Skip to main content

Status report

State of preparedness report: I have a visa for entry, a laptop, and a camera. I have been talked through the arrival proceedings and have a picture of the US family with whom I can connect in Paris. I believe all my funds have been pledged -- thank you to all my supporters, in particular my church which has been amazingly supportive. So I guess I'm ready to go. Just need to start packing. That, and finish my sermon.

My time off is flying by -- I leave Winnipeg a week from today. With every item that gets ticked off the list, the reality of my departure becomes more real. And with that reality, the nerves. "Teaching children?!?! What on earth has gotten into me?!?!" is a common sentiment. But no, I'll be fine -- I'm up for the challenge; I'm needing to be pushed out of my comfort zone...and if this won't achieve that, nothing will.

As during my trip to Ukraine, I remind myself "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" Philippians 4:13. When the tasks seem manageable -- or when they seem overwhelming but backing out is an option -- I rely on myself, thinking it's my own competence that's getting things done. When I'm in completely over my head, however, and have no option but to do it anyway, that's when I recognize it's God who's in control. So that's my prayer for this year -- that the deluge of new experiences, responsibilities and perspectives would not destroy me, but turn me toward the One who holds my life in His hands, and is far more wise and powerful than I.

Comments

lasselanta said…
I will be praying that for you, too.

Which WT family will you get to see in Paris?
kar0ling said…
Not a WT family, I don't think, but Cameroon people -- Sparks. I image you know them from FES?
lasselanta said…
Yes, I do know them from FES. I don't know them very well (I think I only spent 1 FES with them), but they're a great family.
Rebs said…
you left this morning on the plane, if all went well.
hope your travels are going well so far. update and let me know!

love you

Popular posts from this blog

What happened to the pledge?

To the 20 (re-elected) Liberal MPs who signed the Vote Palestine platform.  You signed the Vote Palestine platform.   The time to fulfill your pledge is now.  Gaza is facing mass starvation. This isn’t food scarcity. This is intentional blockage of food as a tool of genocide. Canada’s joint statement with 25 other nations called on all the parties to “uphold the obligations of international humanitarian law.”  But Israel has been flagrantly violating multiple obligations of international law almost daily since October 8, 2023 and certain on every day since Canada’s statement was released. There is no need to wait, to give Israel the benefit of the doubt to do the right thing.  “We are prepared to take further action”, the statement reads. So do it.  Canada must immediately impose a true arms embargo on Israel – a two-way arms embargo – and it must actually put it into force and close all loopholes.  Canada must immediately levy sancti...

Keep Canada a country of welcome

We're supposed to be grateful that we got a Liberal government instead of a Conservative one that would scapegoat immigrants. However, even under Trudeau, Liberals had subtly started to send the disgustingly popular message that Canada's social ills can be traced to our newcomer population, when in fact, in both housing and education (favourite victims of the blame immigrant narrative), the real villain is the federal government's funding cut backs.  And now Carney is blaming immigrants for health care too. Now he's claiming we can't afford to pay for health care for immigrants (as though we can afford to waste human potential by allowing folks to languish in untreated illness for lack of funds!) So here's a letter to the PM and the immigration minister to protest the cuts to immigration. This time from MCC. Mine, of course, has my own flavour added.  Click here to send your own. I am writing to you to ask that you keep Canada as a country of welcome.  Stop bl...

Letter writing success

Last week, several sources linked to a letter appealing to venerable Canadian scientist and nature advocate David Suzuki to withdraw from a supposed climate prize due to its deep ties to an unbashedly colonlialist Israeli organization. The JNF's claim to fame is planting trees in Israel. Pine trees. Non-native trees. Trees that are susceptible to wildfires. Trees intentionally planted atop forcibly-emptied Palestinian villages to try to erase their memory.  The letters worked. Suzuki withdrew. I hadn't gotten around to writing before I got the news. So when a follow up letter to other participants in the prize hit my inbox, I rushed to put my own spin on the letter and sign it. Send your own here I urge you to join David Suzuki in withdrawing from the upcoming Climate Solutions Prize (CSP) festival. CSP was instigated by the racist Jewish National Fund (JNF) of Canada with support from the Israeli government. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennet announced the launch of CSP...