WHy oh Why oh Why?

SO I was watching "Disaster Decks" this afternoon.  The premise of the show is that the wife hates the deck (which is usually falling apart and unsafe) and the hosts help teach the husband to build a new one.  The episode today they made a (repeated) point of mentioning that in this couple the wife did most of the household repairs.  Then said in one of the throw to commercial teasers that they were helping the husband get his "man card".





SEriously?

Excuse me while I check what year it is......

Nope, still 2015.  FOr a moment I thought maybe I had hit a time warp and gone back a few decades.

Why not have the wife help build the deck if she is the one with that interest and surprise her chef husband with a new deck and outdoor kitchen????

Or do we have to work hard to maintain gender role definitions?

SIGH

Pictures and Baptism....

The RevGalBlogPals have recently moved to a new site.  As a part of the set up of that site they asked for pictures of women in ministry in action.  And so I submitted this picture:

Of course there is always a story behind a picture.  And now they are asking for those stories for the Wednesday Festival this week.

When you are clergy and you have children who baptizes them?  I am not their Pastor, I am their father.  So for Princess and Scalliwag we had colleagues come out to Atikokan for the baptism--colleagues who were at those times retained without appointment.  On both those occasions all of their grandparents (and for Scalliwag also her great-grandfather) were able to be present.

Then came Monkey.  There was someone we really wanted to officiate at her baptism (because said person was unable to officiate at our wedding as Beloved sorta kinda hoped).  However said colleague was also in full-time ministry, which makes it more difficult for her to come to Atikokan.  At the same time it was becoming more and more difficult for Beloved's mother to make that trip.  So we came up with a rather unique solution.

Have the baptism at a Presbytery meeting.

We suggested this to some of the key people in Presbytery in the fall and there was great excitement.  As the chair that year noted, as Protestants we recognize 2 sacraments but in our Presbytery meetings we are only able (generally speaking) to celebrate one of them.  So we made plans.  The Board in Atikokan agreed that Monkey could be baptized on their behalf at the February Presbytery meeting.  Wonderful friend and colleague agreed (with very little pleading) to officiate, we planned the service and it was done.  I led most of the service and wonderful friend and colleague did the baptism.  Thanks again!!!!!

Oh and I was told by wonderful friend and colleague to include this piece:

Gord, be sure to mention that it is a highlight of my ministry. One of those Spirit-filled moments that always brings a smile.

 

Vacation Week...

When I was called to ministry with this congregation one of the terms of call was "A week of vacation between Christmas and Easter".  The first year Easter was late and so I took off the week of Spring Break, because it seems most fitting to take vacation time when the girls are not in school.  However, most years the Spring Break in our area is still actually an Easter Break, in that it begins with Easter weekend.  So that is not the normal week I can take.

As it happens however, the regional Teacher's Convention always falls the second weekend of March.  Which means it IS always between Christmas and Easter.  And has the girls off-school for 2 days of that week.  So naturally it is the week I take off (which also happens to allow me to not have to lead worship the Sunday that DST begins and the Sunday closest to my birthday).  And that means it is this week that I am off...

 So how am I spending my vacation week?  Well I started it by working.  Last Sunday we had communion and it is my practice to do communion at one of the care homes the Monday after that.  I did not want to take this from them so we did that.  And then we are in the midst of a 6-week faith study during Lent.  To miss this week would put us out of Lent and to miss a week in the middle of a study always throws off the rhythm of the study.  So we did that as well. True that meant about a total of 4 hours of work over teh two days but that was not an issue to me.

Then we left town (always the best way to avoid working while on vacation).  And today was the planned highlight of the week.  This year the Brier (Canadian Men's Curling) is in Edmonton.  So we decided to take in one draw.  And as an added benefit for the girls they got to take the train to get there!!!!!  It was a highly enjoyable afternoon.  The first time I had watched that level of curling in person. So glad we took advantage of the opportunity.

Now to relax for a couple days (well I might do up the bulletin for next week since I have registered for an all-day event on Monday)....

Use It or Lose It....

When I was younger I took piano lessons.  For 4 or 5 years (from when I was in Grade 2 or 3 until I was in Grade 7).  For years after that there was a piece or two I could sit down at Christmas and play.

Now I can still sit down and plunk out a melody.  It comes in handy when wondering what a new tune sounds like.  I had enough knowledge of theory to understand quickly how to know what note i was playing by counting frets on a guitar neck.  I can still, with time and effort, sight read and identify notes on the clefs.  But that, apparently, is about it.

For Christmas this year the whole family got an electric piano from Santa.  Last weekend I went downstairs to get something out of the freezer and decided to sit down at the piano, just for fun.

With the instrument we got 2 books of music.  One was a collection of classical pieces which are listed as beginner, intermediate and advanced pieces (although really even the beginner pieces assume a knowledge of what notes are where on the clef so not truly beginner).  The other is a book of Christmas music.

I looked up one of the beginner pieces and was fine as long as I only tried one hand at a time.  But both hands was not gonna happen with any sense of accuracy or consistent rhythm.  Then I grabbed the Christmas book and turned to "What Child Is This" which is a piece I pretty much knew by heart 30 years ago.  I believe that the arrangement in this book is very close to the same as the one I learned years ago.  It is (as best I can remember) in the same key.  And I would not play both hands together at all.  I could barely play the melody line and the extra notes in the right hand with consistent rhythm.  Both my music reading and my muscle memory of finding the right keys without looking have long since faded (and to be honest neither was great shakes when I was taking lessons as arguably I was less than consistent in practicing).

Apparently piano is not like riding a bicycle.  Don't do it for a whilee and you can't jsut pick up where you left off.....

My Family Day "Surprise"

The day got off to a nice start.  Both Patty and I had a nice slow start to the day (I think we got up to stay around 9:30).  The girls were not yet fighting with each other.  The only hiccup was that the promised swim at the Eastlink Center was not happening because they did not open till noon (when the Family Day celebrations were going to start and the place would likely be a madhouse).

There were 2 quick tasks I needed to do at the church.  So the Scalliwag and I headed over to do those, then we would meet the rest of the family at the sliding hill.

Got to the church to find my office door, which I had closed when leaving yesterday (and thought I had locked--apparently had not) was standing open.  Strange.  Then on the floor in my office was a key to the exterior doors of the building.  Stranger still.  Then I notice that the connecting door to the secretary's office is also open and the door from her office to the hallway is ajar (both of which were also closed when I last saw them).  Stranger yet.  Then I go into the other office and see that the desk has been thouroughly searched.  File drawers are open, contents (and faceplate) of one drawer on the floor, cabinet doors left open.  And it is obvious what has happened.

So I call the RCMP.  Then I call the Council chair.  And while waiting for them to arrive Scalliwag and I take a quick walk around of the building (several times while waiting in fact -- think I was working off nervous energy?).  As best as I can tell only the offices were touched.  Looking around some more I determine that the only thing that appears to be missing is (our own, family) LCD projector that was in my office to use for a study group starting tomorrow.

Council chair arrives, Patty arrives to pick up the child (since I am obviously busy for a while) and we continue to wait.  Finally the RCMP phone for more details and ask me to take a statement to the detachment tomorrow.  A little disappointed that they are not coming over but really what would they do besides look at was I described (and pictures have been taken).  SO I sit down to do what I first went over to do and to start writing out a statement.  All will be well in the end, this I know.  The church/insurance will replace the projector.  The secretary's desk drawers will be repaired or replaced.  And it is only stuff.  This is why we never keep cash in the building.

But it is unsettling.  When we were first walking around Scalliwag said "this is creepy".  And I was trying to not let it be.  After all it was a crime of opportunity, someone had found a dropped (and labelled--that will stop when keys are given out after this) key, let him/herself into the building and went looking for cash or items that could easily become cash and then left.  Oddly none of the office computer equipment in the offices (monitors, towers, speakers) were touched.  My guess is that a projector in a case with arm strap was easier to carry.  But then this evening when I went back to print out the statement so I can take it over in the morning I realized how unsettling the residue was.  With time it will fade of course...

And we remember the words of Julian.  All will be well, all will be well, all manner of thing be well.

February 19 ADDENDUM:
Turns out that the key which was found is one that had been in the secretary's desk.  Which means access was gained some other way.  Since there is no sign of damage to the doors our best guess is that someone came in while the AA group was meeting downstairs.  Which means we may have to rethink procedures about doors being left unlocked while meetings are happening in the basement.  Which makes things more difficult for those groups...

I Don't Understand...

Ok, admittedly there are lots of ways I could finish that sentence.  But I have one particular ending in mind today.

Yesterday we took advantage of the bright sunny weather (and the beginning of holiday time) to head down to the Street Performers Festival.  It was an enjoyable activity (although the bright sun in a crowded street is VERY hot).  Lots of poeple out for the day.  And here's the thing, dogs.

Dogs of all sizes (including a St. Bernard).  Dogs in the crowd, dogs in the food court.  But in my opinion it wasn't a dog-type activity.  Is it unusual to suggest that maybe there are places where taking your dog just does not make sense?  Same thing with the Canada Day Parade and festivities in the park.  Large crowds, people everywhere, and lots of dogs [including one I saw during the Canada Day parade last year that was muzzled, which suggest the owner has reason to think this may not have been the best environment for that particular animal].

I know pets are a part of the family.  And I know that most dogs are very friendly.  But why do people feel the need to take dogs everywhere they go?  I read on a FB page today a thank you to a local food establishment for having water dishes on their patio for customer dogs.  Really?  no one sees a problem with this?

Maybe there are times to walk the dog in another place?  

Sometimes I don't understand people's choices.

10 years ago...

As we were driving home from Presbytery tonight it struck me that 10 years ago this afternoon I was heading home from my first Presbytery meeting after ordination and settlement.

It had been a good meeting.  In that Presbytery the fall meeting is always the last weekend of September, starting with registration on Thursday night and concluding with worship with the host congregation on Sunday morning (actually the 2001 meeting concluded then but we were encouraged to reassemble 2 hours later for a covenanting service in the next Pastoral Charge).  For theme time that weekend we were talking about First NAtion's issues. 

But the REAL reason to remember that meeting had little to do with business or theme.

Thursday evening as I was wainting to follow my billet home and after the time for registration had ended a lay member of Presbytery came running in yelling "DOn't Leave! I'm here!".  While she waited for her ride to her billet we introduced oursleves and chatted a bit.  Apparently she then spent the next two days arranging to be close to me (and finding out what she could about me).  But I was a little oblivious.  Then at the feast Saturday night we connected.  And the rest, as they say, is history.

Still, how many people can say that the first words they ever heard their partner say were "Don't leave! I'm here!"?  (Yes I know she wasn't talking to me, but to the registration people whe were getting ready to leave)

Making an Impact

Apparently we like to shape the yards of the places we live.

The first spring and summer I was in my Settlement charge I planted a hedge along the manse sidewalk (which was just getting going nicely by the time we left),  I expanded the vegetable patch from 8x8 to 16x24, and I dug out a bunch of overgrown/rangy/half-dead stuff in the front flowerbeds.  Over the next few years we planted several shrubs and trees (some we bought, some trees one of the trustees brought in from the lake).  We also tried to get the front beds going with perenniels but they never seemed to take hold -- poor soil.  In the time we were there we also had a double pull clothesline put in (60 feet long for a total 120 feet of hanging space, we could hang lots of stuff at once).  The yard was not the same when we left as it was when I arrived.

Fast forward to last year.  When we arrived there were a number of things that we knew needed to be done.  SOme were inside (like replace the crimped water line leading to the dishwasher, install a shower curtain rod, hang a mirror in the bathroom).  SOme were external.  Immediately after we arrived we did some desperately needed fence repairs (the whole fence needs to be redone, a project that will be done in stages starting next spring),  Later in the summer I started turning over sod to make a vegetable garden.  This spring I finished that project and put 10 yards of new dirt in the garden before planting it.  We also added dirt to the side flowerbed.  Then we built our new sidewalk and big front flowerbeds.  This meant getting some shrubs to serve as anchors for those beds and starting to put in perreniels (the front beds will largely be in perreniels), a job that finished for this year last week with some perenniels purchased on sale and some fall bulbs.  Over the summer we have also planted 4 trees.  And we have created a whole bunch of ideas for what else could be done in the yard.

Of course we will never see these efforts come to maturity.  Just like in the manse, we plant things for those who come after to enjoy.  There is a message about faith and life in there I think.

But apparently we like to shape (or re-shape) the yards of the places we live.

How I spent Last week

LAst week I took two extra days off.  To get a project done while my "work crew"  (aka parents) were in town. 

When we bought the house last year we had noted that the front yard needed to be regraded as it sloped in towards the house (and there was a gap of a couple inches between the bottom of the front step and the ground).  So we replaced the front sidewalk with a bigger one made of paving bricks and put nice big flower beds in to replace the 2 foot wide ones under the eaves.

After day 1 of work

The raised section right at the step, also to show the brick pattern

After completion (almost).  The sides have now been filled with sod clumps, soil and grass seed.  Now we just have to decide what all we want to plane in the beds (perennials and shrubs)

This Isn't Right!

I know it is only June and the only month in which snow has not been recorded in Alberta is July but still...

I mean 24 hours ago it was over 20C!

Ever feel Unprepared?

Well name one person in ministry (or in life in general) who doesn't at times.  Here is a song that might help:

I Don't Understand...

The way people spend money.

I heard yesterday that the top face value (official price) ticket for the Super Bowl on Sunday was $1200.  Yes, one thousand two hundred dollars to watch one single football game (and I assume you still have to buy your own beer hot dogs and nachos).  Of course tickets are all sold out--and scalpers are asking between $2000 and $25 000.  You can buy a very decent vehicle for $25 000!!

I just don't get it....

I Never Knew

But apparently I am dangerous!

Just check out the "discussion" on this thread (starting about 3/4 of the way down the first page).  This poster and I have been into it before, this is just a sampl;e.

But I never knew I was so dangerous!

Although Gandalf does remind us that we are all dangerous in our own way, even mild little Pippin.

Apparently it Snowed....

12-18 inches of snow this weekend (after close to a foot last weekend)

The poor dog is really confused about how to get to the yard

At some point we have to deal with the other half of the driveway before the van (which is sitting in the dealership lot) gets fixed

Somewhere in that pile is a BBQ

Classic Vignette

Tonight we are watching a show about jobs in Canadian history.  This week's episode is about settlement era jobs.  One of the fields was logging and they showed the river drive.  And that reminded me of this...

Huh???

On my way home this afternoon the radio station had the answer to their daily "NEarly Impossible Question" contest.

Today the question was "What do 20% more men than women do while driving?'

The answer--Flirt.

Now admittedly I have never counted flirting as a strongpoint (or recognizing I am being flirted with for that matter).  But how do you flirt with people in other vehicles while driving?????

2 Songs, One Sermon Concept

To go with the Luke passage of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. And teh sermon title Humility and Shame.

What is the balance between pride and guilt and humility and shame?

Why????

As long as I have known, Good Friday (and usually Easter Monday) have been public holidays.  And this made perfect sense to me because I was part of a family that was active in the church.  Besides, for many years we went to my grandparents' for Easter and the 4 day weekend made this more possible.

But more and more now I have to wonder why.  AFter all why, in a nation that has no official religion, do we make a public holiday of one religion's holy day?

You Know I Love 'Em But....

Sometimes they say the darndest (and not helpful) things.

For children's time this morning I thought I'd talk about what the church does.  The only kids were our 3 but I had no back up story so off we go.

AS part of it I decided to use the finger rhyme "Here is the church...".  The girls know this rhyme, they have done it many times before.

Eldest was in a shy mood and saying nothing.  So when I got to the end of the rhyme I turned to the youngest for help.  "Open the door and see all the..."

Without a moment's pause she called out, at the top of her lungs "FINGERS!" and the whole congregation broke up.

After church, during lunch, I did it with her again.  This time (of course) she quietly said "people".  But not when others were listening.  SOme days you gotta wonder why you don't just read a story.

For those who are fans of Footbal AND Stompin Tom Connors