Saturday, February 24, 2007

Need a Peaceful Place?



<(Alberta was a peaceful place!)
When I have down times, tired times, moments when I need a lift, I play Rita Springer CDs. There are few singers who inspire me quite like her.....it's like she's not just singing some songs......it's more like you're invited to quietly listen in on her worshipping her Creator with all of the passion within her. I never cease to be encouraged after listening to her. She writes a lot of amazing lyrics. This song from her 'I Have to Believe' CD though, is written by Jeremy Riddle. Rita 'cried all afternoon' after she first heard this song, so it's no wonder she's included it on one of her albums.
"In the quiet of my
soul
In the stillness I hear Your voice call
And I am
overwhelmed

I am lost for words to describe You

Jesus, You’re more than
a friend
Jesus, You’re more than my heart could
ever express

Your love and your grace never fail
me
Your merciful touch always heals
me

You bring JOY to my
soul

My heart longs to worship You my
King
And I long to bring You a pleasing
offering

And I am
overwhelmed
I am lost for words to describe
You"

'More Than A Friend' - Written by Jeremy
Riddle

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Today's Chuckles

First chuckle:



Today my co-worker told me she needed to call a person with an unpronouncable last name and their first name was 'Fat' (Phat?). A few minutes later I heard her say, "Good morning, Are you Fat?" I had to stifle my giggles on the other side of the baffle. Fortunately the person that had answered the phone didn't understand enough English to be insulted. 'Fat' wasn't home, so I politely suggested that when my co-worker called back, perhaps she should say, "Is your name Fat?" Just glad it's not me that has to call...I could never be a news anchor on TV or radio....I find too many things funny. (No offense intended if your name is Phat, (Fat?))



Second chuckle:



When I stand in grocery store line-ups I try not to miss the headlines of the "National Enquirer type" tabloids. Today's made my day. Not sure which tabloid it was but the headlines blaze out the news of the 'First photos ever taken of heaven!' The sidebar explained that a dying accident victim was able to quickly snatch pictures of heaven with his camera phone before slipping away.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Worries are Puddles (here today...evaporated tomorrow)





"Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?" (Matthew 6:27-30, NLT)






"Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?" (Matthew 6:26, NLT)






"Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life." Philippians 4:6 (The Message Bible)

"I like to describe worry or anxiety as spending today trying to figure out tomorrow..... Life is to be lived - here and now!" Joyce Meyer, Battlefield of the Mind


Monday, February 19, 2007

Shut up!!


This morning's Garfield said it all for me. I am SO not a morning person. I can remember when I was....but I've lost it somewhere between babies who wouldn't sleep and having teenagers in the house during the way-too-early onset of menopause. My 18 year old son who still lives at home suffers from 'delayed sleep phase syndrome', but that's a subject for another blog.I don't remember the last time I slept through an entire night (nothing to do with a snoring husband and a golden retriever on the bed, of course). I really should get up in the middle of the night to post my blogs because I'm laying in bed composing them in my head anyways. I have a million of 'em....until morning when they've all become a fog. Makes for a long day at work when I sit in front of a computer continuously...but somehow I focus, get through it, and make up sleep later. (Most women I work with are menopausal too, so it's all good!)
Saturday night my son did not come home after work. In fact he did not come home at all. We have a rule that he must call to let us know where he is. I was pretty sure whose home he was at...his usual buddy...but he hadn't come home to change which was most unusual. So I laid awake all night like a mom with the 'what-ifs'. What if he's laying in a ditch all bloodied from the gang who stole his wallet? So I dozed a little, and then phoned the buddy's house at 8:30 am. My son was there and had 'forgotten' to call. I was less than gracious to him on the phone, especially when I learned the parents were away on holidays. I could have blamed my tirade on the fog of 'no sleep' I was in, or on the fact that he should have called, but I was just not nice to him. In fact I was angry that he had been up all night and now wouldn't be going to church. I felt bad immediately at the manner in which I attacked him instead of his actions.Why can't I just shut my mouth sometimes? There are better ways to express your displeasure at your kid's behaviour. The only word that would come to my mind all the way to church was 'grace' and how I needed to extend more of it. 'Grace'. It wouldn't leave my mind. Wouldn't you know it. The songs we sang in the service were centred around 'grace'. We had a special speaker who was more of a stand-up comedy act, and her theme was 'grace'. She has suffered all her life with bipolar disorder, but never knew what it was until age 40. She was hilariously funny in her approach - we laughed till we cried....but then we cried as she described the tragedy she has lived with in deep dark depression, doing drugs and drinking to escape, and wanting to die. Throughout her life she didn't know why she couldn't shake the depression and just be happy, and her friends and family didn't understand either.The only thing she has ever been able to cling to in her darkest moments of feeling that God must hate her, was His grace. In a moment of near suicide, she was struck with the knowledge that regardless of how deep of a pit she was in, God's grace reached deeper. So she clung to that grace, and insisted on believing in it regardless of how desolate she felt. She finally learned that she suffered from a mood disorder, which is an illness that is hereditary. She was given medication to stabalize the mood swings, and explained that there is no more shame in that than a diabetic taking insulin. Her own daughter suffered terribly and ended up going to a home at age 15 with unbelievable problems; however today she is married with kids and focusing her life on helping others with this same disorder. She could never have related to them had she not been through it. I have also been through periods of depression, though not near that drastic, and I learned the same thing. When you're in the middle of darkness and you can't get out of it, cling to His grace no matter how you feel. His mercy and love are immoveable and don't change. Hang on to the knowledge that He loves you no matter how you feel or how long it takes to get through.
Yesterday I was reminded to be more compassionate to people because you don't know what they are going through.....to shut my mouth more often.....and extend His amazing grace to others....including my kids.
"...I didn't know which way to turn;
then I called out to God for help:
"Please, God!" I cried out.
"Save my life!" God is
gracious—it is he who makes things right,
our most compassionate God.
God takes the side of the helpless;
when I was at the end of my rope, he saved
me."
Psalm 116: 4-6 (The Message)

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Quesadillas, Candles, and Cheesecake



Valentine’s Day is one of those over-rated days. There’s so much hype to it that all of a sudden some females can suddenly get upset on this one day of the year if they don’t get what they expected from their man. He may be kind and sweet all year, but on this one day he is supposed to bow to consumerism and spend 5 times as much as he should on roses, dinner, etc. just because it’s expected. By all means, appreciation needs to be expressed, but this day has become way over-commercialized like Christmas. My husband and I dined on quesadillas and cheesecake by candlelight….and chanted, ‘we’re saving $50’….but then we’ve been married for 26 years! We save the restaurant meals for nights when we don’t have to stand in line for 2 hours in a noisy place and be miserable because everyone says we should do it on February 14th.

Singles have the hardest time with this day…especially females…. but to singles, I would say….CELEBRATE! This is a day when your peers might like you to believe you have not arrived…you are missing something…you are not complete. On the contrary, whatever state you are in, especially as a Christian you can be completely content. Unfortunately, too many complain no matter where they are in life. If they are single, they want someone. If they have a partner, they want to be single again, or they are miserably unhappy. Know yourself. Don’t compare yourself to another living person or give in to pressure to what others want you to do. Enjoy being with yourself! Singleness affords unique freedom and opportunities and builds a strength of character not found in those who ‘cling’ to relationships simply because they are ‘needy’…..(which has nothing to do with love and everything to do with ‘me’). Needy people are always disappointed people. They depend on others to be happy and to build their self-esteem, then they panic when things fall apart. They crave attention and if they are able to attract it, it boosts their ego. You do not ‘need’ someone to complete you. Needy people tend to control, manipulate, and often selfishly hold other needy people’s emotions captive. Break-up leaves everyone shattered, untrusting, and prone to 'rebound' in order to stifle pain. Emotional dependency is draining in every way. I can’t believe God wants us to live like that! The purpose of a relationship that is leading to marriage is for you to genuinely respect and build-up that person to the very best they can be….no room there for satisfying neediness.






Know who you are, live like it, and love it! You are complete in Christ, and if He has someone for your future, believe me you don’t want that person until Christ has made you into the person He wants you to be, as He works on that significant other to prepare him/her for you. You will very much need that strength of character if one day you enter into marriage, and you will be a much better partner than someone who carries heavy emotional and physical baggage into a lifelong commitment. Marriage counsellors state that it is problems within dating relationships that are the source of the problems that come up later in marriage. Freedom from all of this emotional stuff is freedom indeed. And it’s a freedom worth celebrating! Heck, why not go out and buy yourself a single rose and/or a little dark chocolate…that’s not too commercialized….and hey…you’re WORTH it!!!!




"This is your life yet somehow
They decide what you’re about
You learn your lines and take your cues
But who are you listening to
You change your clothes and how you speak
And place your hope in what they think
Before you know, there’s no more you,
Who are you listening to
Have you noticed how much ya fear
All those voices you choose to hear
Who are you listening to
Who tells you what to do
Who rules your thoughts at night
And whose rules define your life
Oh, ya know it’s up to you
So who are you listening to
Who are you listening to
This is your life you have no choice
You will rely on someone’s voice
And it’s alright to question who
Who are you listening to
Do the words that you believe
Set your soul and spirit free
Who are you listening to
Who tells you what to do
Who rules your thoughts at night
Whose rules define your life
Oh, ya know it’s up to you
So, who are ya listening to
Who are you listening to
There’s a quiet voice whispering in your heart
It’s been there all along
It believes in you, it will tell the truth
Can’t you hear it call
Who rules your thoughts at night
Whose rules define your life
Oh,ya know it’s up to you
So, who are you listening to
Who are you listening to
Are you listening?????"

Ginny Owens - Who Are You Listening To?







Monday, February 12, 2007

Kookaburra Cackles


I’ve not been having much luck photographing birds lately. Of course, when I stay within the warm confines of the house and try to snap photos from behind an icy window pane, what do I expect eh?



We have three beautiful pairs of cardinals that keep visiting the feeders right outside our front door, but I still haven’t gotten a decent shot of them. I missed the perfect photo on the weekend. I have a planter of cedar and pine greenery on the front porch from Christmas, complete with snow, icicles, red bow, and branches full of red berries. I looked out the door, and there, looking so perfect, was a female cardinal, perched in the greenery, nibbling on one of the red berries near the red bow…her red beak just matching so lovely…..just like a calendar….but of course by the time I ran for my camera, she had flown off. I have noticed that the male cardinals will carefully watch from a distance for danger while the females feed. Thank goodness the male was looking out for this female and called to her. She flew off in great haste, because suddenly a hawk swooped in to our yard. A hawk looks so gigantic next to a songbird...especially when you are just used to seeing them in the wide open spaces of the country. This was a rare sighting for the city…but of course, my hurried shot from the window of him in our crabapple tree, was too fuzzy to be of much use. Sigh. I would like to take lessons on how to use my camera better, but I think my greatest problem is that I’m not actually outside! I’m a fair-weather camera-person I’m afraid. Perhaps when the weather gets warmer, I’ll venture off on a great wilderness adventure to capture shots of creatures in the wild…..or... I’ll stay home by the fire and sip steamy herbal tea.


I read an interesting blurb on the weekend about the kookaburra bird that resides in Australia. Australians call them ‘laughing jackasses’. I guess when a bunch of them get ‘cackling’ they sound hilariously crazy. Did you know that kookaburras, termites, and moths depend on each other for their existence? Get this. The termites build a big nest in a tree. The kookaburras move into it by building a cavity in the side of it. They add a platform of sticks inside and lay their eggs on it. (The termites have no problem with this because it helps aerate their colony!). While the birds and termites are busy, the moths creep into the nest and lay their eggs which are timed to hatch at the same time as the kookaburra’s eggs. Then the moth larvae happily eat kookaburra ‘leftovers’ (yuck!). It’s like a whole maintenance crew thing going on. Then when the baby kookaburras and the moths leave, the termites then move in onto the twiggy nest platform and eat it. Apparently, if kookaburras don’t move into termite nests, their nests don’t last very long – they’re doomed without the kookaburras, and so are the moths. Amazing creation isn't it?
And so I can think of no more inspiring song to share than the one below....
this song is dedicated to our friends’ son who travelled to Australia last week.
Poor thing…he will be attending the University of the Sunshine Coast.
Sounds like sheer torture.



By the way, if you want to hear some kookaburras, click on the link below.....and then be extremely grateful if you live on the other side of the world, instead of anywhere near a gum tree! (no offense to those who live in Australia!)

http://www.honoluluzoo.org/kookaburra.htm.

"Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree

Merry merry king of the bush is he

Laugh, Kookaburra!

Laugh, Kookaburra!

Gay your life must be" ....(Don't read anything into this)

"Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree

Eating all the gum drops he can see


Stop, Kookaburra! Stop, Kookaburra!


Leave some there for me!


Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree


Counting all the monkeys he can see


Stop, Kookaburra! Stop, Kookaburra!


That's not a monkey that's me


Kookaburra sits on a rusty nail


Gets a boo-boo in his tail


Cry, Kookaburra! Cry, kookaburra!


Oh how life can be!"

By Marion Sinclair