I was born on a different world. A place where you could buy a family house on a decent sized lot for less than I can now buy a good used car. A place where we kids rode our bikes all over the neighborhood and our parents never worried. Most homes had both parents. Most families never locked their doors. People greeted each other on the sidewalk, and even stopped to chat with strangers. People knew the names of their neighbours up and down the street.
Somewhere along the line it all changed. Today I pass people on the street, earbuds in, eyes averted or set to the horizon. My neighbours next door steer the car into the garage, the door goes down and they enter the house, never being seen from the street. A new SUV costs three times what my parents paid for their house - the only one they lived in during their 50+ years of marriage.
Across my six and a half decades I have witnessed lots of change. Following a high school career in the early 70s, that gave me a love for reading, football, swimming and a church youth group, I pursued pastoral studies in both Toronto and Vancouver, and settled into a pastoral charge in the 80’s on the west coast. A penchant for work and a tragic inability to say “no!” meant I was heavily involved in denominational duties, pastoral work, teaching at the Seminary, earning a doctorate. The church grew, the students loved me, people noticed me, and I came dangerously close to burn out.
I relocated to Ontario in the 90s but unfortunately the bad work habits of the previous decade continued. Eventually it cost me a marriage and a career change. I shifted gears to secular teaching, pursued computer certifications with some major software vendors and spent another decade as a software and network engineer, systems administrator and corporate trainer. It was busy, with times of excitement seeing students achieve their potential, but it was nowhere near the fulfillment of purpose that I had experienced when doing Christian ministry.
In 2006 I was invited to join a small and growing Canadian Christian charity – The Gideons. For the next almost 15 years I served in many capacities with the business, ministries and international teams. God graciously allowed me a second chance at ministry, and the skills I had developed in the pastoral and business settings became beneficial for moving the work ahead in the charitable sector.
In 2001 I remarried and was blessed with a wife who has grown into a godly example and supportive partner. Sue works with a Christian counselor as an office administrator, and we serve together in various duties at our local church. We love to travel – although in these days of Covid-19 that has been heavily curtailed.
Now I have entered official retirement whatever that really means. I hope to write and study, as well as use my skills to help charitable causes. Once Covid restrictions lighten, I hope to spend time with my two grandchildren, imparting equal amounts of wisdom and candy.
Thanks for looking up this blog. I hope over time you may return once in a while and find the musings worth the time. God bless you.