Suzanne and I went to Victoria for a wedding last month. It wasn’t in a church, and I didn’t do the service, so I had a great time. Not that I mind churches or doing services, but the setting was a golf course, and very beautiful, and, lazy lout that I am, I always enjoy watching other people work. The music was done by members of the worship team from the church I used to pastor there, and they were great as usual. The bride and groom were lovely, the service was interesting (in a good way), the cake was sooooo cooooool (see picture) and made by some friends who make cakes for a living. We got to see a bunch of old friends, had a lovely breakfast, and I got to do the toast to the bride, so I still got to talk which is what all preachers love to do.
Way back, well before we were little boys and girls, Eddie Cantor sang a wonderful song called Makin’ Woopie. It’s funny, and quite daring for the time, though I’ve found so many daring songs from that era I’m beginning to wonder if the 1920s and 30s were not quite as timid as I imagine. “Weddings make a lot of people sad / but if you’re not the groom it’s not so bad”. How’s that for good old fashioned family values? Well, no one seemed too sad at this one, and even the groom seemed to be having a good time.
We also got to visit with our son, James, and his girlfriend, Julie, and go to church at The Forge, which is our old church rebooted (long story which I will be sharing over the next few months).
We stayed with Suzanne’s sister and had a good visit. She has a son named Atticus (yes, just like Gregory Peck in To Kill a Mockingbird) and he is a 9 year old movie aficionado. We only had time to watch half a movie, Coraline, which we could have watched in 3D, but he prefers 2D. – A 9 year old purist. Whodathunkit? – But 2D was still pretty good. I did try too explain to him that 3D is actually 4D, and 2D is actually 3D, because movies, unlike photographs, also include the dimension of time. But he had no time for that nonsense, so I guess maybe he was right after all.
All of this is to say, we had a visit back to the scene of the crime. This is where we got crushed in ministry. Jesus said there’d be days like this (“Take up your cross and follow me” etc.), so we can’t pretend we weren’t warned, but it’s still hard. It’s been said that time heals all wounds, but that’s not strictly true. It’s the stuff you fill that time with: resting, forgiving, reflecting, doing new things, being loved and encouraged, and, in my case, blogging. It’s really getting on with your life that brings healing, but it’s also good to reflect on where you’ve been. And that’s what I’ll be doing over the next little while.
Each time we go back to Victoria it’s a little better. And the cherry blossoms in February help too.
4 comments:
Well... that's very interessting but to be honest i have a hard time understanding it... wonder how others think about this..
Ok help me out here. Is that a hammer in his hand? A wrench at his feet? Would he be in construction? Or is it some obscure comment on building a relationship? In which case why does he get tools and she gets flowers? Or am I reading too much into this? (hard as it may be to understand, I have been accused)
Yes, that’s a hammer in his hand and a crescent wrench (my grade 7 shop teacher insisted we call it an adjustable spanner) at his feet. She has flowers. Noel is yer basic, hard working, mechanical, labouring type guy; Paddy’s yer sophisticated, hard working, appreciates-the-finer-things-in-life, kinda girl. In the beginning everyone was cool and refused to notice, but finally some brave, or insensitive soul made a reference to Jane Austen meets Tim the Tool Man, and we could all stop pretending. In the end I figure, if a man and a woman can forge a lifelong, loving relationship, any other stretch is a piece of cake. And so far, so good.
I was quite sad that I missed your visit to Victoria but I'm glad you & Suzanne able to make the trip. We desperately needed the break and to distance ourselves from Victoria. It was an opportunity for us to work through some of our grief and just have fun together. Part of my process was finally grieving the loss of you and Suzanne, my pastors & mentors. I didn't realize that I had been putting this aside while I continued to pastor this "reboot". I miss the conversations, the risk taking adventures, the covering and the love that you gave to me and my family. I am the leader that I am today because of your influence and for that I thank you. And because of the things that you taught me, this church is no longer a crime scene. The police tape is gone, justice has been served and there is new growth where the chalk outline used to be. Thanks for being a part of this "reboot". Blessings, friend.
Mike
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