Totally His

I have come here a few times today to write my thoughts... but alas, I could not come up with anything terribly enlightening! I don't write every day for that exact reason. So after much thought, I decided to share a quote that has become part of my testimony. It is a bit long... but it is good...stick with me.

Some time last year I was reading a book entitled "This Isn't The Life I Signed Up For..." by Donna Partow. A particular paragraph really spoke to me...

I recently had a friend confront me, very forcefully with an area of sin in my life. I admitted that I had never taken it very seriously - it went back to my old attitude that God was probably "winking" at my sin. My unspoken goal, in so many areas of my life, had always been to see "how much I could get away with and still sneak into heaven." ..."Don't you realize that you're cheating yourself? Don't you realize that someday we will be rewarded for our faithfulness?"... Every time I do the bare minimum, or try to get away with something, I am robbing myself.

That was me. I knew I was saved, but rather than growing in Him, I was trying to live as close to the world as I could, yet still slip in to heaven. I was luke warm. All my life I prayed that He would light a fire in my heart for Him. I thought it was something I longed for... something I thought I should have, having grown up in the church. Yet I was not willing to step away from the world and move closer to Him. No wonder any spark that was lit in my life always quickly burned out.

All this comes as I prepare my heart and pray for the Youth that will attend our HS Retreat this weekend. I remember how excited I was for them... I would literally count down the minutes. And I would always return to school on Monday morning with a new zest... a new enthusiasm for Christ. But more often than not, within a week or two, it was gone.

Sadly, this pattern continued well in to my adult life. In fact, it was reading that passage that really made me re-think things. God wants to much for from me and for me. And now, all I want to do is serve Him, follow Him, and grow in Him. I want to be totally His.

Kindred Spirits

When I think of the term Kindred Spirits, an old favourite movie of mine comes to the forefront of my mind... Anne of Green Gables. Some 15 years ago I met a wonderful, godly woman, who has become one of my dearest friends. More than that though, we learned that we truly were kindred spirits. Our lives had been divinely intertwined, despite the years between us. It was as though she could read my mind. And even now... we may not speak for weeks, but when I am a low point in my life, God always seems to place me on her heart. I will inevitably get a phone call..." I was just thinking about you..." She has always seemed to know me in a way that no one else did or could.

Recently I have gotten to know another wonderful, godly woman. Someone whose name and face I have known for years. Someone who is so filled with the Spirit that it overflows from her. Someone whose passion and desire to live in His will is contagious! Through a series of events I have gotten to know her better. And the the more I learn about her and her life, the more I see pieces of myself. It has become so evident that this too is a divinely appointed friendship. In a short time, she has ministered to my heart, and stretched my faith. She has encouraged me, loved me, supported me, cried with me, and prayed with me. I cannot help but think that she too may be one of those rare kindred spirits.

"I think you may be a kindred spirit, after all." Marilla to Anne

Until next time, my friend

Last evening I said a fond farewell to a dear friend. She left Ottawa to head back to BC, and in a week will head back to Georgia...Russia, not the US. (Yes, this is the same friend who had the flight scare a few weeks ago. ) Having her here has been such a blessing. We have been out of touch for about 7 years, and recently God answered an old prayer... bringing her back in to my life. She has an awesome music ministry in Georgia, and I am happy for her to head home because I am convinced that is where God wants her. But at the same time, I will miss her terribly! I did so well yesterday... I didn't even cry when saying goodbye. But today, now that she is actually no longer here, I am sad. My parting gift to her was a necklace from one of my favourite jewellery designers, Andrea Waines. The necklace had a quote on it, that I think applies to both of our lives...

Today is a gift. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery.

Each new day is a gift from God. I am so thankful for the days we had to get reacquainted. Yesterday is history. Forget about what has happened in your past. Lay it at the cross, and leave it there! Tomorrow is a mystery.... only He knows what is in store for us. Live each day to the fullest for His Glory!

I miss you already my friend! Love you lots!

Dust

It has been awhile since I have posted. So much has happened, so I should have a lot to write about for a while. Tonight I want to share something from Youth Group last Wednesday. We watched a video where the narrator spent time discussing what it really meant in the Jewish culture to be a disciple... for Jesus or any other Rabbi. He quoted an old Jewish blessing that I want to share with you.

May you be covered in the dust of your Rabbi, Jesus.

I love all that implies! The Christian walk is so much more than following Christ. I mean, you can follow someone from a safe distance... you know, not to be noticed. But to be covered in the dirt of whom ever you are following implies a closeness. It implies being close enough to get dirty...to really be involved in what they are doing. To do what they do, not just know what they know. That simple phrase hit me. I want to be covered in the dust of my Lord and Saviour.

So I leave you with that blessing.

The sega continues

To continue the saga from last night...

I kept checking the internet to see if there was any change in the flight status. Once it appeared that the flight had actually taken off, I left (again) for the airport. Just as I arrived at the terminal, my phone rings. It was my friend calling to tell me that she had not left TO yet, but was about to. So I set the alarm on my phone, and lay down for a nap on one of the pleather couches. My friend arrived around 0130. The first comment out of her mouth was "take me home". The second was " They took my lip gloss!" I laughed. Here I am thinking her plane was getting hijacked, and she is worried about her lip gloss!

So the story goes like this... As I mentioned, this lady got up while the plane was getting ready to take off, and heads for the door yelling "stop the plane... I need to get off the plane". Then her husband goes to get up. The flight attendants took charge and basically kept them quiet until the plane could get turned around and the police could escort them off the plane. They had to disembark the plane, bringing all their stuff with them. Of course, then came the task of determining what was left in the overhead bins belonged to others on the flight, and not the crazy people. In the end, the police determined that all the passengers had to leave the plane etc to have things checked out before they left. What a pain! All I can say is that I would probably not have handled things quiet as well. Who I am kidding? I was having a panic attack here at home waiting to hear what was going on!!!

I guess we will never be privy to what really happened, and why she was so desperate to get off that plane. (I did try to google the Toronto news to see if a story came of it... no such luck.) Crazy eh? So by the time I got to sleep, it was well after 0300. I had to work at 0700... it was not pretty. But I did get a lot of mileage out of this story at work!

I am just happy to have this dear friend in town, and look forward to spending time with her catching up on life.

Flight Plan

So it is 23:26 Sunday night. I just left my house to pick up a friend at the airport who was flying in from BC. I am a few blocks from my house and my cell phone rings. It is my friend, who I am picking up. Apparently some crazy lady (ok, so I say she is crazy, but really, there may be a very valid reason for all this...) stands up in the plane and starts yelling "stop the plane, stop the plane". Luckily the flight had not left the ground. So, my friend is stuck in Toronto while the police come and get the crazy lady off the plane! I am a bit stressed. I watched Flight Plan last night... if you have seen it, you can understand why I am a bit stressed! Arg! Not really sure what I should do next. Go to the airport? Stay home and wait for her to call back? Arg!

Well... that is probably the most interesting thing I will ever have to blog about.

Bruised Knees

Today I want to pay tribute to my Bruised Knee Sisters. A few weeks ago I began dealing with something that was very challenging to say the least. I needed to enlist the help of my dear friends in prayer. One of these dear friends ended her email to me with "Here's to bruised knees". From that, the group of my bruised knee sisters was formed.

What an awesome privilege we have, as sisters in the Lord, to come before His Throne on behalf of each other. I know that my "sisters" faithfulness in prayer is what is getting me through this situation.

I spend most of my social time with unsaved friends, namely my best friend. This trial has brought me that much closer to my Sisters in the Lord. It has given me a new appreciation for them, and I have committed to finding more time to spend with them. They are a true blessing in my life.

So here is one of my favourite quotes on friendship. Thank you to my BKS's who have shared this adversity with me.

Friendship makes prosperity more shining

and lessens adversity by dividing and sharing it

-Cicero