Applause for the Heroes!

On Saturday Sharyn did another half marathon. It was her second one. Her first one was done in 30-degree heat without a camel pack, the St Johns people told her as she vomited her little heart out at the end that she was exhausted and dehydrated and to go home and take care of herself.
Now why would you ever contemplate a second one after that kind of suffering!

Sharyn I applaud YOU!

Yesterday Brian Trevathan, who shares his office with James, and his son Jeremy were a team on the coast to coast. All the way using your muscles, your stamina and your vision to make it to the end. We went down to Brougham Street and applauded the cyclists as they went by hoping one of them might have been Jeremy. Other pockets of people were doing the same thing. Some cyclists smiled as they sped by, one said, “I am just holding on by the skin of my teeth!” Just wished we could have said, “You are almost there, we honour your tenacity!”

I hope our applause did help him.

A traffic cop on a motorbike stopped near us so we applauded him too. He told us with a grin that he was going as fast as he could.

Go well man we so appreciate your career choice!

This morning at StAlbans Baptist Church all the people who had been there longer than 10 years lined up shoulder-to-shoulder facing each other in 2 lines forming a pathway from auditorium entrance to centre stage. There were too many people for single lines so it become a crowded line with the pathway down the centre.

The drummer did his very best which is truly outstanding and the musicians played, as down the pathway came a family of returning missionaries who have spent a number of years in East Asia. Returning heroes to us all.

Those of us added to the church in the last 10 years, so who barely knew this family, stood clapping them home. They came down the pathway stopping to greet friends; it was a fabulous moment to see them emerge from the line. I love being part of a church that does know how to honour their heroes, the Welcome Home at the auditorium entrance is not just idle words,

they are written in our hearts to live by.

As a lady said to me at Brougham Street yesterday, it brings tears to your eyes to see them come past. She is right.

With Sharyn, Brian, Jeremy, the unknown cop and the Bovey Family

I have had a few teary moments this weekend.