"Noah was a brave man to sail in a wooden boat with two termites." - Anonymous

Friday, July 24, 2009

Holidays!

We're off on holidays tomorrow, after our nephew's christening. Fairmont and Kelowna await us. We look forward to blue lakes, green mountains, trying to spot Ogopogo, and returning with a trunk full of wine. Hopefully the skies won't be too smoky (those poor people who've had to leave their homes!)

I haven't stayed in Kelowna for an length of time since I was a child. I'm excited to experience it with my boys. I remember the excitement of the waves and the beach, the waterslides and pools...things we never saw in Calgary. Even the food that seemed to taste so different, even though it was still my Mum cooking it. And those little boxes of cereal. Those were the only times I was allowed to have sugary cereal.

It seems we're having a busy summer (birthdays, reunion, babies), and I look forward to posting pictures when we return.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Faith

This weekend my brother-in-law and his wife asked me to be Godmother to their third son.

Hubs is Godfather to their second son. Hubs brothers are our sons Godfathers. His sisters-in-law are their Godmothers.

We like to keep things in the family.

I'm really excited. And honoured. Apparently I am the "Godliest of the sisters-in-law", according to them. Which makes me wonder about the other two...

I think it's safe to say I'm a semi-practicing, questioning Anglican. I was raised Anglican, and when I married a Ukrainian-Catholic, there was never a question of me 'switching sides'. He knew.

When you're young, you don't generally question the faith you're raised in, if any. You follow your parents to church, attend Sunday School, get involved. Though, it may not be a big part of your world - it never was for me, my extra-curricular activities often fell on Sundays as I got older.

As I went out in the world, I met new, different people, was exposed to new experiences, and as my experience grew, my ability to question, defend, see multiple sides did too. Things that I was never exposed to growing up now made sense and were attractive to me. I was able to bring them closer and unite them with my own core belief, often enhancing it. I have been able to reconcile that I may not be a textbook Anglican (or Christian, even), but my faith is a reflection of what I hold dear.

My support for my Godson will be in the same way. He will be raised with a strong faith base. But I will encourage him to find his way on his own, to bring closer that which he draws strength from, and to recognize that each person's faith should be unique.