daily life as life goes on . . .

Yesterday was the turkey dinner.  With all the stuffing and fixings.  And leftovers!!

Which is what I love.  For the next while we will have turkey sandwiches and marshmallow salad and potatoes and everything that makes up the big meal, only simply warmed over – and tasting just as good.

The afternoon saw us playing tile rummy while the turkey cooked.   At first we went without a timer – a little too boring.  But then we set 30 seconds as the limit for each play.  My daughter, who has always been able to see the next play, would lay down tiles at such a rate it was rather dizzying.  My older mind (which never was fast at this type of thing) just limped along and enjoyed the company.

And so, with the kids home this year, I’ve just been enjoying the bringing together of the nuclear family and not seeing it blow up, as other families have, who have become more nuclear than family.

God blesses – today my sister and some of her family join us for lunch.  Hamburgers and sausage – my favourite!!

As we sat at home this afternoon we received a phone call.

In this case our faithful answering machine took the call.  “This is the Air Canada Baggage handling in Ottawa.”  They went on to explain that our son Tim’s luggage was in Ottawa.  With no tag.  They had found his name and cell phone upon opening the luggage.

We were left with a phone number to call.

Imagine – our son is somewhere thousands of feet in the air – probably just over Thunder Bay.  He has no inkling of the lack he is about to face.  Perhaps his cell phone is off.  He’ll arrive to a full airport – a twirling luggage roundabout with nothing of consequence to be found.  What to do next? 

Well, it’s not the first time his arriving in Saskatoon has been greeted without luggage.  But that doesn’t make it any more enjoyable.

So, the day will be a little more stressful, but I hope the anticipation of gathering with family will overcome some of that!

I suppose I’ve been somewhat mystified by the Occupy movement.  Seems that there was an emphasis on the poor.  Perhaps on the greed of the rich.  Maybe a protest against current authority.

So, we occupy land and present our case, holding the responsible to account.  At least that is the way the movement started.  The fizzle of the movement occurred as the weather threatened, as well as the courts!

Jesus said we should occupy until he returns.  I suppose the Christian version of the occupy movement is a group of people who know that the kingdom of man is not the kingdom of God.  But we are here, citizens of heaven living on earth.  We occupy a space on this earth – and we love our neighbours – while fully loving God.

The bitterness of the occupy movement is not ours.  Ours is a passion to see the very best for others, to live with grace towards those who treat us unfairly, to live contented in a society that breeds dissatisfaction, to find our peace in God in the midst of recession and disturbance, to be salt and light to those who taste only bitterness and see only the worst. 

Sounds like an occupy movement I would join!  Any day!!

Soon we will see the grandkids.  Tonight is the making of caramel corn and haystacks / chocolate macaroons.  The smell is great and even the sight draws one in.  But no tasting until “the day.”

Tonight was also time to talk with my sister.  She recently had surgery for cancer.  All indications are that things were caught in time.  She will take some preventive chemo.  I’m praying all will go well.

The contrast of context is stark.  Heather lives in Oregon in a full blown recession.  Here in Kindersley we have much money in abundance flowing from deep wells of oil and plentiful ground yielding the grains of the world.

Her medical bills are paid through insurance – not a publicly funded insurance – but private insurance.  To keep premiums in the mere $1oo’s of dollars a month (which is what her job pays for), the deductible is $7,500 – per person.

I’m thankful to be living in Canada where basic health care is publicly funded!  I’m thankful for a family I can share time with.  I’m thankful for a God who became human to give to us all that was intended from the very beginning of time.

I’m just thankful!