Eight things you may not know about me!!

I was asked to do this meme, I've never done one before but I'm willing to give it a try. So.... here it goes...



The Rules: “Each person posts the rules before their list, then they list 8 things about themselves. At the end of the post, that person tags and links to 8 other people and then visits those peoples’ sites and comments letting them know that they have been tagged, and to come read the post, so they know what they have to do.”



1. The first thing you may not know about me is..I LOVE babies!! It doesn't matter whose baby it is, weather the baby is happy, crying, clean, dirty..... I LOVE BABIES! I work in the nursery at church and it's one of my favorite parts of my week. Up until just recently I've wanted to have more babies of my own, but lately when I hear a baby crying in the mall, or see parents pulling out their strollers from their trunks I'm glad that I can enjoy other peoples babies and then give them back. But I do LOVE them all!!

2. I like to scrapbook and make cards. Lately I haven't done a lot of it and I'm not really that great at it, but I do really enjoy it. I got started when we were living in Cross Lake and all the other RCMP wives were into it. We would get together for an afternoon or evening and sit around the table making cards and visiting. It's a really fun way to spend time with friends.

3. I would love to have a few friends over to make supper together and then enjoy that said supper. I think it would be fun cooking and visiting in the kitchen and then be able to sit down and enjoy the meal we created together. Because I'm a big chicken and not sure if other people would think that was a dumb idea, I haven't done it, but I sure would like to.... I think it would be fun. Anyone interested???

4. I love singing and listening to music. It's something I do a lot throughout my day and one of my favorite parts of church is praise and worship. I sing in my kitchen, my car, my backyard. It really embarrasses my daughter, but I love to sing. Sometimes I even dance in my kitchen, especially when I am alone. I just love to praise my Lord!!

5. I like to help....where ever, when ever, how ever. I just enjoy helping people with anything! It gives me great joy!

6. I am a very patient person except at times with my kids and sometimes that makes me feel very discouraged. I am working on trying to be more patient with them, but some days I find it REALLY hard. Can anyone relate???

7. I miss my husband very much! He is working in a northern community and has not been home since April. The kids and I would really like him to come home for a while.

8. I love being back home after ten years of living in other communities. I missed my little town, which really isn't so little any more. (sometimes that makes me sad) Even though it's hard to be back after so many years, I really don't want to be anywhere else.

Now I'm supposed to tag 8 other people. I'm not sure I even know 8 other bloggers, so if you've already been tagged, sorry!!! ( I hope this works, I'm also kind of computer illiterate!)

Mel at http://melodiearmbruster.blogspot.com/
Ruth at http://brianswife.blogspot.com/
Esther at http://estherderksen.blogspot.com/
Shelley at http://shelleyschmidt.blogspot.com/
Stephanie at http://likethenight.blogspot.com/
Goria at http://yesthesearemythighs.blogspot.com/

So there you have it. Have a great day!!!

Back from Killarney

Well, we have been back from Killarney now for a few days. It's hard to get back into the groove of your regular life when you have been away for a while, even if it is only for a few days. (at least that's how I find it)

The kids had a blast, the beach, mini-golf, friends, camp fires etc. Jacqueline got to spend the weekend with two of her very good friends from Churchill, that was good to see, she had a hard time leaving. The water was ok, for most of the weekend, but on Sunday we went to the beach and there was thick, green, slimy algae all over the place. The kids did go in for a very short time because it was so hot, but could not stay in for to long. After they had to shower and scrub every inch of their little bodies. So that was not to enjoyable.

On Sunday I went to church with the two ladies I was visiting. We were going to go to the Baptist church, but got the start time wrong, so ended up going to the United Church. It was interesting to say the least. We were the youngest ones there, no children at all, not even one. I would estimate the next youngest person there to be maybe 65, I think really it was 70, but I'm not to sure. It makes for a very interesting church service, to quiet and solemn for me. I'm thankful for all of the kids in our church, they make everything seem alive.

Well, I'm not the greatest blogger yet, I didn't even take ONE picture while we were there! I did bring my camera along, so that is one step in the right direction, right?? I know, it's very sad, I had good intentions though. So hopefully next time I will do better and have some pics for you to see too!!

Have a great weekend!

The kids and I are on our way to Killarney, Manitoba for the weekend!! A couple from Churchill that both teach in the school there spend their summers in Killarney and we are going to go visit them. The kids are VERY excited, to put it mildly. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.
I just wanted to share this article with all of you by Max Lucado, it is really inspiring!

Nevertheless
by Max Lucado

And the king and his men… spoke to David, saying, "You shall not come in here; but the blind and the lame will repel you," …Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion (that is, the City of David).
- 2 Sam. 5:6–7

Did you see it? Most hurry past it. Let’s not. Pull out a pen and underline this twelve-letter masterpiece.
Nevertheless.
"Nevertheless David took the stronghold…"

Wouldn’t you love God to write a nevertheless in your biography? Born to alcoholics, nevertheless she led a sober life. Never went to college, nevertheless he mastered a trade. Didn’t read the Bible until retirement age, nevertheless he came to a deep and abiding faith.
We all need a nevertheless. And God has plenty to go around. Strongholds mean nothing to him. Remember Paul’s words? "We use God’s mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the Devil’s strongholds" (2 Cor. 10:4 NLT).
You and I fight with toothpicks; God comes with battering rams and cannons. What he did for David, he can do for us. The question is, will we do what David did? The king models much here.
Two types of thoughts continually vie for your attention. One proclaims God’s strengths; the other lists your failures. One longs to build you up; the other seeks to tear you down. And here’s the great news: you select the voice you hear. Why listen to the mockers? Why heed their voices? Why give ear to pea-brains and scoffers when you can, with the same ear, listen to the voice of God?

Do what David did.
Turn a deaf ear to the old voices.
Open a wide eye to the new choices.
Who knows, you may be a prayer away from a nevertheless. God loves to give them.
Peter stuck his foot in his mouth.
Joseph was imprisoned in Egypt.
The Samaritan woman had been married five times.
Jesus was dead in the grave …
Nevertheless, Peter preached, Joseph ruled, the woman shared, Jesus rose ??? and you?
You fill in the blank. Your nevertheless awaits you.

From Facing Your Giants

I hope you all find your nevertheless today!!! Have a GREAT weekend!

Who do we consider family?

I have a dilemma on my hands, one that does not make me feel good. It's one of those times when I wish someone else could make the decision, be the "bad" guy and I could just walk away.

We have a wonderful purebred Yellow Lab named Sulley. We've had him for two years and love him to death. He is cute, funny and very smart. When we lived up North, we had a big, fenced- in yard that he could run around in and be free. The kids were always outside playing with him and spending a lot of time with him. Since we've lived here, they are hardly ever outside with him. Not that they are not outside, they just don't spend time with him, they have to many other things to do, people to see.( I too am guilty of this offense) So.... or poor little puppy, whom we still really do love, is left to spend his days and nights outside in the backyard in his kennel. Oh sure, we do go out there every now and then and let him out to run around, we play soccer with him (which he loves) and we always make sure he has water and food. But for most of the day, he's alone, caged, it's just not fair to him.

Now, we have been puppy sitting a tiny, cute puppy for our friends, they have decided that they are willing to let us have him, if we would like. He is the kind of dog I always wanted, only my husband said, " If we are going to get a dog, we are going to get a REAL dog!! Not some little thing that doesn't even know how to be a dog!"

So here we are, two dogs we really love, one must go for his own good, but it sure doesn't feel good. He really is part of our family and I kind of feel like we are replacing him with something "better". It doesn't really feel good, but I know it's for the best. Sulley deserves to have space to run around and be a happy dog. On the bright side, my niece and nephew just bought a new place on 17 acres and they are thinking about taking him. I know he will be much happier there...... or at least that's what I tell myself!!!

Just Imagine!

Just imagine you were a bird soaring through the clouds, or a giraffe walking through the jungle, how about a lion stalking it's prey, or maybe, just maybe THIS.......

Oh to have the imagination of a child!!!

Back from Camp

So, I picked up my son from camp last night. I missed him an awful lot, worried about him way to much and was happy to have him home even though within the first two hours he was arguing with his sisters.

He had a wonderful time, enjoyed the food, slept well and made lots of new friends. He loved his camp counselors, he had the best ones there don't you know. He even prayed with a group of kids (out loud!!) he says for 3 whole minutes. Put a promise to God on a cross that said he would respect his parents and came home with a great attitude and a happy outlook on life!!!

It's so very exciting to see my children grow. Scary sometimes, yes, but exciting never the less. I'm so thankful that I have God on my side while they grow and learn. Together I know we can lead these little ones in the right direction and help them to be productive, responsible and spirit-filled members of our society. There is nothing more gratifying than that.

Summer Camp

Last week my youngest daughter went to camp for a few days and yesterday I brought my son to the same camp for the week. This is their first chance to ever try something like this as we have been living up north for the past six years and there is no such thing as camp up there. Not many opportunities for much of anything on the reserves, except for hockey, hockey and more hockey. In Cross Lake the kids were skating in July already, because there just wasn't anything else for them to do.

So Kenya, my nine-year-old went to camp last week, came home on Saturday. Had a WONDERFUL time, couldn't say enough nice things about it, wants to work at camp when she gets older. It could not have been a better experience for her, she is hooked. My friends son went the same week. When he got home he was in tears, told his mom she could NEVER make him go back, it was the worst experience of his life. He let her know how hard the beds were, how it was too hot to sleep, the food was horrible, the water tasted bad, the milk was no good and he WAS NOT going back there!

I'm pretty sure we left them at the same camp, we drove together in the same vehicle, but two different outlooks on the same place with the same people at the same time. How is this possible, I asked myself. Then I thought, how amazing it is the way God has made us all so different. He knew from the beginning that if he had made us all the same, with the same interests, the same likes and dislikes, that this world would not be a place that many would want to be. My friends son wasn't wrong in feeling what he did, this camp just is not for him and that's ok. God made us different for many reasons, but one of them, I believe is, so that we can see our world, our circumstances in different ways in order to help each other through the tough times in our lives.

So, let's embrace each others differences, let's celebrate!!

Yesterday I dropped off my son to this same camp. On Friday I will be picking him up. What will he have to say about his new experience? Only time wil tell!!

Be encouraged!

Why is it that christian people, I mean people who really love the Lord, who know what it means to fully trust in Him and believe that He is greater than anything the devil throws their way are being so attacked??

In the last week I've had several friends, people who are very close to my heart, very dear to me, that are being put through such great struggles. Why must so much heart ache come to so many good people? I don't always understand, the other day I thought, Wouldn't it be nice if, once we truly believed in Christ, I mean TRULY believed, we wouldn't have to go through so many great struggles. The occasional up hill battle perhaps, but no more deep down, painful struggles. But, if that really was the way our christian walk was, would we believe that we really needed God at all? It would make it so easy to just live our lives without ever thinking about Him. I believe that when we go through these struggles, this is when God is most powerful in our lives. We live because He does, if we forget that, what do we have left?

To all of my friends and those of you who I do not know and may be going through a rough time in your life: be strong, hold fast, when you've done all else, STAND. Do not let the devil move you, look him straight in the face and say NO, God IS in control, He is here and He will see me though this!

Be strengthened, be encouraged and most of all, through it all STAND!

My Baby is Nine!

Nine years ago today I was in Yorkton, SK, in the hospital having my water broken by my doctor. Six hours later I was being prept for an emergency C-section because my baby's heart rate was dangerously low. A short, but painful time after that my sweet, funny, little girl was born. All I could see of her was a polaroid picture that was taken of her only minutes after she was born. Six hours later after they finally finished all the pocking and proding and they were sure she was healthy they finally brought her to me and I got to hold my little girl. She was perfect, as baby's are, and a short two days later I took her home to her big brother and sister.

Kenya, we love everything about you. Your energy, your great sense of humor, your giggles and your witty come backs. Happy birthday my sweetheart!