tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35204132024-03-15T19:09:38.892-06:00 Randall FriesenRandall Friesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04112919973262687369noreply@blogger.comBlogger4790125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3520413.post-59533013603642468192024-02-28T13:22:00.002-07:002024-02-28T13:22:34.276-07:00They thought I was kidding.
This morning I was at the dentist for a couple of fillings. Two of the technicians were working over my open mouth. <div><br /></div><div>The one asked me if I was still a pastor to which I replied yes. Oh he said where do you Pastor? I told them at a small country church about half an hour to the southeast. </div><div><br /></div><div>It was quiet for a minute when, tongue in cheek, he said to her; "You know you should go to church. You need forgiveness."
They both giggled and she replied that she thought he had more that needed forgiveness than she did. They laughed and went back and forth, convinced the other needed more forgiveness. </div><div><br /></div><div>Finally through their cajoling they asked me, "What about you Pastor, who do you think needs more forgiveness?" </div><div><br /></div><div>With their hands in my mouth I mumbled "I think you both need help!" To which the room exploded in laughter. </div><div><br /></div><div>They thought I was kidding.
</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwMIH5EDBnHD0SEfJAqQ_u-vcEgBqBXCP_sj_G_jwSkgtOpqiY0LmE6IL5Ck0onOfuPGNHXRazOc_A7Ij6mEqScmcjDM8BCD1MK_buA4g0JNrPzkw23eHz6cjFDkr5i4RCEqDxQjO0Sah6m7hBkRTo3Om0EMyjtUdrT1BOQRtsKBKriAcbqmAG/s1290/IMG_8180.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1273" data-original-width="1290" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwMIH5EDBnHD0SEfJAqQ_u-vcEgBqBXCP_sj_G_jwSkgtOpqiY0LmE6IL5Ck0onOfuPGNHXRazOc_A7Ij6mEqScmcjDM8BCD1MK_buA4g0JNrPzkw23eHz6cjFDkr5i4RCEqDxQjO0Sah6m7hBkRTo3Om0EMyjtUdrT1BOQRtsKBKriAcbqmAG/s320/IMG_8180.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Randall Friesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04112919973262687369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3520413.post-6299433561391350032024-02-27T07:38:00.004-07:002024-02-27T07:38:43.721-07:00A Prayer For The DayPsalm 19 <div><br /><div>For the director of music. A psalm of David. </div><div><br /></div><div>1 The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they reveal knowledge.
3 They have no speech, they use no words;
no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world. </div><div><br /></div><div>In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.
5 It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
like a champion rejoicing to run his course.
6 It rises at one end of the heavens
and makes its circuit to the other;
nothing is deprived of its warmth. </div><div><br /></div><div> 7 The law of the Lord is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
8 The precepts of the Lord are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
9 The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
and all of them are righteous.
10 They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the honeycomb.
11 By them your servant is warned;
in keeping them there is great reward. </div><div><br /></div><div>12 But who can discern their own errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.
14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQEVCN86UnjVoeO3OZ8ZPrx3qsWYaLStF9SkVWQOSMzvXeBGPMN2IpCiaL2JZYAyyN08GSIzg9fSZi3qgtKxEHipegtSludS9-gDA967fe1XiwFzA8xBkgPrEdae2se-6VtMXcm2CIFKlwq1fBslmObMkbn8MJYVsQ53xIqrA3w61Wc0RvPXz/s4032/Jupiter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQEVCN86UnjVoeO3OZ8ZPrx3qsWYaLStF9SkVWQOSMzvXeBGPMN2IpCiaL2JZYAyyN08GSIzg9fSZi3qgtKxEHipegtSludS9-gDA967fe1XiwFzA8xBkgPrEdae2se-6VtMXcm2CIFKlwq1fBslmObMkbn8MJYVsQ53xIqrA3w61Wc0RvPXz/w640-h480/Jupiter.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jupiter in the Southern Sky</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div><br /></div>Randall Friesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04112919973262687369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3520413.post-26014821898055038922024-02-13T12:51:00.002-07:002024-02-13T12:51:17.491-07:00Lenten Reader Prayer Devotional<div><div><b>Joel 2:1-2, 12-17</b></div><div> </div><div>1 Sound the trumpet in Jerusalem!</div><div> Raise the alarm on my holy mountain!</div><div>Let everyone tremble in fear</div><div> because the day of the Lord is upon us.</div><div>2 It is a day of darkness and gloom,</div><div> a day of thick clouds and deep blackness.</div><div>Suddenly, like dawn spreading across the mountains,</div><div> a great and mighty army appears.</div><div>Nothing like it has been seen before</div><div> or will ever be seen again.</div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>12 That is why the Lord says,</div><div> “Turn to me now, while there is time.</div><div>Give me your hearts.</div><div> Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.</div><div>13 Don’t tear your clothing in your grief,</div><div> but tear your hearts instead.”</div><div>Return to the Lord your God,</div><div> for he is merciful and compassionate,</div><div>slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.</div><div> He is eager to relent and not punish.</div><div>14 Who knows? Perhaps he will give you a reprieve,</div><div> sending you a blessing instead of this curse.</div><div>Perhaps you will be able to offer grain and wine</div><div> to the Lord your God as before.</div><div><br /></div><div>15 Blow the ram’s horn in Jerusalem!</div><div> Announce a time of fasting;</div><div>call the people together</div><div> for a solemn meeting.</div><div>16 Gather all the people—</div><div> the elders, the children, and even the babies.</div><div>Call the bridegroom from his quarters</div><div> and the bride from her private room.</div><div>17 Let the priests, who minister in the Lord’s presence,</div><div> stand and weep between the entry room to the Temple and the altar.</div><div>Let them pray, “Spare your people, Lord!</div><div> Don’t let your special possession become an object of mockery.</div><div>Don’t let them become a joke for unbelieving foreigners who say,</div><div> ‘Has the God of Israel left them?’”</div><div> </div><div> </div></div><div style="text-align: center;">-----------------------------------------------------</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>There are times when life with God becomes so mundane.<br /> <br />
We believe there is more to be experienced with him because we’ve heard about it, and we’ve read about it in the scriptures. But we don’t know how to get from there from here.
<br />
<br /> So we try changing things up to try and improve. We might get up early for devotions. We might volunteer down at the food bank. We might try to memorize some verses. We might join a small group. All good things yes. But all the kinds of things that fit nicely into a New Year’s resolution. <br />
<br />
Our passage from Joel today tells us that there is something we can do, but we might not think it’s written for us today. The prophet Joel gives us ample warning that the day of the Lord is coming. A day of sober sadness, a day of darkness and gloom perhaps unknown in our lives. It may be THE day of the Lord, or it may be a day of the Lord’s visitation in our lives. Whichever it< might be, it is a message of warning that Joel was called on to deliver to his generation, and to us. <br />
<br />What if this Lenten season we received his warning, and began to act on it as he instructs us. What if we would turn towards God with a sorrow filled heart? What if we were to call our hearts to a sacred assembly, a holy meeting with God, and repent? <br /> <br />
Oh, we may say we have nothing to repent of. Our relationship with Christ is good.
<br />
<br /> Yes, I know it is. Mine is too. However, I found when I started to heed His warning, and I intentionally stopped and turned towards Him, and I asked Him what I should repent of, He showed me my selfish acts. My acts of pride. My incidents of self righteousness. He showed me my moments of anger. He showed me my envy and my careless attitude. On and on He showed me. I began to repent, and it has led to more repentance, and its turned into a season of repentance.
<br /> <br />It turns out I do have things to repent of and to clean up between Jesus and me. (And if I run out of things to repent for, I can start repenting on behalf of my nation.)<div><br /></div><div>And you know what? Life gets a little clearer, and my step gets a little lighter and gladness takes the place of what was once mundane in my relationship with God.
<br /> <br />Amazing how that works. <br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
Evangelical Covenant Church of Canada 2024 Lenten Reader
</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.covchurch.ca/lenten-reader" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5cBMpmTj-ZbHDGZb8sPiUtinyZtviyqhmRJ1ZQh_EbTPyRGuEaAqEv8kNbAk6nsXCDh-C4QMcKWZ4w2JrzbeG72qxr5SJiDfuvy-6sc3qaxuO8KrVCYG2q5tChpWn2CBZXBuxPPCesWUfSZhUXIRbMQ6DNrnnhyphenhyphenzHqpVZ2ZoZHgP1VrcPxmVK/w400-h225/unnamed%20(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div> </div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Randall Friesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04112919973262687369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3520413.post-15286414128800029612024-02-09T17:12:00.000-07:002024-02-09T17:12:12.431-07:00LettersDear __________<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhadunLqqFF-_hc5ZJ9ViFdk761DaYKterD0Uy0v2uoqgSf57MlJwPST49K0qtUglFX9w_GsMeuHvSiWEFazX1V4vb9wQ8jOYFwGmK_eRHgc-EUf80-bFIDxyhK7MScfdzmgapE5kwQFxS4DLH-DWB7ORY83PDe5qUhikwtOSOrIqWGe5usTnhc/s3088/closeup-1707164473.845898.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhadunLqqFF-_hc5ZJ9ViFdk761DaYKterD0Uy0v2uoqgSf57MlJwPST49K0qtUglFX9w_GsMeuHvSiWEFazX1V4vb9wQ8jOYFwGmK_eRHgc-EUf80-bFIDxyhK7MScfdzmgapE5kwQFxS4DLH-DWB7ORY83PDe5qUhikwtOSOrIqWGe5usTnhc/w150-h200/closeup-1707164473.845898.JPG" width="150" /></a></div><br />
Yes, please do call me Randy. When I moved from Winnipeg to Prince Albert to pastor the church there, there was already a guy called Randy Friesen there. So I shifted to my actual name, Randall. But as I age, I miss the old Randy, so I am more and more introducing myself as that. So, please feel free to call me by name.<br /><br />
Processing so much life when we are thoughtful individuals can be a real challenge. So we listen to a preacher or a talking head and it makes us think deep thoughts, and we need a place to process that stuff. Normally, when I preach, I try to focus on one big idea for the day, because usually one big idea is enough for people. But I find with this recorded format that I tend to sometimes be a bit all over the place. That also comes from not writing down what I’m going to say before I say it. The reason for that is it just takes so much extra time to work that out, so the recording can be a bit all over the place. I do try to edit that out to some success, :-) but it is what it is, and I am praying and trusting the Lord to use whatever there is there for his glory. <br /><br />
I do quite enjoy the discipline of it. The daily time in the word and prayer is good for my soul. The numbers aren’t vast, but I felt like when God was asking me to take it up again that numbers didn’t matter, hearts did.
So I’m trying to leave that up to him and just focus on obedience and faithfulness.<br /><br />
All that to say, sorry about stirring up too many things each day. 🙄 <br /><br />
One of your comments resonated with me so well. I believe it was where you identified that your upbringing was considerably safe or sheltered. That’s been my experience as well. And so it’s taken me well into my adult years to meet people who are actually wicked. I used to think that was just a Bible term but no, there are very wicked evil people out there. And for reasons that only God might know right now, the hearts of so many people are being exposed, and wickedness is found within.<br /><br />
The world is not what it was when we grew up. The divisions between races and genders, sexualities, and politics is so pronounced in these past years, That it feels like violence is just around the corner every day.
If not physical violence, then certainly spiritual or emotional or mental violence comes at us every day. As you infer, it is exhausting. And so different from our childhood. I sound like an old fart when I say, I miss those days when we had some things in common with our neighbours. <br /><br />
(I heard an author the other day, who was indicating that her research, and the point of her latest writing was that you can tell that a culture or a country is about to die when it begins to wrestle with its identity in human sexuality. This is pronounced when the society moves into areas of gender, changing, and reassignment. She had observed it in her studies of nations of the past. But her point was that western civilization is now going down that road and so there is reason to believe that western civilization timing is up. And so we may watch as it disintegrates.)<br /><br />
So I suppose part of the tension we feel, and the violence we experience, is just in how our society is falling apart. <br /><br />
And then we see nature pushing back whether it’s killer fires in Chile, or killer rainstorms in California, or killer snowstorms on the east coast… And that’s just this week. <br /><br />
Rather than see them as God, calling us to attention, calling us to repentance, we blame global warming, and those people on the other end of the spectrum from where we might reside.<br /><br />
As you might’ve put together by now, the state of the world is high on my list of neediness right now. We are in trouble and I can only wonder that things will get worse.<br /><br />
I like your closing thoughts as well. That we only have our little corner of the world to manage. That’s what I tell our kids, all we have power over is our corner of the world and we can make a big difference there. And a wonderful, healthy world could be discovered as everyone just takes care of their own little patch. That’s all we can do and that’s all we’ve been entrusted with. <br /><br />
As I say, I enjoy your thoughtfulness, so yes, feel free to drop me a note anytime.<br /><br />
We need each other as we fumble towards glory. And so I am glad there are people like you in this world, making a difference.<br /><br />
Many blessings,
Randy<br /><br /></div><br />Randall Friesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04112919973262687369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3520413.post-55621941764603396792024-01-03T12:40:00.011-07:002024-01-03T12:51:13.119-07:00Daily Prayers for the First of January And I was able to record it outside!!<p> </p><p>What a Weird Wonderful Winter We've had so far!!</p><p>The Daily Prayers run here: <a href="http://thefieldpastor.com">thefieldpastor.com</a></p><p><br /></p>
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Randall Friesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04112919973262687369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3520413.post-61808048199676979662024-01-02T20:22:00.001-07:002024-01-02T20:22:24.012-07:00Another One Done<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAM7u5qnuHdpAGs-5ADjCORKVYC1yoV2iJ5Y1fR6jhVB0vxzlbduP0rE1YISEvVWYs5eQvTaJqtW378guOBk01T3VWNp8DfvOKE2p6-44syDi-K5XFALFXtyNn-3cxxXG-7hnGv0o6TjgVx7eBkITBbwN25HtTldiH-XM8LQrfv_iIJwX_F5u7/s937/IMG_7740.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="937" data-original-width="890" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAM7u5qnuHdpAGs-5ADjCORKVYC1yoV2iJ5Y1fR6jhVB0vxzlbduP0rE1YISEvVWYs5eQvTaJqtW378guOBk01T3VWNp8DfvOKE2p6-44syDi-K5XFALFXtyNn-3cxxXG-7hnGv0o6TjgVx7eBkITBbwN25HtTldiH-XM8LQrfv_iIJwX_F5u7/w190-h200/IMG_7740.jpeg" width="190" /></a></div>Christmas has come and gone. New Years has come and gone. And family has come and gone. Nothing left to do but rest and recuperate.
<br /><br />
Well, and clean up the decorations, pay some bills, start planning next Sundays service, and record daily prayers. Normal life stuff.
<br /><br />
To say we are tired would be a bit of an understatement. To be fair, there are plenty of flu’s going around and sickness so there is more going on than just life tiredness.<br />
<br />
Since Sunday afternoon we’ve been kind of snoozing and sleeping, morning, noon, and night. Interspersed by occasional washroom breaks and eating simple food.
<br /><br />
But it was a great Christmas. Lots of family around and lots of the community came to the services. Many of whom I met for the first time. It was the kind of time where there is much hope for the future of the church. Makes me smile. God is at work.
<br /><br /><br />
The trick I am continuing to try to learn in this season, is what is health related tiredness and what is age related. It’s not easy knowing that stuff. Feels like learning new limits each week, each season.
<br /><br />
I am realizing how stubborn I am when it comes to listening to others about slowing down a bit. Doesn’t bode well for whenever it’ll be time to think about moving out of our own place. <br /><br />
I may just be one of those curmudgeonly old guys who doesn’t realize when the game is up.
May God have mercy on us, and our children
<br /><br />Randall Friesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04112919973262687369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3520413.post-56334567286198043782023-12-21T17:15:00.001-07:002023-12-21T17:15:19.616-07:00Vroooooooooooom, where did that go mate?? Yeah time travel is hard on the body<p>Tuesday was the 30th anniversary of our ordination, with the EMMC. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja1E84gnXzqqKrHmSYpZjaZuXiUi0dJ5tlDMQsejFG_TFQ0JzPYRn1jJYm7kuaIDBGeZtDjgs18dHJ7Q4dxWP3qqCx7iPK4jjace-dVykDsnOZFHcjscGaVE2YRXKZHD2TSM6i6KHTtW26TKxUE9tOmy95yZ6hrHAUZBDDbEXctouw0jMd-kcF/s3800/Untitled%20-%201%20of%201.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3800" data-original-width="2183" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja1E84gnXzqqKrHmSYpZjaZuXiUi0dJ5tlDMQsejFG_TFQ0JzPYRn1jJYm7kuaIDBGeZtDjgs18dHJ7Q4dxWP3qqCx7iPK4jjace-dVykDsnOZFHcjscGaVE2YRXKZHD2TSM6i6KHTtW26TKxUE9tOmy95yZ6hrHAUZBDDbEXctouw0jMd-kcF/s320/Untitled%20-%201%20of%201.jpeg" width="184" /></a></div>I want to say how did that happen? How did thirty some years of pastoring pass by so suddenly?<p></p><p>I think of all the bible studies and small group gatherings, all the people visited. I recall the faces of the people who have come to faith. Some dramatically and some with simple faith. </p><p>I think of all the various committee and board work I’ve been involved with. City and town ministerials, denominational boards and event planning. Bringing world class Christian speakers to our communities. Starting intentional opportunities for pastors to get together to pray and build relationships. </p><p>I remember the calls announcing deaths, some In the middle of the night. The calls to ask me, can you help? The phone calls from hospitals, the RCMP, chaplains, asking if I can come now. </p><p>The holy moments of being with people as they pass from this life to the next. Then being present with the families who have been left behind. Weeping. </p><p>Walking with people through their critical illnesses as far as we could go with them. Praying. Driving to the hospital each day. Praying. Saying good bye. </p><p>The funerals with families that wouldn’t stop arguing, or squabbling over the quality of the casket. Or being in the hearse with the casket and the funeral director, driving in circles around the cemetery looking for the open ground and finding none because it wasn’t dug. </p><p><br /></p><p>Then the excited couples who would come to me after a service all excited because they were getting married and wanted me to do the wedding. Or the couples who have been trying for so long to have a baby and Lauralea and I would pray over them and they would call with the good news. </p><p>The church meetings, oh all the meetings. Board, Counsel, Audio-Video, nomination committee, worship committee, Deacon board, Trustee board, Christian Education board, Budget, Congregational, Annual, Pastoral Relations committee, Prayer, Youth, Staff…</p><p><br /></p><p>I remember with joy the baptisms. People new to faith who wanted to enter the water to show their desire to follow God. The moments when somebody "Got it." And in that moment, everything changed.</p><p>I remember the sermons preached. As a young pastor searching for and praying for that one amazing message that would change lives. Then growing and finding there was not one message like that. So then choosing to stay faithful to the message that God called me to speak, again and again. Over 2000 sermons and they were all the same really. All about Gods mercy and all about Gods love. </p><p>I will be surprised if I am still preaching in another 30 years. I mean I'll give it my best shot, but God only knows the times. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><br />Randall Friesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04112919973262687369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3520413.post-77338009085093430262023-11-23T21:58:00.002-07:002023-11-23T21:58:24.896-07:00I remember when... (Really is this gonna become a blog of an old cranky man?) <p>It was probably near to 30 years ago when I was asked to give a presentation to a Bible college class. The class was about church and where its strengths and weaknesses lay.</p><p>I remember the class was fresh and eager and excited to engage with me on the topic.</p><p>We were church planting at the time and that allowed us to do church a bit differently than many of the churches of that day. So many of the churches then were more like corporations than they were anything else. There were systems and processes and ways to get the business of churches done. It was in the 1980s and 90s so some of the church growth techniques were starting to gain traction.</p><p>In the church we were in the process of planting we discovered almost by accident, the power of community in church life. People were friends, and not just friendly. That meant they would check up on one another and care for each other through the week in whatever needs they might face. The new people were incorporated into the community and given a place at the table, so that they too had a sense of belonging. We were growing, slowly and surely, we were being established.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQaY5cWPhdj3KkQX04DdpDki6xJeZrppuCygBzmeeZuHb_0xaUMklaSAegB9Yuv7swzuym5xnf5OOkG0dUOxnJhK6CKUzLWuwF1iMHjFYuj0jjbW2-sD0AM-feSVGiPLG902D5f1GVpLO-VBLYnS9BhVFZpCrZZ6kCunpOUIsi0cwCUL1HobON/s4032/IMG_7111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQaY5cWPhdj3KkQX04DdpDki6xJeZrppuCygBzmeeZuHb_0xaUMklaSAegB9Yuv7swzuym5xnf5OOkG0dUOxnJhK6CKUzLWuwF1iMHjFYuj0jjbW2-sD0AM-feSVGiPLG902D5f1GVpLO-VBLYnS9BhVFZpCrZZ6kCunpOUIsi0cwCUL1HobON/s320/IMG_7111.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />There really weren't worship wars in that community because the people would take turns leading the music. We didn't have a youth group and so our kids hung out with adults and participated with them as well. It gave them a sense of belonging too.<p></p><p>We didn't have a building that was ours and we rented space we met in, So our money and our investments were in people. In our local people, and our community in which we lived. </p><p>I remember that my presentation to this class was along the lines of church could be this and this and this, and what I was doing was describing our little church in the city. As I talked their eyes got bigger and bigger and they became more animated in their excitement about wanting to belong to a church like this. they asked me did I know where a church like this existed and I said yes I do. It was to be found in the church that we had the opportunity to be a part of. </p><p>I remember their enthusiasm as they left the room talking in excited tones about the future of church.</p><p>Now we were anything but a perfect church. Oh no. There were many struggles along the way. And of course when you're building a community one of the struggles that would arise is bumping into one another. When one had a vision for one direction and one had a vision for another direction, there could be tension. What we had was a commitment to each other in listening and to working out those places in our life together.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobVw-01NkTdvYWePgdHR_u4DhQaP6j1g8sUkdLlNjT1r4CyC92AYEmT_m81uCBTXV_M1OUPlTpuTPwNp8mxsMo8odFCBC6yz2zIyDW6-96mGCoEkEK33Ns3ctt99jdQ2cLh1zObTcnWRC7gbtR493cB-4WMvDXCeCC4CBGoE_2MhHWwrtsSwD/s4032/IMG_7104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobVw-01NkTdvYWePgdHR_u4DhQaP6j1g8sUkdLlNjT1r4CyC92AYEmT_m81uCBTXV_M1OUPlTpuTPwNp8mxsMo8odFCBC6yz2zIyDW6-96mGCoEkEK33Ns3ctt99jdQ2cLh1zObTcnWRC7gbtR493cB-4WMvDXCeCC4CBGoE_2MhHWwrtsSwD/s320/IMG_7104.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />The emphasis with that class was primarily that the church could be a community, more than a corporate entity. I know most people would agree with that sense, but it was always in the outworking of that value that community could lose out over the need for structure and organization. <p></p><p>So here we are 30 years later looking back more than we are looking forward. And I would have to strongly say that in the churches that I have been a part of that have been fruitful ministries, there has been a strong sense of community built. </p><p>The young people I have come in contact with these days are still looking for churches that are about community. As have people who have stuck it out in churches where they don't have any friends.</p><p>Churches have chosen different directions and different values that will help them to grow for a time, but I am surprised that some of them are still in existence. Maybe that speaks to peoples stubbornness, or perhaps that speaks to God's incredible patience with us.</p><p>But I feel like that is a message I want to get out in every conversation with a young pastor that I have. The Holy Spirit, God, is a relational God who is all about community and that we can experience true living and true life in a godly community. And that's what people are after. many people anyway.</p><p><br /></p><p>If you want to be a pastor, think about it. Pray about this. And then act on it. </p><p>And if you long to belong to a church like this, they don't just happen, they have to be prayerfully built together.</p><p>I believe God still has a lot of surprises in store for his church. We'll see, and we'll pray.</p><p><br /></p>Randall Friesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04112919973262687369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3520413.post-61421535686448737052023-11-02T23:23:00.003-06:002023-11-02T23:23:27.990-06:00Update<p>I know it's been a while since I posted anything on this blog. You might be wondering what I've been up to, or maybe you don't care at all. Either way, I feel like I owe you an explanation for my silence. I don't feel like I want to be done here and there are still things to say.</p><p>The struggle with depression really has diminished a good deal for me and I am grateful for that. I feel more myself and there is a lightness for me and I am starting to feel like my old old self. Yay.</p><p>The summer was good for me. I've been going through a deeper spiritual shifting as I have been looking at turning 60. So, much of the summer was spent in conversations with God. And they were conversations more than just monologues. There was hope there and faith as the Spirit and I conversed. So things are shifting. Inside of me and in our lives as well. They are shifting at God's direction, so we will see how autumn unfolds. I am excited.</p><p>Hillary and her three guys are coming for Christmas, which is exciting too. I am already looking froward to that. Those twins are growing up so quickly. </p><p>Oh and I am doing the Daily Prayers again and enjoying that too. It energizes me to spend some time in study and then in prayer with people who are out there. The numbers are humble, anywhere from 5 to 20s viewers a day. But that activity is good for me too. It was one of the things God and I talked about this summer, and so I have a strong sense that its his thing and the numbers are his worry. So I am learning things still about service. You can see it at <a href="http://thefieldpastor.com">thefieldpastor.com</a>.</p><p>Maybe as the snow tries to fall and settle on these cold fields, here's a good poem to end with.</p><p><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Winter Fields
</span></p><p><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">I love old winter fields-they seem to hold </span></p><p><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">A sort of kinship to the wind and cold—
</span></p><p><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">The frozen furrows clogged with sodden leaves, </span></p><p><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">The stubble with a few thin scattered sheaves, </span></p><p><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">A plow up-tilted . . with a broken share </span></p><p><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">(They just unhitched and left it sitting there).
</span></p><p><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">A few old twisted trees that sort of lean</span></p><p><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Down the steep edges of a small ravine, </span></p><p><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">A few thin cattle waiting to be fed, </span></p><p><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Humped in the shelter of a broken shed;
</span></p><p><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">A rim of frost along the water's edge, </span></p><p><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Old nests revealed behind a tangled hedge.
</span></p><p><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></p><p><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">There is a strange affinity between
</span></p><p><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Our homesick souls and fields of budding green;
</span></p><p><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Something within us answers to the sound </span></p><p><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Of new life bursting through the quiet ground.
</span></p><p><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">And yet a frozen field where Winter dwells </span></p><p><span data-tt="{"paragraphStyle":{"alignment":4,"writingDirection":1}}" style="white-space-collapse: preserve;">Sings in my heart like muted temple-bells.
</span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Night.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p>Randall Friesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04112919973262687369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3520413.post-45884345333820597822023-07-26T09:32:00.002-06:002023-07-26T09:32:28.800-06:00Today you can read German, even if you don't understand it. #crazytech<p>Because my family history is Mennonite and their main language was German, (or more specifically it's a dialect called low german) there are a number of good old german books in my library. They came from both sides of my family history.</p><p>(Side note, my family history came from Stebbendorf, West Prussia. Then they were invited by Catherine the Great to what at that time was Russia, what is today known as Zaporizhzhia. Yes, that <a href="https://www.euronews.com/tag/zaporizhia" target="_blank">Zaporizhzhia</a>.)</p><p>...Anywayyyyyy...</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhupm8ehG6eXwsNqe-eYvxgpFza4jgRKlKhFQ5ONiSIRIpgXMkNspgZW8XqViqXfLDyKIqYpfoxDGAupPNsqUtdeyvXm2DPGbgjd2PPlG2fQJxzOZsTDbE7lxXj3mFKki3QArRmsSRs11R7EXSRMoo7lpuaGR10xBTiHO6aGI3rqlnmurU1KdFQ/s4032/IMG_5561.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhupm8ehG6eXwsNqe-eYvxgpFza4jgRKlKhFQ5ONiSIRIpgXMkNspgZW8XqViqXfLDyKIqYpfoxDGAupPNsqUtdeyvXm2DPGbgjd2PPlG2fQJxzOZsTDbE7lxXj3mFKki3QArRmsSRs11R7EXSRMoo7lpuaGR10xBTiHO6aGI3rqlnmurU1KdFQ/s320/IMG_5561.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Today I was looking at a german book on my shelf and I wanted to see what it was about, so I pulled out my google translator app. My oh my how this technology has grown in such a short time.<p></p><br /><p>Translated from the book, “Touching events and remarkable prayer experiences”</p><p>Death just a sleep. </p><p><br /></p><p>Mrs Mattie Campbell recounts the blessed death of her sister which occurred last May. Although spiritually dead for a long time in her life, just before her death, by the grace of God, such a change came over her that she passed away peacefully. Mrs </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVUwYfyVrWiOURTxpD0eIksMS3KgVDe84Tg5udBvobN_EtOC7E6cPEjkZJ0DCX5AWmaDd7cWqX4qLA0uCaTkVV2mcUeoCggww0DMpJRqsppgYPGmZuxFijz-rzmB-idG9Hug_PFxvg_CFKGGjXjAjh8XZM_bJOD--0EThg_ZBo6iUmYmKJ8ZaN/s4032/IMG_5558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVUwYfyVrWiOURTxpD0eIksMS3KgVDe84Tg5udBvobN_EtOC7E6cPEjkZJ0DCX5AWmaDd7cWqX4qLA0uCaTkVV2mcUeoCggww0DMpJRqsppgYPGmZuxFijz-rzmB-idG9Hug_PFxvg_CFKGGjXjAjh8XZM_bJOD--0EThg_ZBo6iUmYmKJ8ZaN/s320/IMG_5558.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Campbell tells: At Sunday school this afternoon I suddenly got the message: Emma is dying, hurry up, "if you want to see her alive again!" My poor sister! We had played together in youth, yes we had dreamed of future happiness together! Of a future where anything but sorrow and misery would get in our way. She was healthy and rosy, full of cheerfulness and lust that not even the seriousness of life could drive away. I had overwhelmed her, healthy and well, only five days ago. But, alas, just in the hour when one does not suspect it, death rages! On the way to her we met the family doctor, his serious expression showed us that there was no hope. May she live until evening," he said. We hurried on and my prayer and supplication was: "D, dear Father in heaven, just let me talk to her so that I can find out how her soul is doing!" The poor mother greeted me at the door with tears in her eyes. Ask her how her soul is!" she said, through sobs. I entered the room and saw many friends. I laid my hand on the old, damp forehead of the dying sister. She knew me and said to me, in her old, friendly way. I slowly and softly began to sing the song that we <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIryNbpC_D4v87O33d80EUGcAMpFALbPIxGd8xAulQx494BgcnQ8C9VCdeojvoNsYsKfv8JuVFK3KWO5kkuNCc5uPGDIwy2D33aVCiXtOuiutegI4oaJDHlGru_HCBqRc7gZas8IbMUlr-zwu-ojAzuQCaHNVrNWST46TlSGQp3Bg7yyh4LN8r/s1125/IMG_5557.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1125" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIryNbpC_D4v87O33d80EUGcAMpFALbPIxGd8xAulQx494BgcnQ8C9VCdeojvoNsYsKfv8JuVFK3KWO5kkuNCc5uPGDIwy2D33aVCiXtOuiutegI4oaJDHlGru_HCBqRc7gZas8IbMUlr-zwu-ojAzuQCaHNVrNWST46TlSGQp3Bg7yyh4LN8r/w244-h320/IMG_5557.jpg" width="244" /></a></div>used to sing together so often: Jesus Is my confidence." Anxiously, I watched every feature of her rapidly changing face. A blissful, peaceful smile showed that she understood the words. I bent over her and she whispered, God has always been good to us, dear sister. He has always comforted me in my illness." D, how I thanked God, in my heart and my lips cried out: God be praised!" She knew she was going to die, and spoke of the long sweet sleep she would sleep until the Day of Resurrection. She firmly believed that. She called the friends and acquaintances present and asked them in earnest words to meet her in heaven with her families who were entrusted to her care. So she lay still and content and awaited the laid slumber that only the laid trumpet will one day disturb. "Listen!" she called softly, I hear heavenly music! don't you hear me too? and I see a door in front of me!" - Is the door open?" asked the mother. We all listened. Yes, it's wide open?" - "Can you see inside?" Her face beamed as she answered: Yes, I can see inside, it's a beautiful place; it is heaven. - I see shapes of people, in white clothes, many, yes, a large crowd! And then she said, "D, there's Papa too!" then after a while she gave exact decrees about her burial. After she had said goodbye to everyone, she called out: "Come on, oh Lord, I'm ready now! Come and take my spirit - it hurts me so much!"- She closed her eyes and lips and in a few moments, it was hers soul entered through the open door of heaven. I led the weeping mother, the only thing I had left from my youth, out of the room where I died."<p></p><p><br /></p><p>-Earnest Christian.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Randall Friesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04112919973262687369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3520413.post-1299322515883407562023-07-18T18:42:00.003-06:002023-07-18T18:42:36.314-06:00Write a short story about a young girl and her friends who were raised in the 1800s in the poor district of London, from an older perspective<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1l16OMuHDDc6rYxFxUMl8NP1edWceXuLuQLAKo-UgzyLWk_LncBHVFCFwIj0oyO22UTNZs7shVhb15woEQG45jVmpuLZW1tCjRtE0ZS9fJv8Vj48d_zFB-SW-J_ioyKwuNtwdrND1RHzNsMxZMZQuVUxuTSJR1eXYQz6hlLSPY2e-kNq6vm_/s1024/20230717_164516277_iOS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="890" data-original-width="1024" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1l16OMuHDDc6rYxFxUMl8NP1edWceXuLuQLAKo-UgzyLWk_LncBHVFCFwIj0oyO22UTNZs7shVhb15woEQG45jVmpuLZW1tCjRtE0ZS9fJv8Vj48d_zFB-SW-J_ioyKwuNtwdrND1RHzNsMxZMZQuVUxuTSJR1eXYQz6hlLSPY2e-kNq6vm_/s320/20230717_164516277_iOS.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The bitter chill of the London fog is what I remember most from those early mornings. I would wake before the sun, the threadbare blanket barely any shield against the cold seeping through the cracked walls of our cramped tenement. Quietly I would dress, taking care not to wake my two sisters still lost in slumber beside me. I envied them those last precious moments of sleep. <br /><br />
My worn leather shoes made not a sound as I crept down the narrow stairs, past closed doors hiding dozens of families packed into tiny spaces. The coughing and wheezing from behind those doors was a grim morning chorus. I often wondered how many would still be there by the day’s end. Death came early and often in the rookeries of the East End.<br /><br />
Heading toward the textile mill as the city began to stir, I cherished the silence of those deserted streets. It was my only time alone before the backbreaking labor of the factory began. How I wished then that my childhood had been different, that my father hadn't died and left us destitute, that I was not forced to spend my days inhaling lint while my fingers slowly turned gnarled and stiff.<br /><br />
But evening brought a lift to my spirit as I'd join my faithful friends Mary, Elizabeth and Jane. We'd gather at the well, the day’s troubles melting away as we laughed and played like the carefree girls we should have been. Despite it all, we found joy where we could - sneaking a bruised apple from a cart or standing entranced before the window display of a bakery, pretending the treats were ours. <br /><br />
After, we’d roam the streets hoping to earn a few pennies, knowing our families depended on what little we could provide. Those nights still haunt me, the danger we faced from those who viewed girls like us as easy targets. And yet back then it seemed a grand adventure, the four of us against the world. <br /><br />
I wonder sometimes what became of them all, Mary, Elizabeth and Jane. The bitter years erased so much but never the memory of the friends who made even the darkest days bearable. We were bound by our shared lot in life, and above all by the hope that somehow, someday, things would be better...<br /><br /><br />
Randall Friesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04112919973262687369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3520413.post-67373974015782769352023-07-15T15:26:00.000-06:002023-07-15T15:26:42.700-06:00Ten Days in California<p>This month we spent 10 days down in California for church meetings etc. It was in Anaheim CA To be exact. In fact we were staying about three or four blocks due South of Disneyland. (You can insert your own comments here about denominational annual meetings being their own sort of Disneyland.)</p><p>I had to be there to complete my five year term of work on the board of ordered ministry. It was really good to see that work come to an end. I found it to be very fulfilling and very intense work but also very satisfying. Especially when we were able to help a pastor or a church leader who found themselves in a difficult situation. Especially especially when they were willing to be helped. </p><p>Last night of our meetings the board held a dinner to celebrate those who were leaving the board. There were two of us this year and the evening turned out to be very moving. The many individuals who were on the board had become friends over the years, somewhat even brothers in arms. They were amazingly kind and generous in their affirming comments. It was considerably humbling to sit and listen as they thanked me for all the different gifts that I brought to the table.</p><p>Following that was the ministerial meeting and then the next days began the denominational annual meeting. I have been wanting to take Lauralea too many times but this time I wasn't taking no for an answer and I booked her a flight. </p><p>I would say we had a lot of fun those days. We found an amazing little Mexican restaurant across the street from the hotel, and beside that was a target store which was just more fun for us. </p><p>Yes we made it up to Disneyland for a few hours the one day. Of course the temperatures were high but we found the sun wasn't as hot as it is here in this field. Anyway we snooped around there and got a couple of souvenirs and headed back to the hotel and the air conditioned room. </p><p>It was great to get away and to show Lauralea the people and the work that I've been doing for the past five years. It was fun to share some good meals together a bunch of laughs and sharing in some experiences that we can remember in the years ahead.</p><p>Maybe some pics of the fun.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho77yMUhWkj3d3EnJGtX5-M_Z19xhgd8K3fm842zSyOkppr0Ly8BDsYExr3ko0MLKalmhLenLV6tGXja0rtJDeuPMicwrYKFrSjN-u7yg-y6gDWllTlCP4VhhlyGHQ288QwEsUevq1cHEln7cO5b9Om9WJj75ljKU3O6GlrgI7Y7SpcaBqJSG1/s4032/20230702_170936110_iOS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho77yMUhWkj3d3EnJGtX5-M_Z19xhgd8K3fm842zSyOkppr0Ly8BDsYExr3ko0MLKalmhLenLV6tGXja0rtJDeuPMicwrYKFrSjN-u7yg-y6gDWllTlCP4VhhlyGHQ288QwEsUevq1cHEln7cO5b9Om9WJj75ljKU3O6GlrgI7Y7SpcaBqJSG1/s320/20230702_170936110_iOS.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">California at the hotel</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59FKdcvj580YBtANxfXP6BAFOjpe4OPtaEEwVXyp5VD1AjJoCcf3c-dP-M1impWssdCWXeHZyRS8ez_YpnoTYyx78ZeHJzsWVRjNhmahE-oSrgYCdKPNXZ82aD3oTDbyQ3xYSstzNfMb3vyZg3xUI1ead4efldY4Dmz22jB8vi1E3pv6baomT/s4032/20230624_211348577_iOS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi59FKdcvj580YBtANxfXP6BAFOjpe4OPtaEEwVXyp5VD1AjJoCcf3c-dP-M1impWssdCWXeHZyRS8ez_YpnoTYyx78ZeHJzsWVRjNhmahE-oSrgYCdKPNXZ82aD3oTDbyQ3xYSstzNfMb3vyZg3xUI1ead4efldY4Dmz22jB8vi1E3pv6baomT/s320/20230624_211348577_iOS.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hotel Entrance</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtOJoU0IC3h2R4Kj0due_T90Kegjh21dmngJOPmrxzQKRHowqk_x-EYFl6rOa42gUtXX89WsmsjlvIUX8TgsnrwQ7lzc88GfhzPrrCzg1gOO60lsi081Rw5rM6giByMBXcC4SoUj6WIeWNqk4w_8weXuqNDnUm266gbNfNVs7QJm33PkhsTC5X/s4032/20230625_235104173_iOS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtOJoU0IC3h2R4Kj0due_T90Kegjh21dmngJOPmrxzQKRHowqk_x-EYFl6rOa42gUtXX89WsmsjlvIUX8TgsnrwQ7lzc88GfhzPrrCzg1gOO60lsi081Rw5rM6giByMBXcC4SoUj6WIeWNqk4w_8weXuqNDnUm266gbNfNVs7QJm33PkhsTC5X/s320/20230625_235104173_iOS.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">By the pool</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsnsz4UOjMYjPjPb85NRezs-3vyzNJXDxQtYp7QyEsiBQdHe6yVBFstWsCdEPVcsjdu4e6ArWqSTja536z-mqYsIbWt8KMLorM6FqGdOoW6fGeaxOegltQyajVyW2DbHSFAPHIk6hQ8K9IhiNkl8-gyen6i1W64fzdL2X6APr4o29t7XbjdLGN/s1920/20230627_144411890_iOS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsnsz4UOjMYjPjPb85NRezs-3vyzNJXDxQtYp7QyEsiBQdHe6yVBFstWsCdEPVcsjdu4e6ArWqSTja536z-mqYsIbWt8KMLorM6FqGdOoW6fGeaxOegltQyajVyW2DbHSFAPHIk6hQ8K9IhiNkl8-gyen6i1W64fzdL2X6APr4o29t7XbjdLGN/s320/20230627_144411890_iOS.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first taste of crab</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yFGKXsHfWHgPKZvTORcdscemEMDiq3jR-T8_ZvmnOh7ZB1ESKxTreHb9ab8jIzKOsbt45-Ojv-gBygA5-4XPVh0kGPv_qU5tPuy9l6uP2GPxVQliqztt8AkBIoZUXbeYvX6aKQOMhT6Uik6g2FYOoQS1oTf6QXVmyNFojFKcaM6RbbRpK2Tu/s4032/20230628_230925443_iOS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4yFGKXsHfWHgPKZvTORcdscemEMDiq3jR-T8_ZvmnOh7ZB1ESKxTreHb9ab8jIzKOsbt45-Ojv-gBygA5-4XPVh0kGPv_qU5tPuy9l6uP2GPxVQliqztt8AkBIoZUXbeYvX6aKQOMhT6Uik6g2FYOoQS1oTf6QXVmyNFojFKcaM6RbbRpK2Tu/s320/20230628_230925443_iOS.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Disneyland</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu6Hud2ykvB-gsGmvltogR1S5vGoF2RD30lS8UdUYSmOWeDvUNB87b7GmAcTRhO9jZ8nDQz2HTYigjVgUAIw4wssbad7MfvaaebxkmcWU8OwE_292RCWA_QXNkAbGZ1eC5uSH3mdRam-A2zEZOqblZDWXLNQl8ryu61cFAat8qbGG_uXLQt-TR/s4032/20230628_235328418_iOS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu6Hud2ykvB-gsGmvltogR1S5vGoF2RD30lS8UdUYSmOWeDvUNB87b7GmAcTRhO9jZ8nDQz2HTYigjVgUAIw4wssbad7MfvaaebxkmcWU8OwE_292RCWA_QXNkAbGZ1eC5uSH3mdRam-A2zEZOqblZDWXLNQl8ryu61cFAat8qbGG_uXLQt-TR/s320/20230628_235328418_iOS.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjw_Nmq1imwaHnq3PA_dPFd9HsnUWiADGBiRLLq3h2mP16CKiL13y7kjJ8sWvpD0zKdapb-oKiWpaQ-LjlcqAmvdlcNowD7J5OQfZoTmBSFAPqfbjUxjgEZnJnh9aVksnDC-cImkIJke12S6lzaL3bUqCH3QuFtm02wwMmZqrBlu--_NbKOUGX/s4032/20230701_040232337_iOS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjw_Nmq1imwaHnq3PA_dPFd9HsnUWiADGBiRLLq3h2mP16CKiL13y7kjJ8sWvpD0zKdapb-oKiWpaQ-LjlcqAmvdlcNowD7J5OQfZoTmBSFAPqfbjUxjgEZnJnh9aVksnDC-cImkIJke12S6lzaL3bUqCH3QuFtm02wwMmZqrBlu--_NbKOUGX/s320/20230701_040232337_iOS.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A beautiful evening by the pool</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim6P0hb1S6pXuLzEdWAHDsJOuFSjXvyryfJk4J9TFs0rRng9WF-AMGegwGVjNkXkZLQd93k8R6mZMV1PcyD_y65ZK9U6WE6etuRC7Plw_3gmEJ55wLRfTMa1AxbN_cOqII0G0h60sdCIHx8gRLfFuiHDnUIm6jx7h7xiIosTtX-W-G6cFdjmN7/s4032/20230701_234147515_iOS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim6P0hb1S6pXuLzEdWAHDsJOuFSjXvyryfJk4J9TFs0rRng9WF-AMGegwGVjNkXkZLQd93k8R6mZMV1PcyD_y65ZK9U6WE6etuRC7Plw_3gmEJ55wLRfTMa1AxbN_cOqII0G0h60sdCIHx8gRLfFuiHDnUIm6jx7h7xiIosTtX-W-G6cFdjmN7/s320/20230701_234147515_iOS.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Delegate gets to work</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc9cLEJKgz4c1A8w-C02pnRPOyMiVBkyXRo955OChauR3VdVCUr_MeuqxXGuAJqroTdnyEBhQgKG_9fqlFLb4zpXyKkcOwc5TbTpFMdK2XYX6bnehUx5qLNlbsZxxMnfhcGSemDZhHbaCom6AQ0A3uAiQoQQwtN3EY-W77rXZoKWlrD-lmIi7o/s1920/20230702_014722661_iOS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc9cLEJKgz4c1A8w-C02pnRPOyMiVBkyXRo955OChauR3VdVCUr_MeuqxXGuAJqroTdnyEBhQgKG_9fqlFLb4zpXyKkcOwc5TbTpFMdK2XYX6bnehUx5qLNlbsZxxMnfhcGSemDZhHbaCom6AQ0A3uAiQoQQwtN3EY-W77rXZoKWlrD-lmIi7o/s320/20230702_014722661_iOS.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Board Friends</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Randall Friesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04112919973262687369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3520413.post-89172381947741237222023-07-15T13:03:00.002-06:002023-07-15T14:50:30.121-06:00Psalm 19<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI8hdh5wvNc9gFuBLdP1KMmoLOWkxDI39WqaTBkNECtVhu23mzexpTmYyoSIAeOoiAgzomV6um06eDwCDLlKDzJM3qcBc1V2HZHP8TpCfot43EbN1kCY426Pn5BtpAOGVIXNp5k8EfPVtvTk8t-R4fnF-zXxuMwNAujYKaFLDCVfvMbmltJjNQ/s1024/IMG_5452.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI8hdh5wvNc9gFuBLdP1KMmoLOWkxDI39WqaTBkNECtVhu23mzexpTmYyoSIAeOoiAgzomV6um06eDwCDLlKDzJM3qcBc1V2HZHP8TpCfot43EbN1kCY426Pn5BtpAOGVIXNp5k8EfPVtvTk8t-R4fnF-zXxuMwNAujYKaFLDCVfvMbmltJjNQ/w200-h157/IMG_5452.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right. rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.<p></p><p>More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.</p><p>Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.</p><p><br /></p><p>——</p><p>This passage comes from Psalm 19 in the Bible and describes the perfection and importance of God's laws and commandments. The psalmist affirms that the law of the Lord is perfect and revives the soul, meaning that it is flawless and brings life and renewal to the innermost being of a person. The testimony of the Lord is sure and makes wise the simple, indicating that God's word is trustworthy and able to give wisdom to those who seek it. The precepts of the Lord are right and bring joy to the heart, while the commandment of the Lord is pure and enlightens the eyes, implying that God's laws are morally upright and bring understanding and insight to those who follow them.</p><p>The fear of the Lord is clean and endures forever, suggesting that reverence and awe for God is pure and everlasting. The rules of the Lord are true and righteous altogether, indicating that God's laws are not only accurate but also morally just.</p><p>The psalmist also affirms that God's laws are more valuable than gold and sweeter than honey, implying that they are of great worth and bring delight and pleasure to those who cherish them. Finally, the psalmist asserts that by following God's laws, one's servant is warned and in keeping them, there is great reward, suggesting that obedience to God's laws brings protection and blessings.</p><p>——</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Randall Friesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04112919973262687369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3520413.post-44627444735607247872023-06-05T01:00:00.112-06:002023-06-05T01:00:00.131-06:00All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well<p>The other day somebody asked me how am I doing? </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidxtRcqQHMtb5tEZzSPom365H4dk9oBT3B-l3j3rSGFSKoqxlCJETMlPw39Rg8wVyMJrBOp29_VHWEYyeLydL4Y9FpStrtz-VovWpNZ1ikn8KgmFVxCzevqf3HO7vyV1feezFOXyU3MaeWHpIcMUbcAl6otHTDHmZYrE0eF-wCjxVtlSE82A/s2048/C11F0E1D-04EB-4645-A046-35489B1BDCD2.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Old man, in sorrow, on the threshold of eternity, 1890 Van Gogh" border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1624" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidxtRcqQHMtb5tEZzSPom365H4dk9oBT3B-l3j3rSGFSKoqxlCJETMlPw39Rg8wVyMJrBOp29_VHWEYyeLydL4Y9FpStrtz-VovWpNZ1ikn8KgmFVxCzevqf3HO7vyV1feezFOXyU3MaeWHpIcMUbcAl6otHTDHmZYrE0eF-wCjxVtlSE82A/w254-h320/C11F0E1D-04EB-4645-A046-35489B1BDCD2.jpeg" title="Old man, in sorrow, on the threshold of eternity, 1890 Van Gogh" width="254" /></a></div><p></p><p>I always struggle with that question, because I struggle to be honest, to be truthful, to be vulnerable, or do I just create a false sense of reality that will get me past the dark places I don’t want to go when I’m asked that question.</p><p>So the other day, when I was asked, I paused, and I asked the Lord, how do I answer that question?</p><p>The answer immediately came to me. “In faith you are fantastic. In feelings, it is a challenge.” And that’s the correct answer isn’t it? Because by faith, I know, everything will be fine, and all shall be well. But it’s my feelings, emotionally, physically, etc. that are a challenge for me. </p><p>Julian of Norwich in 1365 in the middle of the black plague said. "He said, Thou shalt not be tempested, thou shalt not be travailed, thou shalt not be distressed; He said: Thou shalt not be overcome." And "All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well."</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-oz8eZjPEccHKvvhWdbMHRdtKst2PYMDhwJHKk_0AM5msgRIQ2inhcrkVispLaOJ5X8OoSZDR-aYuf7Yl4FQK8dAzBE_Mrfsd6cAwq5R8hXt0onHF2slpx_satP-qAww1eOXLJAmRQYfG51BwpW81UiEk1skJCf-4sC4OvwKxH_89oA9eQ/s1320/BDD2E1A7-73DB-431A-B407-5061FA8FEBD1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Unknown title van Gogh" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1320" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-oz8eZjPEccHKvvhWdbMHRdtKst2PYMDhwJHKk_0AM5msgRIQ2inhcrkVispLaOJ5X8OoSZDR-aYuf7Yl4FQK8dAzBE_Mrfsd6cAwq5R8hXt0onHF2slpx_satP-qAww1eOXLJAmRQYfG51BwpW81UiEk1skJCf-4sC4OvwKxH_89oA9eQ/w320-h262/BDD2E1A7-73DB-431A-B407-5061FA8FEBD1.jpeg" title="Unknown title van Gogh" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>The body feels what it feels, and the mind loves to feel what it feels. But that’s not the reality on which we build our lives. The greater reality, as many have written, is what is unseen. The spirit brings life.</p><p>Yes indeed, in my faith, I am fantastic, but in my feelings, life is a challenge.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Randall Friesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04112919973262687369noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3520413.post-21416310047316957882023-06-02T11:30:00.006-06:002023-06-02T11:30:43.797-06:00Vacation 2023<p> Lauralea and I realized that we hadn’t taken a vacation since last October, and it was all starting to catch up with us so it was time to take a break. </p><p>Well, kind of a break I guess.</p><p>I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned it here before but one year ago Lauralea and I purchased a Home in Lanigan Saskatchewan. It’s kind of our cabin if you will, but maybe one day it might also be a retirement place for us. In the meantime, it’s a good place to go to connect with some of the kids and my siblings and my mom. </p><p>It is 100 year old house, and in many ways it is a great blessing to us. And in a few smaller other ways, it needs some love so last autumn we had the roof replaced. But now the outside needed some attention Brown had to go.</p><p>So the plan was to hire some painters and to head out and see the transformation happen. I got involved with the painting as well but I couldn’t quite keep up to their speed. It was fun mostly.</p><p>Do you want to see some pictures? Well here you go.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUSiIN8_JSYMqrZrIr-64IdZeICCGcKI4Co-D4J25m-jrix5DugRB6XNLEjn52DSB_s8XwBLU_wvlqoRauFJuwYWQcBgybIqjLyTMVI8ZgJdDsJ_I92k-DOto338MwnBd5bcIVZQbfe3495EQlR44TbP2ceDCjWmmG7drTuj9tplw-joiGtw/s4032/4D074589-52DE-4673-B30C-E8B5CF4F6DCA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUSiIN8_JSYMqrZrIr-64IdZeICCGcKI4Co-D4J25m-jrix5DugRB6XNLEjn52DSB_s8XwBLU_wvlqoRauFJuwYWQcBgybIqjLyTMVI8ZgJdDsJ_I92k-DOto338MwnBd5bcIVZQbfe3495EQlR44TbP2ceDCjWmmG7drTuj9tplw-joiGtw/w320-h240/4D074589-52DE-4673-B30C-E8B5CF4F6DCA.jpeg" title="Before brown" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYDbh0YuzV2le8syLxnZonLdwMlV2_O13axs_-yf_pXumX6FC9kcmGEe0sky9vJfdcJDmCU6s_pL9Q3gMW1k2hUGU6XwmbVnXtwhgJLYgBAD4rMYKL9YWNMO0utwUHmZJrOrC7yMo-FVNrUz-Oh0uaD1nJDT7xaPViQj5CFLAwkf1Ufaz0dw/s4032/D11C38E0-6B23-4AB3-BD91-27AAE0A0BD59.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYDbh0YuzV2le8syLxnZonLdwMlV2_O13axs_-yf_pXumX6FC9kcmGEe0sky9vJfdcJDmCU6s_pL9Q3gMW1k2hUGU6XwmbVnXtwhgJLYgBAD4rMYKL9YWNMO0utwUHmZJrOrC7yMo-FVNrUz-Oh0uaD1nJDT7xaPViQj5CFLAwkf1Ufaz0dw/w320-h240/D11C38E0-6B23-4AB3-BD91-27AAE0A0BD59.jpeg" title="Mid Brown" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbR-MgJtHlWf9YICjavj3YgFkeLIG6YLGdcxfH5WNANcIveBI8u1TlKYwWX-KmXRWM__buRgCckVOcO7vILmdjv2Kvj58sLqAuN0QjsqTUPsTocDcND9qk5qJ3sLfHE5RQ97Ncn_jqXVjXsVg1pzcpXM1XwpYD6iEbun0NmF8Rw1rqpAUFSA/s4032/E502CCE8-C0CF-46EA-9B1B-99EEA2ADFA3B.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbR-MgJtHlWf9YICjavj3YgFkeLIG6YLGdcxfH5WNANcIveBI8u1TlKYwWX-KmXRWM__buRgCckVOcO7vILmdjv2Kvj58sLqAuN0QjsqTUPsTocDcND9qk5qJ3sLfHE5RQ97Ncn_jqXVjXsVg1pzcpXM1XwpYD6iEbun0NmF8Rw1rqpAUFSA/w320-h240/E502CCE8-C0CF-46EA-9B1B-99EEA2ADFA3B.jpeg" title="Mostly White" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZOdTitQEpWYkRxTqSZFfT9uz-xNFQo_5YDrUus0krlh4aLx3DKzw6kLaowl43BIFGCE_BjfKQCh7ZkKOgT703oz1B0n-O8lOcVQvqPp_OE6lreOEl6DahkBZjYUE7WI-5lLNh2lg2ocaZBLjhXK7ij06dUM2PojbiVXY1KFSxitfViIjB1w/s4032/159F7626-51C5-4A92-930A-5656AFF7B787.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZOdTitQEpWYkRxTqSZFfT9uz-xNFQo_5YDrUus0krlh4aLx3DKzw6kLaowl43BIFGCE_BjfKQCh7ZkKOgT703oz1B0n-O8lOcVQvqPp_OE6lreOEl6DahkBZjYUE7WI-5lLNh2lg2ocaZBLjhXK7ij06dUM2PojbiVXY1KFSxitfViIjB1w/w320-h240/159F7626-51C5-4A92-930A-5656AFF7B787.jpeg" title="All White" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6f3GGNQ1NEILWpKO8T1DVjCYSYFHauJJcqitlboQneNf_sdU52bQ-4uzZLDbrPrlAmjPEYWd7MaqaMSLRQndCRl0wDcp3HcWG16mIfpsPQeqo2pYJSdzE_n8RlaDwHBXod8G0aIdlqNck5NgRgj1vqz4Oj7IAdwkuWUp20CgUSWrLNIGDPQ/s4032/A36C45D6-166C-41CB-9055-A4742FDE2DCF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6f3GGNQ1NEILWpKO8T1DVjCYSYFHauJJcqitlboQneNf_sdU52bQ-4uzZLDbrPrlAmjPEYWd7MaqaMSLRQndCRl0wDcp3HcWG16mIfpsPQeqo2pYJSdzE_n8RlaDwHBXod8G0aIdlqNck5NgRgj1vqz4Oj7IAdwkuWUp20CgUSWrLNIGDPQ/w240-h320/A36C45D6-166C-41CB-9055-A4742FDE2DCF.jpeg" title="And a purple door, of course" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>Randall Friesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04112919973262687369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3520413.post-60423937448494843342023-04-18T08:00:00.018-06:002023-04-19T13:59:14.098-06:00“Crazy Little Thing Called Love”<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYOVOBtz5Vll2WfRlLTmO-lZ-5PGxTFVTtQN5zDoVzt1Y8o2T1__DgFLTC44TvbZvkjuPytm-jyfzXGsdrlyLVuzc9caDvFqHMDg3O2Gblnz6LQAgQZk7zbld44bpoEiCh8UN0D22dUjNeyDQAkgievVlmKrh_ae_0LC13MwqpD0I_ctVkmg/s2383/IMG_3978.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2383" data-original-width="1776" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYOVOBtz5Vll2WfRlLTmO-lZ-5PGxTFVTtQN5zDoVzt1Y8o2T1__DgFLTC44TvbZvkjuPytm-jyfzXGsdrlyLVuzc9caDvFqHMDg3O2Gblnz6LQAgQZk7zbld44bpoEiCh8UN0D22dUjNeyDQAkgievVlmKrh_ae_0LC13MwqpD0I_ctVkmg/s320/IMG_3978.JPG" width="238" /></a></div></div>Forty years ago today on a dirt road in a field in Northern Alberta, Lauralea and I started dating.<p></p><p>We had become friends, good friends I would say. And we had hung out together a number of times. But this was another level in our friendship. They used to call it going steady. No more playing the field. No more two dates at the same time. (ask me about that sometime.) No this would be something else.</p><p>It would be the road that would lead to an engagement and then to marriage. We never really believed how it would ever lead to forty years together since that day. But it creeps up on you, one day at a time. Which turns into weeks, and then months, and then years, and then, apparently decades. </p><p>It's like a mixed feeling of success and utter amazement. It's like a realization that you know you have something in your possession. Something valuable, that very few people have. It's more valuable than gold, or jewels, or whatever is at the bottom of the treasure on Oak Island. </p><p>Here is someone that you have spent most of your life with. And someone who knows you better than anyone else in the world, but still sticks around. :) </p><p>Yesterday we were watching a television show and at the commercial break she turned to me and I turned to her and we both said exactly the same thing to one another. Word for word. Thats what forty years together will get ya. Well, that and a Coke because I said it first.</p><p>I don't expect we'll see another 40 years together, but you never know. We'll take what we get and celebrate as much as we can. We will tell each other the same stories, and we will laugh at the same inside jokes. We will look at each other in a crowded room, and know what the other one is thinking. And we will remember, as long as we can remember, moments like these in our past that we shared. </p><p>Having someone in your life to do that with is honestly worth all the gold and jewels you could have. </p><br /><p><br /></p>Randall Friesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04112919973262687369noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3520413.post-86909599010082382302023-04-12T11:06:00.000-06:002023-04-12T11:06:08.669-06:00Living Life<p>The medical system has come to be a big part of my life these years. The meds I take allow me to eat and allow me to pee. They diminish the size of stones my kidneys make and they diminish the amount of acid my body produces so that gout pain doesn’t come around as often. </p><p>Then there are pills to help with my diminished enzyme amounts which was what my dad struggled with until he passed away. His lungs and liver stopped working.</p><p>Then over all these things or maybe as a result of these chronic things, there are some meds I take to help with my mental health.</p><p>Without the medical system I’d expect to be dead already a couple of times over. </p><p>The quality of life that is mine because of these interventions is remarkable. Miraculous even. At least I count them so.</p><p>It’s easy for me to act like everything is good most of the time. But when there are hickups and I end up at the Doctors office, I remember how good my life is. </p><p>Thanks to modern science and a God who loves me. </p><p>😊</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTibUrx6qo9ovPVqTlJQwpjAkuZEdh5-o2Jgs3u2_KgfkmxVn_QdGydUASZ56ehDhL1K3NIwP3UJIcu320Wsk5hiXFlMW9wtpiyH6UWeJuKGUpu_B0gx2qojDgYTKUWSzin_Vh0IoZYbQueZ3j0KxL3KgRjqzTIrZj5a8bPtEWFGcvQOWL2A/s4032/1E0F9753-385C-4B4E-B133-C0CBF51B359D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTibUrx6qo9ovPVqTlJQwpjAkuZEdh5-o2Jgs3u2_KgfkmxVn_QdGydUASZ56ehDhL1K3NIwP3UJIcu320Wsk5hiXFlMW9wtpiyH6UWeJuKGUpu_B0gx2qojDgYTKUWSzin_Vh0IoZYbQueZ3j0KxL3KgRjqzTIrZj5a8bPtEWFGcvQOWL2A/s320/1E0F9753-385C-4B4E-B133-C0CBF51B359D.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Randall Friesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04112919973262687369noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3520413.post-91013846101816566372023-03-28T08:27:00.000-06:002023-03-28T08:27:12.517-06:00Earth, we just dodged a bullet<a href="https://www.history.com/news/a-perfect-solar-superstorm-the-1859-carrington-event" target="_blank">History tells us of a close call for the earth;</a> <div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuk0_9G3pw4YjK-cqmqgulWPvlm8t50NUksR__MrETWidLy60Nhf4E88UB0QnvRUiiReVm7E8cLJSZrNzKuLkyzKDulAST01vUk4BBx6QKY5O0mpXwCL3zP_SDFW7dBac_KyF95S5B1aa-bB6PIslMCPWDP5utQoJT5kTXHHna-Rks9IfS3g/s1024/IMG_3779.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuk0_9G3pw4YjK-cqmqgulWPvlm8t50NUksR__MrETWidLy60Nhf4E88UB0QnvRUiiReVm7E8cLJSZrNzKuLkyzKDulAST01vUk4BBx6QKY5O0mpXwCL3zP_SDFW7dBac_KyF95S5B1aa-bB6PIslMCPWDP5utQoJT5kTXHHna-Rks9IfS3g/s320/IMG_3779.PNG" width="320" /></a></div>On the morning of September 1, 1859, amateur astronomer Richard Carrington ascended into the private observatory attached to his country estate outside of London. After cranking open the dome’s shutter to reveal the clear blue sky, he pointed his brass telescope toward the sun and began to sketch a cluster of enormous dark spots that freckled its surface. Suddenly, Carrington spotted what he described as “two patches of intensely bright and white light” erupting from the sunspots. Five minutes later the fireballs vanished, but within hours their impact would be felt across the globe.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That night, telegraph communications around the world began to fail; there were reports of sparks showering from telegraph machines, shocking operators and setting papers ablaze. All over the planet, colorful auroras illuminated the nighttime skies, glowing so brightly that birds began to chirp and laborers started their daily chores, believing the sun had begun rising. Some thought the end of the world was at hand, but Carrington’s naked eyes had spotted the true cause for the bizarre happenings: a massive solar flare with the energy of 10 billion atomic bombs. The flare spewed electrified gas and subatomic particles toward Earth, and the resulting geomagnetic storm—dubbed the “Carrington Event”—was the largest on record to have struck the planet.</div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div><br /></div>
<div>On March 12, 2023 at 11:36 pm EDT it happened again. (that's what caused the amazing northern lights show that has been on display since). However estimates suggest that <i>this recent one was ten to a hundred times more powerful</i> than the one in 1859. What saved us was that this eruption was directed away from the earth.
</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
<a href="https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2023/03/dodging_the_apocalypse.html#ixzz7xGDd5J7I" target="_blank">J.R. Dunn writes</a><br /><blockquote>What happened on March 12 was similar to the 1859 outburst – only worse. Early estimates suggest that this explosion was ten to a hundred times more powerful than the one of 1859. Such events – if not quite so extreme -- are not uncommon. One serious difference from 1859 was that explosion took place on the side of the sun facing away from earth. If it had been facing in our direction, if the earth had borne the full brunt of that blast, we can scarcely imagine the results. It’s likely that all operating electrical systems would have been immediately destroyed, the same as the telegraph systems in 1859. Any active electronic instruments – and possibly even those that happened to be shut down – would have been fried, transformed into useless hunks of plastic, metal, and silicon. The electrical and electronic networks (e.g., the Net) that form the framework of Third Millennial civilization would have been annihilated. Once they were destroyed, all power would vanish. Industry would grind to a halt. Massive amounts of data, including almost all financial data, would simply disappear. All methods of communication beyond voice range would no longer exist. It wouldn’t be a matter of waiting to be rescued by a government of any sort. Government would have shrunk to little more than a notion. The very tools on which relief, and even recovery, depend would simply have vanished. The consequences beggar the imagination. A new Dark Age would have been the best option to expect. </blockquote><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>
And so we go along on our merry way.
<br />The news media hasn't really covered it at this level. But yeah, we dodged a bullet.<div>
<br />God is still looking out for us. In spite of us telling him he doesn't exist.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Randall Friesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04112919973262687369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3520413.post-54337175375645400062023-02-22T15:34:00.004-07:002023-02-22T15:34:49.549-07:00Brand new, never seen before, art.<p>The new AI stuff has hit some snags lately, what with being factually wrong etc. But I am still a bit enraptured by the possibilities of it all.</p><p>I especially enjoy telling it what to create and it creates a whole new, never before seen picture for you.</p><p>My banner is an example. I told it to create a picture of a old bridge over a river in autumn somewhere in Europe. And it gave me this.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOFEoxCYkaFAK0eeonnvf6lmYY20VVWTj-N6DftcLp5IBw-a0X8TppcWA3hEGQtruQbaFO5t7ZERitbdCxIA_Y9jjnCqtQXO0QMjcuLplHyQucreDS0ma76YNTa6cwEjl72qpMYC705Cjnk6dItiMvC6Uldt5AsyuD208lZd1LrBYMoTAdAg/s752/IMG_3266.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="202" data-original-width="752" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOFEoxCYkaFAK0eeonnvf6lmYY20VVWTj-N6DftcLp5IBw-a0X8TppcWA3hEGQtruQbaFO5t7ZERitbdCxIA_Y9jjnCqtQXO0QMjcuLplHyQucreDS0ma76YNTa6cwEjl72qpMYC705Cjnk6dItiMvC6Uldt5AsyuD208lZd1LrBYMoTAdAg/w640-h173/IMG_3266.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>But my favourite has to be this cherry blossom tree in bloom. </p><p>Hand crafted by a computer. 1's and 0's baby.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4i2HS_6OFXt4z_eJPIyW57JQXka3D_LSToEjo1fQQCfri3BZdkBwZ7ODRRncdB-OS7EFEvQHGrQ3UohCoYPDQRFPiIe7qj64vdpt_O-z2c_m2R3-ooLdrTGLjGx0Kz2G_PjDTIyuI8Ptf7dUoqc1Rf8rpToqra-Vd1s7P-oocRZkw7njdJg/s1024/IMG_2890.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4i2HS_6OFXt4z_eJPIyW57JQXka3D_LSToEjo1fQQCfri3BZdkBwZ7ODRRncdB-OS7EFEvQHGrQ3UohCoYPDQRFPiIe7qj64vdpt_O-z2c_m2R3-ooLdrTGLjGx0Kz2G_PjDTIyuI8Ptf7dUoqc1Rf8rpToqra-Vd1s7P-oocRZkw7njdJg/w640-h640/IMG_2890.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Randall Friesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04112919973262687369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3520413.post-62699859194226632212023-02-09T15:06:00.000-07:002023-02-09T15:06:02.030-07:00I am a Friesen. I don't stop when I'm tired. I stop when I'm done. <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrtwYayphbBK9Oe6a92rNfOUmfcgczuuD1VGwm0NRiiaXYOJPCEt-7HYmAg9ubTUrKhL_xB6g-qWS9YHnaFnt5njQgMsjRtLdKBg3oIPxt0CHfTAxX-FxPK4JqMDwKDyy9rzO4KhHPUipsAsBEh-ejH21j8DZ7J-t3_ym23_PJwRtMP1k2TA/s1346/Screenshot%202023-02-09%20at%201.29.33%20PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1346" data-original-width="1336" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrtwYayphbBK9Oe6a92rNfOUmfcgczuuD1VGwm0NRiiaXYOJPCEt-7HYmAg9ubTUrKhL_xB6g-qWS9YHnaFnt5njQgMsjRtLdKBg3oIPxt0CHfTAxX-FxPK4JqMDwKDyy9rzO4KhHPUipsAsBEh-ejH21j8DZ7J-t3_ym23_PJwRtMP1k2TA/s320/Screenshot%202023-02-09%20at%201.29.33%20PM.png" width="318" /></a></div>This morning as I was checking on the church's social media account, this picture popped up on my screen. This evil, dark demonic picture just sat there, mocking me. Someone wanted me to purchase it. <p></p><p>My tongue is only partly in my cheek. </p><p>This is one of my besetting sins, my comfort when I feel vulnerable. I could always say in every situation that I faced that I gave it everything I had. You might be able to accuse me of getting it wrong, or of missing the mark, or of failing again, and again, but it gave me comfort that you would never be able to say that I didn't try. And try very hard. </p><p>This is the attitude that God has been in the process of delivering me from for five or six years now. And I am a very slow learner. Working hard isn't wrong, but when that hard work becomes your identity and your protection, it is wrong. </p><p>It seems now like my health is being used to help me learn this lesson. This year it has become apparent that if I am doing chores or shovelling, or sweeping or vacuuming, or studying or leading a meeting or whatever, instead of stopping when I'm halfway done, I press in to get it all done. And then I drag my sorry broken body to bed. </p><p>Yesterday morning I had a meeting in town, and then I ran a few errands for the church. I got home a little after noon and my plan was to go to the office to work on my sermon for the day. But by the time I got to the middle of the afternoon my body was hollering enough. Enough.</p><p>As is my wont, I told my body I'm going to the office anyway and to suck it up. I went to the washroom. By the time I went to put on my shoes, the room was spinning a bit and the tiredness yelled at me again for attention. I admitted ok. Ok I'm going to bed. I slipped off my shoes and went to bed and slept for 2-3 hours.</p><p>I've been journalling about this a lot lately because its becoming more and more my life. Tuesday I slept for 2-3 hours and Monday about 1-2. Sunday was somewhere from 1-3 hours. I'm just so tired and the things I do and the stress I experience add to my need to rest myself Thank God the church is good with it, now If I could only be. </p><p>So when I saw that T-shirt facing me this morning I grumbled, and I murmured all right already all right. </p><p>Father, forgive me.</p><p><br /></p>Randall Friesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04112919973262687369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3520413.post-4228044250136077802023-02-04T17:59:00.001-07:002023-02-04T17:59:24.326-07:00Church Meeting Done<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicyhc16TlXHY2VZ6AKEcGSwZXSTwxd0TcegvyUkozAkVYQTSR_8S5iYUDnLEjAGc9rL0Y-hu4cUrQng7dRv6i-8HCLAzlcYV2hmtxUhfKM6poZDE6Xxa5VG4i1VPJU6QLnGPLeIz4HGosibiqBQnmr_rTi7KUzzLUCLErqon6oJOT3kzIy_w/s1024/IMG_3251.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="From the perspective of a nine-year-old, Paint me a picture of a church meeting." border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicyhc16TlXHY2VZ6AKEcGSwZXSTwxd0TcegvyUkozAkVYQTSR_8S5iYUDnLEjAGc9rL0Y-hu4cUrQng7dRv6i-8HCLAzlcYV2hmtxUhfKM6poZDE6Xxa5VG4i1VPJU6QLnGPLeIz4HGosibiqBQnmr_rTi7KUzzLUCLErqon6oJOT3kzIy_w/w320-h320/IMG_3251.PNG" title="From the perspective of a nine-year-old, Paint me a picture of a church meeting." width="320" /></a></div>In my years as a full time, 35 years now, the annual meeting of the church has always been a big deal. And many of those meetings I have been fearful about beforehand. <div><br /></div><div>But not today. Today was our annual meeting at Malmo and I actually have been looking forward to it. </div><div><br /></div><div>Turn it up to be a longer one, 4 1/2 hours, but we also did some visioning, and some work to help us plot a path for the road forward. I was surprised at the general optimistic spirit of the crowd. Probably more optimistic than I am, but that could be other things at work too. </div><div><br /></div><div>No, the spirit of the meeting was so lovely and so good. And really when everyone is on the same page, trying to listen to the same spirit, well it can be amazing and wonderful. </div><div><br /></div><div>It's always been my sense that the church business meetings should always be in the same spirit as Sunday mornings are. Because if they are not, there is a disconnect in our faith and how we work out our faith. And some in the churches I've served in the past have been very disagreeable to that opinion. </div><div><br /></div><div>But if a person or a church can't be the same on the outside as it is on the inside… well, God help them. </div><div><br /></div><div>God help us all. </div><div><br /></div><div>:) </div><div><br /></div><div>Night.</div>Randall Friesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04112919973262687369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3520413.post-65320331258910166322023-01-29T13:21:00.000-07:002023-01-29T13:21:04.803-07:00About Community… Or what I learned at Midwinter this year <div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7glDu1_dEqlhODZmCw6ZNaXK9VJUTiYZIxM2umbGovHqsgTr1ri2hTAmnh9bNxrDctYI76knBvndbzjc6LHkAAYCOBYXjl1eW26FeCiPAp5aH46Us40-p65OBeoFEE051HgRkxY7ra_hqL-mbFCSFdwO1_bBYh8UMWBEiYZKVbn6LN__mYw/s4032/IMG_3128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7glDu1_dEqlhODZmCw6ZNaXK9VJUTiYZIxM2umbGovHqsgTr1ri2hTAmnh9bNxrDctYI76knBvndbzjc6LHkAAYCOBYXjl1eW26FeCiPAp5aH46Us40-p65OBeoFEE051HgRkxY7ra_hqL-mbFCSFdwO1_bBYh8UMWBEiYZKVbn6LN__mYw/s320/IMG_3128.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Midwinter is a gathering of the pastors and the church leaders of our church the Evangelical Covenant Church. During the week of midwinter, we bring in amazing speakers. We bring in wonderful teachers. The worship music and the worship leaders are second to none in the world I would say.</div><div><br /></div><div>The separate workshops or classes are places where we can learn real helpful ways to serve the body of Christ, and to grow in Christ Jesus himself.</div><div><br /></div><div>And so this week I was exposed to some stunning teaching, some passionate preaching, and some insightful, life-changing or ministry changing sorts of approaches. All of which I received and was deeply encouraged by. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>But what was the best thing for me all week? It was the conversations and reconnections I had with other pastors who I’ve grown to know over these years.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEideGaB-W9FPbsrfx8ejJ7p7YjbxRXJvKIDS4V70ac2WW5ULKX-m0M06tLPQGPLK8BjyhYEbrbZU9dMdWwkPI4clXh3t5kVd0z_VfQzTTTVqvMbQipgK1mgKtNbTRO71PwJ_YRp38Qgwm765Bj7BgWIdBogDUd2rcvAGqNp90gp2v-DG7j50A/s4032/IMG_3081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEideGaB-W9FPbsrfx8ejJ7p7YjbxRXJvKIDS4V70ac2WW5ULKX-m0M06tLPQGPLK8BjyhYEbrbZU9dMdWwkPI4clXh3t5kVd0z_VfQzTTTVqvMbQipgK1mgKtNbTRO71PwJ_YRp38Qgwm765Bj7BgWIdBogDUd2rcvAGqNp90gp2v-DG7j50A/s320/IMG_3081.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Moments where we get to share with each other how we are really doing. Moments where we encourage one another in the work that we are doing, in our struggles, and in our lonelinesses. To listen to one another’s hurts. To check on those we know have been hurting and struggling. To be able to hear with excitement, the possibilities of future ministry. And to pray together for those brothers and sisters. For me, those are the highlights I bring home. Because those are the moments that touched me the deepest. Probably because they’ve trusted me with their hearts, and so have I with them.</div><div><br /></div><div>It is always a holy thing when you deal with another person’s heart. And even if they don’t trust you enough yet with their heart, there are holy things you can do to care for their hearts. Things like listening to them. Things like checking on them. Things like praying for them. Simple yet holy gifts we can offer one another. And by doing that we live out the scriptures; "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc7WDNG0HpeepJj3T_vA2FLl0hx2XwLM_5e9I0qkEmKYRsKlIwv9W3LOGrbfpbUEMRsttrrf1yvcUJ46SJp1f2HgJKJkSQvTrgpb59pgMVa0TFNeeqWJPH9w-zOci2kIzUXLKo1IQ0FdvjeOjV12LwAn3jg0q5dj8vw9r12kTt-mNONGV2rA/s4032/IMG_3086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc7WDNG0HpeepJj3T_vA2FLl0hx2XwLM_5e9I0qkEmKYRsKlIwv9W3LOGrbfpbUEMRsttrrf1yvcUJ46SJp1f2HgJKJkSQvTrgpb59pgMVa0TFNeeqWJPH9w-zOci2kIzUXLKo1IQ0FdvjeOjV12LwAn3jg0q5dj8vw9r12kTt-mNONGV2rA/s320/IMG_3086.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>These are the ways in which we fulfill the law of Christ. And these ways reach deep into our hearts. </div><div><br /></div><div>The week before mid winter, I arrived in Jacksonville, Florida, for my week of Board of Ordered Ministry meetings. This is one of the two main boards of the denomination that makes decisions that will affect the direction of the denomination for years to come. It is our work to walk with people. </div><div><br /></div><div>Our denomination holds the credentials of every new pastor who is ordained, or who comes to our denomination. So it is our work on this board to help pastors and spiritual leaders grow and develop in their calling and in Christ. There is a sense of responsibility we carry for this group of faithful individuals and we work hard at that. There are 1750 total active clergy who we serve.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC21upYBs_kiX_9YwVNCno3fz6HA7vpBPb0qw_bJtWzER6b8MBJDal6aij8y-SRTjo51tSK1xedR_JJ6arf6a-I_yUNYOYX2KBM_9_N-_BfSvacoeKcZ_PJV-DQ9U3vgx6bJXmmZrZ3SxE6hCGVjLmrFGnUvx91s3oklDS3hTMERIS9CZrvw/s4032/IMG_3004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC21upYBs_kiX_9YwVNCno3fz6HA7vpBPb0qw_bJtWzER6b8MBJDal6aij8y-SRTjo51tSK1xedR_JJ6arf6a-I_yUNYOYX2KBM_9_N-_BfSvacoeKcZ_PJV-DQ9U3vgx6bJXmmZrZ3SxE6hCGVjLmrFGnUvx91s3oklDS3hTMERIS9CZrvw/s320/IMG_3004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>With that many people who we are responsible for, at any given moment there are many who are in crisis and trouble, and there are those who have made decisions that would break their vows and even worse, their relationship with God. When that happens, we take them into our care to work to help them regain their own personal spiritual health. Possibly, if it is fitting, to regain their spiritual ministry.</div><div><br /></div><div>They come under suspension for care and support and help. I am so proud that we as a church are ready to spend thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars on them and their families to help them get healthy again.</div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, not all appreciate this level of care, and so that can mean interviews that are very tense, and can be emotionally and spiritually brutal. And so the work can be challenging.</div><div><br /></div><div>But this is my fifth and last year on this board doing this work, and I was reflecting on that at this meeting. I will not miss the difficult meetings, the broken humans, the tension. I will not miss the loss of respect for those I might’ve once deeply revered. I will not miss the tears and anguish we have shed over sisters or brothers, who won’t return to health. But it is hard and holy work. </div><div><br /></div><div>But… I will absolutely and completely miss the quality of the men and women I get to serve on this board with. I will miss the community we have developed and the care that we exhibit towards one another. I will miss the caring I receive even after I am home from individuals on the board who have checked in with me about how my health is doing. I will miss this community of faith.</div><div><br /></div><div>"A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." - Ecclesiastes 4:12</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrK0sZS-Khg2rxViOnH7IvT56N3b2CJHXo23rgKlwhDcKmLt_auu56X1KGnkamTTC-s8rXQJIIZr-1zKeaLa4caZvQTkcukvRJmVLc-jkdqjW33lQbw6lC9WzVhkIE3hJS-opLfTlEu5b6sMc7jaO_QIu6L0K2c9d9zUJJFElZBCogItr7UA/s4032/IMG_3097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrK0sZS-Khg2rxViOnH7IvT56N3b2CJHXo23rgKlwhDcKmLt_auu56X1KGnkamTTC-s8rXQJIIZr-1zKeaLa4caZvQTkcukvRJmVLc-jkdqjW33lQbw6lC9WzVhkIE3hJS-opLfTlEu5b6sMc7jaO_QIu6L0K2c9d9zUJJFElZBCogItr7UA/s320/IMG_3097.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>This is no work that one individual could do effectively. We work together and there is strength in our common unity in Christ.</div><div><br /></div><div>"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another - Hebrews 10:24-25</div><div><br /></div><div>I believe it is good work that we do and the more I have invested in this community, the more I have been blessed. And so here is another community of people that I have found great value and love being among. God has blessed me more than I will ever be able to say through this community of faithful servants.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>————</div><div><br /></div><div>And finally, I learned…</div><div><br /></div><div>That Florida can be beautiful in the middle of winter. And that walking along the shore in the late evening with warm breezes on my bare arms, (and yes, I do like piña coladas and getting caught in the rain) Is such an amazingly delightful gift. </div><div><br /></div><div>But it’s not as amazing as being home. Home is where my core community resides. My wife, Family, my friends, my community of faith. It turns out that community trumps sandy beaches in January. That is a bit surprising I must admit.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>You know, Covid was hard on us, and we learned some new ways to live alone. But the mental health challenges have come a good deal from being alone. And we have learned how to enjoy being introverted. But there is something of community that is lost in such an environment as well. </div><div><br /></div><div>"For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." - Romans 12:4-5</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQXbXqFaWZIuym9hTqh-AigU-84quE_NzAYimFDVobZYjm398pMCGzEdh959JMks3Hx4JwnwF7g_mfK997OwOXfezwlSzY2i2cJ7sJcaQ-QxhQCHMRNlCqF24O0QZHl9MQAs1XGZjGhtgl_fcyZ7aZmWtAfQ1YW_cHpNsn1uG7QVq32E0H8Q/s4032/IMG_2992.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQXbXqFaWZIuym9hTqh-AigU-84quE_NzAYimFDVobZYjm398pMCGzEdh959JMks3Hx4JwnwF7g_mfK997OwOXfezwlSzY2i2cJ7sJcaQ-QxhQCHMRNlCqF24O0QZHl9MQAs1XGZjGhtgl_fcyZ7aZmWtAfQ1YW_cHpNsn1uG7QVq32E0H8Q/s320/IMG_2992.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Community is another of the gifts from our God, who knows us, who created us, and who loves us. We are connected and dependent on one another, for life. And so the lessons to me these days are the lessons about community. Especially faith communities. </div><div><br /></div><div>Belonging to a street community or belonging to a choir community or belonging in a work community are all good communities, and bring something to us. They bring to us the sense of belonging. Of been known. The community of the body of Christ also brings to us care, and love. It brings to us a sense of unity. A sense of being known. It brings to us the sense that when we are in need, we are part of a greater group that cares about us.</div><div><br /></div><div>And the more we are committed to these groups, and the more we invest in these faith communities, the more blessings we will enjoy. And the more we stay away, and the more we separate ourselves, the more we cause ourselves hurt.</div><div><br /></div><div>You know, each of us was created by our God to be a part of a community. Each of us was made with a deep need to be in relationship with others. And if we are willing to invest more of our selves in these communities of faith, the more fullness of life we will enjoy, the more abundance we will know. And the greater experience with love we will have.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And that’s what I learned at Midwinter this year. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Randall Friesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04112919973262687369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3520413.post-39318532687705336392023-01-20T09:07:00.001-07:002023-01-20T09:07:20.360-07:00Travellin Man<p>I have been in Jacksonville Florida since Tuesday and already I have used "Y'alls" in too many sentences. </p><p>Oh and I had grits for breakfast today. With cheese on top.</p><p>And yesterday there were biscuits beside a big pot of porridge, at least I thought. Then someone told me it was sausage gravy for on top of the biscuits. Close one.</p><p>So we are in meetings all day and most evenings until the end of the day next Monday, and I am already bagged. Yesterday was a particularly difficult day and I couldn't fall asleep till late. Or better said, early.</p><p>But it is so beautiful down here in the +26C temperatures. I just got to get out more.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-6C_ugBcg-QE89KgmC7dWR6Skvl0pUXk_xkh9hCExhoUhkHaJrAx2GMcQhOUGCLWzhuJXkCppzjEAws_4zyuE8pgJnLC0tnijeu3HnIhF23ynjQCyZdd_4LhbG0SkLo-Uh35VRhi2V2mGunjJyOQvWswwyc_yIFe7FvgZTPdNVWsUC9Fi2w/s4032/IMG_2995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-6C_ugBcg-QE89KgmC7dWR6Skvl0pUXk_xkh9hCExhoUhkHaJrAx2GMcQhOUGCLWzhuJXkCppzjEAws_4zyuE8pgJnLC0tnijeu3HnIhF23ynjQCyZdd_4LhbG0SkLo-Uh35VRhi2V2mGunjJyOQvWswwyc_yIFe7FvgZTPdNVWsUC9Fi2w/s320/IMG_2995.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>This was me last night, sort of completely bagged.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl67eMTNjLfFRfH_wGC_6NwhhT4ZrxlXC_WmZil6gsXzAVhhtWElXdoTEP26ClH01mGeoNBWyaralNZoJo4Wkn8xWDVbAUSi_wayDBxRKjyNktt8LtbgJeGqrZHWHJf54sFoRRDQUa0qbnWf9-xQO8zG6WKmHSaTKHGHYvXODgzWqxubXX3g/s4032/IMG_2930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl67eMTNjLfFRfH_wGC_6NwhhT4ZrxlXC_WmZil6gsXzAVhhtWElXdoTEP26ClH01mGeoNBWyaralNZoJo4Wkn8xWDVbAUSi_wayDBxRKjyNktt8LtbgJeGqrZHWHJf54sFoRRDQUa0qbnWf9-xQO8zG6WKmHSaTKHGHYvXODgzWqxubXX3g/s320/IMG_2930.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>This is the view from my room. Complete with battleship. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJLTfTbMKCeyVQIrmctuLApQhQtc63PjtpGcKXbrMiJ165hfFNbxmCk5dzD8LNYPJhPVLhM20EIEX8EEQXjYpal4y9GLxzU7KRFexHflVdi1SytNhRyXAaz--vxYwYlyatPcsowwssCwVDEobOcFxAM_P15NEDqcmVNIJ4PfXGi4BkjI954g/s4032/IMG_2968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJLTfTbMKCeyVQIrmctuLApQhQtc63PjtpGcKXbrMiJ165hfFNbxmCk5dzD8LNYPJhPVLhM20EIEX8EEQXjYpal4y9GLxzU7KRFexHflVdi1SytNhRyXAaz--vxYwYlyatPcsowwssCwVDEobOcFxAM_P15NEDqcmVNIJ4PfXGi4BkjI954g/s320/IMG_2968.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>So far I've only been out at night here, but it is a strange thing to experience a warm breeze late on a January night.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Randall Friesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04112919973262687369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3520413.post-59092914902977282422022-12-20T07:43:00.002-07:002022-12-20T07:43:33.558-07:00Twas the week before Christmas<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkiZfdg63u97YPfk58ieAZLImO-sj0lO3qcmZJ8kXjx5AZ7CFzBuQ2qOr2LgRlhDGkAIZq7no2OuK0bYYpcEIrKgzH7vCnWvsDbDUHVHhsSQn1GuRIyDrqjgCX8bwMKcAlg16Hrtx4vU4lqWIqGJxBkkkAGYWTtZM8GAT9J-Th6uXneznXKw/s4032/IMG_2558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkiZfdg63u97YPfk58ieAZLImO-sj0lO3qcmZJ8kXjx5AZ7CFzBuQ2qOr2LgRlhDGkAIZq7no2OuK0bYYpcEIrKgzH7vCnWvsDbDUHVHhsSQn1GuRIyDrqjgCX8bwMKcAlg16Hrtx4vU4lqWIqGJxBkkkAGYWTtZM8GAT9J-Th6uXneznXKw/s320/IMG_2558.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The cold has taken over here and as of yesterday things are considerably colder than I like. This morning as I got up it was -35C. Not fit for man nor beast out there today. And if you were to add the windchill, well then its darn near killer frost for people, especially the homeless.<p></p><p>So of course Lauralea and I decided to head to the city yesterday to see if we could find some Christmas cheer at the mall. We didn't find what we were looking for though, but we did have a good Vietnamese lunch. We talked briefly about what we were looking for and it seemed to be a memory of a previous time when we could walk for hours in a big decorated mall. Turns out we just can't do that any more. We were done by noon and headed home.</p><p>I'm still hacking and coughing up stuff and this is my third week at that enterprise. I believe the worst is behind be but boy does it linger long. I was suppose to go in for a dentist appointment today but I may have to cancel it again. Cancelling it is no real hardship honestly. :)</p><p>Thats the news from The Field for today.</p><p>If you're in a cold place, take care out there.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxxBmkGncfMkbBtlmOxQuKHnX_sz5Fgb0TZbFni6-HN1KjosFgzAWtO8jtXNI5dZL1Gbx2voHIHUsDv_f3KtIv3PN4emI0kRmun1dD9cUswlOE8WEuiaFTw5UKT995zpf4qOArZyZSeweEZ1IpAJMGWrKHOtFFzj92KZ_ZwsgXO1p1Z444Q/s4032/IMG_2555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxxBmkGncfMkbBtlmOxQuKHnX_sz5Fgb0TZbFni6-HN1KjosFgzAWtO8jtXNI5dZL1Gbx2voHIHUsDv_f3KtIv3PN4emI0kRmun1dD9cUswlOE8WEuiaFTw5UKT995zpf4qOArZyZSeweEZ1IpAJMGWrKHOtFFzj92KZ_ZwsgXO1p1Z444Q/w640-h480/IMG_2555.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhrG8n5sv9di2NbNm0f2O9FWN9PHASr6ZdzKAwYvitWOJt5ozKRM2EQEOoFSb3QjlGEagDE0t9v4BDcOno6AWNZgdfKYCWU2AOj96vEgGJbegTkDCqpxrAE3-b-_Bv4sTK_5Rht4D191_3X7RH2GbrI2prfEdqEYABVQmfBjVXyj9T479s1w/s4032/IMG_2556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhrG8n5sv9di2NbNm0f2O9FWN9PHASr6ZdzKAwYvitWOJt5ozKRM2EQEOoFSb3QjlGEagDE0t9v4BDcOno6AWNZgdfKYCWU2AOj96vEgGJbegTkDCqpxrAE3-b-_Bv4sTK_5Rht4D191_3X7RH2GbrI2prfEdqEYABVQmfBjVXyj9T479s1w/w640-h480/IMG_2556.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Randall Friesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04112919973262687369noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3520413.post-21174983515781388452022-12-14T10:02:00.001-07:002022-12-14T11:01:50.984-07:00Just nothing.. <div><br /></div>Randall Friesenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04112919973262687369noreply@blogger.com0