Category Archives: Day to Day

I think I figured out how to upload a picture. If you want to see my daughter in her game go ahead. She’s the black girl – my baby. 14 already. God’s special gift to me.
Sara soccer.jpg

I am trying to make some changes to my site but it seems that today was not a good day to try and change the template, so I will have to try over the next few days.

I got my first sunburn of the year today watching soccer – not too bad though, at least it doesn’t hurt, I’m just very pink. I should know better but I forgot the sunscreen. It was a beautiful day for being at a soccer game, especially when my daughter is on the winning team. By the way, you Saskatonians, our girls kicked butt the last two days, beating Hollandia and Aurora both.
Sorry, I was going to put a picture in here but there is obviously something I am doing wrong – so another day!

We had a great visit this evening with a family from Belgium/Congo. They have two of the cutest little girls. And they speak very good French, which is good for my French. It is always easier to speak it by the end of the evening, I guess practice makes perfect. It’s good for our kids too since their girls really do not speak much English. Multilingualism is a skill that our children do not appreciate enough. I earned my second language the hard way – as an adult – but it was worth it.

We have a big busy day at our house today. Leo worked midnights so went to bed early last night to be able to function – was called at about 1:30 am and worked till 8:00am today. Then Christian went up to be his “chauffeur” and they are off to Saskatoon where Leo is attending a short conference on the provision of medical services in the Francophone community. I was to go too but Sara has her first real soccer game in the Premiere league at noon today so our plans had to change. I can’t miss her first game! Our other son is helping to be a french language translator for a Judo competition here in Prince Albert – so he has already left for his “job” for the day. After the soccer game today I will have to go down to Saskatoon to pick Leo up. He does drive, in case you are wondering, but didn’t think he should after being up all night. Good thing I like to drive – two trips to Saskatoon in three days.

I’m an early riser. There is no better time of the day for quiet in our house. If I don’t put on the music too loud, I can sit and listen, talk to God, read, etc. without interruption. Front page on MSN is this article on meditation – how to. I wonder if there would ever be a front page link on how to pray and meditate in the Christian context- hmmmm.

Today was one of those days when I just didn’t accomplish much. I had to fast for blood tests so my day didn’t even start out with a good cup of coffee. Then I got to the lab and computer problems were preventing them from printing labels. The bloodletter had the bright idea to write them out by hand so we did eventually get the tests done. I must say that whoever the tech was, she did a good job – painless and I have those collapsible veins that usually require more than one attempt.

Today was also my day to supervise the School Dental Program(an in school treatment program to serve high needs kids) so I went over to Queen Mary School. The child I needed to see the most was out of school on a field trip so I couldn’t do her work. There are too many field trips and not enough school – ought to make them work harder I say! So by midmorning I was free.

Went and bought some bedding plants. Was amazed that most of them are sold out. How did I get so far behind? Maybe that’s why my plants start to bloom in September just before the first frost! I never seem to catch up with the speed with which summer passes. Wasn’t it just snowing last weekend?

Last night we as a family celebrated Leo’s birthday. He actually has one more day left as a younger man. We have this thing about his age since I am a whole two months older than him. I think I was as excited about giving him his gift as he was in receiving it. Before Christmas I discovered in a used bookstore in Saskatoon a copy of Stanley’s In Darkest Africa. Over 100 years old and still in almost perfect condition. A great indulgence but he is a Bibliophile and it’s about Africa.

I seem to be running into all sorts of references about age. Maybe it’s just birthdays and then watching my own dad wear out. At times I feel restricted because I know I am getting older – my body tells me so. But I would like to preserve an open outlook on life, not become too set in my ways as I see some older folks becoming.
So here I read in Psalm 92: 14-15

Even in old age they will still produce fruit;
they will remain vital and green.
They will declare,” The Lord is just!
He is my rock!
There is nothing but goodness in him!”

I guess I hope I am still vital and green for awhile yet.

Psalms 90:12 and 14
Teach us to make the most of our time so that we may grow in wisdom…
Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.

Today was a fairly lazy day so I don’t know how well I made use of my time. So I don’t suppose I’m much wiser today either!

Went over to visit my dad. He seems to have had a TIA today around noon. Leo went over, checked him out and started him on aspirin. He was better this evening which is typical. His loss of memory over the last few years makes him hardly the same person as his thoughts are very confused. He’s still the dad that held me on his knee, prayed with me as I invited Christ in, taught me to ride a bike and drive a car, married Leo and I and loved and prayed for me all my life. I suspect God can still follow his wandering thoughts and put them together for him. Praise be to God for his neverending love to us. Keep Dad in your care, God.

Here I am, Linea Lanoie, wife, mother and taxpaying contributor to a large and dysfunctional, mixed race, mixed cultural family of nine. An Anglophone myself, I am wife of and mother to four Francophone’s. Three of our children are Anglophones. Three of our children are white, two black and two mixed. All of my birth-children could apply for Metis status.

I have come to love the French language, Lingala and most things African except for the painful stuff going on there. I love art, especially the use of color, form, and texture. I like the way some music and art connects with a part of me my soul or mind bringing me to a more profound level of understanding and appreciation of the world around me. I enjoy music of most types. Besides the classical music I grew up on, I am discovering the pleasure there is in the melodies, beat and significant messages of today’s music. It is good to experience the intensity with which my children make music, dance and play.

At the same time that I enjoy the world of art, music, and the mystical and fantasy world of literature, I am a pretty down to earth and practical sort of woman. I can deal calmly with an emergency and clean up messes without cringing. ‘Life goes on after the crisis. As long as I have a good strong cup of coffee and someone who cares enough to listen to me if I have to unload, I’ll make it through. I’m learning that God always has time to hear me out. (and some of his servants are great listeners too)

I have been blessed with a myriad of life experiences. And I like practicing well the profession (of dentistry) God called me into. I have always rebelled a bit at the expectations of the established church and also at the pre-feminist views of what a woman should do with her life. Now I rebel at being categorized as too old to try and appreciate new worship strategies and styles. I think I have, by reason of my outlook on life, a postmodern mind in a modern (50 +) body. I feel freer now to worship than I ever did in the past. It takes some of us a long time but God works to free us to fully enjoy His presence and worship Him with all of our beings. I like it! I want to be in touch with what is going on in the world so that I can have a relevant faith.

My faith has been shaped by the Protestant Christian heritage in which I was raised and the Catholic heritage of my husband’s family. As well it has been shaped by my educational experience as a dentist, my sixteen years as a medical missionary in the Congo, and by my own and my children’s struggles with life.

I decided to give blogging a try. I have always liked to write to express myself – usually in free verse. I will, from time to time post some verse here. I think it will also be an intellectual challenge to try writing again – a forum for my thoughts.