GREAT WHITE NORTH

Disclaimer: They don't call it that for any raacist reasons. It's just that there is a lot of snow all over the place. Much of the country is in tundra and the Arctic Circle. Ten months of Winter and two months of bad sledding is what it is. There is still snow on the ground in many areas. At least, no drought.



Any way, I spent some years living and working in Canada. Not a dodger, this was after I got out of the Army. Wasn't so bad. Quiet, bucolic, provincial; the slow pace finally got to me but I don't see them having the same problems we got here.

Migrating Northward looking better and better every day.

plus, they like back bacon.

And beer.

Crimes rates are low

The blood sport is hockey

Sudbury, "The Big Nickel" so named for Inco nickel mines and the mining region.













The Great Lakes can be wicked





But they got potatoes.



All in all, a pleasant experience. Of course with something like 30 million people in the whole country, most of 'em found within 100 miles of the US border, and the second largest land mass of any country in the world, nobody gets in your way. It is like, there's no there there.

INSIDE JOB

Sometimes I get all confused and frustrated, trying to make everything fit together in my life. When my perspective is one of externals operating on me I get messed up.  Life is an Inside Job. I can't stop the waves, but I can learn how to surf.       Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths. Proverbs 3, 5-6   The Serenity Prayer
	God grant me Serenity to accept the things I cannot change;   Courage to change the things I can; and Wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him Forever in the next. Amen.        --Reinhold Niebuhr BTW, Niebuhr is an interesting guy; worth looking him up.
I like these musicians. Look them up too.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Merry Christmas.

 Simple message: Love, Faith, Hope.

THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD

I read the bible for guidance, encouragement, even chastisement. It is the rule and guide of my Faith and practice. No matter where my wanderings take me I stay close to the Holy Bible. My footsteps may become uncertain but so long as I keep close to God and His teachings I believe that I will come safely to the end of my journey.

 

Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 6:10-20

6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power.

6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

6:12 For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

6:13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

6:14 Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness.

6:15 As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace.

6:16 With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

6:17 Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

6:18 Pray in the Spirit at all times in every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert and always persevere in supplication for all the saints.

6:19 Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,

6:20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it boldly, as I must speak.

WISHING YOU ENOUGH

Another round of kidney failure has come along. The irony of this kind of cancer is that any chemo therapy is effective for just so long. If the myeloma grows it challenges my kidneys and ultimately renal failure occurs. Fighting the renal failure with dialysis keeps me going until the next batch of chemo is applied and the cancer subsides, allowing my kidneys a chance to keep going. I've posted about this stuff in the past and I appreciate the well-wishes and prayers.  I will post more in a while, got to get back on my feet for now.

As the scales shift, emotions in the universe will shift with them. Drama, intrigue, and outright comedy will frequently be the result.

I don't know if this story, "Wishing You Enough is apocryphal or not, doesn't matter, it carries the sentiment. I will gladly credit the author.

"Recently I overheard a father and daughter in their last moments together at the airport. They had announced the departure.

Standing near the security gate, they hugged and the father said, 'I love you, and I wish you enough.'

The daughter replied, 'Dad, our life together has been more than enough.. Your love is all I ever needed. I wish you enough, too, Dad.' 

They kissed and the daughter left. The father walked over to the window where I was seated. Standing there, I could see he wanted and needed to cry. I tried not to intrude on his privacy, but he welcomed me in by asking, 'Did you ever say good-bye to someone knowing it would be forever?'

'Yes, I have,' I replied.  'Forgive me for asking, but why is this a forever good-bye?’

'I am old, and she lives so far away. I have challenges ahead, and the reality is - the next trip back will be for my funeral,' he said.

'When you were saying good-bye, I heard you say, 'I wish you enough.' May I ask what that means?'

He began to smile. 'That's a wish that has been handed down from other generations. My parents used to say it to everyone.' He paused a moment and looked up as if trying to remember it in detail, and he smiled even more. 'When we said, 'I wish you enough,' we wanted the other person to have a life filled with just enough good things to sustain them.' Then turning toward me, he shared the following as if he were reciting it from memory.

'I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.

I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.

I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.

I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.

I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

I wish you enough hellos to get you through the final good-bye. 

He then began to cry and walked away.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them."