Well it's about quarter after midnight and I can't sleep for the moment. Here I am in Toronto for the week with a miserable cold. Wouldn't you know! It started to come on at the Thunder Bay airport while I was waiting for my plane to arrive and it's just got worse since then. Fortunately, I have a big room with all the comforts of home, (well, almost) so I can make myself a cup of tea and boil water on the stove to steam myself too.

Work up home is really slow right now...it's been that way for months. I've been flipping back and forth from EI to work and back again. However, with all the time off I was able to get a lot more outside work done this summer. The weather was terrific, so we had a really good garden and I had lots of time to work at it, for a change. We had one of the longest frost free summers on record! I think the last frost we had in the spring was second week of May and didn't see frost again till the first week of Sept. I also finished the greenhouse, (finally) so I still have peppers and tomatoes in the ground there. Now I can't wait till next spring to see how early I can get everything started.

The rest of the family is doing well. Our son is in Afghanistan with the US military. He has been in the Military for over 2 years now and has lead 14 fellow soldiers to the Lord. One fellow claimed to be an atheist but with a lot of prayer and persistance Jamie led him to the place where he saw the need to accept Christ. Just happened one night on base (still in the US) out in the yard by the propane tanks. A couple of weeks later, he went to Iraq and was reported killed. Made me wonder how many times I've failed to witness to someone and then they are out of my life, for whatever reason, and may someday be in a lost eternity because I didn't use that opportunity.

I get to see my littlest girl, ya the 32 year old, here in T.O. tomorrow, Lord willing. I have Thursday off so she's going to stay here tomorrow night and if the weather holds out we plan to go golfing. There's a nice little course across the road from where I'm staying. Tomorrow is the last day of my first course and I suspect it will not be a long day. Hard to believe I'm still taking courses at my age. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? Untill I got this cold I didn't feel all that old either.

Well, I'm going to read for a bit then try to sleep again.

Keep looking up

B.

Hello everybody. Well, here I go trying to blog on here whilst talking to a couple of daughters on msn at the same time. (also, my laptop seems to be acting up a bit)

Good message at Church today. Pastor spoke from Zechariah--the whole book. He's been going through one minor prophet per week and I've been kinda trying to keep up by going through the book the week before on my own. I only made it throught 8 chapters and I had at least two weeks to do it. Of course, it's just a summary of the book but man is there ever a lot of good stuff in there. I really enjoy studying the OT. It's so cool to see where it all leads to.

Starting out in a new Church in a small town is interesting, to say the least. No matter where you go you know a lot of the people there and I guess most are wondering what's up. It's good to be welcomed with no questions though. Right now I need to focus on my personal life with the Lord and that's it. I don't want to let my relationship with Him suffer. I also need to see where and what He's leading me into next. Doesn't look too great from my point of view, but then that's just me, I need to rely on Him and I know that. That doesn't make it any easier sometimes. It sure is great to have a few good Christian friends at times like this. Meeting one of those for coffee in the a.m. Hope to take the bike out for one last blast at the same time.

Anyhow, that's about enough for now. Keep looking up, everyone and I'll try to do the same

Barry

Don't know if anyone is actually going to read this but here goes. I haven't blogged in quite awhile-since July of last year, actually. What a difference a year can make! Oh I know, I'm still living in the same place doing the same work and serving in the same capacity at the same Church. But from there on it gets a bit different. I've been struggling with a personal difficulty for almost 4 years now and it's beginnning to wear on me and my wife. It seems that everything is looking up one day then down the next. It's not that quick a change of course, but it seems so. Just when I think there is going to be some reconciliation another bomb seems to drop. There was a time I believed God was calling me into some kind of ministry but now I'm not sure. I'm nearly to the point now where I believe it's time to leave my beloved Church family and move on the somewhere else. The problem is, I don't know where. In some ways I feel as if it is simply Satan who is seeing what could happen here and wants me out but it's hard to tell. Wish I could say more because I realize this is all pretty vague but that's about the extent of what I can reveal without getting too specific and breaking confidence etc.

Anyhow, I hope to take some time off this summer with my wife and just get away for a bit. That should help. Also, it's only a couple of weeks till the big conference in Louisville and I know that will be a great blessing too.

That's about it for now. I'll try to get back here soon and also to try to be more positive.

Till then, keep looking up.

What a great Sunday yesterday was! Summer schedule and all it was great to be in God's house with His people. Twice. Bible class is a bit different for the summer but a great study just the same. We are watching a series by RC Sproul with much discussion, of course. Then, last nite kicked off the summer evening service rotation at Murillo. I believe next week is at Ft William Baptist. Pastor Carson spoke on the greatest verse. John 3:16, no surprise, but he broke it into 11 parts-11 great parts and it was very challenging. I thought I would enjoy the time away from teaching for the summer, and I guess I do to a point, but I find that I miss the classroom activity too.

Had a great summer so far too. The last time I was on here, I was looking forward to being in Calgary to visit family and attend a wedding. Seems like yesterday, but it's already been almost 2 months. As a matter of fact, there was a brutal snow storm the day we left. It was actually a cold week, but we had a really great time. The wedding was a real spiritual blessing and we got to visit with some friends that we haven't visited with in a long time. The irony is, they only live a few miles from our house in the same township as we do. Funny how that happens.

That's about all for now. Have to get back to work here.

Til later, keep looking up. Barry

Well, here I am back to the old grind. Managed to get away to Minneapolis for a weekend with Kathy and it was a great time. It just re-inforces how important it is to spend some quality time with each other every now and then. Sunday was kind of bitter sweet, however. We went to a church in the area where a preacher we knew was filling the pulpit only to find he's no longer there. We didn't get a whole lot of details, nor did we want any, just that he 'slipped and fell'. Nothing too radical, I understand, just enough to take him out of the pulpit. I'm reminded, at times like this, of a dear friend who suddenly left his wife for another woman many years ago. I was shocked to say the least because he had always been such an outstanding Christian example. I remember thinking at the time how much of that may have been my fault because I had failed to uphold him in prayer while he worked out of town all week. The truth is, I hadn't thought he needed it! What a mistake that is. We are responsible to hold up our brothers and sisters in prayer and, when you think of it, the more effective or high profile they are, the more they need to be prayed for.

So pray for a brother or sister today. More than one if you like.

Till next time, keep looking up. B.