Ya Sure You Betcha!, Eh?

Sorry for the silence on the blog of late. As previously noted, there was kind of a lot to do to get ready for Christmas. And then in the middle of the lots to do, I came down with the particularly virulent stomach bug that's been plaguing the valley. Uff da mayda, I have not been sick like that in well over a decade. And it hit on a Saturday night, so for the first time since I was ordained, I missed church because I was just too ill to be there. Thankfully Kyle pinch hit for me on very short notice, and from all reports did a wonderful job (cou-think seminary-gh cou-young man!-gh). I had been exposed to the bug so many times the week before, it was becoming a matter of not "if" but "when" I was going to come down with it, so I am at least grateful that it took me out before Christmas Eve, not on Christmas Eve.

Suffice to say, between being sick and all the stuff surrounding the holidays, I haven't been online much. And I really don't have that much time tonight either, but I have to relate this funny story:

This evening we were once again privileged to host the Watoto Children's Choir, which is just a very energizing and inspiring concert, and supports a ministry that is literally saving and improving thousands of orphans' lives in Uganda. As host pastor, I offered a greeting and opening prayer, and also a prayer after we received a love offering to support the ministry of Watoto. People from all around the community were in attendance, in addition to many of our own congregation members.

After the concert, a community member came up and introduced himself to me and then said "Your accent. . .are you originally from Canada?"

I laughed and told him no, I am originally from Min-e-sooo-ta. Turns out he works in the paper industry and talks to a lot of paper mills in Canada and the upper Midwest, and he thought I sounded a lot like the folks he talks to "out West."

I just think it's funny that he referred to "my accent" because I (naturally) don't think I have one. Ok, I can admit I have a little bit of an accent - the long o always gives me away, and there is a little bit of a lilt in my speech pattern and sometimes my a's come across kind of nasal - probably moreso if I've been speaking to people from home or am talking fast. But on the whole, I think I speak rather "normally" and not all that differently from folks around here. . .but I guess the natives hear differently!

Blessed New Year,
C.