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Retro: Wedding Pictures

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10 years ago today, the wedding photographer was working her magic at the wedding of Daryl and Iwona in Caronport, Saskatchewan.

It was a privilege to travel up to Canada for the big occasion. I had lots of time to play with pictures and video, so I took this odd little video of the photographer arranging Daryl and Iwona on a couch for a picture. Yes, it was only 10 years ago, not 50 as it may appear!

Congratulations on 10 years! Here’s my original post on the event, written 10 days later.

Retro: The (lo-res) Family

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Both good memories and frustrating memories accompany this picture of the family.

We were at First Evangelical Free Church in Calgary (good memories), and we asked the pastor to take a few pictures for us, so that we could use them for a prayer card (still, so far so good).

He was kind enough to take a whole lot of pictures (I think it was with my phone), and we finally got some that were half decent (thanks, Barry!).

Later we discovered – yes, somehow we had the phone set to low resolution photos. And knowing how hard it was in those days to get a good family picture (not to mention any names), we weren’t about to go through the ordeal again.

We still used one of the photos for a little while, but let’s just say it wasn’t our greatest prayer card of all time.

I don’t think this is the actual picture we used, just one of many … so here it is, published for the first time ever, from 10 years ago today!

The Cottrills, November 2011

I hope you like the picture. If you want me to send you a hi-res version, tough luck!! 😀

Retro: Roman Baths

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On this day 10 years ago, Shari and I were in Bath, England. Having travelled all night, we were exhausted, but we still had the energy for a bit of an outing in the town, including this visit to the ancient Roman baths. And no, because of the quality of the water, people don’t swim in there today!

Shari and Jim at the Roman baths in Bath, England.

The earliest inscription at the site, seen below, is from 76AD. It reads, “. . . in the 7th consulship of the Emperor Vespasian”. Amazing to see things that date from a time when there were still people alive who had witnessed the resurrected Lord! Vespasian became emperor in 69AD.

Emperor Vespasian inscription, Bath, England.

Retro: Fun in Lashburn

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This month is a bit of a cheat, because I choose pictures from two days – so, around this time, 10 years ago, in Lashburn, SK, we were having fun at Grandpa and Grandma Cottrill’s house!

First picture: Nathanael playing ball with Grandma. Second picture: Hannah and Nathanael making cake-in-a-mug with Grandpa (a dangerous skill to learn). Click each picture for a larger version.

Nathanael and Beth Cottrill play ball!
Bob, Nathanael and Hannah making cake-in-a-mug

Notes from the Cottrills – Themes

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As many of you know, we have a quarterly newsletter. And at some point, we started having different themes for each letter.

I’ve often wondered what those themes would look like in a big long list. Besides, after dozens of letters, I’m afraid I might start repeating myself! So I thought I’d try listing all the themes here – maybe more for my sake than yours!

The first Notes from the Cottrills
The first official “Notes from the Cottrills” – August 1998

Pre-2003

The regular themes really started in 2003, although we did have themes before then, such as a focus on Russia (December 1999), the handwritten letter (December 2001), and “Basic Training” (September 1999).

The “Notes” theme came from two places. First, Shari was using the theme in her newsletters before we were married, including “Notes of Prayer” and “Notes of Praise”. The concept of actually having little “notes” – short segments of information instead of a long letter, came from our friends the Kortens. Except they have “slices” instead of “notes”. 😀

2003-2021

DateTheme(s)Theme Verse(s)
May 2003“Building Partnerships, Creating Vision”Romans 10:14
August 2003“What’s missing?” A glass half emptyRomans 6:23
November 2003“Regalo” – gift – Christmas stockingsLuke 14:28-29
February 2004The tower – the cost of discipleship
May 2004The Metro (Mexico’s subway/train system)
August 2004“What we wish we could tell you”
November 2004Hope/Esperanza – Anchor/AnclaRomans 2:12; Psalm 42:5; Hebrews 6:19
February 2005“7” – seven years as missionaries, 7 things we’ve learned, etc.
May 2005(M)Expedition – explorers, antique map
August 2005Diary2 Thessalonians 3:1-5
November 2005Archery Target (why Mexico is strategic for world missions)
February 2006“Two sides of the coin” (still in Canada, getting ready to move to Mexico)
May 2006“Transplanting” – classic flower prints (packing up for Mexico)1 Corinthians 3:7-8
August 2006“From here on in” (living out of suitcases until we settle in Mexico)
November 2006“Just the FAQ”
February 2007“Learning Curve”
May 2007Puzzle pieces
August 2007Kids (Notes from Hannah and Nathanael)
November 2007(Not so much of a theme, but talked about the Day of the Dead in Mexico)
February 2008“Thank You”
May 2008Compass/Maps/Moving (to Ixtapaluca)
September 2008(no theme)
November 2008Highway Sign (challenge to come to Mexico)Luke 2:30-32
February 2009Word art – “Pour forth the memory of His abundant goodness”Psalm 145:7
May 2009Epicentre! (earthquake and H1N1 flu)
August 2009Footprints (no, not the poem) – “We walk by faith, not by sight”2 Corinthians 5:7
November 2009Cross/Gospel(a whole bunch!)
February 2010(no theme, but talked about the Chalco Flood)1 Corinthians 3:12-13
May 2010“It’s Called Community” – the birth of a new churchActs 2:42
August 2010“Picture This” (mostly photos)
November 2010“God gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist”Romans 4:17
February 2011“Changing Challenges”Daniel 2:20; Psalm 102:25-28
May 2011“Linking Worlds” (chain links)Galatians 3:28
August 2011ShepherdActs 2:28
November 2011HighlightsPsalm 77:11-14
February 2012“. . . and that your fruit should abide” (classic fruit prints)John 15:16
May 2012“Overwhelmed?”
August 2012“School Days!” (Hannah had completed 5 years in Mexican schools, Nathanael 3.5 years)
November 2012Light/sunshine – classic story(a whole bunch!)
February 2013“Making Space to Make Disciples”
May 2013“This I confess to you…” Paul’s confession in the face of those who called his religion a “sect”.Acts 24:14-15
August 2013One BaptismEphesians 4:4-6
November 2013Instagram – “The Goal of the Gifts” … they are for God’s glory!1 Peter 4:10-11
February 2014“Pressing On” – the municipality of Ixtapaluca and future goalsPhilippians 3:14
May 2014“What. A. Sunday.” (first Sunday at the new property for the church in Jesús María)Ephesians 1:15-18
August 2014FAQ
November 2014Facebook (and some Christmas carols)
February 2015Retro – typewriterPsalm 96:3
May 2015The Lord of Time (T.A.R.D.I.S.)(various)
August 2015Old (good) NewspaperActs 14:15
November 2015History – of Camino Global, and our ministry in Mexico “It started with prayer . . .”John 17:17
February 2016Prayer Calendar
May 2016Finding direction / compass
August 2016RESET2 Corinthians 5:21
November 2016New Life (the poinsettia)
March 2017“A time to every purpose” – the year of our Lord – clockEcclesiastes 3:1
May 2017ThanksgivingRevelation 7:12
August 2017“Serving Together” (dirt and shovels)Mark 9:33-35
November 2017“EARTHQUAKES” – life interrupted. This newsletter had a section “torn out” in the middle.Psalm 5:11
January 2018Love/garden (art by Hannah)Romans 5:5
May 2018“flourish like the palm tree” Psalm 92:12; John 12:13
August 2018“Down the road” (Littlest Hobo theme) – animal warning signsPhilippians 3:20
November 2018LampPsalm 18:28
February 2019“Radical Change”Ezekiel 36:26
May 2019Tour brochure for Mexico City “Camino Tours invites you to discover . . .”
July 2019“What you need to know about . . .” (featuring baking classes)
November 2019Entrust (relay race) (featuring institute classes)1 Chronicles 22; 2 Timothy 2:2
January 2020Almond Tree “He who supplies seed to the sower . . .” (featuring Hannah’s Columbia Team)2 Corinthians 9:10
May 2020“What God ordains is always good . . .” (hymn) (featuring Jim and Hannah’s verse cards)
August 2020“Opening up/Reopening” (doorway to the outdoors) (featuring Sunday morning setup)Psalm 139:7
November 2020“Be still my soul” (hymn) – ship in a storm (featuring Hannah’s graduation)Romans 8:6
February 2021A ROCK (featuring panoramic view of Ixtapaluca)Romans 9:33
May 2021Fellow workers (architect) (featuring outdoor market)Mark 9:37-38; Colossians 4:11; 3 John 1:8
August 2021The Pillar (the local church as “a pillar and buttress of the truth”) (featuring baptisms)1 Timothy 3:15-16

I realized as I went through these that a lot of them had a “theme within a theme” – and who knows if I even remember them all! I almost missed the Instagram one, based on the Instagram logo at the time.

Anyway, there you are. I see I haven’t repeated too much – although there were some close ones (“light” and “lamp”). I did repeat FAQ more or less, but that’s a good one to repeat once in a while!

Thanks for putting up with this post. Now let’s see . . . what will the next theme be?

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