Welcome friends...there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother...

I have never been to Peace River. Can I tell you about a miracle...I was having a pep talk with myself driving to Peace River...(I don't usually go to Peace River...but recently was assigned two accounts there)...It was one of those... "You are in a rut, you must get out of the rut...the ruts are everywhere...you are 45, you need to grow up, you need to take some responsiblilty." I went to my 9:30 appt. no one showed up...no problem, went to my 10:30, "She won't be here til one". I found myself in the prettiest town in Alberta...hands down...with a few hours to wander around and be with myself (try it some time it isn't as much fun as it sounds). I thought about the only people I know in Peace River and I thought if I wandered around enough I 'd run into my old friend Jake. It was kind of unlikely...but I had a "sense" that I would. When I showed up for my 1:00...who was standing behind the till? Jake...my blessed (say...bleh said) friend. I think we were both a little shocked...I couldn't articulate there what was going on. In the we said goodbye, he gave me a worship CD and I drove off, with the promise that we would have lunch together the next time I was there. I am not sure that he will ever realise how good, genuinely, altogether good, it was to see him. That meeting has unleashed a flury of facebook postings and re-acquaintance with more friends, better than I could have dreamed...there is something ordained in it all. My mother always said, "To err is human, to forgive divine". It has taken me a long time to engage the divine on my behalf, but I believe it is happening...peacefully, in my heart, without the added noise of religion, or guilt. Without the blush of shame and the darkness of ungrace.

A LONG TIME COMIN'

I know...it has been a long time...but not to say that I have forgotten entirely about this blog. I turned 45 a few days ago...and I was woken up from a slumber of sorts. I am glad to say...that I have seen some light on the horizon of my spiritual journey...it has been clouded by my past and for a season God and I had a strictly hands off policy. Not to say that we weren't on speaking terms...but we were both quietly leaving eachother alone. Its a long story...one I am not sure I entirely understand...

Can you help us?

The picture here is one I took last fall in Vancouver. My Mom and I drove through the city on a big trip we took. She had come to visit many friends and we saw the better part of both Vancouver island and the lower mainland. The lady in the picture is not my mom...but I thought it was beautiful...the huge sky and ths little lady...

Home Week

It has been so long...but have been thinking about this blog and wanting to add to it. We are in the midst of planning a big trip. First, on June 29 Peggy, me and Lealand will fly to San Diego with a team from our church...to build a house and do some outreach in Ensenada, Mexico. Aimee and Tage will join us a week later and we will go on a cruise along the west coast of Mexico. Five days later we will land and head up to the hills above San Diego for a week of rest and relaxation at a condo/resort. Since we went to Hawaii we have been trying to figure out how we get back to somewhere with palm trees.

In the mean time we are all working hard. Well almost all of us. This is a week at home for me. I am off the road waiting on a new cycle. So...I am reading, cleaning my office and clearing junk out of the house.

I have been working with the team that is going to Mexico since last fall. I have to say I am proud of them. Hard working, adventurous, passionate and excited. Quite a few on the team were with me in Toronto a couple of summers ago (you can see blog entries about that trip a few pages back). I told them then I'd take them anywhere in the world I went. A few have taken it up with me. The rest are a mish mash of good people. And the fundraising is going great! No head aches there.