Thursday, September 29, 2011
Caffeinated Randomness - Got Any Grapes?
This week I've been in a bit of a writing funk. I've got nothing, as you can notice from my lack of blogging this week. I do have some ideas. But I've been very unmotivated and tired. I've been busy leading a group for Maximizing Your Mornings and doing Good Morning Girls. As well as, fighting a head cold that seems to want to stick around for a while. We spent one morning looking over respite workers applications (VERY OVERWHELMING). This has not been a great week for me. All I want to do is hide under the covers and let the world go by, while I read and drink coffee.
Instead of focusing on the negative though, I thought I would leave you with something fun. My daughter was introduced to the Duck Song by a friend. My family now walks around asking if they each "have any grapes?" Even the Tormentinator gets into the gig by singing the "boomp, boomp, boomp" line. I hope you all enjoy it as much as we do. If you do, continue with the Duck and his saga of looking for grapes through YouTube. There are 3 of them. But be careful, you and your family might become addicted to the Duck as much as we are.
Come link in your randomness today.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Fall
I love fall. Fall is my favourite season and today is the first day of Fall.
I was talking to a friend who isn't as excited about fall as I am. She says it's just a reminder that winter is coming. But I embrace it. Fall is a time of change. A time where God begins a time of Selah in the world. It's a time where the colours of fire come out.
It's a time to crunch the leaves with our feet.
It's a time to get in the house and smell the baking going on.
| I really want to make these tasty cakes |
It's a time of getting together with friends and sharing stories over a lovely pumpkin latte.
It's a time where kids go back to school and open doors to their imaginations.
Yes, Fall is my favourite season. I will embrace it and rejoice in it.
"October was a beautiful month at Green Gables, when the birches in the hollow turned as golden as sunshine and the maples behind the orchard were royal crimson and the wild cherry trees along the lane put on the loveliest shades of dark red and bronzy green, while the fields sunned themselves in aftermaths." Lucy Maud Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
Come and link up with some great ladies and celebrate this beautiful changing season.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Planning Isn't Always the Answer
I'm a planner. I plan everything in advance: meals, cleaning, birthday parties, Christmas, kids college, retirement, etc... I come from a long list of planners. Christmas next year is already being planned by June (the where and the what, not the actual meal). We even start planning what happens at the end. A common topic of discussion is our wills - the ultimate plan.
There are times when I'm struggling through life where I start planning the what ifs. If so and so happens, I'll .... I've always been that way. I feel a sense of control over the situation. A sense that no matter what happens I'll be ok. I've never throught of my planning as a control or safety mechanism, but it is.
Lately through scripture and study, God has been revealing who is in control of every situation. I've been reading "The Worn Out Woman" by Dr. Steve Stephens and Alice Gray. They suggest and I agree, that my need to control and plan is actually my lack of trust in God.
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:25-34 NIV)
These verses speak of God's promise to provide for us. In a world where all we hear about is looming debt issues it is easy to worry about our futures and what will we do if.. But God is there. He has plans for us. He will provide for us. It may not look the way we want it to but it is the way He planned. When we worry about our money, food or home, are we really trusting God? God will provide for each of us. He may be asking us to change the way we think things should be, but He will care for us. Remember Jesus fed 4000 with only 7 loaves and a few fish (Mark 8: 1-17). What will He do for you?
Life throws many twists and curves and none of us can be truly prepared for what is around the next curve. But how is worrying really going to help the situation? I can think about all the what ifs but until I'm there I won't be able to do anything about it. I can have all my contingency plans in place but really am I trusting God in these situations. Am I allowing Him to care for me? Am I truly submitting and surrendering to Him or am I trying to lead?
I will be praying through my situations. Allowing God to lead. Allowing Him to provide for me in all my circumstances.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Messy Mondays - Worship
Messy Mondays is where I share what God has been showing me through the
messiness of life. It is my personal belief that this walk isn't
clean and crisp and straight or narrow. It's wide and twisted and
mucky and messy. It's about the ups and the downs, but through it all
God is there with us.
This Sunday I was privileged to sing with our one of our church's worship teams. I was asked by my friend who was leading us. I so love to sing and love praising God with my voice. There is always as sense of calm, a sense of peace, a sense of knowing that the Father is with me when I sing, especially in community worship. I can feel the Spirit flowing among the people and know that the Father is honouring our gifts to Him.
This week was especially poignant. My friend's husband is in the hospital again with pancreatitis. The other singer's husband has been struggling with the aftermath of a stroke at a young age. I have been struggling through my depression and dealing with the "A" word. My Pastor's father is dying from cancer. All of us imperfect. All of us struggling. All of us being held up in His hands. All of knowing that the Father is there with us through all our struggles and burdens. That He alone will lift us up and help us to persevere through this time. None of us know the outcomes but all of us trusting in faith in Him.
But I will sing of your strength,in the morning I will sing of your love;for you are my fortress,my refuge in times of trouble.O my Strength, I sing praise to you;you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God. (Psalm 59:16-17)
Friday, September 16, 2011
Caffeinated Randomness - YouTube
Have you ever spent a day just checking out You Tube. I'm not talking about just checking out videos for our favourite worship songs or videos of our friends vlogs but some of the silly videos on You Tube. There are some disturbing ones, but there are some very cute and funny ones. I have spent many hours watching these videos on YouTube. I am always shocked at the time the people take to make these little vignettes and the quality of many of them.
This week for some silly fun random posting, I am posting my top 5 You Tube videos in no order:
1. Potter Puppet Pals: the Mysterious Ticking Noise. This is hilarious. If you have seen any of the movies you will know the characters. This video has been viewed by over 100 million views alone. It is just silly fun and it has a catching tune that will make you sing along.
2. Christmas Badgers. We found this video just after world cup soccer. My husband found the original Footy Footy video, but I enjoyed this one more. My kids get a kick out of watching this video and the other badger videos. There simple and dangerous as they can become "earworms."
3. Baby Got Book. I was a child of the 90s. When the original song came out it was like watching an accident. You couldn't look away. When I saw this video, I couldn't stop laughing. I want to be a Baby with a Big Book. I do have an NIV with a ribbon book mark. I wonder if that counts.
4. Swagger Wagon. I know this went viral, but its so funny and true about we who rock out our vans. I personally have a Pontiac Montana, but I've rocked it out with my favourite praise music (ok, I might have cruised the block blaring Nickelback or Robbie Williams).
5. Jesus Video #3. This is from a series of voice overs by a church who was using them in a sermon series about our preconceived notions of Christians. I love the end and often use it jokingly - "You are all evil. There is no hope."
I could have put on more, but these are just some of my favourites. I hope you enjoy them.
Come and join in the randomness this week.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Wednesdays Voice - Pakistan
Let's pray for each other and the persecuted church. Please feel free to leave a prayer request below.
Christian woman escapes kidnapper in Pakistan
(Source: Pakistan Christian Post)
In 2009, Arifa Alfred was kidnapped in Quetta, Pakistan after drinking tea that had been drugged. When she awoke, she found herself in the home of Mohammad Amjad, a Muslim man who told her that she was now his wife and that she had converted to Islam. Arifa's parents reported her kidnapping to the police, but the police did nothing to help.
During her captivity, Arifa was drugged and physically and mentally tortured. She attempted to flee the house many times, but without success until August 1, when she found the house unlocked for the first time in two years. Despite her many internal injuries due to the torture she had endured, Arifa escaped and fled to the hospital. She then found her brother Adnan, who reported the situation to police.
At last report, the police had done nothing to bring justice; one police inspector even stated he was happy that she had converted to Islam. However, Arifa has shared, "I am a Christian and have stood always steadfast in my Christian faith." Arifa and her family have since gone into hiding due to threats on their lives.
Pray that God will bring about justice for Arifa (Psalm 140). Pray the Lord will protect Arifa, her family and the Christian community.
Pray He will minister to her and heal her completely.
Pray that her kidnapper will repent and come to know the Lord. Pray for other Christian women in Pakistan who are facing similar struggles.
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- Michelle
- Alberta, Canada
- I'm a 39 year old (oh yeah I'm telling you my age) Stay at Home mom. A former Bad Girl now reformed sinner, I'm married to my Y2K guy and raising 3 great children from God. Proudly Canadian, however, missing the West Coast, I currently live in the prairies watching the farmers fields produce as I learn how God produces the fruits in me.
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