august already!

what a weird summer all over our north american continent, eh ? !!! my west coast sister is broiling in the heat ... and our usually hot prairies are soggy, cool and rainy ... ? ... i guess it's a sign of age that that though i'm not loving the excessive rain, i know i can't change a thing about it! so i'm going with the flow ...

the inner me is another story ... now there's a place that continually needs help ... really! there are spots which need a good spit and polish ... and other places that faith needs to build up, and grow in ...

with that in mind, here are a few good thoughts from recent Streams in the Desert readings ... hope they bless your heart like they blessed mine!

"Never pray for an easier life - - - pray to be a stronger person!
Never pray for tasks equal to your power - - pray for power equal to your tasks.
Then doing your work will be no miracle - - you will be the miracle."
~Phillips Brooks

"God will make our obstacles serve His purposes. We all have mountains in our lives, and often they are people and things that threaten to block the progress of our spiritual life. ... often we pray for their removal, for we tend to think that if only these were removed, we would live a more tender, pure, and holy life. ... These are the very conditions we need for achievements and they have been put in our lives as the means of producing the gifts and qualities for which we have been praying so long. ... The only way genuine patience can be acquired is by enduring the very trials that seem so unbearable today. ... Turn from your running and submit. ... Claim by faith to be a partaker in the patience of Jesus and face your trials in Him. ... "
~F.B. Meyer

".. you can trust the Man who died for you. You can trust Him to thwart each plan that should be stopped and to complete each one that results in His greatest glory and your highest good. You can trust Him to lead you down the path that is the very best in this world for you."
~J.H.M.

He's the lily of the valley ...

i just took these pics ... i love this time of year ... the flowers we inherited start to bloom bloom bloom!

there are 6 different colours of lilies ... i feel rich when i walk outside and take it all in!

the lollipop lilies are my favourite ... they look so happy ... *smile*

the roses are abundant as well ...

and the flower basket in the front ... which struggled so with the cooler spring ... has more than made up for it ... it cheerfully greets me every morning ...

and all these flowers reminds me of this old hymn ...

The Lily of the Valley

I have found a friend in Jesus, He's everything to me,
He's the fairest of ten thousand to my soul;
The Lily of the Valley, in him alone I see
All I need to cleanse and make me fully whole.
In sorrow He's my comfort, in trouble He's my stay,
He tells me every care on Him to roll.

Chorus:
He's the Lily of the Valley, the Bright and Morning Star,
He's the fairest of ten thousand to my soul.

He all my griefs has taken, and all my sorrows borne;
In temptation He's my strong and mighty tower;
I have all for Him forsaken, and all my idols torn
From my heart, and now He keeps me by His power.
Though all the world forsake me, and Satan tempt me sore,
Though Jesus I shall safely reach the goal.

Repeat Chorus.

He will never, never leave me, nor yet forsake me here,
While I live by faith and do His blessed will;
A wall of fire about me, I've nothing now to fear,
With His manna He my hungry soul shall fill.
Then sweeping up to glory to see His blessed face,
Where rivers of delight shall ever roll.

Repeat Chorus.

laundry

A young couple moves into a new neighborhood.
The next morning while they are eating breakfast, the young
woman sees her neighbor hanging the wash outside.
"That laundry is not very clean", she said.
"She doesn't know how to wash correctly.

Perhaps she needs better laundry soap"

Her husband looked on, but remained silent.

Every time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry, the
young woman would make the same comments.


About one month later, the woman was surprised to see a
nice clean wash on the line and said to her husband:

"Look, she has learned how to wash correctly.

I wonder who taught her this?"

The husband said, "I got up early this morning and
cleaned our windows."


And so it is with life.. What we see when watching others
depends on the purity of the window through which we look.

The Incredible Patience of God

we just finished reading this book ... and it's another that i highly recommend ... lane adams does a great job of answering the question of "why am i still struggling with lack of growth in my faith? ... "

the book jacket says:

"Many believers become discouraged with the long process of growth in their walk with Christ. In fact, Lane Adams believes it is "the rare spiritual prodigy" who moves rapidly to spiritual maturity. In this refreshing and helpful book, he offers encouragement, candid humor and practical insight for those who are struggling in their Christian life.

In many ways, some Christians today are indistinguishable from the culture around them. They deny moral absolutes of right and wrong, and affirm situational ethics. Their God is one-sided - all blessing and no judgment. In this book, Lane Adams urges Christians to seek a balance between asking for forgiveness and being accountable."

summer is quickly going by

summer is going by quickly in my little corner of the world ... so fast that i've barely had time to take pictures of our beautiful manitoba fields ... full of varied colour and displaying the faithfulness of God! we also have "big sky country" in our world ... for cloud watchers, it is paradise!

the other day i noticed that we have a new condo going up - in the bushes right outside our front door! i don't know if it will ever be inhabited ... it may be just an extra nest for the forward thinking bird that constructed it ... it is amazing how perfectly shaped and well made it is ... another display of God in nature ... where else would these little creatures have learned how to make these nests exactly the size and shape needed ... not to mention what type of material to construct it with!

my peonies are almost finished blooming for the season ... we had a major storm blow through last week and it soaked the flowers and dropped them to the ground, where they started to rot ... i cut off 2 bag fulls of blooms ... but they were spectacular while they lasted ... a reminder for me to enjoy the moment ... that is all that we are guaranteed ...

visitors have also been plentiful these past weeks ... an aunt from finland was here ... it was great to see her ... then my teenage niece and nephew came for a quick little visit a few days ago ... they were vacationing at their grandma's place (my mom) and she took a road trip this way ... leo hadn't seen the kids in years ... he was surprised at how tall they had gotten, and mature for their years ... of course i had to take them for a walk to the beach, while leo and my mom chatted at home (leo hasn't been able to go for a walk since the doctor's visit - the weather and extra pain have kept him indoors - but there is always hope for another day!)

here is a picture of me and my very spry, active mom (she is 74) ... her energy always amazes me and totally leaves me in her wake! i pray the Lord gives her many more active years ...

just sending out blessings to my blog buds - both old friends, new friends and those who just happened by ... life is made sweeter by you ... !

picture taken yesterday of our peonies

And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying,

"Oh, that you would bless me indeed,

and enlarge my territory,

that Your hand would be with me,

and that You would keep me from evil,

that I may not cause pain!"

So God granted him what he requested.

1 Chronicles 4:10

doctor's appointment

today was leo's doctor's appointment ... if everything goes along "normally" for him, we go in every 3 months ... and today was the day ... this is leo's 4th doctor in as many years ... in fact, if you type in "doctor" in the search browser at the top left of my blog, you'll see how many times i've actually written about that topic! it is so important for everyone to have a family doctor they can trust ... but this is especially so for folks with any chronic problems ...

i have to testify to how God has been good to us in this regard ... it seems every doctor in the past 4 years has added something positive to leo's well being ... they have been really good guys ...

i always go in with leo - and my standard joke is that they get 2 for the price of one! i get to know the doctors as well as leo does ...

today was an extra special visit because we walked to the clinic! it is only 2 blocks away and leo has been doing so well with his little walks ... his doctor was impressed with how good leo looked and how his walking has improved ... *smile* ... i thought how wonderful it is to have the clinic so close! we used to drive 45 minutes to another town for these appointments - and then the wait was l-o-n-g ... the doctor was usually 45 minutes late! it was a horrible time for me ... i must admit that i prayed MUCH before and after those trips ... and poor leo - it was so uncomfortable for him ... he can't sit for long periods (like 5 minutes) without a lot of discomfort ... i used to dread dread dread the appointments ... plus i've been doing all the driving for the past 5 years ... the winters were just the worst ... what a blessing it now is to be able to walk to our appointments ... i've shared in past posts how the Lord wonderfully worked it out for good - when leo's long time doctor left his practise and forced us to step out in faith to find another doctor - which lead us to a town closer to us - which eventually led us back to our own small town clinic ...

so many things recently have seemed like misadventures ... especially the family doctor issue - i have to confess to being fearful of the future at times ... worried (though i like to use the word "concerned", when in reality it is that sin of worry that plagues me) - then the Lord takes pity on me, hears my prayer, and once again delivers me out of that anxiety pit and plants my clay feet on the Rock ... He opens my eyes to a better way through the change that so scared me at first ...

i'm just praising my Saviour, Who is so patient with me ... and answers my prayers in the way that is BEST for me ... which may or may not be what i asked for!

blessed be His name!

a new tv ... :o)

leo and i broke down and bought a new tv last month ... one of those fancy HD LCD ones ... a sony ... yup - it's nice! so much lighter than our 160 pound toshiba, that we have had for many years ... i just love the thought of being able to move furniture without calling in the muscle!!!

one problem though - the tv has this feature that makes it go dark automatically during certain scenes ... i mean really dark! ... so i phoned sony's help desk to see how we could shut this feature off ... it turns out that it is a glitch in this particular model of tv ... so the tech guy made up a "fix" for us and is mailing it to us ... we plug the "fix" in (the sony has outlets like a computer) which then allows it to "talk" to the tv and fix the problem ... sure beats the old repair guy way of doing things!

wouldn't it be nice if this worked in our spiritual lives too? ... we see a problem in our behaviour or lifestyle - God sends a fix ... we plug it into our hearts and it solves the problem for the rest of our earthly sojourn ... that would be a hallelujah moment for me ... *huge grin* ... unfortunately i need many fixes for the same problem, applied in different ways - before i am on the winning side ...

as far as eternity goes - Jesus IS the forever fixer of our hearts - no more touch-ups required!

sending a shout out to my american buds ... happy 4th of july!!!!

first peony of the year ...

Nothing lies beyond the reach of prayer

except those things outside the will of God.

~ Streams in the Desert

thoughts for the journey ...

taken from Max Lucado's book "In the Eye of the Storm" ...

Love God more than you fear hell.
Once a week, let a child take you on a walk.
Make major decisions in a cemetery.
When no one is watching, live as if someone is.
Succeed at home first.
Don't spend tomorrow's money today.
Pray twice as much as you fret.
Listen twice as much as you speak.
Only harbor a grudge when God does.
Never outgrow your love of sunsets.
Treat people like angels; you will meet some and help make some.
"Tis wiser to err on the side of generosity than on the side of scrutiny.
God has forgiven you; you'd be wise to do the same.
When you can't trace God's hand, trust His heart.
Toot your own horn and the notes will be flat.
Don't feel guilty for God's goodness.
The book of life is lived in chapters, so know your page number.
Never let the important be the victim of the trivial.
Live your liturgy.

* * * * * *

blessings on you, blog buds! i know you all are busy this month of june ... i have been away from the computer as well ... our morning reading is this max lucado book - thought i would share these thoughts with you as well!!! remember - the JOY of the LORD is our STRENGTH!!!

pics from my week ...

i just took this shot of a rainbow that just appeared ... we've had so much rain lately, that i'm glad that God's promise still stands in the sky ... He remembers ...

and look at these blossoms ... yay!!!! that means that maybe we will get out of this polar bear mode and into some real sunshine and warmth .... it was great to see the trees starting to bud and blossoms pop ...

when i ride my bike ... or walk ... i usually stop at this little park ... it's a place where i like to still my heart and pray ... my bike rides and walks are prayer times ... but this lovely little haven is usually a peaceful place to have a more in depth talk (or listen!) to my Lord ...

when you live in the centre of a little town, you never know what will pass by your window ... the other day, a parade marched by ... they were on their way to the veterans park for a D-Day service ... you can see the spiffy RCMP red ... followed by some of our vets ... then there was a pipe and drum band ... very sweet and reverential ...

and lastly ... please meet indie ... he's a little 7 year old neutered male cat, that i picked up from the pet rescue place ... we've had him for over 2 months and we absolutely love him! he was almost put down at the humane society - then passed on to the rescue place ... adopted out for 7 months - then the people brought him back because they said he didn't like the other pets in the home ... so along we came ... he still has his nervous moments, but what love he gives us ... lots of purrs ... sits on our laps to snooze ... just SO GREAT ... i thought we would never get another cat after our 2 attempts over the last 2 summers didn't work out ... and it was with some fear and trepidation that we thought "we'll try one more time!" ... and now we have our little indie ... ... we did have some problems with his teeth right off the bat (he had to have 4 of them pulled!) ... hopefully that solved the poor little guys problem ... and now leo doesn't need to look at every cat picture and story - he has his own little (only 7 pounds) cat to pet ...

blessings on your mid week!!!!

"In a thousand trials, it is not just five hundred of them that work "for the good" of the believer, but nine hundred and ninety-nine, plus one."
~George Mueller

the rites of spring

well FINALLY ... i had my first outdoor sauna of the season ... it had been so cold that my aunt hadn't opened it up yet ... but yesterday was the day ... of course the fast moving cold waters of the river made swimming a future event - which was fine ... it was the solitude of that old finnish way of cleansing the body and soul - that i found so welcoming ...


i was the first one to sit on the wooden benches this season ... fill the tubs with water ... and throw water on the hot stones ... it was like music to my ears to hear the sizzle of the steam rising from the sauna stove ... to relax in the sanctuary of the outdoor sauna, like my finnish ancestors have done for generations ... it was cathartic to sit and sweat my cares away ... i hummed a favourite song as i enjoyed the way my muscles relaxed and my cares left ... all of me was refreshed at the same time ...

sweet sweet sweet ...


by the time i got home, i was completely refreshed ... thanking the Lord for loved ones who live close to us, who share good things like their sauna with the "poor relative"! ... then i thanked my Saviour for all things in my life ... *smile* ... ahhhh, that first outdoor sauna, what could be better?

* * * * * *

my sister maria continues to do well ... in fact, they may cut her back to 2 times a week dialysis, rather than 3 ... she is just doing the testing for that now ... that would be amazing!!! it would give them a bit more home life to enjoy ...

"Every highway of life descends into the valley now and then. And everyone must go through the tunnel of tribulation before they can travel on the high road of triumph."

~Streams in the Desert

cold spring

this is a picture of leo and me at the beach!!!! you guys just wouldn't believe how cold this spring has been ... i think we are behind the times regarding global warming - it hasn't reached the sticks of canada yet!!! i mean, the bible says to give thanks in everything - and we do ... but this wacky cold weather is just nuts!

mid week ...

mid week in the prairies ... and the sun has decided to stay out for a while ... to coax the leaves to open ... we must be 3 weeks behind with spring ...

but if our hearts are resting in the One who loves us more than we can begin to imagine ... then spring blooms eternally in our hearts ... and heaven is just a breath away ...

blessings on you, my dear blog buds ...

Do not get discouraged -

it may be the last key on the ring that opens the door.

~Stansifer

chitchat ...

sunday morning greetings!

just thought i'd chitchat a bit ... as we wait for an old friend to stop by ... one who we haven't seen in over a year ... those unexpected times of fellowship can be so sweet ...

it's been a nice week here at condo central ... the weather hasn't been so pleasant, but the activities have made up for it ...

i had a nice little trip into the city with my cousin on monday ... we bought our flowers from costco - but mine are still sitting on the kitchen island - waiting for the nights not to dip below that 32F mark! tonight may be the coolest night ... then maybe there will be hope of putting them outside!

i've talked with maria almost every day ... and the news continues to be good ... though there are always some $$ issues - but what is life without struggles? and faith to over come those struggles!

on the home front ... leo and i have watched some movies and had some quiet mid week time ...

then yesterday, my brother and i took a road trip to visit my mom (about 4 hour return trip) ... we had a nice visit while driving there and back, he's such good company ... and it was good to see our mom and step-dad ... all in all a delightful day ...

as you can see, life seems to be normal (yay!!!) ... in a sweet way ... as we remember that our real life is in heaven with Christ ... we look forward to when He comes back again!!

"May blessings and peace of heart be your rich gifts from God our Father, and from Jesus Christ our Lord."

1Thessalonians 1:1

sunday morning thoughts ...

Be strong, He has not failed you
In all the past,
And will He go and leave you
To sink at last?
No, He said He will hide you
Beneath His wing;
And sweetly there in safety
You then may sing.
~selected

* * * * *

Don't steal tomorrow from God's hands.

Give Him time to speak to you and reveal His will.

He is never late - learn to wait.
~selected

* * * * *

blessed sunday to you - my sweet blog buds ... my life continues with lessons in faith ... waiting ... being still and listening ... whereas i just want to go forth, speak my mind and work in my own strength - you know, make things happen! you'd think at this stage of "maturity" i would have learned to rest in Him who is ever faithful! i'm glad that He is ever patient too! *smile* ...

maria continues doing "well" at home ... which is due to the prayers of God's people - thank you! i visited with her last week - and also met her Christian health care worker! isn't God wonderful to provide a believer as maria's helper? !!!! this lady is in her 60's and she told me that she has never seen someone in maria's condition, able to go home after months of hospitalization ... she gave all the praise to Jesus ... i add my amen!

may you find God in unexpected places this sunday morning ...

another day the Lord has made!!!

Everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved. (Joel 2:32)

So why don't I call on His name? Why do I run to this person or that person, when God is so near and will hear my faintest call? Why do I set down to plot my own course and make my own plans? Why don't I immediately place myself and my burden on the Lord?

Straight ahead is the best way to run, so why don't I run directly to the living God? Instead, I look in vain for deliverance everywhere else, but with God I will find it. With Him I have His royal promise: "[I] will be saved." And with Him I never need to ask if I may call on Him or not, for the word "everyone" is all encompassing. It includes me and means anybody and everybody who calls upon His name. Therefore I will trust in this verse and will immediately call on the glorious Lord who has made such a great promise.

My situation is urgent, and I cannot see how I will ever be delivered. Yet this is not my concern, for He who made the promise will find a way to keep it. My part is simply to obey His commands, not to direct His ways. I am His servant, not His advisor. I call upon Him and He will deliver me.

~Charles H. Spurgeon

* * * * * *

this was my morning reading ... how true ... how encouraging ... we NEED only God ... He will be our ever present help ... in all things ...

i just spoke to maria ... she has been at home 2 nights now ... and she is feeling so blessed ... so glad to be in her own bed ... and she feels "well" ... she will be getting homecare every day ... and she will be going to dialysis 3 times a week ... there are hurdles to her everyday living ... but what a far far way she has come!!! from a sure death - many a time ... to being at home once again ... our God is amazing ... truly amazing ... answering prayers that i, with my weak faith, was too afraid to pray! truly amazing ...

thank you for your prayers ... may your day be filled with the sweetness of Jesus ....

a happy moment in time

sharing

i am always amazed at how God prepares "helps" for us ... tailor made ahead of time, for this present time ... exactly what is needed for the difficult seasons of life ...

my morning help has been Streams in the Desert ... by mrs. cowman ... i can't even begin to share the multiple times that the reading spoke exactly to my need ... then gave encouragement ... it was just like a whispered, loving message from my Heavenly Father ...

even the books that leo and i read together ... again, tailor made for the time ...

at the moment we are reading max lucado's Just like Jesus ... it has interesting chapter titles like "loving the people you are stuck with" ... *grinning* ... i wonder if anyone can relate to that? ... *tongue firmly in cheek* ...

yup - this past 4 months has really been emotion packed ... yet, we have not walked it alone ... always the Lord has prepared the path before us ...

which brings me to a maria update ... i saw her yesterday ... which was super! ... we had a really great visit ... she is looking so well ... yet the bad news continues with low hemoglobin and also questions re how to treat that second virus in her heart ... ... she is being such a trooper ... and she continues to be so very kind to all those who help her (even tho' the help may hurt physically - those yucky tests!) ... there is always a please and thank you ... plus a smile ... maybe a little chuckle ... the poor thing has had a very long 4 months in the hospital ...

through all of this - i pray that we are all being molded to be "Just like Jesus" ... so that these lessons aren't lost ... and that the lost might see the light ...

UPDATE: i just talked to maria ... the heart specialist had been by last night and he said that the virus in her heart is STERILE now ... YAY! ... for 2 weeks, they had been giving maria antibiotics during her dialysis (the dr. said they wanted to do SOMETHING - they couldn't just stand by and watch this thing grow) ... and the anitbiotics worked! that bad virus had already attached itself to one of her heart valves - so the fact that it is sterile now is extremely good news! in fact, they are talking about sending her home again ... possibly at the end of this week or next week ... maria was so overjoyed to hear this ... one step at a time ... she has come such a long way from that very very sick girl at Christmas ...

a week without blogging? yikes!

a week has gone by! already! and i haven't had a chance to be in blogland ... *sigh* ... i do miss you all ...

my plate has been full ... and it has overflowed (not in a good way either) at times ... so i've needed to take a step back ... breath deeply ... and regroup!

atleast my library job is now done! and i may not go back in the fall, because homelife does need to be #1 ... and God supplies the strength for things i need to do - not the things i add on myself ...

my sister maria's battle to regain her health continues ... a new virus was detected in her heart a week ago ... they don't know what to do about it yet ... then she almost died during dialysis last week, her blood pressure went under 30 - extreme chest pains, doctors & nurses running to get her stabalized ... however, her spirits remain high and the many visitors and caring hospital personnel -are a real blessing to her ...

in all things, the Lord has been my very Present help ...

maybe life will settle soon ? ? i hope!!! ... like i said - i miss you all! blessings sent your way!