Escaping Reality in Jasper by Steph Beth Nickel

Photo Credit: Dave Nickel

Opportunity of a Lifetime

If you could travel anywhere in the world where would it be?

After nearly 35 years of marriage, my hubby and I were able to travel to Alberta together. Dave worked in Jasper for two summers and a Christmas before we were married and he'd always wanted to show me his favourite places, some of which are pictured above.

Was it a restful vacation? In many ways it was. But we were, by no means, lazing around. In our two weeks out west, I walked more than I had in months. And I'd never hiked nine kilometres in one day before. 

Dave, at 62, was able to hike the Palisades in less time than he'd expected, two and a half hours up and two hours back. Now that was a day I stayed put, except for doing some laundry and walking around the town site. 

Escaping Reality

Are there times you just need to get away from it all?

For the first week in Jasper, I simply couldn't imagine getting back to business as usual. I didn't want to think about what was waiting for me back home or my regular routine. In fact, I was grateful to spend very little time online although I love connecting with friends and family and learning new things..

The Blessing of the Moment

Are you living in the Now?

Most people I know are busy running from one thing to the next to the next. When they're doing one task, they're thinking of the next thing on their To Do list. They're trying to keep all the balls in the air—or all the plates spinning—whichever analogy works best for you.

While on vacation, I sought to enjoy every moment, to get the most out of every day, to live in the Now. 

Inspiration

Where do you find inspiration?

Although I bought a cute journal and two Writer's Digest magazines in West Edmonton Mall our first day in Alberta, I wrote and read very little. But that doesn't mean the time away didn't give me an abundance of inspiration for future projects.

James 1:17 says, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change" (ESV).

My time out west was a wonderful gift ... as is my life here in Ontario.

What gifts are you thankful for this day?

"Preparing for the Trip" (Peter A. Black)

How I loved that little car – and it was small. Our ‘64 Austin ‘puddle-jumper’ was only forty-eight inches wide. My Beloved and I would pack a basket with sandwiches and hot coffee or cold drinks in a vacuum flask and head south from Aberdeen, Scotland, a couple of times a year for a weekend visit to our families in the Glasgow area.

Compared with what’s typical nowadays we travelled light, because we’d be staying with family,

(Google Free) Identical to our '64 Austin A35

'puddle-jumper' van.

taking the basics of a change of clothes and minimal toiletries. Once our first son was born we’d add his baby seat along with his necessary supplies – whatever food and clothes he’d need, and his diaper bag (mostly terry towelling supplemented with disposables), and several small soft toys.

It took us four hours on the old country route to complete the 150-mile journey, sometimes zipping along at 70 miles an hour and at times slowing down through small towns or to a crawl behind farming equipment. Once completed, the new motorway provided a faster, more direct route.

This reminiscence was prompted through our preparing for a recent summer trip—a one night stop-over. Whereas my wife, in her decisive pragmatic approach, gets her packing done in no time at all, Yours Truly makes a major task of it, waffling over what to take. People in my life are still baffled as to why I like to have some semi-formal dress-wear items on a mini vacation, shirts and ties, shoes and pairs of pants, and also several underwear changes (a given, of course!), and a bunch of other things.

However, I’ll spare you my lengthy litany of ‘just in case’ items— just in case we break down on the road; just in case the power goes off in the hotel; just in case the weather turns cold . . . 

I reflected on media interviews and news of residents fleeing the massive wild fires in BC and on the tremendous flooding in Southern USA. Many had no time to debate or dither about what to take with them, not even treasured or valuable items. They had to move—and fast! Their priority was to escape to safety and so leave, risking the loss of all else.

Courtesy: vlcs.org

Easy, soft living can lull us into a false sense of security and to losing sight of what really matters. Priorities become skewed and matters of true value can be pushed into the shadowed corners of our existence, until . . . Until we are awakened by the clarion call of necessity.

Courtesy: The Weather Channel

Courtesy: CTV News

May and I were involved in several funeral memorial services in past weeks and attended a number of others. One was of a lovely young man who lived his life showing kindness to others. His burning desire was to help people come to know and receive Jesus as Lord and Saviour and to find their hope in Him. But now he’s gone. His work here is ended. So sudden. So brief.

I cannot take my suit and tie with me. Perhaps I’ll be buried in such wear, but I’ll not really be there. I’ve fled to God for refuge and accepted His gifts of forgiveness and salvation. By His mercy and grace He’ll grant safe passage to my spirit on that final trip into His everlasting presence and peace.

Take refuge.

May we prepare now for life’s final trip: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). “. . . [He] has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son” (1 John 5:11).

~~+~~

Peter A. Black is a retired pastor  -  well, sort of  -  and lives in Southwestern Ontario. He writes a weekly inspirational newspaper column, P-Pep! and is author of Raise Your Gaze ... Mindful Musings of a Grateful Heart, and Parables from the Pond. ~~+~~

Border Crossings

This past summer, my husband and I once again traveled to the USA for a few weeks. I love the mountains and the super-friendly people in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho.

Over the years we have gone across this longest undefended border in the world many times, and in many different locations.

Some of the border crossings are extremely busy with long lineups. The crossing from Detroit to Windsor is always busy. The crossings that border some of the western provinces and states are much quieter – and typically more relaxed and friendlier.  There are no guarantees ever that it will be quick, though. One time a few years ago (pre-9/11 even), we were traveling back with our motorcycle and trailer and we were at a very small border crossing. We were expecting to be just waved on through with a few friendly questions, but I think we ended up being part of a border guard training session or something. We even had a dog sniffing through all of our belongings!

In Rachel’s Children, my latest romantic suspense, a secret organization has illegal cargo on board their vehicle as it crosses over the USA/Canada border.  Many lives are at stake and it is imperative that their hidden cargo remains undetected by the border guards.

Rachel’s Children is being launched in Winnipeg at McNally Robinson Booksellers on October 19 at 7:00 PM. Please join me if you can!
 

Dorene Meyer

www.dorenemeyer.com
www.goldrockpress.com      

Time-lapse summer - Nesdoly

Hubby's farm home

Ah summertime — the season of reunions.  I've been to two this year, complete with jaunts back to Saskatchewan. I usually anticipate them with just a touch of dread. But so far every reunion I have been to has turned out better than I ever expected.

This summer's were no exception. It was wonderful to reconnect with old high school friends in Dalmeny on the July long weekend. The July/August long weekend just past saw us reuniting with hubby's family.

About a hundred of us Nesdolys found our way to the Rosthern arena at some point between July 29th and 31st. We did the usual reunion things—eat, visit, play games, look at pictures, eat, visit the homesteads and the cemeteries, eat some more, then line up in families for mass photo shoots.

One of the 30-somethings had put together a family photo slide show that looped throughout the three days. What fun to see the aunties and uncles—most no longer with us—in their somber 40's wedding poses, then the babies that were us, and the next generation that looked a lot like us, and on and on ...

The barn looks like some of us feel

One thing that hit me harder this reunion than any so far is how our kids are becoming the middle-aged ones and we the oldies. As parents, uncles and aunts slip away, suddenly we're the senior generation. Mind you, it's pretty obvious if you look at us, with our salt-and-pepper hair, lined and wrinkled faces, wattled necks and sagging middles. 

The summer kitchen - a deserted hazard

A visit to Grandpa Tim's farm site impressed on me even more the fact that nothing stays the same. The poor barn there looks like some of us feel.  The house is still liveable but hubby said immaculate housekeeper Auntie P. would have a conniption if she saw the current state of it. The summer kitchen is a deserted hazard.

We slogged through shoulder high grass and thistle to get to hubby's old farm home. His workboot from when we visited last ten years ago is still there but now, like too many family members, has lost its partner. The driveway has all but disappeared. It seems everything is getting covered, or stolen, or erased by time.

Farm home - a visit to the past

The boot has lost its partner

It's a sobering reminder of the brevity of life. Oh, I'm very familiar with the verses that describe man being as ephemeral as grass or smoke. But it's quite another thing to see that transience playing out like time lapse photography all around you. It's a challenge too, to fill  the days left with as much love and caring, joy and music, laughter and worship, photographs and good food as each will hold.


This post is linked to "In, On, and Around Mondays: Art is a Touchdown" at Seedlings in Stone. Come on over and join in the conversation.

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Website: www.violetnesdoly.com

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While I Am Away - Nesdoly

Have you taken your summer vacation yet? Here's a vacation every true-blue writer would love to take, despite the fallout:









While I Am Away

While I am away
hiking the hills and valleys of plot
people-watching memories
then eavesdropping mumbled conversations
spelunking caves of character and motivation
running rapids on Verb River
storm-chasing metaphors and similes...

the laundry basket
grows obese with ironing
new life forms of pink, green and black
take up residence in the bathroom
kitchen floor becomes a banquet table
spread for ants
and the ripe redolence
of the last brown banana
nourishes yet another
generation of fruit flies.

© 2004 by Violet Nesdoly (first published in Calendar)

Happy vacation everyone — whatever vacation you're on!

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Website: www.violetnesdoly.com

Personal blog promptings 

Kids' daily devotions Bible Drive-Thru

Daily Devotions for adults: Other Food: daily devo's

A poem portfolio