One of my favourite pianists is Kim Deardorff. I often hear his performance of “This is my Father's World” (plus many other hymns) on Whisperings Solo Piano Radio. What I did not know until this past week is his story:
 
->Found in the garbage in Korea over 40 years ago I have been living a miraculous life ever since. God has blessed my life in so many ways including a wonderful gift of music. I started playing melodies from listening to records at the age of 3 and started writing on the piano when I was 5. In 2010 I was honored to become a Kawai piano artist!<-
 
From the Kawai site:
 
->Based in Nashville, TN, Kim Deardorff travels nationwide speaking and performing for audiences of all ages and sizes. He has and continues to work with a number of music and entertainment companies along with a host of prominent and award-winning artists, songwriters, and producers.
From humble beginnings as a newborn orphan in Korea, Mr. Deardorff has grown personally and professionally to become an accomplished pianist and inspirational speaker, having brought his message of hope and healing to hundreds of thousands of people. As an ambassador for the Holt International organization, Kim has helped to raise over 5000 new sponsorships for orphaned children all over the world.<-
 
Kim Deardorff says, “It doesn’t matter where or how you start out in life; God has a purpose and plan for everyone.”
https://solopiano.com/artist/KimDeardorff

Billy, a loving and loyal dog, became an internet star in 2020. His owner, Russell, had broken his ankle and was using crutches to walk. Soon the dog also began to hobble when walking with his owner. Concerned, Russell took Billy to the vet, who said there was nothing wrong with him! He ran freely when he was by himself. It turned out that the dog faked a limp when he walked with his owner. That’s what you call trying to truly identify with someone’s pain!
Author Jenny Albers advises: “When someone is broken, don’t try to fix them. (You can’t.) When someone is hurting, don’t attempt to take away their pain. (You can’t.) Instead, love them by walking beside them in the hurt. (You can.) Because sometimes what people need is simply to know they aren’t alone.”

I want to put up new pictures on our website - www.gracemennonitechurch.com . Take pictures of our sanctuary, our church library, our kitchen, the gardens, etc. Take pictures of people if you have their permission. I especially want pics from our BBQ this afternoon. Please and thanks! Email them to janscats@gmail.com

Are you looking for a volunteer activity geared to Seniors? Niagara Warehouse of Hope wants you! Here is what I have learned:
 
“We (a group of Seniors) make milk bag mats for homeless people in our region and for people across the world. Our volunteers crochet the milk bag mats WITH A VERY LARGE CROCHET HOOK so it’s doable if your vision is failing. Also, the plastic strips are very light in weight.
 
AND we also have Senior volunteers who clean used, donated eye glasses which can be done at home. As well, we have home sewers, knitters and crocheters. Please give these options some thought. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you. Ada Boland Secretary, NWOH”
 
If this is of interest to you, please let me – Jan Steven – know. If you live in the North End, I can pick you up and bring you to NWOH. I too am interested in learning how to make milk bag mats. 

Every day, Glen purchases his morning coffee at a nearby drive-through. And every day he also pays for the order of the person in the car behind him, asking the cashier to wish that person a good day. Glen has no connection to them. He’s not privy to their reaction, nor, it seems, is this his motivation: he simply believes this small gesture is “the least he can do.” On one occasion, however, he learned of the impact of his actions when he read an anonymous letter to the editor of his local newspaper. He discovered that the kindness of his gift on July 18, 2017, caused the person in the car behind him to reconsider their plans to take their own life later that day…
 
When we give out of our love for God, without concern for receiving the praise of others, we can trust that our gifts—large or small—will be used by Him to help meet the needs of those receiving them.

Photo from www.pexel.com

 "I do not at all understand the mystery of grace - only that it meets us where we are but does not leave us where it found us."
 
"I just try to love and serve everyone, and bring everyone water, and lend an ear; that's what Jesus said to do."
 
“Here are the two best prayers I know: 'Help me, help me, help me' and 'Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
 
“And as it turns out, if one person is praying for you, buckle up. Things can happen.”

Hen and Chick Plants are available in the lobby after church for EVERYONE who has not received one, or has received one and would like a second! 😊 Why a Hen and Chicks plant vs. another kind of succulent?  Because Jesus once compared himself to a mother hen who wanted to gather up and protect her chicks: “How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings...” (Mat. 23:37b)
 
Whenever you look on your wee creation of God, know that you are deeply loved.

Hen and Chick Plants are available in the lobby after church for EVERYONE who has not received one. The story behind this is that your Community Chaplain intended to provide a birthday plant to everyone who had a birthday in that particular month. Well, there is what you plan and there is what happens. Turns out that Laur and I were away in November and April, and the plant nursery where I bought these plants was closed for January, February, and March.
 
So … for the month of May I’ll have FREE Hen and Chick Plants available to EVERYONE in our congregation who did not get one yet. And from here on, I’ll make sure that gifts are not seasonal. / jan 😊

From www.logicallyfaithful.com/
 
The four loves come from the Greek who use four words to describe what we use one for.
 
1. Storge: Affection Love / 2. Phileo: Friendship Love / 3. Eros: Romantic Love / 4. Agape: Divine Love
 
1. Storge Love: [The frosting on the cake] Affection is the most humble of the loves. It is the love of enjoying someone or something. It is love of the family and of the familiar.
 
2. Phileo Love: [The punch on the side] Friendship arises out of mere companionship when two or more of the companions discover that they have in common some interest which the others do not share.
 
3. Eros Love: [My cake!]  This is also the love that creates the hottest of fires in our emotions. Romantic or erotic love: Lewis calls this “being in love.” It is the love that is least thought about but most felt.
 
4. Agape Love [You may take my cake]: This is the highest and most unselfish of the loves, the love the Apostle Paul talks about in 1 Corinthians 13. It is also called Charity. It is not natural, it goes against our very natures. It loves the unlovable, undeserving, the ugly. It gives all and asks for nothing in return. It is the one that takes the greatest chance. And is hit with the most loss.

Although she never preached a sermon or published a book or founded a church, she is known as the Mother of Methodism. Why? Because two of her sons, John Wesley and Charles Wesley, as children consciously or unconsciously will, applied the example and teachings and circumstances of their home life. Susanna Wesley, was the 25th of 25 children. Susanna and Samuel Wesley had 19 children. Nine of her children died as infants.

• Help me, Lord, to remember that religion is not to be confined to the church... nor exercised only in prayer and meditation, but that every where I am in Thy Presence.
• There are two things to do about the gospel. Believe it and behave it.
• I am content to fill a little space if God be glorified.
• If you want a quality, act as if you already have it. If you want to be courageous, act as if you were - and as you act and persevere in acting, so you tend to become.

 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susanna_Wesley