The lag is real. Harvey and I are struggling with staying up past 8:30 pm and waking in the middle of the night - ready for the day to start. The time change between home and Greece is 7 hours and so far - the time change is winning.

Last weekend was so very ordinary and yet so extraordinary.

I spent last Friday morning playing pickle ball in Port Elgin with 3 of my friends. Game after game. Stroke after stroke. Laugher. Teasing. Congratulations on great shots. Close games. A few blowouts. Three hours of great - competitive - play. I started with my toque and gloves on and in no time - I was warmed up and the gloves came off. An ordinary morning with good friends - but extraordinary for my heart and well being.

One of the guys invited me over to have a coffee with him and his wife - and over I went. We talked about our Greece trip and cruising and vacations and life and grandkids - drank our coffees - and then - I drove home. It was a simple invitation but it meant so much. It said - “hey, I want to hear about your trip.” An ordinary coffee and conversation. An extraordinary burst of sunshine in our growing friendship.

Later that same day - Friday - my grand-daughter Indigo came over to spend the night. I picked Indy up after school and our ordinary/extraordinary evening began. Ordinary supper - chicken nuggets - macaroni - olives and pickles and red pepper slices - extraordinary joy and delight when every last morsel is eaten. No complaints ever.

I showed Indy the music for the church’s Christmas concert and for an hour or so after supper - we listened over and over again to the songs. Before long - she knew most of the words to all the songs and the actions too. That led to choosing what we would watch for “movie night.” It was an easy choice - The Best Christmas Pageant Ever - with ordinary “all dressed chips” and extraordinary memories being made. A story - song - and prayer - before tucking Indy in for the night and not a peep until first thing Saturday morning. Dad came over to pick up his girl - and my ordinary/extraordinary time with Indy was over until the next time.

I was off to Listowel on Saturday morning with three friends to a women’s conference - not really a conference but a gathering for a couple of hours of fellowship, singing and listening to a speaker. The meeting was held at First Baptist Church - Listowel - which happened to be the church Randy and I pastored from 1987 to 1998.

Ordinary conversations with old friends - but - one of those chats turned out to be extraordinary! It happened just before we were heading home. The husband of one of my friends came into the church building - specifically to find me. He told me that a few years ago he had had a dream and it woke him up - it was so vivid - so real - so striking. He told me that in the dream - he had died and was in heaven. He said as he looked around, he recognized many familiar faces - although he said he didn’t really know them. As he gazed further afar - he noticed a very tall man with a great big smile on his face. The man immediately moved through the crowd to him - threw his arms around him and said - “welcome - I’ve been waiting for you.” It was Randy in his dream. Randy’s smile. My ordinary morning just turned extraordinary.

I woke early on Sunday morning - 5 am in Kincardine is noon in Greece. I sat in the living room sipping my coffee - going over my lesson that I would teach at both the 9 am and 11 am service to 8 - 10 wiggly 6 and 7 year olds - waiting for night to turn to day. Did you see the moon last weekend? It was brilliant! Full! Bright! I peeked out the front window and the full moon was setting over Lake Huron. It was stunning. It left me breathless. What a way to begin my day. Ordinary morning. Extraordinary gift of seeing a moon set.

Things are happening at our church - The Harbour. Our Sunday School is hopping. Both the 9 and 11 services provide nursery and teaching for kids up to Grade 6. Everyone else is upstairs. Because 45 students and 20 adults were away on a youth retreat - some of us did double duty in Harbour Kids. I was grateful that my energy was just as great at the second service as it was for the first. Ordinary morning - but extraordinary when one little girl said “I’m glad you’re my teacher today.”

After church the girls asked to come over for lunch - Adele and Indigo. Absolutely. What a joy it is to have them live in the same town as we do. It would be a quick one though - I had my first Messiah rehearsal at 2. The girls were happy with Kraft Dinner and veggies - while waiting for the noodles to cook - Adele sprawled out on the couch reading Dangerous Journey (the story of Christian’s journey to the Celestial City) and Indy turned the Christmas music on and continued practicing the songs. It was a quick hour. It was an ordinary hour but every hour with grandkids become extraordinary.

Then it was off to my Messiah Rehearsal - preparing for Christmas - Handel’s great masterpiece. My voice was not yet prepared for this season of rehearsals. My body felt weary. My mind didn’t seem to be registering as it should. But once the first strains of the piano began - I remembered. Everything kicked into gear - the words came out - the notes were sure - the extraordinary of this fantastic piece of music resonated in my heart.

I came home and plopped on the couch. I dozed off. I woke refreshed. Made supper for Harv and I. Watched some hockey. And got ready for bed.

My Mom always said to us kids - “make good memories”. That’s exactly what my weekend did. A very ordinary weekend had extraordinary moments.