100 Flags

Photo Randy Vanderveen Grande Prairie, Alberta, Aug. 2/09 Vanessa De Jesus dressed as the Queen of the Congo dances as members of Aché Brasil, a Vancouver-based Brazilian dance group provided some of the entertainment at Grande Prairie's 100 Flags multicultural festival at Muskoseepi Park Sunday, Aug. 2.

I had the opportunity this weekend to take in the 100 Flags celebration on Sunday with my wife, Cheryl; youngest daughter, Ami; and mother-in-law as part of the Heritage Day long-weekend festivities in Grande Prairie, Aug. 2.

It was good to see the examples of the variety of cultures in Canada both in the form of performances and food.

It also re-emphasized the blessings we have in Canada. I guess having spent time reading blogs by humanitarian and mission photographers over the past few weeks also drilled that home.

We have so much and along with those blessings also comes an obligation. "…Much will be required from everyone to whom much has been given. But even more will be demanded from the one to whom much has been entrusted." Luke 12:48B NIV

³¹"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. ³²All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

³⁴"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

³⁷"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

⁴⁰"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

⁴¹"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴²For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

⁴⁴"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'

⁴⁵"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

⁴⁶"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." Matthew 25:31-46 NIV

Kind of interesting that in the passage Christ talks about doing — feeding, giving clothes or drink, visiting — not giving so someone else can do these things.

Sometimes giving is essential — for things happening on the other side of the globe, but, we can also DO here. Whether it is helping cook a meal for a soup kitchen, visiting someone who is sick or elderly and is shut in, driving a senior to appointments or even just listening to someone who needs someone to talk to .

After all "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27 NIV

If you are interested in looking at some of the blogs I was referring to there are links at the bottom of this post.

Grande Prairie, Alberta Furmiga dances for the crowd as members of Aché Brasil, a Vancouver-based Brazilian dance group provided some of the entertainment at Grande Prairie's 100 Flags multicultural festival at Muskoseepi Park Sunday, Aug. 2. The festival is to celebrate the mosaic of cultures that make up the fabric of Canadian society.David DuChemin's Pixelated Image blog http://www.pixelatedimage.com/blog/

Matt Powell's blog http:/blog.mattpowellphoto.com/

Gary S. Chapman's More than the Moment blog http://garyschapman.com/blog/