i won tickets to the Juno All Stars Hockey Game

just chit chatting ... while it melts outside (ooohhhhh ... you should hear the trickle of water, sounds like a spring!)

i won tickets to the Juno All Star hockey game this Friday!! ya!!

the Juno Awards will be in Winnipeg this year (for those of you who don't know ... the Juno's are Canada's Grammy awards) ... being Canadian, a hockey game between the Juno Artists and NHL old timers was arranged ... to be honest, i was hoping to win tickets to the actual award show, but won tickets to the All Star hockey game instead ... the good news is, i might still be able to win show tickets - they will draw for that at the hockey game!

i won 4 tickets ... Leo is coming too ... great, eh!!! please pray for strength for him ...

i'm getting kind of excited about the evening ... i was just checking out the line up of who's who at the game and i see that Brent Butt from Corner Gas (a Canadian sitcom that we love!) will be in the all star group, as well as George Canyon (he came in second at the Nashville Star competition last year); Paul Langlois and Gord Sinclair (from the Tragically Hip) and John Berry ... from the NHL old timers i recognized Doug Gilmour, Dale Hawerchuck and Ron MacLean's names ... i hope i can take pictures there!

our seats are in the second row, near the blue line ... atleast there will be plexi glass protecting me from a fast moving puck! i think they hurt a whole lot if you get hit with one ...

as i said, just sharing ... *grin, grin*!

day is done

another day is done ... i had a post i was working on ... something that God blessed my heart with ... but the words didn't string together as easily on paper, as they did in my mind ... ever happen to you? sooooo i wanted to close this day, with words that DO string together so well ... words that i would like applied to my life so that i can bless those i meet ...

"but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law" ... Galations 5: 22,23

i was just thinking about .... slivers

one thing about handling firewood, there is ALWAYS a chance of getting a sliver ... i usually wear gloves to protect my "delicate" hands! ... but sometimes i get careless and think, "i’ll just quickly throw some wood in the carrier" ... the result can be the dreaded sliver!!!

the best way to treat a sliver? ... pull it out immediately!

that’s exactly what happened yesterday ... i felt the sliver go in, i automatically plucked it out with my teeth ... problem solved ...

then i thought ... that is JUST like sin in our lives ... if the Spirit of God speaks to us and we notice a wrong attitude or something we’ve done ... if we go to the Lord immediately and say "please forgive me"... He does ... and we feel the better for it ...

but if we don’t ask forgiveness right away ... and knowingly let sin go deeper and deeper ... well the digging out of that sin later on, will hurt a whole lot more than immediate confession ...

even slivers can teach us something! imagine that ...

Vital Need

Our vital need is for a vital faith in God - in the omnipotent God. When oppressed with staggering problems, do not consider their boundaries but rediscover the boundlessness of God.

Mrs. Charles E. Cowman

weekends done

i had such a nice weekend with my sister-in-law and nephew ... it was good to have a change of pace and to entertain family ...

my sister-in-law is a very thoughtful person ...

she brought us flowers

and a yummy cake (no calories ... well i think that’s what the label said?)

my nephew (who gave me his ok to post this pic) knows the way to my heart ... he bought me 2 different photo programs for the computer!!! needless to say i had a big grin on when i saw that!!

but, there is always a down side to every good time ... for folks with chronic pain problems, visits can be tough ... Leo did socialize a bit ... on Easter Sunday we all had our devotions together and watched a good message on TV ... but for the most part, Leo was resting in the bedroom ... at least with family, they understand that he needs to lie down a lot ...

this weekend spring finally arrived ... you could smell that promise of warmth in the air ... the snow is turning to slush and it is even supposed to rain today ...

our company left for their 8 hour drive back to Ontario this morning ... and now i need to go do the beds, etc .... or maybe i just need to look at those photo programs that i downloaded into the computer .... hmmmm ... priorities?

i just thank the Lord for family ... i thank the Lord for His many blessings in my life ... and, i thank the Lord for you ...

Happy Easter

Happy Easter!!!

i hope that you are having a wonderful Easter ... thankful that Jesus paid the ultimate price for our very souls ... how cool is that! *smile*

our Good Friday has been quiet ... we watched the Gospel of John movie, which stayed true to scripture ... tho’ we should have watched it in 2 sittings because a solid 3 hours was lots to digest ... not too many "fast forward" parts in it either ... i would recommend it, even as a possible teaching tool ...

the movie got me to thinking about my role as a woman of faith ... even tho’ Jesus’ 12 disciples were men, He did number women in His close circle of friends ... what particularly struck me (and why i posted the above picture) is the fact that it was a woman who first heralded the good news of a Risen Christ ... a woman who first saw Christ ... after centuries of being in the role of a lesser being - it was a woman who first glimpsed His resurrected Glory! ... maybe it was the forgiveness our gender was seeking for Eve’s seduction back in the Garden ... do you think?

i won’t be blogging again until Monday ... we are getting company tomorrow and i am running a bit behind with the domestic stuff ... hope that the Sonshine finds you ... where ever you may be ... blessings!

Victory over death

our world is in such a sad state right now ...
wars, legalized killing in various forms, murder ...
sadness abounds everywhere ...

2000 years ago there was a brutal execution of a Man who didn't deserve to die ...

but the good news is that death couldn't keep Him captive ...

my hope this weekend is found in Him who has conquered death ...
conquered death, so that we may LIVE ...

This Ole House

i first heard this song in the early 70's ... i have always loved it ... i tried to look for a web site that had Rosemary Clooney singing it ... but had no luck with that ... so i've just been "making melody" in my own heart ! ! ! AND i guess "this ole house" could be our bodies as well ... i know i creak when i get up in the mornings! speaking of which ... i had best hit the sack, i have plans for "this ole house" tomorrow!

ROSEMARY CLOONEY lyrics - "This Ole House"

This ole house once knew his children
This ole house once knew his wife
This ole house was home and comfort
As they fought the storms of life
This ole house once rang with laughter
This ole house heard many shouts
Now he trembles in the darkness
When the lightnin' walks about

[Chorus:]
Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer
Ain't a-gonna need this house no more
Ain't got the time to fix the shingles
Ain't got time to fix the floor
Ain't got time to oil the hinges
Nor to mend the window pane
Ain't a gonna need this house no longer
He's a-gettin' ready to meet the saints

This ole house is a-gettin' shaky
This ole house is a-gettin' old
This ole house lets in the rain
This ole house lets in the cold
Oh, his knees are a-gettin' chilly
But he feel no fear of pain
'cause he sees an angel peekin'
Through a broken window pane

[Chorus][Musical Interlude]

This ole house is afraid of thunder
This ole house is afraid of storms
This ole house just groans and trembles
When the night wind flings its arms
When the night is a-gettin' feeble
This old house is a-needin' paint
Just like him it's tuckered out
But he's a-gettin' ready to meet the saints

[Chorus]

Opportunity

"Whenever you see darkness,

there is extraordinary opportunity

for the light to burn brighter."

Bono

My Lord Knows the Way

My Lord knows the way thru the wilderness
All I have to do is follow,

Strength for today is mine all the way,
And all I need for tomorrow,

My Lord knows the way thru the wilderness -
All I have to do is follow.

i hum that chorus often ... and even though i think we are walking where Jesus leads, when big life changes loom in front of us ... well, it is a little scary and i have to hum the chorus a bit louder ... for courage ...

Leo and i were chatting today ... wondering if this will be the year we make a change ... sell our cottage ...

the cottage we live in is our little bit of heaven here on earth ... it has been a wonderful resting spot ... BUT Leo's strength is starting to fail ... it was so noticeable today as we searched a few drawers for an item ... the bending and sitting caused beads of pain sweat to form on Leo's forehead and he had to stop and go lay down ... he used to be such a handi guy ... always keeping the house looking so good ... but .... the spirit may be willing, but his body is definitely weak.

... so we continue to pray ... would you pray for us too?

God's timing is perfect ... we don't want to drive our stakes in too deep here on earth, because the Lord might just say "you're moving in the morning!"

in search of Spring

i went looking for spring .... some sign that it had ARRIVED ... i knew i had to SEARCH for it because at this time of year, the plum trees are without their blossoms and there isn’t a leaf budding or a blade of grass sprouting ... plus there is 2 feet of snow all around ... but i didn’t let that minor detail thwart my search .... nope, not me ... i resolutely headed into the brilliantly white outdoors to see what i could find ...

Eureka!!! i DID find bits of spring ...

i saw our round pebbly sidewalk stones peaking out from under their covering of ice .... pebbles that collect sunshine and warm the underside of my feet in the summer ... i kicked at some of the ice, to help uncover more of the rough surface ...

i wandered in the yard and looked at the dirty snowbanks ... i took that as a good sign too ... dirty snowbanks mean that a melt is happening ... i also spotted puddles of water in the driveway (in the summer, i sometimes slosh around in the puddles, during summer rains ... they’re meant for playing in, right?) ...

i ventured to the back of the property, balancing myself on top of the hardened snow, trying not to get a "booter" in the process... it was worth the trudge because the melt was in full swing near our depleted woodpile ... i could see the pallets jutting out from under their winter hibernation ...

the sun was warming me, i had to unzip my coat as i headed back to the house ...

then i spotted the next door neighbour ... i strolled over and we had an "over the fence" (there is no fence, so please pretend) chat which lasted a half hour or so ... seeing one’s neighbour outdoors, just loitering, is a sure sign of spring!!!

now i can confidently report ... spring has (sort of) arrived to my part of the world ...

has the Lord blessed your heart with springtime hope?

the path . . .

"No other route would have been as safe and as certain as the one by which we came. If only we could see the path as God has always seen it, we would have selected it as well."
F.B. Meyer

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

we've been thinking about God's direction in our life ... God's leading ... as we look forward, we also need to look back at how God has lead us in the past ... this gives us the faith to believe that God will continue to lead in the future ...

Rejoice!

It's Spring!!!

Psalm 105

(excerpts)

1 Give thanks to the LORD and proclaim His greatness. ...

2 Sing to Him; yes, sing His praises. ....

3 .... O worshipers of the LORD, rejoice!
4 Search for the LORD and for His strength, ...

ANYWAY

People are often unreasonable,

Illogical and self-centered.

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind,

People may accuse

You of selfish motives;

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful,

You will win some false friends

And some true enemies;

Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank,

People may cheat you;

Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building,

Someone could destroy overnight;

Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness,

They may be jealous;

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today,

People will often forget tomorrow;

Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have,

And it may never be enough;

Give the world the best you have anyway.

You see, in the final analysis,

It is between you and God;

It never was between you and them anyway.

~Mother Teresa~

this arrived in my e-mail this morning ... and tho' i've read it before, i found it extremely ENCOURAGING today ... we just need to keep on keeping on ... the Victory is the Lord's, our job is to remain faithful to the task He has given us ... amen? Amen!

resting

"God sometimes says wait.

BUT He never says worry."
The Up Side by Guideposts

* * * * * * * * * * * *

i've been enjoying a-tic-in-the-minds-eye and faithmouse

... they have thought provoking cartoons on life and current issues ...

sharing info

 

Irish blessings

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

i love these Irish blessings ... i thought this was a great time to share them ... the sentiment they carry is warm and uplifting, and exactly what i wish for you ...





May you always have ...

Walls for the winds,

A roof for the rain,

Tea beside the fire,

Laughter to cheer you,

Those you love near you,

And all your heart might desire!


May your neighbors respect you,

Troubles neglect you,

The angels protect you,

And Heaven accept you.


May your home always be too small to hold all your friends.


Dance as if no one were watching,

Sing as if no one were listening,

And live every day as if it were your last.

what goes in the well ... comes up in the bucket

yesterday i visited one of my favourite places in our quaint little town ... the public library ... i walked in and realized that even the air permeates books ... it enveloped me like the hug from a dear friend ...

my first stop was the "what’s new" shelf ... and i was tickled to see a Francine Rivers’ book, The Priest ... i picked it up and continued my perusal for things to read ...

this year i visit the library every 3 weeks ... last year i went on a weekly basis ... this year i usually pick up 4 books ... last year i would pick up 6 books ... this year i feel refreshed and at peace with my reading material ... last year i read and read and read, yet felt empty ...

so what is the difference? this year i am trying to feed my soul, not to titillate my senses ... i’m not saying that i am reading only study books or Christian novels ... but i am choosing the secular books with more care ...

last year i just wanted to escape my life in a novel ... which is a fine "vacation" occasionally, but definitely not as a steady diet ... i left the table hungrier than when i sat down!

yet somehow i didn’t want to "see" that all i needed was just a little bit of self-discipline in the area of books, and the Lord would bless my "little bit", a whole lot!

i think i’m a slow learner in some areas of my life ... but i am still teachable ... smile ... and i think it counts in God’s eyes ...

All for a Reason .... And only for a Season. 

time out

there is lots of sadness on the news these days ... and folks are stressed at home too ... so i hope this layed back cat, with his energetic friend might give you cause to smile as you go along your way ...