Here are three lessons I learned this week:

1. “Sarcasm is always rooted in anger, and often cloaked with humor.”

Justice Institue of BC, during a course called Dealing With Anger.

2. “Contempt and anger are at the root of all social problems.” Dallas

Willard during a course on Leadership and Spirituality at Regent

Collage.

3. The Rabbi’s in Jesus day thought only God could work on the Sabbath.

They taught that God holds the whole universe together, and sustains

all life. This is what made them so furious when Jesus healed on the

Sabbath. Jesus told them He and God could work on the Sabbath, making

Himself equal to God. NET Bible in the Study Notes on John 5:1-18.

I found it refreshing to think about this all week, how God is always

working. He keeps it all going. Everything. The ducklings know how to

get food as soon as they are born. The plants know how to look for

light, once the weather is warm enough for them to come out of the

earth. Certain trees know when to produce blossoms that will turn into

fruit. The earth spins around the sun in perfect timing to give us four

seasons. God keeps it all going!

Thinking of God always working and allowing us to live and work with

Him can help us move away from any hint of sarcasm or contempt, and

move closer to joy, love and humility.

May God increase your capacity to enjoy the rest of today and this week

until your heart feels like it is bursting with gratitude to Him.

Warmly,

Rick Bergen.

There is a path by a creek just down the road from Dad and Mom’s house where we go for walks. It is definitely Spring now. The woods are alive.

Deanna arrived at the airport in Santarem, ready to move to Altamira. She had a two year old and a four year old clinging to her legs. She was so pregnant the airport authorities did not want to let her fly. She talked her way on. Emma was born in Altamira, in the midst of a huge time of transition in our lives as we moved on from PAZ mission to who we are today. From the day she was born Emma has always been a source of great joy to our family. 

Thank you Emma, and thank you Heavenly Father.

I was near a park in Vancouver around sunset the other evening so I went for a walk and took some photos.

Bella loves flowers. Here are some photos she took in Mom and Dad’s backyard.

I spent Sunday with Koos and Aubrey in Duncan BC. Their church has a growing neighbourhood outreach they help with every Sunday afternoon. It felt similar in some ways to what we are doing in Marabá. Koos and Aubrey have four children, and they are praying about becoming full-time missionaries in Brazil. They moved from the Northwest Territories to Vancouver Island as a step of obedience to God. Life is really good, and really challenging. They appreciate your prayers.

We had a really nice Sunday together.

Several of the teachers and leaders at the Justice Institute, and other people I know, have taken online programs from Royal Roads University. Everyone I talked to loved their studies. “I could keep my full-time job, and work this in on my own time. It was very doable.” “Our whole cohort was sorry when the two years was up. We wanted to keep studying together.” This is a way I can continue to keep studying even while working in Brazil. I am praying about this option for next year. I appreciate your prayers and any thoughts you may have.

Here are some photos I took of the RRU Campus while I was here in Victoria.

Here are some photos from the ferry ride over to Vancouver Island. I am in Victoria for a week-long course with the Justice Institute of BC.

One of the things I like best about these courses on Conflict Management is that I feel God is pleased. “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called the sons of God.” Matthew 5:9

Working with three nationalities, and with so many variations in each of us, I am often perplexed at how we can get hung up in a conflict. Now I am learning how we could have done things a little differently and we could have saved ourselves a lot of pain and time.

Here are a few tidbits from the courses I am taking:

– “Conflict resolution is not simple. It is an art. In these programs you will learn how to use some tools. Knowing how and when to use them is the art.”

– “Whenever you find yourself arguing with someone it is very likely there is a power struggle going on.”

– “People who feel powerless often act in the most bizarre ways, displaying anger, frustration, or silence, and then they often feel bad about it afterwards.”

Personally, when I can help someone get past a stuck place in their life, I feel really good. And I think this goes back to my first idea. I think it is because God is pleased, and truly pleasing God makes anyone feel good. We are made for this.