A Few Of My Favourite Things

Every year about this time, I get excited about watching Oprah's Favourite Things show. One of my best friends and I have this tradition... watching Oprah, curled up on the sofa while adding up the cost of everything Oprah gives away. I have to say that I am a bit disappointed this year. I mean, I think it was great that she gave all that money away for people to do "good deeds" with, but I was really looking forward to watching her traditional Favourite Things show. So... in honour of that, here are just a few of my most favourite things!

• Birkenstocks (with wool socks in the winter)
• Shopping
• Hugs
• Blue Eyes & Brown Hair
• Christmas, Christmas Carols, and white Christmas lights
• Big, white, fluffy snowflakes (that stay on my nose and eyelashes!)
• Singing in the shower... and the car (especially P&W songs, hands waving and all!)
• Babies... well, kids in general
• My very dear friend, Carla ... in fact, all of my dear friends!
• Lying in the sun
• My feet in the ocean
• My old, ragged, torn, Club Monaco sweater that I simply cannot part with
• Deb's laugh
• Taking pictures and scrapbooking
• Traveling the world
• Cheap girly, fruity wine
• Coke Zero
• Chocolate
• Bubble Baths (with a glass of that cheap, girly, fruity wine)
• Reading a book by the fire at Chapters
• Sleeping in late
• Having flowers delivered to me... especially when there are lilies involved
• Pedicures & Manicures
• Hand written notes & cards... giving and receiving
• Having coffee with friends
• Breakfast at Cora's

Entertainment Factor

I love to entertain, especially around Christmas time. Tonight I am having 2 or 3 girls from our Small Group, and my Co-Sponsor over for a bit. Nothing overly fancy, but seeing as my house is already decorated for Christmas, I figured I may as well turn on the Christmas lights, get the candles burning, and put a pot of cinnamon and cloves on the stove. I love having people in my home - God has allowed me to have it, so I may as well use it for Him right? Sadly, I don't do it often enough. When people come over, I usually like to have things meticulous. I am usually cleaning and staging right up until people arrive. But God reminded me today, (as I lay down for a long nap after being beat from working last night and not sleeping long enough this morning), that it is not about me... not about my house... but rather about Him... serving Him by serving others, and worshipping Him. I pray that God will use this evening of fellowship with some of the students for His glory.

"And when two or three of you are together because of me,

you can be sure that I'll be there"

Matthew 18:20 (msg)

SLACKS

I was driving home late this evening, and took a moment to look up at the stars. I was reminded of a night many years ago. It was near the end of high school, and I was with a group of girls I had grown up in the church with. We were all about to go our separate ways. It seemed like everyone was leaving, and I was the only one staying... although I knew that was not true, that was how it felt at times. I think we were out at L's parents place... we were looking up at the stars. We picked a star that was in the big dipper to be "ours" ... if we looked at that star, it would remind us of the friendships we had waiting for us back home.

Some time in the months before that, we were on a camping trip. Now, for my self, I use that term loosely. We all know that I am too much of a Princess to camp. *S* I came up for the day with one of the boys, and went home with him that evening to sleep in my warm, cozy bed, rather than outside with the raccoons! It was then and there that the SLACKS necklaces were handed out. ( I still have mine). Each of our initials put together.... all 7 of us. (There were two Christa's.... so we shared.) It is amazing to me that all but one of us are still in contact to some degree. We have all gone our own ways... some are married, some have more children than we can keep track of, some are still right here, right where you left us. But we have at least two things in common.... our faith in our Lord and Saviour, and the lasting memories of a friendship forged so many years ago.

I am not sure how many of you "SLACKers" read this... one I know for sure. I am so looking forward to hopefully seeing all of you again this Christmas. Although we are only all together once or twice a year, it is as though nothing has changed. I am so thankful for the friendships from long ago that God has blessed me with. And today, when I looked up at the big dipper (although I forget with star was "ours"), I thought of you all.

It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas

With 35 days until Christmas, I decided that it was no too early to start decorating! I am not totally done... I will wait a while to put my tree and garland up.... at least until Dec 1st. But I have tackled the main floor. Todays job? The basement!

I am about half way through my Christmas cards. I was looking up verses or poems to put in them. I think I have found one, which of course I cannot share with you incase you are one of the people I send a card to. But I can tell you the one that came in a close second.... (tee hee)

Roses are red
Violets are blueish.
If it weren't for Christians
We'd all be Jewish.

Still makes me laugh out loud!

Songs of Hope

Just over a week ago, Canadian singer and song writer Carolyn Arends performed a concert here in Ottawa. I, along with my Awana girls, went to support and hear this great Christian artist. She sang some of her older stuff, as well as several new songs from her recently released album Pollyanna's Attic. I bought the cd because two songs in particular that she performed moved me to tears. The album, as Arends proclaims, is a bit darker than her previous work. Very much filled with hope, but darker.

Over the past week I have had these poignant lines from her songs running through my mind. I have had a rough few days... really feeling Satan's attack, and trying with all my might (although not always succeeding), to not let him win. These words have become my prayer... they have given me hope.

The song To See Your Face (which was not one that she sang), really spoke to me. I have recently felt exactly what the chorus expresses... needing the Lords loving hand so badly, yet feeling as though I lack the utter strength to even ask for His help. To just turn to Him... to see Him, hear Him and feel Him... to leave our old ways behind, and make the better choice... the one that honours Him! Despite the struggles that have come my way, that is what I want to do.

If I ever get to see your face

And if you will spare me

I know that my allegiance to the human race

Will not ensnare me

If I ever get to know your mind

And I survive it

I'm sure that I will leave a way of life behind

I won't revive it

Lord, you know I need your love so bad

I hardly even have the strength To take Your hand

If I ever set to hear Your voice

And I can take it

I'm certain that I will listen

To the better choice

And I will make it

Part way through her concert, Carolyn sang Not Alone. I started crying then, and never really recovered. (Shocking, I know!) This verse really struck me... just to be reminded that there is nothing we could go through on earth that He has not already gone through. He promised us that He will never leave us. When I am under the worst of Satan's attacks, my nights become "nights with no relief". Loneliness and sadness are quick to set it. But even in those darkest times, He understands... and I am not alone.

There are friends who offer comfort, and they mean well

But sometimes it’s like salt inside a wound

And it’s good to speak of heaven,

when it feels more like hell

But we ask our hearts for healing much too soon

There’s a Man of Sorrows, acquainted with our grief

And He’s done His share of crying in the night with no relief

There isn’t any heartache that He has not known

So we are not alone

We are hard pressed, but we are not crushed

We are struck down but not destroyed

Cause no matter what may happen

We are not abandoned

We are not alone

Amazing Grace

Once again, it has been a while since I posted. I really should try to be a bit more faithful to my regular (ha ha) readers.

The past few weeks have been a bit rough. I tend to get a bit teary in the fall. Not really sure why. A few weeks ago, a friend commented that she thought I was holding on to something... not giving my all to God. Interesting observation. I figured she was probably right, but was not really sure what that was. As time passed, God spoke to me, and it became more and more clear. Yes, I was holding on to something... there was an area in my life I was not giving him total control of.

As I mentioned in my last post, we are studying the Armour of God at church. I had never really felt as though I was in a true spiritual battle until we started talking about it. Perhaps I just never acknowledged it. When we got to the sword of the Spirit, an interesting point was made. Not only is it a defensive weapon, used to stand our ground, but it is an offensive weapon, used to take back ground. I was really challenged by this to take back this particular area of my life. To take it back and give it to its rightful owner! I have already been paid for in full, don't you know! For far too long, I have believed the lies that Satan has told me about myself, my worth, and my God. It is time to stop believing his lies, and see myself for what I am: A forgiven, blood bought child of the King of Kings!


During all this, the same friend that confronted me on not giving my all to Him, was reading Max Lucados "In The Grip Of Grace." I read it many years ago, but decided to read it again. When discussing it, the same passage struck both of us. Here it is...

He Still Claims You:
First of all, remember your position – you are a child of God. Some interpret the presence of the battle as the abandonment of God. Their logic goes something like this: “I am a Christian. My desires, however, are anything but Christian. No child of God would have these battles. I must be an orphan. God my have given me a place back then, but he has no place for me now.”

That’s Satan sowing those seeds of shame. If he can’t seduce you with your sin, he’ll let you sink in your guilt. Nothing pleases him more than for you to cower in the corner, embarrassed that you’re still dealing with some old habit. “God’s tired of your struggles,” he whispers. “Your Father is weary of your petitions for forgiveness,” he lies.

Forgive me for my abrupt response, but who told you that you deserved forgiveness the first time? When you came to Christ did he know every sin you’d committed up until that point? Yes. Did Christ know every sin you would commit in the future? Yes, he knew that too. So Jesus saved you, knowing all the sins you would ever commit until the end of your life? Yes. You mean he is willing to call you his child even though he knows each and every mistake of your past and future? Yes.

How cool is that? No matter what, I am HIS and I am FORGIVEN. I didn't deserve it when I first came to Him, and I don't deserve it now. That is what is so amazing about grace. One more quick quote... Colossians 2:13-15

"God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross."

He has already won the battle. He has already triumphed over Satan and all his workers. He is the victor!

Ok... enough for now. Will try to post again soon... but don't hold your breath waiting!