The Truth will set you Free

The Church service at Christ Church did  not come online today so I went to Church at Flackwell Heath, Buckinghamshire in Oxford Diocese.  Wonderful singing with several of my favourite songs but the theme running through the prayers and the sermon was "The truth will set you free." I simply love that expression. It is beautiful. My roots are deep in the Church of England, called Anglican in Canada primarily. I would say my grandfather's Blake line were reluctant to be no longer Roman Catholic but accepted that they had to be Church of England because Queen Elizabeth was their valid Queen so they believed and so they practised. But there was a lot of catholicism in my grandfather. The priest who taught them at school was likely very High Church as it is called when one is more Catholic than Protestant. 

My first day without the dogs. I woke up first always and waited for them to arouse at their own pace which was generally about one hour after I woke up which meant I had my exercises all done and was ready for the onslaught of opening the door of the bedroom where they were sleeping. It was a quick hello and down the stairs and running around to enjoy the new day in this house. They missed their family but they enjoyed their time with me. They quickly forget that I have said no (generally in a loud voice) and come over for a hug and then back to playing and sleeping. Dogs sleep a lot. 

When I was young we had a dog and it was my strongest companion - Normie recognized that I did not see well and would track me about as a toddler bringing me back from my wandering by tugging at my dress and pulling me along. I have no memory of Normie as he was put down when I was just three years of age - the shock to my system must have been enormous. I looked for him for ages but he was gone and then we moved and everything that I knew well was gone and perhaps that was when the memory of Normie also disappeared. I do not remember the feel of his fur or riding on his back (I was the only one he allowed to do that) or the lick of his tongue. He was a full sized Collie and greatly loved by the family. He was a very tame dog and extremely good with children but a child came to play at our house (my age apparently so one does wonder why a two to three year old is wandering about a neighbourhood going to houses) and she apparently hit me which was a mistake. The dog did not actually hurt her but he pinched her and left a tiny mark apparently but Normie was put down; my parents (with five children) did not want to have a dog that was untrustworthy - sad really. 

What does that have to do with truth will set you free? Absolutely nothing but for some reason a few things came back to me as I listened to the Sermon. Talking about leaving everything and following Jesus was also the theme and probably the one that I was supposed to be hearing. It reminded me of leaving London when my husband took a job in Ottawa and I followed him. We had two vehicles and literally he drove one and I followed him in the other with our not yet one year old. We were also taking her away from everything she knew especially her grandparents who loved her dearly. Now I am one of seven and at this point in time my parents had three grandchildren (12, 8 and 7) and she ended up being the only baby for another eight years when my youngest was born. So she was the center of any party or any event in the family. She was alive by the grace of God because my first pregnancy was a miscarriage at four months - a sad event in my life and I still miss that child but now with God I am sure wrapped tightly in His arms. I changed jobs so that I was not on my feet and was blessed with my daughter just a couple of years later. Another miscarriage when my daughter was two and it was a result of me simply being not strong enough to carry a baby at this point. I did wonder if I ever would carry another child.  Then a surprise just when I was going back to do my Masters but I chose staying home and proofreading/copyediting for first the government and then private printers when my job was cut from the Public Service by the Conservative government for whom I had voted but I was unemployed for about one day I think! It didn't alter my voting habits.

My husband was a very distinct person with a very distinct personality and my eldest grandson is his walking image - he looks like him; he has many of his characteristics and habits and sometimes he says things which was exactly the way Edward used to say it. Sadly he was only eight when his grandfather died and it was a sad day for everyone but especially I think for my eldest grandson as they were just getting to that point of sharing thoughts and ideas. Edward would have been a perfect grandfather for his grandsons and it is sad, to me still, that life did not support his continuing but he will always be alive in our minds. My youngest grandson still talks about his grandpa Edward asking me questions about when he was born, things he did as he too remembers his grandpa very well. So the truth that was coming through my mind was the regret I still feel deep in my soul that their grandpa Edward isn't still here with them. I still have all of his school work that he saved (myself I threw it all out when I got married!). I hated school although I absolutely love learning. If I could have learned online I would have been so overjoyed to be honest. Going to Church online, although it is not the concept that Jesus designed, is also a wonderful event in my life. 

Must get my running in. I am slowly working my way back up to thirty minutes a day with a twenty minute walk. Whenever I am ill I take it backwards even halfway or more so that I do not put undue strain on a system that buckled so many years ago in my late 20s. I just think it is wise to take it easy as you work your way back into an exercise routine. 

Prayers for the souls all those who died in the glacial flooding in Nepal and Tibet and prayers that many more will be rescued. Back to watching the news again for a bit. Not that I am uninterested but I can do nothing about the events of the world except live through them like everybody else.  

 

Matches completed

Matches all completed and moving on to the genealogical tables although I have quite a bit of work to do now on the phasing of my great grandparents as well. The project to work on Edward's grandparents is still in the beginning stages and I will work on that gradually. Although I would like very much to move I still have far too much material. Edward's boxes still number 30 Banker Boxes and finding time to do everything seems to be very difficult. I want to do a proper job of managing Edward's paperwork. He did give me a lot of instructions for some of it but not all. So I am winging it quite a bit although his cousins have been very helpful. He was just into so many of his lines and acquired so much material. 

The Archives at Chilliwack are still on my mind as I told them I would send them the newsletters that I have written and I still need to do that. 

 I need to pull all of Edward's niece's pictures and get them into a package in the next month or so. But fourty binders is still a lot of pictures. So I need to organize that as I move through them. Then I am also writing two books for my parent's families (Blake and Pincombe). I think this winter though I am organized enough that I can accomplish even more than last year. I can see that the three years that I will probably still remain here might let me accomplish all of this work. I would dearly love to move but it is impractical. 

I am really happy when the children are back in school as I am more comfortable with driving to the store. I can go slowly and the streets are all 40 km per hour which is great. I think I will give up wearing my one pair of sunglasses driving though as they seem to be darker than my other pair; I do have a pair that are brighter. I really never found it a problem until the other day. However, everything worked out but one wants to be so careful.

Very very few people come to the door now which really suits me; none is even better unless they are my relatives. I just go to the window and suggest they put their flyer into the mailbox or just shake my head to say I am not coming to the door. I think I will put my note on the door that I am busy working. I do not buy anything at the door and really can not help anyone. There are other people around me who are home and much younger than I am. Funny to finally be too old rather than too young as I was so many years of my life.

I did finally listen to some of the televised information on the trade talks. I am so in favour of diversifying our trade but that doesn't mean that I am against some sort of a trade deal with the United States. It means a lot to many many States and it means a lot to our Provinces and Territories. But we have proven ourselves through this past century and need to just work on what we can do. I marvel at the bravery of the Canadians throughout 1939 to early 1942 when we were all alone on the North Atlantic going back and forth day after day ferrying food and supplies to the British Isles and bringing back the children to protect them from the war. It was a hard life I think and cost us a great deal of money; I entered it just after the war so grew up in the shadow of that great contribution that Canada made and we continue to do what we can do to support our allies in the protection of our lands and oceans. Our country borders on three oceans with the longest oceanic coastline in the world. 

I do want the shovels in the ground for the pipeline to the west coast sooner rather than later. The eastern pipeline to Ontario and Quebec is needed as well but time will tell. I wonder sometimes about mining the oil in Venezuela after that last earthquake (that seems to be on people's mind with the latest announcement). Sometimes the land will yield up its goodness other times it fights back. Hard to say; I am not an expert. Canada, the land of my birth, my upbringing and my adulthood and I do love Canada very much. When I have given up my time freely particularly in the service of God  I am happy to do so. But God does not make huge demands on us just two - love God with all our heart, soul, strength and mind and love (respect really is the meaning I think) our neighbour as ourself. Then peace can be there for the entire world and that Utopia so many seek will be here on earth as we await the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. I do not seek Utopia but rather my quiet life where I can just write to my heart's content. 

Reading Nehemiah and all of his work on the restoration of the Temple in Jerusalem. This has been a fascinating trip through time reading the Bible in my old age. I am quite exhausted from the summer and look forward to a quiet fall. I am not one to seek medical aid particularly because the psychiatrist did tell me what I had to do to stay well. I will be doing that over the next month or so as I recuperate from a summer full. 

Woke up with a headache as my mind is too active at the moment. Need to take it easy for a bit and recuperate. Off to bed again and to sleep. 

Solitaire puzzles in the morning when I awake. Thank you God for all that you do. 

Dear Father hear and bless Thy beasts and singing birds.  And guard with tenderness small things that have no words. Bless my grandparents, my parents, my siblings and my husband who have proceeded me in this life. Bless all those that I love and all who dwell in Your lands and protect them from the evil of the world. In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Goodnight once again.  

  

 

 

Ezra and the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem

 Canada continued its heroic trips back and forth across the North Atlantic which had begun in earnest in 1939 and continued into 1942 ferrying food and materials to the British Isles and returning with shiploads of children to protect them from war. It was a difficult couple of years but our maritime forces exceeded any expectations on what could be done in such precarious times. Not that such times are on us again but the need for such hard concentrated work lies ahead of us. It is an exciting time in our history that is for sure as we diversify our trade and start new products for delivery to the world. 

Completed the reading of Ezra yesterday and moving on to Nehemiah today. The Israeli people have returned to their homeland from captivity in Persia (Babylon) and Assyria. The rebuilding of the temple is underway. God is in their hearts and minds as they work to regain what was lost to them. 

Just two matches left to do and back to rephasing the great grandparents and continuing with the generational charts of the Blake family at Andover and the Pincombe family at North Molton. 

The dogs and I spent a little time outside yesterday and they will soon be going home. I am in need of a week of rest and relaxation which will include cleaning my house. Last night just eleven degrees celsius and up to fifteen degrees celsius now at 9:30 a.m. Fall is coming and with it the change in the colours of the leaves which has begun slightly here and there. I need to take down the bird feeder as I do not feed birds; letting them take what they want from the fruit and seeds in the yard. They are very industrious birds but it is fun to watch them come to the feeder that is for sure. The cardinals have never left us all these years coming back year in and year out. One generation after another. This year's generation's young is a female cardinal and mostly it has been male cardinals from this pair over the last few years. 

  Solitaire puzzles are next.  

I am always thinking about my driving. I have decided when my reactions do not seem to be quick enough to me then it is time to stop. The other day I was headed to the grocery store which involves a couple of streets. I was making my turn onto the street that takes me there and suddenly a motor bike appeared and as I was in the way I finished my turn but it does tell  me that watching is the most important thing. A motor cycle going by on the street outside reminded me of that as I was sitting with the dogs. 

 

Canada stood alone in 1939 and 1940 on the North Atlantic

Canada is a strong country. In 1939 and 1940 our convoys crisscrossed the Atlantic Ocean daily carrying food and supplies to the British Isles constantly being attacked and tracked by the enemy. We did not quaver; we forged ahead and that is what being Canadian is all about. We can do it. I remember the late 40s and early 50s of the 1900s very clearly. Our soldiers (I lived in a military city as London, Ontario's biggest employer was the Canadian military at Wolsley Barracks) stood tall and always ready for whatever was handed to them. We never really lost that; it just got seconded by the needs of the many as Canada grew through the 1980s and 1990s. But we are back, our military is growing rapidly and our equipment is topping it up all over. We will defend North America along with our neighbours to the south and our friends in Europe/British Isles. A large number of countries have an Arctic coastline. 

I am finding the Book of Ezra very very interesting. We are now approaching the prophecies of the prophets and the promise of a Messiah. That along with the return to Jerusalem make the readings very significant. It is amazing that it is the King of Persia, he said that God told him to do it, who sends the Israelites back to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. It is just 500 years now before the birth of Jesus Christ. I know I have read the Book of Ezra before but it has been a very long time. Yesterday I read the first five chapters and today I am reading the remaining five chapters. The next book is Nehemiah. I always feel privileged to read these ancient writings and thankful to the Jewish people for their gift to the world of all these writings. We are now into the time of the great libraries that I talked about before. Knowledge is now being stored up and passed around to the scholars of the known world. But the value of the Bible stretching so far back in time must never be overlooked. 

Worked on the matches and still a few to do and I will work away at that today once again. Yesterday I vacuumed both floors and it does look good. I will scrub the bathrooms today and do the dusting next week when I clean again. I need to clean all of the floors although the dogs have been very good and I clean their feet at the door. But the younger dog has thick curls that do not shed but do hold vast amounts of water. 

I am starting to think about all of the new projects coming to Canada in the next months as we continue to diversify our trade around the world. It is very exciting time for Canada. The loss, if it happens, of the three big American car makers will be quickly filled by others and I must say having driven in Dodge cars for all my life they will be truly missed. The hit to their bottom line (the three American car makers) will be huge as we buy a lot of American corporate vehicles in Canada made in Canada. But you can sense the burgeoning of new car companies coming to Canada to build cars with Canadian materials  and no more worries on our part that they have just come to try and have a back door into the United States. We have lots of room for car factories (including home grown) and lots of workers and purchasers. 

An interesting aside the French call the channel of water to their north La Manche and the British call it The English Channel. 

Looking out my window I remember last spring when the City truck came along and cleared away the built up salt and mud along the kerb. As usual that big black truck was out there and now I have this pool of water there because it is landlocked. I am not strong enough to move that anymore but it is a place for mosquitoes to breed. One must notice what is happening in the world around them as it took them quite a while to clean the street. When I looked out the window one time the man in the city truck pointed at the black truck and made a motion for me to move it. I nodded my head no, and pointed across the road. We all pay our taxes. I once asked his wife to move the truck but apparently she can not drive it. That is really serious as it could be an emergency and that truck had to be moved so one shouldn't own something one cannot move! Of course someone else might move it!

So still matches to do and I will work at that and also scrubbing the two bathrooms and that will be the cleaning for this week. Next week is a thorough cleaning including scrubbing all the wooden floors. I am ready for the challenge; all better. God will not call me home this time I guess. 

Thank you God for another beautiful day in Your world. A bit cloudy but other wise a lovely late summer day.  

 

 

Moving on as September approaches

 September is always lovely as we move towards fall with winter coming. A wondrous moment to leave summer behind; summer is not my favourite season. There really isn't anything that I love about summer - cold air conditioning is one of my big dislikes and yet I do have that because it keeps the air fresh. I like to swim but you can swim all year round. I love to walk but I can do that inside my house all year round although a walk outside is always very nice. 

Some work accomplished yesterday and about eight matches left to do. Found two new matches in the database I am working on at the moment. The one especially exciting as it filled in this tiny length that was more or less vacant. 

The dogs are missing their family even if I am family. They have been with me for a while but surprisingly quiet and good. But they are getting older. A quick rebuke and they quiet down if something outside alarms them. 

Ezra reading begins today and the Babylonian Captivity is ending. King Cyrus of Persia has decreed that they return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple to God, the God of the Israeli people. The ten chapters begin with this decree around 540 BCE (before the common era). Again the God of Creation (God of the Israeli people) demonstrates His faithfulness in bringing His people home from exile to the lands that He promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel). He has spoken through the Persian King Cyrus the Great. 

I put off my cleaning earlier this week but will vacuum the top floor today as one of the dogs sheds heavily and it is time; one can not really go for more than a week without vacuuming! My schedule is all awry but time will fix that and I am a person who can tolerate such changes. 

Time for a piece of banana bread (my concoction) and a glass of milk. I will return to my blog shortly.  

Dogs out for two runs and then breakfast. I have to send them out singly because the older dog has to walk but if out with the younger dog she runs and that is bad for her leg. Dogs get old too. She has been a wonderful dog. A perfect companion to the family for sure. The younger dog is very spirited and has grown up on a huge lot so my lot in comparison is small. Used to being a long way back from the road and here she is up close. So hard for her but the older one manages it well. 

Supposed to rain and I decided to let them have two good outings before that starts. Clouding again so perhaps it will begin sooner. 

Cleaning to begin soon. Doing solitaire puzzles.  

It truly is amazing to still be on God's earth; I never expected to live this long to be honest. I was dreadfully ill at the end of my 20s. But the psychiatrist laid it on the line for me that I had to rest. That every time I did not rest I would become ill. Initially I did not even test that out and rested whenever my infant did but gradually I did push myself a little but too much and I paid for it with exhaustion, a return of the headaches and fainting. So back to resting once again. My eldest at two would sit beside me whilst I rested and read her books (she read so young) or make pictures but always stay close as she knew that I would get upset if I couldn't see her. Now she is again my caregiver although mostly a long way away as I tell her that works for me and just live your life. Although I can still get the tiredness and headache the fainting is no longer part of daily living thank goodness. It is a long long time since I fainted.