about time

When you get asked about your blog.

And you realize it's been on your to do list for a while and never crossed off.

You get in gear and just write a few words to confirm your existence.

Even if it's just the first few words that come out of your finger tips.

And it's all you've got. On a long week. A rainy day.

But on the bright side...



It's quite a wonderful time of the year :)

Choosing

I chose something.

I chose to love. I decided not to hate.

Even though it's harder. Even though it's what everyone else is not doing. Even though it would be completely understandable to keep hating.

Why choose, then?

Because, once, Someone else chose the same thing.

Except it was even harder.

You think it's hard to love your enemy?

Imagine loving the person who hates you, tramples on you, cheats on you, lies to you, ignores you; imagine loving them so much, you would die for them.

And then they lie, cheat, and trample on you again.

Would you not chose to hate them? It's what they deserve, right?

Well let me tell you something.

You are loved. 

It is the most undeserved love, and it is the greatest love in the world. It's ours! Ours to receive, and ours to give. No, they won't deserve it, but what we don't deserve to have we shouldn't be reluctant to give.

Give love. Choose love.

currently #5

dreading... 

Another seven day work week. I see more and more why God created a day of rest. We need the Spiritual refreshment, but our bodies need to rest from work as well. However, sin came in, and so people have heart issues and babies and accidents on Sunday too...

anticipating... 

Literally everything else. Incoming parcels. De-bonding of the ol' braces. Movie night. Planes. Prairies. Brothers. Road trips. Friends. Family. Wedding times.

packing... 

A dozen days in advance.

hearing...

Dad outside on the tractor doing... I'm not really sure. Something with dirt and steel and the new deck. I think.

craving...

Apple crisp and vanilla ice cream. And cinnamon buns.

waiting... 

For the hockey season to start. Yes, I'm one of those Canadian Girls.

Busy?

A small word. Much used. Much misused.

I have pondered many a time on the use of this word. I have judged people who have used it. I have justified myself to use it.

I think the biggest problem is this word has a selfish, and an ungrateful notation to it. It has become a self-gaining, self-pitying word. It is used to make people praise the busy one. It is used to make people pity the busy one.

But. Is busy bad? Is busy about self?

Busy should be 'the time I have been given by God is utterly consumed in Kingdom work. There's none left for my own self endeavors. And He is good. He will provide.'

So how do you know if you are truly busy, or if you just are using your time unwisely?

I would ask myself these questions.

Did I choose my busy? If so, that's not busy, that's doing as you please.

Do I have time to think about or talk about my busy? If so, think again, my friend.

Do I glorify my busy? If so... Need I say more?

The person who is truly selflessly and humbly busy is the last person you will hear use the word. They do not care that they are busy, they may not even know it. Their time is not their own.

Also, do not be so proud as to never use the word. If you are too busy, and if your priorities are starting to get out of order, seek help. In Exodus 18, Moses' father-in-law observed that Moses had too much on his plate and said 'it is not good', and that he and the people would wear themselves out. His solution was to seek help, from 'abled men'. See? It's not even about being busy here, it's about the good of the people and the serving and obeying of God.

And that's what your day should be. Whether every hour is filled or whether you have time enough on your hands to complete your tasks easily, your time is His. It is doubly His. Because He made you, and he bought you. With His life, and in His time.

Every Lady Loves a Gentleman

gen-tle-man: loves and obeys the Lord; strong and a leader, yet gentle; keeps his word; teachable; compassionate; humble; selfless; courteous; shows respect and is respected; does the right thing even when no one is looking; chivalrous; conducts himself at a high standard; noble.

And remember ladies, chivalry isn't dead, it just followed wherever being lady-like went....

Happy Saturday.

have courage and be kind

Simply so. 

I need courage to love the unkind. 

I need kindness to love the weak. 

When they bring you down to raise themselves up. Have courage and be kind. 

When you face unwanted memories coming back in persons. Have courage and be kind. 

When the every day becomes monotonous and dreary. Have courage and be kind. 

When they think the world revolves around them. Have courage and be kind. 

And just when you think, I can't - remember, He had courage. He was kind. To those like them. To those like you. 

Father's Day

I always have mixed emotions about this day. And Mother's Day.

In one sense, it can be fun. And special.

But mostly I think "I love my dad every day."

This year, however, I have very, VERY different emotions about this day.

I see it when I go on Facebook. I think about it when I see pictures. Or when someone's thoughts come out loud. It's in the hearts of my friends and my family.

This Father's Day, not I, but dear loved ones will hurt. They are without a father, they are a father to one less. There will be loud reminders from every corner in the world to them, that they are in grief. That this day is missing something.

The cycle is always going, and now the hard hurt comes around. Floods of thoughts, memories, moments, and the darkest life changing moment ever. These days of incredible joy and celebration turn into the longest and hardest of days.

The questions don't really stop. But neither does His grace. He says "Blessed are those who mourn." He says "My grace is sufficient for you." He says "As your days, so shall your strength be." He says "All things work together for good."

Because, He is our Heavenly Father.

smiling in the rain

On this rather dreary day, when it is not only wet, but cold and slushy, when there is death but not dying, when there is a longing for home, when there is anxious and fear of the unknown, when there is far more than a bit of damp... 

I am not smiling. 

Opposites attract... I suppose. 

No excuses, missy. 

But there is a fellow across the café, an elderly and weathered man. He smiles, faintly. And I like it. Content with his coffee and paper.

And here I am unsmiling with a coffee and computer and phone and chocolate and Dickens...

Discontent.

To smile right now is humble, is grateful, and is content. To smile when it's raining is trust. The storms will pass, the storm is for good, and our Father in Heaven will see to that.

And don't forget... rain makes things grow...

March

I call it the month of restless. 

Yes? 

little (big) adventures

With all of these "quotes" going on, I realized I don't blog 'for fun' anymore.

Not that this is a chore... ;)

And then I realized I had a very good reason to break the trend.

You see, there were once three young ladies. Two attending college, and one who had suddenly disappeared to a beautiful island and decided to stay and work in a downtown deli and get the most adorable little studio apartment one could wish for and live downtown Charlottetown where all the quaint coffee shops are.

And make me miss her quite terribly.

So we just had to fix this, you see.

But deep down, the pessimistic side of me was convinced it would never come true.

But it did.

And I love single lines in a blog post.

Like this.

See?

And my web browser says 'blog' is not a word.

So with many a prayer that the weather would be brilliant, we packed up and hopped on the highway and just did it.

No regrets. Not a one.

We had the largest tea menu to pick from and the smallest floor space imaginable. We talked about the best milk brands and the cutest hockey players. We walked around town and took selfies with a selfie stick and tree lights and John A. MacDonald.

We stayed up way too late with The Importance of Being Earnest, slept in and had sugar for breakfast. And coffee, of course. Two, if you count the vanilla latte made by Duncan.

We took a drive and prayed we would not get stuck because we wanted to see camp so bad. And we made it. And took more selfies at the snow covered camp ground. How somber.

Then, we went shopping. Of course. And we'll never forget that 47 cent dress. Or how many times we lost each other.

For supper, we had no idea. None whatsoever. Too scared to read Italian and too picky to get delivery. And too needy to not go to the drug store for more tortilla chips because that guacamole was so yummy.

And we watched hockey. #NHLAllStars

#selfiestick #marshmallow 

Then it was Sunday. I think a weekend hangout would be so incomplete if we ended it on Saturday. On Sunday, we have the privilege of going to worship together. Sweet, sweet communion would be so empty without this day.

But then, it was over. Except my keys decided we needed another 20 minutes together in panic mode when they snuck into my already rolled up sleeping bag. I still don't really know...

And so, I had to hand back the parking pass that never stayed on my mirror anyways. We rolled through the hills and over the windy bridge...

'Til we meet again.

Who's in charge?

Yes.

Because the more you know, the more you know you don't know.

Because we are getting closer to God. We are learning more about Him. And we learn of His power and wisdom. And, really. Not only should we know that He's in charge, we should want Him in charge.

It should be a humble realization. And a humble thanks. And a humble relief.

"Our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases." 

Psalm 115:3

the now

A question. 

Are you more present in planning for tomorrow or are you simply present for today? 

I know my answer. 

Most of my day is spent in the future. Will the weather permit a trip home? Will I pass that test? 

Of course one needs to plan so as not to get into a car accident or fail their course. But when it's all said and done, did those around you today get to have all of you? Were you there when they asked you a question or needed help? Were they recipients of all your love or were they simply a distraction? 

I wish away many of my days simply so I can get to the next one. How wrong is that? I think it's a mix of ungratefulness and impatience. Ungrateful for present opportunities and gifts, like that two and half hour long class and if it were only this time tomorrow I could be outside! 

Last year I read this blog post in which the writer talks about how she was going to make 2014 the year of slow. 

And as cliché as it sounds, I am setting out to make 2015 my year of slow. 

Because, if you know me. I am not slow. I have had the word klutzy attached to me from a very young age due to haste and lack of skill. 

Slow. And present now. 

this world

 

This world is not in its natural state. This world was not created with sin in it. How can we call worry, fear, or pain "natural"? We try to stay away from it, right? Just like we try to stay away from artificial flavours and food coloring, fake cheese, butter, and people. (just kidding about the last one ;) ).

But what desires might Lewis be talking about? A big one that I can think of is love and companionship. We look for it in the church, but what human does not disappoint? We look for it in a spouse, but love is not always blind...

Ahh, but is this hopeless? On this side of heaven, yes, it seems quite bleak. But as Lewis says here, we were made for another world. Made; we were created by a good God for His purpose. Hope? Yes, indeed. There is hope.