Sometimes, we may wonder how well we really know a friend or a member of our family. Sometimes, we find out more a little later, and it serves up an opportunity to reflect on the events and the people that construct our tale.

One of those many instances jumped out at me a couple of days ago as I was riffling through a drawer of old greeting cards, notes, and assorted memories. I rediscovered a weathered, well-presented little card written by a brother-in-law, who passed away many years ago from cancer. He had been orphaned as a youngster when his parents died, and he was raised on a ranch in the Chilcotin country of British Columbia, Canada, by an uncle and aunt.

My sister, Ruthanne, took him as her husband, and we came to know and love him as a remarkably loyal and sensitive man who was dedicated to his family. But we really didn't always know how deeply talented and thoughtful he was until later when we found a stash of poetry which reflected a love of Christ. Peter, a poet? we thought.

From my memory drawer, I share with you some thoughts from one of our favourite kin… the late Peter Lea.

The Fruit of the Spirit

What is the fruit of the Spirit
As we read in God's Word this day?
Is it the fruit hanging on the vine
Picked by us from our garden each day?

I'm thinking there must be more to these words
Than a perishing fruit from the tree
So I went to God's Word, the Bible,
To see what His Word said to me

And there I found these words expressed
So very clear and bold
The fruit of the spirit is "Love"
And it's manifested in this way we are told

Joy is Love's strength, in Him we are strong
Peace is Love's security we have all day long
Longsuffering is Love's patience God gives us to bear
Gentleness is Love's conduct in view everywhere
Faith is Love's confidence we have in our Lord
Meekness is Love's humility — in His strength we're restored
Self control is Love's victory we have our life through
All this fruit is God's sign of Christianity in you

So check out God's Word in the Bible today
Ask Him to help you with this fruit when you pray
For Love is His blessing He has given to you
Our triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit too.

Prayer: Lord, in days of chaos and confusion, we thank You for reminders of the precious words of Scripture which Peter has so poetically presented for us, that Your central message is and always remains — Love! — to love You with all our heart and to love our neighbours as we love ourselves. We find it in Your Word and in the sacrifice of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Sifting through old memories-in-a-box can often uncover some long-forgotten items that stir a few controversies that are as relevant today as they were back then. One such item was a 30-year-old Sports Illustrated article that asked, "Does God care who wins the Super Bowl?"

Since much of my career was spent in society's sandbox (sport), it was an intriguing question to ask, especially since I recall a little mea culpa along the way. It is now a shade embarrassing to admit praying for the outcome of a particular hockey game, seeing that it was sort of miraculously answered, then later wondering about the absurdity of putting God on the spot.

What about the fan for the other team praying for a different outcome? Pretty simple summation, wot?

Many fans are familiar with the athletes who raise an arm to the heavens or kneel down after a touchdown or a home run, or teammates gathering in a circle to bow in prayer following a win. We recognize those who show outward glory to God.

Then, there are guys like major league pitcher Dave Dravecky, who had managed a sparkling comeback from cancer in his throwing arm, only to suffer, in a highly publicized television highlight, that same arm snap in a throwing motion in the midst of a game. Dave Dravecky thanked God for a career in baseball and went on to another distinguished career — in ministry.

Some committed Christian athletes believe that God does get involved when they win. Legendary Green Bay Packer, Reggie White, a pastor himself, objected to theologians' general view that God would not care about the outcome, if He even knew that such a game was being played in the first place. White bowed to Scripture references such as God's support of David against Goliath.

Particularly hair-splitting is my preference for God-incidence over co-incidence. Does God really deflect that pass or cause that fumble?

Far too many fans get intensely tuned into the game, while thousands of innocents are injured or die in wars in the Middle East and Ukraine or starve in Africa or North Korea. Methinks our good Lord has many other things on His mind. For us, sport is playtime, escapism.

Yep, the Grey Cup game is coming in Canada and the National Hockey League faces off another season today.

Remember … God just might care … care that it's only a game.

Prayer: Lord, help us to remember that Your instruction to us, through the example of Jesus Christ, is to serve You through serving others. We often tend to shrug off the evils that surround us because we have little interest or control. But we are thankful that the very least that we can do is to pray — for Your help in our distress, and for Your will to be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Amen.

Over the years, I have been blessed with the opportunity to work at basketball and volleyball events at high schools such as Mennonite Educational Institute (MEI), colleges like Columbia Bible College (CBC), and universities such as Trinity Western. One of my intriguing observations has been the unusually regular gathering of kids around this chubby little guy wearing an MEI or CBC jacket wherever the teams were playing. This didn't happen just once in a while; he regularly showed up to watch some of his kids play some ball.

It turns out that this guy is an icon to almost every student or graduate from MEI over the past quarter century or more. He still gets invited to graduation ceremonies — black tie and tails sort of stuff. But why?

It seems that over his 25 years or so, Coop took the time to get to know each and every student individually, greeting them, acknowledging them, and taking an interest in their lives and their studies. In return, they have never forgotten their beloved Mr. Cooper!

Several years ago, I was paying a visit to a sister-in-law in hospital. Afterwards, I recalled that Coop was in hospital recovering from a severely mangled leg that was crushed when a ladder collapsed from beneath him while he was cleaning the backboards in the gym for a basketball game. It was time to pay him a visit as well.

As I wandered down the hall, I heard strains of Christmas music that became a little louder the closer I got to his room. When I arrived at the door, I looked in to spy Coop, lying in serene comfort — almost angelic — surrounded by eight or nine members of the MEI choir who had come from school to sing him a serenade of carols. Even today, it is a memory never to forget.

It took a lot of dedication to remember kids — with impact — and leave a legacy of Christian interest and service.

You see, Coop was not a principal, nor a vice-principal, nor a teacher. He literally cleaned the place up every day.

He was the custodian!

What a lesson for us all!

Matthew 20:27-28a – Whoever wants to be first among you, let him be your servant. For the Son of Man came not to be cared for. He came to care for others. (NLV)

Prayer: Lord, we bow before You with thanks that You provide for us living examples of the characteristics of Your Son, examples who can show us how to live in service for You. We like to recognize those kinds of values as they are passed on to a younger generation. Help us as we try to honour those examples in our own lives. We ask that You would continue to inspire each of us with the knowledge of the sacrifice of Your Son for us, for He came to care for us. Amen.

As I reflected on this experience, I realized that that seagull was being used as one of the good Lord's vehicles to remind us that a spiritual ambush can be concocted by "the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience." (Ephesians 2:2 ESV) Satan is always on the watch, ready to ambush a wayward soul facing temptation. Be aware! Always be on the lookout, if not for the shifty seagull, at least for the sly deceiver who seeks to tempt us into disobedience or to weaken and destroy our faith in our awesome God. Let's remember to put on our spiritual armour every day!

Ephesians 6:10-18a – Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. (ESV)

Prayer; Lord, thank You for even the little lessons in life that You provide when we are watching and listening for Your awesome presence or reading the prompts from Your Word. Deliver us from the evil one, and protect all of us this day from his attacks, ambushes, and temptations. We ask this in Your awesome power through Your Son, Who gave His life that we may inherit eternal life. Amen.