“ Saying Yes to God makes all the difference! ”
"What a cute girl . . ."
When people started saying this, my dad said, "It's time he got a haircut!
I was a terror growing up -only when my parents when out and the baby sitter came.
My sibling and I would go to the fridge and fill a glass with every liquid including ketchup and mustard and try to get the baby sitter to drink it. Of course, she had watched us make it, had her own children,
and ONLY pretended to take a sip.
Parents night out
When my parents when out for special evening -a movie star kissed me goodnight. Tall in her high heels and beehive hairdo, perfect makeup, costume jewellery with a million colours and sparkles, velvet or satin gown. I barely recognized my mom.
On more casual nights we could talk and have a bedtime story.
Death -life’s BIGGEST event -and most DREADED.
On one of those nights when I was very small, I asked:
“Mommy, why do people die?”
“Jesus loves them and He calls them.”
“Well, if He calls me -I just won’t answer.”
10 years later -I answered & He took that fear away!
-not through physical death -but dying to self.
Grew up in a Presbyterian Church
My parents dragged me to church as it was a boring service with an even more boring Sunday school.
The Bible remained a mysterious book and I never heard the message of salvation.
Waterski Camp
That all changed when I was 16 and went to Keswick waterski camp
I went to learn how to waterski and meet girls.
Instead, I bumped my head on a waterski -and I met Jesus.
The speaker was a fire’n’brimstone preacher from Detroit: Jimmy Derato said, “You’re sinners!” Although I hadn't murdered anyone,
I still realized I needed Jesus enough to get saved.
"Jesus Can't Use you!"
In the spring I was all fired up to go back to the camp where I got saved -and learn how to be a counsellor. I met with the Camp Director who wanted to know my qualifications: no power boating, no swimming qualifications, no canoeing or tripping experience, limited Bible knowledge. In short, I was unqualified and Jesus couldn't use me! I left the interview feeling lower than a snake's belly.
And, came to the conclusion that "if this is what Christians are like -I don't want to have anything to do with them!"
Big Brothers
At age 21 I became a Big Brother. I didn’t feel I had anything in common with children
yet fatherless boys needed a mentor. They say most of the difficulty would be with the "mom" and this is true as I had to learn how to say no to errands for cigarettes and buying meals. My little brother was very shy yet over 5 years he became more confident as we built a soapbox racing car (that came in last) and a windtunnel that came in 1st for a science fair.
Greg was proud to tell me that he sold the 30 piece mineral collection I gave him for a dollar. I could only smile- "Do you know most of those rocks were worth a dollar each?"
SINGER LARRY NORMAN
As a teen I wondered,
"If God were alive & well in the 20th century, where were the men which God moved so mightily upon as found in the Bible?" Then in 1985 my university lab partner brought me to my first Christian concert and I was privileged to see God at work in a "Folk" Singer named Larry Norman. A folk singer, said I -but that is a lie. A poor description for a prophet among us. A man of God not only blessed by God but who walked with God and shared his God. Larry would cringe at being labelled a "folk singer" for his first request to his sound man was to "turn the volume up past where it says folk music". I was taken aback when I met Larry on break and he refused an autograph. "That's just Larry-" my friend explained. Ten years later -I was driving Larry around to his Toronto concerts and had an autograph. God is amazing.
“God thumbtacks on our easy chairs”
The church sermon was what I needed -to be so filled with Holy Discontent -that I was spurred into action.
A Toronto Star ad for the Psychic Fair really bothered me. I created a dramatic track using the palmistry logo and superimposing with a stop sign with skull & crossbones.
2,000 copies were printed - "Lord, do I have to go alone?"
I handed out 500 (you will not meet people more open to the gospel) and met 2 other Christians, who no sooner warned me about trespassing -then the police gave me notice.
"We need more help" I thought, faxing 127 churches! Only 2 responded . . .
One said "Take us off your mailing list"-
The other, The Prayer Palace promised 40 youth but delivered a bus load of 130 youth, adults of all ages! We handed out nearly 3,000 tracts with the Youth Pastor dressed as a swat team member.
The Psychic promoter told him, “Get these Christians outta here!” thinking he was a security guard.
“Yes, sir!” replied, the Youth Pastor.
Police were called -but the policeman was a believer, and his aunt was there also handing out flyers! Laughter rose up in the parking lot.
Christian Cheques (only in the USA? -pity!)
When the Billy Graham Crusade was in Toronto -I attended meetings to be a counsellor.
I happened across magazine offering Christian cheques in the USA. "This would be a good idea in Canada!" I thought. Not knowing anything about the cheque-printing business -I jumped in finding a printer who quoted a price that I could still make money.
I designed my stock, (renting a butterfly to photograph from the museum who would charge me $300 if I damaged it in anyway) then had boxes of stock printed. Orders slowly came in as I handed out flyers at every church that held the classes. At one of the churches, a middle-aged couple caused a huge commotion accusing me of being of the devil! They didn't even look at the my Christian flyer -and only calmed down when the Pastor came outside and vouched for me.
Later, I received a phone from the printer who had miscalculated their price by a factor of 10 !
In no time, I would be out of business with every order placed...
After calling all my contacts -someone was recommended -and I visited him.
"I can do your cheques -and you will still make money!" he said. The Lord had opened a door.
Not much money came through that door -for Christian cheques -I almost starved,
but then I started doing business cheques. God blessed my business with sales that doubled for several years.
With much hard work -was able to make a living.
"And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." -Colossians 3:17
