The roads were icy, and the sky dark when I set off for my first day at work. Would I enjoy it as much as I anticipated? Good thing I was there on business from Higher Up.
See if I can remember my duties: take donuts out of the freezer (close the door securely), three of each, warm them and decorate.
The Halloween decoration in the corner is a prisoner, constantly commenting on the customers coming in. My very first customer is a school girl getting some lunch.
Then dishes, clean and fill up deli containers, run till. Do dishes, put icing on other buns, or cream cheese on cinnamon buns, run till, do dishes. It's a busy little shop.
That's about it. Did I say that I'm supposed to do dishes? The till was trouble, and I dropped two cleaning cloths (which meant they had to go in the laundry), and sliced too much cucumber (count the pennies!).
But this was only the first day.
So after I finished the dishes, I went home, and made myself a cup of tea with some lunch.
Wednesday, 24 October 2012
Monday, 22 October 2012
Blue Bronna Ride-a-thon.
Though it is late in September, it is still warm. So is my memory of this past weekend. I want to write it down before it becomes cold.
Louise and I drove up on Friday afternoon. The wind blew warm from the south. The colours were astonishingly bright, yellow aspen and dark green spruce. What a weekend to go riding! The dust was thick on the 12 miles of gravel road, but still there were the Fall colours. We met cows, placidly watching us from the ditch, and breathing in our dust. Small groups of tents and trailers indicated others camping in this Willow Creek wilderness.
We arrived eager to meet our friends again. Cyril used us to figure out the easiest way of collecting the sponsorship booklets and money. Martha was busy in the kitchen. She did not do the cooking this weekend. That was done by members of the board.
Louise was going to sleep in a tent, and I had chosen a bed in a cabin. It did not take long to put my feather bed on a lower bunk. Some of the beds were occupied by the staff who had been there all Summer. What a life!
While waiting for the hamburgers I talked to Dwayne Bradley from Calgary, the pastor and speaker for the weekend.
So far I had not seen any campers that I knew, except some staff members. Louise renewed her friendship with Justine, and I with Martha.
Jim and Martha had moved their family to Three Hills. The older boys would be going to school there. It was a difficult decision.
Picture: I see Josh and his friend sitting on their horses, waiting for the long string of riders to pass by so they can close the gate again. They lean on their saddle horns, and look like they just stepped out of an old Wild West movie! Josh is a real cowboy on the largest ranch in Canada, south of Kamloops. He came back from the ranch for this special weekend.
That evening we all gathered around the fire. John had his guitar, and I my recorder. A violin joined us. And then we sang! Hymns and choruses. Dwayne closed the evening with a talk about seeding. We must always throw the seed, not to worry about where it falls, just sow the seed.
Walking back to the cabin in the dark was another marvelous experience.The starlit sky was clear, showing the milky way. "O God, how great Thou art!"
Louise and I drove up on Friday afternoon. The wind blew warm from the south. The colours were astonishingly bright, yellow aspen and dark green spruce. What a weekend to go riding! The dust was thick on the 12 miles of gravel road, but still there were the Fall colours. We met cows, placidly watching us from the ditch, and breathing in our dust. Small groups of tents and trailers indicated others camping in this Willow Creek wilderness.
We arrived eager to meet our friends again. Cyril used us to figure out the easiest way of collecting the sponsorship booklets and money. Martha was busy in the kitchen. She did not do the cooking this weekend. That was done by members of the board.
Louise was going to sleep in a tent, and I had chosen a bed in a cabin. It did not take long to put my feather bed on a lower bunk. Some of the beds were occupied by the staff who had been there all Summer. What a life!
While waiting for the hamburgers I talked to Dwayne Bradley from Calgary, the pastor and speaker for the weekend.
So far I had not seen any campers that I knew, except some staff members. Louise renewed her friendship with Justine, and I with Martha.
Jim and Martha had moved their family to Three Hills. The older boys would be going to school there. It was a difficult decision.
Picture: I see Josh and his friend sitting on their horses, waiting for the long string of riders to pass by so they can close the gate again. They lean on their saddle horns, and look like they just stepped out of an old Wild West movie! Josh is a real cowboy on the largest ranch in Canada, south of Kamloops. He came back from the ranch for this special weekend.
That evening we all gathered around the fire. John had his guitar, and I my recorder. A violin joined us. And then we sang! Hymns and choruses. Dwayne closed the evening with a talk about seeding. We must always throw the seed, not to worry about where it falls, just sow the seed.
Walking back to the cabin in the dark was another marvelous experience.The starlit sky was clear, showing the milky way. "O God, how great Thou art!"
Perfect Summer Days
In my memory lodges a perfect Summer day.
I am maybe 5 years old. The blue sky is stretched tight overhead, and with 5 cents in my sweaty hand I walk to the strip-mall to buy an ice-cream cone.
The sidewalk is too hot for bare feet.
When I come back I sit down in front of our house and slowly lick the cold treat to make it last.
Behind the house my mother has rigged a sheet between some trees to create more shade, and under it is the Saturday-night wash tub with water for me to play in. The neighbour's kids, a little older than I, come over to join in the water fun.
That's it. There is no end to it, as in a dream. Was it a dream? It was the last carefree Summer of my life. Thunderclouds came to our family, and the thunder still rolls this many years later.
(when did a cone cost 5 cents?!)
I am maybe 5 years old. The blue sky is stretched tight overhead, and with 5 cents in my sweaty hand I walk to the strip-mall to buy an ice-cream cone.
The sidewalk is too hot for bare feet.
When I come back I sit down in front of our house and slowly lick the cold treat to make it last.
Behind the house my mother has rigged a sheet between some trees to create more shade, and under it is the Saturday-night wash tub with water for me to play in. The neighbour's kids, a little older than I, come over to join in the water fun.
That's it. There is no end to it, as in a dream. Was it a dream? It was the last carefree Summer of my life. Thunderclouds came to our family, and the thunder still rolls this many years later.
(when did a cone cost 5 cents?!)
The joy set before us.
"Jesus, the author and finisher of [our] faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Heb. 12:2
We all long to live with constant joy!
So we pray for financial security, satisfying relationships, and healthy bodies.
But the months keep being bigger than the pay-cheques, the sister is still not talking to us, and the constant cough has become lung cancer.
So where do we find this joy?
According to his verse, Jesus had joy.
Did he have financial security? No, he lived off charity during His three years of teaching.
He was surrounded by disciples who did not understand Him and His mission. He washed the feet of the man whom He knew would betray Him.
We don't know about sickness during His teaching years, but we do know that He endured beatings, crucifixion, thirst, and more pain than we can imagine on the day of His death.
All for the joy that was set before Him.
His focus was not on having a well-paying job, fixing Judas, or compromising His convictions so there would be less pain.
His focus was to do the will of the Father, to please Him in obedience. That gave Him joy!!
Jesus lived through horrendous pain.
Jesus endured the cross and died.
Is that what we can expect in our lives: pain, the cross, death?
How do we find joy in that?
We can find joy for the same reason as Jesus. He lived to please the Father, and we, too will experience joy through our obedience to the Father.
We all long to live with constant joy!
So we pray for financial security, satisfying relationships, and healthy bodies.
But the months keep being bigger than the pay-cheques, the sister is still not talking to us, and the constant cough has become lung cancer.
So where do we find this joy?
According to his verse, Jesus had joy.
Did he have financial security? No, he lived off charity during His three years of teaching.
He was surrounded by disciples who did not understand Him and His mission. He washed the feet of the man whom He knew would betray Him.
We don't know about sickness during His teaching years, but we do know that He endured beatings, crucifixion, thirst, and more pain than we can imagine on the day of His death.
All for the joy that was set before Him.
His focus was not on having a well-paying job, fixing Judas, or compromising His convictions so there would be less pain.
His focus was to do the will of the Father, to please Him in obedience. That gave Him joy!!
Jesus lived through horrendous pain.
Jesus endured the cross and died.
Is that what we can expect in our lives: pain, the cross, death?
How do we find joy in that?
We can find joy for the same reason as Jesus. He lived to please the Father, and we, too will experience joy through our obedience to the Father.
Going for my B.A.
Before anyone is going to pat me on the back, I will tell you what BA stands for: Bakery Assistant!
The learning curve will be steep, because I never even ran a till. Now I am expected to decorate donuts, slice meat for the deli, make subs, serve coffee and tea, make pizzas and wash the dishes. All of which I have done before as a mother.
I was looking for a suitable p/t job, and came across a hand written note in an out of the way place: Help Wanted. I felt strongly that I had to phone about it. You know, one of those times when the Lord lays something on your heart, and it is disobedience when you don't. I called the lady, but she had no time to talk on the phone. Later, over a cup of her tea she explained the requirements, and I accepted, though it sounded overwhelming. I figured I did not have to learn everything in one day.
So here I am, starting a whole new career. In my mind I have already set up shop for myself in Irricana:) I'm decorating the place, and dreaming about selling my pocket bread. My back aches, but if Moses could start a new career at 80, I can, too. He was called, and I feel called as well. And I'm not even 80 yet!
The learning curve will be steep, because I never even ran a till. Now I am expected to decorate donuts, slice meat for the deli, make subs, serve coffee and tea, make pizzas and wash the dishes. All of which I have done before as a mother.
I was looking for a suitable p/t job, and came across a hand written note in an out of the way place: Help Wanted. I felt strongly that I had to phone about it. You know, one of those times when the Lord lays something on your heart, and it is disobedience when you don't. I called the lady, but she had no time to talk on the phone. Later, over a cup of her tea she explained the requirements, and I accepted, though it sounded overwhelming. I figured I did not have to learn everything in one day.
So here I am, starting a whole new career. In my mind I have already set up shop for myself in Irricana:) I'm decorating the place, and dreaming about selling my pocket bread. My back aches, but if Moses could start a new career at 80, I can, too. He was called, and I feel called as well. And I'm not even 80 yet!
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