hello old friend, its been a while

not sure what the title of this sculpture is - at Mission Hills winery in Kelowna BC.
 I think I would call it "Pondering  Life"

not sure why I picked this photo for this post, but I love it!  So ... 

It is!  Life is good.  Life is hard.  Life is full!

time ... 

Hello old friend - it's been a while .....

Sometimes lately I stop and am amazed at how life has really just ticked by.  One minute, one hour, one day, one week, one month at a time.  Just saying out loud that it was the 17th of this month, made me stop and realize that HEY!! THIS MONTH IS HALF OVER.  Where, oh where does it go.

I see the passing of time in many ways - lately it has been these things that make me inhale/exhale and ponder:

• snow has covered the garden in the back yard.  Summer time with its incessant watering of all the plants, flowers, trees.  It was so lovely - so hot - and pretty dry.  We thought we had so many weekends at the cottage, boat rides on the river, campfires and chats.  And it has come and gone.  Just. Like. That.  And now, the snow - with it came the ability to exhale.  While the garden sleeps, we can breathe - and anticipate it bursting to life in a few months.  
• my grandkids - three out of four - are in school - full days - every day.  Somehow when that happens, my heart does this little *sigh.  School ....  when did they grow into these little grown ups.  But then I get to spend some time with them, and there is still some snuggle time, or some "Granny will you sit here while I fall asleep" time, or even the early morning time when we get joined in our "queen" sized bed by two boys who just want to be there - for a little while.  So we move over to the edges - Alvin to the right - me to the left. And make room because one day this won't happen.  
• book work.  That never ends.  There is book work to be done for the ministry.  And book work to be done for our side business Blue Jay Family Works.  I am bound and determined that THIS NEXT YEAR our accountant will get the books by the end of January once the bank statement comes and can be reconciled.  But it seems like we just finished the fiscal year ... it seems like we just started January 2018.  But, we are almost done.  
• birthdays.  This year our Jay celebrated his 10th birthday in Heaven.  Our Everett will be 9 in a month, Roger will be 7 in two months, Matilda just turned 6 and our Maverick is 2 and 1/2 going on 5. I have been reminded via facebook with some baby pictures and videos.  I have rewatched pictures of the kids as babies, then toddlers ... and now most of them school-age.  But they still love hugs, and kisses (most days) and still love to come to Granny and Poppa's.  I have a feeling these kids of mine will always want to drop over.  I hope so.  That is the perk (one of them) about living a stone's throw (or well, a 2 minute car ride).   
• turning 60.  Yes.  we turned 60.  If 70 is the new 50, the 60 is the new 40?  I am not sure - but we turned it and I have just realized lately that this is the sweet sweet spot of our lives.  Who would have thought?  I used to think 60 was really old .... until I turned it, and now I figure I am still young!  
• some goals are still unachieved.  This year I hoped I would finish writing my story (not yet, but I have been working on it here and there) and I wanted to finally learn guitar (hasn't happened yet) and I wanted to take TAP dance classes (that has happened, and oh man have I been having fun!!  I realize that the first two goals, still not realized, will continue onto 2019.  And - that's okay.  I feel that God knows these things - and he knows my life - and I feel like I still have time to learn.  Tap dance classes has shown me that you still can teach an old dog new tricks!  SO 2019 will LORD WILLING be the year.
• anniversaries.  This year we celebrated milestone anniversaries in our family.  15 for Josh and Leah.  10 for Ashley and Michael and 40 for us.   Seriously - 40 of my 60 years, well actually almost 44 of 60 have been in love and married to the same man!!  Nowadays, even my kids milestone anniversaries, let alone ours - is nothing to laugh at.  Anniversaries these days mean alot to us, but many do not realize these milestones.  I thank God for his presence in our lives - and acknowledge that marriage is hard - but it is so worth it.  I thank God for these celebrations in our lives.  And, I do not take them for granted.
• facebook just reminded me of some pictures - and this time last year (and the years before) my house was decorated for Christmas.  Its funny - I love the look of the decorations, especially the twinkly lights, but oh man, I hate decorating.  As a friend of mine tells me "Joy, hate is a strong word!"  lol.   But I do.  I am not sure if I ever really liked it.  In the past I have had some young women come and give me a hand.  This year - my sister, who is Queen of Christmas Decor coming to help.  But its hard to believe - it is fast approaching.
• Come Away Retreat for women - at the Mark Centre in Abbotsford.  Oh my heart - I can hardly wait.  This is my second time going, the first time it was a gift from a sweet friend.  This time my board has put it into the budget and encouraged me to go and then also tack on a couple more days.  This decision was made in Feb. and I immediately booked it.  SO ... it has been on the horizon for months, and I am going in 5 sleeps!!  I can hardly wait.  Time has gone quickly!
• and last but not least - posting here on my blog.  I have had this blog for a while.  It actually has served many purposes over the years since I began - since I dubbed the title "thoughtsandmusingsofacountrymouse". My kids affectionately at time call me "country mouse". I remember when I started it and they teased me.  What did I know about blogging?  I knew it was a place to write my thoughts - tell my story - sometimes vent - or dream - or write poetry.  It has been like therapy often - especially 2008-2009.  But today when I went to write, I noticed that I have not written since the summer.  Time has passed by, and this avid journaller's "pen" has been relatively silent - at least here.  The reality is far from that - the pace of life with family, friends and ministry, let alone church and community things has not slowed down.  LIFE has carried on regardless of whether it is recorded in words on a blog post, or on pages in my journal.  Life has carried on and I see it in the ways my mind and my heart have expanded.  Life is more than these posts, and so much more that I carry but is not spoken out loud.  And that's okay.  Quite okay.  But, again, I have realized about the passing of time.

So, friend - it has been a while.  It's been months.  Regardless of my lack of writing, my life is full.  Jesus said he came to give life - and life to the full - and oh He is showing me just that!!  He is showing me that the full life - is the abundant life.  It may not be safe.  It may not be easy.  It may not be comfortable and it certainly is NOT predictable.  But - it is full - and this girls is loving all HE has for me!  (well mostly, sometimes He has to ease me into things).  

We have no idea what our life holds - but we know who holds it.  We have no idea of the number of our days - but we know He does.  He is Sovereign and He knows it all - and us - well, I am choosing to live fully - this moment - this hour - this day - this week- this month and this year.  

Live life friends!!

with love

   Joy