Beauty Underneath

Dad saw something in it
He knew beauty could be brought out
So he placed his hand on the sickle and started to cut
He cut away the overgrown grass
He cut down the dead trees to allow new ones to grow
He tore down eye sores of buildings and replaced them with functioning ones
He lovingly tended the grass
He dutifully tilled the earth
He encouraged growth
He sowed and cultivated

God saw something in me
He knew beauty could be brought out
So He put His hand on the sickle and started to cut
He cut away the overgrown ideas
He cut down the dead habits to allow godly ones to grow
He tore down eye sores of sin and replaces them with His word
He lovingly tended my virtues
He dutifully tilled my heart
He encouraged growth
He sowed and cultivated

Wedding

We had the priviledge of joining Josh and Paula as they got married last weekend (May 20th). It was a beautiful wedding. Leanne did the music for the processional. She was nervous before the wedding and said she didn't want to go to the party after the wedding. Afterwards she was hyper excited and of course had to go to the party. It was a fun party. Some highlights included: Josh's Freestyle Ring Exchange, Flower Girl Dancing, Josh and Paula First Dance Montage.
The pictures included are of Josh and Paula Lighting the Unity Candle, Leanne playing for the processional, My friend Albie and his Fiance Lisa (Hear that----- Fiance, Cool!!!) in my token artistic dancing shot:)

Family

Leanne mentioned as Dad was sick and passed away that she was amazed at the way our family came together as one. It did not surprise me but it did her. As a result she knows that when she needs help she knows the family will help her. She really appreciates them. It is hard over the thousands of miles for the family to know her well. That is hard on her because she can see that difficulty in this. But she appreciates the efforts made by all.
Here are a few pictures of Leanne with the family.

Pictures: I MISS HIM

The Last Day

On our last day we went to a museum.
We went shopping.
He sat in the car and waited.
I sat with him.
He talked about buying a computer.
I told him about my apple.
He said, "your brother is trying to get me to buy one too"
"They scare me"
I said, "I know what you mean"

We came home and he sat by the TV eating a hot dog.
I sat with him.
He lamented his headache.
He lamented the growing distance between us.
I looked at him and resented it.
I thought, 'Why did you ruin a great day with that, Dad?'
He changed the topic.

I see it now.
The gap had grown over the continents.
But something I want Dad to know.

Even with no words to say between us
I know I love you
You know I love you
I know you love me
You know you love me
It's all we have now.
All I can cling to


In the last moments the bridge was built over the gap.
LOVE

We Know Where He Is

My dad knew a guy. He was slightly mentally handicapped. He loved my dad and they would talk on the phone often.
When he met my brother in the McDonald's parking lot my brother told him that my Dad had passed away. He was sad and then my brother said that now my dad could see out of both his eyes (my dad had one glass eye). At this the man started to laugh. He got on his bicycle laughing and saying, " We know where he is" over and over again.
We would often say, " Dad is in a better place now" with a small tear in the corner of our eyes. Why the tear? For us yes! but there should be smile and a laugh and joy as well.
WE KNOW WHERE HE IS!!!!!!!! Praise the LORD!!!!!! :)

In Rememberance

My wife and I went back to Canada for a couple of weeks. During that time my father had a stroke. He was recovering when we left for Taiwan. However when we got homewe received a phone call from my brother telling me Dad had had another stroke and had passed away.
My father was a godly man. Honest and full of integrity. He worked hard all his life to provide for his family. He loved talking about fishing and football and was loved by many people.
I was happy that I had a chance to say things to him before I left that I needed to say.
He is now with his heavenly Father and will rest forever in His arms. This was my father's belief and hope. Raise a praise to God for this man. Henry David Peter Hildebrand. Dad and Grandpa and a loving husband.

Paper done!!!!!!!

I finished my paper on Saturday and sent it on Monday. I feel great. I hope the paper comes back before we go to Canada but nevertheless I will enjoy my time free of schoolwork.
I just changed some light bulbs today. I know it doesn't sound all that interesting but we had light that would usually take a minute to come on. Now it works perfectly. I first changed the buldb and it didn't work. So I changed the condenser. wrong kind. Went to get the right kind and now it works. I did three of them and I am feeling like a real man. Doing home repairs. Feeling masculine!!! Yeah!
One week until we head to Canada. I am pysched. MOre now that I have finished a lot of the other things that preceeded it.

I'm a driver

I did it today. I finally got a Taiwanese car driving license. It was because I couldn't renew my Canadian one anymore so I needed to get one for our upcoming trip. It was not easy but I passed.
I am finishing up my latest course in my pursuit of a Master's degree. This one has been pretty lazy for me but that might be because I am such a keener and decided to read the whole textbook before class started. Everyone else has been bogged down in reading while all I need to do is write my papers and quizzes. I have one 2000 word paper to write on my personal learning theory. The course is on the psychology of learning and has been fascinating in some ways but incredibly boring in other ways.
I can't wait to finish my paper and get ready to go to Canada. I can see the light!

New Contact info

Hey everyone or anyone who maybe interested. Leanne now has her own email address and would be so psyched to get some mail from y'all.
It is leannehil316@gmail.com
Give her some love.

We Got It

Just an update on some of our worries. We got all the visas Leanne needs for our trip. I have been doing very well (A+) in my course assignments. Tickets are almost all booked. I had a great time teaching last week. God is good. See the smiles.
By the way, if you to talk to me for free, go here http://www.skype.com and get the free long distance between skype users. I have used it and it is grrrrrrrreat. Crystal clear from here to Panama. Yeah!!!! Get it and we will talk.

Worry

I never like to worry. I am, however, very good at it. These last few weeks have been a time of incredible stress. I have worried about my next course. I have worried about airplane tickets. Ihave worried about money to pay for the airplane tickets. I have worried we are not going to spend enough time with everyone. I have worried about our church. I have worried about leading worship. I have worried about my job. I have worried about my sister. I have worried about my father. I have worried about my repuatation. I have worried about my nephew.
Even now I worry. I don't how to stop doing it. I try to say "God is in control" and yet I worry. I try to lay it at His feet and yet I worry. I worry about what God thinks about my worrying. The things I want to do, I don't do and the things I know I shouldn't do, these I do. Free me Lord Free me.
I think this picture is adorable. It takes some of my worry away.

Caleefu is my Chinese Nickname.

Ten Top Trivia Tips about Caleefu!

1. Baby swans are called Caleefu.
2. Most bottles and jars contain at least twenty-five percent recycled Caleefu!
3. Plato believed that the souls of melancholy people would be reincarnated into Caleefu!
4. Grapes explode if you put them inside Caleefu.
5. The colour of Caleefu is no indication of his spiciness, but size usually is.
6. In Vermont, the ratio of cows to Caleefu is 10:1!
7. Bees visit over three million flowers to make a single kilogram of Caleefu.
8. 99 percent of the pumpkins sold in the US end up as Caleefu.
9. The average human spends about 30 days during their life in Caleefu!
10. If the Sun were the size of a beach ball then Jupiter would be the size of a golf ball and Caleefu would be as small as a pea.

I am interested in - do tell me aboutherhimitthem

Chinese New Year

We are in the middle of our Chinese New Year Holiday here. That means a week without work for me. This is a time alot like Christmas in Manitoba. Families get together and hang out. We went to Leanne's Mom's place on Monday. Usually this means sitting around watching TV and doing nothing. This time Leanne and I borrowed a scooter from Mom and rode around for awhile. It was fun although her scooter has no muscle. We spent the whole day there and had a good day. Yesterday we went to see The lion the witch and the wardrobe. I cried when Aslan was killed. The blood sacrifice. It reminds me of Chinese new year here. Most families will put red banners with "lucky" words on them over their door and on the sides of the door. It always reminds me of the story of Exodus. The red banners are meant to scare away the monster called "Nian" or year in english. If you don't do this the monster will eat you. It is just custom now but it reminds me of the blood the Israelites put over their doors at the Exodus. It also reminds me that the people here are living in a past of fear that the past will catch them and get them. Praise the Lord that He has saved us from this fear and the need of a blood sacrifice. He has set us Traitors free by His Blood Sacrifice.
PTL

Pray

OUr church is going through a serious crisis. OUr pastor is leaving as God has called him to a new place but this has left the church in a very disunited state. Many people are not on board with our transition time measures and there is a little bit of an out cry among some that they want to break away and start a new fellowship. Pray God will have His way as we will be having a Town hall meeting on Sunday after church. Pray the dissenters come and express themselves in a Godly way.
The picture is of some of the leadership during our recent Leader's Retreat.

Pictures: I keep forgetting!!!

Here He Is

Finally I have been able to see my nephew Tate. Here are two incredibly cute shots of him. We are having a blast although it is alot easier for me as I am just the uncle and when he starts crying I can just let Mommy handle it. Never the less, I love him. I didn't know how he would react to me or how I would react to him but no doubts now. I am in love. When he sees me and smiles I melt.
Kenny and Jo are doing good. It is so fun to watch Kenny with Tate. He is a great Daddy and Jo is a great Mommy. Tate is so blessed to have them.

Forgot the picture: Here It Is!!!!!!

Congrats to Brad

I just received a special message from my good friend Brad. Brad, a self-proclaimed monk and bachelor for life, is getting married. Leanne and I are so pumped. Brad has come to visit me twice in Taiwan and has been very supportive of me in my choice to live here. I love him. I don't know Helanna yet but look forward to meeting her. Here you see a picture of Brad and myself playing Chinese chess. I bought it for Brad a few years ago and he adores it.
Brad, if you see this, we love you and wish you God's greatest joy and blessings in the times ahead.
From a former monk and bachelor and a Lesser Brother of Zion.

Merry Christmas

This shot is a little old but is a good picture of our church. In it are people from Canada, The USA, Finland, Australia, England, South Africa and Taiwan. I think at Christmas I remember most that Jesus didn't just come for me but for all the people of the world. This picture reminds me of this.
I pray you all have a blessed Christmas and New Year.
Kenny and Jo and Tate are coming. Yeah!