Thanks for being my mom...

This really is the first chance I have had to sit down and write this out. So here it goes...

My mom, Eleanor Louise Robertson, went home to be with the Lord on Monday February 8 at 8:40 pm in Ross Memorial Hospital in Lindsay. 

My dad, Doug Robertson, and my brother Paul and his wife Andrea and their girls Emily and Amanda, myself and my wife Tanya and our boys Seth and Gabe, my sister and her husband Lawrence and their kids Stephanie, Zack, and Faith, and my grandma Beatrice McCallum, and her brother Ron McCallum and his wife Bonnie, and my uncle Bob Robertson and his wife Shirley will miss her greatly. Visitation was Thursday at Mackey Funeral Home in Lindsay and service was Friday at 11am at Fairview Baptist Church in Lindsay. 

The service was packed with people from all of our pasts from our Churchill Heights Baptist Church/Morningstar Christian Fellowship days, people from mom and dad's current church Fairview, golf club, bridge club, curling, hospital, crisis pregnancy centre where she volunteered, and more. The service was led by Pastor John Boyachek from Fairview, then had special presentations from Pastor John Mahaffey formerly of Churchill Heights/Morningstar, and Pastor Bob MacGregor who is the current pastor at Morningstar who had worked with them as a student and has been a long friend of the family like John Mahaffey.

The gospel was presented clearly for all who attended, and the testimony of mom's life was consistent for all on the open mic - she gave of herself to others, she loved, she was hospitble, and she didn't necessarily follow the "rules" of traditional Christianity but like Jesus met people in their need.

So many memories to choose from it's hard to narrow it down to any favourite. In the end I was the last to talk to her on the Wednesday before she went into a coma and then passed on the Monday. I had fed her lunch - cream of broccoli soup, and she struggled with the lemon pudding desert. So I laid her down, and even then in a broken voice she was saying, We are so fortunate... God loves us... thank you Andrew... I love you..." she laid down for a nap and then went into a coma. I have that memory. I will always cherish it. 

Mom's life was one that always was sold out for Christ, and was always grateful. An attitude of gratitude until the end. As Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:7 about himself, it could easily be applied to mom... 
 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

This was mom. She fought the good fight and her faith is now sight. I will miss you mom, thanks for being a great role model to the end.

Love, 

You son,

Andrew 

Every day is a gift

Here we are into new year, January 23, and mom is still here. She is past the initial  mark that the doctors gave and so every day we have now is a gift. Even though her mind is very mixed up, she knows everyone, her attitude is very grateful and very happy. I played her Gaither music and piano hymns on my tablet while by her side in the hospital and she loved every minute. She even sang to some. Sometimes brought a tear to my eye to hear her sing. In the midst of all the confusion, she hasn't forgotten our Lord. The nurses love coming in to see her. One said when they're feeling low they come in to see her and it brightens them right up. Mom being a witness in spite of her battle with brain cancer.

Dad keeps telling me about how the strength he has is not his own, but from God. Amazing how strong his faith is through it all. Both mom and dad being testimonies. Great legacies to follow.

However long we have with mom, I treat every time I come up as a gift from God - more time with her. Thank you God for the time and strength to get through it.

Mom is still here, and New Years

Quick update. Mom is still here. For how much longer we don't know. I would ask for prayers as the prognosis isn't good. We need a miracle from God for her now. When I think of mom and everything else in life, it's times like these that puts things in perspective. Take New year's for example. 

So much hoopla about a new year and making resolutions. I keep reminding myself about what the Bible says about making oaths/vows/resolutions in Matthew 5:33 - 37, 33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34 But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil. 

So it's clear, don't make all those New year's resolutions and promises that we know we won ever keep. Instead, let our "yes be yes and our no... no." Yes and No. Not well... maybe... kinda... sorta... possibly... might be... etc. Just yes or no. "Yes - I will lose that weight I have put on or no I won't." "Yes i will stop biting nails or I won't." "Yes I will... or no I won't." 

Push ourselves some sure to challenge ourselves, but don't make unrealistic expectations or promises that we know we cannot keep. 

In relating this to what's going on with mom, "Yes, I will be there to help." "Yes, we will be there to help and encourage and pray." Those are two promises I/we make as a family. We can keep those.

I hope for everyone out there that 2016 will be a good year, that in spite of any situation you go through that you will know God's presence with you as you journey through it - in good times and the bad.

God bless.

When Christmas is tough...

When Christmas is tough...

Sometimes we get through Christmas and it's all great and smiles and no issues. Sometimes though we get on each others' nerves and there is a little squabble. There are times though that Christmas is really tough. For some people they are dealing with the fact of losing a loved one or a job or something else. For us this year, we are dealing with my mom being diagnosed with brain cancer. 



















We got the diagnosis a couple of weeks right after Thanksgiving. We've seen the changes such as her memory (short term) being affected and her balance, heard lots of doctors' reports. Mom has had surgery for one tumor, while the other one starts to be treated in January because it is inoperable. 

We will be having Christmas at mom and dad's on Boxing day as usual, but this year dad has ordered in the turkey and trimmings while my wife and my brother's wife are bringing salads and the like. We are still looking forward to Christmas because it is celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, the celebration is a little different though with our circumstances. 

My dad has been a great example through this loving and serving my mom - his wife - using strength that is, in his words, "not his." We have had talks about things as father and son - some that are still obviously private and for family. What I want to say through this is that we are praying continually for mom and dad through this, and how we can help through this as well. People without hope, and without Jesus... I don't know how they manage in times like these. We as a complete family - my parents, my brother and family, my family, and my sister and family - are relying on God for our strength because we know in times like these our strength is insufficient. It is in Christ's strength alone we place our trust and that we know we can weather this storm. I love you mom and dad both, and this BLOG is for you, and for God. It has been tough to write about this, but God has given me strength to do it.

That's all I can share right now. I just wanted to share this much to try and encourage others who might be going through a hard time this Christmas, that there is a hope beyond our pain - it is Jesus - and He came some 2000 + years ago in a manger, born of a virgin. "Born to die, that man might live..." is what the song "Ring the Bells" from Word of Life Bible Institute's musical of the same name says. And it's true. Yes, we celebrate that Jesus came, and then at Easter we remember His death, burial and most importantly His resurrection from the dead so that we can live in Him. And yes, one day all sickness and pain and sorrow and death itself will cease. He will return and set things right. Until that day, though, His grace is sufficient to get us through the storms of life such as what we are encountering with my mom right now. Praise the Lord for... our Lord! May the peace that transcends all understanding be with you all both now and forever, A-men.

Just 17 days until...

Just 17 days until...

No not Christmas, that's 24 days... (but I'll get back to that)

Yes, time once again for the sci-fi geek in me to get all excited like everyone else on the planet for the release of this highly anticipated movie! It puts to rest, "What ever would have happened after Return of the Jedi?"

The biggest secret however is Luke Skywalker... 

he has not been seen in any previews, posters, and only heard in the very first tease where he says that famous line about his family. Other than that it has been a tightly guarded secret.

It got me thinking though. Is this how we treat the message of the Gospel? as a tightly guarded secret? If people looked at the previews of our lives would Jesus be there?

Think about it, we have the BEST message in the world and yet sometimes we so afraid to share it that people might think it was the Fort Knox of secrets! But it's no secret who Jesus is. 


We're about to celebrate His birth very soon...

If we have the BEST new ever, then why hide it? Let it leak! Let it flow! Share it now on Facebook and your Twitter feed! Go tell it On The Mountain! 

So the best countdown? Is just 24 days away... when we celebrate Jesus' birth, then a few months from now we remember His death, burial, and the best part, His resurrection from the dead so that we could be called His children!Saved from our sins, saved from eternal separation from Him, and in a new position of eternal glory with Him! Now THAT's awesome! 

How much Christmas decorating is too much?

It's the season for Christmas decorating right? We see the lights coming out, the wreaths, the trees, garland, etc. How much is too much?

Here are some examples of decorating...

Some are nice, some are overdone? Are some too simplistic? I really like the lit nativity in the middle on the top. It's not overdone, but still lit up so you can see it. I lived in West Hill from the age of 12 - the time I got married (except for one year when I lived in the US going to Word of Life Bible Institute at the Schroon Lake, NY campus), and a few streets away from where we lived there was a guy who supported the electric company with his decorations and lights. he had a donation bin when people came by which is cool, but it literally looked something like this...

You could see the glow of his house blocks away. I'm sure it could be seen from space. Was it too much? I personally think so. I definitely would NOT want his electric bill! I have seen so many homes over the years from family and friends and more with all different types of decorating. I think there needs to be a balance for sure. Our outdoor lights at home are simple...

Then we add some rope lights or icicle lights, some red ribbon and garland. Inside we have a Nativity set, Christmas Tree, some garland with shiny red balls and red ribbon, a few small Christmas decorations, nothing overbearing. I think we have a good middle ground. Some may think it's too much, others may think "That's it?" But to each his/her own.

The point of it all is are we celebrating Christmas? Are we celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ or are we trapped by the commercialism and focusing on Santa and Rudolph and Frosty? Those things are fun sure, but they're not the focus. If we leave Christ out of Christmas, then we miss the point.

Thanks Jays for the memories!

Thank you Toronto Blue Jays for the memories of the 2015 season. It was close. But in the end we were denied the Big Game of the World Series. I remember the 1992 and 1993 World Series. I was in a friend's home for the 1992 series, and I was out with friends for the 1993 series. To make it so close and then not go is sad for sure. But they gave it a good run. This does mean promising things for next year as they have had the taste only to lose it and so will want it so desperately next year... hopefully.

In any event, it was fun. It stirred my interest in baseball that hasn't been there for a long time. Thanks to my home town boys, the Toronto Blue Jays! 2015 American League East Champions! All the best for next year guys!

There's still the Argos! 

We won't talk about the Leafs right now...