God-ordained!

This pottery necklace is called DANCE... I just realized her description is not on the website - so I have copied it off the packaging. She says: "I represented dance with lines and swirls in movement. God doesn't want a relationship with us that is plodding along, but rather an exciting dance that moves wtih grave and beauty. he wants us to follow His lead. he is the perfect dance partner. When you watch a couple dance, if they are good they move with grace and form together. One partner is the leader, and the other follows the lead of her partner, dancing this way is fluid and beautiful. if both partners are trying to lead,it is the opposite of grace. It looks awkward and painful We need to follow the lead of the Spirit within us, he is in tune with God, and knows the paths and steps we shold take. A life lived with the spirit is not meant to be a life of marching or plodding (following orders to the letter of the law.) It is to be intimate, graceful, loving an djoyful no matter what the circumstances are.... and she uses 1 Thes 4: 1-7 from The Message

This piece is called SHELTER. I took this off Tanis' website as she has put the description there: Shelter is represented by a bird

A few times in the Psalms David talks about the shelter of Gods wings. David longed for the shelter of God’s wings. The wings of a bird shelters their chicks during storms or the cold, or protects them from danger. We are safe in the shelter of God’s wings! What a picture of what it is like to be safe in God’s arms. We will
be protected, and kept warm, in the soft feathers of God’s love. I love the picture, and want to remember to run to the safety and shelter of the Almighty.

Psalm 91:1-6 (NLT)
Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday.

The alarm went off today at 6. Alvin kissed me good-bye about fifteen minutes later, and left on route to Grand Forks with our friend Willy. Me - well - I reset the alarm and planned to get a few more zzz's in. And well, I did. In fact, I got MORE zzz's than I bargained for - and ended up being 10 minutes late for the meeting I had to go to! (before I left, I needed to clean the house, and leave it shipshape in case there was a showing today). Little did I know when I finally jumped out of bed, all that God would have in store for me today!

The meeting was good. Not too long. Straightforward. I am leading up the prayer team that has been meeting weekly over the past few weeks to pray specifically for the Beth Moore Simulcast that is taking place next Saturday at Eastview Church. It has been truly "sweet" to meet with women to pray over past few weeks. We can hardly wait to see all that God is going to do in the lives of women next weekend!

Anyhow - the first of the God-ordained meeting was with a new friend Laurie. For some reason, when we got to sharing with each other - we both noticed there was a uniqueness in how we felt like "kindred spirits"... we spent a while talking, sharing about what God has done, and is doing in our lives. I got into the car after we prayed together - and just felt so totally blessed! I look forward to getting to know Laurie more...

I picked up my daughter Ashley so that we could go to Scattered Seeds Craft Sale together and it was nice to be able to spend time together - her and I. It was while we were in the "Downs" looking at the different vendors, that we ended up in another God-ordained situation! I say that completely believing it was truly a GOD-thing. Back up a day... yesterday I had coffee with my good sweet friend Vi. That is a whole other blogpost. However - she was wearing a piece of jewelry, made from pottery. She told me it was someone from the same church as her, who makes this jewelry. Well wouldn't you know it - this is the little vendor we had found. This is where the story just gets so amazing. You see - I had seen some of the art before - please check it out for yourself - http://www.brokenclay.ca/

I introduced myself to the artist ~ Tanis Gray and it was so interesting, as immediately I just felt that God was in our conversation with us. Even in the little time, I realized she had an incredible story of brokenness and redemption, and that God was using her in such an amazing way. Ashley had already been sharing some of our story with her, as Ashley had a beautiful necklace in her hand with a bird on it.

I shared a bit of the story of our retreat vision with Tanis. I also told her that the girls and I have been thinking it would be wonderful to find a local artist, and to give each woman that comes, a "gift" to remember the visit to the retreat center by...

Ash, Leah and I have talked about a few things. It is such fun dreaming/brainstorming with my girls. Well - needless to say, when I saw Tanis' jewelry - my heart just resonated with what I saw. Very INTENTIONAL art... or as it says on her card "Jewelry with Meaning".

And, anyone that knows me - knows that when God laid the vision for Women Refreshed at the Well - He also just gave me a love for pottery - clay pots - and since then have collected some things for the ministry house - including a painting from our first trip to the Dominican Republic (which is another God-ordained story in itself) which is of a couple Dominican women - with clay pots. I just LOVE how God continue to just weave HIS touch throughout the retreat story! I love the bible texts that talk about God being the POTTER... we being the clay.

So, back to Tanis... what a gift God gave me today - to be able to meet her and her husband Cameron. And to be able to feel very "kindred" spirit with her too. As I hugged Laurie as I left this morning - as I left Tanis, she said she just had to give me a hug! I told her I had a feeling we would have to have coffee together at Sam's Place soon.

I am not sure what God is all going to do with these two sisters in Christ - but I KNOW that God has his fingerprints all over their lives, and their ministries. I also believe that God loves to surprise us, and use us in ways we least expect - so I am very very eager to get to know my new sisters better ! I will wear my new necklaces with great joy!

I had a hard time picking - but the pictures at the top are the TWO that I chose... SHELTER and DANCE. (but let me tell you that I loved all of them...) I think I need to ask Tanis about her ideas on SEASONS since that has been on the hearts of myself and my girls. I better make that coffee date!

Lord, for today - for waking after a good sleep - for the privilege of being involved in a Beth Moore Simulcast next week - for the joy of praying with women - for the chance to hang out with my daughter and go to the craft sale - and for the TWO God-Ordained meetings today with my two new "sisters" in Christ - I thank you Lord! You just love to surprise me!! God, you GOD and you are good!

to everything there is a season ...

Springtime comes. The crocuses peek up from the dead grass around them.

Waking up from the long winter - their beauty catches our eyes.

They look "fuzzy" as they bloom and grow.

This photo was captured at Sunnyside Cemetery last Spring, 2009.

Not sure what these beautiful wild flowers are called.

These were found growing at Sunnyside as well.

This picture was taken in Fall 2008, Thanksgiving Weekend,
when Alvin and I and our kids retreated to the cottage.
It was a beautiful day, very quiet, and good to be together as a family.


Winter comes.
Everything gets covered with hoar frost, and sparkles when the sun shines on the branches.
Everything lies dormant under the blanket of snow.
Our lives also experience "winter" seasons as well.

To Everything there is a season. The Bible talks about that. In fact, it is a portion of Scripture that is often quoted at funerals. Ecclesiastes 3: 1 says: There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.....

Seasons..... the other day, the girls (Ashley and Leah) and I went for a walk during the day when we were out at the cottage. Everett was fast asleep in his stroller and we walked and talked about the retreat ministry. I love brainstorming with the girls. It seems that our family comes up with some pretty amazing ideas when we walk. And last Friday was no exception.

In the process we began to talk about seasons, and some ideas we had focusing around that idea.

Today Leah played a song that she found on iTunes. It is absolutely beautiful. I won't give away the reasons we were talking about seasons in regards to the retreat ministry BUT I WILL share the lyrics from this beautiful song with you. ... drink them in.

Every Season by Nicole Nordeman

Every evening sky, an invitation
To trace the patterned stars
And early in July, a celebration
For freedom that is ours
And I notice You
In children's games
In those who watch them from the shade
Every drop of sun is full of fun and wonder
You are summer

And even when the trees have just surrendered
To the harvest time
Forfeiting their leaves in late September
And sending us inside
Still I notice You when change begins
And I am braced for colder winds
I will offer thanks for what has been and what's to come
You are autumn

And everything in time and under heaven
Finally falls asleep
Wrapped in blankets white, all creation
Shivers underneath
And still I notice you
When branches crack
And in my breath on frosted glass
Even now in death, You open doors for life to enter
You are winter

And everything that's new has bravely surfaced
Teaching us to breathe
What was frozen through is newly purposed
Turning all things green
So it is with You
And how You make me new
With every season's change
And so it will be
As You are re-creating me
Summer, autumn, winter, spring

early morning walk ~ early morning questions

I left the house early in the day
The sun was struggling to come through the clouds,
with the promise of high temperatures on the way.
I walked southwest from the house -
and came across remnants from our kids treehouse.
Old metal chairs that once were mine - passed on to the kids
And now stand forlorn, worn, rusted, and torn.
My thoughts.... so where did time go? It seems like just yesterday, the treehouse was the hub of activity. How did my babies grow up so quickly!

I walked through the field
My father-in-law's walking stick in hand.
Somehow its not the same without Oreo beside me
as I walk this land
The crunching of leaves -
The promise of spring.
A sound of something close by -
My eyes scour the land and see
Three deer running, jumping the fence, in a hurry to get out of my way.
My thoughts... why is it that when they stand still, you can hardly see them, and yet when they run, their white tails are like flags saying "there I go" What were God's thoughts when he created these beautiful creatures?

I continue to walk.
Dressed in my shorts, my legs are getting scratched by the odd tree
And somehow the land is not so level where the cows have trodden
I continue on - toward the back
The place where my father in law believes a meteor fell ... and left a dip in the land.
The place where especially in Spring, we have a marshland area
The croaking of frogs is loud and clear
But as I get closer the croaking stops
There is not a single peep from them... or should I say, not a single croak!
My thoughts... how does this happen? Is there a KING BULLFROG that somehow lets out a croak to signal "all croaking must stop now, someone is close by". And how does he know that... and why DO they stop. Hmmm...

I continue to walk - stepping over the fence, and making my way through the bush to the path that is easier to follow.
As I walk - I realize how alone I am.
I realize how much company my dog brought to my life.
Even if he was deaf and blind - he walked faithfully by my side.
And weird thing is - when we went out into the bush together - I was never afraid.
I have noticed since Oreo died, that I am nervous as I walk.
Dumb? perhaps.
But none the less - nervous.
My thoughts today... well at least I brought a stick. Could I run if something chased me? And, hmmm.... are bears out already? Perhaps I should carry a bell from now on! Hmm, my friend Lynda would laugh at this one!

I walk along the cleared path through our "forest" and come to an area that I have named "the valley of dry bones"
It is a bit of a fork in the road, a place where there are many old white bones from some of the animals that we killed (when we raised our own beef for food) and the carcasses would be buried in the back forty.
The bones are eerie
They are also intriguing
This morning I thought of the reference to the "dry bones" that the Lord brought to life.
My thoughts.... O Lord, bring life to my dry bones too!

I arrived at the back part of the property - turned east a little walk and then began to head north back towards the house.
I walked through the field.
So brown, so dry.
However some little green shoots are beginning to come up.
My thoughts... the Lord uses this as an example of how WE need to DIE to self, to sin and come ALIVE in Christ! It always amazes me how things can die in fall - and then burst forth in spring! What an amazing creator we have!

Walking back ~ getting closer to the altar that I put up last fall
The altar that stood the test of a Manitoba winter
The altar that stands as a testament to the goodness of our God!
The altar that has stones piled that are also labeled - the one I noticed today - insecurity
And how timely - because I am feeling and working through many "insecurities" lately...
funny how that works.
my thoughts.... Lord, you know all about my insecurities - and how they feel so real to me. You also know what I need - and so I trust in your goodness, your faithfulness and your sovereignty to help me get through these!

Walking back - and looking at the place that Alvin buried our good old faithful dog Oreo
A small mound of earth heaped at the top.
A stone carefully placed
Someone suggested that perhaps the reduction of our pets from 3 to 0 - was God allowed, as only God knows how our transition will go once we sell.
my thoughts.... yes God, you know about the transition. You know about our sale of our house. You know about it all - and I just really want to trust you, but I am feeling so anxious. Lord... enlarge my trust. You have it all under control.

As I walked back - I noticed the sound of the birds again.
So many birds singing!
I noticed the birds at the feeder again..
God knows each sparrow that falls - so WHY am I so anxious about my stuff?
I looked up and saw that the sun was really trying hard to shine through the clouds.
Now as I write this - the weather outside is unbelievable.
My thoughts... gotta get out there and enjoy it!

Enjoy today.

I am.
Blessings to you my friend!

absolutely black

It is almost eleven thirty. It is completely BLACK around me, except of course for my laptop on my lap, which is working on battery power! There is 71% power remaining on the battery until it has to either be plugged back in or turned off. The power has been off and on a couple times and then stayed off. That was about half an hour ago. And honestly, it is so black both outside and inside - that I can not see Alvin in the chair. I can hear his snoring but can't see him.

It is so incredibly windy outside. Actually a little scary as I hear things blowing around. This evening Alvin went outside and came immediately back in and asked me to come and hold the ladder for him. Up he went to try to fasten some of the facia (I think this is what it is called) or the "overhang" way up at the peak of our roof... there is was, a piece of it - flapping in the wind.
The wind is like that - it catches a little bit of looseness and just works it.

But then, Alvin and I decided to go for a walk - and as we walked into the wind as we were "going" ~ once we went into the forest of trees, all of a sudden it seemed like the wind had died down. It was a nice walk - pretty quiet actually. We saw quite a few deer along the way. They are all coming back into our yard now.

Creation is just coming alive these days. The weather is warming up. (although I think it is supposed to be rainy and miserable over the next few days). The tulips are beginning to grow. The grass is starting to turn green. I even heard the frogs tonight!! Now that is a sure sign of spring if anything is!! (I remember when my kids used to go into the ditch to get frog's eggs, and then tadpoles. And well, they usually caught a "booter" while they were at it!)

This morning, I was doing up the dishes and watching the bird feeder that I put at the back, on the lilac tree. I was pretty proud of myself - thinking that I had outsmarted the squirrel! He was busy emptying the one in the front (and getting fatter with each seed I might add!) I put the old feeder on a branch that could hold it, but wouldn't be able to hold a squirrel IF he found it...

Today began with many birds in the tree, on the ground, and perching on the feeder (which has been horribly chewed by the squirrel!) I watched a Blue Jay come and sit in the tree and then hop from branch to branch and down onto the feeder and eat. They are such a big bird, and so incredibly beautiful! A little later, when I came to the window, I was absolutely amazed - because there, in perfect timing - were not just one, or two, but THREE beautiful Blue Jays in the tree. The white trim on their bodies looked startlingly WHITE beside the blueness of their feathers! It actually looked like snow on top of them! Oh God - how amazing you truly are! You are such an awesome creator! You continue to surprise me with "kisses" from above!
I will always, always ALWAYS have my breath taken away at such amazing displays of creation!

I was home today. I enjoyed my QT with the Lord. I enjoyed a great conversation with my sister and with a couple friends. I enjoyed absolute peace and quiet. I also wrote out a short talk that I was asked to do at Friends Funeral Chapel on Sunday. It is a memorial service for those who have lost someone over the past year. They ask people to share their story of grief, and how they coped... I am one that is going to share my journey, which at this point we have been on for almost 21 months. As I thought about that - and as I wrote down my thoughts, the timing of the Blue Jays was just like a big hug from God. I know He still grieves with us. I know He hears each sigh, sees each tear, understands each unspoken thought. As I said in my little talk - my faith in Jesus has been my anchor in the most horrific storm I have encountered.

These last few days have felt "messy" again... and I realize that once again, God is doing some refining in me. He is skimming off some "dross" as part of the process..
I have found that when I feel messy, I pull back, and become even more introspective. I find I am more willing to just be alone, than to be in a group of people. Feeling messy doesn't necessarily feel good, but at this point in my journey - I "get" that it is just that... it is a PART of my journey! I realize that there is still a lot of the journey that I don't see... much like the blackness of my world right now due to the power failure! If I were to try to phone right now - our cordless phones would not work - I would have to try to find the plug in phone and use that. If I went to brush my teeth - the water would not work - because we need the power to operate our pump to get the water. Not only is it black - but there is really nothing that we can do - except try to feel our way upstairs to bed without the lights, and granted we will likely do a fair bit of stumbling and hitting things along the way! We take light for granted. (shoot - we should have put that flashlight into a place where we would find it when the lights went out!)

Guess God can use this blackness to teach me a few things... never too old for teachable moments are we! In the blackness of my moments - the blackness of our journey over the past 21 months - He has been our light. And, I am so thankful that even when I could not see what was ahead - or feel my way... I knew that He was there - and could feel his arms around me.

Thinking that perhaps I am rambling now... and my man has woken up. He asked me if I turned the lights off...
I figure I will mosey on up to bed... he is already headed that way. We know that when we wake up - the sun will have risen again, or we believe it will. Now, which way to my pillow....
Night dear ones!

today

We are home. I am catching up on the computer. Alvin is catching up in the lazy boy chair! My man - goes 100 mph and then when I get him to relax, his eyelids get pretty heavy! My man is a worker. I thank God for him!

Today has been a wonderful day. (except for getting stopped by a highways guy who proceeded to go over every inch of the Blue Jay truck and trailer!) The boys needed to do some work out at Victoria Beach. So the girls and Everett and I decided to hang out at Josh and Leah's new (to them) cottage.

It was a fun day of just hanging out. Ashley who is still recovering, was able to join us too. Since my house got cleaned yesterday - I went with the knowledge that it was a day to just chill out! So, we had a fire in the wood stove, and we ooh'ed and ahh'd over Everett (that never gets old!) and talked, and drank coffee, and walked with him in the stroller, and walked some more! Then the boys came at the end of the day, and we ate supper together, and came home.

It is the beginning of April, and it seems like it is later in the season. Last year in May, when we opened the cottage ~ our pipes froze up during the night! The weather warmed up today, but there is still ice on the lake! We haven't un-winterized our cottage yet, but it was cozy in the kids cottage, which is just around the corner from ours (and for rent if anyone is interested!)

I think we are going to enjoy time at the lake this year! (word on the street is that we are going to get an amazing summer this year!) As long as I can convince my husband to take weekends off once we start the build! Today it dawned on me that the weekend rest will be very important during this intense time of our lives.

Today Ashley took some pictures of me with our little guy... and he was such an incredibly happy and very social little guy today. He made us laugh with all his smiles, and with his expressions. I feel incredibly blessed to be a mom and a granny! (and a wife to my man).

Today, as the girls and I walked with Everett - we talked about the retreat ministry, and decided on what we would name the rooms, and how we could decorate them, and about other things. I am so thankful for their input into this ministry!

Today feels good. It is almost done... just a bit over an hour left. Shortly I will wake my sweetheart up, and we will mosey on upstairs, brush our teeth and hop into bed. The night will bring refreshment. The morning will dawn, and a new day will begin... today will become yesterday, and tomorrow will become a new today! (bet that made you think!)

I thank you Lord for today... for the strength and ability that "my boys" have (Alvin, Josh and Mike) and for their ability to work together. I thank you Lord - for today and the chance to hang out with my girls (Ashley and Leah). Today I thank you Lord for the gift of time spent with our little grandson Everett! Thank you Lord for the joy we experienced today! Today, thank you Lord for the gift of creation around us - for the gift of cottages to retreat to. Thank you for the gift of TODAY... from the moment I lifted my head up off the pillow - right to when I lay it back down. Today has been a wonderful day. Thank you Lord!

"Come to the line..."

Last night was the second last Monday in the Beth Moore Bible study series: A Woman's Heart - God's dwelling place. One week of homework left. It is always intense study, but honestly, I love it. L-O-V-E LOVE it! I am always sad when it is over. (perhaps it will be the time to go back to the ESTHER study that I was doing by myself, another Beth Moore study). I wish Beth Moore was closer to Manitoba, so that I could just sit and learn from her over a few cups of coffee!! (I have watched Beth on my computer, with earphones, while drinking coffee at Mountain Bean!!)

Anyhow, back to last night. It was so good... the session was (in Beth Moore's words) "today we get to celebrate the finished work of the Old Testament tabernacle and see how God demonstrated His approval. We will then track the glory of God amid earthly dwelling places and behold glimpses of God's perfect order."

It was early into the study when Beth said "I want to be a person through whom God can glorify himself! Is there something in your life right now where God is saying "come to the line!" "
Hmm... this means obedience!! What is God asking me to come to the line on? As Beth then also said, "He knows what He's doing! Joy will follow obedience!"

What is He asking me to come to the line on? What is that something in my life? What demands obedience? My heart knew. Same old, same old.

O Lord, help me to come and step up to the line so to speak! You require obedience! You give joy! I am asking you Lord to give me courage... and to also help me to let you do the work in me! I think so often I am squashing the Holy Spirit within me! You are at work in me. Your word is living and active! It is sharp!

I know what God is calling me to "come to the line" on... so what am I going to do about it?

He never said our road would be easy. He did say he would never forsake us! Sometimes I am so fickle in my faith! Thank you Lord for this reminder of what you require from me! I want to become more and more like you... to reflect your glory and to smell like Jesus!! Lord, I give it all to you..... again, and again, and again, and again.... and again.

Yes Lord, I am aware that there is something in my life right now where you O Lord are saying, "Joy, come to the line!" So, here I am Lord, with my toes at the line... may I walk in obedience.

God of this city!

I consider it a privilege to pray. To "stand in the gap" for others. I know it is a very spiritual world out there - even if we (for the most of us) do not see the "wars in the heavenlies" taking place - I believe that there is spiritual warfare, and to NOT pray is like not arming yourselves. I know that some people are offended when the term "prayer warriors" is used. (warriors don't go along with pacifist belief) but really - why does it say in the Word to "put on the armor of God". Anyhow - that is another topic.

I do consider it a privilege. I got an email, actually two of them, from a dear young friend who is a "prayer intercessor" and has often prayed for me. She was heading up the prayer team for the MBMS International "SOAR HEARTLAND" that took place in Winnipeg for the past week and a couple days.

SOAR Heartland is a 10-day discipleship trainingand mission program. Teams from across the prairieswill join together at Palliser Furniture Warehouse, 630 Kernaghan Ave. in Winnipeg to train, serve, eat, dorm and debrieftogether. Each team is paired up with a church or ministry within the city andserves alongside them during the Assignment phase. http://www.mbmsi.org/soar/heartland/overview/


I didn't get around to deciding on what to do with the email, until this past Monday I believe it was. She was encouraging people to sign up for shifts so that the whole SOAR week was covered in prayer - 24/7

I noticed no one was signed up to pray from midnight till 1 am. So, I signed up for that time slot, for the three days of April, ending with the past hour. Not sure what I was thinking, as that time slot was a hard one to keep my eyes open. But, I kept my commitment. I journalled my prayer time. I also prayed quietly. Sometimes I fell asleep. Even the disciples did that, so I knew Jesus would forgive me for those 30 sec. catnaps in between prayers.

Today is the end of SOAR.... so I felt like alot of my time was spend saying thank-you to the Lord for what He did this week... (and I am excited about hearing some reports!) At the end, it seemed that I was to read the story about Joshua and the walls of Jericho. Somehow I couldn't make a connection HOWEVER after I finished praying, the song GOD OF THIS CITY came to my mind. Joshua was about conquering a city because he did what the Lord commanded. Hmmm come to think of it - it makes sense.

God of this city!

[Verse 1]
You're the God of this City
You're the King of these people
You're the Lord of this nation
You are

[Verse 2]
You're the Light in this darkness
You're the Hope to the hopeless
You're the Peace to the restless
You are

There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God

[Chorus]
For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City
Greater thing have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City

[Verse 1]

[Verse 2]

There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God

[Chorus]
For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done here

There is no one like our god
There is no one like our God

[Chorus]
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done in this City
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done here

I firmly believe that the Lord was saying - Winnipeg, this song is for you! People/youth have loved-on others all week. I have been doing a work in their souls as well as in heart and soul of people I AM God of this city! Always have been - still am, and always will be!

While SOAR HEARTLAND comes to a close today - the presence of the Lord continues to be with us. God is at work. You O Lord ARE the GOD OF THIS CITY!! I praise you!