So…been over a year since posting. I remember when I used to cut hair for a living and I’d ask my older clientele if things slowed down as they got older. They’d always say no. In fact it was almost emphatic. Days, they would say, just go by faster and faster. I’m here to tell you that as a “young” 54 year old, it feels exactly like that. You almost get the feeling that you’re running out of time to do those things you always said you’d do but never did.
To that end, I have been studying more about photography and am currently taking a photoshop course at RRC. We’re only scratching the surface, but I’m really enjoying learning about a workflow instead of taking the shot gun or ADD approach to processing pictures.
I post most of my stuff at http://www.jaam.smugmug.com now.
Still playing with a great bunch of people at Hillside Church in Morden. We’ve grown pretty close without suffocating each other. It’s been about 2 years now and we’ve reached that point where we can call out a song and just do it. Makes changing the order on a Sunday morning a whole lot less stressful.
Our son Alex is growing up. Still trying to find his way, but his Dad took a while to figure things out as well. He taught dance this past winter and will be Life Guarding at the pool this summer again. He’s applying at a couple of schools and is hoping for something to shape up.
Jax just finished a year of hockey in Morden this year. We weren’t going to play at all, but a friend of ours called to see if she’d play on his team. I think if it had been anyone else she might have said no. We had a good time getting to know new folks and the girls took to Jacki in a flash. We had so-so expectations but they did alright. Won their share and even took a bronze medal at Rural Provincials C division.
She performed in a few dramas this winter, the latest being an Agatha Christie story called “Appointment with Death”. She got a little bigger role and did good. With the final push on for school, we’re holding back on any more dramas for a while.
She took some dance as well, one of Alex’s classes and another in Wpg. We had to cancel the one in Wpg though. She got a concussion from hockey and had to slow down a bit. She’s ok now though.
Spring is right here and we just spent a bit of time cleaning up the yard. That means picking up a winter’s worth of dog stuff from our two dogs. Yuck… I know, it’s our own fault for having them. It’ll be nice to get the gazebo going again. We always look forward to spending time out there. Our cottage so to speak.
Work was tough this last winter. The recession really hit us in Oct through January. Hopefully, we’re coming out of it now. It’s been back to a busier pace lately. We have a great bunch to work with. Makes going to work that much easier.
I read a short devotional from Purpose Driven Life today that I found interesting. It was about praying and getting rid of all the pomp and circumstance. Not being flippant, but understanding that prayer is simply about communicating with God. When I thought more about that it’s really humbling. To think, that the Spirit responsible for the universe, as immense as that is, wants to communicate with me. Not that it was anything I did, but again, because of the sacrifice His Son Jesus made by conquering death. For that reason, I don’t have to go through all the rituals and fancy words. Just come to Him as I am. It’s humbling.
It’s also reassuring to know that with all the havoc going on in this world, there is Someone in control. Someone with a plan and a schedule. It’s incredible really. And so sad that much of the world doesn’t want anything to do with it. Perhaps it’s in the way the message is presented. Perhaps there’s just too much phoniness. Perhaps people expect too much perfection from Christians when in fact we’re no different than anyone else. Being a Christian, or Christ follower or whatever you want to label it doesn’t suddenly make everything easier. It does give me hope that when bad stuff happens, I can get through it. It does give me hope that there is more than just this world. But it does not give me the right to think that I’m better than anyone else.
I read in 1 John 1:9 and 10, that if I thought I was no longer a sinner, that would be arrogant on my part. The key comes in Romans 8:1 with tells me I’m no longer condemned for the sins I commit. Therein lies all the difference in the world for me.
I have hope, given to me freely by God. That is truly amazing.
Well, enough of the rambling…time to move on.
Til next time…