This Summer Has Been a Bummer..............But..........

Synopsis:

July 5 - Our good friend Perry dies unexpectedly - shock, mourning, sadness & pain.

August 25 - Friends Colin & his daughter, Rachel, die in a motoring collision. Lizyanet, wife and mother, survives - more shock, mourning, sadness & pain.

In between this Susie must face unpleasantness in her workplace and make a very difficult decision that is still causing her stress.

My initiation into working for our Association can be best described as jumping right into the deep end, fully clothed, with about $637.25 in quarters in my pockets. Most folks are encouraging me by standing close to the edge and yelling, "Swim Harder!". Thanks!?!

Our cats continue to slowly deteriorate - health-wise.

Our TV hasn't worked in 8 weeks (this might be a good thing or a bad thing - we're not sure).

Don't even get me started about the weather or the Riders.

But......

We were at, and I officiated, 3 weddings since May - and each one was special and memorable. And we get to go to one in October and just enjoy it.

Our friends said "goodbye" to his mother and it was time and she is in paradise so no deep loss there - just the bitter-sweetness of separation and the confidence that reunion is inevitable.

We saw all of our nieces - such a special gift. And my sister made me cookies for my birthday - and they were killer good! Everybody I shared them with said so, too!

Some of our best friends gave me the best musical birthday gift I've ever had in 49 years - a glorious, full-voice, three-part-harmony, spontaneous rendition of "Happy Birthday" in the middle of the "Elephant & Castle" restaurant in the Delta Hotel in Winnipeg.

Susie and I traveled over 6000 Km with absolutely NO problems whatsoever - and this new Impala has to be the best screwed-together GM product we've ever owned. Could there be hope for the mighty (but currently wobbly) General yet?

Three nights and two glorious days in Jasper including a great visit with an old friend.

And right now I'm up to my armpits in our annual VBS with about 60 kids and the BEST volunteers a church could hope for or a pastor could enjoy working with.

So.......

Life is never purely one thing or another. It is always this blend of pleasure and pain, happiness and sadness, loss and gain, defeat and victory, confusion and clarity.

But for us there is always much, much more hope than doubt because again and again and again Jesus proves His love and constancy.

And part of the hope we have and enjoy is knowing the truth that anybody can discover this.

Shalom

Edmonton man, daughter, 11, killed in crash near Fargo, N. D.

Edmonton man, daughter, 11, killed in crash near Fargo, N. D.

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We know this family. They are Christians. Please pray for the mother who survived, their extended family and friends. This is shocking and tragic news. We will really need grace from God to come to terms with it.

Shalom

On the Passing of a Friend

Reverend Perry Chernesky, M.Div. - July 20, 1966 - July 5, 2009

I met Perry in 1998 at Edmonton Baptist Seminary. We were seeking God and answering His call on our lives.

We hit it off right away.

In my life that hasn't happened often - I can count the guys I've really connected with on one hand - but I'm grateful for each one.

What can I say about my friend? He was funny. I liked and admired that. He laughed at my jokes, too. I loved that. He was smart. I treasured that. He pushed me to be better. I needed that. He was a righteous dude! I was always impressed with that. He was a true believer. I was encouraged by that. He was flawed and he knew it. I was humbled by that. He was loving and generous. I was blessed by that. He was my friend. I was enriched by that.

I've borrowed Bruce Springsteen's song about the loss of his friend to pay tribute to the memory of mine. I apologize Bruce, if this breaks some rules or crosses some lines, but you wrote truth in this song - at least a little bit. We're all made "one of a kind" by God. But the ones we remember are the ones who understand that truth and dedicate their lives to being that unique individual they were created to be. Too many of us settle for so much less.

What do I do now that my friend has gone and I must remain? I'll remember.

Vaya con Dios, Amigo!

Shalom, too!