Monthly Archives: March 2016

So this morning, I was reading the credits for an author of a book.  His name is Warren Baker, the same as my brother.  He was an editor to the Hebrew-Greek Key Word Studies Bibles. 

My brother is an artist.  Not a writer or linguist.

I love to set up appointments with our local medical clinic.

Not because I like to be sick or need medical attention.  Rather, I love the expected response from the receptionist, who asks when I was born.

You see, I’m part of a cadre, a fellowship, a company of same-name human beings.

Just a few minutes down the road, in a community called Flaxcombe, another Ron Baker lives.  His medical charts are also at the same clinic as mine.

Imagine his surprise if he were to arrive one day at the clinic and find out he had both of his knee joints replaced.  And that he had GERD.  And that he was over 60.

Imagine my surprise if I were to arrive and find out I was him! 

When I applied for a website address for ronbaker.com, I found out there was another Ron Baker in the USA who is a car salesman – he owned the website. 

In my younger days we received a call from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police looking for Ron Baker:  a gadlfy, womanizer, cheater and generally no good person.

Ever wondered who you are? 

Do a search of your name on the internet and find out who you are not!!

Performing funerals gives me a fresh view on how families prepare for a final ceremony of remembrance once someone dies. 

I’ve noted that a number of the deceased “wing it.”  Their immediate family or friends fly around the house trying to find something to give them a sense of who this person was.  That includes looking frantically for directions on what they would liked included in a funeral service – and what they would like to be remembered for.

My uncle Glen passed away recently and had prepared a little something for his wife and the kids in a book called – “A Father’s Legacy.”  The reminiscences he had placed in this workbook became a part of a color scheme for the service (he liked magenta), a service theme around his love of work (he did lots of chores as a young person), and some personal remembrances (the type that the family may have known but would have forgotten).

I went home from the funeral and ordered a used copy (I don’t think they are still in print).

That began what has been a two month journey (and more months to go!).  I’ve been writing out things like impressions of my mother, sports I enjoyed, friends I’ve had, school memories and much more.

I’m amazed how much I have stuffed at the back of my brain.  Sometimes it takes a few well placed questions to bring them to the forefront.  This book was a prompter – a way to write my memoirs while I can still remember them.

I suppose starting earlier in my life would have been helpful.  I have a lot of this information scattered around but the real joy of this book is bringing the information to one place.  For the sake of family and friends.  And for my own sake as I have headed into retirement and look back over my life.