Hope is Gently Born...

Dawn is breaking here in Banff and as I look out from our picture window onto Banff Ave and beyond to Cascade Mountain, I indulge in the moment. The town is finally covered in a proper blanket of snow and the street lamps reveal that it is still gently falling. This is what we have been waiting for, this is what this town thrives on.

I am preparing to teach Sabbath School today and must comment on the appropriate nature of the lessons of late. Last week we looked at dealing with Fear and Anxiety while this week we will be looking at how to deal with Stress. How wonderful are the words of Christ, "Come to me, all you are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." My mom also says, "Aren't you glad for the opportunity that trials offer you. The opportunity to grow".

Yeah it is easy to be overwhelmed by these things and yes we must take them seriously. But there are certainly a few things to look forward to in 2011. Yours may be different but here are mine...

The death of the Nissan is an opportunity to shop around for a new car. This is not necessarily just a "want" because with a growing family, I do need a ride to carry them around in. What is great about work is that I get to have a firsthand experience with brand new vehicles and see how they fair with 6 months of use. I have to say the one I am most interested is the plucky Mazda 3. Even the base model is more than adequate for my family's needs.

The annoucement of Team Leopard Trek the new super cycling team lead by the Schleck brothers for the 2011 season really got me excited. Then it was confirmed that Fabian Cancellara would be joining along with Jen's Voigt. Man, thats pure joy right thar! But the cherry on top of the already delicious pie was the fact that Trek would be supplying the bikes for the upcoming season. Super team indeed.

And what could be more exciting than the prospect of becoming a Dad this coming summer! I am the kind of person who needs lynch pins to ground my efforts in life and this is definitly top shelf stuff. I can see it changing the way I approach my everyday routine. I can see it affect how I plan for the future. I can see it as motivation to draw on and to dig beyond what I am capable of...

My Giant Defy is next to me this morning. A guest is staying in the room where I usually store it. No I won't be riding it till the weather starts to warm. But we are 90% ready to go. Patience is key now and shrewd planning for the months ahead paired with the knowledge that God has a far better plan. I only pray He clears my vision so that I can move when He deems it right to move.

But like new mornings, hope is gently born...

Bless Us All...

[I wrote the following Thursday afternoon but didn't get time to post till now.]

As of last night we have received news that Tess’s Dad is not doing well health wise back in the Philippines. He had to be brought in the hospital recently and as a precaution several tests and exploritory procedures were conducted. The result: cancer. While the doctors have offered us the hope of early detection his age and overall health are also serious factors that could affect his chances. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

2011 is off to a challenging start beginning with the passing of our beloved Nissan. If one was to believe in omens and their foreboding nature, this passing definitely makes a case for them. It has been one thing right after the other since and there has been little time to breathe and decently react in-between.

But if it was the intent of the forces that are to pull us away from our faith in God, the exact opposite is true. If anything, my wife and I clinging more to Him because these events have shown us that self-reliance is of little value when dealing with life’s challenges. One honestly cannot predict what will happen next. One cannot predict how one’s own actions will create an impact no matter how wisely we attempt to make our next move.

I am humbled as I look inward because I can see that my sinful nature still struggles to dominate even when surrounded by God’s daily grace. When tiredness and fatigue set it, how much harder it is to follow God’s will. And yet God still provides the moments of peace both Tess and I need to pull through. I can only be grateful.

I am further humbled with the way friends have stopped to offer support to my pregnant wife. Visits, favors, and kind words have all been given. Stories have been shared and the realization is that everyone is struggling this year. There are mountains to climb and big decisions that need to be made. I pray you all seek God’s guidance fervently to serve as your North Star as you navigate through the fog.

In the Bible Jabez dared to pray for a blessing from God. He prayed for great blessings to come into his life. In fact this is all this man is known for in scripture. But the Bible goes on to say that God granted him this request and he was blessed...

I am daring to do the same...
God bless me...
God bless us all...
God bless Tatay Pelayo...

So that in the end all will know that you are a great God and you care for your children...

Rebuilding the Base and New Year...

I am very happy that I could finally take a break from it all and play around with CS5 and some ideas for a blog re-design for 2011. I am far from having anything nice enough so everything on here is sort of a place-holder till true inspiration hits...

Well this entry is a belated New Years shout out that I hope you will take the time read through. Yeah I know it is running a bit late but it is just as heart-felt as when I originally "penned" it.

My wife has not had an easy time of it with this pregnancy. I suspect that most of it is that it is her first so this is all uncharted territory for her bit we have also had some legitimate scares so far. Because of this I would like to express gratefulness to all her friends who have show their love and support during this time. I think this journey would be a lot harder if none of you were willing to take the time to spend time with her in our home. So thank you so much all!

Our home was also blessed with the visit of Marvin, his wife Ana, the family her sister Marta, and all their kids on Christmas day. Our home was filled with the laughter of children and music! Thank you also Marvin for your very generous gift. When I opened a certain piece of software on it, it brought tears to my eyes because it has been a while since I’ve been truly up to date with something that was a big part of my life for many years. Hopefully in 2011 we will see a bit of revival in that arena. Gracias my friend!

I am also grateful that my parents were with me on Christmas Eve and a bit of Christmas day. I know I am lucky for there are many who do not have this privilege for one reason or another. Whenever I am around them, even though it is for brief moments these days, I feel secure and happy. Thank you for being there.

There are too many people to thank and you know who you are. I can only hope that 2011, in spite of whatever challenges will come your way, will also be filled with joy, laughter, love, and hope. Know that you are appreciated and cherished by Tess and I. God bless us all in 2011!