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Bob Jones

Happily married to Jocelyn for 44 years. We have two adult sons, Cory and his wife Lynsey and their son Vincent and daughter Jayda; Jean Marc and his wife Angie and their three daughters, Quinn, Lena and Annora. I love inspiring people through communicating, blogging, and coaching. I enjoy writing, running, and reading. I'm a fan of the Double E, Bruins, Celtics, Red Sox and Pats. Follow me on Twitter @bobjones49ers

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WHAT THE BAGGAGE HANDLER SAID

I started to do what I often do when life refuses to cooperate with me. I started talking to myself. Frustration lifted from my nerves right out of my mouth. What The Luggage Handler Said “I’m just such an idiot. I invite so much unnecessary drama and complication in my life, because my pace and my brain aren’t in sync. I mean, seriously, what is wrong with my brain?!” The luggage man made an abrupt about-face turn in my direction, extended his arm, and held up his hand, signaling me to stop. “Not in my presence,” he said. “Not in my presence will you talk about yourself this way. Absolutely not.” His command startled me. His words stopped me. Lysa…
Bob Jones
October 22, 2017
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THE SILVER LINING OF POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD)

There were many things in my life that were not planned nor desired. Developing PTSD certainly was not one of them. Nor was the assault that lead to it. For me, it was like waking up in a foreign country. An outsider, within my own life. Josee St Onge was a teen in our West Island Youth group in the 80's. We love our Lakeshore family and we've kept in touch over the years. She posted this story in early 2017. I reached out to Josee in light of "Me Too" and asked permission to share her story here. Thank you, Josee. Revision Even the simplest of tasks required a revision of each step in order to be able to…
Bob Jones
October 18, 2017
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OUR SMALL ACTS OF DEFYING FEAR

We went to an Edmonton Eskimo football game and a love fest with the men and women in blue broke out. Green And Gold Two of my granddaughters and I were on a packed Park 'n Ride fan bus. We were enroute to a Saturday nite Esks' game. Nearing the stadium I couldn't help but reflect on the last time the Green and Gold played a home game. As that game was ending a terrorist wrought havoc outside the stadium and left a trail of destruction into the heart of Edmonton. Two weeks later the conversations on the bus were about that night. "Looks like they beefed up security." "I'd like to believe that was a one of." "Do you…
Bob Jones
October 15, 2017
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HOW TO HOLD IT TOGETHER WHEN YOUR WORLD IS FALLING APART

I can’t help but giggle sometimes at the news reports of wild weather storms. The weatherman is barely standing. Wind and waves are violently walloping against him. Meanwhile the other television host sits comfortably from her warm studio with perfect lipstick saying, “Weatherman Joe, can you please explain the storm situation right now?” Storms Weatherman Joe begins to yell while dodging debris and flying tree branches “Well, as you can see anchor woman Wendy, it’s pretty windy out here…” Really, Joe, really? Lately, I have been feeling a bit like Weatherman Joe, standing in the midst of a violent storm; debris flying at my head, waters rising to my knees, my balance being tested by gale-force winds and all the…
Bob Jones
October 11, 2017
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COLE YOUNG: SPECIAL IN EVERY WAY

Cole Young was amazing grace. Anyone who met Cole knew what it was to encounter the love of God. Not that Cole was perfect or able to turn water into wine. But he could turn whine into gratitude. Special Needs Cole was born with DiGeorge Syndrome, which is caused by the deletion of a small segment of chromosome 22. Typical of DiGeorge, he suffered for eighteen years from respiratory difficulties, heart murmur, frequent infections and eventually, organ failure. In some circles, Cole was known as having "special needs." In the circles that knew him best he was known as serving "special needs." Had a bad day? Cole could lift your spirit. Feeling sorry for yourself because life dealt you an…
Bob Jones
October 8, 2017
Life Stories

WHEN EVIL STRIKES

Inside Commonwealth Stadium the Edmonton Eskimos football team were racking up their sixth straight loss of the season. That was bad enough. Outside Commonwealth, one man went on a Saturday night rampage leaving a police officer and four pedestrians injured. An ISIS flag was found in his vehicle. (more…)
Bob Jones
October 5, 2017
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TERRORISM NOT WELCOME HERE: MIKE CHERNYK

Did it have to happen in Edmonton? Was it inevitable? Terrorism has been a horror others experience in other places but not in our backyard. No more. Terrorism In Our Backyard Edmonton joins Marseille, France where two people were killed in a knife attack just hours after five people were injured in Edmonton. Terrorism is suspected in both incidents. World leaders, news networks, and social media were quick to offer condolences to the victims and condemnation of the violence. Rarely does Edmonton get a mention on CNN, but there we were. A Hero In Our Midst Constable Mike Chernyk, an eleven year veteran of the EPS was on special duty at the Eskimos game Saturday night. He ended up in…
Bob Jones
October 1, 2017
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CHAPLAINS TO THE INVICTUS WARRIORS

The Invictus Games aren't about the finish line – they’re all about making it to the starting line. This is an event where everyone gets a medal but there’s no coddled attitude for participants. For every competitor, just playing the game is important, courageous and admirable. The 3rd version of the Invictus Games - Toronto 2017 - featured more than 550 competitors from 17 nations participating in 12 adaptive sports. Wounded Warriors Each competitor is a wounded warrior. Melanie Harris, 42, from Edmonton, competed in bioarchery. She spent twenty years in the Armed Forces, serving four tours, including two in Afghanistan.  Harris lives with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and lingering pain from a back injury sustained overseas. In 2008 she…
Bob Jones
October 1, 2017
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FIERY TALK AND FATAL MISUNDERSTANDINGS

President Donald Trump's “Rocket Man” speech at the UN could well become the most memorable of its General Assembly moments. Fiery Talk In his forty one minute speech President Trump threatened to “totally destroy North Korea.” He called Iran “a corrupt dictatorship” whose “chief exports are violence, bloodshed, and chaos.” And he said Venezuela’s government “has inflicted terrible pain and suffering on the good people of that country.” Totally destroy North Korea? Wipe out a country of twenty five million people? U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres warned, “Fiery talk can lead to fatal misunderstandings.” Or does it? Stark Clarity John Bolton, lawyer and diplomat who served as the US Ambassador to the UN, disagrees. He said, “In the entire history of…
Bob Jones
September 20, 2017
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YOU’RE LOOKING AT MERCY

You’re looking at mercy. An answer to a mother’s prayers. And a grateful wife too young to be a widow. What Mercy Looks Like Police officers, hospital staff and everyone else couldn’t believe the condition Ryan Gabert was in after suffering such a horrific accident. Some called it a miracle. On a deadly foggy Friday September 15th morning in northern Alberta, Ryan didn’t see the intersection. He T-boned a semi. His truck was totaled. Ryan was pinned for what seemed like an eternity before he was cut out with the jaws of life. The ambulance arrived at the Royal Alec Hospital in Edmonton around 10:00am. Grateful For Mercy His wife Lindsay arrived about the same time. At 2:00pm Ryan was…
Bob Jones
September 17, 2017