i've finally been feeling better the last few days ... the cold that followed me back to canada made me a very lazy girl!!!  i was tired all the time - it was nice to have an excuse, anyway!!!!

i made a fresh poster from one of my AZ pics ... i'm glad that i dwell in GOD and can take JOY in HIS will ...

blessings on your sunday ....

winter vacation

leo is sending me away for a winter vacation - again ... i feel like the most spoiled of women sometimes ... he assures me that he will manage - and we do have all our 'helps' in place ...

so i shall once again be a very scarce blog bud ... blessings on you guys, as i go in search of palm trees and desert flowers ...

where to find comfort ...

when the going gets tough

... the tough read the bible.

strength for the day ...

i was listening to a sermon by david jeremiah (author of Slaying the Giants in your Life) ...  his message was the inspiration for the above poster ... 

the thought he left at the end of his message on worry was: “Don’t worry about anything, Pray about everything” ...

by God’s grace, we can try to do that daily ... especially since we serve the God who is “I AM” ... He’s not “I WAS” – tomorrow is finished ... or “I WILL BE” – that is the future – but I AM, as in the present – so He gives us the strength for today ...

first post of the new year

well look at that ... it's the 11th already and all my thinking of posting haven't made it onto my blog ... i guess i better just tap tap away to remedy that ...

it's been a wonderfully mild start to the year ... today is the actual first wintery day ... it's blowing 'n snowing and just plain COLD out there ... we were due!!! 

yesterday when leo and i went to his doctor's appointment, i was wearing a light fall jacket and just so thankful that leo didn't have to venture out in below zero temps ... then to top off our 'good feelings' - when we walked into our small town clinic, the doctor was already there waiting for us - early - with leo's chart under his arm ... can you get any better than that???  i think not!

i hope that the new year has had a good start in your world too ... blessings on ya!!!

happy new year!

it really is true that as a person ages, the world spins faster and faster ... i just add my voice to everyone elses' and say 'i can't believe the year has ended' ...

my devotional reading for 2011 was Oswald Chambers "My Utmost for His Highest" ... each time i use that devotional - i am challenged in numerous ways to stretch and grow as a believer ... the devotional can be found on www.rbc.org as well ...

i'll close out my 2011 blog post with a shortened version of oswald chambers' last page of the devotional:

You shall not go out with haste, ... for the LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard"  (Isaiah 52:12)

Security from Yesterday.  God reminds us of the past to protect us from a very shallow security in the present.
Security for Tomorrow.  God's hand reaches back to the past, settling all the claims against our conscience.
Security for Today.  Let the past rest, but let it rest in the sweet embrace of Christ.

Leave the broken, irreversible past in His hands, and step out into the invincible future with Him ...

blessings on my blog buds - old and new - in 2012 ... may Jesus be your security in all storms - and the centre of all your joys!

a new year approaches ...

i just finished watching the movie "soul surfer" ... wow!  i was so uplifted by the message that came through loud and clear ... it's amazing how the Lord turns adversity into opportunity ... sadness into joy ... and that He knows our load limit - and promises to limit the load!

blessings on you ...

the fullness of His time ...

nothing is ever by accident ...
           and everything is on time ...
                for those who wait on God's timetable ...

time of the year

this smiley snowman has a little bell on it's hat ... i love the way it makes a merry sound when i go out or come in ... very welcoming  ...

 i have this little reminder on my computer desk ... i look at it and smile ...

in the mornings, bits of light that i've hung around the windows give such a nice glow ... i drink my coffee and start the day with joyful (well usually!) anticipation ... i do like christmas time ... especially now that we have really simplified it ...

this year we plan on ordering chinese food for our celebration meal ... we used to go to my aunts but it's gotten too difficult for leo to do that and the smell of different foods cooking, really nauseates him - soooo we have changed our tradition to suit our current situation ...

besides, it's usually the little things in life that make a person glad ... example:  i washed the flannel sheets today and now i'm looking forwarding to crawling in between them ... these are sheets that i bought from costco recently - they were a good price and are soooo warm and comfy ...

Christmas - that magic blanket that wraps itself about us, that something so intangible that it is like a fragrance. It may weave a spell of nostalgia. Christmas may be a day of feasting, or of prayer, but always it will be a day of remembrance - a day in which we think of everything we have ever loved. ~Augusta E. Rundel

christmas is still christmas ....

we have definitely downsized our life here at the condo ...  we also downsized our christmas decorating and even our christmas tree ... check out the baby one we have been using.

but don't feel too badly for us ... once upon a time we had over the top celebrations ... and over the top christmas trees - like this very first tree in the very first house we owned ... what fun we had trying to get the tree inside the house through the regular sized door!!!  there were pine needles all over the living room!!!  we called 2 of our burly neighbours over to help us lift it up ... we were able to nail supporting wires into the floor to keep it upright, since our flooring wasn't done yet ... our cats loved to lie under it's boughs and we were the most popular country home around for the kids!  they couldn't believe the size of the tree ... and indoors!

christmas's change ... and the size of our trees has changed too ... *smiling* ... but i can honestly say that each year my heart celebration grows and grows ... as long as i stay focused on the WORD that became flesh and  dwelt among us - my christmas spirit remains sweet ...

whatever stage you are at in your life ... i hope the JOY of this season ... and the wonder of it all ... brings that childlike excitement into your life!  Glory to God!

christmas past, christmas present

i miss christmas' past ... when we were able to gather with family - the noise, the children and wrapping paper strewn everywhere ... days that have gone by ...leaving only sweet memories and faded pictures as reminders ... 

these days, as christmas time quiets down for us, the stillness helps my cluttered brain settle on my heart celebration of Jesus'  ...  His redemptive visit to planet earth ... then i look to the future and think of His return visit ... thoughts that my earth bound mind has trouble visualizing  ... yet the spirit born within me, hums and thinks on these things ... angels singing, wise men bowing and lowly shepherds (that'd be me) kneeling with awe ... Jesus has come!

'tis the season ...

pic of our front door (taken last year - but as soon as i find the cute red elf from finland - it should look the same!) ... yup, 'tis the season ...

december brings so many rolling emotions into play ... happy, sad, excited and thankful ... there is that theme of thankfulness again ... though our celebrations are quiet now, compared to years past, somehow the child in me is always ready to come out - filled with joy and anticipation - and thankfulness that Jesus has given us the best reason to celebrate!!!!

5 years ago

would you believe that it's been five years since we became happy owners of our little condo?  it was answer to prayer and then some (here is the post with story http://saija.blogspot.com/2007/11/one-year-ago-today.html) ... i just look around me and KNOW that God does indeed answer  prayer and HE also gives us the desires of our heart ...

and before we even knew what our hearts' desired and needed ... God provided ... He gave us His own Son - so that if we believed in Him, we could become part of His forever family - i love the Christmas Season for reminders everywhere of God's love ... thank you Lord!!!!! 

a daily occurrence

in my life application bible this morning, one of the notes below psalm 61 asked:  "do you find something to praise God for each day?" ... what a good question ... what a good reminder ... do i?  i hope i do - maybe i will now make it a more conscious effort ...

our town beach ... with a blanket of snow - yet the water remains free from ice for the moment ... soon that will change and a freeze will occur - until springs warmth touches the land once more ...

our li'l buddy snoozing on the recliner, by leo's feet, while we watched tv church yesterday ... i'm glad he loves to snooze ... *smile*

thankfulness

happy thanksgiving to my american buds ... may God show you something special that you can be thankful for, something you may not have thought of before ...

i'm thankful for home and the land i call home ... canada is a real melting pot of different languages, races, ideas - yet somehow it is still working ... i pray that will continue ...

i was in the city on sunday/monday ... another appointment with the glaucoma specialist ... my eyes are still borderline high (re the pressure in them), but he says there is no damage and all looks well at the back ... he'll see me again in the spring and treat the eyes if the pressure changes ... this is all a new experience for me - yet i still feel thankful ... thankful for the doctor ... for my eyes, that they are still "fine" and thankful for my friends and family who provide a place for me to stay and also rides to the doctor (in case they dilate the eyes) ... i am continually humbled by the love, support and prayer on my behalf ...

sometimes thankfulness can be a sacrifice - like the psalm says, but if we make the sacrifice - i believe our God is pleased ...

be ye kind ...

poster from:  http://frankbroughton.us/blog/

11-11-11

we were just watching the rememberance day service from Ottawa ...

yes - we remember ...

and we thank the vets for allowing us the freedom to do so ...

may God bless them richly ...

same day pics

i don't usually have a sunrise

and a moon picture

for the same day ... it just worked out today - i happened to notice how lovely they each were ... just in different ways ...

i'm glad the Lord has set a definite span for each day ... if it's a good day, we want it to go on and on ... if it's a bad day, we are glad it's over ... then it all evens out for the many normal days inbetween ...  

the fall season continues to be a challenge for us ... i get a little of that seasonal sadness thing ... and leo gets more pain because it tends to be damp at this time of year ...

i was reading psalm 34 this morning and it encouraged me at the start of  the day ... "i will bless the Lord at ALL times .." ... and now at the end of the day... "the Lord redeemeth the soul of His servants; and none of them who TRUST in Him shall be desolate." ...

the safest place to be ... in God's Hands

in the poster making mode

it seems that everything i read ... and the pictures i have in my albums ... are coming together in a fun and hopefully blessed way these days ... :o)

just sharing with ya - once again!