Off To Sylvan

Off to Sylvan for a few days. I'm so looking forward to spending some time outdoors.

My life is full of stories. This past weekend a 20 year old gal who we prayed for was healed. An ultrasound showed she needed surgery but when the doctor went in, everything was fine. We had prayed between the ultrasound results and her being admitted to the hospital. There were many other amazing things but it is hard to share them on here ... just know God is awesome!

At work today I had a lady call who wanted to get her husband detoxed fast as he had smoked Marjuana and probably had a job interview where they would do some drug tests. It takes 30 days for drugs to leave a body so needless to say they were hoping we could make this happen over night! Yeah right!

One day I had a guy call who was scared to death. He was sure he was HIV positive and he said "If only ..." and I thought I wish I could have that message recorded and sent out there to all these dear people who are saying same sex marriage is ok.

Every day I encounter interesting people!

O Canada

What an amazing country we live in! I don't think we really appreciate our freedoms here.

A young man shared his story with us this morning that challenged us to be thankful for Canada. He and his family left the country of his birth because he was not accepted there because of his skin color. He has faced rejection through that plus wars and just narrowly escaping death in leaving his homeland. I want so much to sing "O Canada we stand on guard for thee. God KEEP our land glorious and free" What am I doing to promote that freedom? Am I standing on guard for my country. We can read the books we want without being interrogated. We can talk to one another without fear of death. We get up each morning and the majority of us have more money than the average person in the world. We are able to read which is more than the majority people of the world. We have good water to drink. We could start looking up stats and we would not imagine our blessings!

This week I want to count my blessings for being Canadian!

What a Small World

Last night I enjoyed a concert with several artists. Avalon was the main attraction. It has been years since I heard them and they put on an awesome concert. There was another group "Carried Away" made up of 3 girls from Brampton, Ontario who were VERY good. They are pop-rock. Their blend and harmonies were great. There was also another group of guys from Ontario who did worship music who were inspiring. They were featuring World Vision and Avalon shared some first hand stories from the mission field having visited Africa. I just wish I could remember all the different groups names. I was blessed. Our staff from Inspirations went together. It was fun.

My day started when my husband left at 5 AM on a Missions trip to Fort Resolution. At 4 AM we had been wakened to a tremendous thunder storm, strong winds that were blowing sheets of rain down the street. I just hoped none of our trees would topple over in the winds. We have two 50 foot trees in our front yard. Last year our neighbor's snapped in a wind/rain storm and crashed across the street. It blocked the road for a day while they sawed it up.

Anyway these have been some random thoughts but needless to say I had an inspirational day and felt like I'd been around the world in a few short hours.

Needless to say I am still wiped ... just not enough rest for this old bod'.

Yesterday I was going through some different people's blogs and I can't believe the number of people that I see some of you mention that I know ... like Ron Kadyschuk, Ruth & John Kerr, Nancy Emde, Gerald Cressman, Joe Kendrick, Pastor Kevin from my parents church in Carman and many more! It is totally amazing how small the world all of sudden becomes!

Generations

I had an interesting conversation with a gal on Sunday. I've met her through my work. She was surprised I was attending City Center Church which is mostly a "young adult" church. We have been so blessed attending there and learning so much about the younger generation. After sharing that with her, she told me that her generation is an aimless generation. They have not learned how to put down roots. They are basically directionless because their parents have divorced. She said, "We need people who are stable, who can give us direction and can love us."

I've been thinking about this conversation. I grew up in a community where "divorce" was a rare word. My boys, on the other hand, have grown up in classrooms where having both parents together is almost an oddity. My grandparents, my parents and my husband & I have planted roots. We have determined "to love till death parts us". I've been pondering this generation and how hard it is to think of "roots". I can see what she means as this generation does seem to drift a lot. They settle here for a while and then move over there for awhile - until it doesn't "feel" right. I just can't imagine. I've also seen so many of "my generation" not stay the course and in many ways reject their "godly" roots and therefore have made generationX what they are.

I'm hopeful though as I see this generation reaching out for God in a greater capacity and a greater depth and ready to do radical things for God than my generation. That is SOOOO exciting. I pray they will stay in the race and finish well.

Speaking of generations, I thank God for my parents as they have not always understood the next generation but they have adjusted amazingly. They don't complain about the music but love to see the youth coming to know God and loving life. When we came home with an Andre Crouch record in the 70's, my Dad nearly hit the roof. Andre Crouch wrote "Through It All". See they have come a LONG way. They have seen so many in their community become believers. They have listened well. They have loved much. They have encouraged and served others tremendously. I've watch them do things that they maybe didn't feel comfortable doing so they could share the love of God with their friends.

So I've been blessed by the older generation and the younger generation. It was funny as my husband & I were discussing this on our way to church Sunday morning. We were talking about how we feel like we are the peanut butter between the generations. We like the older generation but we like the younger generation. Neither can always understand the other but we somehow relate to both.

Strange but it's all good!

Collecting Thoughts - All in A Day's Work

This has been a very interesting week - especially working at Inspirations.

Tuesday evening a lady came into the store looking for a little Willowtree ornament called "Brothers". It is a big brother reaching down placing his arms around a little brother. She proceeded to tell me why she wanted this ornament. She was a teacher and her class wanted to give a gift to one of her students. The "little" boy had discovered his 17 year old brother dead. He had committed suicide. ...We cried together.

Last evening I had a gentleman in the store for an hour or more just browsing through books. I chatted with him a long time. He had been to Bible College - even had his degree. He was an art student as well. He loves the arts. He is struggling "big time" with his faith. He shared some of his journey with me. He had become disillusioned with Christians and admitted to me that he is very cynical. ... I shared with him that I could understand why. He had got involved in wicca and lost his marriage. In the past year he has remarried his wife and has been trying to get back on track spiritually. It has been tough. He was looking for books to read to help him. I suggested several but he is still struggling to "believe". I realized how important it is - even though we may have "studied" and have all the head knowledge there is still a genuine experience we need. Even though we may have experienced, we still need to daily commit our lives to the Lord to remain strong. We need to 'Finish' well. Wow!

Then I had a fun group of senior high girls looking for a Bible study to do together. They were quiet but searching together. I realized how important it is for us to have others to encourage us, to walk the journey with us, to cheer one another along.

At the end of my shift a lady came in to buy a Bible. You would not believe the number of people that are totally illiterate to even knowing anything about the Bible. This lady told me "I have this Bible at home but it has another book in the back of it. I'm having trouble understanding this Bible." I asked what version it was and she thought it was the King James Version. Anyway I realized the "other book in the back of her Bible" was the New Testament. I showed her a Bible and gave her a quick "Bible" knowledge lesson. I taught her about the different versions that scholars are always working to keep the Bible at a current understandable readable level for us to understand just as the dictionary is constantly being updated with words that 10 years ago were not around - like double double. I just had a blast teaching this dear lady (I'm talking 30-35 years old) some Bible basics. I told her to read a couple of different versions and decide on which one she wanted by the one that she could understand the best and the one that seemed to speak directly to her heart. Guess which one she chose? The Message! It was so exciting.

I absolutely LOVE my job at Inspirations. There is always something different there and it is so FUN to help people discover. Come visit me some Tuesday or Thursday evening and I'll see how I can help you. OR see how you'll help me!

Have an inspirational day!

Something Beautiful

I'm reading these novels right now. I've not read many novels so selling novels in a Christian book store I thought it wise that I read a few. Anyway this novel was explaining the dynamics that go into making a lei. It is quite something. Not only are lei's beautiful but they can be exquisite. I guess the more knots and the more turns, the more beautiful. Some have beads or shells woven into them as well as the flowers. The flowers can be so delicate and have to be handled in the right way so they stay in tact. I've been thinking of that for a few days.

Sometimes you meet a certain individual and you are just blown away by them only to find out their story is one of many twists, turns, hurts, bumps,and bruises but they are so peaceful, so sweet, so amazingly wonderful. Isn't that just like God to take our lives and weave them into the character He wants us to become!

We may not like the knot or the twist that comes our way but it is all for the purpose of shaping us into something beautiful!

Head Banging

I was picking up the garbage. Routine! I went to get the garbage by my desk. Like I know this desk exists! But what do I do? Whack my noggin (head) right above my eye ... like I couldn't see the desk coming???? and provide myself with a goose egg... How stupid! I yelled a bit but have survived. The trauma brought out a sty the next morning so then I have a swollen forehead and a swollen eye!!! Real cute!

I'll get over it!

Flowers Bloom

Lady-Yvonne
Tonight I attended a Grade 12 Grad Banquet. I felt like I was watching a movie. The lives of all these girls passed before me. You see I have held most of these girls in my arms as babies in the Nursery helping them leave their parents arms for the first time. Some caused quite a fuss, others were very passive and quiet.

Then other scenes passed as I recalled some of the bumps in the road these girls have faced. Some have had challenges the size of mountains. Some have had to pick up some pieces and make sense out of this crazy life. They have all succeeded to this "finish" line and how exciting.

I believe all of them have learned that seeking God first is the answer. They've also allowed mentors to speak into their lives whether friends or family. I just love them so much. Most of these gems have hung out at my home...sometimes eating, sometimes playing games or watching a movie or just hanging with my boys.

They are flowers that have been opening as they have been nurtured, watered, weeded and cared for in a tender way. They are so beautiful and fragrant. Now they walk into a world to make a difference because of who they have become.

Flowers Bloom

Tonight I attended a Grade 12 Grad Banquet. It was one of those "moments" when you see lives flash before you like on a movie screen. Every one of the girls that graduated I had held in my arms in the church nursery, nurturing and helping them make their first break from their dearly beloved parents.

I've watched them grow into wonderful young ladies...some hitting some pretty large bumps in the road of life and yet overcoming and pressing through. Tears came to my eyes as I remember those moments we've stood by them as they've allowed correction, love, and care to be applied to their lives. They will be ok. You see as a person older, I see their incredible potential. I can't tell them always "what" they can do but I know they have incredible talents.

I realize God sees us like that...each one of us. He has given us talents & abilities but it is up to us to discover Him and give him the liberty to work in and through us. As we seek Him, we find Him. As we give Him all the pieces of our lives as sometimes there are pieces because of circumstances beyond our control, He'll use them to design the incredible, precious person He wants. He wants to carry us Home, to help us make it. He is not the only one cheering us on but there are incredible friends and very special mentors he places alongside of us to help us.

As I saw these precious young ladies tonight, I thought what a blessing they have been in my life. They hang out at my house from time to time ... to play games, sometimes eat, sometimes to watch a movie and maybe sometimes to see my boys. It's all okay. They are speaking into my life even as they "blossom". Flowers are beautiful.

Congratulations to all my special friends.

Procrastination

Amazing how phrases catch you when you read THE WORD. "How long will you put off ..." That's the New American Standard version but get this from The Message "How long are you going to sit around on your hands, putting off taking possession of the land that God, the God your ancestors, has given you?" Like get with it already, you dorks! (My son likes to call me that when we are jesting)

So I made a plan ... to clean my closets and all that jazz. I got rid of 3 bags of garbage. Why do we stuff things away? Why do we put off doing things that are boring, or hard, or we don't know "how" to do. I'm learning ... make a plan ... get to it ... even if the process is slow & tedious. It is worth the end result ... Ouch! Now that applies to SOOOO many areas of my life!

So this was part of my devotions and then I'm reading a book by John Maxwell and he talks about good leadership not putting off stuff but working to get the end result. Wow! So again I ponder and practise, practise, practise...

These last few days I have felt like I really am practising as there are times when I'm trying to accomplish something and I can't see the progress. I don't know if you have felt like you are taking two steps forward and three back but that's kind of how it was going and then I look again and I HAVE got it done! The book read, the closets cleaned, the books balanced, the yard mowed, the flowers planted, the groceries bought, the house cleaned, the coffees with friends! Amazing!

So Joshua gave me a shove in the right direction in 2005 when he was addressing those sons of Israel long ago. That just amazes me...actually astounds me!