Around & About

So I've been silent for a bit. That's because I've been on the move. First I spent a couple incredible days in Barrie for work, then I had my week of vacation time which was first spent visiting with my sister down south, traveling in and around the area. Then I came back up north for some good old cottage time.

It was a great week and a half and it seemed like everyday was filled with something very different. Some highlights of my time:

The LIFE 10th Anniversary Party
I was so grateful for the opportunity to be able to head down to Barrie for the 10th Anniversary of LIFE 100.3, the place that I have been blessed to work for since January 2007 (albeit from quite the distance).

I really enjoyed my time in Barrie and especially the evening of the concert. Three local artists opened the show and each one did a great job, then the headliner was Lincoln Brewster. I've always been a fan of his music and it was great to have the opportunity to see him again. It was quite the atmosphere of worship and I was floored with thankfulness for all God has done and continues to do.

Family Time
After leaving Barrie, I spent a couple of great days with my sister at her home in the Cambridge area. Because she's been on the move quite a bit ever since getting married over a year and a half ago, we haven't had a whole lot of quality time together since she left home, but that changed during my time there. We had a lot of fun together, road tripping around the area, even going up to Sauble Beach for a day. Plus while I was there one of my great-uncles had a barbecue at his place near Lake Ontario and most of my family on my grandfathers side, who I never get to see, were there. It was so nice to catch up with some and meet others for the first time.

Hiking & Biking
While at my sisters place, I borrowed a bike and explored part of the Trans-Canada Trail, which started just over a kilometer from her house. It was a beautiful section of trail and it was fun to explore an unfamiliar area.

One night my sister took me to see the beautiful Webster Falls and the Spencer Gorge. We spent an evening hiking to see the various waterfalls in the area and looking out on the gorge. I got some great photos.

Homecoming
Usually one of the worst parts about being away is coming home, knowing that the holiday is over. But this time around I had a very different perspective. First off, because I knew I was coming home only to turn around and go out to my aunts cottage for the rest of my week off.

Secondly, and more importantly, I realized how wonderful a feeling it can be knowing you have people to come home to. People who actually missed having you around and couldn't wait to hear the stories of your travels. Being surprised at the airport with a welcoming committee and then spending an evening with some of the most important people in my life was quite the nice homecoming.

Cottage Time
After spending one evening at home, my friend and I headed out to my aunts cottage where I spent the rest of my week off. We had a great day and night together, then she had to head back home for work and I spent a beautiful day in solitude before my Mom joined me for the weekend.

We spent time biking, walking, playing bocce, and I also got quite a bit of time in for reading and writing. So much so that I added another couple thousand words to my manuscript for my next book. I am so excited to finish it and can't wait to see what God is going to do with it.

All in all it was an excellent week and a half!

Those Moments You Won't Forget

I read a great quote today on the Abercrombie & Kent website:

“How many things have you done in your life that you know, with absolute certainty, you will remember for the rest of your life?” (Geoffrey Kent, Chairman & CEO)

I know in my life I've been blessed to have quite a few experiences that I know I'll never forget:

Standing in the middle of Walt Disney World as an 8 year old, being overwhelmed by the magic of it all.

Playing scrabble until late in the night with my mom, brother, sister, and grandparents and laughing until my sides hurt.

Taking in the Atlantic ocean in Fundy National Park in New Brunswick. Feeling so small next to the vastness of the ocean.

Conquering my fear of heights with a trip up to the observation floor on the John Hancock Center, being in awe of the sprawling and beautiful city of Chicago below.

Walking along a bush road with a friend this summer, the wind blowing around us as the sunset reflected off the lake. Talking about heaven and knowing it would feel something like that.

And while I could add many more memories to that list, I know at the same time that there is room for a whole lot more. I want to live my life in a way that is purposeful, not just allowing time to idly slide by. I want to remember every moment, every experience and live every day to the absolute fullest. Whether I'm standing next to the ocean or walking down the street downtown.

Life is a gift. It is precious. And I'm thankful for each moment I get.

The Blame Game

This summer I've been spending a good chunk of my spare time writing for my next book. I'm probably at least halfway through the book as far as writing goes and I've been loving every second of it.

One chapter I've been spending a lot of time on lately is one that addresses the issue of taking responsibility when things go wrong in our lives. This is a very touchy subject for some people and apparently, according to some research that I've done, it's becoming a cultural trend:

"Responsibility is waning. The strong sense of holding people responsible is getting more and more difficult. We still hold people responsible all the time in a legal sense. But in a moral sense, it's as thought no one is responsible anymore." (Joan McGregor, Arizona State University)

It's a terrible thing, but instead of taking responsibility so many of us are caught up in something that's even worse- the blame game.

The blame game is one with no rules other than to cast blame on someone else and it's something we do all the time, "It's not me. It's MTV or my parents or my circumstances or my boss or my financial situation." The list of excuses goes on and on and on.

So who do you blame when things go wrong? And how can we break out of this cycle?

That's My King

I heard this for the first time not long after I became a Christian nearly 10 years ago and I can't tell you how many times it's blessed me since. Enjoy.

"The heavens of heavens cannot contain Him, let alone a man explain Him...

You can't outlive Him and you can't live without Him!"

Wisdom from Twain

"Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." (Mark Twain)

The Desert Song

Recently a friend played for me Hillsong's "The Desert Song" for the first time and I was floored. The lyrics apply so well to every season of our lives.

In the desert:
When the stream dries up,
When the ground feels chalky,
When you've been begging for just one drop of water.

In the fire:
When the foundation is scorching,
When the flames can't be escaped,
When you've been praying for relief.

In the battle:
When the odds are overwhelming,
When nothing feels secure,
When you've come to the end of yourself.

In the harvest:
When the food is plentiful,
When the blessings are abound,
When you feel completely satisfied.

If you haven't heard the song yet, do yourself a favour and listen to it below. It's definitely an anthem we can all get behind.

PaperFest

Yesterday a friend and I went to Iroquois Falls to take in PaperFest. It's a music festival they have every year and while in previous years I never really was too keen on wanting to go, this year was a different story.

While the Timmins area is known for being the hometown of Shania Twain, we don't often attract big artists for shows, but Iroquois Falls managed to book Terri Clark for the festival. That was an opportunity I wasn't about to pass up :)

While I always thought she had a great voice, live it sounded even more impressive. Add to that she really knows how to get the crowd going and it all made for a great evening.

Here's one shot from the night:

So what's the best concert you've been to lately?

When The Mom's Away, The Kid's Will...

In my case, cook.

I wanted to try out some recipes while our "master chef" was gone, so I did. This is what I attempted today- Pizza Spaghetti Style. It turned out pretty well if I do say so myself:


Here's the recipe: http://busycooks.about.com/od/pastacasserolerecipes/r/pizzaspaggstyle.htm

Follow Me

Being a follower of Jesus means that we are willing to follow wherever He leads. While we've attached expectations and conditions to that, the truth is the only two words Jesus ever said were "follow me". Not "follow me and start a worldwide ministry" or "follow me and all your problems disappear" or "follow me and you'll get a recording contract", but just "follow me". Detritich Bonfoeffer described discipleship like this:

"And what does that text inform us about the content of discipleship? Follow me, run along behind me! That is all. To follow in His steps is something which is void of all content. It gives us no intelligible programme for a way of life, no goal or ideal to strive after. It is not a cause which human calculation might deem worth of our devotion, even the devotion of ourselves. What happens? At the call, Levi leaves all that he has- but not simply because he thinks that he might be doing something worthwhile, but simply for the sake of the call. Otherwise, he cannot follow in the footsteps of Jesus." (The Cost of Discipleship, p. 58)

Do me a favor and read those last two sentences again. Levi (known to many of us as Matthew) left all he had, not for some spiritual promotion or dream destiny, but simply for the sake of the call.

Are you willing to follow for the sake of the call? Big question with far-reaching implications.

Reminder Of A Promise

I saw this rainbow on the drive home from the cottage and my friend and I pulled over, just to take it in. While looking at it's beauty, I was reminded of this promise:

God continued, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and everything living around you and everyone living after you. I'm putting my rainbow in the clouds, a sign of the covenant between me and the Earth. From now on, when I form a cloud over the Earth and the rainbow appears in the cloud, I'll remember my covenant between me and you and everything living, that never again will floodwaters destroy all life. When the rainbow appears in the cloud, I'll see it and remember the eternal covenant between God and everything living, every last living creature on Earth." (Genesis 9:12-16, The Message)

Worth While Read

I don't often re-post stuff from other blogs on this page, but after coming across this post I couldn't not pass it on.

If you're looking for some challenging words, you'll enjoy this post. You can read it by clicking here.

Idols Of Our Own Making

John Calvin once said: “The evil in our desire typically does not lie in what we want, but in what we want too much.”

I believe what he was talking about was idols of our own making. You know those things that we appear to be nonchalant about, but secretly dream and pine over? Those very things that could be blessings, but we turn into objects of our devotion and our worship?

We might not be physically bowing down to Ba'al, but how many things are we bowing down to- our jobs? Families? Ministries? Churches? Friends? Interests? The list goes on and on.

The truth of the matter is, anything that we go after more than or hold in desire above God is an idol in our lives. So what do we do with idols that we recognize? Well if we follow the example of the heroes of the faith in the Old Testament, we tear them down. Whatever the cost is, whatever has to be done, we remove them and place God in His rightful spot.

Thought for Today

Thought for today:

In the Bible we see that faithfulness doesn’t always equal fruitfulness. Obedience doesn’t always mean no obstacles. And trust often takes us down a road with many twists and turns.

Throw It To See If It'll Stick

I can remember when I was younger watching in awe as my Mom would cook spaghetti in the kitchen. When the noodles were done boiling, she'd take one noodle out of the pot and throw it up against the wall. If it stuck, she knew that the noodles were ready. If not, she'd let the noodles continue to boil.

In many ways I feel like my life lately has become it's own little version of "throw it to see if it'll stick". It's like I've got this bowl of opportunities and of things I worked and dreamed so hard for and all I can do is keep throwing this items out of the bowl in any direction that I can think of to see if it'll stick somewhere, anywhere.

One example of this is my education. For many years I worked so hard on completing my university degree by correspondence. It was something that I loved doing and pushed through a lot of obstacles to do. But then there I was, a little over a year away of being done and my health took a nose dive, closing that opportunity to continue. Leaving me with nothing else to do but throw those courses to see if it'll stick somewhere. Will I be granted another extension to wait and see if I'll be well enough to resume school in a few months, years? Will the university count my credits towards a diploma, certificate, anything just so I have something besides debt to show for my work?

Then there's my book. No, not Walking Through A Fallen World, but book number two. I spent all last summer working on this manuscript and after 8 months of throwing it around everywhere to see if it'll stick, I've got nothing. No publishing deal, no agent, no golden opportunity. Just a message that I really believe in and would love to see it spread to the masses.

And while this period of throwing stuff out to see if it'll stick has been frustrating, I've been reminded of something pretty important tonight- just like noodles only stick to the wall when they are ready to eat, God will only let things in our life stick when those things are ready to go forth.

Maybe that means that there's another essential chapter my book is needing that I'll only be inspired to write in a month or two or ten. Or maybe that means that my university experience has fully equipped me for what I'm doing now, which I do love and plan on continuing as far as the eye can see, and to take on more courses would just be a waste of time and money. I don't know. But what I do know is that the One I follow is worth trusting.

So today I'll keep throwing my things against the wall, but instead of shaking my head in frustration as the fall, I'll trust. And when the day does come when one of those things stick, I'll rejoice in knowing that it's happening in the right time, in the right season, for the right reason.

Costly Grace

Yesterday I was at the library with a friend and we came across two books from Dietrich Bonhoeffer. We each took a copy out to read and the one I choose was The Cost of Discipleship.

So far it's an amazing read and I can see why I've read so many Bonhoeffer quotes in other books over the years- he's one wise writer.

Here's a quote to leave you with. While it's a little long, it does pack a punch:

"Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without cost, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.

Costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field; for the sake of it a man will gladly go and sell all that he has. It is the pearl of great price to buy which the merchant will sell all his goods. It is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble; it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him.

Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ.

It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life. It is costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son; 'ye were bought at a price,' and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us." (Dietrich Bonhoeffer in The Cost of Discipleship)

No Condemnation

Romans 8:1 "So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus."

I know most of you have heard that verse before, but do you believe it? When satan brings those past sins to mind and oh he does, do you know that those very sins have been separated as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12)?

Do you know that there is nothing in all creation. Not death. Not life. Not angels. Not demons. Nothing in all creation that can separate us from our heavenly father (Romans 8)?

He loves you mistakes and all. Because when He looks at us He doesn't see our shortcomings. No, because of what Jesus did for us and because we accepted His payment for our sins, all He sees is a clean slate.

Those mistakes that keep you tossing and turning- gone. Those let downs you regret- vanished. That one moment you wish you can take back- it's no more.

We can beat ourselves up for years, but it won't change the fact that in God's books there is nothing written about that event. The only thing that God keeps written down is whose name is in the lambs book of life. And if you've accepted Christ as your saviour, your name is there and there is nothing else to worry about.

In fact the only thing you've got left to do with regards to your past sins is to forgive yourself and move on. Satan would love nothing better than for you to live in your past, feeling condemned and guilty. But that's not where you belong.

At the cross Jesus said it is finished. Forgiven. Done. The slate is wiped clean. You need to believe, accept that, and give yourself the freedom to move on.

God doesn't condemn you, so you shouldn't condemn yourself. God doesn't reject you, so you shouldn't reject yourself. God loves you, so you should love yourself.

The Bible tells us in Christ we're a new creation. It's like the old canvas was painted over in bright white paint and now God has the paintbrush in His hands and oh my, is He ever painting a beautiful picture with your life. Believe that. Trust in His forgiveness. And get ready to watch God do amazing things in your life. Because that's exactly what a loving father does for those children that are His!

This Is Summer?

I look at my calendar and I see that it's the month of May. I step outside and I could swear that it is November. It seriously feels like fall weather here, which is kind of a downer when you've been really looking forward to summer.

As much as I love living in the North most days, other days I think my DNA was wired to live on a beach. And when I look at pictures like this, it pretty much confirms that theory. If I have my way, I'll be in that location sometime soon. ;)

Twenty-six

So today I turn 26.

This year I've faced some hard times, but also some really good times.

I've questioned and searched and more importantly learned.

My worldview has shifted and my ideas have been challenged.

It's been a growing year and for that I am so thankful. Even though physically I sometimes am so tired that I feel like I'm wasting away, I'm living that Bible verse in the fact that inwardly I'm being renewed everyday. Not just in my mind, but in my heart and soul as well.

I can accredit these changes to a few things, but the three that stand out the most are as follows:

The Word of God
This year, especially over these past few months, I've felt the Bible completely come to life for me once again. Verses are popping out left, right and center, and even with my very poor memory in other areas, I'm remembering lots of what I'm reading and I'm able to apply it to my daily life. It's incredible how loud the Word of God can speak, especially when we are purposeful in listening.

Alone Time
In September I did something that I've never done before- I went away for a weekend alone. Just me, the bush, and some wild animals outside. I was kind of scared of the silence beforehand, but I learned to love and treasure it not long after I arrived. So much so that before cottage season was over, I went back out for another solo weekend. During that time I was able to think, reflect, plan, and dream like I hadn't done in quite some time. As much as I like people, I learned that sometimes it's very healthy just to be alone for an extended period of time. It gives you clarity that an hour or two of solitude just can't always give you. This summer I plan on going back for more.

Friendships
I know this kind of contradicts what I just wrote about alone time, but I've really learned the value of having quality relationships rather than just quantity. Over this past year I've become really good friends with two new people in my life and these relationships have challenged me in what I believe and have made me a better person. I'm very grateful for their presence in my life and I value my time with these people so very much.

So that's a brief summary of year 25. What lies a head for 26? I'm not sure. But I do know that whatever comes my way, if I continue to renew my mind in Christ, I will be more than prepared for whatever it may be. Because in both the good times and the bad times there's nothing like having Christ in you as a reminder of your hope of Glory.

"People always want to define you by what you do. I started saying, ‘ I’m not too concerned with what I am going to do. I am more interested in who I am becoming. I want to be a lover of God and people.’ I was convinced that what we do is not nearly as important as who we are." (Shane Claiborne)

“I tend to live the way I drive. I want to get from point A to point B in the shortest amount of time and by the easiest route possible. But I’ve come to realize that getting where God wants me to go isn’t nearly as important as becoming who God wants me to be in the process. And God seems to be far less concerned with where I’m going than with who I’m becoming." (Mark Batterson, Wild Goose Chase)

Not too brilliant

Whoever dreamed this photo stunt up wasn't too brilliant. Part of me doesn't believe it was even a photo shoot because no one in their right mind could think that flying a plane that low over New York City with two fighter jets at its side would be a good idea.

Those poor people on the ground (and in the buildings) deserve more than just an apology.

Dreams

Have you seen the video from Britain's Got Talent yet? If not, view it here.

It is so refreshing to see someone who hasn't given up on their dreams succeed. It just goes to show you that no matter what our dream is and no matter what obstacles are in our way, we should never stop believing. Because one day that door of opportunity is going to open and when we walk through, our lives could be changed forever.