Preparing for Bob's Service

This is the week that we’ll be welcoming family who are coming from all over the continent to honour their father, papa, brother, uncle, nephew, cousin, and friend. We’re so grateful for the generous offer of two houses in particular where most will stay. One is large enough to accommodate all of us for family dinners. Our church is providing suppers for five nights, feeding anywhere from ten to 35 people each time. We are SO blessed.

Lois and I have had a very busy week with much preparation for Bob’s Memorial Service, taking care of legal and financial affairs, and planning for the congregating of family and friends—all things that Bob excelled so at doing far more than I. We personally delivered invitations to the memorial service to all of Bob’s doctors, dialysis units, hospital wards, the cancer clinic, home care nurses, as well as neighbours. It gave us the opportunity to thank them for their care of Bob over the past two years.

The Memorial Service won’t be “live streamed” but it will be recorded so that it can be viewed by those who are unable to come, within a few hours of the service. Here’s the link whereby it can be accessed: https://vimeo.com/carolarose

The Lord continues to pour His strength and peace into our hearts and I’ve found myself awakening during the middle of the night and in the morning with two hymns at the forefront of my mind.

The second verse to “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms”:
“What have I to dread, what have I to fear, Leaning on the everlasting arms, I have blessed peace with my Lord so near, Leaning on the everlasting arms.”

And the chorus of “In the Garden”:
“And He walks with me and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own.” What comfort!!

Lois leaves in the morning to return to Oregon for a couple of days and then will drive back up with Duane and their daughter Alison on Wednesday. My sister Barb and her son Blake had planned to fly here tomorrow, but Blake had a serious accident on Saturday and sustained a major injury to his left arm requiring a three-hour emergency surgery and now a lengthy recovery. Blake was going to sing at the service, but now neither of them will be coming. My brother Jim still plans to come if he's feeling well enough.

All of our children and grandchildren arrive on Thursday and will be here for five days. Both Vi and Lois and all of their children will be here, with many participating in the service.

Our little condo is like a flower shop and as the bouquets begin to “decline” we put them outside where they last longer and we can constantly see them both day and night--and they make it seem like summertime on the patio.



Here are the addresses of the two organizations you may want to send a donation to in memory of Bob.

Institut Biblique V.I.E.
4824, Cote-des-Neiges, bureau 300
Montreal, QC H3V 1G4

Fairhaven Ministries
#1-8191 Rogers Road
Vernon, BC V1B 3M8

The Memorial Service will be held this Friday at Peace Portal Alliance Church in White Rock at 2:00 pm. The church is located on the corner of King George Blvd. and 152nd St.