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Dear Sister,
This morning I am using
my floor-scrubbing time to reflect on "good bye".
It's interesting to note that the word 'goodbye' actually is
a contraction, from Old English, of "May God be with you".
Ed is out running to
raise some funds for the local care center. I stayed home
to do some of the countdown clean-up for the
Open House we are having here this afternoon. Yes, we
have made the decision-- and a hard one it was-- to move
from safe, sunny and 'child-friendly' Saskatoon to Nanaimo,
B.C. We don't know a lot about living in Nanaimo, other
than we have been warned that it is a haven for the most
notorious outlaw biker gang. My younger brother once
attended Malaspina College and now our son in the
Philippines states that he would like to pick up his
education degree there when he and his family come to Canada
next year-- and, could we live together? Hmmm. With the
prospect of our first grandchild as part of our household,
this is really a no-brainer for Ed and me. So, we are
looking for a house with a suite and hoping that our real
estate agent there (an old friend of Ed's brother) will be
in 'the know' and avoid any houses near violent neighbors.
Our younger son also lives on Vancouver Island, so the
prospect of being near him, of seeing him more than the
current two or three times a year, is very attractive.
The Climate. Yes, I know
that it rains a good deal more than is healthy for anyone
from the sunny prairies, but just to know that it is
unlikely that I will need to buy a new super-insulated
wardrobe every year is heartening.
But then there is my Mom
and Dad, growing daily more frail in their downtown
Saskatoon apartment. This does cause me no little guilt.
The fact is that I will likely be back and forth quite a
bit, and I have assured them of that.
And then there is other
family and friends... Ed and I plan to have a large enough
place to accommodate visiting families.
Last Friday we gathered
to say goodbye to a lovely young family from our Church who
will be spending a year in Ottawa. There is a blessed
assurance among Christians that these partings will not be
permanent, but that someday we will all "meet at Jesus'
feet."
And I know from having
seen many dear friends move away that there is this
mysterious thing that happens in our Central Church: new
families move in. Our old friends are not 'replaceable' of
course, but there is a great deal of comfort in meeting and
befriending newcomers.
The future of "Angel
Co-op" is up in the air, at present. Is there anyone out
there who would like to take it on, or share the putting
together the newsletter occasionally? Let me know!
Until next we meet,
May God be with you!
(Goodbye)
Your sister in Christ,
Cynthia
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