One of the enjoyable places to visit in the Seymour/Deep Cove community is the Deep Cove Heritage Society Office on Gallant Avenue. With their new office Co-ordinator Jim Slight, there are hundreds of Deep Cove photos available to help one reminisce and explore. A picture is indeed worth a thousand words. Over the thirty years that I have served in the community, I have taken many photos of the remarkable beauty of our Deep Cove trees, mountains, and water. Since the invention of the cellphone, my photo collection, probably like yours, has increased astronomically. Only a small percentage of my photos ever get printed off.
When I take time to view photos stored on my computer or photo albums, memories flood back with a vengeance. Sometimes these photos fill me with joy and laughter. Sometimes I feel sad because a person in a photo is no longer around. Life is so incredibly short.
When my mother passed away, I felt drawn to photos that I have of her life. When I posted some photos of my mom on social media, I received hundreds of condolences. One friend wrote: “Condolences and the comfort of Jesus as you mourn her transition into a better place. May his peace be with you and your family in these days and weeks.” Another person wrote: “You and your family continue to be very much in my thoughts and prayers. May the Lord surround you and your family with his love.” Yet another said on Facebook: “I’m sorry for your loss. Lorna was a wonderful woman with a beautiful soul and a gentle spirit. She will be missed. My prayers and sympathy are with you and your family.”
I miss my mother deeply. She was and still is an amazing lady. Over the past twenty-nine years, I wrote many Deep Cove Crier Mother’s Day articles about my dear mom. I am grateful that Mom has gone to heaven to be with Jesus. My mother had a deep faith and was ready to go at almost 90 years old. We all have different ways of grieving. Some people shed many tears. I tend to be more private in that area. I grieve through song, photos, and words. Many people have given me hugs in the past few weeks, letting me know that they care. People who have already lost loved ones tend to be the most in touch with the reality of grieving.
At Mom’s funeral/celebration of life, like with many families, we had a slideshow of my mom’s life. It can be one of the most touching times of these services. A picture is indeed worth a thousand words. Jesus said: ‘Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.’ Perhaps you might take time this July to review photos on your computer and albums, giving thanks for loved ones who have gone before you.
P. S. Click this Amazon link to view for free the first two chapters of our new novel Blue Sky.
“I’m afraid there’s been an accident…”
Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.
Sandy receives shocking news that her children aren’t safe, which brings back haunting memories of the trauma she experienced as a girl. Then, the unthinkable happens…
A brutal attack puts Sandy on the brink of losing everything she’s loved. Her faith in God and the family she cherishes are pushed to the ultimate limit.
Is healing possible when so many loved ones are hurt? Are miracles really possible through the power of prayer? Can life return to the way it was before?
Blue Sky reveals how a mother’s most basic instinct isn’t for survival… but for family.
If you’re a fan of Karen Kingsbury, then you’ll love Blue Sky. Get your copy today on paperback or kindle.
-The sequel book Restoring Health: body, mind and spirit is available online with Amazon.com in both paperback and ebook form. Dr. JI Packer wrote the foreword, saying “I heartily commend what he has written.” The book focuses on strengthening a new generation of healthy leaders. Drawing on examples from Titus’ healthy leadership in the pirate island of Crete, it shows how we can embrace a holistically healthy life.
To receive a personally signed copy within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
To purchase any of our six books in paperback or ebook on Amazon, just click on this link.
Golf is now over 510 years old, having been played officially throughout Scotland since 1502. Most of the earliest references to golf were about attempts to ban it or to condemn the golfers. On 6th March 1457 in Edinburgh, King James II banned ‘ye golf’ because it was more popular than archery.
As a teenager, I golfed religiously three times a week at Langara Golf Course in Vancouver. To prove my dedication, I even sometimes golfed in the snow. I also used to caddy for my father, which was a great way to spend quality time with him.
Years later, my golf game has its moments of glory, as well as many reminders of how far I have fallen. I took part in a golfing tournament a while ago with forty undertakers and one hundred and ten clergy. On the second hole of the tournament, I sunk a forty-five-foot putt. Delusions of being the next PGA superstar filled my mind until I missed a four-foot putt on the very next hole. Golf can be very humbling, and is therefore good for the soul, or so they tell me.
In the forty years since I was ordained, I have taken many funerals. Virtually every funeral involves a funeral director, sometimes called a family services counselor. I have found them to be very personal, decent individuals. It was not until I started golfing with funeral directors that I really came to know them personally. Over the eighteen holes, the pastors and undertakers shared the inevitable victories and defeats. It really helped us realize how much we had in common, though the funeral directors are usually better golfers.
Both funeral directors and clergy are usually called upon in times of sorrow and death. While some people try to do their own services, most Canadians still look to professionals to help them through this most difficult of times. Both pastors and undertakers are often misunderstood. People sometimes don’t realize that undertakers and clergy are ordinary human beings much like themselves. I remember once when a Deep Cove resident was shocked to see me shopping at Safeway, because they didn’t think that clergy actually shopped.
One of the privileges of having served for the past 31 years has been to walk with North Shore families and individuals through the key transitions of life: birth, marriage, and death. With one local family, I had the privilege of burying four members. Families during funerals will open up and share their hearts in ways that you rarely otherwise see.
Death is the great leveler. No matter how we try to avoid it and deny it, death catches up with every family. We can put it off for a while through healthy eating and exercising, but sooner or later we all face the grim reaper.
Both funeral directors and clergy can make a big difference in helping families navigate these painful waters. I am grateful that I can remind grieving people that there is a bridge over troubled waters, that Jesus made a way and prepared a resting place for them. I am grateful that death does not have the final say.
My prayer for those reading this article is that each of us will find that bridge over troubled waters.
The Rev. Dr. Ed Hird, BSW, MDiv, DMin
– previously published in the North Shore News/Deep Cove Crier
P. S. Click this Amazon link to view for free the first two chapters of our new novel Blue Sky.
“I’m afraid there’s been an accident…”
Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.
Sandy receives shocking news that her children aren’t safe, which brings back haunting memories of the trauma she experienced as a girl. Then, the unthinkable happens…
A brutal attack puts Sandy on the brink of losing everything she’s loved. Her faith in God and the family she cherishes are pushed to the ultimate limit.
Is healing possible when so many loved ones are hurt? Are miracles really possible through the power of prayer? Can life return to the way it was before?
Blue Sky reveals how a mother’s most basic instinct isn’t for survival… but for family.
If you’re a fan of Karen Kingsbury, then you’ll love Blue Sky. Get your copy today on paperback or kindle.
-The sequel book Restoring Health: body, mind and spirit is available online with Amazon.com in both paperback and ebook form. Dr. JI Packer wrote the foreword, saying “I heartily commend what he has written.” The book focuses on strengthening a new generation of healthy leaders. Drawing on examples from Titus’ healthy leadership in the pirate island of Crete, it shows how we can embrace a holistically healthy life.
To receive a signed copy within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
To purchase any of our six books in paperback or ebook on Amazon, just click on this link.
One of the enjoyable places to visit in the Seymour/Deep Cove community is the Deep Cove Heritage Society Office on Gallant Avenue. With their new office Co-ordinator Jim Slight, there are hundreds of Deep Cove photos available to help one reminisce and explore. A picture is indeed worth a thousand words. Over the thirty years that I have served in the community, I have taken many photos of the remarkable beauty of our Deep Cove trees, mountains, and water. Since the invention of the cellphone, my photo collection, probably like yours, has increased astronomically. Only a small percentage of my photos ever get printed off.
When my mother passed away, I felt drawn to photos that I have of her life. When I posted some photos of my mom on social media, I received hundreds of condolences. One friend wrote: “Condolences and the comfort of Jesus as you mourn her transition into a better place. May his peace be with you and your family in these days and weeks.” Another person wrote: “You and your family continue to be very much in my thoughts and prayers. May the Lord surround you and your family with his love.” Yet another said on Facebook: “I’m sorry for your loss. Lorna was a wonderful woman with a beautiful soul and a gentle spirit. She will be missed. My prayers and sympathy are with you and your family.”
families, we had a slideshow of my mom’s life. It can be one of the most touching times of these services. A picture is indeed worth a thousand words. Jesus said: ‘Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted.’ Perhaps you might take time this July to review photos on your computer and albums, giving thanks for loved ones who have gone before you.
Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.
One of the privileges of having served for the past 31 years has been to walk with North Shore families and individuals through the key transitions of life: birth, marriage, and death. With one local family, I had the privilege of burying four members. Families during funerals will open up and share their hearts in ways that you rarely otherwise see.
Edhird's Blog 