Where IS my happy place?

The sun is shining through the windows

The hum of the refrigerator

Birds chirping

Pine on walls and ceiling

Gingham couch

An area rug

Furniture from the past

I am here

Alone

It is so quiet

Stillness

In the midst of the place

That is very reminiscent of home

And full of memories past

Its quiet and magical at the same time

It is familiar and comforting

Although I sometimes do not always see it as my happy place

I know it is

In this strange kind of way

Where is my happy place?

Walking along the sand

Waves lapping up and covering my tracks

Bugs buzzing by

Seagulls flying

And Eagles soaring up higher

Depending on the location

There could be a mist or spray that lands on my lips

Salty

Or close to home, 

the sparkle of the sun on the lakes close to home

There is a solitude that happens

Even amidst people laying on the sand

I can still experience stillness in my soul

And the presence of the Almighty

Walking in the woods

The smell of mud and moss’

Of downed trees that are decomposing

And the smell of trees stretching high toward the sky

And knowing that they are deeply rooted to an underground community

Big breath in

The smell that is of pine and musk, 

Of sunshine and clean air

Whether tall redwoods of the East Coast

Or the oaks and poplars of land close by

The woods provide a home for me to experience

Stilness

And the presence of the Almighty

Sitting by the fire

The oranges and yellows, and sometimes blue hues

The crackle and sparks that fly

The smoke and the glow of the coals

I sit taking it in

The sight and the sounds

The warmth and the significance

Of the coals being in community

And keeping each other alive and glowing

The fires do not happen as much lately

But even when sitting in a circle around a fire

In the times in between conversation

I can experience stillness within

And the presence of the Almighty

On my deck

I sit.

I walk

I lean on the banister

I shut my eyes and take in the sound of the wind chimes

Or the birds that are singing

I can hear the sound of the trees as the wind shakes their branches

And I can feel the breath of the wind on my face

My deck provides a space for me to sit

And breathe

To sit and take in creation around me

The games that the squirrels play

The shiny blackness of the crows

The blue hues of my favourite Blue Jays

I shut my eyes and feel the sun shine on me

And creation comes to life as I am still

I experience that stillness within

And the presence of the Almighty

I sit here on the threadworn couch

Obviously beautiful a few decades ago

The sun shines on my left arm

The fridge stopped its humming

The pine reminds me of the work that my husband and dad in law did

Seemed endless at the time

No wonder this is really Alvin’s happy place

I sit here listening to the birds outside, 

And the tapping go fly computer keys as I write this

I realize in this place,

This cabin that is quiet

I experience the stillness within

And the presence of the Almighty

Where is my happy place?

Along the sand and water

In the deep of the woods

Alongside of a campfire

On my deck

Or here in the cabin

My happy place comes when I am able to experience stillness

To experience the presence of my God with me

To feel the fullness of the Spirit within

And to be in stillness

To sit and mediate on the One who gives melee

Who has blessed me more than I can write

Who tends to my soul

To sit with the One to whom my praise and worship belongs

And to the one that I experience close to me in the stillness

Where is YOUR happy place, 

and what does that mean for you?

Let me know

with love

J

We heard the word "defeated" but God's still Got This

Well first of all - thank you for praying.

Who knew that when God called us into this ministry, and gave us the plan for building this home, that one day it would be a hard sell.  Who'da thought!!  (personally we think it is a beautiful home! But we are biased)

Last year some of you know that a church in Winnipeg was seemingly very interested ... from April on.  We went with the flow, believing this was part of God's plan.  Until July when it all came to a screeching halt.  We were shocked, but went forward.  We listed the home from July till I think it was November.  Then we took it off the market, which was really good with my surgery, and then Alvin's entry into his eye stuff.  We would not have been able to have people going through the home during that time.  

Winter came, and went and along came MARCH, 2026.  We were full of hope.

Let me fill you in on what has been transpiring since we put our house up for sale - March 7 of this year.

Within a couple days we showed it and got an offer.  The offer was great.  But it was conditional as the people had to put in an application for conditional use to be granted through the RM.   So they did that, along with a sizeable amount of money.  They were told it was "too late" for the March meeting so it would be heard in April.  We rolled with that.  

April we went to the meeting on the last Tuesday of the month.  She presented well what she wanted to do with the house.  However, the RRP had coded it wrong.  Our RM said that they only pass or not pass things, and any amendments would have to go back to the RRP.   So it was TABLED to May 26.  Within a short time they went back to the RRP to get the amendments put into place.  More money.  And when I say more, we are talking almost a thousand, not just a few dollars.  She had to basically reapply so that the amendments could be made.  Then she was told, it would have to go to the RM for June 23, not May 26.  More waiting. Once again, we were good with that.

We read her application and felt that it was iron clad.  We had people praying about it.  Meanwhile I was struggling with the what-ifs in the midst of my praying.  On the way to the meeting, I acknowledged to the LORD that I had those doubts arise, but also knew that my/our faith was strong because we trusted Him and knew he was trustworthy. I also prayed that whatever it was, it would be His will for us.  We walked into the meeting and sat down.  The place was full as there was a lot on the agenda.  But the good thing was, we were number 1 on it.

Protocol was read including the fact that after a decision is made, there is NO DEBATE.   

They got up to present AGAIN the request for conditional licensing.  That is what it is called.  We operated under "conditional licensing" as well.  As part of her presentation she again when over all the conditions that they had put into place ... I think it was 24.  She was adhering to all of them.

Then she sat down.  Now I want to say that if anyone had gone onto the RM site, they could have read all of the application, seen all of the conditions, and what she would do.  This is not her first rodeo, she has operated such a place before.  It was just her first rodeo with our RM.  She finished, and the person who had prepared slides put them up.  Once again the 24 "conditions" were read through out loud.  I could see the  councillor by us had it up on his screen.  One councillor asked, what kind of sewage thing was in place, which she answered a septic tank.  BUT meanwhile, one of the "conditions" was that she would have to hook up to the municipal sewage system, WHICH SHE AGREED TO, so why in the world was he asking?  Hmm.  The Mayor asked if there were any more questions and there were none!  Hmmm   TBH I actually thought that was a good sign since last time in April they had asked a few.

OH we also gave her letters from our neighbour right north of us, and south of us, and also at the end of our property.  ALL IN FAVOUR.

So then they made 1 more condition to make it 25 conditions.  There was a resolution passed on that.  And then since were no more querstions the Mayor asked for the vote.  All in favour.  We did not see a single hand go up.  AGAINST?  half of them.  (so that must mean some abstained? ) and then we heard the word, and I think she followed it with the knock of her gavel just like in the movies!  

The word she said was DEFEATED.  

And then the slam of the gavel, and the words, okay next item.

We got up and walked out in stunned disbelief.  All t's were crossed.  All i's were dotted.  All conditions met.  Only 1 question.    There were about 8 of us walked out, and it was raining outside.  We walked out, stood under the front overhang in disbelief.  Seriously, I think if there had been a picture it would have looked something like this:  

say what?

There were no words from the council and remember "THERE IS NO DEBATE" and really all you could hear was the "cha-ching" of the money they collected from her - almost $2000 plus her time to contact everyone she had to.  She had done due diligence WELL.

We stood there, all shocked, all not knowing what to say.  Alvin, Dave and I realizing that out house is not sold, and we held hope for past four months and now it had come to a screeching halt.  We walked away and TBH I was holding back so many emotions .... anger, disbelief, sadness ... 

We talked with Dave our realtor, who is a believer as well, and an optimist. 

We let everyone know with a short text "it was DEFEATED.  We feel pretty choked.  Can't talk right now"

By the end of last night, we were moving into PLAN C.  

We had gotten some beautiful word, including prophetic word sent to us.  

We slept.

I woke up with full body pain.  Seems fibromyalgia thrives on stress.  

BUT I WANT TO SAY ..  we learned a lot from what the council did last night.  BUT the word they used - DEFEATED is not a word we are going to believe.    I am not going to give anyone else the power on this.  JUST TO SAY, what the potential buyers wanted to do was defeated, but we - Alvin and I, Dave our realtor and our kids are NOT.  God still has this.  

Yes, I am so confused, but will continue to trust.

Yes I am so disappointed, but will continue to trust.

We still have this beautiful home that was built by Alvin and Josh's love, and sweat but there is someone out there, for which this home will go to.

So please continue to pray for us as we move into PLAN C 

With love,

J

PS. Thank you to those of you who have prayed - please keep praying

Thank you to those who have sent "word" to us - please continue to seek God on our behalf

Thank you to those who have loved on us - we love you all

Today for the first time ever - I saw a Cardinal on my deck right in front of me

When I looked up the meaning - a cardinal represents HOPE and RESILIANCE 

He stayed there for a little bit, facing toward me - and then flew away.

Thinking this was one of my "kisses from God".  

Here is the verse that I was just reminded of:

2 Cor 4: 8-10 NIV

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned' struck down, but not destroyed.  We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

So to the enemy, the thief, satan, I say, DEFEATED? 

NOT TODAY SATAN!  

GOD's GOT THIS!!

GODS GOT THIS ~ please pray with us!

 

God’s Got This  ~ please join us in prayer 

A few years ago, I began wearing a black silicone bracelet that says GODS GOT THIS.  I have worn it since.  And, I believed it then, and I believe it now.  However, that does not mean at times I do not get the “what if’s” .  I know that I am not the only one that gets these … you know ...well, WHAT IF this or that doesn’t happen? 

I have been having to give a few “what ifs" over to the LORD lately.  Likely daily.  Someone reminded me the other day that those moments happen but at the core of my faith, I am fully trusting that God’s Got this all and is fully in control.  And the doubts that come up show our humanness.    

That is what we believe.  And we have been shown over and over again in our lives, that the LORD really wants the best for us.  And we have also come to see that by giving each what if over to the LORD, it keeps us walking and talking closely to him.  

Well tomorrow we will attend the meeting that is the big one, as when we walk out of that meeting, we are praying that our house will be SOLD as the last “condition” will be dealt with.  I have said I may have to have the champagne waiting at home for our celebration.  We are trusting God with this meeting.  We are asking for his favour to rest upon the people that are hoping to do business in our house.  We are asking for His favour upon us, as it feels like now is the time.  

We do not want to talk out loud about the shhhhh… what if the conditional use requet doesn’t get approved?  We feel that God has put things in front of us, and we have been as a family, walking through the steps as we’ve been led.  So we wait.  We wait with peace and with a tiny bit of nerves!! (which I think is normal)

We are asking you to pray with us.  

1) Please pray that the RM shows its favour upon Olga who presented in April (and then it needed some amendments and was tabled to tomorrow).  She is so qualified, and has a beautiful plan that she is seeking approval on. 

2) Pray for clarity.  

3) Please also pray for the LORD’s will to be done in our lives.  God Knows and GODS GOT THIS.  To God be the thanks and the glory!

From the bottom of our hearts, we say thank you in advance!!  Watch for our SOLD sign!!

With love 

J

Work bees and other things ...

Yesterday I woke up and as per my norm these days, my back was kind of bad.  But the thing is, I knew it was the Faith Bible Camp last work bee before the first camp happens next week, and I knew that I was not going to just send Alvin there - I wanted to go there too. I figured there would be some job for a woman my age, and my son assured me there would be.  So I ate my oatmeal, took a Tylenol extra strength, sat with my heating pad and coffee for half and hour and then we left for the camp.  I knew that at any point when it felt like too much, I could easily hop into the car and just drive back to the cabin.

Alvin has put in many hours at the camp, and he loves doing it.  I will be honest, he loves working alongside of Josh there, and so there is always something to do.  These days, with his eye situation (still waiting for the hopefully last of the surgeries) he is limited to what he can do, but it has given him great joy to do a lot of excavation work, and other work that he can.

People began pulling into the parking lot, and the jobs were being assigned.  I did my first job, and then went with Leah, Roger and Ciara to the chapel.  There was a lot to be done in there, as when the speakers cabin was demolished, there was a fair bit of stuff just put into the chapel.  So, we sorted through furniture, and drawers full of stuff, and other things, deciding what was to keep, what was to give away, and what was to go to the dump.  The job ended up with the place being vacuumed, and furniture put into place.  

We finished in time to have lunch at 1, and then I headed home, to sit with my heading pad again.  In some ways it didn't feel like much, but in other ways, it felt like a lot and I felt glad I was able to do what I could.

Camp has changed a lot and it is beautiful! The chapel is one of the original buildings that is left standing after all the buildings were moved over to the mainland the winter of 68-69. 

There may be one other small cabin.  As I looked at the chapel I could remember running to it when it was on the island surrounded by birch trees.  If those walls could talk, there would be many stories of songs sung, preachers preaching, kids answering quiz questions, and also it would talk about how kids came to hear about Jesus.  In the early days, the chapel had a mural on it, of Jesus and the children.  Many kids have come through the front door of the chapel.  Many songs have been sung.  In fact, let me tell you, I have been there during the teen camps and have almost come to tears watching the kids worship, and hearing them sing! So beautiful

Not everything stays the same, and it is good.  68 years ago, I spent my first summer at FBC ... as an infant.  Not sure how my mum did it, as she was often cooking too.  I believe that is why I feel like FBC is in my blood.  It was in my sister's blood too.  My parents were totally committed to obeying God's call, and thus, their family came too ... And then my brothers.  Summer was always camp.  Perhaps a trip in there once in a while after camp was over.  But June just meant that we would be packing up, and heading to FBC.

These years I get to see my Kids and grandkids working there.  And also thank God that each of them can attend camp as campers.  I guess thats why I get teary ....   

Yesterday as we worked, we had three generations working in the chapel:  Myself, My daughter in law and My grandson Roger.  I could not help but imagine how happy my parents would be to see their legacy carry on. 

Many hands make light work.  My dad found that out when camp was started.  We found that out again yesterday.  And well, it made me happy.

And right now, happy is an amazing feeling!

For more information about Faith Bible Camp - go to www.faithbiblecamp.org

That's it for now!

Joy, do you trust me?

I have a picture in my mind, it is of a person with one arm extending backward, and one extending forward.  I have tried to google it as it is in my mind and seemed to come to me this morning after my early morning time with God.  God has been waking me up early.  I say that it is God because it is different than when for instance, I roll over, or wake up to grab the pillow that fell over the edge of the bed, or wake to go to the washroom.  When God wakes me, it is different.  This has been happening for a number of months, and I would love to say that I am always faithful in getting up, but well, I have not been.  You see, the time I have been woken is between 3 and 4 am.  There have been times when I have just rolled over.  Times when I said, "sorry LORD I really need to sleep" but there have also been times when I get up, come upstairs to meet the LORD.  Sometimes well okay, often I have come up, and when it came time to pray, I hate to say it, but I often fell asleep.  Last night before I went to bed, I got the table ready.  I decided I would not sit in the comfy chair, but in a dining room chair.  I put the candle out, my journal and Bible, and my cup under the keurig for the first cup of coffee.  Then I went to bed asking the LORD to wake me, as I was ready to meet him.  SO HE DID.

This morning, part of the time with the LORD was in listening to see if there were people that I was to pray for, and there were.  But there was also time I just spent talking with the LORD about my life.  Moreso, about this chapter of my life.  Moreso, about being in this "in between" period, about feeling like I am now in a "room" between a door that was shut, and a door that is about to open.  As I often do, I journal my conversational prayer time with the LORD in my journal.  

I was taken to one of my favourite scripture portions.  Psalm 40:1-3 NIV

I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he turned to me and heard my cry.
 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
    out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
    and gave me a firm place to stand.
 He put a new song in my mouth,
    a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
    and put their trust in him.

Then in my journal I wrote the following excerpts:

"LORD, what do you have for me now as I wait...

40 days ...

I looked over the psalm and in this David, the psalmist received a whole new mindset which seems obvious in the last bit of the Psalm 40.  David received a deeper, surer peace.  And then I wrote:

I'm tired.  I'm weary. 

Am I able to sing a new song of turst and peace, of freedom and hope?

LORD help me to wait.  Holy Spirit please grow me and grow in me!"

With that, I drank another sip of coffee, turned off my heating pad, blew out my candle and decided to go downstairs back to bed (at this point, I was done at 5:20 am)

I walked down the steps,  and I heard the words "Do you trust me on that" .... and then I got the picture of which I was talking about ... it was a picture of me with one hand reaching back and one reaching forward.  Nothing else.  Okay, yes, lest you think I was dreaming, I do hear the voice of God, and have for a very long time.  Also God speaks to me in pictures as well.  So, this was not abnormal.   However.... Not sure what I was reaching towards.  Maybe it was the doorknob of the door that I just shut .... and the other hand reaching to open the door when the LORD says, step through.  

I hopped into bed, pulled up the comforter and said, "Yes LORD I trust you that .."   I believe He was talking to me about this in between waiting time which has felt like it has been for-ever!!

You know when I wrote 40 days in my journal I was thinking of what I had just listedn to lately from Lectio 365 (which I really suggest you do!). and it was about the 40 days that Jesus was with his disciples before he ascended back to heaven.  And how He told them to wait for the promised Holy Spirit to come to and upon them.

40 always has a significance so when I wrote it, it also had a significance for me.  40 seems like a lot.  Not for the Israelites it was 40 YEARS.  For Jesus in the wilderness it was 40 days.  For Jesus after the resurrection, he was on earth for 40 Days till he went home to be with his Father God.  40 is significant as a number.

I was sharing with my kids that I heard a song the other day.  It resonated so deeply with me.  I told them that if I get another tattoo, it may just be the number 41.  

Listen to the song, it is so incredibly beautiful.  You will understand why I would get the number 41.The lyrics say:  While You're preparing something. My waiting′s not for nothing. Forty-one is coming

SO, with that, I am still in the 40 it feels like but I can tell 41 IS coming!!

That's it for now - hope I made sense.

from my heart with love,

 J

 

Please take a listen <3

https://youtu.be/yOC5Y5dMOpY?si=2rCl5TZdFBhi4Ziz