Rose Belle

Rising early to prepare for the day?

Only those close by know if this is true, but

Sunshine and summer heat

Excitement building and

Busy details as

Everything is finalized for the wedding

Love plays a role as

Lives are joined together before

Everyone who has come to celebrate

Jamie

Just

A young

Man

Inspired to live

Extraordinary

Happy birthday!

Andrew

Sixty years alive

Filling up the need to know

With noise and sparkle

Happy 60th Birthday Andrew!

Pursue His Purpose

Presenting the story that unfolded

Under the light of the star

Reveals God's initiative to 

Save people from themselves

Unknown to general comprehension

Eternity entered time as a baby boy

He grew in obscurity

In a country remote from the

Seats of

Power

Under the watchful eyes of 

Roman soldiers keeping the 

Peace in a rough world in

Order that He could

Suffer death in exchange for

Eternal peace for all who will believe in him

Christmas

Christ, the promised one, became a man at

Home on earth as citizen and yet

Refugee for a time to avoid jealousy

In power

Seeking safety 

To grow into

Maturity ready to face his

Assignment of teaching and dying for

Salvation for each who believes in him

Propitiation

You, Lord, became a person

To grow as we do

To be hurt as we are

To love as we can

To die as we will

To rise again so death will

No longer be permanent for us

And so the story is told

Of You in Bethlehem with Your parents

Visited by shepherds and wise men

The story that gets lost in the anxiety

Of gifts and parties and general busyness 

Yet it is so simple

You became human

And dwelt among us

Until You died for crimes

That we commit

So death couldn't keep You down

Christmas and Easter

Are the two ends of the whole

That makes us whole

When we believe in You, Lord

The President's Lecture

Yesterday

There was a lecture at the university

That I walked to

A brisk walk

In the sunshine

Of a November day on which the snow was

Melting

The topic was the power of

Simile and metaphor

To shape the world around them

Particularly how they have shaped

Canada

And our view of ourselves as a nation

We Remember

Would they protect others?

Our fathers, brothers, sisters and uncles

Travelled far overseas

To aid another people

Facing the hostility of invasion

So many died

We remember their loss

So many lived

We remember their victory

And still protection calls to us

As a new generation

Goes out to protect from tyranny

We remember

We remember

What Bubbles Up?

To sit at my desk

With pencil in hand

Considering what to write

Poised

To capture

Whatever bubbles up

Lord, my sixth month begins

Today

And still I enjoy

Being at my desk each morning

To lay hold of thoughts

With words

Concert

Fundraiser Karen style

--Singers traveled here

From different cities

To perform a concert

Audience involvement

Praised the singers

By burying them 

Under mountains of leis 

--Fundraiser fun style

Thanksgiving 2015

A year later 

Is approaching quickly--

Family Thanksgiving was difficult yesterday 

Without Debra 

Lord, life on this earth always ends 

You've designed it that way 

Yet it is so difficult to lose loved ones 

To death 

We know of life beyond death 

We believe in eternal life 

But that makes it only a little easier 

Yet life with You, Lord, still draws us 

Back to hope 

That life beyond death is reality 

That we are free to release loved ones 

To You, Lord 

And move forward 

In faith  

Lunch With Mom

Walk home

From school when spare

Lined up beside lunchtime

For lunch of my own with Mom

--Bonus

9/11 Birthday

One year later

A little girl was born

Hope and joy out of grief felt at a distance

The news reports remembered devastation

But family rejoiced with new life!

Quick and lively little sister to tag along

Beloved daughter to nourish

Love will insist on its own way

Happy birthday Abby!

Labour Day

Remember

Release from being "less than"

Unions have battled hard for workers

Feminism has battled hard for women

The advances have been real

But

Always new fronts in the battle

For those who are treated as "less than".

Who are today's "less than"?

--Migrant workers

--Sex trade workers

--Surrogate mothers

--The aborted ones

These are just a few of the world's "less thans".

Lord, You love each and every "less than"

Through You, the kingdom work comes

--Injustice is attacked

--Mercy and grace will flow.

Gord and Denise

Anniversary time again!

Brings another year to

Celebrate

Doing life together!

Energy expended

For boys raised,

Goals for education reached,

Home renovations accomplished--

In the spirit of working as one and yet two

Just

Knowing 

Love is part of the relationship.

Memories bring

New

Opportunities to

Present 

Quiet

Reflection of lives

Savoured

Together

United as family

Vibrant in life

Watchful for each other

eXciting day--

Yes--a new year

Zeroes in to begin.

Dad

Long walks down by the lake

Soccor teams coached

Scouts helped while Carl was there

Busy at church

--Or busy away from church

Overtime at GM

Books and more books

Concern for your family of four

Fifty years (almost 51) with Mom

Long walks at the Oshawa Centre

Golf

Politics and the NDP

Hard drinks and opinions

Plans for your next trip

Chipmunks in the backyard

Goldfish in the rainbarrow

Long walks at the Ability Centre

Well Dad--it's been a full 80 years

Happy birthday!

Together

Well Andrew, my dearest Andrew,

Today's the day--

35 years married (to each other!)

And still facing the future together

It has been a fascinating time

To follow the Lord together--

Pastor and wife

New places: Arnstein, Brockville, London

Raising a beloved daughter

Studying God's Word

Walking--always being drawn back to walking

A bicycle built for two

Many elements to a life together

Apartments and houses

Anywhere can be home

Now on the verge of a new adventure

Pastor and missionary

Still working in the Lord's field

Even as we begin to work at different churches

We are still one family--together

with lots and lots of love,

Susan

Carl (Happy Birthday)

A baby brother entered the scene

Back in the days when life was simpler

Carl was his name

Danger was his game--

Even with signed permission in a letter

For dirt bike rides through the  fields.

Getting out with friends

He avoided three older sisters

Intent on the world as he saw it

Just following his path.

Karl and Carl hung out when  they were young, but

Life always included friends

Motorcycles grew until

Now a Harley Davidson

On the road gets him around.

Past days in the fields

Questing adventure

Readied him for

Solo trips to work and group

Trips with Monique

Until life is simply an adventure

Veering toward the sunset

With Monique at his side

eXalting just as much in the freedom of the road

Yes--she has her own motorcycle--

Zooming down the highway together.

Greg and Kelly (Happy 25th Anniversary)

Together in love

Bound by a link of marriage

With Katie and James

Ministry focused

Yet following the Lord where

He leads--step by step

Home filled with laughter

Yet striving to reach out with 

The love of Jesus

Twenty-five years since

They said "I do"--lots of time

To show it's for real

Bride's Parents speech

There once was a young girl from Brockville

Whose parents thought she was a thrill

Ever since she was two,

She planned what to do,

Looking forward she climbs each new hill.

With her dad this young woman does balk

While with her mom she does constantly talk

Now you might say we fussed,

For as parents we must,

To see the Lord teach her to walk.

On this journey we have gone round some bends

We would stand and not fall to the trends

As a fam'ly of three

It was her, you and me

And together we stayed as dear friends.

Then one day as she walked through the door

We knew our trio would now become four

So to this one we raise

A hearty cheer of praise

And look forward to life even more.

So now we just want to say

A welcome to you all today

You mean much to this couple

To them you're no trouble

And these empty nesters say "Hooray!"

I wrote the first line while Andrew & I were out for a walk--then while I was making breakfast, Andrew got inspired & wrote the rest. We read this at our daughter's wedding reception yesterday.