Our son plays Spuds basketball (co-ed ages 6-9). Two weeks ago, at a basketball game, my son's team was playing against opposition which had only six players. It was obvious that the other team was at a disadvantage. By half time, they were so fatigued and injured that they were ready to concede the game.

My son's coach did a wonderful thing. He sent in two players from our team to play with the other team for the second half of the game. The coach did not send just any players. One of the players was our best. With two new team members, the opponents finished the game.

I was happy to see sportsmanship displayed, but also, I saw God's character revealed. The Lord of lords comes to the aid of the underprivileged. God wants justice in the world.

God uses Christian men and women, like my son's coach, to bring justice!

Prayer: Lord God, we thank You on this day that You care for the disadvantaged. Use each one of us as Your instruments for fairness in this world. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

When my sister, Roberta, died of cancer at age 49 in July of 2004, I decided to plant a small mugo pine in our front yard. Like others who have lost loved ones, I wanted to have a living memorial for my sister. I named the mugo pine "Roberta's tree" and watched it grow. In 2008 when we sold our home to move to a townhouse, I thought that it would be useful to write a note of welcome to the new owners. The note provided helpful information about the house, which was new when we had moved in 18 years earlier.

In the note, I mentioned how we had enjoyed living in the home, and I included information about Roberta's tree so that the new owners would know that I had planted it in her memory. I also requested that they keep the mugo pine. Although they did not live in the house long before it was sold again, my request must have been passed along to the new owners.

Last December, I had the occasion of going to the house to pick up a parcel that had been delivered in error. Much to my surprise and delight, the mugo pine was about four feet tall, and it had spread out a lot. Best of all, it was adorned with Christmas lights. This came as a wonderful surprise and source of joy, since I had never expected to find lights on Roberta's tree.

God's ways are often surprising and beyond our understanding. The Almighty, who brought joy to the shepherds of old at the time of Jesus' birth, still brings joy and encouragement to the hearts of His children today, often when we least expect it. This is a cause for great rejoicing.

Prayer: God, You brighten dark December days with light. We praise You for bringing joy to the world at Christmas and all through the year. Amen.

Yesterday, about noon, we had the first snowfall of the year. I was out running an errand over the lunch hour, when, as the weather reports warned us, the snowflakes started to fall. Anyone I met during the course of the afternoon was not ready for winter to set in yet.

Although our summer was very cool, we had an incredible September to help make up for it. Now, it seemed that winter was on its way. By the end of the work day, there was a blanket of snow on the cars in the parking lot, and our car windows needed scraping.

I wasn't looking forward to the homeward commute, because drivers usually forget to slow down, and as a result, we have a lot of automobile accidents. However, I knew that it was important to get behind the wheel and drive, so that I wouldn't be afraid to drive in the snow. The road was very slippery all the way home.

Although I arrived home safely, there were plenty of others who were involved in automobile accidents. In fact, the ambulance companies were kept really busy and just couldn't keep up with the demand for their services.

This experience reminded me of something important. It took me years before I could drive the car in these weather conditions, and this was only because God helped me to acquire the skill and confidence to do so. Often when I'm driving, I remember that this is God's way of showing that He loves me.

This Thanksgiving, we should take time to reflect on God's love for us and how it has been manifested in each of our lives many times over. There is a multitude of things to be thankful for, but let's put God's love at the top of the list this year.

Prayer: Gracious God, we have many things to be thankful for at this time of year. Your love for us is precious. Help us to take time to reflect on the magnitude of this gift, and what it means to us. Amen.

On a recent trip to the grocery store, I was annoyed with the cashier who was putting too many items into each bag. She indicated that the store was saving bags. I was annoyed enough to stop shopping there for a while as a protest.

This incident did get me thinking about the number of plastic shopping bags that I went through regularly. I decided to purchase several reusable bags from one of my favourite stores. These bags are colourful, sturdy, and have twice the storage capacity of plastic bags.

Now that I have reusable shopping bags, I need to remember to bring them along when I go shopping. I also need to gauge how many bags I will require for my purchases. When I'm paying for my purchases, I need to inform the cashier that I want to use my bags rather than the store's plastic bags.

Each year, we have more opportunities to improve our efforts at being environmentally friendly. Purchasing and using reusable shopping bags is another way we can be better stewards of God's creation and be role models for others.

Prayer: Lord, we thank You for new opportunities to improve our stewardship of Your creation. Guide us to take whatever measures are necessary to become good stewards. Amen.

Recently, I had the unexpected pleasure of attending a production of the musical, Godspell, which was presented by a local theatre company. I felt prompted to attend the performance to see if there was anything new I would learn about my faith.

As a member of the audience, I witnessed the actors representing Jesus' disciples sit and stand in his presence while he taught them. What was different for me was that I could actually listen to the one portraying Jesus speak his words rather than just reading them from my Bible.

Based on Matthew's gospel, the musical is described on the program as "a pageant that moves from moment to moment." Godspell is a reflection on the life of Jesus, and explores the theme of being "fools for Christ." What struck me was that Christ's love for these young, exuberant, joyful, but sometimes fickle disciples, all clad in tie-died t-shirts and jeans, shone through, and they loved him too.

I wonder how many of us have been just as exuberant in our faith at first, but also just as fickle as we progressed on our faith journey. I expect that all of us can respond with a resounding "Yes".

If Jesus loved those fickle young disciples represented in Godspell, then we know that he certainly loves his modern-day disciples, despite our inconsistencies and failures. One thing about Jesus is that he is consistent; his love for us never changes. Can we, like the disciples portrayed in Godspell, show that we love him too?

Prayer: Loving God, we come to you to seek your help in seeing Jesus' love for us more clearly and, in return, loving him more dearly. Amen.

Several months ago, I was involved in a traffic accident while driving along a major roadway in a shopping mall parking lot. My car was hit by a driver coming out of an aisle, resulting in $2,100 damage to the rear right-hand door. When I reported the accident to SGI (Saskatchewan Government Insurance), I was very surprised to learn that I would likely be charged one hundred percent for the accident. I strongly believed that I was not at fault, and since my only recourse was to take the other driver to Small Claims Court, I proceeded with the process.

Ten months later when my case was heard in court, the judge ruled that the other driver was seventy percent responsible, for failing to keep a proper look-out, while I was thirty percent responsible, because I did not attempt to stop, believing that I had the right-of-way. In Saskatchewan, we are charged with the accident if we bear fifty percent or more of the responsibility for it. With the judge's ruling in my favour, I was no longer responsible for the accident.

It was a relief when we had the car repaired, after having driven around with a visual reminder of the accident for eleven months. A few weeks later, I called SGI to verify that my driving record reflected the judge's ruling. I was amazed when the receptionist looked up my record and told me that there was no accident listed there. It was just as if I had not had the accident!

Now that I have had time to reflect on my experience, I see this as a perfect example of what it is like to have our sins forgiven. Instead of being one hundred percent responsible for our sins, we can experience perfect forgiveness through Jesus Christ, our Saviour.

Prayer: Loving God, we are truly thankful that we don't have to bear responsibility for us sins, but rather that You sent Your Son Jesus Christ so that we might be forgiven. Amen.

On Christmas Eve after supper, we like to attend the Christmas Eve worship service at our church. It is usually a wonderful service, full of candlelight, music, and readings. Sometimes we participate as lay readers. When we return home after the service, we follow the Hanson tradition. My husband's grandfather came from Denmark, and it was and is custom in his family to open our gifts on Christmas Eve. I am certain that each of our readers celebrates Christmas Eve in a special way.

This year, I was particularly interested to learn how the people of Holten in the Netherlands celebrate Christmas Eve, since it seems unusual. Each year for the past fourteen years, there has been a special ceremony at the Holten Canadian War Cemetery. At 4:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve, over 300 Dutch school children, ages eight to twelve, go to the cemetery, where they place special Finnish candles, which burn despite the wind and rain, in front of each of the 1355 graves of Canadian soldiers, who died liberating Holland in World War II. Throughout the evening, Dutch families come to remember those who died for them so that they might experience freedom. The candles burn until midnight, giving the cemetery an impressive yellow light.

We are like the Dutch people, because we have someone who died for us — Jesus Christ — so that we might experience freedom. In the midst of this celebration of his birth, let us take time to reflect on the fact that he died for us.

Prayer: Lord God, may we pause during this busy but joyous season to give honour and glory to Jesus Christ. Help us to remember that he gave his life for us. Amen.