Randall Friesen

So fourteen years ago as we were wheeling Lauralea into surgery and we still didn’t have a boys name picked out, I asked Lauralea what we should name the baby if it was a boy and she reminded me that she had always wanted the name “Micah.”

I agreed because I thought we were having a girl and it was a safe bet.

But a half hour later, Micah David was born, and the name turned out to be a perfect choice.

A couple of months later Lauralea wrote:

Speaking of babies,… in case you missed that news bulletin, we had one. Micah David Friesen was born May 10, around 8:30 a.m., weighing in at 8 lbs., 7 1/2 oz., and being around 21 inches long. He got off to a rough start, with what was thought to be “wet lung disease”, but was eventually treated as pneumonia. We were separated for his whole first week while he was being treated with oxygen and antibiotics, first at the Victoria Hospital where he was born, and later at the Children’s Hospital under the care of our capable pediatrician. As soon as his feet straighten out, (they turn in at the ankles too much, and aren’t straightening out on their own) we’ll be set! He’s having “cast” therapy, in which he had casts put on both feet, (from just below the knee to the toes), last week tuesday, and will have them replaced weekly for 2 or 3 weeks. That is supposed to start things rolling, and with some physiotherapy and “special shoes” he should be fine.
The other kids all seem to like him, except when he cries… not because they are upset that he should cry, but they seem to think he’s too noisy, and they can’t hear the T.V., or read their books in peace. They haven’t been awakened by him at night at all, and otherwise his routine doesn’t interfere with theirs too much, so they get along pretty well!

Yup, tough start but he’s made up for it.

Happy Birthday Micah.

This morning I had breakfast in the regular place I eat Friday breakfasts with a friend. And as we sat there I saw all the regulars come in to get their morning started. Some prostitutes, some alcoholics and a few addicts, along with a couple of others with their addictions better disguised. Ah, life in Prince Albert, I thought. Then I thought this might be a place Jesus would do breakfast in, right up his alley kind of thing.

And then I got to thinking about church and all that it means these days.

There are so many different looks for churches, from India to Indiana, from new to old, formal to informal, High and Low, in and out, and on and on.

And I thought, what does church look like for you?

Not what do you love or hate about church, but more along the lines of if you were to sit down and create “CHURCH” whatever that means for you, what would it look like?

Would you meet together?

Where would you meet?

Would you wear matching T-shirts?

Would you be eating or drinking? And what?

Would there be a dance floor?

Would there be organization of any kind?

How would people know you were a church?

Who would be a part of it?

Are you sitting or standing, what are you wearing, what are you smelling or looking at?

Are those even the right questions?

I’m just thinking out loud here. We need many more churches than there are, and we need different kinds of churches than the ones there already are.

So tell me, what does a church you would like to attend, look like?

Also, then maybe include your age. You may answer Anonymously if you like.

Ok?

Ok.

Back, neck, head, back to back, left leg, head, and round again.

Kind of like being on an amusement park ride.

It’s way past being old.

Tonight it seems like many around here are in need of this benediction as they prepare for the night.

If you find yourself in the same place of need, then receive this for yourself.

night.

 

May the Lord bless and keep you
May His face shine upon you
May His graciousness be like an endless stream
May the Lord show His favour
To your house and your neighbor
Until the last remaining strains of striving cease
May He grant you peace

‘cause in my heart there’s a sadness building up
Every turn adds to the cup
As the losses match the measure of my gains
In the shadow of this curse
Where the best implies the worst
If you’re like me you’ll need to hear somebody pray…

May the Lord bless and keep you
May His face shine upon you
May His graciousness be like an endless stream
May the Lord show His favour
To your house and your neighbor
Until the last remaining strains of striving cease
May he grant you peace

-For The Journey : Music and Lyrics by Steve Bell

 

 

my whole head is liquifying and attempting to escape out my nose.

What a lousy night. By 4 am I finally just got up and saw the sun begin to lighten the skies. I took a drug cocktail and headed back to bed.

This thing is morphing into a brand new disease it seems.

More lurid details as they pour forth.

You know how when you are a passenger in a vehicle and you are sitting in the back seat talking with someone, you can actually feel when the car begins to enter a long gentle curve because your weight shifts to the opposite side of the seat?

Yeah, that’s kind of what it feels like in life right now. It’s beginning to feel the weight shift to the side of the seat, which makes me feel like a curve is being entered. Whole lot of “Feeling” in there but hey, it just feels like a change in direction may be upcoming.  Maybe not huge or dramatic, could be as simple as, I dunno, but something is making me lean to the side of the car.

Maybe it’s a return to “Normal” and whatever that means to us. It’s been so long since life as normal was lived in this place…

I suppose it could be all the meds I’m taking for my lousy health these days. But I doubt it.

Just need to keep looking out the windscreen I guess.

and in a good place on so many levels.

Now she needs a job and some good health.

We’ll see what this week brings.

Travel travel

drive drive

RCMP Grad, Yeahhh

Home

aches, pains,

goodbye

cough, sneeze, sneeze

Prune

Tired

awake

drugs

Sleeeeep

cough, cough, cough

spit, snort

meet, encourage, pray

t-i-r-e-d

cough cough cough cough

help kids

rake, sweep

cough

tired

phone

bed

night