The Christmas Marathon

I heard someone refer to this season as a Marathon early in December and I cringed. I have this ideal of simple, basic celebrations that are restful and easy. But the truth is that sometimes this season does get to be more of a marathon than we want it to be. Factor in out of province travels and things get even more complicated! However, our family did find great times of joy and rest, times that were meaningful and helped us to reflect on the reason for our gatherings and celebrations. The marathon doesn't have to get the best of us!! Here are some photos of our Christmas week...
A pot luck in the Bethany Cafeteria...even Syd joined us!
Special friends!
Only a few people reading this blog would know what my mom looked like... but this shot of my sister Lisa should give you a pretty good idea! Although my Memere looked into my eyes on Christmas Eve and said I had the same eyes as my mom.. made me misty!
Christmas morning with a two year old, what fun!
Special friends and neighbors, a quick Christmas day visit.


The annual game of hot potato/gift exchange with the cousins..
We spend so much time snuggling those babies when we're in Winnipeg!

Sydney's favorite Christmas things

1-my favorite thing about christmas is that Jesus was born!
2- my second favorite thing about christmas is that everyone is happy and joyful!
3-my third favorite thing about christmas is that there is lots of sales and it is awesome!
4-my fourth favorite thing about cristmas is that i get to see my family.
5-my fifth favorite thing about christmas is giving not receiving

hope you all have a good christmas

an Attitude of Gratitude

Ever have one of those weeks? and then you have a break or a weekend and you are renewed, invigorated and ready for any kind of challenge? Well I did and I did... and I'm sharing it with all of you! I'm sharing because its fun and I enjoy this blogging thing more and more (mostly as I hear that you're reading and enjoying!), but also and primarily because its a good exercise to remind myself of all the fabulous and wonderful things that happen in day to day life.. unfortunately, I'm more of a forgetter than rememberer. I'd like to always have an attitude of gratitude...

So, the awesome and very welcome weekend started out with my birthday on Friday. I don't feel so bad advertising it here since its on facebook and all of the whole world knew and wrote on my wall or messaged me that day! I even had some great phone calls, including my brother in law Ted doing a Marilyn Monroe impression! The day started out with one of my coworkers calling from Saskatoon asking what I'd like from Starbucks... what a great beginning.

That evening, Sydney had a Christmas party with some friends, and we had a few couples over... much fun, including a cake that my daughter baked.

Saturday was a stay at home day.. got some cooking and baking done and not much else.. I took a photo out of our dining room window, winter is so pretty here. That was also the day new photos found their way onto the blog and a new layout appeared! Everyone else in the family was out and about, but I was quite happy to stay in!

Sunday, Sydney was the first up in the morning, getting ready to get out the door and go across the street to church for the final practice for her Christmas play. (that is such a treat - we used to be late for church every Sunday and then we'd have to walk from way back in the parking lot.. further than we walk now!) She and Lauren did an outstanding job in their duet!

We came home quick after church, making sure the chili we'd gotten ready for guests hadn't burned down the house in our absence. All was well and we had a great afternoon of visiting, soccer watching (the guys did!) and enjoying the little ones. I especially enjoyed the young girls that were over as they played with our meagre toy offerings and our little Jesus' and mangers... these Christmas items continue to find their way out of the box every Christmas even though my kids are beyond the age.. it was heartwarming to have little people playing again!

Sunday night brought our family's Christmas eve celebration - we're reinventing some traditions and this was the night for the things that used to happen on Christmas Eve... we enjoyed a fine meal of broth and tourtiere, a devotional prepared by Owen.. (well, read out of an Advent book!) and then some home videos. But first we opened a couple of presents, and I was very surprised to get this awesome shirt from Jilly. (You're one of my "...", too, by the way, Jill!) The home videos were so much fun, from two year old Sydney not understanding musical chairs, to my nephews' first hockey game, to Brendan's karoake rendition of R-E-S-P-E-C-T. We all laughed pretty hard!!

You know, the great weekend didn't quite end with the almost-Christmas-Eve night.. Today brought much to be thankful for too. Sheryl, our friend from Bethany, came over for a tea party, DDR, and karaoke with Syd. And, I had some great news at work today, I'll have a new role in January which is very exciting and seems to be a great fit.

So there you have it... I've exercised my remembering muscles and you've had a very significant glimpse into our days here in Hepburn!

Advent

Beginning to understand a bit about Advent has changed me. Or at least it has changed my understanding of the season and my ability to focus on celebrating the birth of Christ rather than the many things competing to be celebrated instead. If there is one person I can thank for opening up the season of advent to me, it's Mary Reimer, giving a one time Advent 101 session to the MOMs group back at Fort Garry MB in Winnipeg. She encouraged us young moms to do fun and creative things to celebrate Advent with our little ones... I still treasure the little puppets we made, and memories of acting out the manger scene for dinner guests! One year, Brendan made us a candle holder with space for 24 candles - we faithfully lit one every day, (well, almost every day!) using alternating sides of the holder - a visible reminder of the anticipation and building of the season towards the single white candle in the centre, a symbol for the holiness and specialness of Jesus' birthday.
This season, for some reason I find myself poring less than usual over scriptures and seasonal songs and books, and I've been reflecting on images instead. The image below has been speaking to me for a couple of weeks now. (And I want to give proper credit for where I found it, so note that below too!) I guess its the advent display in a Catholic church in Maryland. Or at least it was during one of their advent seasons. It caught my eye immediately, because it wasn't a wreath, which is such a frequently used advent symbol. Its altogether different, yet the elements represented in a wreath aren't absent... the light is captured, the life symbolized in the greenery is still present in the poinsettias.

I might post later in the season on some of my insights as I've come back to this image over and over. I might also ask the young lady I've begun to mentor at Bethany if I can share her thoughts, for they were very insightful too. But for now, I'll leave you with the image and no commentary in the hopes that you'll find something of value here.

update after originally posting: I talked to my sister Karen, who said I should offer at least a little clarification on why this 'image' is a meaningful one. So here goes.. a little interpretation:

Advent celebrates the coming of Christ in more than one way .. in fact, perhaps three ways (just like there are three banners...); Christ came to earth as an infant, Christ comes into our lives (our families and our homes) when we invite Him, and Christ is coming again someday..in fact the very word advent communicates themes of coming, of waiting, of preparing, of anticipating. Each banner, at least to me, does an amazing job of subtlely communicating one of those 'comings'....



found at 'google images', with the following text attached:
Advent paintings with Christmas silk "chandeliers"
Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, Potomac, Maryland, 2000
Painting on silk, center painting 18 feet x 5 feet, side paintings 8 feet x 5 feet
Juanita Y. Kaufmann

It's beginning to taste a lot like Christmas...

Everyone has their traditional treats... one of ours is Tortiere, especially at Christmas. (Some people spell it tourtiere, but it's definitely pronounced Tortiere!) If you're not familiar with it, its a French Canadian meat pie, and lots of people really like it alot. Owen is one of those people. Some people think its boring and bland... Actually, I might have been one of those people if the tradition of tortiere being a Christmas must wasn't deeply embedded somewhere in my head!



I usually make several pies each year, some for us (definitely on Christmas Eve!) and some for friends. I haul out the recipe my Memere wrote out (not a standard recipe, either, she wrote it out as if she was standing beside me giving directions; now mix it with a fork... while that is boiling, check on the meat... don't put more salt until you taste it..!)

Alas, my secret has always been that Bren's mom makes my pastry. When it was getting to be the season, she'd get out her mixer and Voila! I'd have pastry in my freezer, ready to be rolled into pies whenever I wanted. So, I was intimidated at having to make my own pastry. One more thing on the list of things to do at this time of year and I was thinking it was one too many... I had decided to buy Tortieres from Praire Meats in Saskatoon. (I heard that the owners are a French family; they should know how to make a decent meat pie!)



My awesome husband, upon hearing my dilemma, declares: "Well, how about if I make the pastry for you? " (We are a pretty good team!)



So today was the day, and he did make a wonderful pastry (afterward he announced that it'll be the last time!).
The results of our labors!

Competition

This is for the quirky questions file.. why is everything a competition?!? Especially when you're male?!?

Source of the question: supper conversation.

Brendan: Did you put jalapenos in the quesadillas?
me: No, the kids don't eat them as much when theres too much spice.
Brendan: bah! I'll make more.
me: why? theres plenty here...
Brendan: You just can't stand the heat! I can eat more jalapenos than you anyday!
me: how is this a competition? did I miss something?
Brendan: (now chopping furiously) no, I'm just saying... I can eat more hot stuff than you can... do we have any cayenne pepper?
me: ...huh?


Brendan: (later, now eating his own 'improved' quesadillas, after the rest of the family has practically finished supper) Son, did you try one of these that I made? I bet you can't stand the heat!
young Brendan (aka Owen): (pulls up a chair) Bring it on. (note: he's already eaten a full meal.)
Brendan: how many can you handle? I've eaten 3. Look, your mom's eyes are watering just from eating those little pieces of chicken I left in the pan!

... I'm sure that is enough for you to get a good glimpse of the supper 'competition' in our house tonight. Am I strange to think this is strange?!!??!

Just a bit of bragging...

Definitely time for a post to replace that ridiculous and controversial business Brendan posted! I can't believe people get so consumed with football, boggles my mind. I posted last week about being inspired to share about my awesome (albeit slightly offensive, see afore-mentioned post!) husband. I'm now inspired to share about my awesome kids. They do drive me crazy on a very regular basis, I think all parents say that, but on the whole they're pretty great. Here's a bit of what makes them so great;

Owen is hilarious. He learned from his dad that humor is the best medicine and keeps things light in our family much of the time by being a prankster and a goof. He is in a band here in Hepburn, they are still un-named, but there are some photos and a bit of video at Pauls blog, see link below left. This band is having another opportunity to play in December, so he is pretty excited about that. He is also a pretty good sport and learning what it means to be on a team and how to be considerate of others more and more each day. I'm thinking he might soon learn to be good to his sister! His friends are important to him, and he is helpful and loyal, its awesome to watch him interact with his buddies. (its also downright comical most of the time, no matter what they're doing they make me laugh!)

Sydney is sweet Sydney as always. She recently planned a surprise party for her teacher (with a friend) and they managed to coordinate a bunch of details (seriously, they could have given a professional event planning firm a run for their money!!) She had lists, agendas, schedules, food plans, trophies, baking... unbelievable. She is always looking for ways to bless people and tries to do special things for everyone she knows. Her singing has returned to grace our home after being on a break for a few months, and did I ever miss it! She really sings like an angel, and I'm not just saying that because I'm biased, she has talent!! Lately, she's really been working on her creative and artistic side, spending tons of time drawing, coloring, sketching, scrapbooking and singing.

The green and white shite

There I said it. I feel better now. Living in small town Saskatchewan has been totally awesome. Everybody's friendly, kind of like a "cheers" thing where "everybody knows your name". (except for the fact that this is a dry town and cheers was a bar) It was a kind of utopia...until recently. The dirty looks, the punch in the ribs in the store and the booing as I drive by. I couldn't figure it out, I wondered why the cash register was always under repair at the grocery store, why the gas pumps always seemed to be out of order when I pulled up. As I thought about it I sort of came up with a theory so here it goes.

Let's say you were a rabid fan of let's say a football team, and that this said team was...how shall I put it...embarassing. You know, the kind of team that when you go to watch it, you put a paper bag on your head so that nobody recognizes you.(not that there are many others sitting in the stands to recognize you) Anyways, let's say that this certain team has had a stroke of luck, the kind of luck that comes around..hmm...every 28 years or so. Well you would notice that all sorts of these..let's for our purpose call them "banjo picking inbreds", come out of their soddies and mud huts and invade the streets of our once proud town causing all sorts of trouble for upstanding citizens like myself. Thankfully this is a phenomenon omly occurs every 28 years or so, and by then these mud hut dwellers will hopefully have learned to be proper by emulating one such as myself.

Now I'm a patient man who realizes that there will be a certain end to this madness. It will be a swift and painful end, resulting in many, many, many green tears. But do not be sad Rider fans as you know that you will be able to take your paper bags off before another 3 decades have passed.

Inspired...(by Kelly, but about Brendan!)

We're in a small care group in Hepburn, feeling really blessed to be among such great people! Our gatherings (which include food, hooray!!) right now are focused on Marriage. We watch videos by this very funny man named Dr. Kevin Leman, then we discuss topics and ideas raised. I'm also preparing to write a paper on marriage spirituality, so I've been dwelling on what exactly this two becoming one means - biblically, spiritually, in practice, in my relationship, in other relationships, in the church... lots to think on! Marriage is a hot topic for us these days!

Tonight, I checked out Ben and Ang's blog - they're awesome friends from Winnipeg living in Taiwan. Ang posted about her wonderful husband (Ben) and I was inspired to do the same. (thanks Ang, you're still inspiring me from the other side of the world!!) All this thinking on marriage has made me pretty thankful for mine.. so here is a list of why Bren is so great. (According to me)

He makes our kids breakfast every day. I take longer to get ready, so he takes on the majority of morning get-everyone-out-of-the-house jobs, almost never complaining that the division of labor is quite unfair.

His sense of humor makes it pretty hard to be really upset or mad at anything for long. And now, he's passed that on to our son. Between the two of them, some days I get a stomach ache from laughing. They're both getting funnier with age! (Maybe they'll go on the road someday?!)

As I type this, Brendan is making us a cup of coffee so that we can begin the Marriage Spirituality book we're going through together as research for my upcoming paper. The coffee is a nice touch, but the best part is that he is going to spend part of one evening for the next 10 weeks doing a chapter of this book - you've met him. This is NOT his definition of fun and excitement, he does it entirely for me.

He remembers things, thoughtful things, like if we've run out of something, or I said I'd call someone, or that I wanted to run a certain errand.. he helps me keep it all straight.

He works with adults with cognitive disabilities every day - and he enjoys this work, often commenting on what his clients have to offer and the valid contribution they make to our world. He's looking for that, looking for God in them.

He looks for ways to love our kids uniquely. He makes sure our daughter knows she is special to her dad, and he makes sure our kids sense the love that their parents have for them every day. Its really important to him that they know how much we love them.

He's my strong, safe place.

He's growing. The man I'm married to is not the man I married. I love that most of all, I think, that he's evolving as he knows God more, as he knows himself better.

Cool People Care

So my friend Melanie sent me a note on Facebook last week encouraging me to check out this website called Cool People Care.. I did and its got some neat info. I've added it to our link list (see below, left). They don't have any Canadian content yet, but I think its coming...(I emailed them!) You can even sign up for a daily e-update. (use random five digits for the zip code)

It is well with my soul...

This song has been in my head lately. I think I am identifying with the lyrics on many levels...
was recently reminded of the amazing story behind this hymn; the writer had recently lost his four daughters in a shipwreck on the Atlantic ocean. He was crossing the ocean to meet his wife after the accident when (apparently close to the very spot where his daughters had drowned) he was inspired to write these now famous, triumphant words: It Is Well With My Soul.

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,

It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,

And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!

My sin, not in part but the whole, Is nailed to the cross,

and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

Even so, it is well with my soul.

--Horatio Spafford

A glimpse

As I'm sitting here on a Wednesday night, trying to concentrate on the course I'm working on, I'm distracted and unfocused... thought I'd share a glimpse of the random thoughts running amok in my head, hopefully inspire, or at least entertain, a couple of people - then be finally able to dig into my reading. Here goes;

• I've talked to so many people (usually the female ones!) who respond to God's near-ness (the spirit of God) with tears; often that's how they recognize Him. As I sit here, I am misty-eyed while listening to my daughter sing herself to sleep. How I love her voice, and I am so certain that her ability to sing is one of the gifts given to her by God's Spirit... I think that's why it makes me cry so often!
• Something has been bugging me lately; it started when we were on a little road trip to Edmonton this past weekend and I'm still annoyed. We brought along The Magician's Nephew, book one in the Narnia Series. I also packed a book I bought ages ago, a chapter by chapter review of all the Narnia books highlighting biblical insights and providing additonal clarity to the text. I read the first few chapters and was mightily disappointed. (maybe thats an understatement) It seemed to me that the 'review' book completely missed the grandness, the beauty, the depth of Lewis' intent and his incredible story telling ability. In the chapter where Uncle Andrew meets Jadis, Empress of Charn, the reviewer focuses on Uncle Andrews swigs of brandy rather than the fact that Evil has just entered the scene and will continue to plague every character and plot for the rest of story. While I don't know that I could adequately capture Lewis true intent, I'm sure that this reviewer completely missed it. This brand of shallow has irked me for as long as I can remember! And while I never knew Mr. Lewis personally, I rather fancy the idea that he spent good amounts of time sitting in some 'upscale gentleman's club', discussing (arguing?) theological points and...drinking brandy!
• Bren posted about the soon-to-be infamous tattoos, but he neglected to mention the Meaning!! This is classic Bren/Kelly dynamic; he's all about the humor, I'm all about the underlying story!! Anyway, to share a bit of the background, we've talked about doing this for over 10 years. We had a different design in the beginning, but in recent years, the design centered around a scripture passage that is particularly important to me - John 15. Jesus is the vine, we are mere branches, and as long as we ABIDE in him, we will be fruit-bearers. The meaning of life now forever stamped on our skin!
• Advent begins on Dec. 2, which means that Christmas is around the corner. I'm praying about celebrating advent and Christmas more simply this year. I do this each year, but hopefully this will be the year I grasp it. Here's one practical step towards embracing holiday simplicity... I'm wrestling with this one!.. there will be no lights on our house this year. We have unfinished items on the to do list from moving in, and we're going to focus on other Christmas-y things, and we don't want the holiday season to be one of stress and neverending things to accomplish... so we decided no Christmas lights on our house. Even though its our first year in a new town? Yup.

Its getting late, too late to work on the stuff I'm supposed to be doing... at least I've cleared the air and made some room in my head!

Thanks for stopping by....

The Pic-man & I (by Brendan)

Have you ever had a time when you had to "walk the talk", even though you were really, really scared? I recently had such a time.
Kelly and I have always talked about getting matching tattoos, as corny as that may sound. We thought it quite a romantic idea. As all of you who know me understand, I have a very real fear of pain, but I always talk the talk with the best of them. (for any Hepburnites reading, I'm lying to make the story sound better! Of course I'm not really like that...) As I was saying, as long as we were talking about getting a tattoo I was in, but when the proverbial rubber met the road I wasn't really all that serious. Kelly on the other hand was serious, serious enough to ask an artist for help with a design and make an appointment to get it done. Only problem here was that she didn't make an appointment for both of us, but only for herself. Being a man, I had to save a little face and let her know how insulted I was that she was going alone, that she didn't think I was serious about it...preposterous! Well, it worked, she felt bad, but in spite of her efforts, the tattoo place couldn't fit me in...sweet! I save face, look like I wasn't a chicken and I don't have to go through with anything painful.
The day of the appointment, I accompany my wife to Pic-man, she feeling a bit nervous and scared, me smiling inside holding my Starbucks takeout. At this point I will skip past the fact that Kelly looked like she might cry, and I also won't mention the blood, but I'll jump ahead to the part where we were supposed to be going home...Much to my shock Marc ("pic-man") offers to go ahead and do my tattoo because Kelly's didn't take as long as expected. Being of sound mind I came out with the first and best and only excuse I could come up with...the design was too girly, soI wanted to go home and "man" it up a bit and then come back. Yeah, that didn't fly, in no time I was in 'the chair' waiting to experience something that I can only describe as letting someone draw on your arm with a steak knife. Now to my credit I will say that I lasted a full 2 or maybe even 3 minutes before he had to stop and get me some water as I was passing out, only to restart and finish with no problems.

Now I have not written all this as some kind of whimsical tale of a modern day hero...no, there is actually a lesson to be found in this story. Please share the following with others you meet, who knows who might need this advice! "If you feel like passing out while getting a tattoo, ask the tattoo guy for a lollipop"...saved my life and I saved face.



PS: (this part is by Kelly!) We are official Saskatchewan bloggers! We've met many people who have blogs and we've even been added to someone's blogroll on their site. Guess its official.. we're starting to feel like we belong in this new place! Check out Paul's site, (see links on sidebar below) -- he's O's youth pastor. There are some good shots of Owen on the site ... and one of a bunch of boys in our bathtub!

Well, I was once again contemplating a post in my head over the weekend, it had something to do with community, friendship, .. I was also reflecting on our human desire for authentic relationship while at the same time being afraid to personally submit to it... and then I thought, what the heck, I'll take my husband's often given advice and lighten up for once. (don't get used to it, though!) So, I found some very funny and cute comic clips below, enjoy!

Everyday Spirituality

For years, I've dreamed of taking a course or two at Regent College, I'm not sure where I first heard of their course offerings, but I've looked longingly at their webpage many times. I finally signed up for one of their Con. Ed. Distance courses a couple of weeks ago, and I am really enjoying the lectures and coursework. I now have a reading list as long as my arm - thankfully, I already had some of the books and I happen to have access to a pretty great library at Bethany :o). The course I'm taking is called Everyday Spirituality, and its focus is on helping particpants live out an inviting spirituality - not only in the context of their traditionally "religious" activities, but particularly in the context of their day to day experiences.
I have a few big assignments that I'm looking forward to: a research paper on Consumerism, another on Couple spirituality (Brendan has agreed to work on this with me!), and yet another (I hope) on spirituality as it is lived out in rural contexts. (like Hepburn) - I have to get special permission to adapt the assignment for that one, so it may not materialize... I also have to journal and share about 'spiritual conversations', which should prove to be very interesting. I'm sure there'll be more about this educational journey in the days and weeks to come...

Consensus

Dictionary.com tells me that the meaning of the word consensus is: "general agreement or concord; harmony".

Today was a day of seeing "consensus" (or maybe sincere consensus seeking) in action, and I am inspired and blessed.. hope you don't mind me sharing a couple of details of my day with you...

There was a Bethany student today who learned some very difficult news from his family at home right before chapel. After the worship singing ended, the student shared the news as a prayer request with the students and faculty gathered for chapel. An invitation was given to come forward and pray for the student, his family, and their situation. It was beautiful to watch the 'consensus' among the students as they instantly responded with one heart of love and care in response to another's difficulties. The whole room flooded forward and encircled the hurting student. The unity; the consensus was moving.

Our church family had a discussion tonight about women in leadership, a topic that can be divisive and contentious. The purpose of the group discussion was to determine consensus on the congregation's thoughts on the subject. What a beautiful idea, to come together to discuss and discern together! There were opportunities and encouragements for every opinion to be heard and there were round table discussions. The harmony was real, and the result was a decision that genuinely represented the conclusions of the group present ... not any one person present.

I'm sharing these because I realized today how profoundly consensus is required in daily life and how rarely it is sought. It takes time to think things through, to consider the others in our lives, and genuinely move in a unity and peace seeking direction. Often decisions are made in the interest of convenience more than consensus.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Things are always interesting, no week is like the one before.. We had a flu pass through the house this week... I - Kelly- got it for sure, Brendan was 'grazed', and the kids have so far been fine. I had a sick day from work, which means that I will definitely finish the week feeling like I've accomplished too little. I had my first haircut at the salon in Hepburn, and discovered that their great reputation is well deserved. Bren's been tired from his spontaneous trip to Caddy Lake last weekend, between that and the newness of his job, he's tried to have lots of rest this week. We also had parent teacher interviews.. nothing was a huge surprise there as we had spoken to the kids teachers a couple of weeks ago, just to check in and see how the year was going so far and how they thought the kids were adapting to their new surroundings. It's interesting how we can see similar patterns throughout our kids' school years; some things just don't change from year to year or even school to school.
At a seminar somewhere, I remember making note of the concept that people should 'play to their strengths' rather than try to build up their weaker areas.. On the surface, that seems kind of backwards, but if we embrace the concept of well rounded teams vs. well rounded people, it comes into clearer perspective. We need to work to consistently improve our strongest areas so we can accomplish what we're meant to (which is not everything); but if we get tied up working on areas that don't come easily, that's a challenge and we become drained. If we focus primarily on the areas where we're naturally adept, I think we come away stronger and energized; fuller and more capable. Obviously, we can't ignore our weak areas, but we can put our best efforts into our strongest ones. Some parts of school life are going to be hard for each child; but other parts will be much easier.. As a parent, I need to not make such a big deal over the areas where O and Syd aren't as strong, and I need to really celebrate whatever areas they're strong in.
Now that I've put it in print and hit 'post', maybe I'll get better at it.

A Mother's Heart

So, I went from feeling like I had nothing to say for a few weeks to posting every couple of days... I guess thats the way it goes.
Owen played in his first volleyball tourney as a Hepburn Hawk today... still # 14, like he was for Garden City and Sinclair Park! I watched three of the five games they played in Waldheim today, and it was intense at the end! It was awesome how the kids on the team were supportive and encouraging whether they scored a point or lost one. The teamwork spirit was more evident than I've observed on other teams O has been on, that is such a gift. Coaches always say "... it's about the fun; it doesn't matter if we win..." - but the kids always see through those words if they're not genuine. Unfortunately, O has had a couple less than genuine coaches over the years, it left an imprint on him. It left an imprint on me....!! That brings me to what I've been reflecting on today; how my heart and my kids' hearts are so connected and wound up together. I'll admit that I was a tad more emotional today than most days, but watching my kid in this intense game just about did me in... not because I care if his team wins or loses, but because I'm so acutely aware of the feelings he's having and the thoughts in his mind. I know how he internalizes pressure and how he processes the plays ... This is just one of the many things about being a mom that isn't in the manual, and you're never prepared for the depth of it before it happens.. a mom's heart and her child's heart don't really forget each others rhythm, I guess....
(their team did win the tournament, I should mention that..)

Hepburn Horse Lovers

Okay, we want to tell you about horses in Hepburn. Well, not all horses in Hepburn, just two really special horses: Prairie and Crackerjack.
Today we went out to feed two very special horses and one is three the other is 26 (very very
old) and i (syd)rode prarie(the older one)we fed them hay and oats, we have two saddles and I (abby) am very exited to go on trail rides with sydney and jamie (my other friend) me,sydney and jamie might train cracker Jack (the younger horse) he gets very frightened of every thing,
he is the newer than prairie, I have had prairie for a year and a half and cracker jack for two months and I have already have bond with cracker jack.
Me and sydney have such a good friendship she makes it her job to call me every single day
what can I say, I can't help being loved so much.
from the hottest girls in hepburn
abby and sydney

Success!

You know how busy families are always trying to make things work better, find balance, keep everything in tension? Mostly, it doesn't happen.

Mostly things are messy, disorganized, and frazzled.. chaos really is the order of the day in most households... except some rare occasions when the planets are rightly aligned...

Tonight was one of those rare occasions- for about 30 glorious minutes, I felt like I was managing it all. Not only adequately, but .. WELL. I baked up a great meal, even fed some of the kids friends, and the food was healthy. There were happy sounds coming from Owen downstairs and more happy sounds coming from the singing and dancing show being performed by Syd, Abbey, and Jamie in the living room. Brendan was running around, list in hand, working on some projects. There was no fighting or conflict anywhere! In the midst of this household full of bliss, I was also feeling like I had had a very productive day at work - two big projects crossed off my list this afternoon. It was a wonderful moment.

Alas, my normal state of feeling simply adequate (often inadequate!), behind, messy, chaotic and disorganized has returned. And you know, I think that I'm glad superwoman/supermom only shows up every once in a while... its hard to have good hair, healthy food, happy kids, and a clean house all the time!

Here is the recipe for the fabulously healthy meal I prepared. I'm sharing it because:

a) its fish, and everyone should eat more fish.

b) my sisters all read this blog and we each have 20 lbs of pickerel from our dad in the freezer.

c) four children devoured this meal. Owen had two helpings, the girls had three each. That says it all!

Greek Baked Fish

2 lbs haddock or other fish fillet (I used pickerel)

2 tbsp lemon juice

seasoning salt

2 tomatoes, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

3 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp olive oil

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease 9 X13 pan. Place fillets in pan, sprinkle with lemon juice and seasoning salt. Sprinkle with tomatoes, garlic, and oregano. Drizzle olive oil over the tomato topping. Top with crumbled feta cheese. Bake for 35 minutes, or until fish flakes with a fork.

Enjoy ...

The little things... Thanksgiving, part 2

We're so often reminded to savor the little things, the quiet things, the things we so easily take for granted and neglect. It's hard to make the time, but so necessary and refreshing when we do.

Celebrating thanksgiving yesterday, I was surprisingly and refreshingly conscious of a "little thing" - literally and figuratively. My niece, a toddler (she's little!) has been a source of so much joy over the last couple of years, but she has also been a source of greater understanding and a frequent reminder stop and enjoy, to pause instead of overlook.

First, a little history; this little girl is the daughter of my youngest sister .. (though our relationship sometimes seems more like parent and child than sister and sister.) I had the privilege of watching this little one make her dramatic entrance into the world, and it was one of those enriching experiences that stays frozen in our memories for a long time afterward. There were some complications right at the end of delivery, and for days after I was in a daze of wondering "did that really happen?" and realizing just how delicate and precious life is. She came close to not having life, maybe that is why she is often such a wonder and joy to me.

Fast forward to a few months ago, I was making mad preparations to move away from the same city as my sweet niece, one night she had a sleepover at our house. Instead of being sleepy at about 10pm, she was a chatterbox, so we had a great little visit; she showed me her eyes, nose and ears, pointed out the window at the lights next door, showed off the animal sounds she knew, and caressed my face in that wonderful toddler-fist kind of way. I was so blessed by those moments with her, I felt renewed for days afterward in the midst of many tasks.

Yesterday morning in church, I had the chance to stand and sing worship songs with her in my arms - poignant because this is what I did on so many Sundays while we went to the same church - and she graciously allowed me this treat with more chatterbox antics, request for "mo, mo, mo" when the band stopped playing, and little fists wiping away auntie's sentimental tears.

I don't know why its so easy for me to be an over-looker, so busy chasing my own tail and missing out on much wonder and tranquility in the little, quiet things ... but I want to get better at pausing.

Thanskgiving

Expressions of thankfulness abound at this time of year; its only fitting that we express ours....

Here are a handul of the things that I'm thankful for:

A faith that led me to a surprisingly real relationship with God. It's the thing I am least deserving of and most grateful for.

A plan for my life that isn't entirely dependent on me.

A close family that brings "being real" to a whole new level.

I did some quick searches for Thanksgiving thoughts this morning, here are a few results:

***Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action. ~W.J. Cameron***

***We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures. ~Thornton Wilder***

Also found some conflicting details about the origins of American thanksgiving;

1. Thanksgiving Day, a function which originated in New England two or three centuries ago when those people recognized that they really had something to be thankful for - annually, not oftener - if they had succeeded in exterminating their neighbors, the Indians, during the previous twelve months instead of getting exterminated by their neighbors, the Indians. Thanksgiving Day became a habit, for the reason that in the course of time, as the years drifted on, it was perceived that the exterminating had ceased to be mutual and was all on the white man's side, consequently on the Lord's side; hence it was proper to thank the Lord for it and extend the usual annual compliments. ~Mark Twain

2. At the beginning of the following fall, they had lost 46 of the original 102 who sailed on the Mayflower. But the harvest of 1621 was a bountiful one. And the remaining colonists decided to celebrate with a feast -- including 91 Indians who had helped the Pilgrims survive their first year. It is believed that the Pilgrims would not have made it through the year without the help of the natives.

And a final thought:

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow. ~Melody Beattie

Happy Thanksgiving!

How its going.. and some random thoughts!

We use this blog primarily to stay in touch, so here is another update... followed by some random thoughts I've (Kelly) been having ... (I guess having a blog means I get to share those!)
We're all really settling in to Hepburn, Bren really experienced closure to his Winnipeg life after our visit last weekend - he got to officially say goodbye to his co-workers and the kids at VW School. He says he is feeling so much more peace and it's obvious. This week, he really made a lot of progress on the house projects he's been working on. We have the coolest central vac outlet in the kitchen, you just sweep the dust right into it. I think it's my favorite home reno project he's ever accomplished! (and he's done many in all our various homes!)
The kids are doing really well. Syd has a new horse obsession and we're really considering getting her one. Maybe not this year, but we've heard from a few people now that they longed for a horse when they were young and when they got one it was a dream come true. Part of a parent's job is to make their kids' dreams come true, right?!!?
Owen is connecting well with some good friends, and his gifts and strengths are being developed, we're seeing him grow in some encouraging ways. He's taken to wearing this ridiculous tuque around town, it has ear flaps and strings, he's quite a sight in his plaid shorts and tuque, riding around town with a guitar on his back. He wore this tuque with his snowsuit back when I could still get him to wear snow pants, its been around for a while. (so, its too small!) I guess this is a cool look, although I think its pretty outrageous.
As for me, I'm feeling blessed by a few new friendships, sensing that there are connections I'm making now that will be meaningful for many years. I also feel really blessed that some good Winnipeg friends have made significant efforts to stay in touch... (Carol, we'll set up that weekly prayer date yet!!)
In a conversation with my sister Lorrie about details of our life here, she said that it seems like we're all making great friends and that "there seems to be a lot of amazing people in that town" - that about sums it up - it feels like it really won't be long before we have as strong a sense of community, and not only that, but commitment to our community, as we did in Winnipeg.
And of course we're celebrating Thanksgiving next weekend with my sisters and their families.. we're very excited to show off our new town and home, I actually can't wait for them to arrive. (It'll be a long week of anticipation!)

okay, here some random thoughts: (only a couple since the update was long)

• Why is it that we North Americans find it SO HARD to rest .. be forgiving with ourselves, lower our own expectations, and go with the flow?? I know I'm not alone in that, and I also know that in spite of lots of reflection on the subject of rest, I can't seem to get it right.



• Why are there so many more people from SK who have a blog than in MB? Most of the people we've met here are 'bloggers' - very few of our friends in MB were. Just something I'm wondering about....!!

The hepburn top 10, by owen

1.friends

2.jamming with braden, joey, jordan or ben - can't wait for electric guitar lessons to start when I get back from Winnipeg.

3.school

4.youth

5.video games and ping pong at joeys

6.biking around town - I do that every day

7.airsofting even though I'm not really allowed to do it right now

8.guitar - my new guitar was a promise made to me when i found out we were moving, I love it

9.walking the dogs - hardly ever did that in Winnipeg

10.playing on the computer - I like staying in touch with my old friends and my family

feeling ????????? (by Brendan)

The title has actual meaning, I'm not just being lazy. ???????????? describes how I feel right now about living here in Hepburn. If you don't know what ????????????? represents, let me give you a story to explain it. Say you've lived in city X for your whole life. You live on a wonderful street, have a job you enjoy, go to a church you love, ...you get the picture. The next thing you know, you're 800 km's from your home, in a small town in which live as many people as used to live on your old street, you have a different driver's licence, different licence plate and everybody cheers for the football team you've always hated. That is ???????????!
Don't get me wrong, when I got here there was 20+ people unloading my U-haul. Everybody waves at you and says hello. I even got invited to apply for a job while standing on the roof cleaning out my plumbing vents. I have and will continue to enjoy the Saturday night poker games. I've even ordered a soccer ppv match with some guys here. We are and have been very blessed and I have no doubt that we are in the place that God wants us to be at this time ... That does not change the fact that the unfamiliar has never been an enjoyable place for me. I at times am feeling like Alice in Wonderland, in a world that is not my own. I've even thought once or twice about just getting in the car and driving back to Winnipeg. The thing that most enables me to "be" where I'm at right now is that I know that there is no safer place than within the will of God and as much as I like to complain about my circumstances I truly know that we as a family are where we are because God has guided us and led the way.
So .... if you didn't understand what feeling ??????????????? meant before you read this I hope that I have enlightened you somewhat as to what feeling ?????????????? means to me.
Thanks for keeping in touch with our family.

A new look

Been meaning to update the blog with a new look, so I finally did that tonight. Also added a few new links..
Thanks for reading.

Some news

Today was a FULL day. Brendan was offered a job he is pretty excited about, he'll be working as director of a local group home for adults with disabilities. (Shepherd's Villa) He was made aware of the job during our first days here in Hepburn, and met with one of the board members last week, then with the entire board last night. This is such amazing evidence of God's faithfulness and care; we both feel really blessed.
We came to this town with an idea in our heads of how it would be, and a plan for what we envisioned ... slowly, we are realizing that while planning and vision are necessary, God is really the One who looks after things .. prov 16:9 I think ?? We both really thought school was the plan for Brendan, but this job opportunity was too good to pass up, it was covered with good Fingerprints!
We also had a BBQ fundraiser we went to for the College's third year missions trip to India. Work was fast paced and sort of overwhelming today, too. Owen has had a bit of a hiccup on the relational front - he's trying out his "I'm an inner city gangster kid" persona. You can imagine how that went over with his buddies who have for the most part grown up in rural Saskatchewan. Makes one's head spin ... so we have a lot on the go!
We love keeping in touch this way, we love the comments and emails we get from friends who are making our blog part of their Internet spots to check regularly. Right now, we're in the early days of making friends and developing relationships with others, but the people who we feel safe with, those who know who we really are, (and love us anyway) -- they're far away .. when they take steps to stay close, we are blessed.

Back to thinking (sorry!)

We are settling in to our new home, just had a weekend of exploration .. On Saturday we explored Saskatoon by visiting a street festival on Broadway, it was interesting and relaxing. We bought a decorative plaque for our kitchen, and we brought a two year old with us, his mom and dad attended a wedding, he was great fun! Today we visited Batoche, a Metis battle site.
Here's the hmmmm... as we toured and explored this one-time settlement that is now carefully and expensively preserved with our tax dollars (I'm getting to the point and don't mean to sound cynical, keep reading!) I was really struck by the irony of the situation ... here was a vibrant and well-done retelling of a story of rebellion and uprising against the government. The site preservation and technology involved in the retelling of the story were initiated and are funded by... the government. I guess I'm supposed to make the logical jump to thinking that we're much more progressive and enlightened now.. but I'm not sure I'm convinced about that. Maybe the fact that anyone left living there had to be moved out in order to "preserve the history" left me feeling kind of hollow.
Anyway, while there, I picked up a book I know I'm going to enjoy, its a Mechif dictionary. Mechif is the language that resulted from anglicizing
French, combinining it with Cree, and basically teaching the next generation a language that hadn't been formally taught to the first. It's fascinating, funny sounding - if you know very much French ... but it's mostly tragic. I was reminded today of a culture and society that were relevant and real, and somehow their existence seemed like only a brief moment in time.

Just a quick note...

Hello! We've been reminded that we were going to post once each week and we haven't really done that... soon, very soon, we will have a settled enough existence for such routine! In the meantime, please pray for us as we try to create a home that is peaceful, inviting, and frequented by new friends, Bethany students, and lots of friends and family from Manitoba!!
A brief summary of the last week or so - well, whirlwind is a good description! That has pretty much been our whole summer, hasn't it?!?

The kids started school, that was awesome. Their teachers are fantastic, the school community is warm and welcoming, we think the whole thing is a tremendous blessing. No one except me is going to miss the French... c'est la vie! Because Owen and Syd had made several friends before school started, the first day really wasn't that big of a deal. They really like coming home for lunch, they were always in the lunch program at Lansdowne, so this is a new thing all together! (we'll all miss Jean, Vickie, Mary ... all the great staff in the Lunch Program - should I lie and say that I'll miss being on the lunch program committee?!??)
Brendan is the chief home-organizing champion - a big job. He's rebuilt toilets, cleared drains, and is still learning about wells to solve our water dilemma. He set up our office and will soon organize our desk... the kitchen and laundry room are almost done ... Thankfully our water conservation efforts mean that we can have more showers at home now! Bren was really missing Winnipeg and the comforts of familiarity the other day, and wouldn't you know that some neighborhood guys invited him out that very night! Some might say coincidence, we think every good gift comes from the God who cares so deeply for us.
This is registration weekend at the college, so a very busy work time for me, but such a wonderful experience! So far, my limited experience of the school has been without students, so this weekend has given me a much clearer perspective on why we're here and why the college exists ... its all about the young people, and it's been awesome meeting them as they come through registration. Can't wait to get to know them better!
We had our first 'chapel' tonight, the first one for the year, and what a great time.
Confirmation abounds...but its with heavy hearts that we realize how deeply we can 'feel' the absence of all that we once took for granted. We know we'll love it here, that goes a long way.
I think we'll become accustomed to this hopeful, yet heavy feeling .... until next time, hopefully with photos...

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Well, its been an interesting few days since we officially became residents of the village of Hepburn. A few highlights;
The Good - The kids have made friends already, hung out at a few different homes, they actually both were visited by kids their ages on the first night. Small town community at its finest!! We had many helpers to unload our very full UHaul truck/trailer - what a humbling experience to pull up to your new home to the smiling faces of 20 strangers waiting to help you move in! I (Kelly) am LOVING the job at Bethany - what a tremendous group I'll be working with, and the pace will be so manageable. Very refreshing! On the first two nights, we were visited by the Welcome Wagon and the two local churches. Wow!
The Bad - We've had some home maintenance issues - our kitchen plumbing went haywire and somehow drained into the basement - right onto Owen's bed (immediately under the kitchen sink!). We quickly learned that it can be a really great thing to have stores open past 5 pm .. Bren had to trek to Hague (not that far) to check out their hardware store for supplies. We think everything is A-OK unless this issue is related to ...
The Ugly - Confirmed city slickers we are!! Our well has stopped pumping for some unknown reason to be figured out tomorrow. In the meantime, there is no running water in the house .. thank goodness for the water cooler in the kitchen or we wouldn't even have brushed our teeth before bed!

So, what does living justly look like?

Thinking about things like fair trade and living 'justly' (can I say that?) is occupying much space in my head these days .. I bought the poster below at the MCC store in Regina in spring. I hung it on the door of my pantry, so I had to see it many times each day. The poster has some thought-provoking ideas, like: Know where your bank banks, Don't confuse your comfort with your safety; Talk to strangers; Notice the workings of power & privelege in your culture; Question consumption; Know how your lettuce and coffee are grown: wake up and smell the exploitation, look for fair trade and union labels; Acquire few needs; Re-define progress; Read the UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights; Refuse to wear corporate logos; defy corporate domination; Don't confuse money with wealth, or time with money; Judge governance by how well it meets all people's needs; Be skeptical about what you read; Choose curiosity over certainty; Know that no one is silent though many are not heard. Some thoughts were revolutionary for me, some were common sense ... I think I am becoming more and more committed to finding ways to redefine the way our family lives, the ways we consume. In An Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore stressed over and over that change starts small ... we know this yet the magnitude of what needs to be addressed in our world dulls our senses and our desire to make a difference. We all need to start applying new principles in our day to day existence ... Can we stop doubting that our small contribution can indeed make a difference?

..and so on

Just a brief post on how things are going .. we're feeling sort of .. organized! Wouldn't be able to do it without amazing support, we've had help packing, food brought over, boxes delivered, .. too many blessings to count! We've got four more sleeps in our little Winnipeg house, can't believe it! So much has happened in the past couple of weeks, its incredible to do so much in so little time! Our one-time four page list of things to accomplish is down to one page!
We're looking forward to a farewell gathering at Lorrie and Paul's place on Friday night, we'll have a chance to connect with a few people we haven't seen in a while.
We had an opportunity to meet the new people who will live in our home. Getting a chance to chat with them was really special, we gave them the 'inside scoop' on area schools and all the perks of living in the North End. (Yes, you read that right!) Introduced them to a couple of neighbors, and prepared them to be helpers for next year's block party ... they'll fit right in in no time.
Tonight, my sweet niece was here, and she woke up a couple of hours after being put to bed (I think the dogs went into the room she was sleeping in) .. it was a gift to be able to snuggle her and visit as one can only do with a toddler .... I'm sure she learned to say "meow" ... Instead of wondering if this was the last chance I'd have to do this, I really enjoyed the moment.
I think that describes our whole family's perspective right now, we're just savoring these last days and each simple thing we get to experience.
Life is good.
One more comment about amazing things to experience, I booked a flight to Winnipeg a week after we move; I'm going to baptize a friend at Bird's Hill, right at the beach .. what a privilege!

hepburn is #1!!!!!! .... by Sydney

hey people reading this! its my first time writing and i already luv it!! did you hear about the horse? well if you didnt this is about it: ok so when my mom was in the interveiw at Bethany, me, my dad, & owen were exploring the town, and we saw a horse. We named it trigger and it just so happens that the people who we bought our new house from own that horse and they said that we could come and visit the horse!
i luv our new house im so excited to meet new people and to spend more time with my family, hang out with people from the college that i can look up to! im hoping we're gonna have movie nights at our house!!i think hepburn is gonna be great!(even saskatoon ... I can't wait to explore new malls) :):)<3!

Thinking...

As one wades through a massive life change, reflection is inevitable .. I've been reflecting lately on how we (generic 'we') live ... it's challenging me to really take inventory of everyday choices, casual or complacent attitudes, small things that add up to big impact...I've added a new component to this Blog: "Links to make you think" ... I'm going to keep updating it as I learn more, I hope you'll join me - follow the links, and check back as I hope to add more interesting sites that help us all make wiser choices ... let me know of any sites you know of that help us live wisely....

We bought a house!!!!

As Tuesday night came and went, I finally realized how real and how fast things are happening. Since we gave up possession of our house on August 21 and we had no place to live in Hepburn, we decided it would be a good idea to pack up the car and find ourselves a house. On Thursday morning we loaded the car and headed off ,"sans kids", to the sprawling metropolis of Hickburn, err... I mean Hepburn. I would like to lie to you and say that it is a scenic and exciting drive, but then I would be lying and I read somewhere that lying is not good for you. I will spare you the details of our trip save for the fact that we ended up buying a house in the town of Hepburn, which is where our whole family felt called to.(should change the blog title to "alwaysthesamepage"). We are now officially leaving on the 19th with Kelly starting her job on the 21st. As a close I ask that if anyone has a spare Blue Bomber flag lying around, I wish to fly one high, really high up on my garage.

Community is a gift ...

Years ago, we decided to be intentional about creating community and developing relationship with the people around us ... As with most good intentions, we had no idea what this would look like, we really just wanted to be good neighbors. We also had no idea what a HUGE blessing it is to truly engage in one's community.
Some highlights of the "community" we've experienced on Seymour Street: We know all the people immediately surrounding our home, we've celebrated ups and downs, had laughs and shared some good discussions - even poetry!! Tears, laughter, karaoke, wine, board games, even at times conflict - we've experienced so much with our neighbors here!
We've taken neighborhood kids on road trips, to church, to youth group, out for ice cream, on bike rides, gone to their sports activities. We've babysat and helped with homework. Some kids have become like our own, and we couldn't love them more if there was a biological connection. Some neighbors have become friends we know we'll treasure forever, friends who will call for advice at 7am, knowing full well we're still asleep (because they can see that no lights are on yet!), but knowing that it's okay to call anyway.
Most of our neighbors know that we have an open door policy, because they've heard us say over and over that our home is their home, so they walk right in - if we have company, they visit for awhile, if we're eating, they join us, and if we're having a tense family moment, they might get an earful just for having bad timing.
When we asked God to teach us about community, to break down our walls - the ones that made us want to protect ourselves rather than extend ourselves - we didn't envision or anticipate the depth of what has evolved over that past few years ... in a house we didn't really want to buy!!
Tonight we sold our little house on Seymour Street. We're hoping to meet the new folks who will live in this house, we've already invited them for coffee, - within minutes after the deal was signed.
We want them to know what a gift they're being given - they're receiving so much more than a house!
We look forward to building community in our new home....

Some vulnerability about the day and the journey...

So, we're in full swing now .. the house is for sale (check us out at mls.ca, listing #2713011) - the sign is even up! I've had three INTENSE days of training at Bethany - incase I ever wondered all that I don't know, I now have an inkling!! As I type, Brendan is madly putting finishing touches on the basement, the realtor was horrified that showings start in under 24 hours and the bottom half of our house is relatively untouched since last week!! We also have NO CLUE where we'll be living in less than four weeks, and the options are decreasing... nor do we know where the kids will go to school, and a host of other details...

I think I've experienced the full range of human emotions today - sadness, grief, a sense of being cared for and very blessed, anger, being overwhelmed, feeling inadequate and underqualified, hopeful anticipation, intense thankfulness, moderate panic, exhaustion... I could go on, but you're getting it and I'm running the risk of being a whiner.... oh, I forgot another thing I experienced today: a desperate craving for Chocolate!
Two things stand out as I reflect on the day before turning in; first, this thing we're doing (you know, moving away from everything we've always known, all the supports and comforts we have, taking a giant step into the great unknown... ) is an exercise in faith. What good is faith (defined as being sure of what we hope for and certain of things we cannot see) if we say we have it but we never actually take it out for some exercise? To date, I've had way more opportunities to take pretty safe chances than to take big leaps of pure faith. So, I think our family is taking our faith out of the wrapper and going for a long walk. Actually, a pretty brisk run. Not that everybody should do the same as us .. we need a place to stay when we come home!!

The other stand out reflection from today is that it takes a lot of discipline to think on those things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable—things that are excellent or praiseworthy - I didn't have that discipline for most of today, but I'd sure like to be that person. On that note, here is something praiseworthy: Lorrie and Paul are angels in disguise. Lorrie and Brendan put this whole house in order in less than a week ... Lorrie has so many gifts that I don't, if she weren't around to pick up the pieces, I'd be very broken and helpless!! Here is something noble: Paul, Troy Mac, our neighbor Zofia, Karen, and a few others contributed to our house project too. Many thanks! And I have something lovely to look forward to: I am very excited to work with an awesome team at Bethany, its going to be a treat to work with such generous and amazing people.
...feeling better already!

Owens thoughts about moving....

-theres alot of friends here in Winnipeg that i dont want to leave behind but i am *EXCITED* to meet new ppl in Hepburn or in Saskatoon

-a deal i made with my parents for that when we move im going to get an electric guitar and amp.. cant wait to get them.

- and im also excited to be in grade seven.

-and excited for one of the Saskatoon skate shops called NINETIMES