Last week I arrived home from spending a couple of weeks in New Zealand. There are a lot of people who have this beautiful little country in the far South Pacific on their bucket list. Particularly for the outdoor enthusiast, there is so much to experience. Even if a person had several months to spare, he or she would never come close to taking it all in. There is so much packaged into that little country.

For myself this time around, I just had over two weeks to spend in New Zealand. The entire Christmas school break and just two more days. To travel all that distance, I really wished it were more time. But I pretty much knew it would cost me my crossing guard position if I ended up staying any longer. After all, my position was eliminated at the end of last years school year by the township. The people of Hillsdale fought so hard against that decision, and my crossing job was reinstated when school resumed in September. Highway 93 is lethally dangerous. These children are extremely important to me. You can’t put a price on life of a child. I have written several articles that tie in with my work as a school crossing guard. Here are a few of them. My Life as a Crossing Guard. World Car Free Day. One Second. World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.

So why did I fly all that distance at a huge environmental cost just to barely get there, and then return to Canada so soon? A couple of reasons. Firstly, there are a couple of little human beings in New Zealand I have never met. My precious grandchildren. Secondly, my daughter Naomi was also getting married. COVID has been very challenging for her. This was her third attempt for the wedding, as it had been postponed and rescheduled twice before because of the pandemic. It was extremely important for me to be there, walk her down the aisle and support her.

Augustine once said, “People travel to wonder at the height of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars — and they pass by themselves without wondering.” Human life is so precious. It is such a gift. It was so wonderful to finally get to meet for the very 1st time and interact with my two precious New Zealand grandchildren, Archie and Arlia. Even though half of my luggage (packed in a small carry on daypack) was running gear, once I saw Archie and Arlia, I knew my running would just have to wait for another time. And I never once went out running while in New Zealand.

I marveled that there was a bit of me packaged in three year old Archie. Anytime he was moody or antsy, all it took was for him to get outdoors and all was well. In his backyard we’d kick a ball around, play water games, and run and chase each other. Or go around and around the clothesline pole so much we’d get all dizzy and fall down. We also went to a much bigger park that was just a couple blocks away. Sometimes we’d just lie on our backs and watch the clouds. A favorite pastime when I was a child.  And when we’d get all tuckered out from all the fun and activity we’d each pick a lemon from the tree in the backyard, sit on the deck and have a snack. Incredibly we both love to eat a lemon just like an orange. Archie is a gift of life.

One year old Arlia took much longer to warm up with me. Several new teeth were coming in and she was dealing with a cold. Plus having this tall strange man around the house might have been just too much. However, near the end of my time she would enjoy crawling over me and sometimes allow me to hold her. When I held her and she snuggled closely against my neck at the wedding rehearsal, I melted like candle wax. She is such an amazing character. What a gift. Fifteen minutes before I was to leave for the airport to fly home, Arlia took her 1st couple of steps. It was also amazing having my youngest son Curtis with his daughter Lorelai there in New Zealand. So much fun seeing the cousins interact with one another. What gifts of life. Psalm 139:13-14 reads “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

Many people think of God as a supernatural grandfather, watching us run around the playground of the Earth and occasionally getting up from his recliner to comfort us when we fall down and skin our knee. Other people see God as a divine clockmaker, winding up the world to start it, but then stepping back to let it run on its own. But God isn’t like that at all. He’s a personal, active and loving God. God is not distant and uncaring. He’s a loving heavenly Father. He knows every detail about us. The colour of our eyes, how tall we are and even knows the number of hairs on our head.

It was a very busy couple of weeks in New Zealand. It involved a fair bit of babysitting while Naomi did a lot of running around for her wedding. My wife and I were talking one evening about raising families, and how God in His wisdom has designed it that the most optimal time for parents to bring children into the world to raise children is during young adulthood. When energy levels are at their highest. Parenting is a lot of work, but very fulfilling.

Two days before I was to return to Canada was the long delayed and anticipated wedding for Naomi and Ryland. The weather was perfect at a gorgeous outdoor venue. Naomi was so beautiful. I have so much love for her and I am very proud of her for the man she chose to marry. It was wonderful to get to know my new son-in-law Ryland a little bit better while in New Zealand as well. It was really hard to leave Naomi, Ryland, Archie and Arlia in New Zealand and return to cold, snowy, wintery Canada. But I have entrusted them into God’s hands. Knowing that God is there with them. He is so intimately acquainted with them. And loves and cares for them so deeply.

*I wrote this article as a very condensed version of a message I’ve preached at 3 different churches on January 14th and 21st, 2024.