Lost In the Prairies.....Found by God

Man charged with blasphemy in Pakistan (Source VOM/USA)

Dildar Yousaf, 28, was arrested and charged with blasphemy after defending his eight-year-old nephew who was being attacked by a group of Muslim boys last June. Dildar's nephew, Ehtasham, was passing by a "madrassa," a school where Islamic students study the Qur'an, when seven boys surrounded him and tried to force him to say, "There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet." Ehtasham refused, and the boys began to verbally and physically assault him. Dildar happened by and pulled his nephew away and took him home.

A rumour then spread that Dildar had disgraced the Muslim proclamation of faith. Crowds gathered and began to demand his death. Police picked up Dildar from his workplace, put him in protective custody and charged him with blasphemy. This particular charge carries a potential three-year sentence with the possibility of parole, unlike other blasphemy charges in the country that can result in a death sentence.

Dildar's wife, Naseem, and their two children, as well as Ehtasham and his family, have all had to leave their village. VOM is supporting the family and providing legal assistance to Dildar. Dildar's village has a history of persecution. In the past, a Christian's house was burned, a pastor was killed, and another believer was charged with blasphemy.

The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying.

 He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work and prayerless religion.

 He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray (Samuel Chadwick)

I know I have mentioned this before but I am not a morning person.  I prefer the night.  Maybe that's why I love vampire stories, I get the being awake in the dark.  However saying all this it's much harder to stay up later since having kids.  I am often struggling to stay up to watch some of my favourite shows because I've been busy throughout the day.  I like the night because it's quiet.  There is no whining, no yelling, no grabbing, and no messes.  It's quiet and serene.  I know it doesn't sound very motherly, but sometimes it's just nice to soak in the peace.  

However, I have now discovered a new time that is quiet and peaceful and uninterrupted for at least 1 hour and it's dark.  It's 6 am.  Sometimes I miss it because my bed is so warm and comfy and cozy and I stayed up way too late the night before.  I never really knew this time.  I was introduced to this time of peace through Hellomornings last year.  I participated early last year.  It was actually easier than I thought for the first bit.  I found that I got my study work done and had time with God alone.  I was able to watch the sunrise over the prairies from my favourite chair, that was until the kids figured out my plan and then I hid in my old laundry/craft room.  The door closed and locked.  

After our move it was hard to get back into the routine.  I was sporadic in my Hellomornings, but I did finish.  In the fall I decided to go gung ho and try to lead a group.  I ended up bombing out.  I struggled, not just with getting up but with personal issues.  I think I also tried to take on too much, as I was involved in Good Morning Girls.  I certainly struggled.  I decided this January not to do Hellomornings, but just keep going with my Good Morning Girls group, whom I have grown to love and depend on.  We have been through a lot together and bonded even though we barely know each other.  

I try to wake up at 6 am.  I go to the kitchen and I make my coffee. I sit at my desk in the kitchen and pull out my bible and notebook.  Turn on my lap top and then log into YouVersion.  I do my study.  Make another cup of coffee.  Pray.  Read a bit.  Sometimes I pin.  Sometimes I make the kids a special breakfast or fold some laundry.  I have found now that if I don't do my study at this time, that it won't get done during the day, even if I try to make time for it.  I still get to see the sunrise.  Sometimes I see amazing sunrises that look like a tunnel of light.  Sometimes I just sit and hug my mug.  

As the title of this blog states, mornings are peaceful, not beautiful.  There are some beautiful things about them that I have come to appreciate.  However, I'm not beautiful at that time.  I'm a little scary. Here's the proof (WARNING:  The following picture may scare and invoke nightmares in small children and bloggers)

The only thing beautiful at 6 am is my coffee mug.  Isn't it pretty with it's pink mug cover.  It even has a lid so I don't spill anything. 

So now I'm going to challenge you and do my first giveaway.  I have a $10.00 Starbucks gift card to giveaway to one lucky person.  If you post a picture of yourself at 6 am and comment and link it up then you will get 5 entries. For random links, you get 3 entries.  For commenting, you get only 1 entry.  I will randomly choose a winner based on the entries (the old fashioned way via the names in a hat).  Your chances of getting the gift card increase for being brave enough to share your "morning beautiful"  I can't wait to see everyone.  This giveaway is open until Sunday, February 26 at 11:59 PM.  And I will post the name of the winner on Monday, February 27.  Good luck!

Come and join the fun no matter what!

Does this resemble you?  I know it does me.  I am non functional without my first cup of coffee.  I go crazy and have no patience.  When the kids are at me in the mornings and I haven't had my first cup, I usually say to them that they need to calm down until I get my coffee.  That first sip is like a drug.  I feel it's warming calmness cursing through me.  I can breathe.  I feel like I can face any giant that is thrown my way.  When I don't get that cup of coffee watch out.

Last summer we went camping.  Since I am the only one who drinks coffee in our family, I decided to try instant coffee on the trip that way I wouldn't waste a lot of coffee. We were only going for a two night trip.  I could handle this.  By the way, I also decided that I would wait until we got home on Sunday to shower as well.  I could rough it for the short time.  Saturday morning I made a cup of the instant coffee and tried to stomach it.  I did my best but the stuff was awful.  It was not potable.  I spent Saturday in the camp site.  I usually read a lot while we camp.  Sunday morning I tried to make a cup of coffee.  I felt disgusting and dirty.  The coffee was undrinkable.  I was cranky and miserable.  I made sure everyone knew it too.  I was not a "beautiful" person that morning.  My husband handed me some money and a towel and said to go get coffee at the campsite's coffee shop and a shower.  I listened to him and felt so much better and more peaceful.  Everyone was safe again and the whole world was happy, or at least I was.

If you think coffee and I have had a long love affair, you would actually be wrong.  I didn't start drinking coffee until  grade 12 when I was introduced to mochas.  I would make hot chocolate and add a bit of coffee to taste.  It was yummy.  After that coffee slowly "wormed" it's way into my life.  When I started working with lawyers it became quickly apparent that I needed something.  I started drinking coffee more.  Actually it was more of a cafe au lait style coffee with two teaspoons of sugar.  I don't think I could drink it today as it would be disgusting, but back then it was all I could handle.  I drank my coffee like that for years.  In fact I had my favourite mug, it was a plastic Elmo mug.  It was so cute.  I still have that mug, the kids love to use it.  

When I started attending church I started drinking coffee even more.  Of course they didn't have cream so I had to drink it with two spoonfuls of powdered coffee creamer.  This was beginning of my regular coffee drinking life, but I could still live without it.  Ask my Evil Twin who while we were garage saling informed me that I needed to get her coffee ASAP or we couldn't continue.  When I became pregnant with Thomas I found I needed to drink a cup of coffee a day and after I had him I needed to drink at least two a day, not that I am blaming him.  I also found that I loved lattes, especially pumpkin spice ones.  

Since becoming a coffee drinker I have also learned to be weary of those who don't drink coffee.  Not that I dislike them, but some non-coffee drinkers do look down on us who need the quick shot.  I was involved in a playgroup, where the facilitator didn't drink coffee and didn't know how to make it.  I to this day don't know how she can get through the day with her son without it.  Coffee is my crutch.  My go to.  It makes me calm and relaxed.  I suppose the way I'm talking about coffee would be like someone who smokes.  I will admit that I'm probably addicted.  Luckily my addiction is legal.

When my coffee machine broke early this fall, I had to buy a new one right away.  What would I do with out my beloved coffee?  This Christmas my sister and grandmother gave me my new beloved - a Keruig.  It was the first thing unpacked once we got home.  It has made it that much easier to get coffee.  

The one concern of the devil is to keep Christians from praying. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work and prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray (Samuel Chadwick)

Since I last posted in Caffeinated Randomness, life has been moving at a fast past.  Last Friday I woke up realizing that the coding for both Photobucket and LinkyTools was off.  I had slept in and didn't have enough time to fix it before dropping Nic off at school.  So after I dropped Nicole off, I quickly went in and fixed all the coding and editing.  Good thing I did, my hubby noticed that I missed #3 of Random Things I needed to list.  I had grandeous plans to catch up on my Bible Study and reading.  Instead, I cleaned up a bit and then went and played Kinex Adventures with Thomas.  River Rafting was a work out.  It was fun and something I need to do with the kids more often.  After lunch, instead of doing what I should have been doing I watched Star Wars with Thomas.  I was so excited as I have been waiting to watch it with one of the kids.  I am a big Star Wars freak and watched it when I was 4 for the first time.  I can't wait to watch more of them with him.  Friday night I made a quick dinner and then I watched Coureageous.  It made me think that what I did during the day was way more important than cleaning.

Saturday, I decided to spend the day with Nicole and go for lunch and thirft store shopping.  By unanimous vote we went for sushi.  It was so yummy.  I got to teach Nicole about the value of a dollar and how to spend her money wisely.  She bought a purse and wallet and loves to carry them around with her every where now.  I was going to read all the links for Caffeinated Randomness on Saturday night, instead, I started feeling ill.  I ended up in bed early and suffered all night.  Turns out I had a slight case of food poisining.  Sushi tried to kill me.  I was ill Sunday as well.  I counldn't do anything but lay on the couch and watch tv.  I had no energy and couldn't focus on anything.  

Monday I was still ill, but had to get things done.  I ended up having a meeting with Thomas' Occupational Therapist for an hour.  She gave me some good tips on our potty issues.  I'm hoping these work as he will be going to school full time in two weeks.  I want him to fit in with the other kids and not be ostracized.  I then got to skype into Andrea's baby shower.  It was great to see everyone, even though they couldn't hear me at all.  That evening the naseau came back and I took it easy.

Tuesday, I got to visit a friend from Saskatoon who was in town getting ready to fly out for a vacation in Pheonix, Arizona.  It was a good visit but too quick.  I rushed back to get Nicole and go do some grocery shopping.  Came home and made dinner.  By the end I was tired.  It didn't help too that Sam spilt juice on the floor and decided to play with playdough on the carpet.  I will admit that I was at my wits end and almost lost it on the little guy.  I got everything cleaned up and put him to bed.   

The craziness continued on Hump-Day as well.  I viewed a centre based program for Sam which has left me questioning what is best for him.  Then to waste a little time between appointments, ok I had a lunch date planned, I went to Ikea.  I love to wonder Ikea looking for ideas.  I also found some cute little candles that smell like green apples.  I can't wait to start burning them around the house and prepping the house for spring.  I just need to finish the pumpkin spice candle.  I think I will burn it tomorrow and see if I can burn it out.  My lunch date was with a friend that I haven't visited with in a while.  Her life is just as busy as mine as she is trying to finish her education degree.  She made us a delicious cream of broccoli soup.  I rushed home from lunch to pick the kids up at school and then had to drop two of them off at home to my sister in law as it was Student Led Conferences for Kindergarten.  That was interesting.  I basically followed around Thomas (believe me it was following as he was running from station to station) and he showed me what they have been working on.  I am very proud of my middleman as he knows so much about planets and loves music class. 

My Wednesday ended with me attending a workshop for speech therapy for Sam.  I was the only parent waiting for an ASD diagnosis and with a diagnosis.  I think I may have scared some of the parents.  There was a couple there where the husband kept making jokes about this being their Valentines Date.  It was a great evening.  I wasn't expecting to learn a lot, but I did.  I even got to goal set.  My goal is to get Sam from mimicry of words to comprehension of the words.  I am going to look into the PEC system to see if this will work for us. 

I thought I would finally get a break on Thursday as my respite worker was coming in the morning.  My quick hideout to write the blog ended up being hijacked by Skype.  My aunt called and we had a nice visit, without interruptions.  I then started to make the meals promised to my friends aunt.  I made 3 meals in 1/2 an hour.  I had the Literacy for Life people visit as they will be assisting me in creating a program for the boys.  I'm excited to see how this goes.

So now I am writing the blog at 9 pm.  I'm exhausted and tired.  I'm surprised that I survived this week or did I survive?  I am weary.  I am exhausted.  I am frustrated.  I am overwhelmed.  Some people may see this week and see the highs and lows.  They may focus on the positive I did.  I however am seeing what I didn't do.  I rarely prayed this week, although I got my study done daily.  I praised God in song, but didn't talk to Him.  I ignored Him.  I rushed by Him, just like I did my kids and husband this week.  I feel like I gave everyone little bits of me and forgot to ask for the pieces back.  I need to refocus and think about how to make my life fuller and content.  I need to stop stretching myself thin.  I am not taffy.  I am bending, but bending to the point of almost cracking.  Tomorrow I am catching up.  I will be catching up on housework that has desperately been lacking, but also on my reading.  I am going to set some time aside to read my Bible and pray.  I need to fill myself up with fuel.  I need to take all my angst and give it God and let Him figure out the next steps.  I have been too busy doing that I have forgotten to let go and rest in the one who fills.  I think as moms we all do this.  We think we need to move, move, move, where really God is calling us to sit down (with a cup of coffee) and talk to Him.

I focused on physical friends this week, but forgot about the most important friend.  A lesson I have learned the hard way.

Has there been a time where you have been going and hit the wall running?  Have you been spending time with God and working on your relationship with Him?

Come link in this week with all your craziness this week.

On January 14, Somali Muslim extremists arrested a Muslim man after two of his teenage children converted to Christianity in Kismayo. The two teenage sons of Mo'alim Mohamud Aw-Omar converted to Christianity in late 2011. They fled their home following their conversion. Members of the radical Islamic group, al-Shabaab, accused Aw-Omar of "failing to raise his sons as good Muslims" because "good Muslims cannot convert to Christianity." Aw-Omar, who is still a Muslim, insisted that his sons had memorized the Qur'an, fasted and prayed regularly, and therefore he should not be accused of failing his duties.

According to sources on the ground, the Islamists have refused to release Aw-Omar until his two sons return to Kismayo. This is unlikely to happen because the young men will be killed if they return. According to the strict interpretation of the Islamic law that al-Shabaab follows, leaving Islam is a crime punishable by death. Radical Islamists have killed a number of Christian converts in Somalia. This is the first confirmed case of a parent being arrested for the conversion of children.

11 Random Things You May or May Not Know Already:

1.  Even though I am Canadian, I don't read many Canadian authors.  I find much of what our top authors write is very pretentious or very unbelievable.  Everything that could happen will happen in small town Canada.  I've lived in a small town and I didn't see this.  Maybe I wear rose coloured glasses.

2.  I am currently addicted to house hunting shows.  I don't know why.  I'm not moving.  I do however like to see the prices of houses in other places.  As I am writing this, I am watching House Hunters International.  I love watching these people try to purchase homes as they would where they come from.  People, these houses are in another country, usually more densely populated than what we are used to living in.  Change is ok and if you're moving realize it isn't going to be like home.

3.  Even though I am up early, I am not a morning person.  I prefer the night.  I could stay up to my eyes are almost closing from sleep.  

4.  Speaking of butter.  I am a butter girl.  I can't believe that something that is processed (margarine) is supposed to be healthier than something that is from something natural.  I love the way it tastes and how it makes other things taste.  I am not alone, Sam agrees.  I caught him eating butter from the butter dish last night.

7.  My new favourite show is Once Upon a Time.  I love this show.  I'm still trying to figure it all out, but I love how they go between current time and story land time.  If you haven't watched it, it is worth checking out.

8.  My youngest Sam was named after Sam Gagner of the Edmonton Oilers.  Tonight as I am writing this Sam got 4 goals and 4 assists against the Chicago Blackhawks.  Go Oilers!!!!

9.  I like vegemite and marmite on toast with cheese and tomatoes.  I haven't had this in a while, but I am currently craving it.  I'll have to run out tomorrow and get some.  

10.  I don't like blinds.  I am sure I am not alone.  They get dirty and dusty way to easily and they are hard to clean.  I like curtains.  Unfortunately all my windows have blinds.  I need to either make some or learn to live with the blinds.  I think making them is easier.

My Answers To Sherri's Questions:

If I could live anywhere in the world, I would want to live somewhere in Europe.  I would spend weekends travelling and seeing things I have only read about.

My favourite childhood memory is the night the power went out.  Now I know that it's not that funny.  My cousin was living in a trailer in our front yard and had everything thing on.  We had all the family over and every light in the house was one, as well as all the tvs.  We blew every fuse and had to have a new electric box replaced.  It was fun because the card game everyone played continued in the dark in candlelight. 

My favorite recipe is Bacon Onion Pasta.  It is essentially frying bacon and onions together.  Cook up some pasta.  Add 1 cup of grated cheese and mix everything together.  It's so greasy and yummy.

If I never had to worry about money I would travel first class.  I haven't done my traveling and if I'm going to do it and not worry about the cost, I think first class would be the way to go.

I'm probably not the best person to be giving this.  However, I am a firm believer in hand me downs and 2nd hand clothes.  Kids grow out of clothes so quickly that it just makes sense to use 2nd hand clothing and if you have more than one, then to pass on the good clothes.  I rarely buy clothes for the kids because of clothes that we are given by friends or family.  My kids don't know the difference and they get excited when they learn if a shirt was from their favourite cousins.

 This is hard.  It depends on my mood or how I feel or the genre I am listening to at the time.  Right because Sam is fighting going to sleep, it's Goodnight My Love.  LOL

My favourite team is the Edmonton Oilers.  Only because my husband cheers for them.  It makes the household easier.

I love my room, especially since we moved the rocker in there to make room for the Christmas tree.  I love to sneak in there with a book and read.  For some reason it is the last room in the house that the kids look for me.  

I enjoy our quick trips.  Especially the ones were we don't tell the kids where we are going until we get there.  I love hearing them guessing where we are going and then to see the excitement on their faces. 

My Eleven Questions for my victims.

My Victims Friends Being Tagged

Now I just need to go and tag these lovely ladies.  Not tonight though, I am very tired and only have 14 minutes on my laptop.  If you want to play along, please do.  The more the merrier.  I can't wait to read everyone's randomness this week.

A 15-year-old Christian girl in Uganda is slowly regaining the use of her legs after her father, in an attempt to make her convert back to Islam, confined her in a small room and deprived her of adequate food and water. Susan Ithungu was locked in a room for six months after accepting Christ as her Saviour in 2010 She weighed just 20 kilograms when she was finally rescued after her brother informed neighbours of his sister's life-threatening condition. The two children lived alone with their father who was arrested last fall when the girl was removed from the home by police and hospitalized for more than a month. Susan's father was quickly released, however, and remains unapologetic for the abuse. Susan now lives in a rented house in an undisclosed location."Well-wishers have been paying the house rent and buying me food and clothing," said Susan, who added that she has forgiven her father. A church member, Biira Dreda, left her own four children with family to care for Susan. Susan has begun to walk with support, but cannot squat or stand upright due to the amount of time she spent immobilized. She hopes to return to school soon, but remains in very fragile condition.