ROCK 2017!!

Everyone seems to be thinking about the new year and what approach to use to navigate through this year. Reading between the lines it seems to me we all have experienced or know people who have endured much difficulty, discouragement and disappointment last year resulting more in reactions than actions. Who doesn't have beautiful friends and family that no matter how much make-up is applied or how beautiful the clothes the empty eyes speak volumes. My heart breaks for some of the people in my life and I pray they find their way through the healing process needed to live well. Losses, hurt and pain in relationships be it family, friends, co-workers sometimes causes us to build walls of protection around ourselves but that is never satisfying and it doesn't work. It may feel safe for awhile but it is no way to live. We know that any broken relationship needs to be mended in order to have successful future relationships. It gives us the courage to be real and take the risk to share ourselves with others. Dr. Phil says that most couples who do this actually don't get divorced or get back together if they already have. Some thoughts came to mind today that made me think there are better ways than to discard people like kleenex. How about doing to others as we would have them do to us; not thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought; loving our neighbours (that starts with those closest to us...our family) because love covers all wrong; deal with people in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control. What if love was to be our motivation in all our thoughts and actions? It's a tall order but to be successful at this would ROCK this entire world! My prayer is for 2017 to be a ROCKIN' YEAR for everyone!!

It's About More Than A Warm Fuzzy Feeling....

Hebrews 6

Since my husband and I now have no living parents as of the end of last month, I often find myself thinking about them and the legacy they have left us with.  It always amazes me how people continue on with life after the funeral.  How is it possible that one so loved can leave and the rest of us can pick up and do life again without them and not completely fall apart?!  

Yes, we have family, friends, acquaintances and all the memories and photographs to comfort and console us especially initially. After some time we begin to take comfort in, and notice more than ever the similarities of character, personallity and physical resemblances in family that we may not have noticed so much before the loss.  This is what really intrigues me these days.  Every November my thoughts are full of memories of my mother since this is the month in which she died.  Within the past week as both my daughters baked cinnamon rolls and a niece let me know she was making "Grandma Eva's Stew" for supper I found myself thankful all over again for my Mom's love of the kitchen and passing that love on to her family. As my mother baked and cooked there would be music playing on the stereo or radio while she hummed softly and sometimes she would make her own music.  Often she would take coffee breaks without the coffee as she sat down with her accordian or a guitar and later the piano.  Our family eats well and loves music and it is because of her influence. 

By now you have read the words in the picture I posted.  I read this chapter in Hebrews this morning and as I read the last two verses I could hear my Father's amazing bass voice singing an old hymn 

"We Have An Anchor" based on this Scripture.  I wondered if I could still remember the words so I started singing... 

"Will your anchor hold in the storms of life, when the clouds unfold their wings of strife

...when the strong tides lift and the cables strain...will your anchor drift or firm remain?" 

and then on to the chorus 

"We have an Anchor that keeps the soul stedfast and sure while the billows roll

 Fastened to the Rock which cannot move, grounded firm and deep in the Saviour's love."  

I can't tell you how many years it has been since I heard or sang that song...it could be as many as forty-five years or more.  My Father's biggest desire in life was that he would introduce his family to God and he did everything he could to have us all come to the place in our lives where we would willingly allow God to have His rightful place in us.  (Ultimately it is each individual's choice to do this and every time one of us made that decision he couldn't wipe the smile off his face and the reaction was the same when grandchildren began making this decision.)  There was Scripture reading with explanations of it in our home as we sat together in the living room in the evening, and there was music.  I remember many gatherings with family and with friends that culminated in a sing song time.  The words of much of the Scripture read and these old hymns we sang at home and in church seem to be forever etched in my memory and I believe they go even deeper than that.   And when I think of my parents, I think about God.  They did their best to live their lives so that their faith would be demonstrated in every area and I think they did it well.  

This little post could be taken in many directions but my thoughts today are that if you are reading this and you are raising a family, consider what kind of legacy you will leave them with one day.  I hope you have this Anchor both our parents have passed on to their family.   The Anchor that encompasses your entire life so that a reading,  song, and a memory will all point to that One True Anchor that will give them the firm, sure hope of being united once again as family to spend all eternity together.   

...the last verse of the song...

"When our eyes behold through the gathering night

the city of gold, our harbor bright

We shall anchor fast by the heavenly shore

with the storms all past forevermore!"

...afternoon pondering

As I sit in the quiet of my comfortable home today and think about my life, the good and bad, twists and turns, ups and downs, pure joy and indescribable sadness my mind can't help but consider all that is happening currently in and around me.  It could get extremely discouraging to dwell on the chaos around me and admitedly there are times all the sadness in the world consumes me for awhile as I wonder how it will all play out....not for long though...not any more.   

Since I made the choice to seek out real Truth which led me to faith in the Creator of all things, namely God, I have made knowing who He is and what He is all about my mission in life.  I am keeping this post reasonably short today which also means I won't be getting all that detailed.  Let me just say I am convinced that God is real and that He orders my steps daily and will until the day I die, at which time I will join Him in heaven for all eternity.  Having said that, I talk to Him daily, throughout the day and He speaks to me too in various ways.(1 Cor. 2:9-16)

I read my Bible most mornings.  At the beginning of the year, I usually decide on a format for a few months, or even for the year and that is what I stick to.  It could mean reading through the Bible in a year or choosing certain books in the Bible or researching a topic.  That is my personal time each day reading, meditating and praying.  Since I love to study with other people I usually am involved in a Bible Study with a few women.  This fall I decided on two studies.  One is in the New Testament and is a short book, the book of James.  Something that I find so thrilling and exciting about life with God is how He speaks to me through all the ways that I have chosen to immerse myself in filling my mind with His Truth.  For example what I study in James is confirmed by what I am reading in Thessalonians and that is cemented by how He leads me victoriously through three days of intense and difficult issues I need to work through.  The icing on the cake is often a coffee with a friend as she shares how God has spoken, taught, helped her along the same lines.   As I think about this I am reminded that He works all things out together for good to those that love Him, who are called according to His purpose.   God uses all our past, combines it with the present and uses it to conform us to the image of His Son.  

God has proven Himself faithful in my life consistently.  He has never failed me yet.  I have often failed Him though by running ahead of Him instead of exercising patience, choosing my own path and ignoring Him and thinking I know a better way but it always ends up being the wrong decision.  

The last number of years I have been challenged to truly believe that what I ask IN HIS NAME (to me this means knowing from Scripture what God would want in a particular situation considering who God is....for instance, as an example we need never doubt that God will help us extend forgiveness to another when He instructs us to forgive "70 X 7").  In other words, when I pray I have to believe it's a done deal and then act on it!  "But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt...." (James 1:6). 

How interesting that this topic came up the first lesson in the study of the book of James I find myself in this fall.  

How interesting that after spending much time this week praying intensely my reading in 2 Thess. 2 today ended with "...stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you....our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word!"

It is good to be able to sit and think; to ponder and reflect; to remind myself where my roots of faith are grounded and to be encouraged by my Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God my Father and be completely satisfied.

 

My new vine surprised me by blooming right after I planted it!

Jesus had a past.

(oh, and this picture has nothing to do with this post….I just love this new plant in my garden!)

I have never thought long and hard about Jesus' humanity.  Most have heard the story from the Bible about the birth of Jesus…the MESSIAH…the PROMISED ONE…GOD'S SON….GOD IN THE FLESH.  Growing up I heard that every Christmas and then I heard about the ministry of Jesus the rest of the year.  I don't remember anyone teaching me about what Jesus the baby, toddler, child, teenager might have been like.  It almost seems sacriligious to talk about Jesus needing his diaper changed, having his knees roughed up by repeatedly tripping over his own feet, having all the same feelings and issues of all other teenagers.  Sexual urges even!  After all He is God!  

The fact remains though that Jesus left heaven for earth and in essence that was God coming to meet us where we are at.   As Creator of all that is, He could certainly have come as royalty, a king and a ruler,  however, He came in a way that we could understand.  A baby born in the usual way, needing to be wiped and cleaned, screaming to get the air into His lungs….helpless, in need of love, care, provision and protection from His parents!  Jesus was a toddler, a child and a teenager and all that goes with that. He worked along side His father, learning the carpentry trade and he was taught their way of life and beliefs, especially as the first born son in the family.  He increased in wisdom throughout His growing up years.  His family most likely did some planting, sowing and reaping in order to put food on the table so he probably knew about that too.  Living and growing up in Nazareth He knew about poverty, hardship, and family that stuck together through hard times.  He observed family and friend marriages and enjoyed friendships and he experienced the human condition through physical realities as well as emotions.  He got tired, hungry and thirsty and He cried.  Jesus was not God playacting.

His past fashioned Him into the instrument God needed for the salvation of the world!

Does this grab you?  Do you want to know more?  Read your Bible.  That's what I do.  There are also some other great books written by people who have done much research and I try hard to be selective about which of those books I read, making sure they do not disagree with the Bible.  Much of what I have just written in this blog comes from a book I am currently reading.  Although I do not agree with all his interpretations of Scripture I am thoroughly enjoying some new ideas and thoughts and have in some of the above written almost word for word what he says.  The book is called JESUS A PILGRIMAGE by James Martin, SJ.    It's the account of his journey to get to know Jesus better and I highly recommend it!

1. This song so aptly describes the real desire of my heart I just have to post it here.

IN HIS PRESENCE

In the quiet of this hour
As I kneel before You now
I believe Your promise
To be faithful
I don´t always understand
What Your perfect will demands
But I learn to trust You more
In Your presence Lord



In Your presence
There is comfort
In Your presence
There is peace
When we seek to know Your heart
We will find such blessed assurance
In Your holy presence Lord

There can be such sweet reward

When we wait upon the Lord
As we take the time
He gives His perfect wisdom
To be found in Him alone
All our deepest secrets known
We´re surrounded by His grace
When we seek His face

In Your presence
There is comfort
In Your presence
There is peace
When we seek the Father's heart
We will find such blessed assurance
An ever open door
To know our Savior more
In the presence of the Lord

…across the room to share my recipe…..

…the plate was full….

…yes, the plate WAS full but now it is empty.  Because it was just THAT good!

I made a pasta dish today that was so awesome I just have to brag about it a little.  I just made it up so there is no recipe except for the fact that I'm going to document here what I did so that if I ever want to make it again I will at least have an idea what I did.

Since I didn't know what I was going to make I took 3 cloves garlic and smashed them, added 1/2 chopped onion and one stalk celery.  I sauted this in some oil and then added 2 chopped tomatoes, fresh basil, fresh dill, and black pepper.  Then I poured in some white wine and let that cook for a few minutes.  Meanwhile I sprinkled some shrimp quite liberally with a lemon pepper mix and added them to the tomato mixture.  When the shrimp was almost done I added some heavy cream to the pan, more black pepper and finally some freshly grated parm cheese.

I served this over a very thin vermicelli noodle.  DELISH!

...across the room to post "Grace Tells Another Story" by Mercy Me

They say don’t waste your time
You simply cannot find
An ounce of good within the heart of man

They say we’ve got to lay
In the bed we’ve made
And live this life without a second chance

But I’m inclined to say
There must be something more

Chorus
We’ve been told that the heart is just too far gone to save
But grace tells us another story
Where glory sends hopelessness away
Oh grace tells us another story

They say we cannot change
There is no other way
Get used it cause this is all there is.

They say don’t raise your voice
Cause we don’t have a choice
We’re dealt this hand so learn to live with it

Well I have to believe
There must something more

Chorus

Bridge
And though we may not understand
Why You’d give us another chance
We praise You who lets us start again

...across the room to declare my opinion......

So today I read about another teenage "coming out" and a mother who praised him for his bravery.

"Zach, I was surprised by your Facebook post where you came out. I want you to know that I love you unconditionally. I love you with my actions, not just my words. I'm so proud of you. You are the bravest person I know. I'll fight for you always. Your sexual orientation does not define you. You are still the boy who forever won my heart. The only thing that concerns me is the number of empty soda cups and tea bottles in your room. Throw them away before ants come inside. I love you always, Mom." 

What I find disturbing is that we never get to hear of any discussion between parents and their children mentioned in these coming out stories.  It would be so good to hear parents talk to their sons about the fact that males can have what society would refer to as feminine tendencies, preferences and interests and how they can be embraced rather than ignored or hidden without it becoming an issue of sex.  How refreshing it would be to hear  dialogue between parent and child regarding moral values and conduct and becoming people of integrity and good character.  Heart to heart talks between parents and their daughters addressing past relationships, disappointments and failures and the fact that they were not to blame for past hurts and that concentrating on healing and becoming whole is more important than giving up or making a rash decision based on past failures.  That just because relationships with males in the past did not work out does not mean they have to be gay.  Are parents really too afraid, or lazy, or ignorant to have these discussions with their teenagers?  Mostly what I've heard parents say is that they knew their child was gay at an early age because they preferred activities or toys generally favoured by the opposite sex.  REALLY?!  

My heart bleeds for these young people who are so confused and hurting who are getting no input or help to find out why they feel the way they do.  Perhaps they are being bullied into thinking they are gay?  Could it be?  The bullying out there is not just from the heterosexual community.  I've seen it myself and it is very real from the homosexual community as well.  Isn't it worth the effort to walk alongside your teenager and do the hard work of digging into their childhood to see if there is something that needs to be addressed?

It's time for parents to get educated and not take the easy way out when their children come up with these ideas.

I absolutely do not agree that people are born homosexual.  I believe it is a choice people make because of what is happening in their minds.  They believe lies.  When we want something badly enough we will always be able to find an excuse to defend our actions.  Just because we have tendancies uncharacteristic of our gender does not define us as homosexuals.  We can embrace those tendancies, enjoy them, and not turn them into an excuse for a perverted sexual preference.

NOTE:  This may be a work in progress...today I was just so sickened I needed a place to talk and this is my place.

...a walk across the room to get stung and confess....

It started off innocently enough with the two of us going for an exercise walk.  We only do two kinds of walks.  There is the stroll for which he must hold my hand.  We don't need to use our words, inside or outside voices to decide what type of walk we will do.  When he takes my hand as we leave the house I instinctively know we are not exercising on this walk - we are strolling.  This day he was not holding my hand, we were using our inside voices outside - we actually never use outside voices inside or outside.  Whoever came up with this idea anyway?!
This walk was planned carefully and we hit the sidewalk at a good pace all the way down our street to the set of stairs at the bottom of our street.  There was no slowing down as we began the 150 stair trek up to the street above us.  No slowing down until we reached the first landing that is!
I gasped at the pain I suddenly felt in my ankle and within seconds I did what would come naturally to most ...I began slapping at my ankle trying to get rid of whatever was causing the excrutiating pain in it.  So far I hadn't even had the courage to take a look in case I might find something protruding from it that would horrify me even more than the pain already did.  As I glanced down at my ankle I saw a little wasp seemingly squeezing the last drop of poison left in his stinger into my ankle.  The intense anger I felt at that miserable sucker is beyond reason!  That's when the wild out of control slapping began.  Nothing premeditated ... just a reactioanary impulse to turn that poison loaded beast into a quick unrecognizable mess of road kill....a mere smudge on the concrete!  That's when the whimpering started.  And the jumping around on one foot.  Round and round, on one foot, whimpering and gasping, staggering and sucking in of breath.  I have no idea what that all looked and sounded like I was so angry and in pain.  I guess it looked and sounded bad enough that my guy offered to walk back the five minutes to the house to get the car and drive me home!  For just a few seconds I considered continuing this adolescent behavior and letting him baby me in this way.  Especially when I looked down at my already swollen red and blue puffy bruised foot.  Thankfully I quickly grew a back bone and assured him that I could make it home on my own while he continued our exercise walk on his own.
For once I couldn't quite read his eyes as we parted ways.....Disbelief?  Empathy?  Pity?  Maybe a little of each!

...a walk across the room to share a prayer....

Lord, thank you for trials.  Help me to consider them pure joy.  Thank you that trials are a testing of my faith.  Thank you that trials develop perseverance in me.  Thank you that perseverance will make me mature and complete.  Lord, this trial is developing in me something that I am lacking.  Thank you that this trial is showing me where I need wisdom.  Thank you that this trial is pushing me to ask for wisdom.  Please Lord, give me wisdom each day.  Lord, thank you that this trial is causing my faith and belief in You to grow.  Thank you that this trial is forcing me out of double-mindedness and into single-mindedness.  And this trial can ultimately produce stability in me.  Lord, thankn you that persevering through this trial will bring about blessing in my life.  But if I get out of this trial too soon, it will only be a try.  Help me to endure it until the end.  Thank you that persevering through this trial will bring about the crown of life.  Lord, this trial is bringing out temptation in my life.  This temptation is not from You.  This temptation is from within me.  This trial is bringing out a reaction in my flesh (the temptation).  This temptation is producing a desire in me that will entice me.  If I give in to desire,, it will lead me into sin.  The trial - which comes from You - is revealing the weakness in my flesh (the temptation).  Lord, help me to remember that if I give in to temptation it will robe me of the fullness of life.  Help me not to be deceived.  This trial is a good and perfect gift!  (Look at all the good that it will produce!)  Every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of heavenly lights.  Thank you Lord that you chose me.  Thank you that you chose to give me birth...Thank you that I am the first fruits of your creation.  Thank you that this trial has a purpose in line with your great calling for my life.
                                                      Based on James 1:1-18 and written by Steve Pauls

...a walk across the room to do figure eight's....

Keep your soul at peace.

Some time ago I found myself so worked up and distressed about something I was literally walking through my house in figure eights.  (It is possible to do that in my house!)  Much to my chagrin, I had allowed myself to get offended, troubled and distraught over a situation that left me in a weak and helpless state.  I was half way through another figure eight when God got my attention in a very real and miraculous way.  Without going into every detail of how this happened let me just say that before I sat down to allow God to intervene (and I absolutely KNEW He was going to intervene) I knew that I needed to get a book my husband reads every morning as a short devotional....a book I have never read myself and not one that he has talked to me about much, other than the occasional interesting thought.  I placed the book on my kitchen table face down because I also seemed to know that it was the last page I needed to read.  God REALLY DOES speak to us and lead us by His Spirit communicating with our spirit.  And that is how He led me to the following writing and the Scripture that is is based on.

Imagine my relief as I began to read the words of a seventeenth century writer....that our soul is the centre, habitation and kingdom of God.  Our job is to keep that place clean, quiet, void, and peaceable. Clean from guilt and defects, quiet from fears, void of sinful affections, desires, and thoughts, and peaceable in temptations and tribulations.  I have work to do in order to enter into that place of peace that is really only most comfortable when all is well between my Lord and I.  It is the most blessed state of being.  It is where I am fully satisfied.  He writes "Do not be upset or discouraged if you feel fainthearted, for He will return to quiet you that he may still stir your heart.  Because this divine Lord will fill you and rest in your soul, forming a rich throne of peace.  He does this by means of internal recollection and through his heavenly grace, so that within your own heart, you may look for silence in the tumult, solitude in the crowd, light in darkness, forgetfulness in trials, strength in weakness, courage in fear, resistance in the midst of temptation, peace in war, and quiet in tribulation."

This is the Scripture this writing is based on......

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."  Eph. 3:16-19

As I read I felt His strength coursing through my entire being.  I am at a loss for words to describe the feeling of the most incredible outpouring of God's love on me.  All I could do was sit in wonderment and gaze at this writing and thank God that this Spanish priest, Miguel de Molinos was inspired by God on a certain day in the seventeenth century to write words for me to read February 21st, 2013; a message so clearly understood, bringing peace to my soul,  they may as well have been spoken audibly that day by God Himself.

Oh the wonder of it all!

...across the room to share my poem.......

trouble will find us
in this big world
smooth sailing waters
change with the wind
what should I do
where can I go
shaken, incredulous
sad and afraid
then, words about mercies
new every morning
grace sufficient for me
comfort, assurance and trust
lighting up pages
all there for me to see
filling my soul
with comfort and rest
reminding me once again
I will walk and not faint
His burden is light
and JOY is mine once again.

...across the room for a rant.....

We must need more food channels...too many people in the industry don't seem to have access to the education out there.  In ONE day I was served raw fish for lunch (no it was NOT Sushi); a greasy old mess at a take out for supper; and then the clerk at the supermarket dropped my apples, tomatoes, pears and bananas into the grocery bag at least 12-15 inches!   I told her "PLEASE!  You must PLACE them into the bag...not DROP them....you will BRUISE them".  To which she replied "You no want wegtable and fluit in same bag?"  I gave up and took my bruised fruit and low grade temper out of the store, to the privacy of my car where I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs but realized it would put the elderly man walking near my car into cardiac arrest.
Just for the record though....I have determined that I will no longer pay good money for lousy service or  poor quality food.  If I can't eat it, I won't pay for it.  In my opinion we as a society have for far too long been brainwashed to believe that a tip is necessary no matter what kind of service we get and also that when we are served a plate full of slop we are to think that this is just simply how food is cooked at the restaurant we are visiting.  Well NO MORE!
When I ordered my lunch I specifically asked to have the fish cooked well and not rare and was assured that was not a problem.  In this case I sent it back to have the fish cooked.  For the most part I will not send food back to the kitchen any more.  I just won't eat it.  At the fast food place I asked to have them make fresh food for me after I checked the bag they gave me and saw that the food was barely warm and dripping with grease and the cheese and pickles were missing from the burger I ordered.  They complied but their attitudes were AWFUL!  In the case of the supermarket clerk I believe she had either not been taught properly or there was a language issue...neither is an excuse for handling produce the way she did.
I do not expect the quality of food I make at home but I do expect my food will not be cooked in rancid oil, my coffee will be hot (there isn't a HOPE of ever getting a good cup of tea in a restaurant because they are afraid of bringing the water to a boil!), a fresh cold salad and not something that has been sitting under the heat lamp while the waitress is on coffee break...well, you get the picture.
It was hard to believe that all the food I encountered in one day was abused in some way.  Well I for one will do my best from now on to help STOP THE ABUSE!

We work hard for our money and I do not like to spend my hard earned money getting second rate products and service and I'm going to start speaking up about it.  I'm only one person but I think these businesses have to get the message that it is not OK to expect the public to frequent their businesses when they don't bother to give their best service and provide superior products.

My husband and I have both worked at professions where it is imperative that you do your very best....in other words, "It's never good enough!"....it has to be perfect, it has to be the very best!  Maybe that is why I find it so difficult to pay for a meal that was obviously prepared by someone who just simply does not care or take pride in what they do.

...across the room to do what we can....

I see the finger pointing has begun,  the name calling is getting ugly, and the search is on for someone to take the blame for the loss of all the little lives and adults in the recent school shooting.

We all know who did the deed but since he also did it to himself there will be no life imprisonment, no posse needed, no lynching for all to watch, no electric switch to push.  There will be no way to get even, revenge or satisfaction.  Since this is all we have and all there is, what does the public do with all the anger?

It seems most are looking for someone else to blame and as usual it would seem God is the most likely target.  God who is holy, all good and completely just; who sent His very own Son to earth from heaven during this very season we are in, knowing full well that soon enough the posse would be after Him, and the people gathered for the lynching would be the same people His Son would sacrifice His body and life for gets blamed for the most awful grotesque and evil acts on earth.  God, who in His great love and mercy provides freely the gift of redemption, salvation and eternity with Him to EVERYONE gets blamed once more for yet another senseless act.

I don't know what provoked this young man to do what he did but I have to wonder what kind of life he lived, what his situation was, and what caused him to think this was the only thing left for him to do.

The God I know and love did not move this young man to brutally take these lives.  There is one roaming this earth though that would do that.  The Bible refers to Him as the father of all lies, prince of demons, and adversary among other names.  He roams the earth seeking whom he may devour.  He is a spirit and looks for those who make themselves available to him and he is all about evil (but is able to disguise himself so he ends up looking like he is doing good)  He would have no problem convincing someone to kill little children and this would be just the time of year he would like to see something like this happen to stir people up to focus on hatred and evil so that they will not have time to think about the greatest Gift that has ever been given.

My greatest wish is that Christians everywhere would remember there are no words for the families left to mourn their loved ones; no pat answers to make them feel better.  The greatest gift we can give them is our love as we pray for them without ceasing this Christmas season.

...across the room for a recipe of sorts....

Oh I do wish I would remember to take more pictures!  I wish I had taken a picture of my beautiful noodle dish I cooked last night.  Not only was it beautiful, it tasted so good!!

This was another dish that just simply evolved.  I had no idea the chicken I had defrosted was going to morph into a noodle dish last night.

I looked at the pieces of chicken breast and decided they needed a sprinkling of the roasted garlic and peppers spice in my pantry, along with some freshly ground salt and pepper.  For some reason it seemed this chicken would be happiest in my bright red dutch oven along with a good amount of chopped celery, leaves and all, an onion, two cloves of garlic, minced fresh ginger (never TOO much!) and a chopped up carrot all getting close in there with a certain amount of canola oil.  I chased it around in the dutch oven until the chicken was browned and then I bathed it in a cup of chicken broth and 1/2 cup water and just left them to party at a slow simmer for about 1/2 hour.   This seemed a good time to toss in a good hand full of cilantro, parsley and a squirt or two of lime juice.  They were having such a great time I just covered them up again and cooked the thinest noodles I had in my pantry and then ladled the soupy chicken mixture into bowls and topped them with a decent amount of noodles and ate until I could eat no more.

And that is how my concoctions become recipes of sorts.   Of sorts, because it will never taste the same again because I don't know how much of anything I use but that's OK as far as I'm concerned.   I call this simply, Noodle Bowl!

...across the room with nothing between....

...there’s nothing between us but love anymore
Nothing to be sorry for
No excuses
No regrets

I came across these lyrics recently (sorry I don't know who wrote the song) and have to say they resonated with me immediately and have been on my mind for awhile now.  Lately I've heard a number of people talk about the marriage relationship and how different the actual marriage ends up being from what we may have thought it would be before we married.  I'm sure that is true for most.  How could we possibly know this.  However I do think that there are some things we can decide ahead of time and know what the outcome will be.

Last month my husband and I ended up traveling together but in separate vehicles for approximately 10 hours.  It reminded me a lot of when we travel on our motorbikes....he is in the lead position most times and I follow him.  When we travel on a four lane road I follow so close that nobody can get between us.  On a busy two lane I allow people to pass me first and then wait until it is safe to pass him as well.  I do not like them staying in that space between our bikes for long periods of time when they could be passing him.  I always feel like they ought to know we are traveling together and should allow us to do that.  We do not want to lose sight of each other when we are traveling on our bikes.

So here we were in separate vehicles traveling a four lane highway and wouldn't you know some drivers seemed to think they had to pass one at a time and try and get between us.  I'm sure you could guess what my response was!  I did not think there was any reason for them to get between us and closed the gap so they had to pass both of our vehicles.  Even though they signal to enter "our space" I chose to close the gap between us so they'ld have to in essence see us as one vehicle rather than two.  

As I chuckled at these poor drivers who I imagine just do not have the confidence to pass two vehicles before getting back in the right lane (they really find it difficult to drive in the left lane!) I thought how much our marriage is and has always been just like the way we drive!

We have always been careful to not allow a space between us that can be taken over by anyone else.  Or anything, for that matter.  Nothing and no one gets to come between us.  We guard our "couple space" all the time and always have.  We talked about this early in our marriage and it is one of the best conversations we ever had about our relationship.  Throughout our married life together we have had to occasionally close that gap just a little tighter and take note of our surroundings.  We had to guard that space and stay alert.

Rather than being flattered at any outside interest it disgusts us when someone might think either of us could possibly be interested in that type of disturbance.  And that is exactly how I see it .... someone trying to disturb our peace.   It is a kind of disrespect that angers me instantly.  In our relationship we have peace and harmony because.....there is nothing to be sorry for; no excuses; no regrets; just like the song says.  

...across the room to make a decision....

I think it is natural for us to evaluate our lives from time to time and make changes as we grow, change and learn.  Who has not at one time or another quoted Ecclesiastes 3:1 "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven."

Even our reasons for doing something can change.  Lately I have been thinking about my reason for starting this Blog.  My very first post was as follows:

I've been wanting to do this for a long time and tonight I finally took the plunge to set up my own Blog!  For the most part I consider myself to be a rather private individual and yet I seem to sense this desire within myself to make contact with whoever is out there and share whatever I have to share about my life's journey.  I will give it a try.  It is my way of 'walking across the room' to your corner of the world and starting a conversation just to see what might become of it!  Right now, it feels like I'm in a very big room and therefore this start is quite enough for tonight!

May this be an inviting space to be!

Until recently I've been alright just writing and posting and checking to see if anyone left a comment and how many were looking at my blog.  What I am trying to decide is whether I want to continue posting like this for anyone to stop by and read, or if it is important to me to make contact with those reading my posts in which case I would turn this into a private blog.  Decisions, decisions.  I need to give this a little more thought and will also let all my readers and lurkers know if or when I make any change.

One thing is for sure.....I do not like anyone trying to sell anything on this blog and please know I have no idea who the people are who are trying to do this.

...across the room to outsmart a cat...

Occasionally I am privileged to look after a friends cat when she is away and this week is a week I get to be so privileged!

That's the culprit, I mean the cat, in the picture, acting, I mean giving me that best friend, pet me kind of look.

I have to admit I do not understand cats.  Dogs are so expressive.  Cats, not so much!  They CAN be.  If they want to.   Not in that waggy tail, tongue hanging out the mouth, licking everything in site kind of way.

This cat goes to the back door when I come in the front and fully expects that I will hurry sufficiently to open the door in a timely manner for him to check out the neighbourhood.  He takes his sweet time getting out the door (apparently I need to learn a little patience!) and then disappears.  When his owner is home it's usually a twenty minute absence but when I'm waiting for him to return it could be twenty minutes or if one hour strikes his fancy then no amount of calling will bring him back sooner.   It doesn't matter that I'm wearing out my shoes running back and forth to see if he's decided to saunter home yet.  He comes when he wants to come.

I don't know why I'm always so glad to see him at the door when I go to check but my heart just sings when I see him there waiting for me to let him in.  It just means he's safe and I can sleep at night!

Once inside, once again, at his own pace,  he looks up at me and I understand instinctively what he is saying.  "There's a space on the couch for you to sit so I can lay down beside me so you can pet me and scratch me for as long as I need you to" and I once again, do exactly as He dictates.  Sometimes I like to take a break which he interprets as reneging on my supposed commitment and that results in some type of bullying tactics.  If getting his head under my hand and butting it into action doesn't work he jumps up beside me and butts my chest!!  He even tries purring sweet nothings in my ear when he gets really touch deprived!   Arching his back, purring, pressing against me and licking my hands are his way of expressing himself and for the most part I think we understand each other.  OK, I understand him.  He does not get my schedule one bit!!

So once again today, he called the shots, came home after an hour or more, I did my duties as his cat masseuse and when he raised his hind leg straight up in the air and started cleaning THAT anatomy I got up, went home and will be back in the morning for some further abuse!

Man do I love that cat!

...a walk across the room for a poem....

In Creston after a 600km day of riding.....

Is it crazy,
all this biking?
Always playing
never working?
Backyard messes-
ants galore
moving sand
we just ignore!
Outdoor projects
to be done
Just a minute!
There's the SUN!
junk drawer clutter
dust on bookshelves
neglected closets
just don't matter.
Summer fun
must be embraced
I hear his Harley
Is this a race?!!






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...across the room for an immediate reaction....

I don't often get into politics but tonight I listened to President Obama deliver his speech at the Democratic Convention and found myself overwhelmed with compassion for him and his role as president of the United States.  I have to admit he is easy to listen to as a speaker!  Hearing some of the contradictions is a reminder of how difficult it must be to lead an entire country!  I cannot even imagine the magnitude of the responsibility of such a thing!  What an undertaking!  Bless him for doing it.  I was reminded again as well that we need to pray much for him as well as for the American people as they decide on who their next leader will be.

The President quoted Abraham Lincoln who said  "I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had absolutely no other place to go."  Obama said he has often found himself in that place as well and invited the American people to meet him there.   Having spent considerable time today with friends talking about the mysteries of the universe and all that is in it including the marvels of the human body I was saddened to hear him talk about being driven to his knees and at the same time condone the murder of totally defenseless human beings, the unborn through abortion.   How could God possibly be telling the President that it is good to kill even one of these precious unborn children when the Scriptures he supposedly believes teach "Do not shed innocent blood". Jeremiah 7:6 and "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart". Jeremiah 1:5 not to mention "For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mothers womb...Your eyes saw my unformed body.  All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be". Psalm 139:13, 16 and lets not leave out "Your hands shaped me and made me....Did You not clothe me with skin and flesh and knit me together with bones and sinews?  You gave me life." Job 10:8-12.

I fail to understand some of  President Obama's reasoning.  Why is it good to allow women to chose life or death for their innocent defenseless babies and yet he talks about  ending the war so that sons and daughters do not have to  lose their lives fighting for their country?  Who decides which life is worthy of saving?  Where does it all eventually end?

The promises of God are sure and my prayer for America and my country Canada is to heed the promise of God in 2 Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land".

There is hope and a future for our countries but we will have to change our ways and start seeing all our political correctness for what it really is so that God can forgive us and heal us.

i