2025-the Ordinary

Lots of big things happened in 2025 and I will write about those later, although I think all of them already have their own blog entries. Top spot has to go to the birth of my granddaughter, obviously. The lowest, most heartbreaking has to go to the two unexpected deaths. But, I am not here to write about those. Today I want to write about the ordinary, the expected, the common.

I was looking back on pictures from the year and reflecting on the everyday moments. The things that make up the bulk of my life: family, work, and church. And I am grateful for all the joy that came from the regular rhythms of my life. 

I have a family who loves me. They see me at my best and at my worst and are there for me in both. Sitting down for dinner, going to church, praying, chauffeuring. These are all uneventful but bring me joy in the mundane. In the broader family, lunch with my sister. Chats with my brothers. Texting in our sibling chat. Memes. So many memes. Reminiscing. I am lucky that I am close with my siblings and that those bonds grow deeper as we age. One of the pictures from my collage of ordinary below is from my brother's house. Just a regular day and yet so extraordinary. 

Church is a biweekly rhythm for me since I go on Sundays and on Tuesday mornings and throw in community group on Wednesdays as a third. All of these are part of my typical week. There is no special programming. The structure is always the same. But the familiarity is comforting. I love the people. The church retreat, which I blogged about in October, was wonderful. But, that was an event. It was unusual. As I walk up the steps of my church on a regular day, I feel incredibly blessed that this is my church and I am grateful for the ordinary, common rhythms of it all. 

Going to work is a standard part of my life three days a week. It isn't glamorous. There isn't generally a lot of thanks or fanfare. But, I am lucky enough to love my job, to love teaching my students. And, I have friends at work who spend time with me and make work fun. We chat in the hallways. Have coffee. Laugh and cry. Raid the emergency chocolate stash. Vent our frustrations. Curse the broken photocopier. On a regular Thursday at work. This too I am grateful for. 

For all of it, I am grateful. Because as I posted on social media, "if you must look back, look back in celebration for the ordinary in your life and know, with all your knowing, that it isn't ordinary at all. It is magic. All of it. See it. Really see it." So, perhaps the ordinary moments are actually extraordinary after all...because of the people. My family, my church family, my coworkers, and my friends, they are the ones that make my ordinary magical.

Gratitude

I've been reflecting on gratitude as the year draws to a close. I hate change, and I think a lot of people are averse to it. But, change is a part of life. Some things change as a natural progression and other things change in a more dramatic, sometimes painful way. But, change is inevitable. There are things that I wish had not changed, but they have. So, I have been reframing my thinking and trying to be thankful for what we had, instead of bitter for what has changed. And also, reflecting on what new, different good has come from change.

One of the biggest changes in the last few years has been the proximity of the extended family. My dad passed away and that started a sort of snowball of changes. My brothers and their families moved out of the lower mainland. Matias moved to Alberta. My mom moved to Finland. My aunt and uncle moved to Hope. Instead of lamenting all these changes, I've been thinking about how lucky and blessed I was for the first more than 40 years of my life. I was surrounded by family. We had celebrations and parties with the extended family often. The close knit family that we had for all those years was extraordinary. Some people never experience that. So, I am grateful.

There are also things that are good that have come from change. Even though our extended family is not physically as close anymore, it makes getting together more special. At Christmas 20 of us squeezed into our cabin in Hope. We brought food, we cooked, we laughed, we ate. The younger cousins wreaked havoc and ran around until they were exhausted. The older cousins chilled together. The sauna was on for hours. The teen boys jumped into the ice cold creek. Some watched the hockey game. There was music. It was loud and chaotic and really great. Three of the four families stayed the night in Hope, filling up every available bed and spare mattress. It was so nice and it only came together because we don't all live near to each other anymore. And for this too, I can be grateful. It's different, but it is still good.

Concerts

I love, love music. Over the past month, I went to seven concerts. That might seem like a lot, but I disagree. The way that music lets me be in the moment and forget everything else for a few hours is otherworldly. Maybe that's just me, but it truly provides the best escape. But it's not even about escaping. It's how the music gets down into my soul. How a venue adds to the experience. How who I am with makes it shared and beautiful. 

Take for example my former choir's concert downtown in the beautiful cathedral. The venue is spectacular. But, also, going downtown with my friend Lesley on a Friday night after work. Having dinner and then the concert. Seeing my friends singing their hearts out and so full of joy. Knowing some of the drama from what has gone on behind the scenes and being so overjoyed that they pulled it off. 

Going to a community choir Christmas concert lead by my former director Gail. Hearing her play the piano and sing. Seeing some of my friends in the choir. Hearing Ingrid play the saxophone and seeing her smile as she catches me singing along to some of the former choir songs. For both these concerts, the connections with the people were what made them extra special.

My least favourite concert was John Legend. It was a great concert by all standards and I had a really good time with my friend Ursula. But the music itself didn't move me. I hate the arena and its ugly seats and sticky floors. I don't know John Legend's music enough to sing along. I just didn't care and honestly would not have gone if we hadn't been gifted the tickets. 

I also attended two concerts that were completely new to me. Both were celtic and randomly came up in my social media feeds as ads. Sometimes those ads can actually be helpful. I was very happy to try something new and the celtic tenors as well as the Barra Macneills were fabulously entertaining and diverse. The Barra Macneills were at the Kay Meek theatre in North Vancouver and the tenors were at the Bell Centre in Surrey. Both theatres are smallish, have no bad seats, ample free parking and a cozy feel. 

But, Christmas is over and I have put away the Christmas music. Luckily, last night I went to see a movie full of Neil Diamond music and it was fantastic. So, I'll just switch to listening to Neil Diamond instead...until the next concert, which is already lined up for January.

Merry Christmas

The twinkling lights on the trees outside. The smell of apple cider. Hugging friends. Wishes for a merry Christmas. The buzz of conversation. The church filling up. The sounds of the chords for the first carol. Traditional carols, all of them. Beautiful and deep. The Scripture readings. The Christmas message and the magii. The handing out of candles. The lights dimming. Singing O Holy Night with only candles lighting the darkness. 

Every year, I love the candlelight service at my church so much. Maybe it's partly because its a tradition I did not grow up with. Maybe it's because it feels like a reset of calm and peace and joy in the midst of the busy and the chaotic. Whatever the reason, it is beautiful. Merry Christmas friends! May you find the true peace of God this season; it's the only one that lasts.

teaching

 I received the loveliest parent email this week after school had closed for the holidays. It made my week and was the best Christmas gift. This is why I teach.

Grace

There is a quote that has been attributed to Churchill which my father often quoted. Apparently there is no record of Churchill actually saying it, but it goes "If you're not a liberal at 25 you have no heart. If you're not a conservative by 35, you have no brain". No surprise that my dad was a staunch conservative and therefore liked the quote. But it's not the quote that I am actually wanting to blog about. I've been thinking about grace a lot lately. So, I've made up my own quote. If you're not full of grace by your 40s (as a Christian), then you have no heart.

I recently attended two Christian funerals. Both were lovely and celebrated the lives of those who had passed in very meaningful ways. But the two sermons by two different pastors were light years apart. One was gracious and inviting. He shared the gospel message and asked questions about eternity. Funerals are natural occasions to bring up life after death and how one gets to heaven. Any Christian pastor worth his salt is going to make you think about what will happen to you when you die. But the sermon came across as caring, deep concern that you would be in heaven one day with the one who had passed.

The other sermon was all fire and brimstone. Although I think (hope) that it also came from a place of care and concern, it came across as judgemental, harsh and ultimately uncaring. Sitting there, knowing my non-Christian neighbours were in attendance, I was embarrassed. Not embarrassed for the gospel, but that someone would choose that moment to call any unbeliever wicked and slothful. Wow. 

And that brings me back to grace. As I continue in my Christian walk, I make mistakes. I learn more about how hard life can be sometimes. Like the apostle Paul, I do what I am not supposed to do and I don't do what I am supposed to do. Life rarely goes how I thought it would. As I grow in sanctification, I actually realize that I fall short more and not less of the mark. My understanding of God's holiness and sovereignty expands and I see my own sinfulness more clearly. And so I understand more and more a need for grace. I appreciate what a gift salvation truly is. And I extend grace to others as I empathize that they too are just doing the best they can and need God too.