What Matters Most

As I sat on the shore of this pond last week I couldn't help but be thankful that on that day, I was with one of our families...

standing beside me were father and son.

Earlier I had attempted to take a family picture...

...but the little Miss wasn't very cooperative!

She really didn't want to have her picture taken....

...but Kai was a bit more cooperative.

 I snuck this picture in while she wasn't looking...

 I love spending time with family, whether up north, here at home, or down south...

...doing ordinary things like filling a backyard swimming pool.

(Don't you love how you can see the water drops in this picture?)

...or watching some awesome dads spending time with their kids.

 

Later we put on some tatoos in honor of Canada Day...

...and they went back to playing with Dad and learning from Dad.

 As I watched I was so thankful that he was choosing to spend time with those that matter most.

And at the end of the day, it really doesn't get any better than this...

spending time with those that matter most.

Cultivating a Quiet Heart

This Devotional was published on Saturday here but I also wanted to share here with all of you.

“I’ve kept my feet on the ground, I’ve cultivated a quiet heart. Like a baby content in its mother’s arms, my soul is a baby content.” Psalm 131:2 (The Message)

As I sat on the shore and watched the waves break upon the rocks I was reminded of Psalm 46: 3 & 10 “…. Though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride … Cease striving and know that I am God.” (NASB) In the midst of earthquakes the psalmist is reminded to be still and know his God. But how do I do that? What does that look like in my life?

I’d been asking myself those questions as I meditated on the verse from Psalm 131, trying to figure out how I could cultivate a quiet heart. And then it struck me!

It’s all about resting in God, trusting that He is who He says He is, that He really is in charge and never surprised. It’s about knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt, not just in my head but also in my heart, that He has it all under control and I can rest in His unchanging love. No worries or anxious thoughts will change that. He’s got me covered!

No matter how uncertain my future or how many unanswered questions I am facing, God knows how it will all turn out. So I can rest and be still, totally content, assured that He not only knows the future, but has also promised to give me strength and grace to face that future when the time comes.
In the meantime, I will continue to cultivate that quiet heart and rest in Him.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that in the midst of uncertain times and questions, You know the answers and I can rest in Your love and choose to leave it in Your hands. Help me to cultivate a quiet heart and trust wholly and completely in You. Amen

What is robbing you of having a quiet heart today? Commit those things to God and refuse to worry as you trust Him. When you are tempted to pick up those issues again, practice Psalm 46:10. Be still and remind yourself of who God is.

Reflections on My Birthday

It's my birthday today,

and not just any birthday

but one that ends in '0'!!

(which my mother-in-law once said were the only ones that really bothered her)

The old song says that 'it's my birthday and I will cry if I want to',
but I'm not crying today,
no, not at all.

I'm definitely not the little girl I once was,

or the tomboy that I was for most of my growing up years.

No, today I am entering the 60's!!

I am a wife, mother, and grandmother,

and I am celebrating life!

In some ways I can't believe that I am really there already.

How is it possible?

 

Maybe because my parents were already retired by this age

and I thought they were so old at 60!

But we are both still working

and looking forward to all that God has in store.

I have to admit there are advantages to being this age!

I am comfortable in my skin, even though it starting to sag,

I have laugh lines that turned the dimples into wrinkles,

and make my eyes scrunch up when I smile.

I have to take afternoon naps and that's just fine too,

because it gives me the energy to keep up with my family,

and to love on them like I want to.

I don't accomplish as much as I used to,

but I have time for those I love the most

and spending time with them is what energizes me

and makes me smile.

I don't do things anymore because it's what people expect,
or what people think I should do,
but instead because I want to.

Instead of saying 'I should' I say 'I will'.
and leave the shoulds for another day,
or another year,
or maybe not at all.

I have so much to be thankful for 

and I am blessed beyond measure.

I daily look for things for which to be thankful

and I choose joy!

Happy Birthday to me!

A Beautiful Day

 Today was an incredibly beautiful day and I was up with the sun.  

We were headed to the airport so I could catch a 7:55 am flight north.

As we approached the new Port Mann bridge spanning the mighty Fraser River I marveled again

at how amazing it was to see the old and new side by side.

 They are dismantling the old, piece by piece in the reverse order of how it was constructed,

and some day soon it will be no more.

 Then only the new will remain to be seen except in the memories of our minds.

 No, you aren't seeing double....as we continued to drive along,

we drove under another bridge, the Alex Fraser Bridge,

also magnificent in it's architecture.

 And then I was off.......heading north to where some important little people had been waiting.

 It takes almost the same amount of time to fly as it took them to drive to the city I was flying into...

 ...and I thought of them as I flew over the mountains because I knew that when my plane touched down I would have a greeting party.

 A sweeter scene I had never seen as the two tiny faces pressed against the glass when I walked off the plane and towards the terminal...

 Little Miss was determined to take care of my little carry on suitcase.

 Both of them proclaimed several times that they were so glad that I had come to visit...

So all in all, it truly was a beautiful day!

Making Memories That Last

 As we pulled into the Tim Horton's parking lot Dave mentioned how this brought back memories. 

"Memories"? I asked.

"Yes, memories....this is where I brought Aidan for Saturday morning donuts when I first started and they lived on the other side of town"

Which got me thinking about how we as grandparents are intentionally working at making memories that last for and with our grandchildren.

Almost every Saturday morning that we are in town,

Dave sets his alarm and drives over to pick up Aidan and Jaxon,

and together they head to Tim Horton's for breakfast.

The boys look forward to the time,

and they literally talk about everything under the sun!

And when Kai and Halle come to town,

they get to go too!

While Dave spends time with the boys on Saturday mornings

I get time when they have a day off school 

and their parents both have to work.

Like the day I took this picture in front of the 100 year old 

Clayburn Village Store.

The boys were so excited to be able to each get a paper bag

and pick out the candy that they wanted.

Another thing that we do is to take each of the boys on a date for their Birthday...

 and go mini-golfing and out for dinner after.

 Jaxon was excited to go on the Jungle Course...

 (excuse the quality of the pictures but it was really dark in there...

 (but we had lots of fun just the same).

 His choice for dinner was MacDonalds so off we went.

 There were lots of giggles and another year of memories that he will remind us of throughout the year ahead.

 Intentionally making memories, that's what we are about.

Running Away From It All

 Do you ever feel like running away from it all?

After several stress-filled weeks we decided in our Saturday morning coffee time, that the day was just too beautiful not to do just that - Run Away!!

Just 45 minutes east of us, there is a beautiful waterfall, Bridal Veil Falls.

We hiked up the trail, stopping to take lots of pictures along the way of course...

 

...breathing in the fresh air, basking in the sunlight and listening to the water fall!

Once we got home our perspective had been restored,

and we agreed that we need to do this more often,

just run away from it all!

Hidden in the Hollow

 

I love it when God gives me a practical example of a truth about Himself. 

As we walked up a trail today,

we came upon this gigantic tree!

It was huge.

We commented that it must have been there for a very long time.

What a surprise when we got to the other side.

The trunk had been hollowed out by decay or perhaps lightning,

 and I could actually step into it!

I immediately thought of the verse from the hymn,

Life a River Glorious,

'Hidden in the hollow of His blessed hand,
Never foe can follow, never traitor stand;
Not a surge of worry, not a shade of care,
Not a blast of hurry touch the spirit there.'

I felt protected standing there in the tree trunk

and I thought how much more so God protects us.

It reminded me of Psalm 41:4-

He will cover you with his feathers.

He will shelter you with his wings. 

His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

I love that,

His faithful promises are my armor and protection.

Just like I felt protected in the hollow of that tree,

So I am protected by God's faithful promises

which never change!

 

Transformed

 

Do you ever have things in your life or around your home that you wish were different,

but you keep putting them off because you think it is just going to be too much work?

Our bathroom counters were such an example, the purplish blue was outdated...

as was our outdated stairway railing.

I am blessed with a daughter who loves to paint and try out new things so she tackled the railing first.

The result was wonderful and I had to ask myself, why did it take so long to just 'get 'er done'?

The same was true of the bathroom counters which after they were primed and painted,

turned out looking much more up to date...

and a lot cheaper than granite!

She also painted our 'Kid's Room' as we affectionately call it along with miles of trim!

It got me thinking, 

why do I put things off?

Why do I not just jump in and do what needs to be done?

Sometimes it just seems too hard,

or too much work,

or maybe not worth it.

But as these projects showed me once again

it's worth it.

Making the time,

putting in the work,

and transformation will happen!

What have you been putting off today?

Why not put it into your schedule and see what can be transformed in your life?