Dreams

DREAMS

Today on the way to hockey practice my daughter and I discussed dreams.  Our pastor also talked a bit about our dreams this morning.  He said that we always had to test our thoughts and dreams to see if they were true, noble etc.  I have many dreams and nightmares that I just discard because there’s no truth to them but I do not believe that this should cause us to discard the precious dreams God gives us. 

The discussion started with me asking my daughter if she could draw me a picture.  I wanted a long red brick house with a veranda all along the front and the roof covering the veranda.  Just a one-story building, no basement, no second floor.  This building was standing east and west, on the west end there was a concrete pathway leading south for about 50ft and there was a square red brick building which had a flat roof and a water tank on the top.  About 50ft west of the main house which I described first was another small house facing the main house with a covered veranda on the east side and from that building there was also a concrete path leading to the main building which connected to the path that led to the tank house.  If you could get a birds eye view of this, there were a lot of trees in the back.  To the north of the building and in amongst these trees there was a path leading to the north starting on the east side of the building.  This path was leading a little bit east but mostly north to a dock that was build onto a lake.  It was a narrow wooden dock with a bigger square patio type dock on the end.  On this dock there were several men, approximately 5 of them, working to save someone who had fallen into the lake a little ways from the dock. Is there someone out there who can draw this for me?

One of these five men was my husband some of the others were in-laws or maybe even my brothers.  They recovered the body and I remember it lying on the dock lifeless but it wasn’t anyone I knew and I don’t remember any sadness but only admiration for the bravery of my loved ones. In my dream I stood east of the tank house facing north and looking toward the house.  Out of the house walked my mother-in-law and towards the tank house stood my sister-in-law.  I knew who these women were, I knew they were my family and I could tell they knew me, it was this feeling of being completely known, not who people thought I was or who I wanted to be, simply me, exactly me, no hero or brat just me.  I could tell I belonged and was so loved by this family but I didn’t recognize them and had never seen them before.  My mother-in-law looked over at me, seeing the questioning look on my face, assuming I was looking for my husband, she said, “your husband will be back shortly’”.  I looked over to the little house towards the west knowing that was our home, my husband and mine, and saw my husband standing on the veranda looking at me with so much love.  I started walking towards him and he came to meet me.  We met on the concrete path close to the tank house.  I walked into his arms and he gave me such a loving warm hug.  Overwhelmed by the love, I started to cry and told him, “I know you are my family and I can feel the love but I have amnesia, I don’t remember any of you so you will have to help me”.  With that I woke up.  O man! Did I ever wish I could go back to sleep and feel that love again.

I meditate on this dream a lot.  Since Roderick moved to heaven I have often talked about the great love people who have visions of heaven or have gone to heaven when they died but then were resuscitated have felt.  That’s one of the things they all seem to have in common.  They talk about being loved and feeling loved with so great a love, greater then they have ever felt before, I know Roderick feels that love now too and he not only feels it but he also sees and knows that that same love is surrounding us whether we feel it or not.  I felt like God wanted to give me a little taste of this love with this dream. 

After I told my daughter this dream she told me she had a dream last night that Roderick gave her a hug.  “We were in an arena and walked into this dressing room.  Roderick sat on the bench and was undressing from hockey”. 

“He got up and gave you a hug?” I asked.

“Yes” she said.

I told her another dream that I had and she said that I had interesting dreams.  I told her she did too.  She often tells us about her dreams in the morning.

“But yours have meaning” she said.

I told her only because I meditate on them and think about what they could mean.  “It’s no different then yours when I wake up.  But when I meditate on them and think about what I can learn from them they become interesting with meaning.  I also have nightmares that are scary but I know those are lies so I discard them. 

That is so with everything in life whether they be dreams, thoughts, actions or whatever, we have to test them whether they are true, noble, just etc. and meditate only on those that are.

So to all of you who know Roderick out there, if you ever have a dream about Roderick or anything in that regard, (my dream didn’t have Roderick in it but is still a part of his story) even if it’s just two sentences, I would love to hear it.  It doesn’t matter if it seems important or not just anything let me know.  Lets see what kind of collection we can come up with.

Thanks for Your Support

First of all, I want to thank you all for coming out and supporting the second annual Roderick Rempel Floor Hockey Tournament.  I want to thank the committee for spending so much time planning and organizing and I want to thank MBCI and all the staff for hosting and supporting this event. Thanks to Mr Downie for coming back and MCing for us and to all the volunteers and teams that are involved, and who make this day so special. Thank you to everyone, this tournament means so much to my family and me.

I was asked if I ever felt that Roderick was watching over all of this.  I said of course, but I often believe he would be thinking, “all this because of me?” This reminds me of the time when Roderick posted on his Facebook page, “I may be unknown now, but eventually I will be unforgettable.” I know that he would be very humbled and thankful for this event and for the fact that this tournament raises funds to provide scholarships and bursaries to students who are not able to afford Christian education. I would like to thank you all for helping keep Roderick’s memory alive.

There is a verse in the Bible that has really become meaningful to me. In Hebrews 11, it talks about the great people of faith that have gone on before us and then it says, ‘Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, referring to the people who have gone before us. I believe Roderick is now one of that crowd of witnesses cheering us on in our race.  I made post cards for Roderick’s birthday with that verse on the front. I have extra copies if anyone would like one. They are by the table with the memorabilia and you are welcome to take one. 

I did not make a lot of resolutions for 2017; however I did make one.  I decided that in 2017, I would see something beautiful come out of this tragedy.  I saw this beautiful back yard, in it was a tree that looked like the trunk had split in half and half of it had fallen over.  Half of it was still growing the other half had become this beautiful table for flowers and greenery.  It was beautiful, I wish I had a picture of it but it reminds me of this storm of tragedy that has ripped through our family.  It’s not the norm to turn a fallen tree into something beautiful. Usually, it is cut up for firewood. All you see is a broken tree that looks so damaged, but it is possible to make something beautiful from it, and that is what I’m believing for. 

To all of Roderick’s friends, I know this tragedy has affected you as well. I encourage you to continue to strengthen your faith in the Lord and to know that you are loved. I also encourage families to love one another and to remember that life can be short, and to cherish each day you spend with each other.

Roderick’s mom

Rod's 2017 tournament

I read a quote sometime ago that said, “The time to make friends is before you need them!!”

Never before have we realized how important friends are, and how much kids can add to the parent’s circle of friends. So many of you here today we know because of Roderick.

Having this tournament is a huge honour for us as parents, and how much more for Roderick, how proud he'd be or is to see that his life here continues to have an impact on so many people. I’m often reminded of a discussion we had not long before his passing on really valuable art, so often the artist is not around anymore to enjoy the success, the comment Roderick made, he was quiet for a bit and then said "that sucks".  That is how we feel now too, it really sucks having these tournaments on one hand, but on the other hand it's a huge blessing and honour and may his short life here on earth continue to remind us of what kind of legacy we would like to leave.

Thank you so much for coming out so let's go play hard and have fun and just so you know the "Wolverines Old Boys Organization” are here today to take home the championship title.

Roderick’s dad

Roderick Rempel Floor Hockey Tournament

Save the date!! Saturday June 3, MBCI is hosting another floor hockey fundraising tournament in honour and memory of Roderick Rempel.

Registration and pledge forms can be picked up in the high school office. Only $50 per team to register. Register by May 25 - only 20 spots available (16 in the senior division and 4 junior). The money raised this year will be put in the MBCI Bursary Fund to help many students at MBCI.

Roderick had a huge heart and was always caring about others, so we hope that you will join us in raising funds for this cause on his behalf! Don't miss out on this fun-filled, exciting day. 

See you there on June 3!

Poem by Angeline

Free Verse Poem #10

by Angeline Rempel

You can still hear the loud cries

The gunfire that pierces through flesh

You think you’re safe but violence always follows

Everything is good everything is peaceful

But one split second can change your life forever

Time stands still after that one second

You look around and wait for something to happen

Sirens grow louder and questions are asked

You just sit there in shock not knowing what to do

You keep hoping this is all just a dream

Angeline had to write thirty some different kinds of poems for an assignment in school.  This is one of the poems she wrote.

I listened to a message today, it was so powerful.  

But it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Saviour, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.  

2 Timothy 1:10.

Anyone who is dealing with pain let's welcome the light and gain a new perspective on our pain.  I promise you won't regret taking the time to watch this message.  https://www.life.church/watch/through-the-eyes-of-a-lion/turn-off-the-dark/

Birthday Celebration

   

Flowers we receive

The Flowers we received

Some years ago I took Roderick to Staples to buy something he needed for school.  I explained to him that we would get only what he needed and we would look for the best price because we were in a situation financially where we needed to be careful how much we spent.  When we had found what we needed we went to checkout and the cashier asked if I’d be willing to make a donation.

   “Sure.” I said, “five dollars”.

   “You said we need to be careful how much we spend”, Roderick pipes up.

   I looked at him and responded, “but we’re still always generous”.

   “Then why don’t you give five hundred dollars”? He asked.

   By this time the cashier is smiling and looks at Roderick and says, “Your mom said generous not crazy”.

   That word crazy, that was so commonly used by people observing Roderick in so many completely different situations.

   The week of Roderick’s birthday has come on gone, his first Birthday in heaven.  It has been a week full of joy and sadness.  It’s been painful yet so precious. 

   Tuesday, which was Roderick’s birthday, my niece went with me to pick up the two cakes and get some snack for the party in the evening.  We went to visit Roderick’s gravesite together. 

The wonderful ladies and prayer warriors
who helped me serve the cake.  They
have been an incredible support to me. 

In the afternoon I went to school and the moms from parents of prayer helped me serve Birthday cake to the grade 11s, which are the kids from Roderick’s grade.  We also gave them each a post card, which I had printed for each of them.  After school we went to Tony Roma’s for dinner with my sister and her kids and my niece who lives at out house.  My sister and her kids gave Roderick a card and some cash saying in it that since he couldn't receive it in heaven Tyler and Angeline could divide it up.  When we got home we found a bouquet of flowers in the front entrance, not sure whom they were from but if your reading this, thanks a lot it means a lot.  After that ten of Roderick’s friends came over to play games, we watched some videos of Roderick (he seems so real in those, hearing his voice and seeing him).  One of Roderick’s hockey buddies also dropped by and brought us some flowers.  Thanks so much.  We feel so blessed to have so many friends who remember us on these special days. 

   On Friday a bunch of Roderick’s cousins came over, we watched the videos again, had cake and just hung out.  A couple of Roderick's cousins brought him some fish.  I thought that was so special and such a perfect gift to bring him.  Roderick loved his fish and so often he would want to be taken to the pet store to buy another fish.  His fish and tank are still here and to add a few more fish would have been so special to Roderick.  I find it so interesting and meaningful in what different ways people come up with to celebrate Roderick's birthday and to make him a part of it while he is in heaven.

   I feel like it’s been a good week even though I feel a little exhausted from trying to control my emotions and dealing with the pain while at the same time focusing on the amazing blessing of friends and family and the joy that remembering Roderick brings.

   The following is the verse I put on the front of the card and write-up I put on the back of the card I handed out to Roderick’s friends.  Thanks to my friend who helped me with the writing.

  

The card I handed out

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.  Hebrews 12:1  (Roderick’s race was cut short but he is now in the stands cheering us on)

Roderick’s life was a person who truly celebrated life. He had big dreams, was an accomplished athlete, and most of all loved his friends. He was never afraid to be himself, and if people had a problem with who he was, that didn’t concern him. He was proud of who he was.

   In June of 2014, he was given an assignment to write a letter to himself, which he could open when he graduated.  In that assignment he wrote, “One thing I like about myself is that I have lots of energy.”  Those of you who went to school with Roderick will know that that energy sometimes got him into trouble, and those of you who played sports with him will know how much that energy also benefited him. Twice in that paper he mentioned that he had lots of friends. His friends and family were always important to him.

   Roderick was a guy who did not waste time holding grudges. He tended to act before thinking things through and that too would cause him to get in trouble at times, but he was always quick to forgive others. I continued to see this in his life. In school he would at times struggle to get along with a teacher, but it was not uncommon for him to look back the following year and mention the things he appreciated about that teacher.

   Although Roderick’s time with us was short, let us learn from his example to live life to the fullest, to celebrate and be proud of who you are, to enjoy life’s adventures and not be afraid to take risks, to be quick to forgive and to work hard to accomplish your dreams. We miss Roderick and the energy and joy he brought to us, but we know that he is now with the Lord and is the happiest he has ever been. As Roderick looks down from heaven, the one thing he would want all of you to know is how peaceful and loved he feels and how much he loves you, but most of all how much God loves each one of you.