Wilma Derksen
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Best Moment

11/28/2022

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With Appreciation

   It was a moment. Full house. The sides of the theatre lined up with exquisite art. Cliff's black and white paintings outlining the stage. My son hovering in the background making sure everything was going well. My daughter taking the mike and reading from her father's book, Chasing the Light. 
    And the listeners were giggling - enjoying the story....
   In her delightful voice she read his words - his story... "So I took a shot, actually shovelled that tiny puck up out of the slush – with all of the slush flying, everywhere. The puck went higher than the lights into the dark night, 
  When it went out of sight, everyone paused, sky gazing – no one could see it. Neither could I. Suspense. We had a lot of spectators that night, all of them were silent, waiting.
    Even the goalie just stood there then before he could even react.
     it came down right beside him and slid into the net for a goal 
      We won the game The tournament
       I was the hero!"

       The audience loved it -- a story of an underdog becoming an unlikely hero!
       The Chasing the light Book Launch & Art Show was a success in every way -  turn out, sales, friends, mood, beauty and creativity. 
        To make this event such a success a million pieces needed to come together - and they did. 
        First of all thank you to all those who showed up - it was amazing to see you! Even staunch supporters of Cliff like David Loewen and Harold Jantz - showed up - always there for Cliff right from the beginning as former Search Committee members. There were all the artists - gorgeous paintings, water color, photography art, oil & acrylic, alcohol ink - pottery. There were the writers represented who had authored their own books. These artists and writers were the back bone of the show.
        But then there were the organizers, Paige Buhler -  art curator - Wow!  Glen Klassen who brought the tables, Merlene Bullman who took care of the "Square" - and solved all of the accounting problems. John Longhurst who helped promote the event with his article in the Winnipeg Free Press. Syras Derksen - pastor of Maplecrest for sponsoring the event and Park Theatre for hosting it. Lisa Brown who oversaw the book table. Lillian Vincent for helping with the sales. 
         It could not have come together with all of those volunteers who ushered, helped, guided, carried and offered those gentle words of encouragement throughout!
          And a big thank you to the customers, those who supported the event by buying pieces of art, the books and those who even bought my "wonky" candy dishes.
          Most remarkable were the "fingerprints" of God over the event that again reminded us of Cliff - who at the end of his life expressed constant gratitude to his God and the "fingerprints of God on his life."  
           Last time we had a show - it rained buckets. This time the weather for November show was amazing - allowing us to load and unload easily. 
          Oh yes - and for those of you who are wondering. I did have a moment. It was when I was helping to put up Cliff's painting along the edge of the stage. Marianne and the worship team were practicing their songs for the morning service -suddenly Cliff showed up - powerfull  presence, and I cried into the plastic bags I was carrying. 
         It was perfect.
          Thank you!
   
At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us. - Albert Schweitzer

Cliff's book is now available on Amazon.....​
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Modern Day Parable

11/25/2022

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Fascinating Story - "Chasing the Light"

    Cliff was a man I adored, but he was more than that....
    Now that he is gone, I can look at the story of his life with more objectivity and I am in awe. "Chasing the Light"  is not just a story of Cliff's life but a dramatic, intimate, fascinating parable - a parable is a succinct story that illustrates one or more instructive lessons or principles.
    It's a parable because Cliff experienced all of life's wounds and dealt with them deliberately and successfully.
    He experienced spiritual rejection from the church at a critical young age, intellectual rejection from the school system, the pain of a family wound because he didn't want to become a farmer like his father, rejection from the love of his life, and the rejection of himself. He rejected his own amazing gift because he deemed it unworthy, 
    He also experienced the worst tragedy possible - that of the murder of his oldest daughter, Candace,  who resembled him in everyway.  The murder and assault of a child is considered unforgiveable - and destroys many.
    Then he experienced the full force of societies' tendency to "blame the victim"  and was suspected of killing his own daughter to the point where he had to take a lie detector test to appease the police suspicion.
    On top of all of that he lost his dream job which he had worked most of his life to attain. .
    It was just too much!
   Then like the prodigal son he ran away from his Father and found  himself living in filth on many levels. He kept sinking. At this point he felt he had lost everything; the loss of the respect of his children, the loss of control of his mind and even his desire to worship his God. 
    At the bottom, he chooses again the one thing that had helped him before - to forgive. But at this level of despair, the choice had to be deliberate and all-consuming.
   His journey back to freedom, joy and peace is as dramatic as his life's challenges He documents this  journey through fifteen metaphorical sculptures. Even this creative journey back is not without its losses - one of his favorites sculptures is stolen. He creates another but it is never the same. He has to forgive again!
    This contemporary parable ends with his biggest teaching. Even as he was dying, he redeemed the short time he had left here on earth by writing and compiling his life story.
       His life story teaches us that the road of forgiveness is not simple,  it requires everything in us. It is an art form. It requires counter-intuitive sacrifices - but it is worth every tear!
     

I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. Nelson Mandela

 
     
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Celebrating Huge Accomplishment

11/19/2022

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You are invited to the book launch this next Sunday
Nov. 27 from 1:00 to 5:00.
​Program will begin at 1:30 pm

....at $15.00 this book is a perfect stocking stuffer!!


Picture

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    Author

    "W", stands for writing, walking, wondering, wandering, winning, wincing,  and for Wilma,  This is an invitation to come walk, write, wander with me!

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