Monthly Archives: November 2012

I’m finding that maintaining a stable and purposeful life tends to be best accomplished when habits have been formed.

Habits that, over time, bring me closer to God, prepare my mind for daily engagement, and keep my body in good shape.

In some circles, this is called a “rule of life”.  The practice of these habits rule out the direction one takes.  Making the next step somewhat predictable helps when the scenery changes around us.  That’s the way I’m feeling right now.

I regularly arise in the middle of the night to journal, pray and read the Bible.  As well, I may read magazines and books.  Then in the early morning I ride an exercise bike for five miles while stretching.  Some of that stretching is reaching to the sky and asking God to speak to me.  I write out my weekly meal schedule and attempt to stick to it.  I aim for evening rest to begin by around 11:00 pm.  At work I hold weekly staff meetings and try to touch base with certain people throughout the week (lately I have one older lady who also contacts me weekly if I haven’t contacted her!!).

These are a few of my rules of life that keep me sane.  I find that out of these habits tends to arise a freedom to be creative.  What are the things in your life that give you a sense of order and sanity? 

I have a label on my desk from some soup I took out of the freezer lately.  “Beef Barley Soup – May 16/12 – Jill & Ron”.  Delicious soup and great nourishment.

Not only for the body, but for the soul.  The soup was prepared by Marilyn – the label dates the soup to May 16th, the day we headed in to Saskatoon for Jill’s heart test and her eventual cardiac arrest.   The next day she passed away.

In some cases these graces – food delivered and services rendered – just come because of a role a pastor has in the community.  A pastor receives services “just because”.  Out of duty only.  Thankfully, this has seldom been the case for me.

In this case . . . the case is that Marilyn was and is a friend who remains.  Since Jill’s passing I’ve had meals from her, she has played piano for me, I’ve enjoyed talking with her just about life.  And in many ways our friendship has become deeper.

May we all find friends who make beef barley soup!

These YouTube videos are four songs that I have listened to in the last six months.  They have been a comfort to me and a way to look to my future.

Blessings – written by Laura Storey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGniRk_GcLs

Broken, Don’t Pass Me By – sung by International Bible College – written by Tauren Wells.  (the YouTube video is an extended video of a charistmatic conference meeting)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSUu3H3rFQQ

Welcome Home – Michael W. Smith

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf5yOn4_jHc

You Deliver Me – Selah

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnPJjVWAsmM

Saturday I sat in on our local museum’s Annual General Meeting.  In large part I was there to support Michelle McMillan, who rents from me.  I was also there as an interested citizen.  A few decades ago I was a member of the Saskatchewan Museums Association as I was working on archives and such (a story for another day).  I was interested to see what was happening at our local museum.

The items on the agenda were mostly mundane.  This was the largest attendance at an AGM – over 20, probably closer to 25 present.  Usually it’s a mere handful of directors.

The most interesting part came at the point of discussing the constitution.  Apparently there were misconceptions – some who had worked to create the constitution expected to see a Board of Directors that was two-tiered.  The constitution apparently has only one tier for a Board of Directors. 

Well, discussion was interesting.  I threw in my two cents worth (OK, maybe I added a bit more than two cents worth).  In the end, the meeting adjourned and the discussion continued.  It will take a while to integrate the ideas but I sense that this museum is headed in a solid direction.

May our museum expose our citizenry to the legacy we have created and inspire us to greater good and service here in Kindersley.

Oh, and I love going to meetings – perhaps it is a part of the administration portion of my life, but they just get my crank going (an illusion there to old cars, hand starting, . . . a good museum thing!).