Photos from the retreat

I thought you might enjoy a couple of shots of our retreat this weekend.
Here's the whole handsome group:
Women's Retreat

And here we are being silly by celebrating "Purim" or the story of Esther by using our "Noisemakers"


And this is the total make-over experience:

That was the week that was

That was the week that was! Wow. The week whished by and I don’t think I even had time to blink. The main thing that happened was our women’s retreat. We had 23 women present under the theme of Extreme Make-Over. We had beautiful weather; although it was cool the air was crisp and fall-like with bright blue skies. We did a little bit of everything on our retreat, from sharing to praying, to make-up, to a pyjama party. The food was terrific, but healthy and I think we all had a great time. We thought about the plan God has for our lives and how we can be transformed to be used by Him. In one activity we all laid on giant sheets of paper and drew our outlines. Then others, throughout the weekend, wrote about us. It was a very affirming experience. The one thing we didn’t do much of was sleep. So here it is Monday morning and I think I am still sleepy. It was well worth the effort and next year we hope it will be even better. Well here is proof I am still alive!

Weekend photos

Isn't this just the greatest picture? What a wonderful celebration of a wedding.

This was the 65th birthday party on Saturday.

Flying High

Thanks for your prayers. This was a fabulous weekend. It’s Sunday night and I’m still flying high.
First of I must say that today’s youth service was just a huge success. The six kids who participated just loved it. They offered their worship with really pure hearts and God was honoured by their sacrifice of praise. I cannot tell you what a moving experience it was for me to see them moving in the presence of God and leading adults to do the same. Many people were moved by tears. I feel totally full overflowing from the experience. And you should have heard the rap. It was terrific! They ended up using their own words and bi-bop and we all understood everything. I ran the projector and the sound (changing with 4 CD’s and one tape) and I was exhausted from the mental effort of keeping it all straight. (I think I’m too old for this stuff).
Then this afternoon John did the most unique wedding I’ve ever attended. It was at the hospital. It was in the chapel because the groom is very ill. There must have been 50 people there. The couple had divorced some years back. They had been talking reconciliation and recent events sort of hurried things along. Afterwards there was a sit down dinner/reception in one of the hospital’s board rooms. It was such a moving experience. Their daughter (in her twenties) pulled everything together in just 3 days! It was just lovely. Our church had a lot of people there and it was heart warming for all of us.
My heart is full from such a wonderful weekend. Later this week I’ll try to post some photos. Wish everyone could feel this same great feeling inside I have tonight.

Rain, Rain Go Away

Now you wouldn't think that the hurricane Francis would be affecting us up here in Canada. Guess again. We broke the all time weather record for rainfall in one day. I think it's standing at about 133mm, which is a lot of rain. Especially since a lot of it is IN my house. UGH! After all the work on our basement, you'd think we'd have the problem licked. This time we got a double whammy. The new window wells filled up with water and when I looked up this afternoon the water level was above the windows and water was rolling in through the windows themselves. I was alone and wasn't sure what to do - move my computer and books right away or bail the water out of the windows. So I rain out in the cold pouring rain and bailed the water out of the window wells. Then I ran in and started hauling off the computer and bookshelves. When João got in, he took up the bailing and then he put protection around the windows and voilá, no more accumulation. Then we discovered the ceiling dripping in the basement. Coming from our bedroom, where we found the paint peeled off and the plaster soft all under the windows. So back out in the rain and mud and covering the windows in plastic. We both changed clothes at least four times. I HATE RAIN! Now I fully realize our little inconvenience doesn't measure up to the tragedies down south, but nevertheless it didn't make for a great day for me. I've finally got my computer set up in a different corner of the basement right now. The fans are going and I've already dried all my towels 3 times sopping up the water. I figure in a week or so I should be dried out again. But no we know no more water will come in. I had so much to do today, but it didn't get done. So tomorrow will be redoubled! Fun, fun, fun.

See What I Mean?

It really is hard to find time to write on this blog regularly. Amazing. For one thing, right now is just plain hectic. I was at the church on Sunday from 10:00-6:30. It was our bilingual service and despite being a long holiday weekend, the attendance really wasn't off. Afterwards we had lunch, of course. Then I rehearsed with the kids for our service next Sunday. They added in a rap piece. I can't understand a single word! But they were so keen on it that I am going to print the words to put up on the screen. That way they get to do it and we old folks know what they are saying! They had wanted to do an African piece, but finally decided that this rap piece was much better. So we went over and over it. We also worked on the choreography. In addition we painted their tee shirts. At the end of the service they come out with garbage bags over their heads and then tear them off to show their shirts with the word JOY printed on them. Our main passage talks about changing our garments of sadness for garments of joy. We are also making t-shirts with their photos on the back for the beginning part of the service. Afterwards they just didn't want to go home, so I brought them over to the house and let them watch Finding Nemo - which they loved even though they are teen-agers. I made them popcorn and I just had to rest a while. I have allergies or a cold or something and just needed to be horizontal for a while.
I am on the final countdown for my lessons. I have to send them in on Friday. But I only have 14 more to go. I am out of creativity and it's hard to finish those last few ideas. So I hope I can hang in there and between sneezes finish them up. So there may not be any more updates this week. I get a little computer weary. Especially since I also have to do the powerpoint presentation for our youth service. (Isn't it cool that I got a loan on a projector so that we could do the whole service and the sermon that way?)
Our big garage sale to raise money for our ladies' retreat (which is the following weekend) is this Saturday and I need to work setting up for it on Friday. Also on Saturday is a friend's 65th birthday. When I get back from the women's retreat, I think I will be able to breath easier. That's on the 18th. So till then, we all try to hang in there!

Catching Up

I’m beginning to see that it’s not so easy to keep up with these weblogs! You have to have a little discipline to write every day. If you get busy it definitely goes by the wayside.
Since Sunday we’ve been delightfully busy with our friends who are missionaries in Brazil. What a wonderful visit. Of course it was bound to take a toll on our health – we kept staying up half the night talking. There was so much to catch up on. I don’t think “normal” mortals could have followed our conversations. We switched back and forth between English and Portuguese and on top of that we spoke “Baptist”. It was really wonderful to catch up on everyone and just enjoy time with our friends. In addition we enjoyed doing some sightseeing with them. We had just gorgeous weather while they were here, although we have already begun to see fall is in the air. Across the river in Quebec, in the Gatineau Hills, a few of the trees were just starting to turn red and yellow. This morning when they packed the car to leave it was 42^o. That nip in the air, with the clear blue skies does make you think of leaves starting to fall soon. I’m planning on pulling up my pansies and planting chrysanthemums this weekend. With the arrival of Labour Day this weekend (yes we celebrate it here in Canada), that means the kids go back to school next week. I guess summer, in every practical kind of way, is over. One more season of our life has passed. Now we celebrate autumn. It’s good to live in the present moment.