A Fellow Traveller

Last night, as my Kindergarten students sang under the bright lights at our concert, I saw the delight in the faces of those watching. Because I was facing them as I played the piano, I could enjoy, through their faces, the innocence and excitement of young children at Christmas. As we have practised Away in a Manger during the last few weeks, I have reflected on the beauty and depth of the words of this ancient carol. When you combine all three verses, there is a beautiful picture that extends to us even today. Not only is there a picture of peace in the midst of "lowing" animals and a straw-lined manger, but also a prayer for God's presence through our messes and struggles. Night time can be terrifying for a young child and the reassurance of a parent's presence nearby can chase the terrors away. What can calm our fears more than an awareness of our heavenly Daddy's presence? We will all need that through our nights "until morning is nigh".

Walking in the clear, fresh air of a December morning, I am amazed at the brilliance of a full moon. It outshines the streetlights in it's luminance. It casts defined shadows around the houses on the streets. It reflects, in a small measure, the brilliance of the sun. What joy it can bring to those aware. Only a few minutes previous, I had been totally 'in the dark' of my home, unaware of the beauty outside. An awareness of the Son of God reflected in creation and people around me, brings true joy. At this Christmas season, may I become more aware of the glory of God in this world. There is so much suffering, conflict and unrest all around. Yet God still shines through his creation as a reflection his great love. The reflection seems brighter as the darkness grows, yet the source of light never changes. Even if circumstances and situations should block my view, the source of light will always remain.

In preparing for storytelling, I'm putting to memory the following definition. Cooperation is working with others to do more than you can do alone. On the surface, I think I am a cooperative person, but am I really? What about my self-reliance and attitude of independance? I want to do things by myself so I can take credit for my accomplishments. I want to figure things out in my own way and my own time. I see elements of this not only in my workplace but also in my relationships and marriage. Where do the good ideas, that help me solve problems, come from? I'm beginning to see the benefit of connecting with others. Not only do good ideas come from a wide variety of sources, but the fresh perspective of a friend is invaluable. Truth comes in many bits and bites as I ask good questions and wait for answers. Sometimes it's a song, or a story or even a random phrase that sticks in my mind. And then there's the wisdom in God's Word that continues to surprise me with

What a week for change! I'm still a part of one school community, yet am being transplanted into a new one for half the day. I'm a stable plant with deep roots within one school and a wobbly fresh sapling in the other. Earlier in September, I felt myself ready for learning. Now that I'm uprooted from one situation and transplanted into another, I'm amazed to see how I'm surviving. Physically I'm exhausted and depleted, needing my bed extra early in order to feel rested in the mornings. Emotionally I'm overwhelmed by so much change yet ready to embrace the new. Mentally I'm thinking of too many things all at once, yet finding the ability to focus as I make lists. I'm asking myself what is really important for the moment, letting myself release other things for later. Spiritually I'm discovering no change, as God loves me and continues to walk with me. My new surroundings and relationships are simply new ground to practise old truth.

Saturday night the sky was clear and the air was cool. I enjoyed my first, and probably last, bonfire of the summer. Being out in a remote corner of Wainfleet, far removed from city lights, allowed for an amazing clarity to view the lights of the night. As the sky darkened, the intensity of the sky lights brightened until they were a dazzling display of beauty. What an awesome experience; to put your head back and disappear into the sky. I felt so small. My anxieties and worries disappeared as my thoughts went to the creator of the universe. I felt enveloped in the beauty of the moment and loved as a part of that creation. As I prepare this week to step into another Kindergarten in another city, full of unknowns, I know that while some things change, others will never change. The things that truly count will last forever. Sometimes, like the stars, what truly counts cannot be counted.

Getting ready for school this summer involved painting most of the bulletin boards in my classroom. I hope that I won't have to worry about preping them again. I'm told the colours will stay fresh year after year. By using primer first, I discovered that the paint adhered better. I only needed one coat of colour. In preparing for learning, I usually focus on what I'll be teaching. This summer I realized anew how much of a learner I need to be. If I am going to truly learn lessons that stick, I need to be primed for learning as well. In being thrown into a whole new area of Library, I have to be willing to ask for help. I must bring myself down to the Kindergarten level of learning. I also must prime in my character and my attitudes. Emotionally, I need to be honest with my feelings and speak truthfully yet without complaint or resentment. Intellectually, I need to be open to new ideas and ways of doing things, even if I've done it successfully for years. Physically,

My red geraniums that have blossomed so beautifully have stopped blooming and any nutrients are going only into the leaves. I have neglected to fertilize this season and yet am still expecting the blossoms to grow anyways. How can the flower develop without the punch of nutrition that comes from fertilizer? This summer I'm finding myself renewed by very simple things. A manicure, a pedicure and even a facial have helped to make me feel beautiful again in very simple ways. Time to read and talk with my husband has nourished my spirit, helping to make me feel loved just for being me. And time spent with girlfriends has encouraged me greatly through having coffee together, going out for lunch and just taking the time to chat about things close to my heart. With these weeks to fertilize and pump nutrients back into me, I'm hoping I'll be ready to bloom once more where I am planted.

A house in our neighbourhood that was becoming neglected and run down, gained new owners about ten years ago. These people have consistently made improvements, starting with an in-ground pool that replaced a sandy beach volleyball site in the back yard. Flowerbeds and lawns have become more impressive, and the roof, front door and windows have recently been replaced. This last month, a new surface of brown stucco replaced weathered wood siding, enhancing the brick around it. This morning I had a chance to talk to one of the owners as she left for work. "You must feel good, now that you have things looking so nice," was how I greeted her. Her response of, " Now we have to work on the inside ," made me start thinking. Is there no time to enjoy what has already been accomplished? They had painted inside as soon as they arrived and I thought things still looked good. Renovating seems to be a cycle that continues as we get more resources and our needs change. As I made c

It was the fourth of July twenty-two years ago when our morning wedding was followed by an early afternoon reception. After celebrating with family and friends, we headed off to Toronto to begin our honeymoon. We recall being hungry and finding a Red Lobster Restaurant across the street. Last night we gathered once again at a Red Lobster, only this time with four teenagers and two sets of parents. It was nice to celebrate in this way, since it is a rare event for all our kids to be home at the same time. We were also celebrating the realization that when you marry an individual, you can't really separate them from their family of origin. You leave your parents to marry, cleaving to someone else and forming a new family unit. Yet that person you marry comes with a whole set of expectations and needs arising from how they were raised. It seems that parental influence continues under the surface, whether we are aware of it or not. We've moved past romantic love as being the basis

Over a month ago my husband and I selected white petunias and red geraniums for our front flower beds, quickly planting and watering them to get them off to a good start. A few weeks later, I noticed only a sea of green and white with no red visible at all. Upon further inspection, I saw that every geranium bud had dried up and brown sticks remained that came right out in my hands. That was when the heavy rains started. The surface drops of water were no longer running off or evaporating. Instead, the ground became soaked with rain that went deep to the roots, nourishing and causing fresh buds to grow. This morning I counted two dozen buds on each plant, marveling at the effect of good rains. Soon we will be enjoying beautiful splashes of colour amongst the white. At school, my colleagues and I have felt like plants struggling to bloom in arid conditions. Whereas our former caregiver had protected us from stormy weather and had tried to give us extra watering as needed, we have

My favourite blue Pyrex bowl was hot out of the microwave and sitting in the sink to cool. I had already dumped out the meatloaf on to a plate and was now trying to lift a small glass out of the centre of the meat. It suddenly slipped from the tongs I was using and fell into the sink faster than I expected. Sharp shards of glass bowl fractured and flew within the confines of the sink while the small glass remained intact. As I stood there in silence surveying the damage, I realized that the bowl was designed to handle the stress of heat. It probably could have also withstood the stress of impact. What it could not absorb was the combined stress of heat and impact all at once. What if there would have been water in the sink to help absorb the shock and stress? Would water have provided enough of a cushion to keep the bowl together so it could still be useful? When I have stress at work, I come home to peace and renewal. When I have stress at home, it is sometimes nice to go to work

"Everyone has a mother, so everyone gets a flower." That's the thinking at our church on Mother's Day. If you won't be seeing your Mom, or your mother has passed away, you are to give your carnation to someone else deserving instead. Yesterday, I had the joy of seeing my children give their flowers away. My oldest daughter was quick to get her carnation and give it to her best friend's Mom. Not only is this Mom missing her only child who is already away for the summer, but she is still grieving the death of her own Mother. As she hesitated to take it and asked about me, I quickly moved in to reassure her that it was okay. Even though my son had already given his carnation to me, as we were driving out of the church parking lot, my middle daughter saw another mom leaving all alone. As she exclaimed that she had already given hers away, I offered mine. It was worth giving my flower away to see the joy on the face of the receiver, as this Mom wiped away te

At our school, those celebrating birthdays are expected to bring in a treat to share with all the staff. As I baked a loaf of banana bread and added chocolate chips, I was simply trying to use up soft bananas. In thinking about what to make next for my birthday, I realized that if I brought the bread in to school, I would need to give it a special presentation. Nothing seemed quite right for it until I found a china dish from my good set of dishes, the ones I keep waiting for special occasions to use. What am I waiting for anyways? Since I'm turning 50 this year, I'm thinking in global terms about what I've accomplished in life so far and what lessons I've learned during the past decades. If I keep waiting until things are just right, before you know it, I'll be an old lady with lots of regrets. I learned years ago that if I waited until the house was perfect to invite someone in for coffee, it would never happen. So why do I hesitate to use my china dishes? I

Robin in the snow, what a shivering fellow. Robin in the snow, mind your boots of yellow. Running through the garden on your nimble feet, Hoping for some dinner with your long, strong beak. Robin in the snow, you DO mind the weather. Snowfall always makes you say, "Wishing that this white stuff would go away." Robin on a snowy day." My reworking of "Robin in the Rain" comes with a spring snowfall that seems out of place for April. As I walked by a man scrapping ice off his car, I said, "Looks like winter is back."His reply of, " I sure hope not!" was backed with the knowledge that this snow will not last long. It truly is April, the beginning of spring. There is hope in the knowledge that hard times will not last forever, especially when backed by the truth of seasonal change. Spring always comes after winter and for that I am thankful. There WILL be better days ahead and for that I am hopeful.

When my daughter woke me up with, "Did you already do the papers?", it was irrelevant whether my alarm had ever been set or whether I had sleepily turned it off. What mattered was that the time was one hour later than usual and we still had customers waiting for morning papers. The neighbourhood was so much noisier and fumes from the traffic made breathing difficult. Even the birds' songs seemed to be louder and noisier. Lights were glowing from television sets and every house had signs of life. My quiet morning walk had become a bustling, frenetic journey to simply accomplish a job. Could one hour make that much difference? How aware am I of other delays as they occur? Do I ever see them as blessings in disguise? Often I am frustrated by delays, when I should simply be thankful instead. When my car is narrowly missed by another vehicle by only seconds, I realize what life without that delay might have looked like. I might not be writing these thoughts right now.

The last few days have been bright and sunny, yet the cold penetrates and quickly chills to the bone. From the inside, the sun gives an illusion of warmth even though the thermometer is well below zero. There is a warming effect from the sun, as it streams in the window and heats up the room inside. In the classroom, children find it hard to put on all their snow gear, yet my experience outside before school tells me that it is necessary. It is the strong wind on top of the cold that makes the "wind chill" such a factor. If only a sunny day was also a pleasant one as well. At least the sun gives hope that better days are coming. I find that people can also be deceptive, showing superficial warmth and yet missing the character traits that warm relationships and lubricate friendships. Words are the evidence of what's inside, yet sometimes body language and actions override the words spoken. I want to take people at face value, taking their words as truth and yet experien

With the howling wind and driving rain, delivering papers was not something I looked forward to doing. My umbrella started to be ripped apart by the fourth house and yet the job still needed to be completed. I persisted in keeping the papers close to my chest and the bits of umbrella around my face but it was impossible to stay dry. More work came from trying to hold on to an ineffective umbrella and to keep myself from being injured. When I got back and realized my daughter was sick and would probably not be going to school, I decided to tackle her part of the job as well. By now I was soaking wet anyways, so I changed my approach and set out without an umbrella but with the papers wrapped in plastic. The wind was still roaring but it didn't seem quite as bad. I didn't realize how cold and wet I really was until the job was done but a sense of satisfaction was there that could only come from following through on something difficult. While walking, I composed a verse to ad

There is snow and then there is fluffy snow. Today everything is becoming frosted in freshness as large flakes waft down steadily. With little wind blowing, the flakes are settling on top of everything, sticking evenly and outlining what is beneath. No longer is the ice, sand and salt visible, as beauty is everywhere. I chose this morning to enjoy the beauty. I know the slippery ice is still there as well as all the dirt and grime from yesterday. Yet I would be missing out on fresh joy if I focused instead on the ice. I'm thinking too of the loses in life that are out of my control to change. It's one thing to feel sad and mourn that loss but it's my choice whether to focus on it totally or look for fresh beauty. Today I want to start a "Beautiful" list, topped by today's snowfall and the names of special people in my life. After that, only time will tell what I will add as I intentionally look for beauty all around me.

Walking has been difficult this past week with a layer of ice under everything. I thought the worst was the first morning after the warm weather and quick freeze made everything slick. Now that I have more experience, I'm realizing that was only the beginning. When I could see the ice, I could tread carefully, taking small measured steps. The problem comes when that ice is hidden. Today there is lots of snow everywhere. The ice is visible where the ploughs and shovels have cleared the snow away, but it is mostly a hazard when you are not thinking about it. The worst situation by far was the morning that a light dusting of snow covered the ice layer. Although everything sparkled in the streetlight and looked peaceful, that was the day I actually fell twice. Ice was everywhere, not allowing me to use my familiar stride to just get the job done. Life seems to be like that as well, with icy patches that wait to trip us up. When I am aware of difficult situations, I tread more ca

With the busyness of exams for the girls, oral surgery for my husband and the picking up of university kids Friday night, the week's flyers did not get delivered. Choosing to go to a friend's house after exams before the job was done did not help either. Now with the Saturday paper needing to be delivered, the job seemed overwhelming. Add to that the warming and then quick drop of temperature last evening, solid ice covered most driveways and sidewalks. Where do you even start? I knew I had to find a way to tackle it first in my mind. In the past, I might have given up before even starting. It is tempting to let the recycle box lighten the load at bit. As I worked through various strategies in my head, I realized how planning could eliminate extra work. I realized that we needed to use the car trunk because we couldn't carry everything with us. There was just too much to keep straight. By dividing up the route in "bite-sized" sections to do bit by bit, and d

Yesterday I picked up an elastic band and at first stretching, it snapped right across the room. My first thought was, "That could be me". Rubber bands are made to be stretched out and re-stretched but not to be continually at their max. When they lose their suppleness and resiliency, they just snap. I have now finished an extremely busy week with 3 full afternoons of meetings away from the classroom, each with their own workload to follow up on. Evenings also had their share of "Mommy, can you...?" with one night away from home to practice music. Although the week was busy and overloaded, I found that I was not to the point of breaking emotionally or physically. What was keeping me soft and ready to be stretched out so much? One thing I do intentionally is to let some things go at home so that time can go to relaxing in the evenings. I also look forward to my Sundays as a "day of rest", a time to recharge my batteries and refocus my thinking. Some

When the Weather Channel warns of an upcoming storm, you are being prudent to take notice and possibly change your travel plans. With two children needing to get back to University after the Christmas Break, there are no options but to travel despite the weather. Rather than leaving after lunch on Sunday, we had them pack up in the morning and were on the road before noon, traveling ahead of most of the bad weather. When the freezing rain came, the highways were made safer because of the salt and sand already there. I found myself sliding most in the Restaurant parking lot and on unshovelled steps that had packed snow already slick to walk on. The location where I came the closest to actually falling down was on an ice patch from a drain spout outside my son's house. What made it the most dangerous was the fact that I didn't even notice it. By preparing for the freezing rain as we did, the trip was not stressful, as we took the time needed for safety and were home before t