I AM SO THANKFUL IT IS COOLER

I am going for an early walk and not going all the way to meet Janet today.
I came home from visiting yesterday and was so hot and tired slept for two hours. Dad made our supper.

We went to the library and I got some good books; especially one that dad likes. I have a lot of reading to do but lately I just nod off. Dad is going to cut down the prickles in our walkway they are blocking the path.

I put the sprinkler on and I am happy seeing my carrotts and peas and radishes growing but the battle against the weeds continues and I am ready to let them win.

I got a picture of the "waskly" rabbit. I guess I should look at how Rick spelt that. I will put pictures on when I come back.

To-morrow is a meeting at the church about what kind of church we want to be. Tes, I still have hope for the church. I believe in it and the influence it can have on us stressed out morons. Meaning me!

Then their is a funeral which I should help at. Everyone is getting on in age it is hard for most of us except for a few very energetic people. I love the church becquse it feeds that inner hunger or emptiness that lives within us all.

It is more politically acceptable to say you are :spiritual" than to admit a need to attend church. We all share more on the inside than our outward sifferences may suggest. Yes, relugion can be seen as rigid and boring and not revelevant.

Us church goers are admitting the failure to really touch people deep in their souls, yet we are all people of the Spirit.

A good word for that vague but hungrey part of us is :soul" For many od us our soul lives in the shadow and our busy lives can ignore the gift of grace within us.

I honestly feel badly that I cannot do more, like work at the food bank or at Oak Avenue giving out clothes and food to the poor. I am so thankful for the good people that carry on these tasks.

I ama believer and I bring that positive energy with me.

Yes, I get mad, furious at those who stand back and declare faith a delusion. It makes me happier and it makes me want to help others. I feel very alone in my family with my belief but I will do my best to be myself and believe that the light and life of Jesus shines through!

This was going to be a small note but keeping things short is not my best quality. I could say so much more and I will probably go and write in my journal later.

Now I am living in the "Now" of going for a walk.

I do not know if Sandra with her eyes focused on all my nasty weeds is coming over. What a great help she is.

SO BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED.

For maryse

FAMILIES CREATE LIFE & BEAUTY

Theresa creates a beautiful end table.

Ben being helpful and helping grandpa with air conditioner.

A beautiful moment I wish I could be there.

I walk among such beauty

IF WE LOOK FOR BEAUTY WE WILL FIND IT
IF WE LOOK FOR PERFECTION WE WILL NEVER FIND IT.

INTELLECTUALS ARE DYSFUNSTIONAL IF THEY CAN NOT SEE THEIR OWN DISULLISIONS!

None of us know all the answers but THE questions is what are we willing to do to face the suffering that is in this world. The biggest problem is that we are all busy coping with our own lives. I feel helpless and would like to do more on my own. But I recognize the value of people coming together to help one another and to help others.

We have done our best to bring up our children to value the things we value and I am proud of you all because I see the goodness in your hearts.

Our first priority is to care for our family.

A VERY HOT DAY IN PICTURES CONTINUES.

Trying to keep up with Theresa and Kim and children

This is going to be a beautiful lamp; a well lived in garage full of life!

Morgan on the rocking horse Chris made.

The cat enjoying being spoilt. Chair beside Kim also been fixed up by Theresa

A SIMPLE LAZY DAY

ITS FUN TO RUN IN A LOVELY MEADOW

THE MIGHTY - FAST- DIRTY - FRASER RIVER

THIS WILL BE A GREAT PICTURE

ALL READY TO GO FOR OUR PICNIC - TEMPERATURE 34c

Walked and prayed and look for the bunny rabbit to take his picture but no sign of him. I need a happy picture too bad I missed out going to fun night.
I got some groceries at the store and a Climatis plant to climb my vine. Since it was 10% day I felt justified.

Both dad and I rested and read. It was interesting in my story "No Angel" they miss the trip to go on the Titanic and are devastated until the tragedy happens.In the morning Sun paper a couple miss the flight on the French plane that crashes mysteriously in the ocean.

I am so pleased the church is breaking the law and taking the Russian man. who years ago had made mistakes, but now is a good citizen of Canada where his wife and son had made a new life. Where is the humanity of our government when they make these crazy decisions. We have plently of gangsters living here distroying our country that should be sent back.

I feel sorry for people like Richard Dawkins on C.B.C. who has never felt the amazing awesome presence of God that exists all around us. Where does he get the idean that God controls our life?

Yes, I admit that religion is quilty of abuse and manipulation; instead through scripture and prayer we are forced to face our doubts, our failures,
our miserable emotions and our deepest needs.

We look on goggle earth and we can see pictures of where our Carol and Panteli are in China. Would our lives be different if we could goggle our future or maybe even heaven?

Jesus is trying to tell us to "give peace a chance". The author is visiting in Africa a place called Burundi where there is constant violence. Tribes killing randomly just like Ruwanda. He is told how to greet the people he is meeting. "Take my father's hands with two hands, your left hand grasping your right forearm. Then kiss my mother on one check and then the other several times and whisper "amaboro" the word of peace. She'll be welcoming you into the peace of our home and you will be offering your peace to her."

Church can offer us peace in the midst of our stressful chaotic lives!

Today we three Dad and I and Kim are off to Chilliwack for a short visit to see Theresa and the children. It seems like ages since we have seen them. It is going to be a hot day but a good day.

APOCALYTIC GLOOM OR FUN NIGHT

Listening to dad's program "Coast to Coast" talking about disasters and how vulnerable we are if a missel is sent our way; just fills you will fear.
I do not think he should be listening for hours half asleep. None of us know the future and I think this is so unheathy . A apocalyptic view of the future makes us feel so small and so in the darkness that is beyond our control.

I know that I have great comfort in knowing that I can keep in touch with my children. Prayer comforts me and I am reminded of all our past fears; that motivated war instead of peace. The light of Jesus still shines upon us to give us hope.

An evenning of laughter at Colebrook brings many different churches together just to have fun. Our group works hard and do an amazing job. I am sorry I missed it but I laid down for a rest and fell asleep.

Laughter and prayer keep us sane and give us hope!

I am praying for little Matthew to sleep better so his dear parents can get some rest.

FREE WILL WHAT'S THE PROBLEM

I DO NOT KNOW WHY DAD HAS SUCH A PROBLEM WITH FREE WILL.
There are many things in a free country that allows us to make choices. I believe that that was the way we were created to be free to make choices.
In a cruel and injustice world we know there is great inequality and unfairness. I can see that trying to love and be loving can be difficult even though the message of Jesus was to love one another even your neighbor.

We have had some difficult neighbors. I could tolerate the constant barking of the dog next door, right beside us, if his owners were friendly.
I suggested getting to know the dog and even feeding it dog bones but was told no way. I try my best just to ignore it all.

Some quotes from our study

"Belief in free will is the bedrock of religion" "When someone with a gun asks us to lift our hands, our free will is limited. Biology and family are destiny.

"A materialist thinker assumes there is no such thing as free will. Free will is the capacity that permits human beings to foster goodness and inflict pain. Without choice there is no growth, just an endless repetition of obeyed, if unconscious, commands. A world without free will is a world of puppets or robots, not human beings.

Regimes of systematic cruelity use free will to strip others of their free will. At best a ambiguous gift. Part of trying to understand, suffering, disease, natural disasters is to understand what role suffering might play in the way human souls grow. Achieving goodness in the world as a demonstration of soul grow is a crucial aim of all serious religous traditions."

We are slow learners and creatures of habit and most of us have some things about ourselves we would like to change. The spirit of God can be very helpful if we allow this presence the freedom to work within us.

We can never understand why some of us have been blessed to live in a free country nor why some of us suffer more difficulties and have less abilities and are tempted to make poor choices.

My favorite quote was "During moments when there are cracks in our complacency, prayer has room to slip in." Prayer allows healing in the midst of failing health as we receive emotional and spiritual healing.