Monthly Archives: March 2013

5:02 this morning.

That’s when Spring arrived.  I look out the window and see a few feet of snow on the ground.  I hear wind beginning to howl and a forecast of snow in the next few days.  The temperature remains on the freezing side.

And Spring is here.  Not just on the way.  Spring is here.

For all our thoughts of Spring  being robins and green grass, worms arising and lawns being mowed – this is on the way!

I wrote in my journal that my life is much like this.  I have gone through a period of winter, where tough and exhilarating have stood side by side.  Often the morning has been dark, but the day has carried glimpses of brilliance. 

Today, I determined to consider Spring arising.  I am  not only looking underneath the circumstances, I am expecting the circumstances to reveal a new day.  Where the seeds that have been dormant over the winter season begin to germinate into new growth.

Hope Springs!

A revaluation of property assessment has just taken place.  For the sake of transparency, I am thankful that I can check on how the houses on my block are assessed for tax purposes.  

I realized soon into examining assessed values of other houses that there are various ways in which prices are determined.  Mine is valued on a comparison basis. 

I am thankful that someone thinks my house, in comparison to others, is a good value.  I’m not sure selling the house at this point would get the assessed value.  But I would hope to attain that price.

Which is to say, for small town Saskatchewan, prices are fairly high.  I understand that prices just an hour down the road,  in a smaller town, are much cheaper.

But this is Saskatchewan.  Assessed prices may be what they are, but the question is whether you can find a house that is available for sale.  We live in a booming economy.  Housing is at a premium.  Which may also mean that demand may even create higher prices.

Now, all this meandering is to say that I’m very glad for the purchase made a few years ago.  I have a nice house in which I live, with room for others as well!  And to be quite honest – I also live in one of the best neighbourhoods in town!  I like my neighbours!  Which is an intangible in valuing a house.  Perhaps my house is worth more just because of my good neighbours! 

I just wonder how an assessor takes that into account!!

We have been making our way through Luke in our sermons.  Pastor Ryan Lee was up today to speak on Luke 11.

The Lord’s prayer, evil spirits coming back to take over, the sign of Jonah, Beelzebub, criticism of Pharisees and scribes.  All there!

Pastor Ryan did what I have never seen or heard before.  He turned the chapter into one theme.  I’ve read commentaries, heard numerous sermons on Luke 11.  This is the first time that I heard such a powerful presentation of what I suspect was the theme Luke was after.  The theme:  We can all try to do things on our own.  We can set up our own rules, we can hope for power that is our own, we can expect that our life is fine without adding anything else.

And Jesus wants us to see the exact opposite.  We must come to depend only on Jesus.  No one else – not even ourselves.  You can catch the sermon at http://www.sermoncloud.com/kindersley-alliance/luke-11/

Let me just prepare you.  You may come with all the other sermons you have heard.  And you might miss the theme Ryan is working to elaborate.  Listen carefully.

There is something about winter.

As snow falls and we become confined to a house or residence, we begin to feel restricted.  We can hibernate for the sake of rest.  Most of us become agitated and grumpy.

For most of us here in Kindersley, we have hit almost six months of winter.  Half a year.

My hairdresser this week commented on this negative attitude.  She has taken up the positive attitude that winter is great.  The crunch of snow, the white that is bright white, the enjoyment of outdoor activity.  When people come in complaining she overwhelms them with the good side.  And, I imagine, the room’s atmosphere changes and the sunshine begins to appear.

What if we began a contest?  Let’s see how many good things about winter we can talk about.  If you want to comment below, I’d love to hear what you have to say.