It's Just Ten Bucks

Lou Gehrig ’s disease, that’s what we called it when I was growing up.  I’m sure that some folks actually referred to it as ALS but I was an adult before it was anything but Lou Gehrig ’s disease to me. I was just a kid when I saw the movie “Pride of the Yankees” but I would always define the disease in the light of the Yankees’ first baseman.  And so last week I accepted the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.  I sent ALS Canada ten bucks, and sent some more to World Hope Canada, and had a bucket of ice water dumped on my head after church. 

I marvel at the success of the viral campaign that has raised over 100 million dollars, at last count, to support the victims and families of ALS as well as funding research and public awareness of the disease. 

And I understand that there are those who aren’t interested in giving the ten bucks and being soaked in ice water and that’s fine, but it’s frustrating when people pour ice water on the concept and try to dissuade people from donating.   Because wouldn’t it would be a travesty if the cure wasn’t found for the want of a bucket of ice water and ten more dollars?

Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

Behind My Self

I was walking down the hall at the hospital the other day when I suddenly realized that I was following myself.  And I was intrigued. I have been beside myself on different occasions but I had never been behind myself.  Now understand, I wasn’t actually following myself, but it seemed that way.  The guy I was following looked like me from behind, the same style of clothes, my size, the same distinguished hair colour (that means grey), he even walked like me.  Well, we got to an intersection and he turned in the opposite direction to where I was planning on going, but I followed him, after all, I had to know, what if it was me?  What a relief when we got to the elevator and he turned and I was looking in the face of a stranger.

I wonder what people think when they look at my walk.  Not my physical walk but the walk that is my life, how I act and react to what comes my way.

I hope that the world never looks at Denn and thinks, “Wow, he walks just like us”.  Because if we consider ourselves to be Christ followers then we are supposed to walk like He walked, not like the world walks. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.

Why?

How do you react in the face of tragedy when life doesn’t seem fair?  The folks on Grand Manan Island have had more than their share of tragedy over the past couple of months.  Since June there have been six tragic deaths on the island.  Now I understand that most deaths are tragic for someone, but each of these deaths were preventable in some way, shape or form.  A tree cutting accident, a car accident, an aborted landing, a suicide and a man was killed when his RV rolled over him.  Six deaths in a population of less than 2,50o.  Imagine if there had been 900 accidental deaths in Halifax in the same period of time. The Ebola outbreak would have to kill over 15,000 people in Sierra Leone to feel the same affect.  

And the tragedy affects most of the population. I am one generation removed from Grand Manan and I knew two of those folks, at least peripherally and was related to another one, at least peripherally.

And there are no easy answers.  At times such as these we have to trust that God is still on his throne.  And while we might not be able to offer answers to those left behind, we can offer our love and support. Have a great week and remember: To see what is really possible, you will have to attempt the impossible.