Happy New month (May) to you! Spring is fully here, and I am loving it! The full advent of spring season in Edmonton nicely coincides with the end of the winter semester, making April a month of successively easier days to bear. From having multiple coursework deadlines to meet up with in early April to having one final exam to write in the last week of April, the month got better for me as it went along. The weather also got nicer, even hitting early twenties on the last day of April. Now we can make more plans for outdoor activities. *winks*

I’ve found it beautiful to watch the transition of winter into spring as freezing cold gave way to infrequent light showers and double digit above-zero temperatures. The days are longer now, with sunset delaying till 9pm (as of April 30) and the extended daylight inviting everyone to stay out longer. There is a gentle undergrowth of fresh greenery beneath the browned out lawns – a steady response to the light showers, increased sunlight, and disappearance of snow cover. The tree branches are still barren, but the promise of new leaves is sure – as sure as dawn.

I’ve had to re-explain to my 4-year old (multiple times) that bedtime is not a function of darkness, but of timing. When I would call for shower and bedtime at night, he’d pull the curtain aside and convincingly inform me that it is still daytime, not night, and definitely not time for bed. Although he’s finally gotten the message, he has now categorically informed me that he does not like 8 o’clock. His grievance with 8pm as a time of day was duly acknowledged. Bedtime, however, shall remain bedtime, as the Lord lives.

The city of Edmonton came alive on Saturday night when the Edmonton ice hockey team, Oilers, knocked off Los Angeles Kings from the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Although the winning game was away in Los Angeles, you could tell the energy of the fans was not in any way diminished. Everyone went agog after the final whistle blew. Cars with Oiler flags were honking on the streets, and fans were chanting in response. The topic even made it to Sunday service where our Lead Pastor suggested God must be an Oilers fan, after claiming he did not know how the Oilers logo made it onto his teaching slides.

I have been reading through the story of David in the Bible for the last few days, and the endless intrigues and drama surrounding his reign as king of Israel contain a long of list of lessons for various facets of life. David had the greatest military success as the king of Israel, with his domain spanning nearly from the Mediterranean in the West to the Euphrates in the East at the peak of his power. Yet all it took was a “fling” with Bathsheba to lead him down a path of sorrow, pain and civil war. Although he loved God, and always sought his guidance for every decision, he gave in to his lustful desire for another man’s wife while killing the man in the process.

The level of detail provided about David’s life and reign as king of Israel – details of people’s names, their familial relationships, events that occurred, and even their motivations for action – all make David’s story one of the best for group studies for people (especially men) looking to be in any kind of leadership. May God help us to be people who follow through our convictions with corresponding actions in Jesus’ name. Amen. I’ll close my thoughts today with that prayer, until some other time. Thank you for reading, and I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments. Bye!