peace and comfort in her final days.

These acts of comfort and kindness reminded me of my favourite scene in John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. The time has come for Pilgrim to cross the river of death to reach the Celestial City where his loved ones are waiting. His friend, Hopeful, steps into the cold, turbulent stream with Pilgrim, but can only go partway with him. As Pilgrim begins to lose his footing and cries out in fear, Hopeful firmly grasps his arm and encourages him to keep going the short remaining distance. Just as Jan offered me support in crossing the busy intersection during our school days, now I was offering my encouraging arm of support as she crossed her own river.

Hebrews 13:14 – For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come. (NLT)

Though I said goodbye to my dear friend, it is only for a while. C.S. Lewis said, "Christians NEVER say goodbye!" Knowing that heaven is the eternal home awaiting believers, how can we encourage others — and ourselves — when the time comes to cross the river of death?

Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, thank You for the hope of heaven and the assurance of what awaits us. Amen.

In an old folktale about an enchanted fish, the wife of the poor fisherman learns a bitter lesson about greed and dissatisfaction. Her beleaguered husband keeps returning to the fish with his wife's ever-increasing demands. She ultimately wants to be queen in a castle on the hill. With this out-of-control wish, the fish loses all patience and poof! the couple find themselves back in their dirty shack.

Our own greed and dissatisfaction may not be that extreme, but we may still need to temper our desires. It is easy to think that if we had just a little bigger house, just a little newer car, just a little better job … and on and on … life would be much better.

The apostle Paul has some biting words to help remind us to keep our desires in check. He assured his young friend Timothy, "True godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can't take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content." (1 Timothy 6:6-8 NLT)

It may not be just material possessions that leave us discontented. We look around us and are unhappy with life in general. Our neighbours are irritating us, our taxes are too high, and our city government isn't doing its job. Indeed, the world is falling apart. With all of the dangers and deprivations that he himself faced, Paul had every right to complain. But he showed by example how to live the Jesus way. He told the Philippian church, "I have learned how to be content with whatever I have." (Philippians 4:11b NLT)

Let's step back a bit and look at our own situation. Let's look outside of our own bubble to see needs around us, rather than focusing on what we want or think we need. Remember that want and true need are very different things. What do we already have for which we need to be grateful? Life is too short to be wasted wishing and wanting.

Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, You give us every good and perfect gift, and all that we have comes from You. We can trust You to give us everything that You know we need. Grant us grateful hearts, full of thanksgiving for the many blessings that You give us. Amen.

I sometimes say in jest that as long as I can still have a landline telephone, write a cheque, and check out a book from the library, I can die happy! One by one, however, my familiar security blankets are disappearing.

I have been a loyal subscriber to our local newspaper for many years. Print publications of all kinds are in a downward spiral today, however, with newspapers and magazines going out of print daily. Even my "daily" newspaper is printed and delivered only four days a week, with the other three issues being available only online. I feel like the proverbial dinosaur, and I sometimes wonder why I bother maintaining my subscription!

The futility of stubbornly clinging to old ways is obvious, however. It is much better to acknowledge and accept change and progress as inevitable — and desirable. It does me no good to refuse to adapt to new ideas, methods, and tools. Sometimes, I feel as though I just have my toes over the technology line, but I am grateful that I can use my smartphone and computer. That's enough for most of my needs.

Several characters in the Bible may have felt like I do at times, as their lives must have also seemed to be in an upheaval. Noah was the ultimate pioneer, having to start life all over again when the great flood left him and his family as the only survivors on the earth. Abraham was well-established in life when God directed him to leave his homeland and resettle hundreds of miles away in a land promised to him and his descendants. Moses was over 80 when he was tasked with leading his people out of Egypt. Paul was constantly on the move, often fleeing death and the hatred of his countrymen. Yet these faithful followers of God willingly moved forward when life around them seemed so uncertain.

Though not written specifically to address my situation, the following Scripture verses convey the benefit of moving forward in life, progressing rather than regressing or remaining stagnant.

Philippians 3:13b-14 – Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God is calling us up to heaven because of what Christ Jesus did for us. (TLB)

In our daily lives as Christian pilgrims, let's stop regretting past losses and keep moving forward!

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, give us the wisdom and the will that we need to keep moving forward faithfully toward our eternal future. Amen.