Holiday Adventures

Holiday Adventures
Brian Reid
June 24, 2007

Peggy and I went on a short vacation, a few weeks ago. We attended a Pastor’s and spouse’s retreat in Yarmouth for 3 days and 2 nights (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday), which was quite interesting. Left there, “sailed’ across on The Cat to Bar Habour, Maine – in very, very rough water, lots of fog and wind. Not a nice trip at all. Many people, including myself, were sick. I took some Gravol, and had a sleep, while Peggy spent a lot of her time, out the back of the ship, soaking in the fresh air.

We got into Bar Harbour at 9 pm, after a 4-hour tour (normal crossing is 2 – 2.5 hours). Lots of motels right after we got off the boat, but we decided to drive for a while, and get something to eat. So we did that.

The next motel we found was after we crossed the boarder to Canada, NB, in St. Stephens, at 2:30am.

Got up the next morning (Wednesday) and drove to Saint John. Went to the City Market and few other places. After we were finished, we tried to find the road to Moncton and got lost. The streets and roads in and out of the City are not marked very well at all. I went over that big bridge and paid my toll, to the same man twice, before I finally found a way out. I think the city of Saint John does that so people can easily find their way into the City, but not easily find their way out.

Well, we had to take the road to Fredericton/Sussex, to get to Moncton – who would have thought - that! Well got into Moncton at 4:30 and went straight to First Baptist Church to find a friend of ours and, past youth pastor – Rev Colin Cook.
Colin was the youth pastor at Kentville Baptist and Joy was the choir director there, while Colin attended Acadia Divinity College.

Sure enough, we found him – and, eventually, got invited back to his house for supper, and to visit with his wife Joy, and their 2 young daughters.

After supper and a short visit, we left Colin and Joy’s and drove to Sackville, NB and got a motel for the night. Not much in Sackville, a motel, gas station, the University (Mount A, I think), Oh, most important a Timmies.

Got up Thursday morning, had the continental breakfast. Ya’ know I ain’t much on this continental breakfast thing.

I think they should change the name of ‘the continental breakfast” to;

“We’re too busy to cook for you, breakfast”
“The, we’re lazy, get your own breakfast, breakfast”
“The, all the dry cereal and toast you can eat, breakfast.”

None-the-less, we ate and left – stopped off at Timmies, first though.

Drove to Shubanacie (spelling?) Wildlife Park. Peggy is so fascinated by wildlife. I often wonder if that’s what drew her to me in the first place? We spent almost 2 hours observing, the always sleeping, animals. Every time I have ever gone to a wildlife park, the animals seem to be always sleeping. Don’t they know that their main purpose in life, is to show off and entertain us? They are to be the exhibitionists, and we the voyeurs?

Seems very sad to me. I once spent 23 days as an exhibit, for a fundraiser for Canadian Mental Health Association; talking with people and answering questions about Mental Health and the importance of seeking help. So, I can relate to the animals being on display.

After visiting with the animals, Peg and I left for Lower Sackville; I wanted to check out a few motorbike shops.

I took a short-cut to get to Lower Sackville, which turned out – not to be a short-cut at all. Yes, we got lost.

From there we drove to the valley to our daughter’s place. It was so nice to see her. We rested for a while, got something to eat; and then I took Peggy and Tanya to the movies. We saw Shriek-3. Now, I’m not a big Shriek fan, I have watched the first movie, but skipped the second one, and was not interested, in the third, at all; but I knew they wanted to see it – so we went. And low and behold, I enjoyed myself and even laughed (some – OK – alot).

Came back to Tanya’s house and crashed for the night. I must say, of all the beds I have slept in, in my 47 years, Tanya’s bed is the most uncomfortable-ist.

Got up Friday morning, did some running around and around 6pm, we meet up with our friends, Betty and Bob Keddy; and followed them to their camp on Black Duck Lake, in East Dalhousie. We had a great weekend visiting with them and catching up with all the happenings from Kentville Baptist.

Friday night we had chili for supper. It was good, not too spicy, but spicy enough (as we found out the next day). We sat out on the deck (Friday night) and enjoyed the lake, until the black flies drove me inside. For some reason, black lies, mosquitoes and the such, just love me. Went inside and went to bed.

Now, I have to retract my previous statement about Tanya’s bed being the worst, well I have changed my mind. The mattress that Betty and Bob gave us to sleep on was the most, worst. It was lumpy and hard; and both Peggy and I, got a spring jabbed into us, in the middle of the night. I think maybe Betty and Bob had it set so that when Peggy and I decided to snuggle, then the springs were activated as a safety feature.

Got up Saturday morning, ate a huge breakfast. Unlike that continental breakfast, a few days ago, we had our choice of; coffee/tea, apple/orange juice, blueberry pancakes, bacon, eggs (any style) and toast (white or whole-wheat). Now, that’s a breakfast!

After breakfast, we got out the canoes, and hit the lake. Peggy and I soaked ourselves with Sun Block, but by the time we got back to shore, the fronts of our legs were red-hot (and burning).
The canoeing was wonderful –so relaxing. The water was like glass – so calm, smooth and cool. Unlike our legs, which were, by now, bright red and very hot to the touch.

After our canoeing, we decided to go to Mahone Bay, for the afternoon. It was only an hour’s drive and the weather was great. Once there, we parked the car and walked the small streets, and ‘peroused’ the shops.

Left for home/back to the camp, for it was getting late (7pm) and our steaks had been marinating for close to 6 hours. So, we got home at 8, cooked the steaks and ate at 9:00 pm. The steaks were wonderful; I had mine medium-rare. Bob did an excellent job BBQing those steaks on the BBQ, he found at the side of the road, during clean-up week. Well-done, Bob.

Went to bed – oh, I told Bob of our concerns for our sleeping arrangements, and even though he would not give up his soft and comfy bed, he did cut off the 2 protruding springs and turned our mattress over. “There,” he said. “That should make all the difference in the world!”

Well it did!!! That night’s sleep was 10 times worse than the night before. We had laid on the good side, the previous night. When I woke up Sunday morning, I could hardly move or straighten out my back; and Peggy and I, still got speared by the springs.

We then rushed around, had a cup of tea and a piece of toast, because we wanted to catch the 9:30 service at the East Dalhousie Baptist Church.
Well, we did make it on time for the service, but we were either a week late or a week early. Apparently, services at this church are every-other Sunday, and we were there on the wrong Sunday; and as Betty puts it, it was Bob’s fault for not checking with someone, the night before.

Back to the camp we went, cooked the second half of our breakfast, while Bob (then) called around to see where the services were being held. At the breakfast table, Bob explained that we had indeed just missed the weekly service, by a week.

You see, the church was part of a field of three.

Pastor Robert Gates preaches in East Dalhousie every other Sunday at 9:30 am, then preaches at Springfield United Baptist Church every Sunday at 11:00; and on the other Sundays, that he is not at East Dalhousie, he is at the third church at 9:30. I never did find out where that third church was.

“Well,” Bob said. “I know where the church in Springfield is; it only takes about 30 minutes to get there from here.”

“Well,” Betty said. “We’ll leave 45 minutes early – just in case.”

We got ready, and at about 10 or so, decided to leave for church at Springfield.

Bob said, “Brian, you and Peggy can lead and Betty and I will follow. You go here, then here and turn here. No problem. And if you turn in the wrong direction, I will simply blow my horn.”

Betty said, “Bob, you can lead and Brian can follow us.”

Bob said, “That will work too.”

So, off we went, with Bob (and Betty) in the lead and Peggy and I following behind – quickly. We went there, and went there, and turned there. No problem. Peggy was keeping a watchful eye on the time.

Now, as the time was getting closer and closer to 11, Peggy and I were getting worried about being late – with no church on the horizon for miles.

Suddenly Bob does a u-turn and he pulls up beside us.

“Well,” Bob said. “I took a wrong turn back there.”
“Well,” Betty said. “Next time, Brian, you can lead.”

Off we go again, high-tailing it (that means going really fast), and 5 minutes later we pulled into the parking lot at Springfield Baptist Church – with 5 minutes to spear!

Pastor Gates met us at the door, welcomed us and invited us in.

The first thing I noticed about the church, is there is only one way in; which means, there is only one way out. The door opens and you come in, right by the pulpit; which also means the pastor can see who’s coming and who’s going – and he can keep a watchful eye on everyone.

Another thing I notice was that the floor, of the sanctuary, was not level; it’s slated, much like our loaf here. I think this is another safety feature that people like to ‘spring’ on others.

So, let me set the scene. The pulpit is at the front of the church, beside the only door, and the floor is slated TOWARDS the pulpit. I think that this was done on purpose, and was a true design element.

I think the reason it was done, was for those who like to sneak-out early, and they would get thrown off balance (by the floor being slated or tilted), and maybe fall, then, because the floor is slated, that person would start to roll, right down the centre of the church – for all to see; and roll right down front, stopping only when they hit the pulpit – as the pastor watches everything.

I think we could use something like that here.

The service and the music was good; even though the pastor was a bit long-winded. I’m sure glad that never happens here.

After the service, we said our goodbyes to our friends, Betty and Bob, and drove home. Our vacation was not really what we expected and we were so very glad to be home.

Now, don’t get me wrong, we enjoyed our vacation, we are glad we got away, for a few days, and nothing that happened Quenched the Spirit of our vacation.



In life, sometimes things happen, not as we expect.
In life, sometimes things happen, that we don’t foresee.
In life, sometimes things happen, that we sooner not experience.

But, in life, it is our attitude that determines our outcomes. We only get out of life, what we put into it. For some, their self-fulfilling prophecies create for themselves a life of pain, suffering and negativity.

Peggy and I didn’t let all those bad things, that happen on our vacation, to deter from the vacation itself. We took everything in stride, and made the best of every situation – for our Spirit was not quenched, not stifled, not reduced, extinguished, doused, smothered, suffocated, suppressed or repressed.

We had a terrible vacation, and we enjoyed it. We may have looked forward to getting home, but the focal point of our vacation was alive and well, for we did not Quench the Spirit.

For it is the Spirit, God’s Holy Spirit, that leads the way, that watches over us, that creates in us, that sense of happiness and peace. Nothing could have taken that away from us.


As you travel the roads of life, as you experience things that you sooner avoid, as you are tossed about by the storms of life, as you live the life that God gave you; remember Paul’s instructions to the Thessalonians:

“Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you, who belong to Christ Jesus.

Keep away from every kind of evil. Hold on to what is good. Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said.

And…and…do not Quench the Spirit!”

Let’s Pray.
Dear God,
Life is hard sometimes and we get discouraged. We experience pain and suffering, and we are perplexed. What should we do, where should we go, how should we proceed?

Help us, Dear Lord, find our way.
Help us, Dear Lord, to see the good in everything and everyone.
Help us, Dear Lord, to appreciate what you do in our lives.
Help us, Dear Lord, not to Quench the Spirit.
Amen.