Baby Steps

Starting again! For me, Lent, and life in general, is always about starting over. Whether it's my running or my prayer life; my great intentions to keep my office tidy or my promise to give up something for a penance, there seems to be a pattern of messing up.


While I was running this morning, I made up my mind to do something different this time. Instead of aiming to run for an hour every day, I will take smaller steps, every other day and run for only 30 minutes, at least for now. Instead of giving up too many big things all at once, I will start bit by bit. Denying oneself an obvious pleasure whether its that glass of wine or dessert on a one time basis, is more likely to be possible. Giving it all up for the whole of Lent is fraught with danger, at least for me.


So it's baby steps for me, making wise choices one at a time. While my inclination is to go for the big prize all at once, my fallen nature has other ideas. It's been said that the road to hell is paved with good intentions - I can see how that could be. I am going to take steps, albeit little ones, to avoid that destination!


Stewardship is about recognizing all the good things we're given. Perhaps my baby steps will make my journey to living gratitude and giving back more realistic and attainable.

The Conservatives asked me about priorities for the coming year!

I refused to complete the it as soon as I saw there is NOTHING to address the critical issue of poverty and homelessness in our country.  We are one of the richest countries in the world and yet still have the worst rates of poverty, especially child poverty.

The fact that this government will not even consider the recommendations from the Committee studying poverty in Canada is outrageous. I told them Diane Finley is turning Canadians off the Harper government. I had been a recent convert to the conservatives, but between the lack of care of the poor and homeless and the recent statements that the government does not have to protect the human rights of people who are prostituted, I will not support them any longer. The whole issue around prostitution and trafficking can be reduced to a very simple thing: poverty.

All human beings are to be extended basic human rights, freedoms and safety. This is not happening in Canada and if the law makers in Ontario and the federal government do not see what’s happening we are in very deep trouble. People are drawn, forced and kept in prostitution because of poverty and lack of basic needs.  This government pretends to care about life and family. The evidence says otherwise.