Many of the couples with whom deep
friendships developed were initiated through Della’s work with Married student
wives, or with couples from Westside Alliance Church. I never understood fully
what Della’s role was in that ministry, but it was certainly deeper than the
typical advisor. I believe that was the beginning of a life long ministry of
encouragement in particular to younger women.
Della knew the struggles of being a
wife to a ministerial workaholic. It meant being a support and encouragement to
a husband who kept long hours and put others ahead of their own family at
times. It meant feeling like a single mother rearing children. It meant being
home when her husband was out working with and seeing the hand of God at work
up close and personal. It often meant staying home with the children. It meant
experiencing different blessings and the most important to Della, it meant
never putting your husband down with parishioners a problem she had seen and
hear to often.
I have little doubt that those
qualities were part of her attraction as was her skill as to a gracious
hostess. Della loved what God was doing through her, but she also made very
little of it. It was just what she loved doing and not a responsibility.
We had important connections with
Bob and Carol Rose. Of course Della knew Bob through his family back in the Red
Deer days. We were also attending the same church. For a brief time Della had a
part time job with Bill Russell at his graphic art studio. We had attended CBC
as students together and now the same church. Della was his bookkeeper.
We loved Ken and Joann Badley.
Both were brighter than I would ever be, and they stimulated our thinking. Ken
taught an adult Sunday school class on CS Lewis that few people wanted to miss.
He hooked Rodney into the Narnia series, a set we read together several times.
I loved Ken’s ability to write creatively with which he challenged cultural
issues. I well remember a short piece on the inflation of language where he
laughed at the “new” naming of soda cups without changing anything but the
names: Large became extra large, medium became large, and small became medium. Small
no longer existed. I wonder what he would say about sizing these days. When I
began buying pop in bottles they were 6 ounces.
We loved out connection with Doug
and Ann Snowsell, Collin and Brandon. Our children were close in age and got
along which allowed us longer periods to visit and laugh. Their life change was
always an amazement to me. Doug had been in banking and left all of that to
come to Bible College to begin an entirely new career. They were passionate and
committed to Jesus Christ. We loved their dreams and what was clearly their
already giftedness. Della and Ann went on to be with Jesus way too early, as
did Della’s childhood friend Merla.
We always maintained our
relationship with Rev. and Mrs. Rose. They were mentors. They were surrogate
grandparents to our kids. Occasionally I would hear students complain about the
rules and the dispensing of justice. I always wanted to push theses kids up
against the wall and jam into their heads the dramatic changes that occurred as
a result to these people becoming the deans of the college. But they were
students. Students complain and always want fewer rules than there are. That
did not change me thinking that they had no idea how lucky they were or how
different life at the college was in only these few short years.
They were many more relationships
we cherished and thank God for each one. Those with whom we associate influence
us all.
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