Is it Possible?

Another year has flown by! I've decided that it's not our getting older that makes time seem to fly by faster, but rather our inability to slow down and relax.

Here I am sitting at the Wired Monk in South Surrey writing a blog, answering emails and checking office messages. Shari is sitting at a different table researching her next Blog topic due on Friday. Yes it's a work day and I'm fortunate to be able to work away from the office, but I often find myself working longer hours and often seven days a week because everything is at our finger tips.

Of course any of us who are involved in any type of service industry (or in my case the camping industry) know the importance these days of staying in touch and being available to our campers, staff, donors, friends and family of Green Bay Bible Camp.

So how do we balance all of this, work, family, hobbies, and oh yes spiritual growth!
At this point many people have some pretty good answers...not me, not right now. What I do know is that I enjoy my job, family and friends. I enjoy my many coffees throughout the week promoting Green Bay. I enjoy my early morning meetings 5 days of the week as well as my involvement in Rotary. I enjoy the Green Bay full time Staff ( and summer staff ) and our corporate desire to serve and improve the Green Bay Bible Camp experience for all our campers. I enjoy seeing life changing decisions made during the summer and during the rental season here at Green Bay, and playing a small part in this tremendous ministry.

I also know something else...if it wasn't for my wife and kids helping me to slow down and take some time off to relax, I would not be able to do my job well. So to all of you that keep reminding me, often to no avail--Shari my wife, Kirsten and Danny, Matt and Melissa, David and Bethany...and oh yes my two gran-kids Jake and Laine... a huge thank you.

Keep up the good work! I need all of you.

Christmas Legacy

Candle light at home, a Christmas wreath, a Christmas tree with clear light bulbs, family and friends, laughter as gifts are exchanged (in an orderly fashion), Christmas Eve church service, snow, Christmas day dinner, reading the Christmas story - these are some of the things that mean Christmas to me.

The older I get however, the more Christmas seems to demand change. Some of the things that once meant Christmas to me I need to let go of. Spending time together as a family will not happen, this year. My daughter is married and they have two kids of their own. My son is married and they live four hours away. My youngest son is engaged and has also moved away. Christmas will be scattered; not once this year will we be altogether as a family.

My kids are developing Christmas traditions of their own, and heading over to "Opa and Omi's" house, or having "Opa and Omi" come over for a Christmas visit seems to be part of the tradition they are developing. Don't get me wrong, I love being a grandparent and being able to play the grandfather role is exciting to me, but I still miss the "altogether" Christmas. I will always miss being the father of young kids, having the kids wake us up Christmas day with the banging of pots.

But as I sit here and long for those good old days I am equally excited looking forward with anticipation of the good new days that are just around the corner. I have the privilege of being a grandparent, I have the privilege of knowing that my kids love having us over, (I think they do). I have the privilege of knowing that my grand kids get excited to see us. More than that though, we have the privilege of leaving a legacy to our kids and grand kids. It may not necessarily be a legacy of wealth, it will however, to the best of my ability, be a legacy of love, caring and of serving.

Merry Christmas and God's blessings for the New Year.