Church

When I was around 4 or 5 I loved to count.  I remember sitting on the basement steps and counting as high as I could.  Maybe upwards of 100 or more.  To me, that was a great amount.

In grade 10, I joined the Math Club at Markham District High School.  Our mandate was to study for the national junior mathematics contest.  The day came and I scored nowhere near the top.  But not on the bottom.  Considering this was national, I figured I was the mediocre of the best.  A week or so later on a mid term math exam I scored 100%. 

In my grade twelve year I headed into computer programming class.  Fortran IV with punch cards run in the local mainframe at SaskTel.

Didn’t realize how much math came naturally to me until my second year of Library Science studies at the University of Alberta.  There I was asked to be the Computer Lab assistant.  I took to programming and explaining computers like an electical pulse to a copper wire.  And to think I got paid to do something so much fun.

Now I’m viewing numbers in a new light.  I’ve been watching the sky and wondering how many numbers I would need to count  the night stars.  And I’ve been watching some of my friends succumbing to cancer and wondering how few numbers I have left!

It’s one of those programs.  You’re not sure how it works, but it does.

30 years ago one division of the Saskatchewan and Manitoba area had around 80 teens involved.  Now there are around 500.  Teams of teens vie with each other to display how well they have memorized.

Each jumps to answer a question related to the memorized material.  The jump seats have become technologically sophisticated.  100ths of second separate competitive athletes.  Their minds are kept keen and the neurons work at lightening speed.

I’ve seen times when the questioner has barely opened their mouths.  One teen has already jumped.  Another is just behind.  The quizmaster asks for both the question and answer — both required within thirty seconds.  From nothing the quizzer creates a question and gives an answer. Both correct and the applause is deafening.

And these 500 teens are only a drop in the bucket of thousands involved in this activity across the continent.

Their program?  Bible quizzing!!

My father became a weather forcaster when he was around 40 years old.

For all the weather maps he brought home (and there were a number — just the right size for coloring on), I never really figured out this whole weather system thing.

When a high pressure system comes in the low leaves – or is it the other way around?  And which one brings the nice weather? 

We had a barometer in the house.  Dad seemed to know which weather system was on the way just by looking at it.  I liked its look because it was framed by a beautiful dark stained wood.

Which may explain why I enjoy wood work more than weather wonders!

You need a plan.

That’s what we are told. 

I was talking to a cancer patient today.  The plans weren’t that extensive.  Maybe minute by minute is good.  Or into next week.

On the other hand, we bought a house that needed work.  We could have sought to do everything at one time.  But when we sat down, the realism of the situation presented itself.  So, we developed a three phase plan. 

Renew the upstairs was Phase I.  Phase II is outdoor renovation.  We have had water in the basement.  That needed to be corrected with proper landscaping.  Then we can move to Phase III – fix up the basement flooring and repaint the walls.

All in proper timing.

Life presents itself that way.  To chew off too much at one time would kill us — or at least give excrutiating indigestion.