Friday, March 31, 2006

Temporary change of location

I'm just off to Saskatoon for a couple of days. I'm doing a bit of a prayer workshop at a church down there. But before that happens, I'm meeting him and her for lunch today, at a very Mennonite restaurant

I'll be staying at my folks, which will also be good.

So, if you think of me/us, send one up ok?

Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Ripe in any language

I just wrote an email referencing Johanna that is going to a french speaking individual. I took what I had written and ran it through Google Translate, so the person could better understand my English.

Just to test it, I ran the french translation back through it, translating it back into English.
Good thing too. I had called Johanna mature, which translates ?Ripe.?

Who wants to be known as ripe?

Mercies large and small

The day is drawing to a conclusion and your care and prayers I have been aware of, and welcomed throughout the day. Really.

Sometimes when you are a human being, others need things from you, that you are frankly unable to give them. Usually those people are close to you, so you do what you can for them, and failing that, you just try to love them.

Similar things happen as a pastor, except the needs come from those not always close to you. When you can't be what they want you to be, you do what you can to love them, and in their pain they push back. Hard. That is something I understand and have absorbed in the past.

But these days, with some people I care for, the situation rests between life and death, and we are caught somewhere in between. I can't be what they want me to be. And honestly that troubles me, a lot.

The bigger problem lies with the fact that my dad is now going through these stages of life, and death. And I am struggling with which feelings go where. It's all just a mish mash of stuff inside.

I will be talking to people (read, get counselling! :)) to help clarify things inside. And it will be ok. I suspect it's mostly about my dad, and finishing well, and do I have what can help him, and I'm a dad too, and, and, and...

I've walked this road so many times as a pastor and as a friend and as a grandson.
I don't know how to do it as a son.

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Lord have mercy. Please.

Looking out the window here at my desk, it's a bit after 6 am, and the sky is lightening up nicely. It looks calm out there, and it's suppose to be a beautiful day today.

The warmth continues to melt the winter doldrums away, and I can't wait for real spring to be here.

The only snag in this glorious start, is that I am about to have the most difficult day, in terms of my work, that I can remember having in years. I am expected to do some things today that I cannot do, be a person I cannot be, and give things I cannot give.

And before I even get to that, I have the opportunity to have major dental work done for two hours.

Lord have Mercy,
Christ have Mercy,
Lord have Mercy
on me. 

Getting a Green Thumb at the Co-op

Lauralea and I went out for some Vietnamese food last night, her idea. It was a good one, but my mind was elsewhere most of the day.

It´s already at the weekend where I will be helping out another church work through some of its past, present, and future. The kind of stuff I love doing, mostly. I really want this to go well for them, and I guess if I´m honest, for me too. I love it when hope is renewed.

I feel overwhelmed by my work these days too. It isn´t overwhelming, I think, but I am overwhelmed by it´s sheer size. It sucks me in and there are moments I want to be sucked in because it keeps me nicely busy. Still, I know that busy done over a length of time only wears me down.

And I´m not always, if ever, sure that I´m doing this parenting thing right. Truth be told, more often than not I feel that this is one of the great failures of my 42 year life. I always loved kids, and wanted them, but the process of growing them is really really hard. And when you have a house full of individual people, all with their own ideas and personalities, maturity levels and hormones, things change. It even effects Lauralea and me, and how we get on. The longer I am alive on this planet, the less I actually know for sure. It´s very humbling.

I saw a program on Vision last night that was called Re-Creating Eden. Kind of a gardening show for recovering humans. I was really impressed with the guy they had on. He was puttering around in his garden which had been a place of re-creation for himself and his spirit after years of alcoholism.

Maybe this whole parenting thing is why I´m a crappy gardener too. I don´t do well with plants and such. Hey, keeping them alive is hard work for me. To much work if you ask me. There´s probably something there a counselor could spend a couple of sessions on!!

I have enough ?Ism´s? in my life that I need to recover from. Perfectionism, drivenism, making-up-my-own-wordsism. So maybe I should try gardening this summer... (yes, I heard that Lauralea)

I´m not promising anything, but I am thinking about it. After all a perfectionist in the Garden? That could look awesome.

Back to work.

Saturday, March 25, 2006

Move over Sting. Thomas is in the house.

Now, my children are all fairly unique individuals, but how in the world does any child of mine have enough self confidence and nerve to get up in front of a crowd of strangers, and sing Roxanne?

How?

These four people who live with us continue to amaze and surprise me.

Softly and Tenderly


This week has been a full one, in terms of people and meetings. Some of the stories have been overwhelming to me. I have a friend who is fighting cancer, friends who are fighting for, and with, their children, and friends who struggle not to loose hope. Add to that a fight or two with the kids, and that my dad got some more news this week that is hard to receive, and you have the makings of a very heavy week.

So, last night I thought I´d finish the week early and head for the showers.

As I was getting into bed, I turned on the computer (With TV card installed) and checked the news. Then I stumbled upon the Vision network. They were running the Bill Gaither and Friends homcoming series and this one was just Hymns of the faith. In spite of taking family abuse whenever I watch this kind of music show, I left it on that channel and listened and watched a while.

Now, I really enjoy many diverse kinds of music, and Southern Gospel is one of those I enjoy. But as they sang the old hymns of faith I found my heart being cared for. The words and tunes entered me and swirled around inside, and they were medicine for the things of the week that were ailing me.

I let it play, in spite of the mocking from my family!

Weird that. I haven´t heard some of those tunes for a long long time, but one perfect moment and they restored my soul.

Then again, maybe it was the Spirit of the music who restored my soul.

Anyway, I gotta go see if I can find that CD someplace.

Then my family can hear the music anytime!

"I Had A Dream"

Right now I am sitting in the Sanctuary where the church I am a part of meets regularly. What makes it so "amazing" is that I am writing this post from a front row seat.

You know, as the pastor of these people I have some dreams that I hold out for them. They are mostly dreams for spiritual life and health and progress. They are dreams about relationships between God and humans, and humans and humans.

Now, it can be really difficult sometimes to measure if those kinds of dreams are being accomplished, because they are dreams of The Spirit.

So, I also hold on to some physical dreams, and if they are completed, well I celebrate like it´s 1999!

It may seem lame to you, but one dream of mine has been to have the Internet available at church, so you don´t have to dial-up to get the church email or update the website. Well yesterday afternoon the pipe to Gateway got turned on. And I am celebrating by siting in the sanctuary, listening to Classic FM, writing this post.

I know, how lame.

Still, God is good to me through it.
No doubt.

Thursday, March 23, 2006

Band Concert Tonight

Glad I have the night free so i can get to Micah's band concert.

Last child in band.

Last years of band festival.

Last trips to Tim Hortons after band concerts.

Wednesday, March 22, 2006

National Goof Off Day

Yes, today is National Goof Off Day. However that's not my excuse for sleeping through early prayer time. I think my excuse for missing it was that last night was a long council meeting and I didn't get home till around 11. Then I did my post meeting review and lay awake in bed rethinking it all, till early in the morning.

Sorry about that, I'll be back next week for sure.

I now return you to your previously scheduled ?National Goof Off Day.?

Monday, March 20, 2006

Album Art. Oh This is Cool

So, here is a site where you type in your fave album, band, group or DVD. And up pops the album/dvd covers for that group.

It's a bit of a blast, especially when you type in the names of groups from your youth. See what you come up with.

Like I did, with ELO.

There are a few quirks, because all albums with that in the name pop up. But it looks like a good start.

Check it out here.




George Bush really is a good looking guy


...well, unless you play with his nose.

Mr. Blair is even funnier.

More than you ever wanted to know...

about farts.

Sunday, March 19, 2006

Yeah. complex.












Who Should Paint You: Salvador Dali



You're a complex, intense creature who displays many layers.
There's no way a traditional portrait could ever capture you!



Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Well I kinda fell asleep, for two solid hours.

I really needed it. really.

Except I slept through a social at the church.

I think Lauralea tried waking me once, but to no avail.

I really needed it.

Did I mention that yet?

I should have.

Saturday, March 18, 2006

Golden

Today I drove out to Christopher Lake where a friend lives in a fine house with his Dutch wife. They have carved out a life for themselves there, and have enjoyed the outdoor activities that the wilderness on the lake has provided them. Winter and summer.

I sat in their front room with them, right in front of a large window where he sits, trying to manage the pain from the cancer that has invaded his body. We drink vanilla flavored coffee and talk about life and all that it has offered my friends.

In between the noise our voices make, there are gaps of comfortable silence, as we watch out the window together.

The birds fly in for a bite to eat. The squirrels have dug tunnels in the snow. And the fierce wind today blows around any loose leftover snow.

And the silence.

The silence surprises me. It calms me, after a very uncalm week. It´s like medicine for my soul. My friend and his wife comment that often when they have guest come up for a visit, they find the visitors start to yawn. The silence does that you know. It makes time for your spirit to catch up with your body.

I think I nearly lost my spirit this week. So I was grateful for the quiet.

As I started my half hour journey home I wondered how I would be a different man if I lived in a place of silence. I always talk like I prefer the noise of the city and the activity and diversity of life. But I wonder how I would be different in a smaller, quieter place.

I used to think that silence was an empty space to fill. A void. But lately I´m starting to see silence as an active thing. A life restoring grace if you will.

It´s something, not nothing.

I wondered today how I would be different with more something and less nothing in my life.

Silence. It is indeed golden.

Company for church

Well, due to the excessive snowfall during the past two weeks, the Free Methodist church here in Prince Albert experienced a partial roof collapse yesterday.

As a result, the congregation from that church will be joining us for worship tomorrow. They are also going to meet after worship to formulate some plans for their future meetings.

This is a difficult time for them, but we can make it better by watching out for them, and making them feel at home.

It´s also a cool opportunity to worship our same God together.

Friday, March 17, 2006

Tis but a perfect night

to be watching Waking Ned Devine.

The language is poetry, the images, food for the soul.

And the story, is just fun.

Well, there they go

Our Sr. Highs are off to Covenant Bible College for ?Extreme Impact? this weekend. And you know it was snowing again last night.

May God smooth the roads before them. Both the highways and the roads into their hearts.

Thursday, March 16, 2006

Listerine


Can't a guy even buy it anymore in this city?


Wednesday, March 15, 2006

The Rhythm of Life - Wednesday

Wednesdays get going early. I'm up at 5:30 and by 6 am I'm checking email and connecting online. 6:30 is our church ?GateCrashers? Prayer time. We meet at the church and spend the first half hour praying alone, then we gather to pray together. This Wednesday morning discipline has been a nice surprise for me. Usually i enjoy it.

After this I usually take a bit of time to study, start thinking about shaping my thoughts for Sunday. At 9:30 I have been having breakfast with a friend from church who is going through cancer and all that's involved with treatment. Sometimes after that I'll head to the hospital to check on a few people. Usually I use that time to check up or visit with a few people. I'll do mail and answer phone messages, and do other office errands.

By the mid afternoon I need to take some time to prep for small group in the evening. If something needs to be planed or prepared for then, I do it. Usually by that time there have been a few shifts in direction that come from surprises or people just needing a bit of my time. They are not interruptions, because they are what my work is about. People.

I try to get a bit of study time in later in the afternoon, and I usually want to be home by 4pm, but that doesn't always happen. I have to go out in the evening too, so I try to get home early and play a game with the guys or have a nap.

By 7 pm we are off to our small group meeting, and that can be a good time.

Usually we get home around 9:30 and check the email I need to respond to, or call back the messages that have come for us through the evening. Sometimes as I'm checking the email, somebody will have a question or just want to chat a bit on instant messenger, so we'll do that a bit.

By then I'm mostly toast.

Kinda like right now.

Nite.

I?ve just been to the Dentist

And for whatever reason, it was a tough one.

Half my head is frozen, the room is spinning a bit, and I keep biting my tongue.

But I have an hour to pull myself together, before I am meeting with someone.

Hope they don´t notice the drool running down my chin. That could be distracting.

:)

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Get free brewed coffee during "Starbucks Coffee Break" on March 15 from 10 a.m. to noon

A Starbucks press release says: "Starbucks will host its first-ever Starbucks Coffee Break, inviting customers across the country to enjoy a complimentary cup of freshly brewed coffee. In stores and on street corners, from insulated brewing equipment and giant coffee backpacks, partners (employees) will pour tall (12-ounce) cups of coffee to surprise customers and delight commuters.


To bad the nearest Starbuck to me is an hour and a half away.
For those of you closer, go for it.

HELP

Would the person who sent a note to my cell, who was wondering if I had time to chat tomorrow, email me from the contact page, or call me. Just so i know who you are!!

Please!


Oh, and anybody else be interested in a visit, shoot me a note too!

:)


UPDATE: Thanks for connecting. Anybody else?


The Rhythm of Life - Tuesday

This morning sometime between sleeping and waking, it pushed through my subconscious that today was Tuesday.

Tuesdays are usually a ?Hold on for the ride? day. And I got to thinking how each day has it's own unique events that drive it, till I'm home in my bed.

Tuesdays are about checking the net first to reply to emails and things I need to be aware of, Then it's off to the Hospital to check on any people we may have staying there. Following that it's my weekly meeting with another city pastor. We listen to each other and check up on each other, and kind of just watch out for one another. We pray, drink coffee and go off into the week.

After that, today anyway, I was connecting with a guy from church. We ate lunch and hung out a bit. It was encouraging, and a way to care. Then its a staff meeting at church. Me and Steve, (the youth guy!) compare notes, catch up, set direction, and pray together.

Usually after that I have another visit or connection set up. Then I start looking at Sunday. If I'm leading I need to have the music chosen for Tuesday night, when the band practices. Today I need to have the music selected.

By this time it's after 4 already. So I check the emails and net things and respond as required.

I try to get home for 5 because I need to be gone again before 7 pm.

From seven till nine-ish I'm at the church leading the worship band in practice. Then I want to get home and into bed early because Wednesday is early prayer time, and I need to be up by 5:30am.

Sometimes, like last Tuesday, I get a call that someone is in the hospital and needs checking up on. So I fit that in after supper and before practice.

Tuesdays just are like that I guess. And the week mostly moves on with me hanging on for the ride.

Welcome to my Tuesday.

Sunday, March 12, 2006

Ricky, Lauralea, and me

Tonight Lauralea and I went out a bit.

Just tired of the weather and stuff, and in need of some good company so off we went. She made egg salad sandwiches and popcorn for the locals, and we headed off for supper.

We hit a new place in town, Ricky's Grill. It has the effect that when you walk into the doors it feels like you are not even in Prince Albert any longer. Sometimes you can't pay enough for that kind of trip. It's big city in small town.

Lauralea had some kind of orange chicken thing, and I had the Old Style Bacon and Cheddar Burger. I do believe its the best burger available in this town. It was very very good. And the fries weren't those coated ones, but the real deal.

Anyway, all that to say had a nice night. Good company, good food, and enough money to pay for it.

That's more than enough for now.

Saturday, March 11, 2006

10:30 pm



Still Snowing.



Open/Close

I confess dear friends that this weather is a bit demoralizing.

It's the third weekend that weather has played a big part of, and the dynamic is getting old.

People call asking is there church tomorrow or isn't there. For some it's not even a question, they'll walk to church if they have to. These are hearty souls who sometimes feel stronger about braving the elements than about being in church. :)

Then there are a bunch who would be fine either way. ?Just tell us what to do and we'll do it!? kinds of people who are easygoing.

Then there are those who insist that the weather is much to dangerous, and not fit for man nor beast. ?Take a serious hint from the Almighty and stay home once!? They would say.

As for me, I'm a odd mixture of all three.

I'm the guy who sees it as a challenge and opportunity to step up and put mother nature safely in her place. But I'm also the guy who sees that we don't need to meet together one week, to be the church. I mean, in the grand scheme of things, our not getting together one cold stormy Sunday won't kill us. (Unless you are a guy and stay home to shovel, then see this post...)

But I am looking at the parking lot. One entrance has been sealed by the city crews pushing the snow off the roads. That entrance is closed. And the second entrance, which comes through the back alley, is a deepening pit of loose snow, and a bit of a challenge to get through.

The yard is filling with snow. I with my higher van was able to plow through it a bit, barely. But it's Saturday afternoon, and the snow is still coming down thick and fast. By tomorrow morning it could be much worse. The weather says 2-4 cms of snow today, with another two tonight. Add that to what we received yesterday and was sitting on the yard, and hey it starts to add up.

So what does one do when facing this predicament? Well, he phones around to the other churches to see what they are doing because if they are staying open, he better be too.

:)

Anyway, I'd probably encourage those who have health conditions or those for whom driving is a bit tricky, just to stay home tomorrow. You don't need to risk life and limb just to hear me drone on for an hour. Watch some church service on TV or make some tea and read a good book. Turn on your favorite worship music, and enjoy all that God has given you.

I'll be at the church shoveling. (looking for my ticket to glory!)

Saturday Update

It's S T I L L  S N O W I N G.

And i don't want to go out in that stuff to get to the office.

Friday, March 10, 2006

Of Men and Snow and thinking Deeply

As I sit in front of the window typing, I realize that it´s snowing out. Again.

It looks so pretty, gently falling to the earth. But you take thousands and millions of those little flakes and put them on a pile on the road and pretty soon you´ll have a test of faith!

Since last week we´ve received a ton or two of snow. But I guess it´s not so different from last year. In 2005 we received a record amount of snow for todays date, 6.60 cm´s.

At least the farmers will be glad for all the moisture. And at least it´s been a beautiful winter, temperaturewise. We really have no reason to complain. Well, except for the fact that the hospital is over full due to all the heart attacks the old guys are having from trying to shovel their driveways.

Still, knowing the risks and dangers, men feel invincible and off they go to conquer the driveway. Like it takes away their manhood if they won´t do it. Hard to believe I know.

Like today, as I drove past my house to an appointment I had with someone, there was Lauralea in the front yard, shoveling the front walk with all her might.

Wanting to be considerate and acknowledge that I saw her, I gave a polite honk. Or three. This wasn´t as well received as it was intended. Apparently.

But later I thought, hmm, how embarrassing would it be if she ever keeled over from a shoveling induced heart attack! How would I hang around with the guys with that kind of baggage?

No body would want to hang out with me. The girls because I allow ladies to shovel their own walks, and the guys because I didn´t take it like a man, rather I let my wife ?take it.?

Then it dawned on me why guys, young and old, don´t listen to the advice to take it easy on the snow in their driveways. It´s not to protect their cars, it´s to protect their reputations.

Wow. That´s a deep thought.
Wonder how true it might be.

Thursday, March 09, 2006

Working Smarter

Printing is underrated

So, today I finally got the church network setup.

Finally.

Been waiting for this day for, oh, too many years.

Somewhere along the way computers became important to the effective operation of an office. We at church have struggled to keep up.

I brought in my own computer, but the ancient computer in the outer office, which had a printer on it, didn´t run the same wordprocessor. It had an ancient copy of Office installed on it, and I use WordPerfect.

So, I would write something, email it to myself at home, go home, print it off, and take it back to work. Of course I would try to do it along with other errands, just to not waste the gas, but you know. That was a sweet pain.

A few weeks ago, a couple of people from the church heard what was going on, so they showed up with some serious cash, for office equipment.

Christmas came early.

I´d been thinking about this day for a few years and I knew just what to get. We got three desktops, a wifi router, and a color, network-able, LaserJet printer. Can you say Sweet? I knew you could.

I remember when I used to get a 1200 baud modem installed with the right IRQ settings and it would take a week to fight and win. Well today I got the three computers set up and running with OpenOffice, FireFox, AVG, Picassa, The Sword (Bible software), and a few other things.

Then I set up the router, bing bang boom, networked in the printer, and within a few hours we were good to go. No conflicts, no IRQ stories, no nothing except a networked system all ready to go.

Now, I can print stuff from anywhere on the church yard, if I need to. Anywhere.

That´s just coolness.

So welcome to the nineties church staff. And may your printer live long and prosper.

Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Do It Yourself FM Radio

This is cool. A guy in Northern India creates his own radio station, for One Dollar.

And the town loves the content.


Are we over stimulated here or what.

via.

90 year old on the lam

Last night I received a call from a family member of one of our 90 year old ladies. She had been admitted into the hospital because of some concerns her Doctor had.

This is language for we want you to know, and we want you to visit our mom.

Fair enough. I encourage people to let me know if they go into the hospital. You would be surprised, as I often am, how many times someone gets admitted to the hospital, and I never ever hear about it!

So, taking my Que I trundle off to the hospital to check up on her, except that they don´t have a record of her being admitted. I head off to emerg because sometimes they are there, without having their names get to the information desk yet. Nope, they haven´t heard of her either.

Stumped, I head to my office. Maybe she has already been released.

I phone her son who reports that she isn´t home yet.

?Oh? he adds, ?You probably didn´t use her real name!?

Huh? I´m thinking.

?Yea, her name is Betty, not Wilma?*

I´ve only ever known her as Wilma. Now she goes by Betty?

The son continues, ?She has a number of names, and Wilma isn´t one of them.?

So, she has a number of aliases´? Who is this ninety year old running from, I wonder.

I thank the son and call up the hospital before I make the run down there to visit this Betty person. Only they don´t have a Betty M admitted.

Oh brother.

So my first task of this new day is to find out where she is, and what this little ninety year old´s name really is.

If I find out why she doesn´t use her real name, well I´ll just consider that gravy.



*Names have been changed to protect the guilty.

The light came to early prayer time this morning

As light awakens the dawn
and glory crowns the morning,
So my head is crowned with your glory
and your light awakens my tired heart.

Tuesday, March 07, 2006

Excuse me while I grow up a bit. again.

I think that the work of last week has caught up to me, at least emotionally it seems.

I went to the hospital like I do each Tuesday morning to visit a couple of older friends from church. They are aging suddenly it seems. And they both show it in their own ways.

Usually visiting the hospital can cheer me a bit. It´s such a small thing to do, but it´s always well received. So I always leave encouraged, my day a little brighter.

Today it wasn´t much brighter.

Somewhere between visiting one of them, and journeying up to the next floor to visit the other, I realized that I will need to say good bye to them. Maybe soon. Maybe sooner than I think.

That thought was just a heavy weight to me this morning.

I mean, they are ready to go, but now they are making preparations for the trip.

I guess my problem is that long goodbyes are hard for me. They hurt lots. I learned early on to make goodbyes short and sweet. And I tend to live into that thinking, as a bit of protection from hurt I suppose.

But lately God is doing something in me that has to do with love, again. I keep my heart pretty protected you know. Dangerously so sometimes.

But I need to love again. To be vulnerable to pain and loss and hurt. And that´s hard for me, these days.

I prefer to keep it hard and protected and safe from wounds. I don´t like walking around with open wounds, so I shut down, I don´t love. Safer.

And yeah, I know this lesson. I´ve learned it many times before. But I need to learn it again. A thousand times a day, I need to learn it.

This is hard for me. To love people who will go away. To love people who will call me names. To love people who will reject me. To love people who consider me a hired hand.



And I know, this is a sign of personal weakness, an indication of spiritual immaturity. But it is what I´m working through these days.

God has other plans for my heart, and future and He loves me madly. So the question is not lost on me, if I can´t love people who are in front of me, how can I love him, who is unseeable?

Indeed, how can I love if I cannot allow love to be lavished on me?

That thought is so frightening I nearly wet myself.

Sunday, March 05, 2006

Snow Video Clip

Alrighty, for those of you with highspeed or patience, here is a 24 meg .MOV movie clip of the backyard and all the snow.

It includes video images of the boys shoveling.

You'll not want to miss it.


Here.
(You can also right click on it and "Save link as")

Saturday, March 04, 2006

I don't BEELIEVE it


What is this, it waits all winter playing a Spring theme, then when March arrives she lets it all out???

Com'on on Mother nature, enough snow already.

It's been snowing again all late afternoon and evening. Quite nasty out there.

Not fit for man nor beast.


Chillin Saturday

Saturday is upon us, and I´m kinda in a pre-pastoring frame of mind. Kinda wish like today was a Saturday like I used to live, before this pastoring gig got started.

The snow is gently coming down, there´s some mellow Jack Johnson coming out of my speakers, and Lauralea´s puttering around the kitchen making some nice surprise. It wants to be a chillin day around here. It wants me to pick up a book and just read for a change. It wants me to pour a glass and talk with Lauralea or play a game with the guys.

It wants me to do so many things.

But the reality is that I am off to my office to try to prepare for tomorrow. To study some more, and focus. I also need to pray through some things, all before tomorrow comes.

So the least you can do is to have an enjoyable day today. And don´t not tell me about it because you may or may not feel guilty about chillin while others are workin.

Have a good one, and remember to make some time and space in your life for God this weekend.

Peace.

Friday, March 03, 2006

Nouwen on God's faithfulness and ours

When God makes a covenant with us, God says: "I will love you with an everlasting love. I will be faithful to you, even when you run away from me, reject me, or betray me." In our society we don't speak much about covenants; we speak about contracts. When we make a contract with a person, we say: "I will fulfill my part as long as you fulfill yours. When you don't live up to your promises, I no longer have to live up to mine." Contracts are often broken because the partners are unwilling or unable to be faithful to their terms.But God didn't make a contract with us; God made a covenant with us, and God wants our relationships with one another to reflect that covenant. That's why marriage, friendship, life in community are all ways to give visibility to God's faithfulness in our lives together.

Henri Nouwen

Thursday, March 02, 2006

I'm home

Nine hours after I left Strathmore, I arrived home in Prince Albert.

Nine hours.

I could have driven it in seven.


Anyway, it's good to be home. Well, except for the three feet of snow everywhere!!!

I'm done writing my report, and now it's time for all good little pastors to be in their little beds.

So, good night.


and hey, thanks again for prayin. Really, thank you.

Homeward Bound

Well, in a few moments I begin my journey home. It will begin at 11 am, and end tonight around 8:30 pm. And I just looked outside, it's snowing again.

Lauralea tells me it's been snowing since I left Prince Albert, they are having difficulty getting the cars out onto the street. Sounds like fun.

And I've got meeting hangover, my head is ringing and hurting, and my sinuses are dry as prairie dust! That will make for an interesting flight.

I'm looking forward to being home tonight, it will be good.

But that good feeling will be accompanied by a sense of accomplishment. That we got done here what we needed to get done here, and we did it, as God has led.

Have a good one eh?

Wednesday, March 01, 2006

Hope renewed

Well, the day is done and I am generally encouraged. It seems that God may have gone before us, again.

I dunno why, after so much prayer, I should expect differently. Probably a weakness of mine.

Anyway, many meetings now completed.

Tonight I escaped with Johanna for a while. She's changing a lot these days, and its good. Real good. When she was a small kid, God gave me a picture of her in the future, (as he has with all my children.) For a long while I thought that image may have been all in my head, because of who she has been. But lately God has been reminding me of that picture, and I'm seeing her change into this person God named her to be years ago.

I guess I need that small encouragement because frankly parenting is the hardest thing I've ever done. Ever. And there are days I feel a very complete failure.

Still, God has a part to play in the lives of these short people. And he does his best too, which is so much better than mine.


Anyway, I am so very tired. The emotional toll of today, together with the fact of being up till 2 or 3 last night working, makes Randy a very tired guy.

So, Good night.

And thanks to those of you who have covered me with prayer.