Friday Night

When we were in Israel, we took some time to be still -  to just listen and look and experience.
Tonight I am doing the same here in my house.

Impressions of a Friday Night

• crazy jokes being read by 12 year olds
• contagious laughter
• Christian music
• colourful lights shining from the Christmas tree
• Dad concentrating on putting together a 1,000 piece puzzle
• the microwave humming warming up a bean bag to keep Dad warm
• the beeps of texts coming through arrainging logistics
• a cat's purr 
• the dog's tail wagging
• the cat drinking water
• tires crunching on snow
• the smell of a fragrant candle

Not Just a Story

When you hear the word "story," what do you think of?
Cinderella?
A tall tale?
A newspaper article?
A children's book?

What I don't think of is a history text book.
Reading through the Bible is a tour of true history. Truer than any other historical account that you could ever read, because not only is it history, it is God breathed, flawless, and without error!

As we approach December 25th, I will no longer talk about the "Christmas story," but rather the historical account of Jesus' birth.

Luke 1:1-4
Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,  just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.  Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,  so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

As I read this over, it made me believe that Luke would have interviewed the shepherds in the field; those shepherds who proceeded to the manger to see this amazing thing the angels told them!
Perhaps he interviewed Simeon and Anna the prophetess who talked with Mary and Joseph as they brought eight-day-old Jesus to the temple!
Perhaps he talked to people that turned Mary and Joseph away saying there was no room at their inn...

And on top of all his careful investigation,  this historical account is also God breathed and inspired...
... so that, you may know with certainty, this is a true account - not just a "story."  

A New Community

I'm impressed.
We have recently joined a new community.

A community where I see motivation for God's Word.
A community where I see 15 year olds with leadership skills.
A community where there is encouragement and unity.
A community where teens respect and honour adults.
A community where adults respect and bless teens
A community where 12 year olds and 16 year olds mingle together in a positive way. 
A community where everyone cheers for everyone else and truly rejoices when others rejoice.

So what is the name of this new community we are a part of?
Bible Quizzing!

These kids have studied and are motivated, focused and intent on God's Word

Not a small community - over 225 people listening to the instructions for tournament day

Guess What Happened?

Twas the night before Thanksgiving and all through our home
It was relatively quiet until escaped that moan
For when the fridge was opened, my daughter exclaimed
"Mom, there's a yogurt container in your jello!"

 

Thanks

It's Thanksgiving Weekend.

Usually, this is the time we take turns going around the table either at dinner time or maybe during Sunday School giving thanks for  something or someone.

I am feeling something different this year.
Instead of saying thanks for so-and-so, or thanks for my house, or food, or cat, or job....
... the focus now is on thanking God for ... God.
For His presence, His friendship, His sacrifice, His love, His mercy, His kindness...
... in all circumstances, all situations, all trials.
Especially in the circumstances, the situations and the trials.

Thank you God for never leaving me or forsaking me.
Thank you God for the unshakable Kingdom of which I am a part
Thank you God for Your friendship
Thank you God for Your wisdom
Thank you God for Your guidance and counsel
Thank you God for Your Word that is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path
Thank you God for Your sacrifice and redemption...

Hebrews 12:28-29 - Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.

Is the Bible True?

When I finished my battle with God 32 years ago over whether to acknowledge Him as Lord, it was because I could finally believe that He existed at all, and that the Bible in its entirety was true. After 32 years of standing on this foundation, I am seeing all around me people compromising or turning away from this fundamental belief that Scripture is true.
This is tragic!
If we can't believe all of the Words of what is supposed to be God-breathed, inspired, flawless Scripture, how can we stand on any part of what it says? How can we have hope?

Do I just have blind faith to believe in the 100% accuracy of the Words in those 66 books, written by 40 men of varying occupations from king to farmer over 1,500 years?

No! It is not blind faith. This belief is truly built on a firm foundation and here are some reasons why:

1. Scripture says it is all inspired and without error (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20,21; Proverbs 30:5...)

2. Jesus Himself believed it was accurate and quoted from it constantly. He quoted from 24 of the Old Testament books. He quoted from it when he was fighting the temptation of Satan in the desert, all thorough His teaching, and when He was dying on the cross.

3. Jesus expected us to believe saying in a Parable (Luke 16:19-31), that the rich man's brothers have the books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) and yet they didn't believe in what it said. If they don't believe the Scriptures, they won't believe even if someone came back from the dead and told them it was true (which of course Jesus did and people still don't).

4. Many other people believed to the point of dying for this belief. Would you die for something that you knew was not true? These people were there, saw what happened, and still chose to die - be cut in half with a saw, stoned to death, tortured, and flogged because of what they refused to compromise or recant. (Hebrews 11:35-38).

5. How do you know anything in history is true? You weren't there! The Scriptures have been translated perfectly throughout time. Documents have been found all over geographically over many time periods and they all have remained constant. No other historical document has the number of transcripts or accuracy of the Bible (most notably the Dead Sea Scrolls which includes every book of the Old Testament except the book of Esther). There are more first hand accounts and historical writings of the Bible than any other ancient history and yet no one has trouble believing Julius Caesar existed!

6. Prophesy - There are hundreds of prophesies (words spoken by people commissioned by God to speak His messages) that have come to pass - some hundreds of years later as they spoke in  remarkable detail of Jesus' birth, life, death, resurrection and Kingdom, or details of rising and falling kingdoms and rulers and wars.

7. Archaeology - The discovery of geographical locations should be possible if the Bible has an accurate description of location. Indeed, this has been shown. If an archaeologist works with "a shovel in one hand and a Bible in the other" they will find what they are looking for (Dr. Steve Collins - archaeologist). Dr. Collins has most recently discovered the city of Sodom because he took the 25 geographical markers in Scripture and followed them to find a buried city in the right location, in the right time period, with the right stuff in the city. This right stuff included Trinitite, a material needing the heat intensity of a nuclear bomb explosion; an entire city that has been knocked off its foundation all being hit by something from the same direction; thousands of bodies being flung and twisted all in the same direction; fortified walls and ramparts; pottery that has pottery on one side and glass on the other due to an extreme heating and cooling process. Gives me shivers to have the truth of this "Bible story" uncovered for all to see.

8. Science - Most people who do not believe the authenticity of the Bible think science disproves it however the opposite it true. Although the Bible is primarily a history book, there are scientific concept in the Bible  (not surprising considering God created and everything science is from Him). Here is a small smattering of some science discussed in the Bible.

• Biology - 
• everything reproduces after its own kind (you know -  cats produce cats, bacteria produce bacteria etc. (Genesis chapter 1) Not dinosaurs produce birds and apes produce humans. By the way, no evolutionist can point to even one example of macro evolution found in fossils or anywhere. It isn't there.
• Hygiene - God commanded the Israelite's to make latrines outside community limits. When they disobeyed they got sick.
• Life is in the blood (Leviticus 17:11,14)
• Genetics - everyone has the genetics that trace back to one couple (Adam and Eve - Acts 17:26). This has now been shown to be true by geneticists.
• Astronomy - 
• Ptolemy estimated the number of stars to be about 1,022. God in Scripture however used the analogy of the number of stars and the grains of sand on the sea shore to give vision to a huge magnitude of number. Indeed, apparently there are about the same number of grains of sand on the sea shore as stars in the universe (ten with 22 zeros after it!).
• Pythagoras (about 570 - 500 BC), was credited with the concept that the earth is round, however Job (about 2,000 BC) wrote He drew a circular horizon on the face of the waters, at the boundary of light and darkness. (Job 26:10)
• The expanding universe - (Isaiah 40:22)
• The earth floats in space (Job 26:7)

• Physics
• Laws of Physics in heaven and earth (Jeremiah 33:25) God created the universe to obey certain laws of physics. Those who believe in evolution and random chance should have no such belief and yet they have to recognize that there are certain laws of physics (????) Will gravity change tomorrow if everything is evolving and random?
•  Ship building for maximum water stability. 4,500 years ago God gave Noah the dimensions of the ark to have the length 6x the width - apparently a now recognized dimension for maximum stability.

• Oceanography - 
• mountains (Jonah 2:5,6) and springs (Job 38:16) are at the bottom of the ocean 
• Oceanographer Matthew Maury read Psalm 8:8 and anticipated there would be ocean currents and set to discover them which he did in the 19th century

• Logic - there is no logic without the Bible and the Author who put it all in motion. If indeed everything was random chaos, then so are our brains and any form of logic is a figment of our random, chaotic, chemically haphazard brains.

 The one final thing we need to believe is indeed faith but of course we need faith to believe in something other than the Bible too.

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. (Hebrews 11:3)

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek him.(Hebrews 11:5)

But really the faith is well founded.
 
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.(Romans 1:20)

I am sad that so many are not standing on this Book and listening to the Author who inspired these flawless Words from Genesis to Revelation.
 

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock." (Matthew 7:24)

The First Week of HomeSchool...

On the first day  of homeschool 
While teaching Anna-Lee
Spanish co-op ceased to be.

On the second day of homeschool
While teaching Anna-Lee
The cello teacher's late
And Spanish co-op ceased to be

On the third day of homeschool
While teaching Anna-Lee
Her room  smells of paint
The cello teacher's late
and Spanish co-op ceased to be.

On the Fourth day of homeschool
While teaching Anna-Lee
She's playing scales for her audition
Her room smells of paint
the cello teacher's late
and the Spanish co-op ceased to be.

On the fifth day of homeschool
while teaching Anna-Lee
she learns negative numbers

she's memorizing Luke
writing a magazine
reading Pilgrim's Progress
and she's studying music theory

she's playing the cello
enjoying the clarinet
thinking about worldview
and she's hosting some company

running to the library
doing a craft
drawing and painting
 on the first week of our homeschool journey

Not exactly as we planned and expected, but that in itself was to be expected.
AND we are back down to our two days out of the house per week. God's Wisdom.

September Flurries

No, not snow flurries.
Just the crazy, chaotic flurry of activity and logistics that comes with the new schedules, new routines, and new commitments of  a new September.

Last year I discovered two days of the five out of the home was perfect. Enough to do some great outside activities while still spending enough time at home to focus on academics. I also discovered it was important not to break up the day but to have outside of home activities first thing or last thing of the day.

This year Anna-Lee has chosen to step out of all her dance activities and  focus more on music, so her schedule reflects this.

However, here I am this year (at least the first term) looking at three of the five days containing out of house activities.

Reworking time of day and having a friend drive vs taking Para Transpo are a couple of the ways I am trying to solve this dilemma. Holding on to the other two days with no outside committments becomes even more important, and being free to pull out if it gets too much is an option.
We will also start slowly, and work our way up to the full schedule thorughout the month of September.

So what does our new September week look like?
 Monday: at home day

• Devotional
• Worldview 
• History
• Math
• Writing
• Science
• Spanish Lesson on Skype
• Clarinet practice
• cello practice

Tuesday: Uncertain as yet
Possibly, outside of home (one term only) Come Januray it will be an at home day.

• Devotional
• Spanish immersion Homeschool Co-op using the arts
• museum/art gallery education
• Clarinet practice
• cello practice

 Wednesday: combo in and out of home day

• Devotional
• Clarinet theory class
• Math
• Writing
• Homeschool Band
• Clarinet practice
• cello practice

Thursday: combo in and out of home

• Devotional
• Math
• Writing
• Literature
• Science
• Finish Spanish homework and send in
• Clarinet lesson 
• cello practice

Friday: at home day

• Devotional
• Hand in worldview paper
• History
• Math
• Writing
• Science
• Practice clarinet
• cello practice 

Last year we had many success and some oops'. We'll see what this year holds. Always flexible. Good to plan.

A Week with a Kitten

It's been 29 years since we had a kitten in the house - lots of cats, but not a kitten.
This week we had the honour of kitten sitting, although there was not much sitting involved!

Cyrus sat this time, but became a bit more defensive of his food after this!

Cyrus' bed looks kind of comfy too!

Her favorite toy

She loved the cat tree and scampered up and down and around in circles

And she loves playing with water

And every now and then she curled up and slept

A Worthwhile Movie

While hubby and youngest were at the church tonight at the Alpha group, my eldest and I stayed home and watched a movie we picked up from The Creation Museum in Kentucky!
It was a facinating theme and we both enjoyed it while also being challenged.
The premise: can morality such as "Stealing is wrong," be separated from the God who spoke the moral in the first place.
What does society look like when God is taken out of the equation of right and wrong?
The movie is called Time Changer and has a Bible College Professor in 1890 travel ahead in time one hundred years to discover the answer to this question.
It's a profound and sobering commentary on our society and our church today.
We'll watch it again with the whole family.
 

In Kentucky

Hi Y'all,
We're in Kentucky now, so click on the Kentucky 2016  blog link over on the right to tour with us!

Taking Lessons

Never to young to teach, never to old to learn.

In 50 years

The other day, my girls surprised me with a gift. It was a deck of cards with Conversation Starters. Monica thought it would be a fun thing to do in Sunday School as I always start the class with a question to help us get to know each other better.
This morning, at breakfast I asked my youngest to pull a card and we'd try one.
The question was, "What would you most be interested in seeing 50 years in the future?"

Many things flitted through my brain, but I rested on "The Canadian Church."
What will become of the church? Will we be persecuted and meeting in houses like China? Will we be empty buildings like England with many churches being sold off to Muslims?
Will we have revival?
What will the worship be like?
What kind of messages will be spoken from the pulpit for such a time as that?

I likely won't be here to see the church in 50 years, but my daughters likely will. What part will they play in this future church?

I think this deck of Conversation Starters will be a lot of fun for home as well as Sunday School! And, in case you were wondering, my youngest was most interested in knowing what the cars will be like in 50 years!

When in Doubt..

A while back I talked about my Mother's Day gift - the promise of a dumpster! 
I thought I'd update you as to how our purging is going!
We have given away hundreds of items:

•  to someone who was having a garage sale in support of Rescue Dogs.
• to the curb where we have been amazed that everything we have put out has been taken before garbage day! 
• scrap metal
• old lumber
• broken rocking horse
• chicken wire...
• to the Salvation Army Thrift Store
• to Monica's PSW's (cook books, a walker...)
• to the church library
• to the Public Library
• and finally, in big black garbage bags and recycling bins! 

The most amazing part is that the whole family is enjoying this process of cleaning and purging. I even get asked "Can we go down and do a few more boxes today!"

Yesterday I was clearing out books from my shelves and came across some papers. As I was trying to figure out what they were, I came up with the saying that I shall continue with: "When in Doubt, Throw it Out!"
And so, our purging continues. So far, no dumpster has been needed. 

Mom's Report Card

OK so theoretically school is over.
Time to grade - the teacher.
No bell curves allowed.

Last August I posted my New Year's "Resolution" for the school year. It is now time for my report card.

Here is a review of my list of goals:
 Our Agenda: 

• Study up for our trip to Israel - CHECK
• Go to Israel-  CHECK
• Ballet - CHECK
• A new Language Arts Curriculum - OOPS
• A new year of Math - Decimals and Percents - CHECK
•  Clarinet: Lessons Wind Ensemble, Band - 2 OUT OF 3
• Half a day a week for her to explore her interests - OOPS
• Exploring History (her favorite subject) through The Great Courses - continue working on Ancient History, and add a section on Explorers - 2 OUT OF 3
•  Field Trips to the Museum of History on a regular basis -OOPS
• Bible Study and Devotionals - CHECK
• Continue with a variety of chores - a sense of responsibility - CHECK
• Reading through some selected books on subjects like money management, leadership, and a classic or two. - OOPS
• Sewing lessons - CHECK
• Love Learning - Hmmm
• Have fun together- I DID....

Drum roll .... so what is the grade?
Grade: 13/19

And guess what? Anna-Lee could now figure out what percent that is!!!
 
And you know, the beauty of homeschooling is we spent time on what we needed to, and we were flexible enough to add things that weren't even on the list.
Things like:

• learning discernment by analyzing lyrics to songs alongside Scripture
• going to Toronto to help Grandma and Grandpa move
• Finishing up elementary Spanish as her second language choice
• Doing her Grade 4 RCM clarinet exam
• Science - discussion of creation vs evolution, and a curriculum looking at the physics of air and water and the biology of soil, rock, and plants.
• writing through blogging
• Grade 6 Russian ballet exam
• learning to play basketball
• Public speaking - about our trip to Israel to our church congregation, and about a Scriptural painting she was involved in to our church congregation.

 So, all in all, we did OK. We both learned. We both matured. We both grew closer to God. Not a bad report.

Happy Canada Day

Check out all the lyrics of our National Anthem.
Especially the last verse.

O Canada! Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide, O Canada,
We stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land, glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee;
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

O Canada! Where pines and maples grow,
Great prairies spread and Lordly rivers flow!
How dear to us thy broad domain,
From East to Western sea!
The land of hope for all who toil,
The true North strong and free!
God keep our land, glorious and free.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!

O Canada! Beneath thy shining skies,
May Stalwart sons, and gentle maidens rise.
To keep thee steadfast thro' the years,
From East to Western sea.
Our own beloved native land,
Our true North strong and free!
God keep our land, glorious and free.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!

Ruler supreme, who hearest humble prayer,
Hold our Dominion, in thy loving care.
Help us to find, O God, in thee,
A lasting rich reward.
As waiting for the better day,
We ever stand on guard.
God keep our land, glorious and free.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!

Taking Church to (Home)school

 "I don't even listen to the lyrics, I just like the music."

I'm sure many parents have heard that line when confronting their kid's music choices. Or perhaps we said it when we were kids?
Although a lot of the words to songs are hard to understand even when you are trying to hear what they are singing, words do penetrate somehow.

 But what about music that is Christian? What about words we sing in church?
About 15 years ago Dave came up with an idea for Sunday School/Youth Group. Analyze the lyrics to songs.
 As far as I know that did not get implemented, but I have implemented it in our homeschool. Each day I print out the Lyrics to a popular Christian song either sung in church or played on a Christian radio station for Anna-Lee to -  
Analyze, Ponder, Discern.
  
I give her a sheet with various questions for her to answer.
Things like 

• What is the message? 
• Are there any Scriptures referred to in the song?
• Is a name of God used, or just pronouns?
• Explain if there is  anything in the song that concerns you.
•  a couple specific questions pertinent to each song.

There is no limit to this. I've started doing it with blog posts, articles, quotes, and even sermons.

We are not created to be robots parroting back other people's words, ideas and opinions without having taken the time to comprehend the message under the plumb line of Scripture. And we certainly aren't created to ignore the words altogether.

Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Acts 17:11

An Unexpected Conversation Starter

This summer we are heading to the Creation Museum in Kentucky.
I had no idea how controversial that would be!

This is the only Museum I have experienced where people actually have a love or hate relationship! I can only assume this is because it is not about a tourist attraction, but about a worldview.
It, like a beacon, exemplifies the Biblical Worldview vs the Humanistic Worldview.
It, like nothing else I have ever seen, shouts out a clarion call to how Christians and non-Christians alike view the authority of God's Word.
It, like nothing else I've witnessed, stops us in our tracks and forces us to confront our own beliefs.

"What are you doing this summer?" has become a most unexpected conversation starter!
Or stopper!

Just Because...

One of my favorite things is when a family member calls me to come join them in appreciating something God has made.
Last night, I got the call from Anna-Lee - Mom come look at the moon!

Just because...

Choked up with Pride

It started by singing "O Canada," and snowballed from there.

Last night was a very emotional experience. Dave, Anna-Lee and I went to a high school graduation...
...unlike any other I have experienced.

Unlike my high school graduation (formal), or my oldest daughter's high school graduation from homeschooling (pleasant and personal), this one was a celebration of perseverance and victory.

It was a graduation of 102 students from 4 adult high school campuses in Western Ottawa District. All ages, all different stories, all different futures.

It was a night of celebration for each and everyone who walked that stage with their own unique story that was briefly told. It was a night where family and friends and teachers joined to hoot and holler, clap and weep for every single fought for diploma.
It was a night of overcoming huge and seemingly insurmountable obstacles that weren't insurmountable after all.

And it was a night to celebrate with my almost 69-year-old friend who chose after working for decades in a variety of careers (including as a teacher's assistant for special needs kids),  to obtain her high school diploma.
AND then the added bonus of seeing her receive an award for the "Student with the Best Attitude toward Learning. "

Diana receiving diploma

Receiving her award

Clarinet Recital Videos

If you've read my profile you've seen that my favorite music is listening to my daughter play her clarinet.
I thought it time to share.
Attached are two videos from her last recital - the day before her grade 4 RCM exam. These are the two accompanied pieces she played for her exam. The exam also included 4 studies, sight reading, intervals, and scales.
The first piece is called "The Swan," from "The Carnival of the Animals."
The second piece is called "The Carnival of Venice," a traditional piece from Italy.

Hope you enjoy... 

The Swan

Carnival of Venice

Summer Activities

Many of you know Anna-Lee plays the clarinet.
A few weeks ago she chose not to take the music summer camp she's been a part of the last couple years, but instead take some clarinet improvisation lessons over the summer.
Sounds good.
So we registered her for some jazz, blues and  different genres that have an improv focus.
Then, she had her clarinet recital and RCM exam and all of a sudden, she now wants to also do the music camp!

And, learn a new instrument for fun!

Yep, we rented a cello for the summer months!

Immersion

Not sure what you think of when the word "immersion" is mentioned.
French immersion
Cultural immersion
Water baptism by immersion...

A few weeks ago I mentioned to my husband that our youngest was having some difficulty retaining some math concepts. She'd seem to get it, so we'd go on to the next lesson, then we'd have a review and it would all be gone! Frustrating.
My husband suggested I immerse her in math. Help her become fluent in the language of numbers. Give her math sheets coming our of her ears with reviews of every concept. Full numeracy immersion.

It has worked. 
She has gone from dismal to exceptional.
So we continue to immerse. And the wonderful thing is there are no complaints from our young student - likely because she is now "getting it." She is becoming fluent.

We see the same with music immersion as well. Practice each day is better than a huge hunk of time once a week.

But most beneficial of all - spiritual immersion.
How incredibly effective it has been to immerse ourselves in God.

The vine and the branch.
 

No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:4,5

Running

This was passed to me, now I pass it to you.

Listen and then Imagine...
http://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/holiness-is-a-race-not-a-prohibition

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, Hebrews 12:1

The Unusual Mother's Day Gift

One of the topics I spoke about at the Ontario Homeschooling Conference was Organization. This is more than just a task-oriented talk of "how to's." This is heart. When we don't have  a grasp on our homes and homeschools we can feel overwhelmed and a failure at everything. Some even quit homeschooling because of this.

I have come a long way in this area as I would rather do almost anything than household chores. My mental energy has gone to many other areas such as caring for our special needs daughter, writing, coordinating speakers for our own homeschool Conference, teaching Sunday School and of course homeschooling...

One area however, that I have desired to move into is purging.
With my limited vision, I really do not like clutter. I need to know where things are and be able to find things when I want them otherwise I can get very tired and frustrated.

This Mother's Day, I got my wish. My husband got me the promise of a dumpster!
So, Sunday afternoon, the four of us went downstairs and started purging.
A delightful, wonderful, freeing fun-filled family afternoon that ended with a game of darts with a dart board we could now access!

A great start!

Fort McMurray

If a blog is supposed to reflect what one is thinking about, then what else could this blog post be about than Fort McMurray, the wildfire, the evacuees, and the firemen.
Thoughts have traveled from those we know in Fort Mac, hearing some are safe up north in the work camps while the rest of their family made it to Edmonton, to hearing of the generosity and love being poured out in communities that are hosting and providing for those who had to evacuate with very little of their possessions.

Today my heart's thoughts are with the firefighters. The deep exhaustion, the realization that without God sending rain and controlling weather, they truly cannot extinguish this inferno using just man's power and wisdom - although they won't give up doing their part, and the courage it takes to travel the opposite direction than the masses.

So much I can learn from these role models for my daily walk in this world.