Grace 'N Mercy

Family Pics!

2008-12-12T22:45:00.008-05:00

The Whole Gang

Courtney (girlie version) and Derek

Hayley and Great Great Grampa Callaghan

Daddy and Hayley - 10 months

Hayley - 7 Months!

2008-09-23T21:32:00.004-04:00

My Beautiful Grandaughter - Hayley

2008-06-10T20:18:00.004-04:00

Well she's four months old now, smiling, laughing...so much fun.

Introducing Hayley-Rose

2008-03-20T17:42:00.005-04:00

Introducing Hayley-Rose and proud Daddy Bryan!
She was born Feb 7, 2008 @10:10 p.m.
She is one month old in her pretty in pink outfit!
Grandma is loving her so much!

Modern Technology

2007-12-21T15:56:00.001-05:00

Say "Hello" to my son's baby daughter in vitro! My granddaughter is due to arrive January 29, 2008. Technology is amazing!

Not Invincible - Update

2007-10-06T15:34:00.000-04:00

Two weeks after my second round of antibiotics andmy chest still sounding like a gurgling catastrophy, it was back to the doctor and a "third" round of antibiotics for twenty days... I have seven days to go. I am also on a "super" inhaler that I must continue for at least two weeks after the antibiotics are finished. If I'm not better after completing the antibiotics, I'll have to see a specialist.

This has gone on since mid August and my anxiety level has been sort of high. Why wasn't I getting better? I was trusting God and had received prayer and the laying on of hands... but no change. I went back to the doctor this past Monday just to check. He said I was sounding better...but I wasn't so sure (what's with that??) .

The inhaler is a doozie...it makes me feel awful, which is rather strange because when I wake up I think, I'm starting to feel much better and then I use the inhaler and well, feel sick again. It made me think about my baby who has asthma and has been using inhalers since the age of two. Yikes, she must feel awful all the time! Today I realize that I am finally feeling better (despite the inhaler) ... hallelujah!

On another note...my first born is going to be a father! He is going to have a daughter in February. I am going to be a Grandma!

Not Invincible

2007-09-06T10:55:00.001-04:00

It's been a very long summer. Just before mid August, I came down with a killer flu. I had never been so sick before and missed an entire week of work. I also developed a nasty cough before I could get back to work and ended up in urgent care. I was immediately put on antibiotics and liquid codeine for the cough. Bronchitis...but I had to go for an ex-ray to rule out pneumonia. Oh yeay, it was pneumonia. Another week of missed work.

The following Monday I went back to work. It was a long day and I was coughing a fair bit, but I didn't need a nap when I got home. The next day; however, I was completely exhausted and couldn't make it through the whole day and went back to the doctor. I still had fluid in my lung...the antibiotics did not work, so I was put on a much stronger one for twice as long. I was also off for the rest of the week.

In the midst of this I had to get my middle child ready to go away to camp for a week and also prepare for my baby's move to Peterborough for school. All was accomplished , but it was a challenge.

After all that, I was back to the doctor as I was still extremely weak with rubber legs and feelings of passing out when I did anything beyond sitting or lying. I was informed that I was recovering from pneumonia, not some other minor ailment (i.e. strep throat or bronchitis) and it would take more time...yeay, another week off work.

So far, I have missed four weeks of work am still coughing and weak. However, I am completely shaken. I don't usually get sick. I might feel crummy for a day or two, but I don't get "sick". And this isn't even flu season!?!

I have learned a few things over the last four weeks:

I did not forsee this happening. I was not prepared. I am not in control. I am not invincible.

God knew this would happen. God is prepared. God is in control. God is invincible.

Happy New Year!

2007-01-01T11:34:00.000-05:00

It's been a very long time since I blogged and it's a new year! Some things have changed at home. I have a new kitty; his name is Diesel and he is such a sweet boy. He and Milo (the other cat) get along famously and Abbey (the dog) is finally getting relief from the persistent hissings and scratchings.

My second born is finished high school now and attends a day program a few days a week with Sunrise Youth Group. She is very, very happy there. My last born is in university. She attends a local institution, so she's still around and working very hard. My firstborn moved out Christmas Eve. It was hard, but I know it was time. Even though he was hardly ever home and only saw him a few times a week, it's been pretty quiet around here.

Christmas was good. My firstborn came back home for the night Christmas Eve (I insisted!), so we were all together in the morning. We have a Christmas morning routine and I absolutely cherish it.

I still do Christmas stockings for them and I lay them on their beds before I turn in for the night. In the morning they wake each other up, open their stockings and then they all pile into bed with me and give me my stocking. We even let the dog up! We get out the bible and read the Christmas story in Luke, we pray and then head downstairs.

Every year, I take "The Photo". It's supposed to be of their first peek at the presents under the tree and while the so called magic of the moment is not the same, they still humour me...and before we open any gifts, coffee must be in hand! They are such great kids and I love them dearly. God is so good.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and have a blessed and bountiful New Year!

Finally!!

2006-09-23T15:38:00.000-04:00

Life Church Oshawa has had a real address for a couple of months now. It is so nice, not to have to set up and tear down every week. As soon as we moved in, it seemed like the "atmosphere" of our little congregation had changed; it felt right. It's really quite amazing. We've been working very, very hard at getting the place fixed up and painted for our "grand opening" and we're almost there.

This past weekend, as everyone was arriving for church, it struck me how "warm" it felt, with the new babies that are here, new folks coming and visitors arriving; everyone stook around talking and laughing. I just stood there and smiled broadly.

Finally! It seems as if Life Church has finally arrived. I know that might not make sense to some of you, but for the past 6 years, this little work we started has been emotional, physical and spiritual work. But it has been so gratifying. We've had our successes and our failures, but through it all we have learned and grown. I have such an appreciation for all the folks at "Life".

God is amazing. I stand in awe of Him and what He has done, because He has done it. We tried to do it and it didn't work. Thank you Lord for your amazing love! Your amazing grace!

Vacation

2006-07-21T13:24:00.000-04:00

Just the word evokes sweet emotions. To be free from work for an extended period and with permission! No doctor's note required! A time to relax and regenerate. A time to do things you don't normally do. To allow yourself to view the world from a different perspective for awhile anyway...

I'm off for two weeks starting at 4:30 today. I have the weekend and then on Monday, we're off to Nova Scotia for a road trip! Not an entirely planned trip. We're going to "wing it" somewhat. We know what we want to see - The Bay of Fundy, Peggy's Cove, Lunenberg and the Cabot Trail and perhaps a ferry ride to PEI and the bridge back. AND we hope that we can see some whales along the way.

I'm going with my aunt, she's only 9 months older than me and of course the middle child is coming along. My youngest and my first born will be home ALONE, but I'm not worried, they'll be fine. They actually get along now...I didn't think they ever would, they were ALWAYS been at odds with each other. Perhaps they're finally growing up?

Well, I'm at work right now and I suppose I should get back at it. Don't want to give the appearance of being a slacker! Boy it's hard to be motivated when you're waiting to be set free...

Heat 'N Air

2006-07-04T20:44:00.001-04:00

Sooo... I just signed my life away. Well not my life, but it's gonna cost me. I have just this evening signed on the dotted line for a new furnace and air conditioning unit. My neighbour's furnace died two winters ago and it was the same model, so I know the end is near. Such as it is, I guess it's better than waiting until it died in the dead of winter and be at the mercy of whoever could come to my rescue first.

My old furnace has had a good life...in its 29th year, and while in man years that's a spring chicken, in furnace years, it's like 100! It makes these strange squeaking noises and is kinda like the scary old monster in the basement. I hate changing the air filter, because I'm scared to open the box up. It's right beside the spinning motor, for heaven's sake!!!

The air conditioner part is pretty old too. I don't know who installed it, but the condenser is too big for the top of the furnace so there's this big "bump" in the duct work around it. And there's all this tape to cover up the gaps. Nice. The unit in the back yard is so loud, if I have company, we have to stop talking while it does it's thing, or I just shut it off to have conversation.

The salesman said my furnace is probably working at about 30-40% efficiency. That means that for all the work it does to create heat, I'm only getting 30-40% as heat. Yikes! No wonder I have no heat in my bedroom. I have high hopes for a lower fuel bill next winter. And he said that my hydro should go down some too. AND I get a $500 rebate for buying an energy efficient air conditioner!

Cool! :)

Root Systems

2006-06-16T20:05:00.000-04:00

A friend wrote recently about our changing culture both inside and outside of the church. The comments made were many and varied, but I couldn’t help but notice one in particular that talked about "truth" and that the way to really know the truth, is to diligently read and study the bible.

I thought about that comment and wondered??? So, what about Christians in other parts of the world where they don't have a bible? Where it may be possible that they only have a single page, of a chapter, of a book from the bible, for their whole church? And yet those churches are growing by leaps and bounds, unlike ours.

I sometimes feel that we have missed the truth, as a whole body of believers. Missed the simplicity of the gospel, because we have made our lives and world such a complicated mess. Sometimes I think we are just too darn perfect for our own good, looking down our noses at all of those who make mistakes (sin), or don't "do" what they should do.

DO NOT get me wrong here; we should read our bibles. We are blessed to have the freedom to be able to own bibles in our country. We have a tremendous blessing to know truth and to be able to know it through God's word. Having said that, there is a cost for the blessing. We should be reading our bibles because we have been “given much”.

Luke 12:48… “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”

My friend also wrote“God is challenging every core belief, every perception and every doctrine I've ever known or embraced”. I thank God for others who are wrestling with the truths and doctrines of their faith in Christ. It tells me that I am not alone.

It has been a long and painful process to "cut off" the (dead) roots that I have always held to, but I am greatly encouraged that God is preparing his people. As we are testing out our “root system”, I pray that we have the courage to continue to cut off the “dead” parts (works).

John 15:2 “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.”

Prom Princess

2006-06-03T16:52:00.000-04:00

Prom Princess

So my redhead is finished high school on June 23.
Last Friday, she attended the Prom.

Before we went, we stopped by her old teacher’s house, so that we could get a picture of them together. She had been her teacher for all of her high school years, except this last one, so it seemed fitting. She went with her boyfriend. They were so nervous that they wouldn’t let me leave until it was time to line up for the prom photos. I was really nervous for them too. When I picked them up at the end of the evening, they’d had so much fun. It was a night to remember for them.

On another note, number one son has decided he’s NOT going to the Cayman Islands to live. However, he is still moving out by his 25th birthday, no ifs, ands, or buts!

The Harvest is Ready

2006-05-08T13:11:00.000-04:00

Our pastor has been speaking about secular music for the past few weeks. He talked about songs by Nickleback, The Goo Goo Dolls and Simple Plan. There were others, but he featured the videos and lyrics for these groups in particular. Not that he was endorsing them, but he wanted us to "see" and "hear" what they are saying. After all, they represent a segment of society that we as the church, have difficulty reaching.

From their lyrics it would seem as though they are really searching. From our perspective, they seem to have it all with their success as recording artists. So, why are they wondering what's wrong with the world? Why do they think everyone is going crazy? They ask, where is trust, faith and love? Why are they asking for something or someone to save them?

John 4:35
Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.

The harvest is ready...the question is, are we ready?

Milo the Lion - Mr. Personality

2006-04-27T20:10:00.000-04:00

I've never had a cat like him. He is such a cuddly fella.

"Him" being the key here, I've always had female pets.

In the morning, he climbs up on the cedar chest in front of my bedroom

window and proceeds to "claw" at my curtains.

When I pop my head up in dismay at the prospect of destroyed curtains,

he just hangs there looking at me, as if to say "Time to wake up!"

Sheesh, if I could only find something to throw at him...

Just Checking In

2006-04-23T14:15:00.000-04:00

Well it's been a long time since I've been at my blog, so I thought I'd give an update.

My red head is graduating high school this year. We're shopping for prom dresses. She's going with "Adam". Yikes! Twenty-one years old. Time flies.

My girl with the hat is off to university this fall. She won't; however, be leaving home. (sigh) Twenty years old, my baby. She and Derek have been dating almost three years now.

My first born is contemplating moving to the Cayman Islands in the fall to live and work with his two step brothers, who have been enjoying the sun and tax free American money for a couple of years now. I say, you're young! Go!

Me, I went to Cuba in January. Oh, I think I died and went to heaven, it was beautiful. It was my first time on a plane; I almost cried when we took off, it was so amazing. And the beach, the warm sun...

I'm in the middle of a course right now, only three more to go.

And that's about it for now. Gotta fly!

The Long and Winding Road

2006-01-13T20:26:00.000-05:00

In the past few years I have had my eyes opened to things I never really saw before, or perhaps I just never paid much attention. Being part of a small church and the people in it.... Boy, I have to wonder what the heck happened? To watch how some people changed. Or maybe they didn't change at all, maybe I was seeing them for real, where before it was all part of the Christian facade. But they must have changed, because they have changed me and my viewpoints about the Christian faith.

In contemplating the Christian walk, I am questioning the exclusivity of my beliefs versus other Christian beliefs. That's not coming out quite right...I mean my Pentecostal walk versus the walks of other denominations such as Baptists, Methodists, Catholics. Am I caught up in Pentecostals as being the only good and right way to walk as a Christian? Really, there are good Pentecostal and not so good ones. For example, if you are Pentecostal have a drink, you are probably not a very good one. And if you are Baptist, it would depend on which kind of Baptist you are, because it's okay for some, and like Pentecostals, not for others. But we all believe in Jesus.

I've been questioning my "religious" doctrines; wondering if I've got it all wrong. What is our walk of faith supposed to look like? Am I a spiritual Christian only if I speak in tongues and operate in the gifts of the spirit, as some think? God, will you speak to me?

Col 2:16-19 says "do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow."

Or do I just plod along, wondering if this is all there is? Wondering what's the point, can I walk a "normal" life and still be a Christian. God, will you speak to me?

Phil 3:12-15 "Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead, I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you."

Where do we draw the line??? God, do you hear me?

Eph 5:17-20 says "Be very careful, then, how you live not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is."

I want to get it right, but sometimes I wonder if I'm cutting myself off too much. I know we're supposed to be in the world but not of the world. And I know there is good and evil, but there are good people who do not know the Lord, and others still, who do know the Lord, but not like me; or do they?

Mal 3:17-18 says "They will be mine, says the LORD Almighty, in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not."

And again He speaks through His Word.

2 Tim 4:7 says "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."

I've been quite distressed in my contemplations of late. But it appears that it is a good thing after all, because it has caused me to chase hard after the Lord. So maybe I don't have solid answers to my questions, but it is nice to know that day by day, the Lord reminds me to just stick with it, after all it's a journey.

My First Born

2005-10-24T22:00:00.000-04:00

Well yesterday, October 23rd, was my first born's birthday; he's 24 years old.

It seems like only yesterday that I was driving with him next to me in his car seat. He was three and he was wearing his brown winter jacket and his brown and beige hat with the visor, that tied up under his chin. He was just so cute! I remember thinking (because I had just found out I was pregnant with the middle child), how can I possibly love another baby as much as I love him? I had so much love in my heart it felt like it would burst.

I remember him playing in the back yard, always down on his hands and knees roaring around on imaginary roads with his dinky cars. My sisters had 5 boys between them, all younger than mine and he had not one pair of pants that we could pass down, because he wore the knees out of all of them. I remember when we had him dedicated to Jesus and we promised to train him up in the ways of the Lord. Proverbs 22:5-7

He loved cartoons, GI Joe, Where's Waldo books and dinky cars and he loved Jesus. When he got older he would spend hours drawing cartoon characters or playing Nintendo. He played baseball, took piano lessons (he was pretty good!) and went on bike adventures with his friends.

His teen years started out with the usual, pimples, hormones and girls. We kept him busy with Jr. High and Youth, hoping to keep him out of trouble. There were alot of bumps in the road and even a couple of car wrecks (figuratively speaking). By then he was sullen and he was angry; boy was he angry and in the process he made many bad choices. He's still living with a few of them. I had many sleepless nights worrying about him and praying for him.

There's this lady commedian who says that aliens came to earth and sucked the brains out of her teenager. Oh, can I relate to that statement! I have also heard that teenagers eventually become adults and return to normal. It's a painfully slow process, but I am seeing light at the end of that dark tunnel.

He still lives at home. He's tried living on his own a couple of times, twice at my insistence and once of his own accord, but these tales are for another time. (SuperDad says they always come back, but I have to ask, how many times???)

My most constant prayer for him is that he will come back to know Jesus as a Saviour and not as of some part a religion, all of which lead to God; the post modern ideology that has infected most of our society. As a mom, I only want what is best for him and as much as I want this to be, he will make his own decision in the end; I will always love him, whether or not he chooses the Lord.

He is the Assistant Kitchen Manager at a restaurant, which is neat because he's younger than most of the other kitchen staff. I am very proud of his accomplishments. He loves his job and is finally reaping the benefits of his hard work.

He has a way to go yet and sometimes he drives my absolutely bananas!!! Still, there are many times I lay in bed at night wishing that he could be three again and that I could sit him on my lap and hug him and love him the only way I know how, but, he's a big boy now...

We Have Lift Off!

2005-10-19T20:02:00.000-04:00

It's cold out tonight. The wind is blowing and I'm wearing a winter coat! But it's nice and warm inside. My house is a nice warm 21 degrees celsius (that's 70 degrees farenheit to the metrically challenged). At 10:00 p.m, it will automatically turn itself down to 16.5C (62F), at 6:00 a.m. it will go back up to 21C (70F) until I leave for work and then it will turn itself down for the day until I get home from work!

How, you may ask, does my furnace do this? Well, it is with my new, digital, programmable, thermostat. I bought it back in February to help save on heating costs and to get a $15 rebate from the gas company. Unfortunately it has only recently been installed. I had asked a few people if they could help and put it in for me, but I had no takers. Finally the last guy I asked (he is an electrician) said, I could probably do it myself, because there's likely only three wires in there.

Hmmmmmmmmm...Myself????? How hard could it be???? But it involves electricity and I definitely don't want to electrocute myself. So, I got out the instructions and had a look at them. It didn't look so hard, but I just didn't know, so, I put it away. A couple of days later, I took it out and read the instructions again. Sounded fairly simple. No, not today. A couple of days later I thought, I can do this, I'm going to do this!

So, I got out my drill (yes I have a drill!) and screwdrivers. First I made a quick call to Super Dad and asked a very imporant question. Could I just turn off the furnace switch, or did I have to take out a fuse. If I had to take out a fuse, I was toast, because I don't know which fuse is for what. There's stuff listed on the side of the electrical panel, but it doesn't really match up to the fuses? He asked if I knew where the shut off switch for the furnace was? (Yes, of course I knew where it was!) He said turning off the furnace would be fine. Whew! Thanks Dad!

Off I went downstairs and shut off the furnace. Then I took the old thermostat apart and unscrewed the wires. Ye Gads! There are five wires! That's two, too many! Wait, I'll read the instructions. It says if there are more than six wires, stop! Whew! I can do this. I stuck these little sticky things on the wires to identify them, so I wouldn't forget which one was which. So far, so good.

When I got the back of the plate off the wall there was this huge hole in the wall. There was no wall back there to screw the new thermostat into. Well, I just improvised and made it work. I attached all the wires to the right places, put the batteries in the unit, snapped on the front and stood back and admired my work. : ))))

Then came the big test. Will it work? I went downstairs, turned the furnace back on, came back upstairs and turned on the thermostat. It lit up a bit...but what about heat??? Waiting... waiting... We have lift off! I mean heat!

This is really cool!!! I installed my thermostat!!! I'm an electrician!!! (Hee, hee) ...Scary!

(I wonder what I can do next???)

Abba Father

2005-10-07T17:04:00.000-04:00

I'm looking for new flooring for my house. Most of the main floor is different coloured carpet and vinyl tile; the colours go well together, but I need a change. The one carpet that's in pretty good shape is my living room and is blocked off by French doors to keep the dog out. She's the main reason I want to replace the flooring.

She has a "sensitive" stomach and pukes up...often. It usually has this yellow stain to it, which of course doesn't ever really come clean. She is a bit timid, so when you come in the door, she squats...and pees...on the carpet. It's called submissive urinating, but sheesh, give me a break! I've learned to NEVER pet her when I come in the door, but go straight to the back door and send her out to do her business. When she comes back in, then I pet her. But alas, I don't believe the other members of my family do this. So, the dog has pretty much destroyed the carpeting and believe it or not the vinyl flooring too. When she was a pup she used to chew the floor. Yes you heard correctly, chew the floor.

Well last Saturday morning I went looking and I came home with all my books and business cards and floor samples. Nice. It's looking to be a pretty expensive undertaking, so I may have to scale it back a bit. When I went outside to put something in the garbage can, I noticed a ladder at the side of my garage? What the heck??? I looked and my father was up on the roof! I said "What are you doing up there?" He said, "Taking down your chimney!" I asked him if his wife knew he was up there and he said, "Naw, she's out!" That's my dad. (this is me, beaming now :-))))

I sat below watching (and waiting in case he fell off the roof), while he took the chimney down. I also sent my daughter to bring her boyfriend over, in case he needed any help. He didn't. He had it down in no time. All that was left to do was patch the two holes in my roof and garage and reshingle, but that was for the next day! Today there is no evidence of the chimney or any holes in my roof! Amazing!

My Dad likes fixing things. He always has. Every time he comes over to the house, he's looking at stuff and I know he's thinking, how can I fix that. My uncle used to call him "Bones", you know, like a doctor fixing things.

I really love my Dad, he's a pretty amazing guy. He's always been there for his family. He's always thinking about us and worries about us. He doesn't like to interfere, but he's always there waiting for us. He'd never turn you away.

My heavenly Father is very much the same. He's a pretty amazing guy. He's always been there for his family. He's always thinking about us and worries about us. He doesn't like to interfere, but he's always there waiting for us. He'd never turn you away...Never.

Following Wholeheartedly

2005-09-23T21:08:00.000-04:00

Well Milo (the cat) had a visit to the vet and had a little operation today...He is now fixed! He is just the sweetest, most affectionate little orange tabby. I didn't think I could ever love a kitty again after my Pepper was put to rest earlier this year. He is upstairs recuperating as I'm typing here...I guess I should say blogging!

Recuperating...I'm supposed to keep him calm, but he's jumping up on the bed, over to the desk and down to the floor. He's really wobbly and he keeps falling over. It's hilarious. I think he must be reacting to the anesthetic, because he is HYPER!!! When he tires, he lays down with his tongue hanging out of his mouth, his inner eye lids half closed and his outer lids wide open! He just won't sleep, lest he miss something! It's actually kinda scary looking. I wish he'd just go to sleep. I can hear him up there now thumping around.

The purpose of getting the cat fixed was to prevent his "seed" from being spread around and reproducing other little cats. Simple. I wish it was as simple to "fix" some religioius Christians from spreading their "seed" around. You know...the murmuring, complaining and gossiping kind of seed?

Don't you just love that phrase, "I'm not judging, but,..."? THAT will kill relationships, a move of God, a church...shall I go on? Sometimes, if they are teachable, they see what they are doing and it can be nipped in the bud, but other times, there is NOTHING you can do except give them over to God and let Him handle it. I had to do that (again) this week. Same person. Same junk.

Makes me think of the Israelites wandering around in the desert for 40 years, when they could have reached their destination in, what was it, twelve days? Instead they murmured and complained about everything and what was the result? They continued to wander for 40 years! Talk about stiff necked!

Interesting thing is that their behaviour did the exact opposite of what they hoped to accomplish. They were heading toward the Promised Land and none of them got there, except for Joshua and Caleb Numbers 32:11-13.

Words to Live By (one of my favourites!)

Philippians 4:7-9 - And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

I think Milo is finally sleeping! Hmmm, maybe not...

I am the vine; you are the branches.

2005-09-10T18:21:00.000-04:00

Well it was back to work on Tuesday, and my printer was still sitting in the middle of my workspace. It was there because the cord was too short to move it anywhere else. I ordered a cord, the day we moved into the building on August 8th. Here it was September 6th and still no cord. Did I tell you I worked for the Government??

No matter how hard I tried, I could not seem to settle into work with that machine in the middle of my workspace. It was always just, there... By the end of next day, said cord was installed and the printer moved to the end of my desk. Hallelujah!!

I could not believe the peace I had (yes peace) when I sat in my cubicle the next day. I had room to breath, room to roam, climb mountains, sail the seas, room to spread all my stuff all over...I was exhilarated. Amazingly, I got through all that work that had accumulated while I was on vacation.

My pastor talked last week about being the church and doing church. He wondered about the fruits of the spirit, such as joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness... He said he's noticed some cracks in the foundations of Life Church one of which is fatigue. He alluded to the fact that some are fatigued with church to the point that they just needed a break and disappeared for the summer. He wondered why we were so tired and suggested it is because we're not attached to the vine (John 15:1-7). I see the fatigue he's talking about in our church, as a "spirit" of fatigue. Only for me it wasn't at church, it was at home.

I think I'm having a life changing experience. I'm actually cooking dinner every night for my family and doing the laundry more regularly. I know that sounds stupid, but I've had trouble with all those ordinary things since my kids' father left us. I'm really starting to think that getting rid of all the junk, which also belonged to him at one point, is releasing me from a major spiritual blockage. God is so faithful, isn't He?

I have a way to go, but I'm still working at it and I intend to keep going until I hear the voice of God say "It is finished!" (No blasphemy intended.)

Time's Up!

2005-09-02T21:43:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm near the end of my vacation. It's been so good to have the time off. I have been trying to simplify my home (getting rid of stuff) as I mentioned before. It has been an enormous undertaking. So far, I have cleared out the garage. Some of the stuff I took to the dump, some of it I sold at a yard sale, some I took to Goodwill and the rest went out to the curb for a garbage pick up. Oh my gosh, there was so much stuff and I thought I had already gotten rid of so much. I can't tell you how amazing it felt when I came home after an errand in the morning and everything was gone!

I also did a lot of those little jobs, the ones that give great big satisfaction, once they're done. I replaced my broken bathroom door, ripped out the carpet that was in there, painted my mailbox, cut back a dead bush...you get the picture. Then I tackled my room...you know every time my kids clear out their rooms they put what they don't want in my room because they don't know what to do with it!?! Needless to say, I took another trip to Goodwill.

I didn't get the basement painted...I was really hoping that I would get a little help from my kids, but they "have a life", you know... Maybe I'll get at it before the weekend is over.

I am feeling so much better with what I've done so far, I just wish I could stop beating myself up for not getting it all done. But I don't think it is ever all done. Just as I'm not finished with my house, the Lord's not finished with me. It's an ongoing process, one step at a time, one foot in front of the other, always going forward. Always going forward...

Busy Life on the Farm

2005-08-24T22:05:00.000-04:00

We went to Grampa's house in Brockville for what is turning out to be our annual visit. We had a really nice time; he took us out to lunch and then we went back to his house and visited some more. It's always nice to see him, I've always thought the world of him. The kids adore him but don't see him, except when we do this trip.

Then we went out to the farm in Athens. It's a dairy farm and Aunt Pam and Uncle Terry, were hard at work in the barn when we arrived. They had just finished helping a 'heffer' deliver her first calf. A 'heffer' is a cow that hasn't had a baby. After they have had two babies, they are cows!?! Really!

The barn was full of calves, probably 16 altogether. Six born in the past week. Lucky me, they were just starting to feed the cows so I would get to help feed the babies! They are so cute, the younger ones feed out of a gigundo baby bottle, the older ones feed out of a milk pail and the even older ones, drink out of a communal trough. When you finish feeding them, they suck each others faces to get the milk off each other.

I was at one end of the barn and my girls were at the other and suddenly I heard this "MOM!!!" I went back to see what the problem was and they said a cow pooped on them! Well not actually on them, they were just in the vicinity and, well, the cow is rather tall and well, when "it" fell, it splashed...you get the picture. It was on the face! Just the tiniest drop, but then I pointed out it was on the shirt...and the pants too... ;~@

One of the 'dry' heffers - these are pregnant and don't get milked - appeared to be having a problem and Terry suggested she might drop the calf early. They carry for nine months and it would be a month premature. Before long there was a leg hanging out and soon after that it seemed to just fall out. It was quite small really. Terry said it had been dead a couple of days. They would take calf and the afterbirth and get an autopsy done, to protect the herd. It was sad but at the same time amazing. So matter of fact. It just is what it is. The cycle of life.

After getting the cows fed and out to pasture, we all went in and had a delicious roast beef dinner (see...the cycle of life) and a wonderful time was had by all!

One More Work Day til Vacation!

2005-08-18T22:19:00.000-04:00

I have never wanted my vacation to arrive more than I do at this time. There just don't seem to be enough hours in the day to work, study, clean the house, walk the dog, love my kids, etc...and the stress it all creates is just too much for me these days.

I have a couple of things planned, but mostly I want to get some things done around the house. Do a little painting and gardening, but most of all I want to get rid of stuff. You know those things that seem to grow in your closets, basements and garages? I have so much of it. I don't use it. I don't even know where half of it came from!

I've made a few attempts at tackling it before, but the enormity of it is overwhelming...where did all this stuff come from? And why am I holding on to it so tightly? It doesn't really mean anything to me...It needs to go. I'm feeling like the Queen of Hearts in Alice and Wonderland "Off with their heads!", or in other words - get rid of it!

My major goal from now on is to simplify my life. Get rid of the physical baggage and perhaps the spiritual baggage will slip away...It's like the seed that was sown among the thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. I love gardening, but haven't had time for much of that lately either. So, looks like I'm going to start 'gardening' my home, weeding out all the stuff that is choking the life out of me.