The Spirit Within Me
“Always awaiting a teachable moment”
As I spent long lonely nights in a hospital bed in early June, it is fair to say that the Lord Had My Attention!
One effect is that God’s Spirit within me became much more chatty.
In May 1989, when I finally surrendered to the “drawing of Jesus” [1], I knew that I had entered an eternal relationship, but I was quite conscious that I would only very rarely discern the presence of the Holy Spirit.
In fact, over the decades, I really felt a tad excluded whenever I was around spirit filled people. At times I even suggested that they were faking it (sorry about that …).
But now, the spirit is alive within me and really quite chatty in a delightfully powerful way.
I believe I now even understand why I ended up enduring 37 years of near silence from the spirit. Turns out it was me!! I have a huge problem with pride … I have been constantly addressing it for years … but wow, Pride is a Beast … One symptom of my pride is that I very much like to talk all of the time. Even when others were talking, I wasn’t listening, I was planning my own witty response. My communication with the Spirit suffered from the same malady [2]. However, the spirit within me is patient, polite, loyal and persistent. Never interrupting me. Always awaiting a teachable moment [3].
Now my communication with the spirit is open. Turns out that, for me to have the spirit near for the big issues in my life, I need learn the skills of listening and discernment through a constant series of “quick listens” each day. For a routine example: whenever I have a question to ask Bev, I first listen to the spirit and receive direction on exactly the right words and tone for that question!
I love God’s spirit within me and am looking forward to living my changed life.
[1] John 12:32 NKJV “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”
[2] Psalms 10:4 NIV “In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.”
[3] Psalms 46:10 NKJV “Be still, and know that I am God”
By Chris Boyle
“The Guy With The Canada Symbol”
We live rurally and still take our garbage and recyclables to a “transfer station” – better known as The Dump!
As the attendant approached my car, I observed a man of my vintage. Like me he had neatly trimmed white facial hair, and like me, walked with that deliberate pace of ensuring that each foot is firmly planted before lifting the other one.
I didn’t know him, but he did look familiar. So I asked “do you live near here?” He indicated a location within a few miles of us. Turns out we have been neighbours for three decades. I asked his name. And I realized that it was a name that I was familiar with in the community.
I introduced myself and he exclaimed “Oh, you are the guy with the Canada Symbol!”
We have a reputation for the big flag which we painted on the end ouf our barn.
I AM A PATRIOT CANADIAN, and I am so proud to be recognized as such …
Happy Canada Day!!
by Chris Boyle 2026-07-01
Poland by James Mitchener
“… whitewashed by several orders of magnitude …”
I just finished reading Poland, by James Mitchener. (note: “reading” for me is now listening on Audiobook).
I feel compelled to write a Book Review. This is the first that I have ever done since the “book reports” that I wrote in school and that was a long time ago.
Over the past two years I have been consuming a lot of the classics and particularly history in novelized form. “A Tale of Two Cities,” “War and Peace,” “The Brothers Karamazov,” “The Great Gatsby,” “Hawaii,” ”The Source,” “Lonesome Dove” and many more …
As I read more, I have discovered both an ignorance and a yearning for more European history.
“Poland” kept showing up as one of Mitchener’s finest works. I was reluctant because I realized the book would bring me, once more in my life, face to face with the Holocaust. On the other hand, the summary did promise me “In this sweeping novel, James A. Michener chronicles eight tumultuous centuries as three Polish families live out their destinies.”
The first seven centuries covered by Mitchener featured detailed, colourful history, however, the development of the characters and the families was not at the same level as I had experienced in some of his other works, such as “Hawaii.”
Then comes the Twentieth century …
What an epic examination of the century that I was born into! What tremendous flashes of relevance as we navigate the world of 2026!
Relevance to 2026 (#1): I see periodic memes that draw a comparison between Adolph Hitler and Donald Trump. Have no doubt, Adolph Hitler must be whitewashed by several orders of magnitude in order for the comparison to even start to be relevant. This serves only the Holocaust deniers.
Relevance to 2026 (#2): As the “Democratic Socialists” of the 2nd half of the Twentieth Century began to encourage unions to improve life for the factory workers and ship builders of the cities, they also were firm that farmers could never unionize because they would hold the “power of food” over the heads of the city folks. This tug of war between urban and rural has been part of Canada’s fabric for 150 years. This struggle between the Urban, with their factories and transportation, and the Rural with their food and essential minerals, continues at a high tension today.
In 2026 we have a world of memes which purport to “help us think.” I am truly a fan of the historical novel, in this case “Poland,” to also add perpective to our 21st century Thinking Disciplines.
by Chris Boyle 2026-06-29
Personal Peace That Endures
Today’s photo was taken at sunup after our first night spent on the Rideau Waterway in 1982. I still remember a moment of deep, profound peace and tranquility.
These moments have not necessarily been rare in my life, but they have always been fleeting.
Until April 2024 when I awoke one Sunday morning and realized that I had known the feeling for several consecutive days. “Oh well,” I thought, “I’ll just enjoy the feeling until this episode ends …” Six weeks later I was so impressed that the feeling endured that, one Sunday morning, I told someone at church.
Since then this peace has certainly been tested: the ever changing international political climate, the ever changing climate, and this new thing called artificial intelligence. My new peace endured, week after week, month after month.
Last week this peace was tested quite personally when I was hospitalized for eight days with pneumonia. There were long periods, alone, waiting for this to “run it’s course.” Plenty of opportunity to fear death (“I don’t wanna die”) or fear the rest of my life (”I don’t wanna live”) … Not once did this happen, even for a moment. Peace endured.
And yes, I credit this peace to my deepening relationship with Jesus. There are many bible verses that discuss the peace available through Jesus. One of my favourites is “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.”
by Chris Boyle 2026-06-18