Little Fish in a Big Pond

Saturday is the big day. Over the last year I have been working with a small committee to plan, organize and lead an annual event called the Children in the Church Series held at Vancouver School of Theology. It has been an interesting experience because this is the only event that this theology school offers for those working with children in the church and they really don't seem invested in it. It has been quite the challenge to work with the faculty to plan this event. It almost seems like this event is a big pain and nuisance to them instead of recognizing that it is a hugely important. Anyways, the committee and I have worked hard and we are excited to have 70 people registered from four different denominations; United, Anglican, Lutheran and Presbyterian. We are also excited to offer childcare this year (for the first time!) and have two staff people organizing a program for five children who are coming. Bruce Harding will be offering music leadership and Jane Garland will be our keynote speaker. Jane is a child psychologist and clinical professor at Vancouver Children's Hospital and UBC. She will be speaking on the topic of "Spiritual Parenting". I can't wait! It's going to be a great day!

Adoption Update

Will 2010 be the year? Next week marks 30 months since I began the adoption process.

30 months....

It hasn't been easy and at times I have felt incredibly frustrated with the whole thing however I continue to wait with anticipation, hope and patience. In mid-March I will be assigned a new adoption worker serving the Fraser Valley (where I now live for those of you not in BC). This further delay is to give me time to get my house organized since moving in late November; a request of my current adoption worker. I am determined to continue so whatever is required I will do.

I met with my adoption worker today. She said that there are lots of children in the system right now however there haven't been any recent inquiries about my file. So in other words, nobody has expressed interest. My worker has been checking children's files but has yet to come up with a match. It's really an awkward and somewhat prejudice process.

So I ask for prayer this day. If you are one to pray then please pray for my adoption and for the children in this world who just want and need loving homes. I think of the 154 children arriving in Canada today from Haiti, who will soon be adopted by new loving parents. What a gift!

On Retreat

I begin my annual spiritual retreat this afternoon on Bowen Island. A beautiful small island off of North Vancouver and a twenty minute boat ride. It's a special place and one that I love to visit. When not at the retreat centre (which is an incredible place of its own!) I will spend time in the chocolate shop, cafe, pottery store and art gallery. As it's an island, the art scene is booming and there are always really neat things to look at. There is also a great lake to hike around. I always think its neat to have a lake in the middle of a small island so when you go walking you can see the ocean or the lake. The work I will be doing while on retreat will be program planning. I also have a bunch of new books to check out. On Tuesday I will spend a couple of hours with a spiritual director. What a gift!

Haiti

Blogging about anything else this week just doesn't seem to feel right. The people in Haiti and those who have loved ones there really need our prayers.

50,000 people....... 50,000 people have died.

It's amazing how one one day an entire country can change. Tuesday, January 13, 2010 is now a date in the history books for the world. Please hold this entire situation in prayer this week and if you can, make a donation for Haiti Earthquake Relief to an approved association. Unfortunately when situations like this happen many fraudulent humanitarian aid companies appear.

Back to School!

I missed the first week of classes while I was in Hawaii so week #2 begins tomorrow. I already have a paper due! This semester I will work full time and take two classes; addictions and counseling. It's going to be really REALLY busy but it's only for fifteen weeks and then it will be over. The only thing that may become unmanageable is Holy Week (the week between Palm Sunday and Easter) as it tends to be incredibly busy in the church and I already know that I have a final term paper and final exam happening in and around that time. After this semester I will have three classes left, one of which I hope to PLAR (prior learning assessment aka. skip it!) and all being well I will be graduating Winter 2011.

Aloha!

I just returned home from a wonderful trip to Hawaii. A great time of rest and renewal with my Dad. It was a great trip to catch up on some much needed sleep and just escape the busy world for a few days. The weather was pretty good too, in the eighties! I read one book and a ton of magazines, I walked lots (2 hours each day) and I spent as much time possible with my Dad as I hadn't seen him in ten months. We had a great time together. On my final day we went to Pearl Harbour and watched the USS Missouri be relocated from dry dock to Battleship Row. It has just undergone four months of renovations. It was incredible and for those of you on Facebook I have posted photos so check them out. Aloha & Mahalo!

Remembering Jeff

As of 3pm today I started my two week vacation. It couldn't have come at a better time. I am exhausted and this Christmas week turned into a tragedy. A young adult connected to my former congregation was in a car accident and died, along with his best buddy. There car ended up in the river and drowning is suspected. They were both 26 years old. They died Christmas morning. I can't even imagine what their parents are going through. The memorial service will be on Thursday and by then I will be out of the country. I ask you all to hold the Ogden Family in your prayers.

In the today's Vancouver Sun newspaper there is a great photo and article.
You can find it here.