Category Archives: Day to Day

One step better than blogfriends in cyberspace are blogfriends that become real live face to face friends.  Becky is one of those real live face to face friends that I would never have met if it weren’t for blogging and meet ups and places like the Worship Freehouse.

So it was a real treat to be invited to Becky and Jerry’s party – a Wedding reception so those of us that were not at the event four months ago could celebrate with them.   Just looking at them you can see they are in love!

Pictures are posted here.

I just arrived home again from Strathmore AB   where I attended a weekend retreat.  It was small, very intimate.  It was more than I expected.  I know that it will take a bit of processing to understand the significance of everything that I experienced.  God seems to meet me most vividly when my sense of need is greatest and I spend time with him in solitude and prayer.

One of the experiences for me was walking the Labyrinth for the first time.  It was for me an experience – hard to describe – but one that was more significant than I expected. 

And travelling with a friend – for both of us that was a good thing.

The kids car that is.  We now have one dead car parked outside my front window.  So why today?  It seems as if all things are conspiring to make my departure for a weekend prayer retreat (Centerpoint at Covenant Bible College) more problematic.  Sara was going to use it to get to her soccer games on Sat and Sun and of course there is school to get to on Friday.  I think the main user of the car needs to be more sensitive to the signs of an ailing vehicle.  I suspect something has not been well for a while.  Well this may be a good lesson for her.  I think they may be vehicleless for awhile.  Worst part of that is the borrowing of my car then.  And it is quite possible that this weekend they will have no access to a vehicle.  They will just have to get creative – maybe walk?

The other challenge I have in getting prepared to leave is the presece of a lot of conflict right now between my daughter and I.  It seems that whatever I do or say causes her to react negatively and vice versa.  So the last day has been so hard.  We had a big argument last night when I came home tired to find her sleeping on the couch in front of the TV.  My enquiry into the state of her health revealed that she was not ill but when I asked her to help with supper and the response was “Don’t yell at me”  then I really did yell. 

The extent of our talking since then was a few moments ago when I asked her what happened to the car.

That coupled with stress at work has made the week pretty tough so far.

I really need to go to that prayer retreat.  I really, really need to go.

So I will try to do some counting.

Number of books I own:
It is hard to sort out the books that collectively and exclusively are mine but I think that it is somewhere around 400.  Many are just sort of “ours” as in belong to anyone in the family who wants to read them.  Some are exclusively mine – even Leo does not want to read them and vice versa.  Most of these are not books for our reading enjoyment – more like reading for our work. 

Last book I bought:
I bought three last time I ordered from Amazon.
A Generous Orthodoxy by Brian McLaren
The Out Of Bounds Church by Steve Taylor
The Last Word and The Word After That by Brian McLaren

I haven’t had time to read any of these yet.

Latest books I am reading:
I read more than one book at a time.  Some can’t just be read through fast – you know.
Plan B by Anne Lamott
The World According to Chuck by Chuck Sigars
Finding God in Unexpected Places by Philip Yancey
Knowing God by J I Packer
Devotional Classics by Richard Foster

And of course one that I am sure you will want to rush out and purchase right away – Systemized Orthodontic Treatment Mechanics by McLaughlin, Bennett and Trevisi.

Last book I read(and have finished):
Keep Sweet by Debbie Palmer.  I just finished this one – a gift from the author.  It is her story of growing up as a cult member and victim of abuse in Bountiful, BC. 

Five Books that mean a lot to me:
Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller  I’ve read this once on my own, once with a study group.  I liked it so much I gave a few copies away.

Searching for God Knows What by Donald Miller  I guess I just like his writing style besides the message he wants to get across in this book.

Seal Up The Thunder by Erin Noteboom.  I enjoy her poetry and check out her blog regularly.  These poems have their origins in Biblical literature.  I think one of my favorites is her “Revelation” that starts the book off.

The Sacred Way by Tony Jones.  It is a good resource for me on the spiritual practices – practical advice as well as the history behind the practices.

Ruthless Trust by Brennan Manning.  I read this book recently and learned from it at a time when I am very much needing to trust.

Tag Five More:
Lauralea
Brad Boydston
Cathy Johnson
Janine
Marc Vandersluys

I will still keep music in my brain.  Tucked away somewhere, maybe some of the stuff I really enjoy playing now, so that when all else is obscure, I can recall the tunes.  Maybe even the words will be stored in there to be taken out when the music plays. 

This afternoon, I went up to visit my dad.  Sharon has a little bitty keyboard and she brought along dad’s violin – the one that before it was his was played by his father.  I brought my recorder.  For a solid hour we played.  We just sat and played some of the old songs.  Some Sharon and I did a fair job with – we had the music.  Dad played from memory.  Sharon would tell him the key and the note we started on.  He took it from there.  And, yeah, there were a few mistakes and his violin slipped a bit as he got tired, but he did not want to quit.  If his supper had not been waiting – who knows. 

What an amazing thing the mind is.  The memories come and go.  Some days it is good and others the talk is fairly tangled up and makes no sense at all.  But the music?  It lasts.

That was worship.  As much as was the morning service which was very good. 

This week has been long and busy.  Therefore not much posting has been done.  And here it is Friday already.

Tonight I am off to Waskesiu.  Leo usually attends a continuing education even up there on one of these early June weekends.  It is fun, relaxing and the food is good.  Leo wouldn’t miss the weekend of golf.  They do have lots of good teaching too. 

This weekend is also the church wind down picnic before the summer hiatus.  Well, it marks the end of classes pretty much and then so many people are away in the summer.  The annual ball game will be held and the old folks will whip the ….. of the kids – I think that is how it goes.  Then back to the church for a barbecue.  Being out at the lake, I am not sure how much of this I will take in.  Maybe will be back in time for the barbecue. 

Leighton has a post about why he likes being involved in a house church so much.  I guess the small groups I am involved in are the thing most like that for me.  But I don’t think I would want to give up meeting with the congregation I am a part of to worship together.  Maybe being part of a small church and some smaller groups offers the best of both worlds. 

I may post my reasons for enjoying church in a small institutional church.  But that means sitting and thinking and I haven’t had much time for that this week. 

Tonight I went for a long walk and talk with a friend.  We decided to go out to the Little Red Park across the river from where I live.  It’s a nice piece of wild land inside our city limits with lots of walking trails. 

I was out there a few weeks ago and, as I was watching a goose squawk at me and take off for the water of the pond beside us, I noticed the reason for the commotion – a nest with about three eggs.  I had inadvertently scared her away from her nest.    

Tonight we took a little detour on our walk so I could check on the nest.  This time I made sure I did not get so close as to frighten her.  She was there sitting on the nest.

Tonight our wildlife treat was watching a big fat beaver.  It seemed to be oblivious to the presence of all the onlookers.  It strolled nonchalantly on the grass nibbling at sticks and dandelions.    

Yesterday, I was out doing chores – running around town picking up stuff I would need from various stores.  I left rather late in the afternoon since everyone else was away and I didn’t think anyone would be home for supper until maybe 9pm.  I was surprised when I drove into the garage and saw that Leo was already home.  He had been down in Saskatoon for some meeting – oh, yeah and golf. 

Sara was down there getting a very fancy hairdo – real hair attached into her own.  Long real hair.  Very expensive real hair.  It is a late birthday present, something she has wanted for a long time and has been saving up till closer to grad.  Her boyfriend graduates this month and she wants to look special.  I hope she likes it since this is “the” hairdo of the year.  (Actually she looks just too gorgeous and only 16!)  I will try and sneak a picture in here if she will let me get one that meets with her approval.

No one had had supper yet except Sara – she ate in Saskatoon with her older sister. 

Sometimes you would think I had forbidden anyone else in the house to think of cooking something in my absence.

I asked Patrick to put some burgers on the barbecue.  He went to start it and broke the lighter.  We had one match left in the house.  He knew how to work that.  Those crazy “childproof” lighters.  Takes an intelligent woman to operate one.

Then he said he would sure like to go the Star Wars but did not want to go alone.  I wanted to go too but not alone.  So on the spur of the moment we decided to go. 

This left Leo to finish cooking his own burgers.  We had put them on.  We reminded him to turn them as we left.  They had all disappeared when we returned close to 1am.  I hope they were OK.  I don’t smell burnt meat.  But did he eat them all? 

Update:
Well, I guess he did not burn the burgers.  But he did eat them all!  Well, it is not as bad as that may sound – only three.  Still it was an opportunity for me to remind him that he should not have – that burgers can safely be kept in the fridge and eaten later. 

Then today at noon, we had company for lunch.  For some reason the kids got around to discussing Leo’s cooking abilities.  I assured them that in days of yore he had actually made an awesome pot of chilli.  Not just once either.  But they assured me that somewhere along the way he had lost his cooking skills.  He made the most gross omelet once to feed the kids, I guess.  As they put it “He just threw in a whole hunk of cheese – didn’t grate it or anything.”  But they don’t mind too much if he is in charge.  He can be persuaded to order in with absolutely no arm twisting.

One of the fun parts about being a parent is seeing the investment pay off.  Oh, I’m not sure if the financial investment ever reaps huge dividends and I don’t know that I would recommend it as a great financial investment strategy.  In fact I think kids just about break you in every way, financial included.  But yesterday, we got to be present at the convocation of the College of Law at the U of Saskatchewan.  And Eric now moves up into that category that is slightly above a law student.  He will now become officially a “student at law” as he begins his year of articling. 

I can remember those horrid days of elementary school with Eric.  I am not a teacher but because I was a missionary mother, I was expected to teach him Kindergarten and Grade 1.  I also was the only dentist in the province in which we lived and was trying to teach a student to do dentistry as well.  So class time with Eric was limited.  His Kindergarten was taught mostly at siesta time and that wasn’t the greatest time.  I was tired and he wanted to play.  By the time Grade 1 came around a short term missionary was there to help – a Godsend.  Otherwise he may not have lived to the ripe old age of 7 when he started regular classes.

And then there were those years of math problems.  Those few problems that took hours (literally) and ended up with tears of anger and frustration.  Those were the days before we knew about ADHD.  What saved him when he got into high school were friends that studied with him and his own natural intelligence.

What saved him as he got into Law school was his wife, Michelle. 

So yesterday we braved the long and in reality fairly boring convocation for the Colleges of Education and the College of Law.  Finally, there he was, up there on stage.  And we cashed in on those long grueling years of school.  It was worth it.

Tomorrow is going to be a big day for us.  Eric convocates tomorrow afternoon from law.  Imagine that – one kid actually done school.  His second degree, in fact, since he already has a BA in International Development from Guelph.  We are proud of all our kids – as most parents are I guess.  It maybe is most rewarding to see them finish when it has not simply been a breeze; an easy accomplishment.  Maybe we all owe the most to Michelle who has loved him all the way through this degree.  I don’t think he would have made it without her encouragement (ie: making him study and commuting to PA to work to support them both).

We will take pictures!