Almost The End, But Near The Beginning

Hard to believe it is almost the end of the year.  Harvey and Pearl are doing marvelous.  And I am doing good too.  :-)

As said, it has been a jam-packed year.   Highlights for me were the Annual Meeting notes, going to Vancouver to stay with family, and hangout with my friend Leanne.   I absolutely loved that visit down there.  I hadn't been there in so many years and it was wonderful to see the changes and feel the excitement of the city.

A lot happened this year though.  I went to college in the evenings and weekends until the end of June (felt like walking in a daze many days due to working full-time).  Then a week after finishing the program I had a motorcycle accident and was pretty much in bed or had my arm strapped to my chest until the end of summer.  And then my college was affected by the new immigration laws in Canada so I was laid off.  However, I was then hired by the school district.  ...I guess it's kinda been like a Jerry Seinfeldt episode.  Up - down - up - down was the formula for that show. :-)  Anyway, I truly am grateful to good family, but most of all Jehovah God for how it all ended, because all good things ultimately go back to him.  And there were so whips and turns to it all, but in the end it all came together even better than I could have imagined.  I am loving working for the school district.  And I have my online and private students that just round it all out.   ...When I was driving to town the other week, for the first time, I genuinely had a feeling of true contentment since moving here.  I often reminded myself of what Warren Crowe used to say years ago (brother from Vancouver area)...every situation is 10% reality and 90% your perspective on it.  In some ways moving to the Okanagan has been like trudging up a hill with a box of rocks, not pushing it (because that would have been a bit easier), but rather pulling it.  Just limited with work and lower wages than other places.  It seemed like there was never enough to make ends meet.  Blessing or a curse - all depends what we do with it, and how we look at it.  I saw a movie called Nicky's Family, about a man that saved children during the Holocaust. True story.  In the end it was said that the people that helped the most generously were the people that were the poorest - they had the least so they helped the most.  So maybe hardship isn't easy at times in life, maybe it teaches us something valuable for when we encounter others in difficulty.

Now I am looking forward to the new year.  I have some projects to finish in the RV so that we can take off for the summer.  Would love to go to Goose Neck canyon for hiking in Utah but am open to other ideas too.  Can't hardly wait til it all happens though. Starting those final projects in March, and will show everyone as they proceed. :-)

Anyway, I hope that all of you have a wonderful beginning to your year too.  One day it will be the last year we have on this side of Armageddon, so make the most of it. :-)  Remember, 10% / 90%, and when we (as in you and I) undergo hardships we may hit this year, just remember that it may be polishing us for something more coming our way, or preparing us to step up to help someone else with something that hits them. :-)

Love to all,
d  :-)