Wood Craft

Woodturning and sculpting pieces that I have created over the past few years.

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Lorne Wagner

Lorne, beloved husband of MaryannWagner (nee Vargo) of Calgary, Alberta , passed away on Thursday, October, 22, 2020 at the age of 97 years.

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James 1:1-4 Refining faith God’s way.

Zach (my son-in-law) was telling me the other day that the first couple of weeks at the Gym in the new year are particularly busy but that quickly trails off as people begin to realize the perseverance it takes to retain never mind grow healthy muscle tone. Those muscles don’t happen over night.  Sometimes people […]

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Psalm 6 – Remember – No Pain – No Gain?

“Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you” (Deuteronomy 32:7 (NIV). I don’t know how many times I need to hear this lesson but seems that the Lord brings it up again and again.  Remember no pain, […]

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Let’s Talk about Easter – I Like Dark Chocolate best!

What does Easter mean today?  What evidence do we see in our culture that Easter exists? How do we know it’s Easter?  Can you prove it? Take a walk thru any mall.  As you do you’ll find store after store with various Easter displays.  In some you’ll find large bunnies, or maybe little chicks and […]

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Acts 20:7-12 Remember the Christ of Christmas with Commuion

Good Morning, Christmas is less than 20 days away! Did you know that you and I share a heritage that began almost 2000 years ago?  We likely do it somewhat differently then they did but the principle and practice remains some two thousand years later.  And it will be a part of the church, part […]

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Cameos in HIStory: Acts 4:13-22

Should we actually greet people with Merry Christmas? I have a confession to make…I love this season.   The whole season of Advent.  I admit it.  Christmas is one of my favourite times of year!  Even with its hustle and bustle and everything else that comes with it.   So I’m probably not the best […]

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Stuck at a crossroads? Remember the cross.

Lately I’ve been thinking about this verse in Jeremiah: “This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls….” (Jeremiah 6:16) A couple thoughts immediately come to mind.  God says we will […]

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Acts 3:1-10 You and me making HIStory

Can you think of an event in your life that caused you to believe that God was real? Few things overwhelm our soul and generate faith like personal encounters with our God.  I’m talking about those times when God acts in and through us that opens our eyes to the reality of the Almighty.  And […]

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Luke 17:11-19 Healing Graces

Lately I’ve been counting my blessings as I’ve been privileged to see God answer prayer in so many ways.  Those of you who are connected by Facebook to Sylvia’s page have seen several testimonies of God’s wonderful grace.  The one from Kamloops of the young lady who clearly doesn’t know Jesus but was prayed for […]

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1 Samuel 17:37-51 Faith that slays the giants in life!

By Monday this last week I had talked with 4 people who had giant sized issues that they were dealing with in their lives. 

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Luke 10:38-42 Just do something?

As I sat down to write this morning’s sermon I thought of at least ten things that I could have been doing in that time. Each thing calling and demanding my time away from sitting and waiting upon the Lord.  And each of them seemed very good…well most of them, at one point the thought […]

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Number 21:4-9 Listen your Father has heard you!

Psalm 121:1-8 (NIV) “ 1 I lift up my eyes to the hills– where does my help come from? 2  My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. 3  He will not let your foot slip– he who watches over you will not slumber; 4  indeed, he who watches over Israel will […]

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Numbers 20:1-13 Stop grief from bringing you more grief.

  “22  Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24  I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” 25  The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to […]

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Numbers 14:22-30 God’s cure for real bad attitudes.

Did you know; “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21)? The Apostle James says, “We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to control his whole body” […]

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Exodus 14:21-31 Fear of the LORD brings freedom from FEAR!

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.” (Psalm 34:19).  “But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them…; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.” (Acts 5:39)  Fear of the LORD brings freedom from FEAR! How many of you actually […]

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Mark 2:1-12 In A Word Forgiven!

In a book called, “Will Daylight Come”, a story is told about “a little boy that was visiting his grandparents and was given his first slingshot. He practiced in the woods, but he could never hit his target. As he came back to Grandma’s back yard, he spied her pet duck. On an impulse he […]

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Exodus 14:10-17 Like learning lessons the hard way?!

To see all of today’s study questions, click here. How many of you like learning lessons the hard way? Have you ever noticed that you learn some lessons much harder than others?  I was out flying my quad-copter-camera near Vaseux Lake this spring and had just taken off to do a sweep over a rock […]

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Mark 1:40-45 The Least of These?

To see all of today’s study questions, click here. https://youtu.be/HSab0OIkFmU That passage in Matthew has always caused me great concern.  I’ve wrestled with it for years now.  Especially every time I walk by a street person or drunk out begging or get accosted by the guy who stands at the corner of Channel Parkway and […]

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Exodus 4:10-17 Reach Beyond Your Comfort Zone! He did!

To see all of today’s study questions, click here. I like this picture!  The cross is empty!  The tomb vacated! He has Risen! He has Risen indeed!  It is such Good News.  Especially when you know the risen Lord.   And know the power of His word to heal the broken hearted and set captives […]

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Mark 1:21-28 You Can’t Muzzle The Holy One of God!

Do you like dogs or cats?  It’s pretty safe to say our household is more inclined to dogs than cats.  Though I’ve had both in my lifetime so personally I have no bias against either so long as they are well behaved that is. Well maybe I have a little bias.  It seems that there […]

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Exodus 3:1-12 A burning desire to leave a legacy?

I often drive by the Hospital as I go back and forth from home to work.  And for the last couple of years now they have had this big digital sign facing Government and Carmi.  The sign flashes several messages but the predominant theme is leave your legacy, support the Hospital Foundation. Sometimes it congratulates […]

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Matthew 28:16-20 All the Authority you need to Go!

https://youtu.be/IMtPUgEXdWY This week Jimmy shared with us a message from Matthew 28:16-20   Read Matthew 28:16-20 in as many versions as you have available. 1. We call this passage (Matthew 28:16-20) the Great Commission, why? 2. Where does this encounter with Jesus take place? 3. Since it is neither the Risen Lord’s first encounter nor final […]

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Genesis 35:1-5 Keeping Covenant? God Waits!

To see all of today’s study questions, click here. https://youtu.be/lQZ8rGbSsrA Thomas Fuller a British Minister wrote, “A man apt to promise is apt to forget”.  Booker T. Washington describes meeting an ex-slave from Virginia in his book, ‘Up From Slavery’: there Brooker writes, “I found that this man had made a contract with his master, […]

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Matthew 17:1-9 Context In HIStory is HIS Glory

To see all of today’s study questions, click here. One of the passages in HIStory that is often told around Lent is found in Matthew 17:1-9.  The story of that amazing day when three disciples were treated to a mountaintop experience that stuck with them long after Jesus Ascended to heaven. So if you have […]

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Week 7 – Genesis 28:12-22 Surely the LORD is in this place!

What is love?  Is it a noun, verb or adjective? Is it a feeling, thoughts or a person? My definition of Love, being it’s Valentine’s day and all, is a simple one.  God.  I’ll mention it again in case you missed that, God.  The Bible says, “God is love” (1 Jn. 4:8).  So any definition […]

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Week 6 – Matthew 14:22-33 Get into the Boat!

We were privileged to have  Missionaries John & Marlene Baerg come to Grace and share a bit of their journey of faith.     Some might call it amazing coincidences other luck but as I set up HIStory- 52 weekly biblical challenge and chose which story would fall on which weekend this weeks story found in […]

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Week 5 – Genesis 12:10-20 Grandfathered Mission of Grace

I don’t know if you have noticed or not but I’m not picking out all the usual stories from HIStory as we progress in this 52 Week Challenge.  In fact I’ve already jumped over several prominent passages that we preacher types like to focus on in favour of some stories that we don’t hear much […]

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Week 4 – Matthew 8:5-13 Ultimate Authority both to Heal or to send to Hell

Let’s begin with reading HIStory this morning. Matthew 8:5-13 To see all of today’s study questions, click here. When we are telling someone HIStory we do well to study and understand what it is we are talking about.   And in the internet age we really don’t have an excuse for not knowing.  Other than if […]

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Week 3 – Genesis 4:1-16 Cain & Abel and WHO?

To see all of today’s study questions, click here. In the beginning God created the heavens and earth and everything in them.  Birds and fish and animals and then it was time to create His masterpiece.   “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female […]

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