Monthly Archives: November 2016

I have been occupied with obituaries this week.

My uncle Bruce Baker passed away on November 15, 2016.  Another more distant relative, who attended a Baker reunion this summer (Henry Heald), passed away on November 17, 2016.  94 years and 88 years respectively.

Neither of these men were relatives whom I saw on a daily or even annual basis (actually, I met Henry only once).  But relatives nonetheless.

Relativity signifies a bond that is of blood or kinship.  That bond does not need proximity of location, or enjoyment of a pasttime, or even just liking someone.  You just are.

To be or not to be!  That is not the question.  You are.

I read my relatives accomplishments and smile.  One was a well known character in Whitehorse.  The other was a writer/journalist in the Ottawa area.  One loved mining, the other was an agriculturalist.  One was from the West, the other from the East.  Both could spin a tale.

Their stories were indicative of life livers.  There was no slowness of heart in their endevours. 

Not unlike how I would like to be known.

Obituaries can be life giving.

We have switched pharmacies.

Not out of disgust or poor service.  The opposite is true.  We loved our pharmacist and their service was always helpful.

The local grocery store is closing.  The pharmacy was contained in the grocery store.  The pharmacy has closed already.

Our files were transferred to another pharmacy.  My first visit there was quite cordial and their service was exceptional.

Except for mandated restrictions by the government.

Child proof lids are required on medications.  Understandable – but the lids are also arthritis proof and require amazing amounts of pressure.  I could barely get the lid off.  Others in the family would have needed to take a hammer to the bottle in order to extract medications.

A little tip!

Ask the pharmacist for non-childproof lids.  Your signature will be required.  You are giving away your life.  Of course, if you can’t get to your medications (or at least can’t get the lid off), you may be giving away your life anyway!!

Well, I continue to read.  This is one of life’s enjoyments for me.

Part of my reading time has been in a book by Joel Thiessen – The Meaning of Sunday.  Joel is a Sociology professor at Ambrose University (my alma mater).

Here is a sentence you will find interesting – for your “tinker boxer” today (for those not acquainted with low German approaches to the English language – tinker boxer refers to the “thinking” box we call the brain).

Rational choice scholars should cease to naively equate and confuse the pursuit of meaning and purpose with unending and widespread demand for religion. (p. 117)

OK, I couldn’t resist making a small comment here!

In my upbringing, proving that life had meaning and purpose meant that everyone would naturally move towards religion – where ultimate purpose and meaning was to be found.  That just made common sense to us. 

Just because something makes sense to us (rational and objective), doesn’t mean that others use the same approach to sense.  There is no longer a common understanding of “common sense” other than an individual’s understanding of their own sense of truth is now “common sense”.  In other words, we no longer have a common definition of common sense.

For many, “sense” is to be equated with feeling, desire and love – intangibles found in the equation we call life.  Family, friends, job, recreational activity and volunteer opportunities make sense of the pursuit of meaning and purpose for many in life.  And that is often enough for those who live in this moment of time, for those who have no desire for an ultimate understanding of the eternity of time.

Just because we “prove” that ultimate meaning can be found in Jesus Christ does not mean that others will fall in line with us.  If anything, until they experience a sense of love, a desire for the unknown and an explicit display of the transformative power of God will they begin to tread the path Christians have trod.

I’m still trying to wrap my head around this year’s climate.

Today we had snow on the vehicles, rain in the air and above zero temperatures.  This is November.  Winter is, was and shall be on the way.

But, knowing the last year’s climate, the unexpected is expected.

What if we had green grass on Christmas day?  What if we went water skiing on January 1st (with a wet suit, of course)?  What if Spring sprung in February?

That is the conundrum of Saskatchewan this year.

And I love it!!!