Ice, Antidote, Siblings, and Other Precious Things...

So I finally got to see the Columbia Ice-fields with my wife and few of her friends this past weekend! Needless to say I was blow away by the shear majesty of the Athabasca glacier. As the pictures depict, I think I was a pretty crazy because I had to be the only dude on the ice wearing shorts! I think this is further evidence that I am truly adapted to being a Canadian now.

For those of you who have considered taking the H1 to H39 drive to Jasper… I highly recommend it. This is a journey where you will not only enjoy the ride but also the destination. I enjoyed our stops at Lake Louise, Lake Peyto, and especially the Athabasca! My only recommendation is that you take a decent car on your trip that can handle some of the steep climbs into the mountains.

In other news…

Stage 15 of the 2009 Tour De France is complete and Alberto Contador has made a powerful impression by attacking during the tail end of the stage and separating himself from 2nd place Lance Armstrong by a margin of 1 minute 37 seconds. This is big enough of a lead to all but guarantee a win for him in Paris.

I respect Lance Armstrong’s accomplishments. He has left a lasting impact on the world of cycling that is evident in the technology used in the sport, the way teams are run, and the training involved in getting ready for a race. Much like Greg Lemond during his time in the early 90s, Lance brought change to the cycling world and his contributions will be felt for years to come.

But now it is Alberto’s time and I think he deserves to win. He has proven that he isn’t scared to stand up to his rivals even though they might be his idol Lance Armstrong. He has won the Giro and the Vuelta. He is the real deal!

And...

I’m working on my first sermon in a few years. I will be preaching this Sabbath at the Canmore Seventh-Day Adventist church and the title of my sermon is “The Antidote”. I ask for those of you out there who know the valley of decision that I am to pray for me as I take this important step to answer an important question...

Also…

I’m praying for you younger sibling and all my family as well. May God bless you with a long life filled ith promise and purpose!

Really finally…

I love you my dear wife and I’m praying that the plans that we are making will be fulfilled. I AM blessed to have such an amazing person in my life! I AM the lucky one!

Fall Fitness 2009...

My boss reminded me yesterday that our location would not be open today till 1 pm due to Westerner Days (as far as I know it is Red Deer's own little version of the "Stampede"). I was happy about this because it meant I'd have a free morning and this would be short work week. A short work week means more opportunity to get other things off the ground.

This summer has flown by and fall is really just around the corner. The transition from our wedding through to the campmeeting has practically eaten up the summer. While I took some time to recover, it is now time to get down to business and and really focus on what comes next. I cannot really say anything more on the subject until I have some concrete plans but I'll be sure to do so once I do!



I've been keep track of this year's Tour De France mainly because Lance Armstrong is back racing. I've kept track of Lance's racing career since about 2002. I have a number of books authored by him and others that cover his story. He was one big reason I got back into cycling in back in 2006. During that turbulant year between 2006 and 2007, I must confess that the happiest moments I experienced were on the back of my bike and I gobbled up everything that was Lance.

Lance is doing well and even if he does not win the overall tour I think he will place high in the general classification. That is pretty amazing for a 37 year old rider who has not ridden for 3 years. This year there are others who deserve to win including Alberto Contado and Levi Leipheimer who both ride for Lance's Team Astana. I would be happy to see both do well.

There is a hunger in me that simply wants to be back on the bike and also back on the road of health. I made great strides when I first moved out here last year but a few things have stalled that progress. I believe more than ever, I need to be strong and healthy.

ANYWAY! =) More later! Oh... and a quick shout out to the siblings! Love you and miss you!!!

Just Call My Name...

So the last two weeks have sort of been chill for me. I haven't done much except enjoy a few DVDs and surfing the net during my time off. The weekends I've spent with my wife and even those have been a bit low key. I guess we're in recovery from the buildup and execution of our wedding.

Meanwhile the world has truly suffered a great loss with the death of Michael Jackson. Whether one turns on the TV, radio, surfs the web, or grabs the newspaper he is the source of all the headlines. While I think it is right to acknowledge and pay respect to the man and his talents, I find it equally sad that there are people out there who are exploiting him even in death.

I was also a bit more saddened when he was brought up amongst church members recently and a certain pastor's wife complained that on the night following his death she couldn't find a channel which was not broadcasting something about it.

"I wish they woudn't broadcast that crap!" She said disdainfully." Why are we paying so much attention to a sick and disgusting man."

I kept silent mostly because I was truly horrified at the way she said those words. I have no relationship to Michael and I am certainly not a hardcore fan but there is no reason to be this disrespectful of any human being. Whether this lady realizes it or not Michael is a member of the human race and thereby is also a child of God. If anything his passing is a stark reminder that death comes to us all and the results of sin scar everyone. Some of us are fortunate to hide these scars within. I believe it is poignant that Michael wore his on the outside and we as a world were often repulsed by them.

My parents were very conservative when I was growing up. I could only listen to the Heritage Singers and other religious groups. But the one pop song they allowed me to listen to was We are the World. The lyrics spoke of hope and a longing to join together to heal wounds. As Christians we know that this will never come to fruition before our Lord's return, but while we are here, it is something worth striving to be a source of healing to those we come into contact with. I believe my parents realized the intent of this song and respected it.

There is a video posted on Youtube which captures the recording studio session where Michael lays down his tracks for We are the World. The tape is raw and unedited. In it we see a young man who is full of joy, life, and indeed hope. There is also an uncanny sense of innocence coupled with the willingness to work hard and a desire to please. I saw the same energy in the kids I worked with during my time at WBFM in Brampton, Ontario. There is indeed a thin line that seperates us all.

I have often wondered why God made the penalty for sin so harsh. Death. But recently I realized that even in this God shows his mercy. Death is peace. No longer does this man have to suffer from the demons that have troubled from within and without. He is also spared the further horrors that he would have brough upon himself through the numerous plastic surgeries that he self inflicted. I honestly believe he would have continued to walk down that dark path were he to continue living. No one wants to grow old and face the march of time in the mirror. Especially a person who never truly believed he was beautiful.

Rest in peace child of God. Those of us left behind soldier on. Maybe the best lesson we can learn from you is that while we are here, despite our pain and suffering, let it be our purpose to uplift others to a better and brighter place.

Just like you did.

Birthday Musings...

There was a time when I thought my life would be all together at the age of 25. Well here I am, almost a decade later, on my birthday, and I am laughing at how things have turned out. One can honestly try to predict what the future may hold but diverting from pre-conceived ideas is not necessarily a bad thing.

Due to work schedules Tess and I won’t be able to celebrate my birthday in person today. But we plan to a bit of this coming weekend. She did give me a call around lunch time to wish me well which was really nice. I miss her.

Instead Mom, Dad, and I did lunch at the Red Deer Buffet and I had my fill of standard Chinese food. Yum. I have to admit that the oatmeal raisin cookies they serve there are really quite good. I think that it is a mission of mine to identify all the places that serve the best oatmeal raisin cookies. I love ‘em.

No birthday cake this year but while window shopping in Bower mall this afternoon I had myself a Cinnaroll to mark the occasion. Again, yum!

No real presents to speak of but my mom pointed out, as my Dad and I stopped by RBC (Royal Bank of Canada) to deposit some money, that Tess and I should be proud that we paid off our wedding with little to no assistance form outside sources. I hadn’t thought about it but she was right and I do feel good about that.

This past year has been full of change. Although truly tough at times, I am glad to report that it has all been good in the end! Now I feel the winds of change blowing again and I think I’m very excited about that. Tess and I have plans and I think they are good plans.

We pray every night that we are led in the right direction and that we fulfill God’s purpose in each of our lives as well as our lives as a couple. Friends, family, and one to love for the rest of my life. What more could a guy ask for on his birthday?

I Surrender All...

Tess and I are still very much overwhelmed by the love that we received from so many people at our wedding. It amazes me that my wife is loved by so many people and we can only hope that we can return the love somehow!

The wedding is a beginning. No matter how special and it was, it still is just that… A beginning. As we look forward to the future, things seem a bit overwhelming. But I think we have bolstered by the tremendous support that our loved ones have given us and also the blessing that God has poured out on us.

I have been thinking about legacy and purpose over the months that I have been here in Alberta especially as it pertains to my family. I know now that any true meaning that my father gained out of his existence was because of dedication to a life of service to God.

I have shared this with my wife and she has thrown her support behind me. In fact her excitement over the prospects of such a focus has encouraged me. I will leave things at that for now, and let events unfold in their proper time.

On the Sabbath evening before our wedding my sister, Addison and I snuck up to the Alberta Conference offices and held an impromptu rehearsal to put together a short version of the song “I Surrender All”. In about an hour we had a sweet little version set up with Addison doing the lead in vocals and me holding up the tail end with a sax solo.




The song has significance to Tess and I because early on in our relationship we made it our theme song. While at that time we jokingly said that the reason was that we were learning how to surrender to each other as a couple, there is now a return to the original connotation of surrendering all to God.


Tess had no idea that we were going to perform the song. Hence the tears. I too choked up myself. It is now probably the most memorable moment for me in our entire wedding.

We can only move forward in life and I do so, my wife at my side, and hope in my heart.

Music From The Soul

Thank you for playing.
That was beautiful.
I can hear the feeling in your music.

The only thing that I noticed about Ronnie that morning was that she was holding her sweater close to her chest.

She was probably just feeling cold.

My attention flickered. I shifted to Tess who was suffering from a headache and I took her hand and stroked it in an attempt to offer a means of comfort. I too was feeling drowsy after having driven late into the night right after a long day’s work. I could barely focus on what was happening at the front of the church.

I had been asked to play and my saxophone was warmed up and ready for action. I had listened to the demonstration track repeated on the road the night before so the tune was annoyingly planted in my head. I play what I hear. In the absence of real-time sound, I play what has been embedded in my brain. So much for musical technique…

A moment later it was my turn. I attempted to quiet and centre myself in the middle of the room. I focused upwards and hoped the sound would follow.

I blew.

While one plays an instrument, and they are in true form, I believe there is a seamless conduit that exists between their soul and the music. Only about a third of the time during my playing history have I been in true form. My mind, often my ally now an enemy, often blocks the conduit.

This was one of those times.

I knew exactly what the problem was. It really isn’t about how well you play but rather if your heart is in the music. Not my words but certainly my sentiment. It is extremely difficult to finish a song you know is going poorly but I pushed on.

It was over before I knew it and walked quietly back to my seat.

After the service Ronnie approached me and reached out her hand. Despite the hustle and bustle around us I now knew something was off. She seemed frail. Her handshake felt lifeless.

Thank you for playing.
That was beautiful.
I can hear the feeling in your music.

And then she was gone.


“Romil do think you can do me a favor?”

I turned.

“Yes Sharmaine. What is it?"

“Do you want to join us in a prayer circle?”

“Sure for what exactly?”

“Ronnie. I don’t know why she didn’t stay home. She just had final surgery last week… for breast cancer. ”

My Top 7.

For every reason I should be writing this latest blog about the progress Tess and I have made in our wedding plans. And we have indeed made tremendous progress towards making sure everything is in place for our big day. But I think the few nuptial morsels I’ve posted on here and on FACEBOOK should suffice and there is much to be said about leaving a lot of it in the realm of surprise.

Instead, let us talk about movies! For starters, I am a confirmed movie freak. I am the kind of person who will go to the theatre by myself to catch a flick even if no one wants to tag along. In fact some of my fondest memories of my university years involved sneaking off in my beloved Camry for some quality time watching flicks at the Ready Theater in Niles, Michigan.

The following is a reflection on the 7 movies that have influenced me the greatest.

7. Ben – Hur (1959)
For all you Gladiator and Braveheart fans you cannot say that you are fans of big epic films without recognizing Ben –Hur . This is Charlton Heston at his finest and the way a sweeping story should be told. Yeah you may knock the pompous dialogue and the lack of digital effects but the pivotal chariot race, (all live action folks everything is real) still stands as one of the greatest action sequences ever recorded on film.

6. Akira (1988)
Akira proved that Anime was on a whole different level than your Saturday morning cartoons. The story explored themes of spirituality, friendship, and betrayal as well as a subtle exploration of Japan’s recovery from the effects of nuclear fallout. And while we are quite a bit away from 1988, Kaneda’s bike still rocks! Next to the Ducati 916 it is still one motorcycle design that has stood the test of time.

5. Stealing Home (1988)
Now in my 30s I think the impact of this movie is far greater than when I first became a fan after seeing it for the first time in 1990. Jodie Foster and Mark Harmon help tell this classic coming of age story about a boy and his childhood babysitter. Years later upon discovering she has died from apparent suicide he begins a sentimental journey into his past in order to find out what he is going to do with her ashes. This movie will always be a landmark in my life because it was the last movie I watched with my friends in Fresno before my family’s life changing move to Toronto. The David Foster soundtrack offered me much comfort during that trying time.

4. Gattaca (1997)
This is a movie I actually love to watch during a rainy day or when I am feeling overwhelmed by my life. While many praise this film for humanizing the issues revolving around genetic research and pre-determination, I enjoy this movie because it uplifts the idea of overcoming despite seemingly insurmountable odds. It has been a few years since I’ve seen and I think it is worth a review. Uma Thurman is luminous in this film.

3. Elizabethtown (2005)
This instantly took me in because it revolves around a character who has failed miserably as a designer followed by a notice that his estranged Dad has died. What follows is a journey back to his roots to rediscover the essence of life is about. Along the way we experience music, a road trip through small town USA and of course Clair. I think every man should findtheir Clair.

2. The Matrix (1999)
I cannot believe it has been 10 years since this movie first came out. When Trinity first leaps into the air and the audience experiences “bullet-time” for the first time, my imagination was awakened and this movie was the foundation of my motivation to excel in my in education in digital arts. I miss that time when I felt free to create and explore without limitation. Incidentally it was the first DVD I first bought!

1. The Godfather Part III (1990)
Many critics say this movie should have never been made because it is inferior to the first two. In that sense I would have to agree. But I love this chapter for 2 reasons. 1. It was the first of the trilogy that I saw and I was pulled into the story that was indeed about family. 2 . The scene on the staircase during the final moments of the movie where Don Corleone (Al Pacino) holds his dead daughter (Sofia Coppola) in his arms and lifts his head in silent scream of anguish…

I cry every time I see this scene.