Monthly Archives: July 2008

My son and I took a quick trip into Saskatoon Saturday night.  We visited with my dad at the Royal University Hospital.  They were just in the process of moving him from an emergency bed to a regular room (5603). 

Apparently he has a fracture in his left hip.  Surgery is planned for Sunday morning.

We drove back and arrived home shortly after midnight.  We’ll probably be looking at a visit or two to Saskatoon in the next few days.  May God inspire continued joy and peace for all during this time.

How do you define imagination?  Today I heard a marvelous approach — slipped into a commencement address at Harvard given by J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series of books (this is not a blog on Harry Potter — I’ll leave those thoughts to another time and place).

Let’s back up a bit.  So, I’m reading the Saskatoon Star Phoenix online (our local “big city paper”).  There is a section on the best YouTube videos of the week.  I’ve found YouTube has an amazing way of making available things that would otherwise remain the purview of very few.  I’m curious so I wander there.  Here is a speech by J.K. Rowling.  Not being a big fan of Harry Potter, but recognizing a storytelling genius, I wanted to see what she had to say (if you do look at the two part video, be sure to get the right ones, some finish 2/3 of the way through and leave you hanging).

She spoke on failure.  That all of us will fail.  Here answer was that none of us can truly do life on our own — and then affirms that at the rock bottom of failure we find our true selves are able to survive.  Unfortunately she implies that we can become our own saviors.  If life never launches from rock bottom, can we still be content?  OK, I’m getting at the need for a greater savior than ourselves.

Then she turns to imagination.  This she attaches to her experience in working as a researcher with Amnesty International.  We have the ability to see beyond what we experience to that which could be.  We can help to change the world.  I agree, if we begin from the right foundation!

And here is the definition, which I wish was written in dictionaries — “To learn and understand without having experienced”.  Imagination is more than  just fairy tales — an idea will affect our actions.  And so,  in casting around in our grey matter for pictures and principles we have not lived, we begin to realize that which could be lived.  And by the grace of God, we discern where we should be and what we should be about.

And now, to Him, who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we can imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him and for his sake be the credit and the glory through those who consciously are joined to His community and through the working of His Savior  (Jesus Christ), both expressed and experienced from the beginning and until the end of time.

And I guess you can add an AMEN to that!

Well, Dad is scheduled for an appointment with a specialist this morning in Saskatoon.  After that we’ll see where things are at!

There is an old song titled “Afternoon Delight”.  I loved to listen to Manhattan Transfer (or was that Starland Vocal Band?) sing the enjoyable melody and delicious harmonies  (the words were a little racy, even for the ’70’s, but then who listens to the words?) !!

My mental picture when I hear the melody (nothing to do with the actual words of the song!) is of sitting on the porch mid-summer, mid-afternoon, and figuring all is right with the world. 

But today, Friday afternoon mid-summer 2008 brings up a new picture — and its not an afternoon delight.  In order for Dad to get into a hospital in Saskatoon (which may or may not be necessary), there must be a bed available and a specialist there as well.  Both may be impossibilities. 

It’s Friday afternoon!  Doctors leave for the weekend.  Hospital staff is downsized and patients not needing additional care sent home.  The cycle of surgeries and special care begins again on Monday — barring an emergency.

We await final word on a transfer from one hospital to another.  Oh, BTW (by the way), the transfer is about 120 kms away!  You don’t want to have to turn around half way there if there isn’t a bed or specialist available!   So, we wait!