Sprung

Spring has sprung...a leak that is.

We have a place on a lake that has been in our family for over 50 years.
This weekend we visited our place to find that the rains of the previous week have raised the water level in the lake beyond the shoreline.
Yes, the lake sprung a leak. Our front yard is now about 8 inches under water.
With a few sunny days, some drying winds and of course, God's will, the lawn will soon return from its undersea adventure, to host many upcoming summer gatherings.

Pride

I am a very proud parent today.
As a skater and now skating teacher, it is a thrill to say that my middle daughter accomplished a task today beyond my achievements in this sport.
Figure skating accomplishments are measured in levels: preliminary, junior bronze, senior bronze, junior silver, senior silver and gold. While, many years ago, I passed my senior silver dance tests (four dances in this level), I never tried a dance test at the gold level. My older daughter had tried a gold dance test but was not successful.
Today, my middle daughter passed her first gold level dance test. Three more to go to complete that level. Congratulations! I am very proud of you and your accomplishment.

Truth?

I attended a meeting today. Meetings are not unusual in my line of work, but today, a young man had been called to speak a some authority figures in his life and explain a recent incident.
It seems that in the time prior to this meeting this young man's mother was present. However, in the moments before the meeting she left, only to call later to say that she would not return for this meeting.
Despite being caught in the act, this young man portrayed innocence with a cool resolve. Too cool for someone so young. It quickly became obvious to me that this young man was accustom to his own truth, which may be different from anything the facts can prove.
I felt an overwhelming sadness for this lad. The sadness was not borne of the absence of support at this serious meeting, but the lack of a guiding influencer who could provide for this child a role model for real truth.
Who knows what potential this child has? Who knows what path his life with take? What is known is that it will take the love and concern of an adult to help him learn the value of truth.

In a Hurry to Get Home

Yesterday, my little four year old skater was not in a skating mood and continued to come up with new excuses to leave. My favourite?

"I have to go home. I have chocolate waiting for me to eat."

Dead?

At another parish locally, a young mom walked in a little late for the Good Friday Service. As the priest lay prostrate at the altar, her wise little one asked loudly, "Mommy, Is he dead?"

Happily, this priest then incorporated these words into his Homily and other parts of the service.

Symbols of Easter

Easter Sunday morning, with the children, we put three chocolate eggs, representing Trinity, into a plastic egg which represents the tomb Jesus was laid in. A label that read "Christ is Risen" sealed the 'tomb' and children added a cross in recognition of the cross that Christ died on for our salvation. Children were to take this egg home and tell their families about the symbols therein before sharing in the goodies.
To my amusement one of the children exclaimed, "Chocolate is good, that means God must be good."

And It Was

Amazing that is.
The Good Friday service was just as I imagined it would be.
The readers delivered their words with clarity. The extinguishing of candles highlighted the betrayal in their speeches. Our vocalist, a young woman who is only 13 sang with the voice of an angel. The dark and empty sanctuary was a reflection of the darkness and emptiness that Christ's followers may have felt that day.
The children responded well to Father. He was at ease interacting with our children and even enjoyed the laugh when a child pointed out that it was Earth Day.
As the wooden cross 'floated' over the pews with parishioners handing it to the next rows, the family choir sang, "Jesus Remember Me" in a moment to be cherished for long time to come.
Yes, in God's house, I like to believe His will was done on that day.

Siblings

Meet Tiki and Zoey, our new birdie friends, born January 26/27 in Mississauga. They are green cheek conures. These siblings will reside one (with the red breast) with my oldest child and the other with my youngest, here at home. Sibling birds for siblings.

These babies are quiet and cuddly; eager for the attention of their new parents. New life always brings the hopes and dreams of those of us privileged to journey along side. Only our maker knows what will become of these siblings, but human and avian, but we trust this is the beginning of long and loving friendships.

Let God

I am trying to organize a very special Good Friday service. Friday is now only days away and I am still missing a youth reader.
It seems that throughout this process, difficulty has been the name of the game. From the venue, to getting help with the music, to finding choir members and readers, it feels like this has been an up-hill battle.
My mom would always suggest that when things are difficult in the planning, they are always rewarding in the final product.
I have decided that since this is a Good Friday service, in God's house, bringing life to words describing the sacrifice of His only Son, perhaps, I am not the person in control after all. Perhaps our dear God has a plan and in my desire to find all of the solutions, I am not listening to his plan.

Stayed tuned...who knows what is yet to come.

In Harmony

Today we had a rehearsal for the upcoming Good Friday Service. The family choir practice consisted of two families per see and a group individuals from Vietnam who are learning and living together here.

Because this is a Good Friday service everything will be a capela - that is no instruments allowed. The music the choir created was beautiful.

As the group became more comfortable with each other the time for experimentation had arrived. The leader of the choir choose to add some harmony to the vocal performance. One of the Vietnamese stepped forward to join her and the music they made together was heaven sent.

At the end of practice the two introduced themselves. It was obvious very quickly that a language barrier made the true exchange of ideas a challenge. However, this made their incredible harmony even more amazing.

To me, the language of music is a mystery, but this evening, it was demonstrated very clearly that the language of music has the ability to transcend the usual barriers of spoken communication. I wonder how often God speaks to us in ways that we do not comprehend, but when we do things in concert with Him, many wonders occur.