A Trip Down Memory Lane
Since moving to Wasaga Beach, one of the things that we have been looking forward to doing was visiting Meaford.
We moved to Meaford about twenty-four years ago and fell in love with the community. We went there because I was hired as the pastor for Woodford Baptist Church and First Baptist Church.
This was a pivotal moment in my ministry and in our family life. This was my first time as a lead pastor and so I did a lot of learning at this time. For the first time in my life, I had to preach every week.
The congregations were very supportive, not just of our ministry but of our family. We cam with two children, one diagnosed with autism. Soon after, the second was diagnosed. Close to that time, my father died. A number of years later, my mother died.
It was also while we were in Meaford that we welcomed our three youngest children. Unfortunately, it was also the time that our daughter went to live in a group home.
There were a lot of challenging things but some amazing experiences as well. Our community supported us in fundraising for a service dog for our son, something that literally saved his life.
I can say with certainty that living in Meaford is a key factor in my becoming a military chaplain, as there is a base in Meaford and I was recruited by a chaplain there.
You can see why Meaford holds a soft spot for us.
So on Sunday, Amanda and I drove to Meaford (just less than a hour away). We visited First Baptist Church and it was wonderful see people from that congregation. We then had lunch at a restaurant that we had many dates at back in the day. We drove by the first house we ever bought and drove a bit around the town.
I felt the emotions from this visit deeply. There was so much living that was done in my nine years in that community. I am thankful for the good things that remain, especially the memories.
