A range of thoughts

We are back to being empty nesters. Melissa is in Vancouver a couple days before getting back to Kaohsiung. I am finished my TEFL exams so we can get about the necessary tasks before we leave for Kaohsiung Nov 6th. Yikes so much in such little time!

yard work
a couple small renovation projects
Colleen working 25 hrs a week
me learning how to be retired and still productive
find our new relationship boundaries
LISTEN FOR GOD'S LEADING
rent the main floor for 5 months
deal with 2 vehicles while we are away(1 junker, 1 good)
insurance changes while we are gone
bill payment processing while we are gone
TAXES
Banking
connect with friends
LISTEN FOR GOD'S LEADING
find the connection with Jay and Julie
Keep Melissa working on any of our details
visas
housing
connect with Jay and Julie
LISTEN FOR GOD'S LEADING

My Pride and Joy

Melissa holding Gabriella

Melissa and Alexander

no other words needed

Retired! Projects? Contemplations!

Well, TEFL exams are done so I am starting to feel retired. Not bad since May 15th was my last official work day!

I've been thinking about how easy it was to blog daily several months ago when I was filled with angst and waiting for decisions. It will take a few more days to sort my thoughts.

Now that my courses are complete I can start developing my/our new schedule. Melissa is here visiting for 5 more days and then Nov 6th we fly to Taiwan for 5 months (not very far away!).

It's great to see progress with Corwin's adoption of Wilbur, Dillon growing, Gemma getting better, Glenn's olympic thoughts. Life is good!!!

It's August so we must be on another trip!!!

What a summer! It is such a blessing!

We picked up Melissa in Surrey on Wed. and drove to Qualicum Beach and then up to Colleen's sister's at Little Qualicum River. I had a great time helping Doug set up tents for today's wedding. Doug & Judy are planning their honeymoon trip to be to Taiwan while we are there. SUPER COOL!

All of Colleen's living siblings are in town for the wedding, And a Mexican fiesta tomorrow evening just in case there isn't enough celebrating! And there are lots from Doug's side too.

Many of you will also know I was able to see Alex and Gabriella a couple weeks ago, it was great and yet very tentative with the uncertainty of the past months and the months to come. God will prevail.

Now for me to be disciplined in the next 3 months before we leave for Taiwan. Yep 3 months from today we will be looking at our apartment in Kaohsiung. Melissa will be working on that as soon as she gets back.

Love to all

57 years used up!

Yep, older and maybe wiser......................................
not many clear thoughts tonight, many rambling and wandering thoughts. The 2 correspondence classes keep my mind fully occupied.

Tomorrow to PA for the day and this weekend to Crosby for a shared birthday celebration. My sister's death has created some new connections.

In 3 weeks and we will be in Vancouver picking up Melissa and heading to Qualicum Beach for a wedding.

Life is GOOD. Sure there are some aspects that have angst but when 2 people our age and stage can be seriously looking at living overseas for 5 months (by choice) how can things be bad?

Hang in everybody! Write often.

Life

Another week of studying Teaching English as a Foreign Language, finally into it far enough that it is generating interest rather than drawing on discipline. The grammatical terminology I've forgotten far outweighs what I remember. I'm on track to be ready for a break the first week of August and then 2 exams on August 16th. Please be praying for my diligence.

It may be mid August before I get back into my regular email pattern. All is reasonably well. We'll see Melissa about August 6th and bring her back from BC for a couple week's visit. Then she will go back to Kaohsiung to prepare for our November arrival.

HAPPY SUMMER TO EVERYBODY

Ordinary life, if there is such a thing

We had a quick trip to PA today to visit Colleen's Mom after she hurt her ear needing 9 stitches, some would say more stitches would leave a smaller scar. Time will tell.

This week is study, have coffee with a friend or 2 or 3, celebrate a friend's 60th birthday.

And try to catch up on some emails and small tasks around the house.

Still around and dealing with life

Well we are back from our 19 day, 5,800 km road trip. Rested. Colleen goes back to work tomorrow and I continue with my 2 University courses. I expect to load some pictures here and on Facebook in the next few days.

The weather has been and is expected to be wonderful for the next several days. I might even get some yard work done in my study breaks.

Small Corrections in Gabriella's update

A friend of Jay's passed along his email to her. Note the father's love and pride in his words.

She is here! Gabriella Marie was born Apr 29 - 5 weeks early. She was 5lb 3oz at birth and had to stay in NICU for 2 weeks to gain some weight, hardest 2 weeks of our lives - it doesn't feel right leaving your baby at the hospital and going home without her. She left the hospital at 5lb 5oz (after losing some). She's a perfect little angel. She's up to about 6lb 5oz now. Everyone says she looks just like me (minus the facial hair of course).

Please continue to pray for God's continued strength and healing for Gabby and all of us in her life.

Gabriella Marie Wriston arrived

Gabriella was born premature but healthy. She weighed 5 pounds and spent 3 weeks in NICU. Julie's mom said she is blonde and looks just like Jay. She was able to come down and care for Alex for 2 weeks which I'm sure was a great help.

I cannot find the words to express the mix of joy and sadness. At least the 2 grandmothers got to talk a bit. Now we have different mix of peace and turmoil, argh.

There is such a mix of physical, emotional and spiritual health aspects. Please remember us, Jay, Julie, Alex, Gabby and all the others in their lives especially Julie's Mom and her husband and Ian. God will lead your prayers.

Today and tomnorrow won't be quite as bad.

Each of you that has reached out through blog comments or Facebook have brought healing to my heart.

Now for Colleen and I to get our heads around the various impacts of the situation. I am trying to use only information I have and not entertained conclusions so far. I have enough trouble dealing with what I know without having to undo my guesses.

Thank you for your words, phone calls and prayers.

Holding the tears back......

I unwrapped my grandson's Christmas gifts today because I have no expectation of seeing him. I trust God that it will occur but after visiting Jay & Julie's place this afternoon I cannot keep the expectation alive. It is too painful.

The 5 minute conversation in the doorway seems to have accomplished nothing more than refreshing the wounds for all of us. Now I need to put Jay, Julie and Alex in God's container and leave it for God to open. It appeared Julie has had their baby but no mention or discussion was possible. So I place both of our grandchildren and their parent's in God's care. MANY TIMES A DAY!

Please pray for the hardness of heart, hurt, needs and whatever Jay and Julie need will be met.

I just realized I have THREE webpages!

Imagine! I went to a workshop here at General Conference about how to make a website in an hour. Well this is one of them! hmmm, well I do try to have a spiritual component as well.

It is a good conference. It's nice to realize I know a LOT of FM people across Canada. I got to reacquaint with Kris Gowdy, Suella (Merrit) McDonald, Nathan & Helen and my SCOD mates.

I'll add more as my thoughts clear.

Tuesday coffee with Ernest, maybe....................

Yahoo, the life of ease

well maybe not just yet. It will take at least a few days for the reality of not going back to work at the University after 32 years to settle in.

I am BUSY the next 4 days then have about 2 weeks to unwind, have coffee with Ernest and do things before our 3 week drive to Oklahoma-Kansas and back. July has no schedule so far except church and getting Colleen to work.

Melissa will be around much of August then she can go back to to Kaohsiung and start to seriously search for our apartment. September and October will finalize our preparations.

Ah retired life..............................................

yep still working 8 more official days

hmmm busy with local Nominating committee, life, work and making plans. I know I have forgotten some little details.

As soon as I am done at the University at 4:30 on May 15th, I leave 6 am on the 16th for Triennial General Church Conference in Toronto. Some relaxing retirement. I've finally gotten to where I can call it that.

I've registered for 2 TEFL(Teaching English as a Foreign Language) classes over the summer. Web based because we are travelling to and from Tyrone OK and Liberal KS for 3 weeks in June and then a couple weeks in early August to Campbell River BC for a wedding. I LOVE travelling. Too bad it cost so much money.

I hope to cover our Taiwan expenses by doing some English teaching while we are there from Nov through April. And part of our house expenses by renting out upstairs while we are gone. I think that is God's plan because there are a few options starting to take shape for our house occupancy. I think I may make Colleen into a kept woman!

Today is about what I expect our winter months to be like next year in Kaohsiung. The lack of central heating will have an added effect though. About 16 C during the afternoon. K may not be as sunny as Saskatoon though.

I wonder how much is involved in being an electrician in Taiwan? I plan to use that background to supplement our lifestyle here too.

NOW TO SEE WHAT GOD WANTS US TO DO

The Journey of Grief

I think that was the name of a seminar this morning.............. It was good and as far as I can tell, my benefit was having it confirm I am in a fairly good spot.

I had an interesting conversation with one fellow about how a relationship with God through a personal relationship with Christ provides a completeness that people cannot. Many people struggle not only with loss but also with being alone (often looks like single). Someone has told me that God created each of us with a cavity that can only be filled by God! you know how all the possessions, money and all still leaves people unsatisfied? That is how we can have peace in the midst of turmoil.

As I have grieved various things over the last few years I have gradually learned to try to view from what I think God's heart has experienced. This helps me share the load with God. The thought of the pain Christ went through yet realizing the eternal benefit has helped me expand the scope of my perspective. I cannot imagine God's perspective but just trying helps my problems and issues more manageable.

Yes I am here and close to OKAY

Well it's been a while. I thank each and everyone of you for your thoughts during Deb's illness and death. They strengthened me.

I have been overloaded and almost overwhelmed since getting back to Saskatoon that I don't hardly know my own thoughts.

The PT should be repaired in a couple more days. I am now looking at being finished at the University May 15th and fly out at 6 am on the 16th for General Conference in Toronto. Then in Tyrone, OK June 14th and 15th and Liberal KS June 21st and Campbell River BC August 8th. Now to decide which are driving and flying. I'm not sure when I'm going to get the retirement projects done before we go to Taiwan in November.

Another FIRST

I could be writing a new country song. Dogs are lucky I don’t have one! Oh yeah and no pickup truck either…………..

At 47 I went downhill skiing for the first time and now I am sitting in an RCMP detachment for the first time at 57! At least it is voluntary…. sort of ….hitting a deer does more damage to a 2002 PT cruiser than it did to our 1968 Comet/Montego 35 years ago. Less than ¼ mile apart, ok 300 meters at Lumsden SK.

I’ll settle down in a day or 2………….God protected me! Now to see in a day or two how well the car was protected. This will get that small hood dent fixed that I made when we were looking at this in July! Although somewhat more expensively.

It will seem strange to many but I have had a GREAT week in Crosby with Deb’s husband and friends. God has provided a multitude of opportunities for people to minister to me and for me minister to them. I got to share and demonstrate God’s evidence in my life. Whew, this accident takes the icing on the cake. Oh and I do have cake, well 2 dozen fresh today cake doughnuts by me new friend JUDY who runs a drive-in café in Ray ND. Debbie worked for her when she owned a café in Crosby a few years ago. My innkeeper was JOYCE, one of Deb’s high school friends that have now lost the next 30 years of Deb’s friendship. My mom for the week and friend, Louise Aalund a friend of Deb and my parents. She was DEEPLY comforted by my presence. She got Deb, Pete and ‘Em’ through me. There are so many stories of how Deb (and Bill) has affected people’s lives in and around Crosby in the last 10 years.

The minister conducting Deb’s memorial service also performed their wedding back in July 1998, cool, eh! Several good remembrances were shared at a Friday evening gathering at the Funeral Home. I got to reconnect with our nephew Michael which I haven’t seen for about 30 years. A long story not suitable for here. Deb had befriended him the last several years and her death may well be that path for Mike’s healing from the damage his parents’ weaknesses have triggered. He actually married another Debbie who is from Weyburn so the quest for common connections will continue. He blessed me immensely by getting pictures of their 2 kids to me on Saturday even though he wasn’t able to attend the memorial service. LIFE SURE HAS STRANGE TWISTS AND CONNECTIONS.

Oh, the RCMP officer’s last name is Etienne…………Only those of you with some French will get that one!

Well Lynn Shepherd and Dave Longueil are coming to my rescue. It will be a very late night for these 3 OLD GUYS.

Hallelujah Deb is resting at home

Many will already know that my sister Deb passed on Saturday morning about 10:15 just as David finished talking to her on the cell phone. I was talking with David and looked over and she was silent and peaceful. It has been a privilege to spend the time with Deb, Bill and her friends.

The service is Saturday March 29th at Concordia Lutheran Church here in Crosby. She worked there until she wasn't strong enough to continue. I can usually be reached at cell 306-290-7509 or sometimes at Bill's 701-965-6018.

She has asked that I bring some of her ashes to be spread at Mom & Dads grave site and at Arkalon when we have a family reunion in June..

Wow the last 40 hours

I got to Crosby about 10 Wed night and got a few hours sleep between 1 and 6. Deb lingers and I'm just finishing 24 hours, Bill was able to get some rest tonight so my weariness is counted as
JOY.

It has been a tremendous honour and privilege to be with Deb and Bill and to be able to pray many times. Deb has had bright alert moments and restful moments and unfortunately some minutes of anguish even though the pain is well under control. My moments of emotion have been limited for now so I can serve Deb and Bill.

Please continue to pray for clarity, wisdom and strength for a peaceful passing. Deb has requested cremation so that ease some of the haste to have a funeral service. Bill expects to have it on a Saturday which could be March 29th or later depending on Deb's time. I will keep all updated so you can keep us in your thoughts and prayers.