Tragedy?

We have had an incredibly windy week.  Quite possibly windier than I have ever seen it.  2 days inparticular last week were CRAZY.  And I mean crazy.  Here are just a few instances that I know of because they happened to my friends and family.  First off, a massive tree in front of my parents home blew over and pulled some of the roots right out of the ground.  That tree has been there for 25 years!  We also got a call at 6 one morning from friends pleading with my husband to , ” PLEASE come straight to our house because the trampoline is blowing away and we’re afraid it’s going to smash into the house!”  It was all 2 strong men could do to restrain it and tie it down.  And that was AFTER the middle had been cut out of it!  Little kids swimming pools were found blocks away and play house structures had hopped from front yards to back.  It was crazy!

So after the first morning of intense wind I looked out our kitchen window to the huge trees in the green belt behind us.  The trees were completely bare as the wind had stolen away any of the remaining leaves in the night.  But way up high almost near the top of a huge tree was a birds nest.  I pointed it out to my family and marveled.  How on earth did that nest stay up there through all that wind!  I talked to my boys about the verse which states that God even takes care of the birds and together we were in awe over the ability of the birds to build such a secure home and how God had given them that instinct.  We talked about how God protected those birds and their home even through such a big wind storm.  It really gave me a sense of amazement and of how deeply God cares even for the little creatures He made.

photo credit Blind Grasshopper

The next night was just as windy.  I had to sleep with my iPod in my ears to drown out the noise of the wind as every time it howled or rattled the windows it would wake me.  

Filed under: Family Life, gospel , sovereignty, wind storm, birds nest, lessons about Gods character

If this doesn’t make your heart joyful

A Spurgeon quote for this morning from his Morning and Evening devotional.

Yes, we are, indeed the conquered captives of His omnipotent love.  Thus chosen,  purchased, and subdued, the rights of our divine possessor are inalienable:  we rejoice that we never can be our own; and we desire, day by day, to do His will, and to show forth His glory.

May He make those our desires every hour of every day!

Filed under: Spurgeon , gospel, Spurgeon

Family Photos

My friend Lara, of Red Wagon Photography, took our family photos today!  She’s got a few of them up on her blog.  Check ‘em out here! (click blog once you’re on her site)

I’ll post more once I get them all from here.

I did pics of her family too!  They’re over on my photography blog.

It was so cold while we were posing/shooting that my fingers actually hurt to warm up.

Happy Weekend everyone!

Filed under: Family Life , family photography, Photography

awesome

that’s what this idea is.

It’s various cheeses served on a piece of slate and labeled with chalk.  Cause really, whoever knows which cheese is which.  Idea found here.

Now can someone invite me somewhere so I can bring this, please?

Filed under: Food Stuff, Uncategorized , cheese, serving idea, awesome

More on Community

I just started reading Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer which is a discussion on Christian Fellowship.

I don’t have a lot to say on the book yet but something did stand out to me when reading that was such a great reminder of what we have by living where we do.

Bonhoeffer says this in speaking about christian community,

It is true, of course, that what is an unspeakable gift of God for the lonely individual is easily disregarded and trodden under foot by those who have the gift every day.  It is easily forgotten that the fellowship of Christian brethren is a gift of grace, a gift of the Kingdom of God that any day may be taken from us, that the time that still separates us from utter loneliness may be brief indeed.  Therefore, let him who until now has had the privilege of living a common Christian life with other Christians praise God’s grace from the bottom of his heart.  Let him thank God on his knees and declare:  It is grace, nothing but grace, that we are allowed to live in community with Christian brethren.

I’ve got to be honest – more often than not I grumble about living in the bible belt.  It seems that people here are either christians or overchurched, meaning they’ve heard it and had enough of it!  It seems so much cooler to me to think about missionaries forging their way amongst various tribes in which noone knows about Christ, or being in a place that may actually be dangerous to even speak of God.  Meanwhile, those Christians are probably praying for someone….anyone with whom they can fellowship instead of walking alone.

Filed under: Authors, Dietrich Bonhoeffer , abbotsford, community, fellowship, grace

Things in my head: Part II

2)  Take more snaps of our family in our everyday life.

One day of taking snaps of our family and I realized why I don’t do it.  They look horrible!  I know its ridiculous considering people pay me to take their pictures but I have NO IDEA how to use our point and shoot camera.  I like my lovely big camera with lots of buttons and options and that I know how to adjust to varying light situations.  With our little camera all I know how to do is turn it on and push the shutter.  The flash always makes everyone look like zombies with red eyes and completely flattened features.

Alas, I tried.  Here are some snaps of one of our days in Seattle.

Filed under: Family Life , Family Life, snaps

Things in my head: Part I

I’ve always had a love of fashion.  Ask my mom!  She knew it when I was only 3 and would stand in front of my closet with my hands on my hips and state, “I have nothing to wear!”

There have been many stages and phases since that day:  stirrup pants, star shaped sunglasses, the ever popular “california roll”.  I’ve done prep, I’ve done grunge, I’ve done jeans and t-shirts as many ways as there are kinds of jeans and t-shirts!  I think I could walk through every year of my life and their would be an outfit, or a piece of jewellry, or a hat or a bag or a pair of jeans, or shoes that would stand out as summing up part of who I was at that age and in that stage.

I had her outfit almost exactly!

So I’ve thought A LOT about fashion throughout the years and I’ve been asked numerous times how I feel about it.  Is it just frivolous?  Am I falling into a materialistic trap?  Shouldn’t I be feeding the poor instead of buying a new belt?  The answer is Yes!  And no.

Filed under: Uncategorized , edith schaeffer, fashion, materialism, christianity and fashion, the hidden art of homemaking

Community

Matt Chandler told me on our run this morning (er….he wasn’t running.  He was just yelling in my ears via iPod)  that having good friends over, eating delicious food, having great conversation, laughing and enjoying one another’s company is holy.

Interesting because that’s exactly what we did last night and I think he’s right.  I wouldn’t have thought about it that way until I heard him say it but our evening with friends last night was truly great.   I need evenings like that in order to stay refreshed.

Why do we (Christians, that is…) think that it’s only our “quiet time” and time in church that is Holy?

Made me think.  What other things are Holy that we’re not appreciating as such?  What are we missing out on by not recognizing moments/things/people for what they are? I have no answers right now.  But maybe one day…

Filed under: Joy, gospel , community, Holy

My Suitcase

My family was practically giddy this morning when they woke up.  Phoenix came running to my bed saying, “Mama, mama…” (even though he’s six and can speak perfectly clearly in the morning when he’s sleepy he resorts to baby talk cause he knows it scores him snuggles!) and he crawled into bed with me.  ”We’re already on vacation!”  I announced.  And it feels like we are – even though we’re still at home getting ready to go.  The fact that our normal agenda has been chucked out the window for the next 3 days is certainly refreshing and even the kids can feel it.

Here’s some pictures of my suitcase, as promised….

 

Isn’t it pretty?  Okay.  Off to finish packing!

Filed under: Ramblings , packing, red suitcase, vacation

Weekend Away

Our family decided to skip Halloween this year after a rotten one last year.  Here’s the recap:  one child terrified of all houses with anything even remotely creepy, one child nearly vomitting, 3 children who had to go pee and were tired of walking, and two parents happily walking along chatting with friends.  Until they realized their kids were miserable.  That very night, October 31 2008 I said to my family, “Can we remember this next year?”

And they did!  So instead we’re packing our bags and heading to Seattle for a weekend spent in our favourite hotel, swimming in the pool, sleeping in, eating good food and spending the birthday money that is burning a hole in the boys pocket.  (however will they decide between lego, video games, bakugan or candy!?!)

The boys in Seattle this time last year.

Filed under: Family Life , seattle, Halloween, weekend plans, vintage suitcase