This long weekend marks something significant in our lives for sure.

For years as corps officers, we had been planning over the summer for what the program calendar would look like for the corps. Which Sundays would we have a guest, what themes for preaching would we carry, what would be the overarching theme for the program year and how would the natural calendar fit into the events of the corps? I always wanted to make sure that what happened in people’s lives was somehow reflected in their experience in our congregational life. For example, kids going back to school would be marked in some way by the Sunday School and in the Sunday service perhaps by acknowledging the children in attendance who were starting new grades or schools, or by talking about what it means to be a follower of Jesus in a new setting.

In each of our appointments planning for the year always seemed to have a starting point in September. In fact, I often referred to it as the “new year” just because of the nature of it.

But this year a long weekend, that is a Monday off, is nothing different for us. It is just another Thursday.

That being said, we too are in a “new year”. We’re settling into what life will look like for us. We visited the library last week and discovered again the joy of all that is on offer there. It sure is not just books anymore. And we’ve been looking at the nearby Senior’s Center which offers classes in everything from sewing to learning a new language. They have day trips and are looking for volunteers to manage the centre and support the programs. At an annual cost of $30 each, we are thinking we just might get involved there a bit.

And then there’s the family dynamic. We have family in Ontario that we’ll want to visit, we have friends in various parts of the world, and we have family right here! We’ve just had the kids here, one at a time, to have a special sleepover with Grandma and Grandpa! Now that’s a joy!

We have a playhouse – quite large – that I think we got from Catherine! She can verify that. Paige loves playing with it and she and I had a lovely time together pretending that supper was being made while the kids watched TV.

Fitz enjoyed going with me to Costco and pointing out “My Dad buys that”…. with the request “Can we get it too?”. Of course, we got it. Chocolate-covered granola bars! Mmmmm.

Today however is adult stuff… find the form to repay our Home Buyers Plan for CRA, do some filing, tidy up my desk (yes I still have a desk), and think about what we might do for a corps retreat we’re leading in October.

I hope you have a wonderful Labour Day Monday. And yes there’s a U in labour!

Oh and in case you’re younger wondering about what you might save for the day you have grandchildren, I suggest you consider keeping your Lego!