Previously posted in another context

Today is Saturday, August 22, 2009, and it's hard to believe that a week has gone by, and I hadn't written an entry for my blog.

Just got home a few minutes ago from doing a wedding at the church. The bride wore the most beautiful wedding gown that I have ever seen. The bride and groom were at one time both refugees. In fact the groom told me that he and the bride at one time were in the same refugee camp in Thailand. They were both 5 or 6 years old at the time, but isn't it wonderful that they both came to Canada as refugees with their parents and siblings and were able to connect with each other. The groom and his parents were settled in London and the bride and her parents were settle in the Windsor area. They were reaquainted when the groom came to Leamington to be a Chiropractor and the Bride and her parents lived in Leamington.

It reminds me of my wife Gini and I who knew each other when we were about 8 years old, lived across the street from each other. As many of you know Gini's father is one of my mentors. Now a retired ordained United Church minister who last year celebrated 60 years of ordination. Hopefully many of you will meet him at my covenanting service on September 27th, 2009. I have asked him to read scripture.

I just got off the phone with my best friend in the whole world (other than Gini) who lives in St. Martins, New Brunswick. I was checking with him to see how he was preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Bill. My friend doesn't get too excited about anything, perhaps that's why I liked living in the Maritimes, where most people take life a day at a time. I gave him a call today, because yesterday was his wife Barbara's 63rd birthday. It's probably a good thing that they don't have a computer and read my blogs, as Barb probably wouldn't be too impressed with me telling how old she is. Brian and I have been best friends for almost 30 years. We were on the St. Martins Volunteer Fire Department together, and it was Brian who pulled me out of a forest fire many years ago with the aid of a Scott air pack.

This week has been full of tragedy for many people. Weather and Mother Nature have a way of bringing us all toether. I was really impressed by the friendship that had developed in a commuity where homes and lives in a matter of seconds had been destroyed. The next day, they are on the street together, closer than they had ever been. Neighbours who until the tornado went through, didn't even know each other's names. Now they were sharing stories, pizza and beer.

God does work in mysterious ways, we just need to pay attention.

Thanks again for the privilege of sharing some thoughts with you! Until next time, as my favourite comedian would say, "Keep your stick on the ice, we're all in this together."