Greed, Gas and a pain in the ....neck

Unbelievable - gas is $1.29 per liter today...for my American friends that is $4.88 per US gallon and for my European friends that is $5.86 per UK gallon. We can complain, we can shout, we can "boycott"...but we can't win. We are reliant on gas in my part of the world. We need it to go to work, we need it to travel. Unlike a lot of places in the world, public transit is NOT an option for rural Ontario. Our train tracks were ripped up years ago, buses are few and far between and taxis are almost non-existent. Car pooling just doesn't work with the just in time schedules that people have. Maybe downsizing the vehicle you drive is an option? Option yes, solution no. I have a truck - 110 litres to fill it and it gets 18 mpg on a good day with the wind behind me. It fits me, my wife and 3 children comfortably. When we need to go away, we have room to put the stroller, luggage and anything else that a family of 5 needs in the back. In the winter (and yes, we get a lot of snow, ice, slush and drifting) it is very stable and I can get from A to B with no problem. Also my family feels safe in it.

I also have a Civic...1.6 litres of Japanese engineering. It gets 50mpg...only problem is that with a wife and 3 children (one in a car seat) it is a very tight squeeze. Is it doable, yes, is it comfortable, no. It is also good in the snow - I just put the winter tires on it and it is amazing in the snow....as long as the snow is not over 10 cm's deep...then the bumper pushes the snow.

But what can WE do? Electric cars? - Maybe in the future - the infrastructure is not in place currently, especially in Rural Ontario. Hybrid car? There are not a lot of people that I know that can afford a new hybrid. Sure some can - and if you can - great !

Oil companies are maximizing their profits...on the backs of ordinary Canadians...And we'll just keep on taking it. Why, because we are Canadian. We aren't going to riot, we aren't going to protest in the streets, we aren't overthrow the government...we're Canadian. We're going to discuss, we're going think of "solutions", we're going to complain...
Even our Prime Minister - Mr. Harper spoke about the gas prices in Canada in last nights French leadership debate (which I watched)...he basically said that the government can't do anything about the high prices...that's why they lowered the GST... So we get the GST lowered and then oil companies raise the price on gas - the government still gets their tax because now the price is higher...unreal.

For the next few years here is advice that we, as Canadians, may come in handy - get a good chiropractor, some muscle relaxants, and a good masseuse because the pain is not going away any time soon :)

Keep Looking UP ↑: Riding the Small Bus...My child & Autism

Keep Looking UP ↑: Riding the Small Bus...My child & Autism: "My son getting ready to get on his small bus.... It wasn't long ago that my son was diagnosed as being Autistic. After years of seeing de..."

Life is....Part 3

"Psalm 37:5 Commit everything you do to the Lord.Trust him, and he will help you."Sounds hard doesn't it? Are you at a place in your life when you can honestly say, Lord I commit my life to You - I commit my health to You - I commit my thoughts to You - I commit my actions to You...

 I think that the word "commitment" is a very scary word to a lot of people. It means this: it is a duty or responsibility that you have accepted; it is a promise, it is a strong belief that something is good and that you should support it. 

It is a decision that you have to make. No one can make it for you. 

So when life throws a pot hole on your road of life - don't get discouraged. Just realize that that is life. As you watch people pass you by as you are on the side of the road remember - they too have hit pot holes. Some bigger than you, some smaller than you - but I guarantee they have hit them. 

As you commit your life to God, He is the one that fixes the damage. He is the one who directs your path. He is the one who enables you to see past your present problems and gives you hope to a brighter future...As you commit to Him. 

Take some time today - tell Him exactly how you feel, ask Him for help, seek His direction...then get back onto the road of life :)

Life is...Part 2

Life is...part2

Life is a freeway, just watch out for potholes!

....It all boils down to this – you are NOT in control. What is the answer then? Well, all too often people rely on their own strength. And do you know what is the hardest part...while you are sitting on the side of the road, you watch the other people pass you by. People that you were once ahead of. 
Don't get bitter...and that is very easy to do. Don't get vengeful...even though you may be justified. Don't get frustrated...you need to trust.

"Psalm 112:7 says, They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them."

There are so many pot holes on the road of life... - who are you trusting when you get bad news? Are you trusting your "professional contacts" when you get laid off? Are you trusting the bottle when a loved one passes away? Are you trusting your good looks when your relationship breaks apart? Or are you trusting the One who loves you, cares for you, and wants the absolute best for you?

There is a very important piece of trust...it is commitment - When I speak of commitment, I am talking about everything. "Psalm 37:5 Commit everything you do to the Lord.Trust him, and he will help you."

Sounds hard doesn't it? Are you at a place in your life when you can honestly say, Lord I commit my life to You - I commit my health to You - I commit my thoughts to You - I commit my actions to You...That is a big commitment....
to be continued...

Life is....Part 1

Life is...part 1

Life is a freeway, just watch out for potholes!

Have you ever been wronged? Have you ever been hurt and it came out of the blue? Have you ever questioned - “What did I do to deserve this?”

Well today Life is going to be compared a freeway.

A sunny day, blue sky, cool breeze and you are in a great mood. “Going to be a great day,”you think. You are cruising in your car and all of a sudden....bang...pot hole...your car shudders, the steering wheel jerks and the car comes to a halt. You are on the side of the road, your plans have changed and you are not moving. You think to yourself – I have places to be, people to see, things to do...and now this!!! That is you and your car, now imagine how life is like this.

A loss of a job, the death of a loved one, a bout of depression, a broken relationship,...potholes of life.

They come from out of nowhere, they hit fast, they hit hard and they do damage. That is life. No matter how much you plan, how much you organize, potholes appear. Not all the time, but often enough. I am sure everyone reading this can relate. I know that I do.

It all boils down to this – you are NOT in control. What is the answer then? Well, all too often people rely on their own strength....to be continued...