Whatever He Says

The title of this blog post goes back several years to when employees at the Provincial Government funded agency where I work were challenged to participate in a campaign called "The Power of One." The idea was that if many staff at Christian Horizons  raised $500 each for CH Global , which is only funded by donations; collectively it would add up to a significant amount.  It was in the last quarter of the fiscal year, a busy time at work, and I remember having a sinking feeling. I am not a natural fundraiser and it felt like one more pressure added to my full plate. That attitude didn't last long, thank goodness. I was soon thinking of the old bible story of David and Goliath. No one was stepping up to fight the giant Goliath until a young shepherd boy named David  reminded them that there was a God in Israel who only needed a willing heart and pair of hands. My attitude to that point resembled that of King of Israel at that time: Saul; who was defeated befor...

Doesn't it drive you a little crazy when things just go missing? I wrote about the case of the missing salmon three years ago when Tippy and Tori were 13 and 14. Here is that little story, since they both just spent the weekend with us and are so much more grown up now! I was loading the dishwasher when Brenda wandered upstairs and into our kitchen with her brow furrowed and a perplexed expression on her face. She told me that she had just posted as her status on Facebook : "Ok its official--I have lost my mind--and my salmon! Made my lunch for tomorrow and could have sworn I put the leftovers in the fridge but the illusive salmon is missing in action! If I ever find it I'll let I you know where I put it!" I am used to hunting my kitchen and office for things that seem to vaporise the moment they leave my hand, but it was funny to see Brenda standing there in her pajamas telling me that she had actually looked inside her washing machine, dryer, oven and mi...

One of our three eldest granddaughters is 16, and two are 17. To say that they are growing up fast seems an understatement. That "in between time" between childhood and adulthood is a tender, precious time. I wrote about one of them recently in a post entitled, A Little Adventure . It was during that very adventure, while Tori and I were driving to Owen Sound to pick up her new pet rats, that I noticed she had the sniffles and offered her a purse sized package of Kleenex. She was so thrilled with the Kleenex package that I told her to keep it, and the next time the family all got together for Sunday lunch, I had an assortment of several little fancy Kleenex packages; from my bulk Costco pack; for each of the girls. I watched them pick out the patterns that appealed to their individual taste and saw I'd guessed correctly when I thought I knew which ones they'd each choose: the camouflage print drew Tippy, the teal green print was Tori's, and K went for the bright...

A couple of weeks ago I picked up a phone message from Brenda asking if I would like to go to a concert. Does spring follow winter? I mean really! "Yes!!!" I said. Not only a concert, but a "Musical Extravaganza," by the music department of St. Andrew's College, her beloved  SAC , where she works with "her boys."  The concert was at the  Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts ;  I could hardly wait.  Last Wednesday night I drove to Aurora to meet Brenda for supper in the college dining hall, where, with the kind permission of the head of the kitchen staff, we enjoyed a meal of succulent sliced pork loin in apple sauce with the faintest hint of cloves, followed by  profiteroles  with strawberry sauce. We could not have had a more delicious meal in the best restaurant in town. The hall was filled with teachers who live on campus and their families, students, and custodial staff, many of whom came by to say a warm "Hi!" to "Br...

It was the week in which Canadians celebrated the 50th anniversary of our flag and David Stewart and his bride Xiaoqian Liu, celebrated their love by getting married on Valentine's Day. It almost felt as though a Divine event planner had been at work in bringing all these things together. From different cultural backgrounds, their wedding bore testimony to the power of love to overcome obstacles, and the importance of young couples being surrounded by family, community and prayer. David and Xiaoqian's wedding was both cross cultural, blending Chinese and Canadian traditions; and counter cultural in that the  focus was on getting married, not "the wedding," although that was lovely.  The reception hall in the church basement was decorated with Chinese lanterns, fans, lovely floral table centrepieces and origami birds.   The bride wore red; the traditional bridal colour in China;  symbolizing good luck, happiness, vital...

We left for the city at 6.30 a.m. with a crescent moon still bright in the morning  sky. By the time we were on the Gardiner Expressway, the sun was up and washing the city of Toronto in a rosy glow as though trying its best to counteract the arctic chill of the coldest morning of the winter. I told Paul that I felt like  Forrest Gump , the movie character who was accidentally present at many historic moments. We were on our way to an event to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the flag of Canada, the distinctive Maple Leaf. Paul had been invited weeks earlier to be in a commemorative photo; a living recreation of the flag; but a few days before the event had received an email saying that there was still space and a significant other could accompany him if he wished! It felt surreal, and an exciting honour that we would both be in a photograph that would be included in the public record of this celebration.  We made our way to the  Mattamy Athletic Centre ;...

You were with me i n a garden  long ago ; with  green shadow  dappled  lawns ,  edged with terracotta bricks; and trees filled with blackbird song. When I, a child of three or four, came in from play one day to say that I had talked with you. You were with me too, i n fields where I heard your voice above the distant lowing of cattle; on the wind that sighed, and riffled rolling waves of silver green grass. To this shy girl when eight, you were a confidante. You were with me, s tirring my heart when nine, to give the only gift I had; my life; to you, a fervent offering. Praying alone in the one room we lived in then, I said impulsively, "I will be a missionary."  You were with me in the dark, helping me  endure my many fears, night terrors, and deep insecurities. You were with me i n the songs I sang in school assemblies, through which I learned of your childhood; your life; and sacrificial death. Hot tears filled my eyes each year t hrough Hol...