A PERFECT day

The famous tire swing with Madison, Miller, Medo, Grace, Shalom and Jack .

How quickly autumn has settled in and the memories of summer soon seem distant. Just a few days ago I asked my eldest granddaughter, Madison what her favourite memory was of Summer 2008 and she mentioned that she loved our date in our beloved Granville Island. It was a perfect day….

The sun was shining…we were there with our six grandchildren and and doing all of our favourite Burns traditions which always includes a time in the playground and a wild and crazy ride on the tire swing….shopping in the toys shops, buying some toys and a book or two, wandering through the markets and choosing what we will enjoy for lunch…. but it is always the same; freshly made bagels with cream cheese, and deli meats, a variety of fresh seasonal fruit, and coffees.  The day is never complete until we have stopped for dessert at the gelato shop for the yummiest treat of all.

Ice Cream for all

Sometime while we were browsing in the markets, I would have stopped to buy a bag or two of seeds at the granary, because we HAVE to feed the pigeons. This is is my favourite time of all… the sun is shining, the world seems perfect as six yummy grandchildren feed the pigeons, chase the pigeons and giggle to their hearts content. It feels like heaven to me… a sound I love, a place I love, and I am with the people I love.

While summer with filled with many heartwrenching times for us as a family, it seems miraculous to me that we can create a perfect day when we take the time to laugh, to listen and to remember the wonder of love and the treasure of family. Here’s to many more PERFECT days.

Helen

Life continues full on in every way

Mom and Dad Burns

We had a full weekend starting with my father-in-law being taken to the hospital Friday morning in an ambulance… he had passed out in his home.  Helen called me at 7:30 on the golf course as she sped to the hospital.  He had been coughing relentlessly for the last 3 months and was diagnosed with pneumonia… they have him on IV antibiotics and 24 hour watch.  Our day was booked with full on ‘Relate Show’ TV taping for the second day in a row, so we rearranged it a bit and I started taping interviews without her.  After seeing her dad get settled and safe in the hospital, Helen joined me and we finished taping 3 more shows.

Saturday morning we had a great turn-out at Stanley Park for our annual Mercy Ministries Walk fund raiser… it poured rain but that didn’t deter the hundreds of supporters and tens of thousands of dollars were raised as a result.  Just days prior we had signed off on the final architect plans for the renovation to our new home that we purchased this year and everyone was excited about the progress.

Helen and I shared the pulpit this weekend preaching a message on The Revolution of ONE being the Revelation of ONE, which is all about serving.  Our focus was how we could serve our community.  We celebrated the one year anniversary of our East campus with a great BBQ following our East service.  It was great to see the growth that this last year has brought.

Sunday morning on the way back to our Surrey campus I was listening on my phone to Helen preaching in the service and I hear her tell the congregation that she had just had a call saying the my mom had just been taken back to the hospital.  She is on Chemo for her third round and her temperature began to spike up and down with usually indicates infection which is very dangerous when on Chemo.

So we spent the afternoon visiting in the hospital back and forth between Helen’s dad and my mom.  It has been a season of many tears.  Helen’s dad is doing great and we have great expectations for him.  My mom is not doing that great but we do believe in miracles. 

Sunday night was a great Team ONE Rally at our Surrey campus and I learned to never take a time like this for granted.  Family is everything!  Our church family is so healing for Helen and I.  Thank you Lord for church!

Now, I’m trying to juggle all this and focus on one of the biggest events of the year for us… our MVP men’s conference starting this Friday night… please help by getting the word out to everyone you can and register all the males in your world at www.victorychristiancentre.org/mvp  - Thanks!

john

check out this swing… I’m jealous!

I had a great early round of golf with Wes Friesen this morning.  He hits it a mile!!!  Check out this shot of him just after he  pounded a drive about 300 yards.  I was working on not being jealous.  If I hit my best, it only goes about 250 yards.

Early morning golf has turned into a great way for me to hang out with God, hang out with friends and get a little greatly needed exercise.  They say the weather is going to change soon, so I’m enjoying it while I can.

I’m looking forward to our men’s conference coming up in a couple of weeks.  I’ve been a little out of the loop so most of the preparations have been done by others and what a great team we have.  The registrations a pouring in every day (http://familyvictory.com/mvp/sept_conf.html) and we have everything ready for our best ever mvp conference.

My Heart Trusts…

I opened my eyes this morning to the most spectacular sunrise and felt Heaven say, “Good Morning”. I felt the hugest warm hug envelop me and tell me today would be a great day because I could put all that concerns me in God’s care.

You see today we are taking my beautiful Mom, Elsy to the hospital for a complete knee replacement surgey this morning, and then my Dad  and I will go to Vancouver General Hospital where he will have a P.E.T. scan. There is ’something’ that his oncologist wants to check out as ‘it’ could be a cancerous tumor or as she said, ‘it could just be a lump of fat’. I’m truly hoping for the lump of fat, especially since he is weighing in these days at less than 150 pounds ( he used to be way over 200). So my heart trusts.

John so often says that ‘Life is a journey, not from here to there… but from who we are to who we are becoming’. I have realized in this incredibly challenging time that I am changing – my heart feels different. Though many things have truly rocked my world, my heart is rock solid as it is secure in the One who holds me safely and I know He will never let me or those He loves go.

I will admit that I have felt often felt fragile and ’small’, and many tears have fallen… and yet I have felt the security of the arms of my wondrous God. I see how He is carrying those who my heart is reaching to, and know that it is a good morning and His love is waiting for me to be experienced.

It’s going to be a great day!

Lots of love,

Helen xx

PS: Are you ready for/having a great day?

my late summer mornings hanging with God on the golf course

7:00 AM Sept 11, 2008 Peace Portal Golf Course

I love my early mornings.  I usually get to the golf course by about 6:00 AM and if I play by myself, I finish just before 8:00 AM… that is a GOOD workout!  I almost jog the course and I love it.  It is my time where God and I just enjoy each others company and I set my course for the day.

There was a day when I would obsess about playing better every day… I used to be very competetive.  Now, I’m just average competetive and I’m enjoying playing a lot more.  The events of late (Joe’s untimely passing and our parents’ health issues) have highlighted the need to enjoy every moment of every day.  (My score is somewhat respectable… it usually floats somewhere in the 80’s.)

I’m looking forward to the weekend – church, of course, but also we are getting together with a bunch of old friends from Williams Lake… John Balzer, the pastor of the Church we used to attend in WL has called for a reunion this Sunday.

I have been personally challenged

 

My brother Joe’s life has challenged me.  He was a hero to many people.  His funeral overflowed with young and old singing his praises because he served.  Joe was not the one to stand out… he wasn’t the most talented, smartest, richest or strongest.  He just served others.  He loved to cook for others and his only reward was the smile he got in return.  He loved his family and with three boys found himself helping out in the sports arenas which led him to baseball and eventually becoming Mr. Baseball for little league.

 

The challenge is the heart to serve.  Jesus defined a great heart as one that serves.  I have been impacted by Joe’s life.  We can make a difference… just serve.

almost 31 Hrs and counting on my way home

Again, sitting the London Heathrow airport on my way home.  I left my hotel room in Kampala 31 hours ago and it is still a couple more before my 9 hour flight leaves for home sweet home.  I am very glad I went on this trip… it has been worth more than words could tell.  It was the therapy I needed after witnessing my Brother Joe’s passing 10 days ago.  It is all about perspective.  When Joe died, heaven became that much closer again. And, being in Uganda seeing the phenomenal fruit of sowing our lives into the ministry of the Gospel, every moment became that much more vital.  I am coming home with total resolve to live every moment with intensity, gratitude and purpose.

Tomorrow will be a big day… Joe’s funeral.  I hope to say some words at the funeral service in the Catholic church, words that would help us all make the most of Joe’s life and memory to inspire us to live for eternity, which is only found in living for God.  The reception after will be help at our Surrey campus and I hope to have hungreds of volunteers eager to serve those that come… I count it a great privilege to have our congregation serve my family and Joe’s friends. 

Please pray for a great day tomorrow,

john