I'm just going to follow the bus...

The Pessimist complains about the wind

The Optimist expects it to change

The Realist adjusts the Sails

-       William A. Ward

The other day I taped a dime to my desk at work. 

It reminds me that life can turn on a dime…both in good and bad ways.

I recently saw a clip from a movie where someone’s life changed in an instant in a really good way – you could just see the relief, the joy, the wonder.  I was jealous, I want something really big and life changing to happen – but only if it’s good.  

So when I taped the dime to my desk, it was just a reminder to not want to be somewhere else, be someone else or have or do something else.  Life can turn on a dime, so live what is – I guess that's adjusting the sails.

And this brings me to the realization that it’s January now and my thoughts are turning to what is coming.  It’s been easy to forget with a busy fall and Christmas and all the fun, but here we are.  A CT scan yesterday and a phone call the other day from the pre-op clinic quickly brought reality crashing back.  Another appointment on Monday, blood tests next week and then surgery on the 27^th. 

But before that - El Salvador – the plan is that Jacqui, Tyler and I (not Peter this trip – maybe next time???) leave one week today – I am so excited to be able to return there again. The first group left today and will build 15 houses and then our group will build 15 houses in our week – just think in two weeks 30 families in El Salvador will have new houses to move into – Homes.

Homes where they can lock the doors and windows and leave so that they can go to work to provide for their families. 

Homes with real floors and roofs that will help them to keep dry in the rainy season. 

Homes in which the walls are secure and won’t shake and fall apart when the volcano rumbles and there are earthquakes.

That is so amazing; it gives me a feeling of relief, joy and wonder to be able to be a part of this.  Hey – wait a second – isn’t that what I am looking for – hmmm.

 

I was asked to do the blog for the week we'll be in El Salvador and I have asked Jacqui to help me.  It will be on the Stepper Custom Homes Facebook page and I will share the link on my Facebook page and then try to link it on here as well for those that don't have FB.  

 

I have a couple of concerns, first obviously for health - for all, but mostly for J as we don't want anything to cause any delays to the surgery.  Also a volcano 40 kms from where we will be staying spewed ash and gas last week - nothing since and conditions seem to be fine now but hey have been monitoring things and as we know life can turn on the dime.  

 

Yesterday Peter and I went to the funeral of a young man taken suddenly last week and his father talked about driving home from Edmonton to Calgary in a blizzard after hearing about the death of their son.  He said driving was so difficult because not only were they were in shock but visibility was terrible because of the snow.  A Greyhound bus came in front of them and they followed it all the way home to Calgary.  They couldn't see anything - nothing around them, not what was in front of the bus, only the back of the bus - so they just followed the bus.  In the end all they needed to do was trust the bus to guide them.

 

I'm just going to follow the bus...