I found it hard to choose a theme for this week鈥檚 article, not because there weren鈥檛 ideas in my head but rather that there were so many.聽
On a positive note, our son arrived this weekend for a short but most welcome visit. On a more sombre note, it鈥檚 been months since we first planned a get-together. COVID restrictions kyboshed that one, but back to a positive note, this much anticipated time is Len and his wife鈥檚 added demonstration of their love and care to us.聽
As if we haven鈥檛 heard enough of COVID, it鈥檚 great to see that our provincial number of cases continues to decline. One not-so-celebratory aspect of this is that there still are folks who refuse to acknowledge the severity of the pandemic and consequently, who refuse to take precautionary measures as stressed by our provincial government.聽
Above all of this, however, is the gut wrenching and heartbreaking revelations of the pain and death of so many Indigenous children forced into residential schools. We live fairly close to a First Nations territory and I have a number of friends from there. In speaking with them, I鈥檓 amazed at the strength they鈥檝e displayed in choosing to move forward. Their local government and ours work together on a number of projects and I am extremely proud of all of those involved.聽
Divisions and challenges have faced humanity throughout all of history. I doubt that there is anyone reading this article who hasn鈥檛 come face-to-face with seemingly insurmountable difficulties nor, hopefully, with times of great joy and rejoicing. Ups and downs we call them.聽
Let鈥檚 never forget that belonging to Jesus Christ doesn鈥檛 exempt us from the severity of the 鈥渄owns鈥� but neither from the hope that is found in Him. Amen.聽
鈥淢y yoke is easy and My burden is light.鈥� (Matthew 12:30)聽
