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For the last few years I have enjoyed listening to the superb young musicians from our area.  They really come out and shine at our music festival.  This year’s activities will take place the early part of March with  the final “Festival of the Stars” on Friday, March 16th at our local United Church.

Now, I get a bit of a preview.  My wife is playing for one student, so I’ve heard our piano ringing with the accompanist version.  I’m looking forward to hearing this combined with the actual instrument. 

Saturday I was at my office in the morning.  Working on our annual report.  Words and formatting get rather tedious after a while. 

Who comes by but a young friend who has been playing clarinet for a number of years.  She is there with her teacher and accompanist.  Nothing I like better than to sit back and hear a concert free of charge.  I opened my office door and let the music flow.  What fun!!

And people are worried about what will happen with music in our next generation?  Not me!!!

The end of the night is here.  As I sat at work, after 10 hours, I was ready to continue after supper.  Having said that, in my mind, I took the pulse of my body. 

No extra umph!  No push beyond the drive home!  As I stepped in the door I decided to shed the day and rest.

Chicken pot pie, salad and squash.  What a great supper.  Then an evening, with some quiet – although the evening news is probably the most excitement of the day!!

And what does tomorrow hold?  I’m hoping to work through our annual report and come up with a format that is both pleasing and not too hard to create.  I’m excited about the various reports – showing a momentum towards God and a love towards our neighbours.  Not a bad report to be pondering!!

The exercise bike and I have an early morning relationship.  I get up before the fun rises and join my bike in exploring around 10 miles (16 kms!) or uncharted land.  The air that I breathe, the muscles I stretch and the clearing of the mind are all good.

Of course, I go “nowhere”.  The whirring of the wheel remains fairly steady and the actual landscape remains constant.  As I pedal, I travel the world of ideas through books I read.

Somehow my wife finds the whirring a soothing sound.  Much like the furnace fan kicking in.  She remains asleep and I merrily wend my way through the hills and dales of philosophy, theology, psychology and many other “ologies”. 

But today?  Well, we both must have had a good sleep.  By 7:00 my exercise was done and my wife was wandering towards the washroom.  So, the day looks like it could be rather “up and at it”.

Not a bad thing!!

As our church moves towards the new year, the old year is remembered.

Our annual report looks over the highlights of the last year.  As I write my report I can see us moving from past years of hurt to health.  We have increased in our outlook and size.  We are in a period of thanksgiving.  Our spiritual momentum is forward looking.  We have financial health.

All that to say, my report is trying to put the future into the present. 

Now, you can never do that.  Only God knows the future.  We can only glimpse as through a foggy window what is to come.  Every once in a while the fog seems to lift.  Right now there is a sense of oil pouring out on the machinery of life.  Perhaps this is a spirit of goodness, grace and kindness that is so needed in any church?? 

I’m trusting God to place us on the path with assured footsteps and lighted sight.  Keep tuned – let’s see where this is headed.