Written by my lovely wife! (**Whom is exceedingly brave! She loves to do wild, dangerous things..... like the upside down slide at West Ed Mall!! Its the pinkish red one seen in the background) You stand in a chute, a countdown ensues, following the floor suddenly opening beneath you, and your falling....!)
Yesterday, i took a sizable splinter out of my thumb. There's red skin there where it came out, but it doesn't hurt like crazy any more whenever its touched! Sometime between 10pm and 2 am, during my stretch of driving home, i had hours to myself to think and pray and process. I discovered that the splinter was gone! The pain I have felt whenever i think about Alberta was gone! Its still a little red and sore, but something significant changed.
As I prayed and drove, God did a shift in my heart. Our 3 years in Alberta isn't just something we lost, its a place where we gained! We spent the week in the warm hospitality of friends and spiritual family who treated us like royalty. God showed me just how alive and well the connections have stayed. My hats off and genuine thanks to Albertan hospitality! Our week in Entwistle was full, but somehow simultaneously relaxed and restful.
3 years ago, when we left Alberta, I said goodbye to everyone like this, "we'll be back in 2 months for 'so and so's' wedding, see you soon!" Well that 2 months till we were back turned into 2 years. Tj and I are a little sore from being with those we've missed so much, but we both feel released as well. Released to be 100% where we are now; Gimli, Manitoba. God has undoubtedly planted us here and now, and our root system draws from the South-East of Manitoba where we both grew up, and also draws from Alberta.
If you prayed for our trip, I deeply thank you, as it accomplished more in my heart than I thought possible.
I personally feel that our trip to Alberta felt like a splinter being removed from our hearts! Its still a little sore, but it doesn't hurt like before. I'm relieved that although everyone's lives have moved on, people haven't forgotten us! We hope we can visit again sooner than 2 years from now, but I feel peaceful that whenever it works, there will be friends waiting to receive us.
