A Non-Political Political Post

 

Here's a fun little story about e-scooters, city trails and municipal elections.

They're green now.  Those little scooters you can use to get around town.  I've never tried one myself, but when I'm walking along the city trails near our place, there are a few places where they are all lined up ready to go.  Often as not someone passes me on one.

This story didn't happen when I was walking though.  And I wasn't on the scooter myself either.  But it demonstrates something about getting around in different ways besides a car that surprised me.

I was driving from my house close to Belmont and Victoria, heading to a follow-up dentist appointment on Bridgeport just past the plaza but before you get to King Street.  These details will only matter to folks who think maps in their head, but the layout of this is part of the story.

At Belmont and Union, on Union, I had to stop rather suddenly because a man on an e-scooter came zipping out to cross at the crosswalk, still riding on the scooter.  He was going really fast!  That made me notice him, of course, and I'm so glad I did.  He wasn't wearing a helmet, and he looked like he actually could be dressed for office work, with a longer dark coat trailing out behind him.  Against any stereotype of reckless youth, he seemed a bit older to me.  Not as old as me, mind you, but not a wild kid either.  Graying hair, dress shoes.  Just zipping along the city trail on his way to who knows where.

I continued, and, hey, there he was again!  Crossing in front of me at a crosswalk, still on the city trail.  I couldn't help but notice, and also be somewhat impressed that he was making such good time if he was able to catch up to me.

So here's the thing.  He crossed in front of me three more times between our first encounter and my final destination!  The last time was just as I was pulling into the parking lot, and he was continuing his way on up to Waterloo.  That means he was able to make the very same time on his scooter than I did in my van.  All thanks to our city trails, and a willingness to ride that scooter at a decent speed.

Not only was that an interesting and amusing little thing that just happened there, but I also thought it was a good advertisement for the city's provision of both the trails and the scooters.  Whatever efforts are being made to reduce our carbon emissions by encouraging alternate modes of transportation, this seems to be working.  At least for this guy it did.

So thank you City of Kitchener.  And I guess I should say thank you to whatever municipal offices take care of these things.  The trails in our neighbourhood are well tended and pleasant for both walking and riding.  I don't want to take that for granted.

And it makes me realize that, off the top of my head, I have no sweet clue what part of our municipal government does take care of that.  And that makes me realize that I really have very little knowledge of municipal matters at all.  Which brings me to the elections happening this coming Monday. 

I am speaking just for myself here, but shame on me.  As someone who says they want to share the message of Jesus, and believes that His message was all about people being properly looked after, hadn't I better be at least basically informed about what's going on in my city?  Sure, about the trails, but also, and far more importantly, about the people?

Caveat:  In these days where the convolution of religion (with various belief systems) and politics (at all levels) seems more bent out of shape than usual, I am not on a soapbox to press for any specific agenda.  I am a pastor, not a politician, and I make a very clear distinction between those two.  Like I said, just speaking for myself.

But as a citizen, as a Christian citizen, I am seeking to becoming more engaged.  Not just with this election, although there is that.  But with what's going on in our neighbourhoods.  Voting is the very barest minimum we can do.  Informed voting is next up on the list.  Where it takes me from there will be interesting.

Base line is some reading.  And I offer this CTV Article Meet the Candidates as a place to begin.  Do your own research, of course.  Vote your own conscience, of course.

And if you're out on an e-scooter making good time riding around on the trails of the city, good on you!  Slow down a little at the crosswalks though.  And if you're driving around the city, pay attention at those crosswalks.  

Just sayin'.  

Of Rhythms and Rest

 

Friday:  Unexpected fall-vibe bouquet.  Definitely adding to autumn cheer on a rather cool and dampish day.

Saturday:  First since mid August with nothing on the calendar!  Loved the simplicity of the regular domestic rhythms.  Loved the sunshine, and getting out for my walk!

Sunday:  Happily stepped in when an extra person was needed with our children downstairs.  Shaving cream plus the Red Sea story plus kids makes for a highly tactile lesson that reminds us "God's in charge!"  To which we respond, "It's true!!"  Then an afternoon nap, which is a sacred Sunday afternoon practice.  

All of it made for a weekend of welcome rest; a break from the somewhat frenetic energy expended in last week's catch up of meetings and appointments, where I was out and off to something every single day.

This week is the first in a long time that I've blocked off as a "No Meeting Week," needful if I'm to get at the long (and exciting, but still long) list of tasks generated by all those meetings.  

So here's to making Mondays count!

To building good rhythms into our lives.

And the simple joys of autumn living.

Random Tuesday Reset

 

"Because of the LORD's great love

we are not consumed,

for His compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;

great is Your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

I honestly could not ask for a cozier way to begin what, for me, is a fresh start on the fall season.  I know.  School started on September 8th, and the first day of fall was officially on September 22nd.  I'm a little late to the autumn gate.

But having closed the cottage over Thanksgiving Weekend, and returning now to the city 'for the duration,' it feels like I am only now experiencing that lovely, uplifting inspiration that comes with the first day of what comes next for the rest of this calendar year.  Until January 1st, and that's it's own kind of reset.

There is SO MUCH to look forward to!

So here I go, riding on this morning's new mercies.  

I've got quite the list mapped out, so I'd better get started.

Hope you enjoy your leftover turkey and pumpkin pie, friends!!!

With a special thanks to our daughter and her family for hosting our meal yesterday!!!

Everything was amazing!!!

We don't take it for granted, just being together!!!

So Much More Than

 

"Thankfully, 

what God does 

is always bigger 

than our ability to contain it."

Craig D, Lounsbrough

Now until Him who is able to do immeasurably more

than all we ask or imagine,

according to His power that is at work within us,

to Him be glory in the church

and in Christ Jesus 

throughout all generations

for ever and ever.

Amen!

Ephesians 3:20-21

May your Thanksgiving celebrations 

be but a small representation

of all the 'more than' of your life!

Happy Thanksgiving!

So Much Bigger Than Me

 

On mornings like this I pretend my face is a solar panel for my soul.

The shorter days are coming.  Less light, less sky, less of being outside.

So right now I am here drinking it in, letting all of it in that I can -- for later.

Don't forget the way it makes you catch your breath, I instruct myself.  Remember the astonishment, the awe, the way it's all so much bigger than yourself.  Store up the wonder, the silence, the stillness.  

Be right-sized.  

Be empowered.  

Be hope-filled.

Tomorrow is closing day.

Appropriately, this is also Thanksgiving Weekend.

So.  Impossibly.  Grateful.

Not Today and That's Okay

 

A beauteous but blowy morning.  Sad (and safe) to say I won't be venturing out in the kayak until it settles down some.  That's the voice of experience talking.  Especially when I can see the water level is down a bit, which would change my route slightly, requiring a longer stint across the more open waters.

What's today, Thursday?  That's putting more pressure on my hope to complete 30 times around this season by the time we leave on Sunday.  Just two more times.  But prudence prevails and I will wait.  And I will leave it a 28 if that's what it ends up being.

I don't know, but I think there are some fairly decent advantages to having been around a while.  In our youth-obsessed culture we can overlook the benefits of later stages of life, and one of them is the ability to embrace a challenge without being driven by something to prove.

I say this as a person who has contended with a driven personality for most of my adult life up until....well, truth is I'm not really sure when I finally let it go.  I think it was a more gradual process.  And perhaps its still shows up from time to time.

But by now I like myself so much more.  I appreciate my modest accomplishments, and enjoy engaging in life's current opportunities, free of the angst that drove so much that was unnecessary and even foolish in my younger, less secure years.

Does it sound like I'm just giving myself an excuse?  Maybe.  But I have stories about going out when it wasn't smart to do so.  And you know what they say about trying to attempt to do the same thing expecting different results.  Or to coin a phrase, "Know your limit.  Paddle within it."

We'll get to some of the more specific tasks of closing over on the other property today, so there's plenty to do, and plenty to keep me moving.

Yup.  It's happening.

Stay wise, friends.  And happy Thursday.

Peanut Things

 

By the time we arrived and settled in yesterday, it was way past the usual 'tea time' on our deck when the chipmunks and blue jays stop by for peanuts.  No one was asking for anything.  Couldn't even see rustling out there at all.

But because I still had a large unopened bag of peanuts from our last time up here when the weather wasn't good and I didn't sit out on the deck much at all, and because this next week is the last we'll be up here this season, I decided to put out a few on the deck rail just to see who might be around.

Before I could finish spreading out the goods, before I was even half way down, my first customer came swooping from the trees, close enough and casually enough to suggest he was one of my 'regulars.'

Is it just me, or are their colours even more vibrant this time of year?  Perhaps there's more blue/brown contrast to make them stand out.  But whatever the reason, come on, isn't he striking?

I couldn't help but make a comparison here.  Small things matter.  In fact, we use the term 'peanuts' to mean something insignificant as in 'works for peanuts.'  And I wonder who might just we waiting for us to offer some small encouragement, a smile, a simple holding of the door for someone, letting the person with fewer grocery items go ahead of you in line, leaving the space for the car trying to merge into traffic, anything small and simple.  And what if that just made their day?  What if it was that small gesture of humanity that they've just been waiting for?

And what if we let doing those 'peanut' things bring us vibrant joy?  What if the joy we may be lacking in our lives is actually right there in front of us?  And all it costs us is 'peanuts?'

I'm not working from the deck this morning; a little too breezy and cool to stay concentrated on the tasks at hand.  But I'll still put out some peanuts for the joy of vibrant company that will still cheer me from the window.  

Hoping for less breezy and sunnier skies later today to see if I can get out in the kayak!

Joyful Wednesday everyone!