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. 

WBS

This is Jodi. She leads the women's Bible study at my church which I have written about before. She actually took over midseason a couple years ago when the woman who was leading became ill and unable to lead. I am amazed at how Jodi has been able to not only take over, but to grow WBS to over 140 women. Often when there is uncertainty for a longer period and then change, things start to dwindle. People lose interest. They don't want a new leader. They drop out during indeterminate waiting and then don't return. But to Jodi's credit, WBS is stronger than ever. And she is a really great leader, mentor and teacher. I appreciate her approachability and her sense of humour. This week she texted me that she "sensed our nerdiness was compatible". Yes!

At the recent retreat, a few of us were able to celebrate her recent (Masters) graduation. She had to miss her convocation in order to attend the retreat, so some of the staff had organized a little party to surprise her. It was sweet and so well deserved. In light of our study of Numbers, I suggested that there should have been trumpets, but alas, we had to settle for cake and a few speeches.

My friend Tanya died unexpectedly last week. She was one of the most hospitable, servant-minded people I have ever met. She was very involved in so many things, always hosting and serving and being thoughtful. I've known her through our Finnish church and community since I was 4. She taught Sunday school, she lead youth group, she drove youth around. She was a missionary in India for awhile. The list of things she has done for people, the number of people she's clothed, cooked for, supported, housed, and/or counselled is truly immeasurable. Her staff at the care home where she was director of care raved about how she went out of her way to show appreciation for her staff. For me personally, she hosted an amazing party for me on her patio when I turned 50. She MC'd our wedding. She ran the kitchen at my dad's funeral. She hosted a buffet breakfast for all the families at our neighborhood Easter egg hunts for years. She hosted countless parties and potlucks that I was lucky enough to attend. We went camping, on girls trips, to conferences. If there was a Mother Theresa award, I would nominate her and everyone who knew her would agree. In fact, last year, she received the Order of the Lion of Finland for all her service.

So, it's hard to imagine the world, but specifically the Finnish community, without her. And it's impossible not to question why. She was still very much needed and it'll take an army of people to carry on all that she was doing. I miss her.

church retreat

We had our first whole church retreat this past weekend. Previously there have been women's retreats, men's retreats, and youth retreats, but never whole families. This time, the retreat was for everyone. There were about 300 of us who came together at Rockridge in Princeton. It was such a good time of connecting and relaxing and walking and playing cards and fellowship. Sunday morning conversations at church barely scratch the surface. Community groups fortunately go much deeper and do life together in a more meaningful way. But it is still another level of community to spend a weekend together. To eat together. To go for walks and play games. To have extended time to just hang out. Needless to say, it was great! The icing on the cake was Sunday morning worship. Pastor Jon preached such a moving message about unity and meaningful dependence on one another. It made me want to serve more, to give back more and to love on the people in my church more. What a wonderful weekend with some of the best people that I know.

Food for thought from Bonhoeffer, which Jon quoted in his sermon: "He who loves his dream of community more than the Christian community itself becomes a destroyer of the latter". 

Thanksgiving 2025

 

We came to my brother's house for Thanksgiving weekend. We had our big dinner tonight, which was delicious. Other than that, we've been relaxing. I've walked and gone sauna every day. I finished my Bible study homework. It's been very low key and restful. I am grateful.

CG

Community group for church resumed last week and we picked up right where we left off before the summer break. We meet to discuss the past Sunday's sermon, but we often end up having tangent theological discussions in addition to talking about the Scripture passage. There is always laughter, prayer and snacks. Below is a free verse "poem" I wrote a couple years ago after a community group gathering. 

Eleven Friends and a Dog

How are you/How was your trip/Have something to drink/Did you taste the appetizer/ Hugs/We're going to Australia/Those grandkids are easy/What's in this salad/Everything is so healthy/I thought that was your leg, but it's just the dog/Laughter/What do you think about electric vehicles/Anyone want more ice cream/I'm sad about what my son is up to/The spa was great/How's it going with her living at home again/This corn is delicious/God's working on his testimony/We're the old people now/She got a tattoo/Thank you/This was lovely/We'll resume in September.

Outdoor learning

 

I promise this blog is not becoming a teaching and outdoor learning blog. But, I do write about whatever is top of mind that day and today was another good day at school. It was a sunny autumn day, so we went outside to find "sit spots". Each student had to find a quiet spot to sit down and observe the nature around them and write/draw in their science journals. They were encouraged to sit alone, and to really listen and see what was around them. We talked about how being quiet and still would hopefully bring any scurrying creatures back. I was amazed at how focused the kids were and what all they were able to observe. 

PS. In case you're wondering, we did also do math, reading, writing, and gym today. And it was also picture day in there somewhere. 

perseverance

We did Metis finger weaving today as part of our patterns unit. I love doing this lesson because every year I tell the students that it is hard and someone will cry. I ask them to repeat after me; we can do hard things. I warn them; you may not pick it up right away. You may have to start again if you mess up. You may want to give up. It's such a great lesson in perseverance and what to do when learning something is difficult. I love it because most students find it hard. But once they get it, they feel so accomplished. This year no one cried, which was a first. But I had a few who really struggled. A few who had to restart. But everyone kept going and eventually everyone finished their weaving. The best part was when a boy who had really struggled and who was one of the last to finish asked if I had more yarn so he could make an other one. I was thinking, you wanted to quit in your frustration and now you want to make a second one....lol?

family weekend in Hope

Well it seems the autumn deluge has started. It's pouring rain this morning and to top it off we're headed to a funeral. But, what a wonderful sunny weekend we had in Hope. It was the four of us plus my nephew Noah who was staying with us for a few days. It was also Pentti's 50th birthday. He didn't want to celebrate at all, but he did want to spend it in Hope. He went golfing with the boys three times, so that was a gift. Otherwise, we just hung out and relaxed.

I can't believe that we have had the house in Hope for 20 years! Twenty years of weekend trips and so many memories. When the kids were small, it was the easiest place to get away. There were seasons of toys and a bouncy castle and playing in the yard. Now, our weekends there look very different with teens. Our noisy weeekends have turned very quiet. But we're together and doing our usual things and it's still the perfect escape.

September

September is a lot. I complain about it every year lol....It's still exhausting and I feel like I have been hit by a truck. But, here's a few of the highlights...

It's national forest week, so we spent a lot of time outside with my class looking for patterns, making nature art and looking for signs of fall.

 It was meet the teacher and the walkathon and just an overwhelming amount of time spent at school. But, I was with my favourite co-workers and we even accidentally dressed alike. The kids made Minecraft self portraits which obviously made me teacher of the year for planning such an activity, lol. We also talked a lot about courage and trying new things and it was actually a pretty good start to the year.

Discovered a new cafe with delicious coffee, went out for Indian food and nachos with friends. All in all, it's been a better September than most. I realize it's not over yet, but we are headed to Hope tonight and I don't work again until October, so I'm calling it.

Be Still

Theologian Dallas Willard was once asked if he could describe Jesus in one word. His answer might surprise you. He answered, "relaxed". When I first read that, I thought it was such a weird answer and surely it wasn't true. But then when I started to think about it more deeply, it fits. Jesus was never in a rush. He waited thirtyish years to start His ministry. He was always fully present wherever he was. He moved with purpose. He had time for people. He took naps in storms and welcomed children. He fully trusted God and that allowed him to relax.

I would like to be relaxed too. I would like to take a long deep breath and release all the stress, the worry, the anxiety, the fear....and just be still and know that He is God. I am going to start by taking social media off my phone for awhile ....

Numbers

Women's Bible study at my church resumed last week. There are 130 women registered between the Tuesday morning and Wednesday evening sessions. Wow! Today was day 2. We are studying the book of Numbers in the Old Testament. Sounds rather dry, right? You could not be more wrong. Already from the first chapters we can see God, how he creates order out of chaos, how he has a plan, how he keeps his promises....I could go on.

I really appreciate the discussions we have in our table groups. Every term the group of ladies changes but what stays the same is their commitment to study God's word deeply. They do their homework faithfully, they come prepared. What a blessing Tuesday mornings are to me.

Quebec City

I went to Quebec City for the last week of summer break with my friend Serene. It was wonderful. Quebec City is beautiful and has such a lovely old world feel to it. Just wandering the cobble stone streets, popping into shops and eating outside in little cafes was so lovely. There were street musicians everywhere and they were really good. We actually stopped to listen to them! The food surprised me. It was delicious!! I did not eat a single bad meal and the atmosphere in every place, although different each time, was also great. We went to an English style pub, to the Chateau Frontenac, to several Italian restaurants and of course multiple cafes for coffee and pastries. We wandered the historical sites, we shopped and we relaxed. It was a great way to end summer 2025.

Marina

My posts for the last six weeks are going to be completely out of order chronologically because I have so much to write about and I don't feel like starting at the beginning, lol. I am not even sure whether all of it will end up being published. I currently have 48 drafts in my blog account, so maybe not. We'll see.

Anyway, Marina, Matias and Sarah came to stay with us in the middle of August. We had such a good time and I love spending time with my granddaughter! She was doing the cute worm crawl where she'd pull her body along the ground. She reminds me so much of Matias and of course makes me ask that old lady question of where has the time gone? I was reminded of those times when we had a baby and leaving the house was carefully timed between naps. When you had to maximize your time out between juggling naps and feedings. When leaving was never quick, and you had to bring so much stuff and just when you were ready, the baby pooped or threw up. I sympatized with Matias and Sarah since they are currently in that stage of life. Anyway, we did manage to go out for dinner to The Keg as a family and it was a lovely way to celebrate Pentti and my 26th anniversary at the same time.

Azim

Azim was my sister's father in law. He was diagnosed with cancer last month and he passed away this week. I don't know how that happens and I have serious misgivings about our medical system. But, that's not what I want to write about.

Azim was such a warm, friendly guy. As extended family, we met up at many family gatherings. He was always interested in others, asking questions and genuinely engaging with people. In many ways he was very similar to my father and they got along great. They were both engineers, immigrants and all about family. He too was a wonderful, fully engaged grandfather to my sister's kids. But Azim was also into food and often brought persian food to gatherings and even had some of his own special recipes. He loved soccer and was still actively playing just a few months ago. 

He will be missed, but praise God, Azim is in heaven. He became a Christian this past spring and I am confident that he is now more fully alive than ever and completely healed. He was a good, decent guy but that's not why he's in heaven. He's in heaven because he believed. And that means that this is not goodbye, but see you later.

Meet Lavender

So after years of Emmi's begging, we relented and got a dog. As someone who has never had a dog, I am so grateful to the people who helped me. And I am so happy that I got connected to the shelter that I did through a friend. It even turned out that I had a personal connection with the trainer who had our dog. It was all like it was meant to be. 

Anyway, we are now getting used to life with a dog in the house. I am not going to lie, it has been a tough week. Lavender is a rescue dog from the streets of California and has a fair bit of anxiety. She is lovely with us in the house, but does not like visitors or other dogs. It is proving to be more challenging than I expected....Some days I am overwhelmed and wonder whether things will ever get better. I watch dog training videos and wonder what the right approach is. Having never had a dog, it's hard to know who's advice to follow. I feel out of my depth. But, we love her and we want to help her feel safe and secure. Surely, she will eventually sense that and settle down...?

But that is not to say that there have not been lovely snuggles. Morning walks in the sunshine. Play. Emmi's joy. We press on.

July

July was lovely. It felt really long and I spent lots of time relaxing on my deck, chilling at home, decluttering and sleeping in. But, I also found time for lots of other things. It's funny how much time there is in a month when you aren't working...I tried to pick one highlight, but I couldn't decide, so here are my favourites:

I met with six other women for Bible study every Tuesday morning. We finished with a potluck on my deck and it was perfect. It is not easy to find women who would commit to studying the Bible in the middle of summer. I mean really, who does that? But my friends were dedicated and I couldn't believe that they continued showing up week after week. 

I spent five days in Hope. Going to the cabin is always relaxing and lovely. I have blogged about it many times. 

I spent quite a few afternoons on my friend Lesley's deck (or she came over to mine). 

My friend and I went to a jazz hymn swing. We had zero expectations and really no idea what it would entail. It was part hymn singalong and part jazz concert. It was amazing. We even got to sing one of my favourite hymns: Abide with me.

Emmi took an art class with her friends and loved it. On her birthday, we took a mother daughter art class with two of her best friends and their mothers. She said it was her best birthday ever.

There were quite a few birthday celebrations and we're not even done yet. Emmi and I both have July birthdays and the celebrations are continuing into August...

One of my very favourite things was the July birthday celebration with my two choir friends. We could not believe how amazing they were at Joey's on Lougheed. The food was delicious. There was free dessert and flowers and free champagne. I was blown away.

It's still early days of August and I am grateful for that, but this summer has already been amazing. And August is shaping up to be even better, Stay tuned....

next yr

I was talking to a friend of mine about next year's classes. It's August already which means that anyone who works in a school is thinking about September. They say that August is one long "Sunday night" for teachers and it's true. Anyway, I am staying at grade two, so I will not be keeping any of my students. But, if I were rolling into grade three, there is only one kid I would like to keep. He is funny and off the wall. He doesn't really listen. He comes in full of energy and never stops. He is likeable and quirky. And he is never boring.  I am ready to pass on the rest of my students, the challenging, the goody two shoes, the quiet ones; they can be "enjoyed" by their next teacher. But R, him I will miss. And if you read my previous post about Joonas, you will understand why.

Joonas

My middle child graduated this year. He is the one child for whom I would receive phone calls and emails from the school. He had been caught throwing banana peels off the roof. He had gone hiking out of bounds with his friends. He had a flask that he was using as a water bottle. He had violated the tech policy...He was also the one that told me in kindergarten that he had chosen a friend because, " I like him because he is BAD!!". It is because of Joonas that I am a better teacher. I love the crazy active little kids in my class who have spunk and personality plus. I understand them. I like them and they know it. It makes my job so much easier when I like the sassy students and they in turn like me. 

Back to Joonas. Despite his many antics, he did very well in school. I am proud of how well he did and how he managed to be successful even though I rarely saw him doing homework. He is smart and funny and I am excited to see where God leads him. Joonas graduated this year and it was such a great time of celebration. I already blogged about our family party in May. In June, there was the convocation and the grad banquet. We were celebrating not just Joonas, but also his really great group of friends, who may also act first and think later, but who are just really great kids. Joonas and his friends formed a group called the Harmonica Boys and they performed at both celebrations. They formed a fishing club which became one of the official clubs at the school. I often hear that a group of boys has invaded our basement and that the group of them are going for swim and sauna at midnight. I hope their friendships continue even though they are all going their separate ways in a sense. 

Joonas isn't sure what he wants to do yet, but as long as he's not living in our basement when he's 40, I am okay with that. Besides, he cooks a mean steak and I like having him around.

Summer Bible study

So after a five year break, I have finally resumed summer Bible study. I started these summer studies back in 2018 because I was annoyed that all programming ends just when my holidays start and I would have more time for reading and studying. When you can't find anyone offering what you're looking for, start your own...So that's what I did. 

We meet in Lois' lovely backyard to discuss, chat, have coffee and snacks. We are studying the prophets of the Old Testament and it's fascinating stuff. Today's lesson was on Habakkuk and I think it was my favourite one so far. Then again, my favourite book of the Bible seems to often be the last one I've studied...lol. But Habakkuk, what an honest and relateable prophet. He questioned the when of God's timing. Why wasn't God doing anything? Then when God told him that he planned to act and how he planned to do so, Habakkuk questioned the how of God's methods. How like us. How like me. God is either sovereign and in control or he isn't. All things work for my good, not just the pleasant ones that I "approve" of. I want to be able to say with Habakkuk that "though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food....yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in my salvation." I am working on it.

"social"

Nitsa and I are the social committee at school. We're not on the committee, we are the committee. I tried to get it renamed the antisocial (or even the selectively social) committee but apparently that was antithetical to what a social committee is supposed to be....who knew, lol?!

Anyway, it's great because Nitsa and I are both type A perfectionists. You might think that that creates problems, but it actually totally works in our favour. We like to plan events, we like to have things organized, we like things to look nice and we work really well together. We also teach next door to one another so she is constantly popping into my room to make sure the invite she's sending out is perfect, or I'm popping in to show her the sample of the decorations we're going to make.

This year has had a lot of extra social events so there has been a lot of planning and ordering of food and decorating. That's ok. But only because I've done it with Nitsa.

Thinking

I mentioned in a previous post that I had finished some Bible courses at my church. Our church is very blessed to have professors from Regent who attend and sometimes help teach. One such (retired) professor was teaching two courses, one on Old Testament and one on Church History. If you know me, you wouldn't be surprised that I could not resist taking both courses. I have often thought about going to Regent or taking some theology courses, so I feel like these courses were handed to me on a silver (much cheaper) platter. What a gift.

To sum up what I learned would be impossible because there was just so much over the course of eight weeks. Besides, a lot of what I learned was much bigger than just facts. Ian talked about world views and the lenses we use and shifts in culture. Maybe I'll blog about those some day. But what I have been pondering this week is what he taught in the OT course regarding wisdom literature. He pointed out that Christianity is meant to be a thinking religion. It is not about blindly following a bunch of rules. That's what the Pharisees were all about and Jesus condemned them because they didn't love people and in fact added to their burdens. Yes, there are rules for right living, no question about that, but at the heart of it is (or should be) love for your fellow man. You need to go beyond the rules to ask yourself what is the most loving response in this situation. Ian pointed out that in Proverbs 26, for example, verse 4 says "don't answer the foolish arguments of fools", but the very next verse says "be sure to answer the foolish arguments of fools". So which is it? Although different reasons are given for answering or not answering, the point is that you need to be discerning about what to do. There is no blanket rule for how to respond because situations vary. In fact, Jesus often answered questions with questions. 

In light of this, I've also been thinking about the rich young ruler story in Matthew 19. He claimed to have followed all the commandments. But Jesus said to him, "if you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor". I've always thought that he went away sad because he was so attached to his wealth, and I think that's part of it. But for him to think that he had kept all the commandments while hoarding his wealth and not helping the poor.....to claim that he has loved his neighbour....well that's all talk. It's like the priest and the Levite in the good samaritan story who would have proclaimed loving your neighbour with their doctrines and lips, but with their actions, not only walked past but made a point of going past on the other side.

So, back to thinking and discernment. Every situation requires thinking about what is the most loving thing to do. And then doing it. That is true Christianity.

May

It has been a crazy month and it's not even over. I already wrote about my choir concerts. It was also Mother's day in there as well as my best friend's birthday. My coworker and I hosted two baby showers at work, which turned out great! I also finished two Bible courses at my church and I am resuming a women's Bible study with some friends. But the highlight for sure was having Matias, Sarah and Marina, my granddaughter, stay with us over May long weekend. They flew into town for a family celebration that I hosted for Joonas and my nephew Noah, who are both graduating this year. I ordered the food and the cake so that I was able to enjoy the party along with everyone else. Everything turned out great and I think everyone had a good time, even though the rainy weather meant we were all stuck inside. We have a lot less family gatherings these days, so they are that much more special when they do happen. My mom was still in town and able to meet her great granddaughter.

The rest of the weekend, we relaxed with our immediate family. We went to the aquarium. I got in lots of baby snuggles. We had a lovely time even if it was way too short.

Now the four of us are in Hope and it's quiet and lovely. The weather is warm and sunny and we have nothing on our schedule. How perfect.

Yesterday were the final two concerts under the direction of Gail, our beloved musical director. It's hard to put into words how much she means to the choir members, both past and present. Her direction and demands for excellence have pushed us, challenged us, inspired us and ultimately made us proud of our hard work after concert days. But her guidance is about more than just the music. The community and sense of belonging that she has been able to create and inspire are second to none. 

There are so, so many good choir memories from rehearsals, concerts, and retreats. The retreats in Whistler every fall were so much fun: the talent show, the (super competitive) silent auction, walks, games, the hot tubs and of course the singing. At rehearsals: the beauty of harmonies coming together, the laughter, running to beat the washroom line, reconnecting that first Monday night in September, and debriefing after an event. On concert weekends: the excitement in the stairwell right before a concert, playing cards in the green room, stepping onto the risers, the audience, the band, Gail's piano playing and her voice, the high after a concert. The happy times are why the choir is so full of joy and love and friendship.

 But there were some sad times too and it's those times that show how Gail made us all family. There was the death of Nichole, a long-time choir member who actually brought me into the choir. There were other deaths and serious illnesses, personal challenges, surgeries, COVID, the Lapu Lapu tragedy and hard times of many kinds....During difficult times, we came together. We talked, we cried, we hugged, we prayed, and we sang. It was healing and beautiful. In fact, when my father passed away and I had to take a leave from choir, I went to our Christmas concert. Sitting in the audience singing along and seeing my choir family was the best medicine for my grieving soul because, thanks to Gail, it really is a family. I'll never forget how my choir friends comforted me after the concert and Gail's big hug and comforting words. I will sorely miss being in choir under Gail's direction.

students

These two are not my students. But since my class and their class do a lot together, they are often in my classroom. In fact, for some odd reason when the two classrooms are open, mine will have 30 students and the other will have 10....But these two, they also come to find me at random times of day. They run to hug me so hard that I am nearly knocked off my feet every time. They're sassy and funny and on this particular day pictured, posed with my sunglasses on. They bring me so much joy.

Election day

On this rainy election day, I am immersing myself in a sweet book about kindness, generosity, friendship and wonder.

Excited!

I am excited about new courses starting at my church, my mom and her husband coming for a visit, a weekend away, waffles with whipped cream, school restarting, sunshine in the forecast, choir practise tomorrow, my new patio umbrella, my new striped sweatshirt, daffodils, a new playlist on Spotify, my choir concerts, seeing my students, finally decluttering upstairs, donating two bags of clothes, my best grandma ever mug, and spring. 

Prayer

Having friends who wish you well, have your best interests at heart, and who love you, are wonderful. They can support you and share your burdens. Do you know what they can't do though? They can't fix your anxiety. All the positive thoughts in the world aren't going to calm your anxious heart. Friends who promise to pray for you, on the other hand, are another matter entirely. They can go to the sovereign ruler of the universe on your behalf. Through prayer, they can move mountains.

Recently I had really bad anxiety for several reasons. I mean based on the frightening, chaotic state of the world, who doesn't have anxiety?? But I had personal reasons too. I told my best friend. She prayed for me. I shared with my community group and they prayed. I went to church and I asked for prayer from the prayer team. A friend saw my teary face afterward and put her arm around me and promised to pray for me. The thing is, people often say "thoughts and prayers", but they really only mean good thoughts. I'm glad to have people thinking good thoughts, but that doesn't actually change anything. What I am very blessed to have is friends and a church community who says that they will pray for me and then do so. Really. It reminds me of a song that we sing in choir: "long as I live, and troubles rise, I'll hasten to His throne". What a privilege that I can hasten to His throne, but how amazing that there are people who are willing to go there on my behalf as well.

So, anyway, back to the anxiety. After all those prayers my anxiety was replaced by inexplicable peace. Not a single thing in my circumstances changed. But my worries and anxieties were brought before God, the one for whom nothing is impossible. He answered the prayers for peace and a calm heart. I am well aware that He does not always magically remove all anxiety. But in this case, because of all my praying friends, I had peace. And as a result I had the most wonderful time with the thing I had been most anxious about.

Granny Annie

In January, I became a grandmother and a few weeks later, we were able to fly out to Alberta to see our new granddaughter, Marina. She is perfect and beautiful and cuddly and I could go on and on. I love babies, I always have. But to hold my own granddaughter was something quite unique and wonderful. Looks like I will be making vacation trips to Alberta....