MY RETIREMENT YEARS ARE FULL OF ACTIVITY

There are more than four bases on my diamond and consequently I am not touching all of them consistently. I have not posted on my Retirement Memoirs blog in a very long time. Managing several blogs with different emphases accounts in part for that, besides having invested myself in the writing of books and the painting of commissioned pictures and occasional preparation for preaching ... yes I still do the latter. Admittedly, well, at least it’s my impression, I am rusty at the delivery. I still have a confident voice but humbled by disuse. Christine still tells me that she would rather listen to me than almost anyone else. I think she wants another overseas holiday. To think that when I began as a full-time pastor in 1969 I was in the small town of Smiths Falls, Ontario at Calvary Bible Church, and there I taught a youth Sunday School class, preached sermons on Sunday morning and evening, led the youth Sunday evening program, and prepared a Bible study for Wednesday evening Prayer night. Five years of that. Preaching twice on Sundays continued in Peterborough, Ontario at Ferndale Bible Church for seven years, and at Wishing Well Acres Baptist Church in Toronto for ten years. At Cloverdale Baptist Church in Cloverdale, British Columbia, where I was lead pastor for ten years, congregational growth required two morning services so that I preached three times each Sunday. Only during the third year due to low evening attendances, did the church opt for no weekly Sunday evening service. As an adjunct prof, I taught homiletics at Northwest Baptist College in Langley, so you might think I have something to say about preachers and preaching today. I do. But primarily I listen. I have much yet to learn and areas of my life to which I must apply truth. Moreover, I am off to the gym now, 6:30 am. Been up since 4:30 am. Love the quiet hours. Great to be alive.

A LITTLE ABOUT A LOT

I have a great deal to say this morning, I can feel it. I have other things that I should be doing, but writing gives me a sense of wellbeing as I begin my day.

AYN VAN DYK - I don't get to this blog site as often as I should because I am preoccupied with other writing, such as advocating on GPS for the return of a 12 year old autistic girl to her parents, since she has been withheld by the Ministry of Children for no morally justifiable reason for over two years. 

FRIDAY - It was my birthday on Friday, Friday the 13th, that sinister phrase is laughable to me. I don't care who knows it except a potential employer but since I am not applying for anything for the foreseeable future,  I am 71. That's my new 70. I know the trend is to exaggerate numbers and I should have cleverly said it was my new 50, but that would not approach the truth. I am not anything like I was at 50, or 60 or 65. I am what I am.

SYRIA - Syria, who knows what Assad will or won't do. U.S. intelligence proudly boasts it can know whether the regime is transporting, concealing or destroying its chemical weapons cache. I'm sure that surveillance capability exists, but did you know that the U.S. cold-war chemical arsenal is vast and still sits in Colorado and Kentucky. That's how complicated the destruction of these hazardous nerve agents is, but the U.S still vows to destroy them all by 2012. By when? Oh that's past already! Syria may be hard pressed to comply to the demands of the Russian/American plan.

GRANDCHILDREN - I love my grandchildren. Five of them bring me so much pleasure. Cari's oldest, 13 year old Kailyn is a witty sweetheart, imaginative, sharp and she lovingly treats her 6 year old cousin Kadence like a little sister. That little Kadence, youngest of the five has a face that can produce endless expressions, most of which make me laugh. They both enjoy the relationship and it is obvious by the time they spend together. 11 year old Ryan is growing taller, slim as a bean pole, and fast like the wind. He is a runner whether sprints or distance. He may eventually identify is strength. Ryan and Kailyn are siblings and they have a younger brother Jayden whom I call JJ and he is 8 years old. Jayden is short of stature presently but strong, athletic and with a never-give-up will, possessing a love for trains, cuddling under my arm. His cousin, 8 year old Kale, is Kadence's older brother, and Kale is capable of playing almost any sport well, pitches with accuracy, rides motorcycle, snowboards like a pro. What a group and they enjoy being together. I couldn't ask for more and they love me but they know how to use Grandma, because she always gives them food, bakes stuff, slushies and other stuff.

PREACHING - I have been asked to preach six times through October and into November at Immanuel Fellowship Baptist Church in Abbotsford, two services each Sunday morning. I am a bit rusty but I do enjoy the research and composition and opportunity to teach effectively.

And it rained for 12 hours straight for perhaps the first time in 90 days. We have enjoyed atypical warm and sunny weather in this part of the Pacific Northwest and I have loved it, but the sound of the rain and what it does for our plants and grass is welcome. Okay, back to the priorities. I feel good.