A celebration of two milestones.

That's milestones, not mill stones.

Recently, we headed south to the good old sunshine state. We have not been there since the children were much younger. We decided that a holiday was much needed and since we did not head further south this winter, O Cuba I missed you, my beloved in her usual way found us an amazing holiday at an even better deal. This amazing woman of Dutch descent has made it a practice to find us the best holiday and the best price. Suffice it to say that she found us a great deal. We had a great time in the pool and everywhere else. We are already planning next years trip.

Oh yes, the milestones. On April 4/11 my beloved and I celebrated 30 years of married bliss.  Now truthfully no one has ever had a marriage that was perfect and our is not. However, over the years we have learned that two key factors are necessary to make a marriage work: they are Love and Respect. They are based on the biblical directive that a "husband should love his wife and a wife should respect her husband".

We have learned that these two make a marriage much better. We are thankful for the amount of time we have had together and we remain best friends as well as lovers and never strangers. We have also learned that communication is not the key to marriage, understanding is.

The other milestone is that while we were in Florida I celebrated my 25th anniversary of working for the Crown Corporation that is under the auspices of the Ontario Ministry of Labour. Twenty-five years of doing pretty much the same job is a long time. I love my job and enjoy getting up every a.m. to attempt to meet the challenges that are presented to me.

I have much to be thankful for. These are not millstones. Sadly some people see their marriage and their jobs as such. It can be so much better, trust me. It's based on our attitude. We need to have an attitude of servanthood rather than one of authority.

Happy May 24/11 weekend. I wish I was sitting in Lakeside Park as the RUSH song says:

"sitting in the sand to watch the fireworks display" 

Sadly, those days are gone, but the dreams and the memories live on forever.

Is celebrating a death ok?

Over the past days I have heard much about the death of Bin Laden.

Much has disgusted me. Much about him, if not all disgusted me also. He was responsible for the deaths of many, probably not just on 9/11.

I recall video of him celebrating the "successes" of the 19 hijackers and I was shaken by the morbid happiness demonstrated by himself and his co-conspirators.

Now we see many celebrating his death. Are these no different than him?

Where have we come to when we supposedly intelligent and free people are celebrating the death of another human being? Are we, therefore, no better than he? None of us may wear the mantle of perfection, for all have sinned and have fallen short of the Glory of God.

What is next, gladiatorial games. It's not that far a stretch. One of ours against one of yours for all the marbles. When will we begin to adhere to teaching that implores to "love your enemies" and "do good to those who hurt you"? 

Is this what we want our children to see and learn and do? Celebrating and chanting at the death of one we hate, how much different is this from the early 1930's style propaganda? Look what that gave us.

Interesting that both Hitler and Bin Laden dies on the same day. Part of Obama's re-election plan, I wonder!

Bin Laden, like all of us will stand before our Maker one day. He is the Judge and vengeance is His alone. We too may be found guilty of our crimes but will any be found fit to stand at a time when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord of all. There will be no celebrating then, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth unless a satisfactory substitute for our death is provided.

Where have all the Heroes gone?

Back in the 60's or early 70's there was a song which whined "where have all the flowers gone" I guess it was the death knell of the hippie era, they all went to San Francisco, I guess.

More importantly, I wonder where have all the heroes gone? Of course, I would also include the heroines.

Where are the moral, upright people who stand for good? Where are the athletes who decry the need for drugs to accomplish great feats of athletic accomplishment? Where are the musicians who write amazing and beautiful life altering music that will stand the test of time beyond the next weeks top ten? Where are the politicians who stand for the good and openly stand against that which is clearly evil?

Where are you and I when there is a need and no one else is available to meet the need? We can all be a hero to someone. All we have to do is choose to do the right thing. Step up and speak for something or step up and speak against something that is clearly wrong.

Enough of the cheesy songs about the hero. Now is the time to be one, even if it is just for your kids. Heaven knows they need one these days. Be a hero and love and respect your spouse. You will raise them in an environment that is not perfect, but one that is seeking to teach them the right way. They need and deserve a hero. That one or hopefully two people who will stand for the good and stand against the evil, yes there is evil out there and we can do something about it.

Choose today who you will serve as a hero, so what's it gonna be? Sit and do nothing or rise and be a hero?

I wish you many successes.