It's been just over one year since my mom passed away. I went to a cafe and read her words and wrote her a letter and shed some tears. We took my dad to the cemetery and placed flowers at her grave. We ate fish and chips for supper. I wore my daffodil necklace. I wish you were here Mom, but I'm thankful I will see you again and forever.
The transition back to school has gone well. School activities include Cross Country and Band for Isaac, Tag Football for Kohen, and Running Club for Lily-Anna. Isaac is working on Level 9 piano and Lily-Anna is doing Level 3. Kohen will soon find out what instrument he gets to learn at school.
We ended our summer with a lovely weekend in Kincardine at our neighbour's trailer. I grew up going to Kincardine for the first 10 years of my life so it brings back good memories and I love that my kids will also have memories of the same Ice Cream Shack. Lily-Anna helped us discover the Keylime flavour of ice cream, one that my mom would have loved.
We said goodbye to our great youth pastor this past weekend. It was lovely to hear so many youth talk about the positive impact he had on their lives. He worked hard to build leadership within the group. He will be missed.
I haven't written much tonight. I'm in a different state of mind right now as I've been reading some posts and comments about items in the news regarding many women's experiences with men. Actually, a number of comments from women referred to experiences they had as girls with boys. It's very sad ... to say the least. I sit here grateful that I don't have stories to tell ...
... and then I just remembered the time in Ottawa late at night when I waited for a bus and someone kept driving around the block and would stop his car, motioning for me to come. This happened repeatedly. I both "ignored" the person and crossed the street to a payphone (I'm old) and called my roommate and told her what was happening. She was already praying for me. When I got off my bus 10 minutes later in a relatively secluded place (by the Experimental Farm), I turned to the right to cross a street to check if I'd missed the final bus. As the bus pulled away, I looked back for "no reason" and there was the car that had kept stopping by me. Fear and adrenalin. He had followed my bus. By God's grace the bus had to stop at the next set of traffic lights and I ran and banged on the door and the car sped away. I ended up being driven home by a kind police officer who happened to be at the gas station store where I got off the bus. I knew God didn't have to save me that night but I am so thankful He did.
I can also think of a time at a gas station late at night when I was around 14 that teenagers or young adults said some very inappropriate words to me. I actually thought they were just being funny or flirting until my brother told me what their words had actually meant. Then I felt fear and embarrassment and shame because I had joked back with them, not realizing what they had said.
In my first year of university, a male walked into my residence, walked into the first floor washroom and watched a girl (not me) having a shower until she screamed and he ran.
In another country, a random guy told me that he was going to marry me and that he was coming "home" with me so he got on the same tro tro (minibus) that I was on. I became loud and said I would not be leaving on the same bus with him and got off until he disembarked.
When I was newly married, I was riding home from work on the bus and an older man sat down next to me and then he somehow thought it was okay to touch my thigh with his hand. I became louder and made it clear that he was not to touch me and I moved and yet I decided to get off my bus early because I didn't want him to see where I lived. I worried about seeing him again.
My stories are "tame". I know women whose stories are not.
Lord, we need You. So many need Your healing touch.
Blessings,
Elizabeth
Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace, those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.
