Spring Time Fever

What a week with trying to get spring yard work and house work done plus trying to get ready to go on our annual vacation/lectureship trip to the West Coast. It seems like forever when we went on our winter trip but this one is the most relaxing with hot weather, plenty of suntanning & swimming and then there's all the places to go and see. We are in Las Vegas for 5 nights and are taking in Celine Dion on one of the nights. Plus there are so many hotels that offer all kinds of entertainment that I'm sure we won't be bored. Not to mention that we are driving out to St. George, Utah to get my "Cracker Barrel" and outlet mall fix. We have several outlet malls in Nevada and then some when we drive to Malibu. We leave 2 days before lectureship starts so that gives us time in LA to do other tourist things. Ryan will be staying at the house and says he is looking forward to relaxing, having a hot tub and I hope not more than that. He is pretty good so I don't have to worry. The yard work is mainly completed except for the sprinklers need to be re-activated. We had to get a new hot water tank and the furnace needed fixing...always something. With not moving anymore we are getting our "wish list" together for all the things that need fixing or replacing. It will be nice to fix or buy new things as the upgrade is over due. We have flipped rooms in the house and now have our tv room where the kids had there's, plus the main family room is now our music room. It is hard to believe how much we have utilized the music room for more reading and less tv. A person can put so much empty time into tv when there is much more to be done. I must sign off and wish everyone a very happy spring time and I look forward to sharing about lectureship when I return. I always feel so uplifted and refocused at Pepperdine with all the people that travel so far to become one. This feeling can't help but rub off on people as the speakers are so encouraging and thought provoking. God is Good!

Life is So Fragile

Jack and I were reading in the paper on Sunday at the same time, different pages, that a wonderful, caring and totally giving man passed away at the young age of 55 with cancer. Geary Murdock was a fantastic football player with the Calgary Stampeders and I had the priveledge of knowing him in 1979 while working at the Calgary Children's Shelter. He and his wife took me skiing and befriending me and then ten years later, Jack and I worked with him on the various Stampeders events. He was so young and yet his eulogies talked about how much he gave back to the community and to people. We heard from my former boss at the shelter that 3 girls that were residents back in the 70's came to the funeral honoring him for having changed their lives..God is Good.
Jack and I made a decision last week to not look anymore for a new house. Every house we looked at needed more construction or fixing up and when we compared what we have to what we were buying, less money can be spent staying put. So on Monday we got a new hot water tank, had the noisy furnace fixed and then re-arranged our third & fourth levels of the house. Hard to get used to watching tv on the fourth level but the newly created music room on the third level will be an added bonus. Now we just need to stay at home long enough to enjoy.
We have been praying hard for my great Aunt here in Calgary who was diagnosed with bowel cancer three months ago. When diagnosed she was given no more than 2 weeks to live and surprisingly she has surpassed that by 2 1/2 months. Last night I got the call from Carolanne saying that her lungs are starting to fill up. May the good Lord take her peacefully and not have her suffer much longer. Uncle Joe, her husband passed away 2 years ago as of April 20th.
Jack and I wish all a very Happy and Blessed Easter. We will be enjoying our holiday weekend cleaning out nooks & crannies in the house along with a quiet dinner on Sunday.