Day 272 Roof Repair

I was very grateful to get home early and get onto my roof. Apparently a crack in some of the caulking had developed over time and water has been leaking in. Now that I have found the source I will be able to repair the damage to the living room ceiling. All that being said, I am very happy with the progress of our home. Working around the house is an ongoing project, but nothing brings me the same satisfaction as completing a job. This season I was able to do quite a bit of yard work, including the planting of two fruit trees and transplanting of two more. As winter speedily approaches I am keenly aware that my garage project involving insulation is needed sooner than later. I have great hopes that this weekend will be very productive and I will be able to complete the preping for this as well as winterizing the garden and putting away the patio furniture.

Day 271 Community Connections

Despite another rainy evening we had a large turn out this week at Tuesdays Community Connections. It is hard to describe working for this ministry, but it feels like being home. Even though I was cold wet and had a bad back I couldn't have been happier. I remember smiling all the way back home on the bus, the complaints of the day just seem to disappear and all that was left was a servants heart. Oh, how I wish I could remain in that state. My wife was kind enough to have my supper in the oven and ready to go when I got home so I could relax a bit before going to bed. As usual it strikes me as odd that those who start off trying to bless others are blessed in return. The Lord does work in mysterious way and that is fine by me. My hope is that he will continue to give me opportunities to share with the Chester Le community and minister to them.

Day 270 Monday

Feeling renewed after retreat weekend.

1) New appreciation for my wife
2) The comfort of being home
3) I have the privilege to work
4) Blessed by my friends
5) Encouraged by the Word of God.

Day 268 & 269 Converge Retreat

Attended the Converge retreat over the weekend. It was great to reconnect with friends I haven't seen for a couple of years. Worship was fantastic despite the missing equipment and the spirit was definitely present. The messages were all about relationships and how we are called to interact with the opposite gender. Even though Merna and I are married there were lots of nuggets that held truth for us to apply to our daily lives. Many good discussions were started and relationships were deepened, this is what Church is all about. What I like about the group of people that attended is the openness and transparency; you never got the feeling that they were putting on a front.

Aside from the games, the talking and the laughing we all did one thing really stood out for me. The group cared for one another. Now I am not sure exactly how many of us there were, but there were at least 30 people and for a group of that size to get along is shocking. But it went beyond getting along, you could see hear and touch the care everyone showed to one another. People listened to what others had to say and took the time to really hear their concerns. It was refreshing and I am sure we will be looking forward to the next one.

Day 267 Bus Ride

Going on fall retreat with the Converge group was great. The bus ride gave me an opportunity to read a book my brother loaned my written by CS Lewis called "The Screw Tape Letters." It is not often that I have time to read for pleasure so I took advantage of the chance. The fact that I was riding in a bus rather than driving certainly helped. I also got the chance to catch a little shut eye. It is funny but I don't remember when it happen, but I would say that out of the 30 plus people I am friends with 90% or more. I am looking forward to Pastor Johnathan's sermons.

Day 266 Back home

What can I say; our second anniversary trip was a great success. Not only did we take in a couple of shows, shared time with great people, and enjoyed the shops and food, but I also appreciated the time spent with my wife. I would have to say that the best part of the trip was the walking and talking we did. Don’t get me wrong; everything else was great too, it is just that time talking about what is important to your partner is something couples seldom find time for.

I learned a lot of new things about my wife and her perspectives regarding some minor and major issues. Even though some of these items arise from disagreements, they are good to know and I am happy to have them in the open where we can both work on them as a team. That is what a marriage is all about; it is about sharing both in the good times and the bad. When you share everything, you create an open environment where each individual can operate with the knowledge that Love rules and long term views are held higher, than the current fading small issues.

Please note that I am currently only speaking for myself in this blog and the opinions of my wife may differ from my own. Our perspectives are seldom the same, but whose is not. Each one of us views the world with our morality/ego filter, which is composed mainly of historic data and past relationships. This is what can make relationships so hard, understanding the others view points. This does not mean that you will always agree on everything, but it should mean that respect and love will always be part of the picture. And for my part I thank my wife for always tempering her viewpoint.

Although I am happy to be home after our trip, I must say that I have realized the reason why I never got home sick. The building we live in, the walls that surround us, that patch of land that Toronto taxes us for is not home to me.

Home is my wife and no matter where we go; as long as we are together, I will feel at home.

So to my comfort, my friend, my wife and my home, I say thank you for welcoming me everyday. I love you more than words could possibly say.

Day 265 Vacation

This is the week of our Anniversary trip and I am taking a blog vacation.

1) My wife.
2) Her smile.
3) Her laugh.
4) Her inner beauty and heart.
5) Her faith.

All of these things make her my perfect match and I don't need a website to tell me that.

Day 264 Thanksgiving

What can I say other than I am thankful for everyone who came to our celebration.

Bob & Sharon, Dave & Sarah and the kids, John and Amanda, Curtis, Omama, Dad & Galina

Day 263 Sunday Preping for the Big Day

This day I mostly cooked and cleaned in the anticipation of hosting 15 people for thanksgiving.

1) Turkey smell in the house.
2) An abundance of food.
3) We have a beautiful home.
4) Wonderful weather.
5) Time alone with the wife.

Day 262 Saturday

1) Sleep
2) Sunshine
3) Fresh Air
4) Sharing a meal with my extended family
5) Relaxing

Day 261 Converge Fridays

I had a great time running the sound board on Friday again. Converge is more than just a regular gathering of a church group. To me it is family and friends banding together to celebrate with one another the fact that we have all been saved. The more I go to Converge the more I realize this is as much part of "church" as the services on Sundays. I must say our talented worship crew did a fantastic job this past Friday and I am just glad to help out the talent. The teaching time done by Claudette was thought provoking and I hope spoke into many people hearts. I can tell that this is a great start to the long weekend. May all of the memebers have a wonderful Thanksgiving, for as we sang earlier we certainly have much to be grateful for.

1) Friends and Family.
2) A place to worship.
3) Food and Fellowship.
4) Real conversations and compassion.
5) Joy.

Day 259 Community Connections Thursdays

Very thankful that we have a driver rotation and I can go home a little early and see the wife for more than 5 minutes.
Here is a quick list of notable items today.

1) Great supply of food for the Community Connection Ministry came in.
2) Volunteers who work tirelessly.
3) My wife who understands my need to give back to the community.
4) Christian examples of faith and strength.
5) Good neighbours.

Day 258 Self Obsession

Self Obsession.

Have you ever found yourself totally consumed by the current turmoil in your own life or asked your self why me? For the past week and a half that has been me. Somewhere along the line I lost focus, somewhere I got sucked into the troubles of this world. Life was living me and I was not living. It saddens me to know this, but at the same time it gives me great joy to know that I found out and was able to change it.

Between work pressure and stretching myself to thin and feeling guilty about the actions and decisions of others, I choose to complain, gripe, and become bitter. Of course in this type of mind frame one can easily forget the things in the day that we should be thankful for and let me tell you I did not want to be thankful. O I knew that I should be, I just didn’t want to be. If only I had listened to the wisdom of the book of James earlier; instead I choose to take part in the root of bitterness, a downward spiral I wish no one to endure.

For you see, James says to count it Joy when you are found in diverse trouble. For the working of you faith will perfect patience. And didn’t Paul write to the churches that in whatever state he found himself, he was able to find contentment? So what of me, where is my joy and jubilation in the receiving of the greatest gift of all. Salvation. We are called to do everything to the Glory of God, so I ask myself how in the last week and a half have I used my troubles to glorify God. The answer brings me to shame; as far as I know, none. Which begs the question, what better can I glorify God then to be joyful in times of trouble than to lean on him for strength. Like Paul says, when I am weak he is strong, so I will boast the more in my weakness to have the hand of God’s power to rest upon me.

You see that is where I made my error; I forgot to lean on him. In some twisted part of the brain I have, I thought that I could handle it. Christians are not called to handle it, we are called to give all of our burdens, ALL of our burdens to Christ, for his yoke is easy and burden is light. Salvation is not based on the single trade of sin and trouble for a gift-wrapped box of Grace. We are called to renew our minds, and to die to self daily. And why are we called to do this, because that is the only way the Holy Spirit can lead us into all truth. If you read about Christ and his forty days and nights in the desert, you will know what living and being in the spirit is all about.

I want to be clear here, my failure was not that I was not thankful about things. My failure was not that I was dealing with many troubling issues all at once. I failed to lean on my Heavenly Father and paid the price while trying to rely on my own judgment, my own righteousness. And so as a warning to others I write this blog, let him be your source in times of good and bad. Open your Bible daily and let him speak with you. Pray about all the things troubling you in your life and most of all remember to praise him and thank him for all he has done. We are called to do all things in his name and to do everything to the Glory of God and when we do we will find comfort and blessing.

Over the last week and a half, I have found many things to be thankful for and here are just a few.

I am alive.

I have a great wife and family.

I have been blessed with work, a home and food.

The union of two friends.

I have many friends who care for me.

My family is healthy for the most part.

I have the ability to help within my community.

I am surrounded by great examples of Christ followers.

When I am in need, God is always there.

That I have the greatest gift ever given to a person and that joy as a result should be shared.