Tomorrow is All Saints Day...

Ronnie the "Bunny" girl ...aaahhhemmmmm

Deb, da Jamaican mamma now.....

Andrea, T.S. (tree surgeon) Dr. Strangelog



Cool Val.....well, "Frosty" actually........

Sir Mclaughlan, Ronnie Bunny, Frosty Val,

Mamma Deb, Dr. Strangelog

Yes, tomorrow we celebrate All Saints Day in honor of all the wonderful saints that have gone on before us. May God bless their memories and their lives that have been dedicated to the cause of Christ.

But today we celebrate All Hallows Eve.......we dress up and have some fun.

Don't get me wrong. Even though we work in a government office, we really do work, contrary to popular opinion. But we do have fun too. These great folks took the time and effort to give us all a certain amount of entertainment today....not to mention, treats!

I do believe they also will go down in history as being some of the memorable ones.

Boooooooooooohhhhaaaaaahhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Let there be light!

a prism splayed across the floor......

a sunset.....

sunrise ....

moonlight 2 a.m..........

Varying degrees of light. Totally amazing. Even at night!

Genesis 1:14-15

God spoke: "Lights! Come out! Shine in Heaven's sky! Separate Day from Night.

Mark seasons and days and years, Lights in Heaven's sky to give light to Earth."

And there it was.

So cool..........so amazingly cool.......

A word...from the Word....

Psalm 33:10-22...a Psalm of David...

"10-12 God takes the wind out of Babel pretense,

he shoots down the world's power-schemes. God's plan for the world stands up, all his designs are made to last. Blessed is the country with God for God; blessed are the people he's put in his will.

13-15 From high in the skies God looks around, he sees all Adam's brood. From where he sits he overlooks all us earth-dwellers. He has shaped each person in turn; now he watches everything we do.

16-17 No king succeeds with a big army alone, no warrior wins by brute strength. Horsepower is not the answer; no one gets by on muscle alone.

18-19 Watch this: God's eye is on those who respect him, the ones who are looking for his love. He's ready to come to their rescue in bad times; in lean times he keeps body and soul together.

20-22 We're depending on God; he's everything we need. What's more, our hearts brim with joy since we've taken for our own his holy name. Love us, God, with all you've got— that's what we're depending on."

Nite.....

Cats.....

There are some days I just miss having cats around. I miss the times we had together when we would just sit and enjoy being in the same room......preferably one of them on my lap.

The orange one above is a neighborhood cat. He didn't tell me his name but our place must be within his roaming territory. I caught a picture of him as he strolled down our front walk.

The black and grey is "Ebeneezer" from Mont St. Joseph Home. I visited him most every day when I went to see dear Aunt Connie. I brought him treats now and then and we were becoming friends. He even let me hold him and he would purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr................

Husband and I both miss cats in our house. I remember when Aunt Connie would come to our place, Sukey the female tabby, would come running and jump up and plunk herself down on her knee. Connie liked that too and would pet Sukey and talk to her.

Husband would sit in his rocking chair and Job would wait until Ken got comfortable before jumping up and making himself at home, lying on his back across Ken's chest...head hanging over one side and legs over the other side....purrrrrrrrring all the while.

Chiang slept under the covers with us. He liked to be warm and he would snuggle up and purrrrr the night away. The Siamese cats we had at various times liked to do that too....both Tara and Smokey.

Gus liked Matthew, Job loved Ken and Puffy liked Shannon.....Kuzma enjoyed Brittney and Snowey always played with Todd. Me, well, I loved all of them.

Thinking back we've had many, many cats over our 40 years of marriage. And I had always had a cat when growing up too, so now when we don't have one, I feel lost. It's probably the grief I'm feeling too, but I do love to have cats around. Maybe we could bring one in and train it to sit still while the landlord is here.:-)

Tara, Puffy, Coconut, Smokey, Kuzma, Chiang Rai One, Chiang Two, Job, Sukey, Dominican, Major, Gus, Misty, Lourdess, Boots and a few more but can't recall their names.:-( How fickle a servant am I!!

People always think it's only little old ladies that love cats......not true.

I loved cats way before I became a "little old lady"......hee hee hee ha ha hahahahahaha

Birthday Cheers....

....you can't have one without the other......

Here's to Kim Stitt!!!

The girl who has captured the heart of our son, Matthew.

The young woman who displays a Hebrew tatoo.

The gal who goes to school full time plus has a job.

She's the one who visited our home with Matt and made our home her home too.

The lady who has tree planted for three summers in a row.....in B.C. no less.................

She's sensitive. She's an idealist. She laughs alot. She loves deeply. She's an adventurer. She cries too and has disappointments in life. She is able to show grace and love in great measure.

I say she must have pretty fine parents at that rate.......

and I do believe she has captured our hearts too.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KIM.

God will watch over you. He will keep you. He will give you his peace.

Sell all I own???

someone lives here......

our summer home.......

more food than we can ever eat.....

A young man who grew up in P.A., attended our church as a child has gone on to become a Family Ministry pastor in Winnipeg. He's like one of my sons. His mom and I are very good friends. As we are without a pastor, Gavin came and spoke to us this morning. We were challenged.........and blessed.

He challenged us with the words of Jesus when he spoke about selling our possessions in order to get money to share with those in need. How radical is that!! Certainly not how most of us live, including husband and I. But the Word brings us truth. Sometimes we find it hard facing truths especially when we're not following through with those truths.

There are people right here in P.A. who live well below the poverty line. We can come up with many reasons why they are poor and we know what a lot of those reasons are. But the fact remains. There are poor among us.

Not only poor materially but poor spiritually. We need help with the whole mess we're in as a society. I don't see many tangible ways to make it all right or better for everyone. But I do see ME, helping one person.......and then another.............and another. If all of us do that one thing in helping one person, it could become better.

God's word rings true with me. I shall try and help one person and attempt once again to not hoard my possessions but hold them lightly.............they aren't mine to begin with, afterall. All we have and "possess" are gifts from God.

Catholic roots....and Auntie Nora

Saskatoon Ukranian Catholic Bishop, Bryan Bayda

Orvin (Ken's brother)

One of Ken's numerous cousins.....

Ken's cousin, Margaret

Follow me now........my husband's father's brother's wife (Ken's Aunt Nora) passed away this week. She was a solid farm woman, strong, energetic, hospitable, kind and faithful to her Catholic roots. It was nothing for her and her husband Peter to have up to 40 or more folks over after church for a Sunday afternoon of dinner and cards and laughing and joking and celebrating each other. I was at a few of those Sunday afternoons years ago when their farm was the gathering place. Auntie Nora prepared, cooked for and looked after all who entered her home. She had a true gift of hospitality and she will be lovingly remembered for that.

The funeral was today. We found ourselves with family again. People we haven't seen in over 30 years. Yes, we agreed. We have all changed!! But it's like we just kept on from where we left off 30 years ago. Lots of catching up and laughing and remembering dear Auntie Nora.

Ken grew up in the Catholic church. We were married there too, in the huge cathedral in P.A. So, to be amongst all the rest of his family who continued on in their Catholic heritage, we (now evangelicals) were sorely outnumbered. But during the service, we remembered most of the liturgy and participated in communion. As we came forward to receive the Host, the Body of Christ, we were served by the Ukranian Catholic Bishop of Saskatoon, Fr. Bryan Bayda.....Ken's cousin's son. (top picture) We visited with Ken's brother (2nd pic) and his wife and their son. There were so many blonde heads around that we could see we were in the presence of Ken's relatives. I suppose that's where our son gets his short mane of blondness!

It was all good. Good for us to see that even though 99% of Ken's relatives are from a different community of faith, we can all come together as one family, share in the Body of Christ and love each other in our differences.

It was a blessed day.

Faith anyone??

A flower. How delicate. And the color is spectacular, don't you agree. It didn't always look like that though. When I bought that plant it was small and had green leaves...that's it. But the sign on the plant said it would look pink when it came to flower. Well, I just put my faith in that little sign and believed that someone knew what they were talking about. I'd do what the sign said...you know, water, sunlight, a splash of fertilizer now and then...and VOILA!! Pink flowers. They were some time coming, but they bloomed beautifully..... I just knew they would.

When climbing those stairs up there, one would have to have faith to believe that they led to somewhere in particular or you just might not start the climb. But when one reaches the top, it reveals exactly where you are. One first has to believe that if you climbed those stairs you would get to Waskesiu Drive. The map says so. So away I trudge....

I do think our faith in God is kind of like that. God has put within every person a longing, a desire to seek Him out, to climb those stairs. Something we can't put our finger on. It just exists. Sometimes we don't recognize it. Sometimes it feels like......well, like different kinds of thoughts or wonderings.....But in our human-ness we want to see tangible things in order to prove they exist and since those "thoughts and wonderings" aren't tangible, we simply ignore them as being non-existant.

We fail in our efforts sometimes to recognize faith. We can't see faith or hold it or tell it to do this or that like we do with our hands and feet and eyes and mouth.

The dictionary says that faith is a "strong or unshakeable belief in something, esp. without proof or evidence".

The Bible says that "faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." (Hebrews 11:1)

I was sure of my hope in those green plants and I was certain they would look just like the picture on the instruction card. I had faith that it would have pink blooms. I didn't see any when I bought it......nothing. But even though I didn't see them, I was certain they would eventually blossom. The only thing I had was what was printed on that little card sticking in the soil. I believed it. I couldn't see the end product but I believed in it.

I'm sure no theologian....in any respect. And I don't know all the ins and outs of the teachings of the Bible. What I do know in my being....way inside me....the part that isn't visible even if you were to cut me open, the part that shows itself in allowing me to seek out something or someone bigger than me, wiser than me, better than me....... that part of me knows there is a God and there will be a place for me with Him, when I die. I can't see it now but I am sure of what I hope for and I am certain of what I don't see.

God's Spirit works in the heart of humankind. No matter what kind of life one has led, whether you went to Sunday School or watched cartoons every Sunday morning, whether your mother was an axe murderer or a Mother Theresa, whether your great-grandfather led a revolution or your grandma chewed tobacco, whether your father abused you or loved you unconditionally, whether we've never opened a Bible in our lives or we read it every day..........all.........all have within them the ability to choose. To choose right or wrong. To choose wearing makeup or none. To choose charity or self-centredness. To choose Jesus or not choose Him.

We also have the ability to choose to believe. In this conversation between Jesus and

Simon Peter, Jesus asks him the question..........."But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven." ~ Matthew 16:15-17

Jesus put the question to Peter plainly. Peter believed Jesus to be the Son of the living God....by God's Spirit offering him the choice to have faith and believe......or not. Peter chose well and Jesus said he would be blessed for his faith.

It's a choice. We can choose to believe......or to not believe.

What say you?

New and Improved...

The progression today from an empty, open space, (which I figured would be a good spot for a hot tub, but was unable to convince the boss) to a desk of class AND distinction....not class distinction.

They say it's new and improved, and it matches. Dave will be happy.;-)

It's nice to get a new and improved desk. It doesn't excite me much though. I could have been quite happy with the old battleship grey one but it seems we just needed to have something that looked a bit better when entering the government space.

Seven fellows came from the furniture company to put it all together. Seven. In the end when all were gone, the two girls Twila and Val from the office had to come and do some adjusting of the tack board and some talking over as to how to get the gaping space in the front of the desk to come together. Val said she would somehow adjust the legs to get it right. Twila fit the tack board properly.

Gender roles....we just seem to place them upon one another, don't we? We'll save that for another discussion...

The desk will be there in that same spot, long after I'm gone. But one day in the future, another desk will come to take it's place. One day in the future, someone will sit at that desk and will take my place too.

Life at times just seems to be one big shifting from one generation to the next. The "new and improved" for one generation, will end up "old" for another generation and will in turn, have to get their own "new and improved".

I guess we should just enjoy the new and improved while it is that.

Hopefully, I'll be new and improved too, when I get to heaven. Oh God, please make it so.

The way we were....

No, I'm not posting about the 1974 Academy Award winning song sung by Barbra Striesand.

And now you're singing it, aren't you....

"Memries,

Like the corners of my mind

Misty water-colored memories

Of the way we were........" etc. etc.

I love that movie......of the same name.....

So, I was attempting to show you "the way we were"...as in our office and my work space. Today, we looked like this.

That is what it looks like from both sides of the desk.

Tomorrow...we shall have a new desk and a new look. By the picture shown above, it looks kind of "junky" looking, doesn't it.

Well, it may be a bit busy looking, but all the things I have up and hanging and posted and sitting here and there are remembrances given to me from various friends. I find it difficult to throw things away that have some meaning....from those I care about.....a delicately dried up root of grass , a picture of a baby, cards of thanks, little plastic bugs, a paper napkin from Government House in Regina, notes from granddaughter with hugs and kisses from top to bottom, picture of a friend who died, a hanging Christmas cookie ornament.....things like that. I know I can't keep everything, so I'm having to "downsize"....

I don't like downsizing. But I suppose with a new and improved classy looking desk, comes the responsibility of keeping it classy looking.....'sans knick-knacks'.....

But the candy jar will still be filled with jelly beans and Worthers and JuJubes.

I'd still say that full candy jars are pretty classy, right?

Watch for "the way we are"......tomorrow.

One good man....

Today would have been my dad's 95th birthday. He was born on October 21, 1913 and passed away April 2, 1986.

The picture above is taken in 1979 when our daughter was two and a half.

See the smile on his face. Shannon brought that smile to his face every single time they were together.

The "wheelbarrow ride" was one thing amongst many that he enjoyed doing with her. He took her for bike rides, walks and car rides. They could be seen together laughing, as she would have him sit while she made him look pretty with hair clips, scarves and hats at her beauty salon. Other times she would snuggle up on his lap and they would enjoy a nap on the big chair together.

Birthdays and Christmas and every celebration going would find them together, enjoying their special relationship.

They adored one another this dad of mine and this daughter of mine.

I shall always be grateful to him for giving Shannon his grandfatherly time and love over the 9 all-too-brief years they had with each other.

So, here's to a Happy Birthday remembrance to one good man, my dad....Philip Benson....a man I adored and loved and was proud to be called his daughter.

My Granddaughter....

Brittney Elizabeth McKeaveney, October 16, 2008

I don't often speak about my granddaughter, Brittney, on this post for fear I will sound like some kind of obsessive grandma-type who brags about her grand-children all the time.

Having said that though, I do really love hearing about other people's grandkids, so I suppose perhaps others could indulge me once in a while, even if they're not quite as enthusiastic as I.

Brittney will get her learner's license in February! Not that it's a huge accomplishment or anything but it's the fact that she's actually that old now. In a very few short years she'll be like a host of other teens, off to university to "git more book learnin' "....

I invited her to read Scripture at Aunt Connie's funeral. She graciously accepted and rose to the task.

It was her first "family" funeral and the first time she had ever participated in a funeral. She had a special place in Auntie Connie's heart too, so I knew it would be a difficult task for her to accomplish...and do well, without her emotions playing a huge part in all of it....being a teenager and all....

The night before , we read the Scripture over. It's probably one of the most difficult of Scriptures to read aloud, as it is so very repetitive...Ecclesiastes 3:1-14...."There is a time for everything under heaven....."etc. If not read properly, and with the correct tone of voice, the audience would be lost and bored after the first few verses.

The funeral began. Pastor Randall led in the first hymn "O Master, Let me Walk with Thee", a beautiful, moving hymn of faith and service. By the time we had finished the hymn, she was weeping. Immediately, Pastor Randall asked her to come and read Scripture. She looked straight ahead and said "Grammy, I can't." I touched her arm, looked at her in the eye and said gently, "Yes.....you can"........

She promptly got out of her pew, walked to the podium, and with all the composure of an accomplished, mature young woman, read those very difficult verses, with warmth, meaning and genuine love and not a tear was shed while she spoke.

I asked God to allow His Spirit to do what needed doing for her to complete the task.

God was faithful in helping her and I was proud of her.

These are just some of the lessons in life that come along, to allow us to get to another level in our walk with Christ. Lessons that allow us to be more confident in what God can do through us....not what we can do for ourselves and in ourselves, but what HE can do through US.

It's times like that, that I think back on when she was a baby.....and asking God to allow her to be a disciple of His, one who would be faithful and trustworthy and good. He has answered my prayers.

So, today I thank God for this dear granddaughter, Brittney Elizabeth....the young woman who calls me "Grammy", the young woman whom I love so much. May God bless her with every good thing.....always.

Crashing....

Pastor Randall's last Communion Service at Gateway.

Me and my friend, Lauralea
who has a sense of humnor like no other human being!

A forced smile. A relaxed pose. Tears welling up and spilling over. A broken heart. All make for one person, me, who has said just one too many good-byes this week.

My body, mind and spirit are crashing.

And it all happened when husband came home from church and gave me my one last hug from my friend, Lauralea. All of the turmoil and stresses of the past 6 months with my Aunt being sick and passing away this week, and Pastor Randall and Lauralea leaving......not sure if I could handle one more farewell.....glad it will be next Sunday and not this Sunday that we say good-bye to another friend, Meg.........

So, now I'm weeping...hard....the tears just keep coming and I'm beginning to let go of people once again from my life. You would think it would get a bit easier as you get older and perhaps it does in some ways. But as I have said before, when you love deeply, you feel their leaving just as deeply.

I want to stay in a hole and cry for a year........God help it not be that long.....

Heavenly peace....

Gateway Covenant Christmas Eve, 2007

The Kent home, Christmas Eve, 2007

Silent night, holy night

All is calm, all is bright

Round yon virgin mother and child

Holy infant so tender and mild

Sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.

I wonder what it's like to sleep in heavenly peace. Sometimes our world is not heavenly and certainly not peaceful. There are so many people everywhere, in our countries, in our cities........dare I say, in our families, where those two words struggle to exist......heavenly.....peace...

In 67 days we will celebrate the coming of the King, the coming of His entrance into humanity. Christ came to show us little snippets of the heavenly realm by speaking peace and living it.

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." ~John 14:27

So, this night, if you are troubled, alone and afraid...if you feel less than peaceful and your home is not as heavenly as it could be, my prayer for you is that you will "...sleep in heavenly peace....sleep in heavenly peace"......amen...

Forever...

Those prairie skies just seem to go on and on and on.......forever....with the odd bale of hay for good measure (and to lessen the monotony).

On our way to Saskatoon this morning we had to stop for construction and I rolled down the windows to capture the essence of what "prairie in the fall" looks like. The colors are muted now. The deep greens have disappeared and the varying shades of brown have taken their place. Even the sky has taken on a different hue.

My thoughts were of Aunt Connie as we drove. Actually I'll post these thoughts of her which I spoke at the funeral yesterday. Here they are:

"I would like to offer a few personal remembrances of my dear Aunt….

I remember being a shy little city girl and being welcomed to spend a “Weekend on the Farm” where Auntie Connie would take me for a walk to the chicken coop and “suggest” I push the chickens over so she could get at the eggs…I finally found out where eggs came from!

I remember visiting the farm with my two brothers Garry and Dale along with my parents on a Sunday afternoon, where Aunt Connie would be stationed like a general on the battlefield of kitchen duty, preparing food for not only the five of us, but anyone else who would just drop in. Sandwiches would be piled high on lovely plates and battlefield coffee was served and consumed for all the Norwegians and a spot of tea for all the English blokes…..all in fine China cups. Supper followed shortly afterwards.

I remember Aunt Connie lovingly caring for her mother, my Grandma Benson, who stayed with Connie and Chris on the farm until Grandma’s death.

I remember how she loved and cared for her husband Chris, who was wheelchair bound with Multiple Sclerosis, by herself, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week for twenty-seven years…..and never complained.

I remember her telling the story of her waking up one night in their home on 6th Street, and finding a thief in their bedroom. I don’t think the thief even looked back!!!!!

I remember after Chris’s passing, how Connie and I and Georgette Lougheed, my little French neighbor lady, would meet together at a restaurant for morning coffee and chat with great enthusiasm and gusto about sex, politics and religion…in that order.

I remember how she and I would laugh hysterically, with tears rolling down our cheeks and my dear husband sitting by and saying that he didn’t find that particular comment even funny. We shared that dry “English” sense of humor, she and I.

I remember last fall, on a warm inviting Sunday afternoon, Ken and I taking her for a ride in the country out by Birch Hills, getting out of the car, walking down the dirt road arm in arm and listening to the peace and stillness that only the country can offer, listening to the ducks and enjoying the swaths of harvest, the browns and greens of the bulrushes and smelling the heaviness of fall.

I remember her call to come to her house and help her. She sounded distressed. She had had a stroke and the days, weeks and months that ensued found her hospitalized…..and not liking it.

I remember the last time we spoke just last Friday. She said she had a dream that she had died, but was quick to say that it wasn’t a fearful thing…we shared a knowing glance as to what was soon to follow.

I will remember Aunt Connie with love and fondness. I will remember her sense of generosity, of self-sacrifice, of care….and through tears….I will remember her laughter, that part of her that is a part of me."

Yes, she was quite a lady........

It is well.....

Celebration Memorial Service for

Constance (Benson) Soyland

Thursday, October 16, 2008

"When peace like a river attends my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll,

Whatever my lot, you have taught me to say, It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, let this blessed assurance control,

that Christ has regarded my helpless estate and has shed his own blood for my soul.

My sin - O the bliss of this glorious thought - my sin, not in part, but the whole,

is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul.

And, Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight, the clouds be rolled back as a scroll,

the trumpet shall sound, and the Lord shall descend, even so - it is well with my soul.

It is well....(it is well), with my soul, (with my soul), It is well, it is well, with my soul.

- Horatio G. Spafford 1838~1876

Yes, God has been faithful to me and our whole family today. He comforted. He encouraged. He gave us much grace.

As I stood at the front and looked out on the gathering, I saw love. Love in the faces of those who came because they knew a wonderful lady in Connie Soyland. I saw love in friends who gathered there just for me, to support me and for them to let me know they cared about me in my sorrow. It says a great deal.

So, at the close of this night, because of the love of friends and the love of Christ, I can say...it is well with my soul.

Tomorrow...

Nineteen years Aunt Connie was without her dear Kaare Christopher (Chris) and tomorrow she will lay beside him once again.

We always think we will have a tomorrow, don't we. We expect it. I know we aught not to dwell on the possibility of not seeing tomorrow, but a good solid reflection on the fact is always sobering....we just may not have tomorrow...

So, today, I will thank God for THIS day and wait upon Him for breath for this moment and trust him for all my tomorrows...

May God walk with us in these hours ahead as we offer up our good-bye gifts.....

Tomorrow at Gateway Covenant Church - 11 a.m............Lord willing.

The river...

Yes, my life in these days of preparation, details and letting go is like a river.

It's going at a steady pace, quite quickly in fact.

It does not stop or change direction.

It has one purpose and one only....to get to where it's going....the ocean...where it can stop, and enjoy it's final surroundings.

But until it reaches the ocean, it only keeps moving.

I shall reach the ocean Thursday afternoon at which time I may take some time to cry and just be.

Until then Lord, keep me in the current you have set out for me and keep that current strong. Thanks.

The moments in between...

From the closing of our days, at our death,


To the resurrection of our bodies into new Life...

There's that time frame in between that has most of us regular folk and theologians alike, wondering....... wondering what happens to our spirit from the time it leaves our bodies and to when we meet Christ face to face... I like to think about that time in between....or maybe we meet Christ right then and there, the moment we take our last breath, who knows.

I think it will be like nothing we ever imagined it could be. Of course, we only have things here on earth to compare with and measure up to.....like the beauty of our earth and the loveliness and vastness of the universe, or the joys we experience while we're here, even the element of time....

Since Aunt Connie's death yesterday, I've been thinking about things like that. Thinking about how important we think things are here in our own little world and how unimportant or even non-existent they will be in heaven. I think it will be so very different and totally amazing and just out-of-this world magnificent.

The thing I know though is that Christ, in all the ways we attempt to describe His wonder, there will be no comparison as to the magnificence of actually being in His presence.

I will go to bed this night trying to imagine, with my little finite mind, all the sights and sounds and wonders that my dear Aunt Connie will be experiencing in the presence of God Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth.

It makes me want to smile...

A day of blessing...and farewell...

The Friesen's...in partnership with Gateway Covenant church for over 10 years.

The bountiful Feast of Thanksgiving

and the Communion of sharing in Christ's death....until He comes again...

Constance (Benson) Soyland

June 25, 1916 - October 12, 2008

This day has been filled with great joy. It began with a Thanksgiving church service followed by a Thanksgiving turkey dinner to say farewell and honor Pastor Randall Friesen, his wife Lauralea and their four children, Johanna (Croes), Hillary, Thomas and Micah. It was good. It IS good to be able to say thank you to people who have helped you through 10+ years of your life. They will be missed....

This day has also been filled with overwhelming sorrow. My dear Aunt Connie died today. She has been a very great part of our family over the last 25+ years. She has been an aunt to nieces and nephews on her husbands side of the family as well as to all of us "Bensons". I shall write more about her life as the weeks progress...but for now, I grieve....

Saying farewell.... one of the difficult experiences of life.