Tuesday, 31 July 2012

1000 Gifts

671. Happy birthday Canada!

672.  Team Canada.

673.  Free Carnival.

674.  Taking a little drive and exploring new parts of this great country.

675.  First day of VBS.

676.  Learning new songs and actions.

677.  Meeting with friends at the park.

678.  My wonderful hubby who brought us all cold drinks on this hot day!

679.  Surviving another Zumba class.

680.  5 minutes in the van by myself.

681.  Seeing how excited they are to go to VBS.

682.  Celebrating 33 years and reflecting on how good God has been.

683.  Birthday breakfast with a wonderful friend.

684.  Sushi and a birthday cake.

685.  My always thoughtful hubby!

686.  An informative meeting.

687.  Seeing him make it through dentist and doctor appointments.

688.  VV boutique and coupons.

689.  New direction for a ministry.

690.  Watching them sing and perform all the new songs they learned in VBS.

691.  Doing a special craft with them.

692.  Girls who love to watch and hold my baby.

693.  Hotdogs.

694.  Cleaning a house that desperately needed to be cleaned.

695.  Our first date night without the kids in at least a couple of years.

696.  Yummy Thai food with my amazing husband.

697.  An amazing walk in an amazing park with breathtaking views.

698.  Praying at this amazing spot with my hubby.

699.  Dessert.

700.  Brown bags, imaginations, dinosaur hunts.

701.  Swinging in the park--the simple things.

702.  Little helpers in the kitchen.

703.  Water tubs and balloons.

704.  Cloud dough.

705.  Stuffing gopher holes.

706.  Seeing them run crazy on the acreage.

707.  Celebrations and meeting new people.

708.  Incredible views.

709.  Live Jazz bands.

710.  Sleeping in.

711.  Time with just my baby and I.

712.  A friend's birthday party.

713.  Seeing how awesome our kids get along and play together.

714.  Getting Ministerial perspective from a PW who has been in the field for about 25 years.

715.  Feeling encouraged.

716.  Knowing that people are supportive and are praying for us.

717.  Supportive boss.

718.  Excellent options for employment leaves.

719.  Getting away.

720.  Relaxing at Cascade Ponds.

721.  Picnic lunches.

722.  Stopping at the candy store.

723.  Memories of my childhood (Mojo's--anyone remember them--the candy thrown at the parades?).

724.  A new splash park on an extremely hot day.

725.  Seeing how much they love the water.

726.  Completing yet another application.

727.  A car ministry.

728.  Funny videos.

729.  My husbands heart for the Youth.

730.  Water wars and hearing all about it.

731.  My little family.

732.  Going out for lunch.

733.   Driving to check out more new places to live (it's nice to have that option).

734.  Finalizing, scanning and signing the paperwork for my leave (eeekkk)!

735.  Trusting that God will provide for us.

736.  Reflecting on all that He has already done for us.

737.  A clear sign from God that it was not the house for us.

738.  A playdate with friends we have not seen in a very long time.

739.  Catching up.

740.  More tests and answers for my boy.

741.  Hanging with friends.

742.  Looking at yet another place with a massive yard.

743.  That I can administer my kids vaccination protection myself.

744.  Homeopathic options.

745.  Viewing yet another place that was identical to one we used to live in and meeting the landlord who seems 'normal'.

746.  Visiting with the Lee family.

747.  Watching cousins cuddle in bed.

748.  Viewing more places and finally hearing an answer from a place that we had applied on.

749.  His 1st preaching assignment.

750.  Hearing how it went.

751.  Seeing God work on people's hearts.

752.  Connections and him being asked to preach at other churches and clubs.

753.  An afternoon with friends.

754.  Friends who are helping us look for a place to live.

755.  Being short-listed for a job I had applied on.

756.  Finding a place that we really liked that has more than we ever hoped for.

757.  Being offered two places to live (we actually have options and decisions to make).

758.  Getting the place we really wanted.

759.  Booking the moving truck and actually getting one for the day that we need it.

760.  Time to study for an exam.

761.  Meeting with good friends.

762.  Sad that they will be leaving soon!

763.  Feelign so blessed that God brought this wonderful friend into my life.

764.  My hubby who takes all of the kids to the mall.

765.  Writing my exam, even if I think I bombed it.

766.  Packing.

767.  Urgent Care

768.  A hubby to talk with when I feel like I just can't go on, like life is just too much (he always gives me perspective).

769.  Knowign that with God, I will get through this.

770.  Chatting with a good friend on the phone.

771.  Picking up the keys for our new place.

772.  Visiting and getting to know our new landlords while our kids played together.

773.  Knowing that this was totally, 100% God and hearing their amazement too on how everything worked out.

774.  Lovign our new place, the space and the location--God is sooo good.

775.  Getting the moving truck.

776.  Packing it up and a friends to help my hubby.

777.  Unpacking and organizing.

778.  Kids running around life crazy, screaming and yelling and not having to worry about 'someone' below us.

779.  Sleeping in our new place.

780.  My hubby preaching again.

781.  Him packing and movign more things.

782.  Walking and exploring our new neighbourhood and parks.

783.  Supper at our friends place.

784.  My hubby who always, always works so hard to get us moved, packed, unpacked and never fusses or stresses about it (so unlike me).

785.  A wonderful, loving, amazing God who always gets us through.

786.  Getting our full damage deposit back without a hassle.

787.  Sweet justice and seeing the realization on our old landlord's face on how wrong she was.

788.  Saying goodbyes to neighbours, and knowing that we need to pray a lot for him.

789.  A fresh start in a new place, new community that we really love.

790.  A sense of peace and security--our safe place.




Tuesday, 17 July 2012

Who are you keeping company with?

What would the world look like if Christians didn’t care about keeping up with the Joneses but about keeping company with Christ? -Ann Voskamp

I read these words and they hit me hard.  I can't hold back the tears.  Why am I so concerned at what 'people' think about us, about our calling, about the way we choose to live our lives, about the fact that we don't have a 'house' of our own, that we are the lowly 'renters', that I spend more money lately shopping at second hand shops to clothe my kids, that I have made a pledge to my husband that we will not buy another piece of new furniture (only used or second hand--because we live in such a throw away society).  

I have been pouting over finding the perfect place, over how certain things look, or don't look, how big it is, how big the yard is, will we have enough room to be 'comfortable'.  Yet there are millions of people who call a mere 'box' their home.  What is wrong with me?  

You see I have worried more about what others are doing and keeping up with the Joneses and I have failed to keep company with my Christ, the one and only, who truly loves, accepts, and desires to know me for just plain old me.  He doesn't care about these ridiculous things that I stress and worry about for nothing, he just wants a piece of me, of my day and I am too caught up with other meaningless, trivial 'things'!

Shame on me!   If I could just draw closer to Him, sit down and have a nice, relaxing conversation with Him whom I love so much, but yet fail to show it with my actions, or with the way I spend my hours.  I am convicted and I lose it and beg for forgiveness.....now I just need to
show Him and remember who the best company truly is. I need to not let these be empty words....or the words of the hypocrite that I am.



Sunday, 1 July 2012

Spider Veins

Found an old post in my drafts that I had to share! Totally cracks me up! Thank goodness she has never asked about my 'spider veins' again! She is probably too terrified! Ha!

How do you explain what 'spider veins' are to a 2 year old? (yes--confession time, I have unsightly spider veins)

Genesis - Mom (pointing to my unsightly spider vein) do you have an 'owie'?

Me - No dear, that is just a Spider vein (said this so casually like she knew exactly what a spider vein was and is)

Genesis - (with a really concerned look on her face) Mom, a spider bit you?

Me - No, it's just a spider vein (wondering whether or not to give her a human anatomy lesson at this point)

Genesis - You mean a spider lives there? (she is trying to touch it now)

Me - No a spider doesn't live there. (now for the art of distraction as I have no idea how to explain what a spider vein is) Where is your new book, bring it here and I will read it to you.

Genesis - Ok, Mom.

She runs off to get her book and I breathe a sigh of relief. What a hilarious conversation, but I have to admit I felt quite self conscious talking to her about my Spider Veins and now I will let the whole world know that I have them. Ha!