I am taking my own advice...It's been a few days...and I am startng where I left off. Let's see. Friday I was not surprised to hear from my I.T. Guys in Toronto that my computer was still not ready. The good news from them was that it would be here Monday, er ah..., maybe Tuesday. I have heard it all before.
The surprise for Friday was waking up in the morning and realizing, it was Lealand's thirteenth birthday. He is our baby, the one we welcomed into our home along with a 7 and a 5 year old. Thirteen years ago we lived in Millwoods, worked in a church and feared "the world". In some ways life was less complicated then. And, while I do not enjoy complexity, I am glad that my life, and our lives together have taken us a little deeper into "the world". But enough of that. Our baby turned thirteen, and he continues to astound us with his love for music, vast group of friends, and his ongoing enthusiasm for life. His sister gave him a studded belt (like something a rock star would wear) and I guess by how much it is being worn that it was the best gift ever!
Friday had another surprise...I had to get some copies made for a customer...could not find a copy place anywhere...I turned a corner and in an abandoned strip mall I see a "Copies Made" shop. I ran in and ran up a total of 42 cents...when I pulled out my card...she told me...forget it...it will cost me more to open this till, and run that through the machine...it was the nicest thing that has ever happend to me in a Copy shop!
Saturday took us on another adventure. Tage's Convocation...(we called it everything from "confirmation, to conflagration, to combination, to concoction)...We thought at the end of last school year that Tage did not graduate. We took it in stride, and Tage enrolled for upgrading at John Maland. Peg and I were in Calgary when my cell phone rang a few weeks ago. It was Tage, and he was telling us, he had graduated. We saw the Convocation invitation (can that be rapped?) in the mail, but assumed it was a mistake. Boy were we wrong, (Parkland School Division make a mistake?). We were like the psalmist, Tage was like the psalmist, "We were like men who dreamed..." So yesterday we were at the Winspear Center to see Tage cross the stage with his 298 classmen/women. It was beautiful and I have to say, when he crossed the stage, I wanted to jump up and cheer, and throw confetti and slap him on the back. Well we did cheer... we celebrated his surprise graduation. Peggy got in the car after the day was over and commented on the two girls who made sure to hug Tage, "one of them hugged him hello and good-bye". I wasn't surprised...everyone likes Tage.
Saturday night was Lealand's 13th birthday party. He and 5 buddies, ate Taco Salad (only Peggy can make this multi ethnic collaboration...er or is that a convocation), wathced a movie about skate boarding and they were home before 10pm. Aimee and Tage stuck around, helped out, served food, got bowls and had fun. Peg and I sat upstairs, and read, drank tea. We needed to relax...because a little earlier...Aimee and I had a food fight...with some of the Birthday cake...and it was...shall we say somewhat complicated. Fun for the participants, insulting for the creator (convocator!) of the cake, bewildering to the boys at the birthday party...enough said.
Hey...here is what crossed my path as a surprise. When our kids were little I used to fear the day they would move into teenage life. I was a youth pastor...I knew how rough it could be for some kids and some parents. I looked forward to their maturity, but was paralyzed with fear that they would walk away from us, our faith, our God, our family. I am not some dreamy, unrealistic parent, I know that they are less than perfect...but as I drifted off to sleep...I thanked God for the simple truth, I knew where my three (3!) teenagers were. They were under my roof, they were safe, they were bright, beautiful people that their Mom and Dad simply can't get enough of...God, quite simply, thanks for being the reflection of all of that contentment. Through my kids I see how cherished I am by you.
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