How high...

Have you ever looked at the sky and wondered how high it is?

Since we moved to the country, I'm often taken back by the beauty of the stars pressing against the dark velvety sky.

Tonight was another of those nights. I just looked up and stared at a rippling cloud gliding on what seem to be a glass protecting this beauty of stars. It just rolled passed the place where I stood and I was in awe. Gazing at the enormity of the galaxy which we can never comprehend where it's end could be.

I'm looking forward to the summer when the ground is dry. I want to snuggle with my kids and husband on a blanket, on the warm ground so we can just stare at this wonder.

The longer you look into the sky, the further it seems the stars (and satelites) are.

I heard of a man who actually said that he visited the galaxy, (the sky) and never saw God... really!? I wish I could of talked to him. I'd have a few questions for him.

When you whizzed through your GRACE GIVEN path, what did you see?

When each of your children were born, what did you see?

When you struggled through life's complexity, what did you see?

When you wanted to give up, what did you see?

When you fell in love, what did you see?

When you were held in your mother's arms after you had a nightmare or hurt your knee, what did you see?

Don't tell me you slid through God's created atmosphere to then pass into a shower of stars, meteorites, planets and moons and yet you still couldn't see God.

A deaf friend of mine told me that hearing people hear with their ears but they hear with their eyes.

I would tell the "blind man" 1 Samuel 16:7 "for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart".

Tonight, look up... way up! If you live in the city, it's worth the trip to the country. Just park in a clearance so you can just kick back your seat and stare out the side window and be amazed at what God created and how beautifully He creates.

Time and Place

The other day, I was driving to town and the roads were covered with snow. Our tires are studded but still, I felt a little uneasy driving on that road. To make matters scarier, oncoming was the provincial plow. That enormous wall was coming for us quickly and there seemed to be nowhere I could go. I just wanted to put my hands in front of my eyes but I knew that wasn't a good idea... I quickly said, "Help Lord!" then just like that, where I was arriving, the wind had blown the snow over further so I was able to pull over and let the plow go by.

"Huh!!" I thought. I was reminded of how the scripture says, "who shall call upon the Lord, shall be saved".

My father in law, as he was quickly passing from this life to the next, was in a coma. My husband, the pastor, and myself tried so hard to help my father in law to understand that religion is not what is need to accept, but the fact that we are sinners and that we all need a Saviour, which is Jesus Christ, the one who died for our sins. Jesus doesn't accept us, until we accept ourselves as sinners, then accept the free gift of salvation that He has for us. My father in law, was not interested in this gift. Until the last minutes of his life. He opened his eyes and tears rolled down his cheek. He knew his time was here and fear was in his eyes. I once again helped him to understand that obviously I wasn't asking him to come to our church or join our religion. I was asking him to recognize himself as a sinner and that he needed Jesus Christ to save him from eternity in hell. I explained that he didn't have to say a prayer, Jesus was there waiting for him if he just turned to him and said in his heart, "Help!!". I continued to beg him to accept God's free gift of salvation, since the family was out of the room talking to the nurse. Then, his eyes changed. I was struck by the peace there seemed to be. I'm not sure to this day if he accepted the free gift, but one day I will know. If he did, it's because he called upon the Lord and said "Help! I'm a sinner and I need you to save me!"

I kept driving down this road in thoughts and thankfulness for God's grace on us. How undeserving we are of His care for us.

Hope your day is one full of thankfulness. I know mine will be.

Waiting game...

For those of you who wonder how the house is going... well, it is. The contour of the girls' bedroom went up, the stairs are beginning to be revamped and tomorrow, much work will be done, I think, since we have a few people coming over to help.

Right now, it is late in the night, the rain is falling hard and praise the Lord, there's no water in the house!

Sometimes, it seems like there's so much going on, learning about life and God but sometimes, like it has been lately, it's just a waiting game. Just basking in the "Son" and waiting for the next step in life.

It's no wonder...

It's no wonder that the bible tells us in Philippians 4:6-8, "
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

I made a video last night, of the journey with the construction of our country home. I was so encouraged after watching it that it remotivated me.

I would like to share it with you.

Why God loves us to be like children

Jesus said that we are to come to Him like children. If we named off the charictaristics of a child, some would be:
innoncent
free
gentle
humble
loving
forgiving
sincere
I think you can see some of these characteristics in this video. Hope it encourages you as it did me to come unto Jesus like a child today and just hop up on God's lap and let Him hold you till the morning.

It's so peaceful out here...

... well, I'm not quite sure about that.

I used to be a person that said all that was on her mind, but I've learnt that it is not always necessary. Unfortunately, not everyone has learnt that lesson which forces me to relearn it and helps to remind me why I've accepted the truth of this lesson.

As most of you know, we've moved out in the country and are "fixing" a worn down farmhouse, and making it our own. In the meantime, we've been living and homeschooling in the RV which is parked in our backyard. This has proved to be quite a learning curve in my life. Learning "to be content in whatsoever state I am", to not be selfish with "my space", to think of others before myself... no matter what stress I might be under etc.

In all this, people around me have felt the need to use me as a conduit to share their feelings/frustrations about another individual, hoping I would rectify the problem by telling the other person how the first person feels. This has been happening in quite a few situations just this past week. All of them are legit, concerns and worth being discussed but what is happening is that my role in all this is to just be a conduit no matter my level of frustration and stress.

I believe this is a seed a bitterness that is trying to be planted in my heart.

With our living arrangements and this extra bearing load, I have been more tired and discouraged.

So much work is being done in the house yet because of my discouragement, it's like I can't see it; it's not registering.

I say all this to say, think before you speak. (no brainer eh?)

Our mother taught us this but somehow, we've become so self consumed that we've forgotten that James 3:4,5 says, "Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!"

It doesn't take many words to change the course of a friendship or relationship unless at least one person has decided to not let words be the determined factor of that relationship.

EX: When I worked for Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, I was taught to "turn the call around". When you had a customer on the other line who was upset, you needed to listen and control your emotions so that you wouldn't lash out. Once they said their piece/peace, you were to kindly let them know that you empathized with them and you needed to make sure they understood you were on their side... if you wanted the sale.

Same thing is needed in a relationship. If we really value the relationship, we need to listen to what the other is saying, and empathize with them.

I love how our pastor said it a few Sundays ago, "Decide to love them, even when they are not lovable because sometimes you're not either".

Again, I am so far from mastering this myself.

I think humanity is so worried about saving the whales that we've forgotten to save humanity.

What do mocassins have to do with it?

That's what I told God a couple of weeks ago.
I take my role as mom and wife very seriously. I invest all that I can and God has used my commitment to "mold me and make me". Any one who says being a mom and wife is easy, is not investing themselves in their role. It is a thankless "job" with much sacrifice with wisdom only attainable through God. I have not arrived, believe you me! I have a long way to go before I can say I've even come close to mastering it. That's why being a mom and wife is REALLY hard for me, my pride often gets in the way.
One day, I was sitting on my bed, having a much needed conversation with the Lord, about how hard it was. He listened to me for a while then when I felt I had completely emptied myself, He said one word... "moccasins". It wasn't an auditive voice like sound for those who think I might be loosing my mind, lol, but I know when my Maker is talking to me. "Moccasins? Sorry, I'm confused. What do moccasin's have to do with being a mom and wife?" The Holy Spirit spoke to my heart; explaining the similarities. "In a family, there's usually three pieces: children (most times), a husband/father and a wife/mother. A moccasin has usually three pieces: two pieces of leather (one smaller piece for the top and larger one for the sole and sides) and a piece of leather string." "Hmmm, ok..." I thought. "The leather string is what keeps the two other pieces of the moccasin together so one care appreciate the comfort and blessing of a moccasin. The mother is that leather string that keeps the family together." "Ahhhh!" I thought. You get it too now eh?
Characteristics of leather:
The qualities that are typical for leather are good tear and tensile strength, elasticity, breathability, air and water vapor permeability, thermal insulation and water resistance, shape retention as well as the constant performance of these properties under varying influences of temperature and moisture. Until today many efforts were made to create a synthetic material that is able to provide the multiple and unique properties of leather, but all attempts to imitate leather were proven to be unsuccessful. (taken from Lanxess Energizing Chemistry)
I love that description!
Good Tear----- we can be sensitive
Tensile Strength----- (tensile means-capable of being stretched) we can be strong through it all
Elasticity----- we can be flexible
Breathability----- we can be calm
Air and water vapor permeability----- we can be absorb the natural consequences of life
Thermal insulation and water resistant----- ever heard of "it's like water off a duck's back"?
Constant performance----- we can be consistent

My favorite part is... "Until today many efforts were made to create a synthetic material that is able to provide the multiple and unique properties of leather, but all attempts to imitate leather were proven to be unsuccessful."
Because society has tried to create their own version of the wife/mother and have not been successful. I don't think I need to elaborate on the many ways it has attempted to. The good old fashion way of being a wife and mother suffices.
You say... and I say, "how can a WOMAN be all that?" only through Christ. Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strenghteneth me."
That's how God can change us. You say, "aren't I fine as I am?" OK... if you want. I challenge your husband to buy you a ring that came straight from the mines... not cleaned, not purified in the fire, not bent, not shaped, not perfected... etc. Would it be acceptable to you oh human woman? We are not acceptable to God in our own way either. We need to be cleaned (forgiven), purified in the fire (changed in our difficult times), bent (made adaptable), shaped (become as he wants us, individually), perfected (made more like Christ).
This was a long testimony, I know, but it is a lesson I sure would like to grow in.
Keep trying.