Circa 1993

I had back-to-back experiences this week that took me back in time…waaaaaaaayyyyyyy back in time…all the way to 1993. The Montreal Canadiens won the Stanley Cup that year, a feat that no Canadian team has been able to duplicate since. Jurassic Park was the box office champion, while the unforgettable (and not for the right reasons…haha) Whitney Houston ballad “I Will Always Love You” topped the music charts (with the immortal “Whoomp! (There it is)” by Tag Team coming in a close second).

So this past Wednesday, Gerard and I put on a session on chastity and self-esteem for the grade 7 PREP students at St. Nicholas Parish in Langley. The session went well, and I couldn’t help but reminisce on the good old days of 1993…when Gerard and I both started our youth ministry careers as part of LIFE TEEN at St. Paul’s under the tutelage of Richard Vetter. So as we were walking to our cars, I said to G: “Just like old times huh?” To which he replied: “Yeah, I just hope we’re better now than we were back then.” Remembering our old Arsenio Hall imitations and Tina Turner impersonations, I answered, “At least we’re more mature.” Though that may be up for debate.

The very next night, I attended RCIA with my friend Jennifer, as I will be serving as her sponsor as she becomes a member of the Catholic family. It was neat walking into the class, as it certainly brought back memories of when I studied to receive the Sacraments of Initiation in April 1993. I smiled as I took a refresher course on the Ten Commandments, and as I watched Jennifer listening intently, I was reminded of my own faith journey when Gail sponsored me.

How neat it was to be reminded on consecutive days of perhaps the most formative year of my life. 14 years later, I work for the Catholic Church full-time, and am still heavily involved at St. Paul’s. I am married to the woman of my dreams and together we have 2 wonderful yet crazy boys. I am 40 pounds heavier and probably 1 inch shorter. Less hair. Same clothes. And I still get funky when I hear “Whoomp…there it is!!!”