daily life as life goes on . . .

Not much.  So far.  Just enough to warn us that winter is on the way.  My next door neighbor figures it should be a good winter.  I’ve heard there will be lots of snow.  My bones tell me “go south”!

Early this morning I stepped out to clean our gutters.  For those in other parts of the country, or in other countries, this means making sure the eavestroughs are clean of debris.

In this case, I had a tall step ladder and circumscribed the house.  Moving the ladder a few feet at a time, I would climb to the top.  Having reached that height, I scooped out leaves and dirt.  As soon as the trough was cleared in one area, I moved on to the next.

Generally this is done on a warmish fall day.  Today, my one open time slot, proved to be a windy day with temperatures just at freezing.  Add to that that I started fairly early – before the sun was up – and the task gives greater fulfilment! 

Or perhaps foolishness. 

Sometimes the line is a little blurred!

And then the snow came.

A decade or two ago I spent time with an archivist by the name of John Sawin. 

John had oversight of the Christian and Missionary Alliance archives – and in his spare time taught and nurtured the fledgling archives at the school where I was working.  While there he deeded to the school binders of bibliographic work he had done.  And also gave me duplicate copies.

Remember, this in the day and age when you could not scan material.  This was all photocopied – basically by hand.  Hundreds of pages.

Today I continued culling some of my shelves.  I came to the binders and wondered whether I had the only copies left of these unique items.  So,  I’ve sent off to the current archivist at the school I was working in.  He is checking.  I don’t expect I have the only copy.  If it does happen that I have the only copy – I will donate them to the school archives. 

That would be a real treat.  To have worked in the archives when they were beginning, and now to contribute to them. 

We’ll see!!

Today a group of pastors sat down with our local health care facility administrator.  The session was well worth the time.  We just needed to sense that we were a part of the healing process that takes place in our hospital and seniors home.  Unfortunately we had not felt this in the past few years.  Today we did!

From that meeting came an interesting concept.  The point was made that this meeting arose, not out of some policy or procedure, but out of personal contacts.  Contacts that may evolve into policy and procedure.  But more often than not, good policy starts from people meeting people!

Ushered into the reality of life, Isaiah Timothy Lee was born today at 8:39 am – 6 lbs. 8 oz., 20 1/2 inches long.  Jill babysat his brother, James, for the day and has just now headed off to other responsibilities for the evening.

Before heading out for the evening, Jill and I headed over to the hospital to see the new arrival.  Cute as anything – OK, cuter than anything.  With a C-section delivery the head is rounded and well formed.  Mom, Sharon Lee, is in good shape.  She was enjoying visitors throughout the day.  Dad, Ryan Lee, is tired and a proud father.

Thank God for a safe delivery and may there be a quick recovery for Sharon, and may the family adapt to a new arrival in short order!