Tea~Time

Tea, disguised as a cup of warm liquid is really an invitation. When someone invites you to tea, it isn't because they're thirsty. It might be because they're cold, but more likely it is because they want to spend time with you. You can't drink tea quickly. You hold it. Sip it. Sit with it. Savour it. Most people never pass up the opportunity to sit with a cup. It's a universal welcome and it is available to all of us.

But how many of us are so busy rushing to the next appointment in our day-timer that we lose the opportunity to sit, holding that cup?

My dear friend Maria and I meet regularly every 6-8 weeks for tea. We met over ten years ago and even though our circumstances have change many times over the years, the one thing that remains the same is our friendship! Even though there is a significant time period between each of our tea dates we pick up our conversation right where we left off. 

We chat about everything ~ families, joys, sorrows, world events, politics ~ both government and church ~ if you can name it, we've likely talked about it. No subject is taboo. We're just two women wanting to invest in the lives of each other. Our friendship is something that cannot be defined. Something inside just clicks.

If you have one close friend, consider yourself blessed. If you have two, stand up and shout!!! If you don't, then why not issue an invitation to a woman you have been wanting to get to know. You might be surprised to find out that she too has been waiting for an opportunity to get to know you.

oh and by the way, I am blessed!
 
Blessings

uh~oh?

uh ~ oh ?

friendly conversation
chit chat
laughter

 

wait

 

what’s that?
you don’t agree with my opinion?
uh ~ oh
what now?
why did i say that?
i must be wrong!
i must not know what i’m talking about!
i must find a way to fix this!

 

wait

 

i don’t need to fix anything.
i’m allowed to have a different opinion.
it’s ok when we don’t agree.
what i think counts for something.

 

because i count for something
i have value
i am loved

 

and even when we don’t agree,
we can still love each other.

{photo credit ~ dayspringcards.com}

 

blessings

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y Night

The other day, I was making random searches in Youtube and I came across this:

and it brought back a myriad of memories.

Anyone else remember the all boy band “Bay City Rollers”?

As a young girl I was totally infatuated with this Scottish pop band.   I was fascinated with brothers Alan Longmuir {bass} and Derek Longmuir {drums}, Eric Faulkner & Stuart “Woody’ Wood {guitarists} and who out there didn’t have a major crush on the cute lead singer Les McKeown.

For my 10th or maybe it was my 11th birthday, I got one of their albums for my present.  The picture in my photo album is so blurry as I was jumping up and down with pure excitement.  I have many fond memories sitting in the playroom, listening to their music and trying to sing along with all my favourites.

“Keep on Dancing”, “Remember (Sha La La La)”, “Bye, Bye, Baby”, “Give a Little Love”, “S-a-t-u-r-d-a-y Night”, “Money Honey”, Rock n' Roll Love Letter”,  and when they would sing “I Only Want to Be with You”, I would sit and dream of a life as a rock stars wife. .. .. . . .. 

Sadly though, their popularity did not last and by the late 70’s their time in the teen idol spotlight was slowly slipping away.  Their albums soon were replaced with heavy metal as my taste in music changed.

How about you? What music brings back childhood memories for you?

Blessings

Lessons Learned

It’s been an extremely lo-o-ong week. I have over committed myself. Again.

These past few days, I have been fighting the overwhelming array of symptoms caused by fibromyalgia, hypertrophy calcineurin arthritis, supraventricular tachycardia and hypoglycaemia . It’s been a daily struggle to give myself permission to stop. Just stop and rest these symptoms out.

I am one who would like to have some unlimited source of energy enough to ________ {fill in the blank}, and be the girl who never says no. After all, “you don’t look sick”.

With my people pleasing tendency, I struggle greatly if I feel I’ve let someone down. So I keep saying yes, which then leads to an extremely long week and end up struggling with my symptoms, creating another downward spiral. Of course, we all know that trying to do it all is a pretty unrealistic expectation for a healthy person, let alone one with chronic illnesses.

Sadly, it has taken me quite some time to look at what others are doing and actually say, I can’t do that, and that’s ok.

It’s been a hard lesson to learn.

Over a significant period of time I have come am coming to terms that I am not like many healthy people. Those who are so caught up in the comings and goings of the day that they don’t realize just how wonderful it is that they are able to get out of bed, complete their tasks without pain, remain focused and alert as necessary, eat what they want - when they want, and sleep deeply when their day is complete. While it is unfortunate that there are limits to my functioning, I know it could be much worse and for that I am grateful.  

 

I’ve learned, well maybe I should say I am learning to accept my limitations in what I can do and can not do, while still trying to understand that my worth does not come from that, but rather who I am in Christ.

And finally, I have learned to have a greater appreciation for my husband. Who, in addition to working full time, willingly helps with the housecleaning, the laundry, the dishes, making meals, the yard work and walks along side me to help me keep a healthy exercise routine.

Blessings

　

INFJ

After Krystle posted this, I was intrigued and curious to find out a little more about my own personality and see which letters I would get.

So I took the on-line quiz to determine which category of the 16 different personality types in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator that measures how people make decisions and perceive the world, I would fit into and learned that I am an
INFJ:
Introverted (I) ~ Reserved, listen carefully, prefer solitary activities, more comfortable when alone than when around other people, get exhausted by social interaction
Intuitive (N) ~ Introspective, rely on their imagination, absorbed in ideas, focus on what might happen
Feeling (F) ~ Sensitive, follow their hearts, keep feelings close to the surface, focus on harmony and cooperation
Judging (J) ~ Decisive, prefer clear rules and guidelines, eager to commit, see deadlines as sacred, seek closure

I’d say that is a fairly accurate description of my personality, and found this characterization to be quite interesting. As with anything there are strengths and weaknesses, things to be proud of and things to work on. 

How about you? What's your personality type?  Take the test and please share your results.

Blessings

Camping weekend

We spent an extended weekend at MacGregor Point Provincial Park biking, walking, playing games, swimming, campfires, and obviously camping! {hence the quiet on the blogfront}

Here's our weekend in pictures:

Our home away from home,

 Krystle & Darcy roasting marshmallows,

 Sasha going for a bike ride,

 reeds on the beach,

 picturesque Lake Huron,

and of course ~ us.

 

ahhh camping . . .. the slowed-down schedule, time together, appreciating nature's beauty and making memories.  Life doesn't get a whole lot better!

Blessings

A time to .. ..

Watching as the wheat is being combined I'm remininded of the passage in Ecclesiastes 3: 1 & 2a {New Living Translation}“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven..... A time to plant and a time to harvest..”

Each fall, my farmer-husband faithfully plants the wheat seed in the ground, watching & waiting as it grows. We then patiently, {he more than me} wait as the rains come, the snow coveres it, watch as it matures, until it yesterday, when it was time to harvest it.

One of the things I've learned during both planting and harvesting is that it's very important to stay out of the farmer's way during this time and just let him do his thing. It used to be a stressful time for me when the kids were younger, because Daddy was very busy and parenting our kids would become mostly my responsibility. {who am i kidding ~ this is still a stressful time ~ I've just learned to stay out of his way!} To be honest it is a little easier now to cope with the long work days and the stress he faces relying on the weather for getting the crops off ~ I have had more than 25 years of experience.

Wayne has the heart of a farmer; he loves planting, tilling, ploughing, harvesting, haying, absolutely everything there is about farming. While each season of farming brings different challenges, his patience throughout it all is remarkable. I doubt know there is anything else he would rather do.

Blessings

15 years

Shortly after Wayne & I were married we bought the family dairy farm. Having grown up a town girl, I was unaccustomed to country living. From the quiet of the county to that 'fresh' air that only comes the country, were things I had to get used to. Little did I know that 11 years later our lives would have a drastic shift, when our dairy barn burned to the ground; changing our lives forever!

At 2:26 am, on July 17, we awoke to the sound of our dog barking and we heard the enormous roar of a fire as our dairy barn was engulfed in flames. Looking out our bedroom window and seeing the fire is an image I'll not soon forget. I raced downstairs and dialled 911 and 8 minutes later fire trucks were at our place. Waiting those 8 minutes felt like an eternity as we watched our way of life come to an end. Thankfully the firefighters were able to save the house and the implement shed, even though it was impossible to save the barn.

Our kids were 11, 10 & 8 at the time and the memory of that night is not easily forgotten. It still brings a sob to my throat as I remember that morning. It was such a huge loss for us. Our family was quite dependent on our friends and family during those first difficult few days. I found it hard to even think of what to make for supper, let alone deciding what were we going to do ~ rebuild, move, what?

After much prayer we decided to sell the cows, the quota and made the difficult decision to stay where we were and try something else. Wayne had milked cows for almost 30 years, so this wasn't an easy decision. But we learned that there is life after dairy farming.

Wayne was fortunate to have found work immediately after the loss, this helped him to put his focus elsewhere. 5 years after losing the barn, Wayne returned to his heart's desire and works for a neighbour as his hired dairy man.

While we were dairy farmers, I slowly began an accumulation of my own Holstein cows ~ usually consisting of stuffed animals that are in every room of the house or these ones that are made out of cement. 

Even though we're no longer have our own dairy barn, I still continue with my obsession er, um, collection.

We might not ever understand why this happened but “we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” {Romans 8:28 {New International Version}}, and in that we put our trust.

Do we miss it? sure, some days.

But as I am reminded in Jeremiah 29: 11 {New International Version}}, “I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” One never knows what the journey of life holds, but we continue to trust in the ONE who guides our journeys.

Blessings

closer than you think

sometimes life doesn’t turn out the way we think.

we face loss, bump up against a wall, wonder what in the world just happened.

it’s all a part of living, yet even in those moments we can find hope.

not the kind that hopes for {because we all know that doesn’t always come true}.

but the kind that hopes in {because that’s what remains true no matter what}.

 

Hope in a God whose ways are higher than ours.

Hope in a future he promises he’s preparing for us.

i don’t know how it happens.

all I know is that as long as we live, there is hope.

 

blessings

Walking Along

When I walk, I try to leave everything behind. Sometimes I’ll take my camera with me, hoping to capture the beauty that is before me ~ but since I am not very proficient at taking pictures ~ I tend to leave it behind as now it only keeps me distracted. In fact I don’t even wear a watch as I find that that too can be distracting. I try to use my time on the quiet country roads as an opportunity to process my thoughts, think through my ideas and to earnestly pray for the situations I find myself in. This well-spent time can help to put everything back into perspective.

I’m yearning how to walk like a believer, how to look ahead on the path rather than just at my feet. How to stop and to pick up the stones that are unique and catch my eye, usually it’s the sparkly pretty ones that catch my eye and end up in my pocket, I’ve gathered quite a collection of stones,

to watch as the birds flit through trees, to admire the vines growing over the stone pile. How to see, truly see.

I’ve been thinking a lot about this.  There was a time when I would read the inspiring words other people wrote and I would think why can’t I write like them? Why does it take so long for me to put my thoughts and ideas into words? Their posts seem to flow and their words come so easy. There are days when I struggle with what I want to say. I type it off and then hit delete more times than I care to count. Others make it look so easy. I'm a bit of a thinker and to be honest it takes me a lot of time until I can get my thoughts and words put together. In fact there are several posts sitting “in the que”, waiting ~ you see I am great at coming up with different titles to the posts, have some awesome pictures I’d like to post, but I need more time to process all my thoughts, to put the words together until they are just right and say exactly what it is that I need to express.

As I trundle along I the country roads thinking through the different ideas I have for postings, I am reminded that it’s all about perspective.

Blessings

28 weeks

is exactly how long it took me to read these 50 books:
#1 Triplets - Molly Gregorie
#2 Acts of Malice - Perri O shaunessy
#3 Secrets - Danielle Steel
#4 Extreme Measures - Michael Palmer
#5 Angles Flight - Michael Connolly
#6 Low Pressure - Sandra Brown
#7 Up Close and Dangerous- Linda Howard
#8 The Trophy Wives - Kristin Billerbeck
#9 The Drop - Michael Connolly
#10 Shiver - Karen Robards
#11 Eyes Wide Open - Andrew Gross
#12 Full Disclosure - Dee Henderson
#13 These Things Hidden - Heather Gudenkauf
#14 Broken Harbour - Tana French
#15 Double Blind - Brandilyn Collins
#16 The Truth about Dandelions - Hayley Linfield
#17 The Lawyer’s Lawyer - James Sheehan
#18 Last to Die - Tess Gerritson
#19 Guilt - Jonathan Kellerman
#20 Vanished - Irene Hannon
#21 The Last Victim - Karen Robards
#22 Cut to the Bone - Jean Boswell
#23 Trust your eyes - Linwood Barclay
#24 Don’t cry now - Joy Fielding
#25 Murder on the mind - L.L. Bartlett
#26 Sweet revenge - Lisa Jackson
#27 Touch & go - Lisa Gardner
#28 No way back - Andrew Gross
#29 All she ever wanted - Rosalind Noonan
#30 Best kept secret - Amy Hatvany
#31 Wedding Night - Sophie Kinsella
#32 The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow - Rita Leganski
#33 The Storyteller - Jodi Picoult
#34 Six Years - Harlan Coben
#35 Family Pictures - Jane Green
#36 Daddy’s gone a hunting - Mary Higgins Clark
#37 Another Piece of my Heart - Jane Green
#38 Reconstructing Amelia - Kimberly McCreighton
#39 Twelfth of Never - James Patterson
#40 A Wanted Man - Lee Child
#41 The Next Best Thing - Jennifer Weiner
#42 Not by Sight - Kathy Herman
#43 Forgotten - Catherine McKenzie
#44 Revenge wears Prada - Lauren Weisberger
#45 Honeymoon - James Patterson
#46 The Lakehouse - James Patterson
#47 Unspoken - Lisa Jackson
#48 The Professional - Robert Parker
#49 Ready to Die - Lisa Jackson
#50 Whispers & Lies - Joy Fielding
this list however does not include books I started but ended up not finishing.

When Krystle first issued this challenge I knew it was something I wanted to try.  {I also write about my journey here and here.}

My first thought, to be honest, was that I would need to read one book each week, hoping I would finish 52 books in a year.  Since I am an avid reader, and can easily read three to fours books per week, it doesn't surprise me that I was able to accomplish this challenge in record time.

My next goal?  To reach 100 books before the year is up!

Blessings

there is time

for slower schedules

for long walks on a quiet country road

for sitting on the front porch

for listening to the sounds of the neighbours kids

for watching the humming birds dance from flower to flower

for hearing the crickets and frogs from the neighbours’ pond

for marvelling at the lightening bugs as they fly past

for listening to the birds singing sweetly in the trees

for shopping opportunities with my daughter

for being thankful when a soft summer breeze gently stirs the hot sticky air

for the occasional and unexpected pop-up rain shower

for cherishing family and time spent together.

for remembering the past, savouring the present, and daydreaming about the future

ahhh summer!

blessings

Family Time

Our weekend was quite busy ~ hence the quiet on the blog.

Friday night we were enjoying a quite night out in the back deck, when our youngest showed up for a visit. We enjoyed our time together with a pizza dinner, hot tubing and a glass of vino.

Saturday night we spent time with our daughter with taking the dogs for a walk, playing a card game and a glass of vino.

On Sunday we were with our other son in Orillia, enjoyed hours of jammin’ on rock band, a game of beach volleyball, watching the boys play a game of magic the gathering and of course, a glass of vino.

There seems to be a theme here.

And before we know it, it was Monday, ending our whirlwind weekend of family time.

When we have the opportunity to spend time together as a family it is such a blessing. Whether we are all together or it’s on a one to one basis, I realize that I am truly blessed to have these “kids” in my life!

Blessings

Rain drops

Confession ~ I am not the most patient of people. 

Today, as the rain gently falls, again, I am reminded of a few lessons:

Lesson 1: After the rain, do not attempt to weed the garden as your boots can and most likely get stuck in the mud.
Lesson 2: Do not mow the lawn immediately following the rain as it leaves horrible large clumps of grass all over the yard.
Lesson 3: Do not leave clothes on the wash-line during the rain. Not only will they not dry, but they will get wrapped around the line making it quite difficult to remove.
Lesson 4: Do not ask your husband to get things done before the rain, cause he might get caught in it.

Lesson 5: Be Patient

Because even though I have a list of things that I'd like done outside, I need to wait until a) it either stops raining or b) it dries up enough from the rain.

I have a Type A personality, which Wikipedia describes as "Type A individuals can be described as impatient, excessively time-conscious, insecure about their status, highly competitive, over-ambitious, business-like, hostile, aggressive, incapable of relaxation in taking the smallest issues too seriously; and are somewhat disliked for the way that they're always rushing and demanding other people to serve to their standards of satisfaction.[1] They are often high and over-achieving workaholics who multi-task, drive themselves with deadlines, and are unhappy about the smallest of delays. Because of these characteristics, Type A individuals are often described as "stress junkies."

ouch, that was a little harsh, and unfortunately true!

It's a little easier to understand then why rainy days are frustrating for me. I have my lists of things to do and a timeline to have them done and the weather is totally not following those plans.

Lesson 5 is probably the most important one and I figure I better learn it quick, cause I am not enjoying all the opportunities presented to me to learn it.

Rain drops keep falling on my head.....

Blessings

Stop worrying ~ Start trusting. . .. . . .

 . . ... is the phrase that jumped out at me.

Did you know that when you search “trust” on the Biblegateway website you'll get 170 Results for that keyword search?

We all have those go-to verses, the ones that remind us of God's many promises. 

A few of my favourites are:

Philippians 4:6 New International Version (NIV)

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

1 Peter 5:7 New International Version (NIV)

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
 

Proverbs 3:5-6 New International Version (NIV)

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Matthew 6:34 New International Version (NIV)

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
 

Jeremiah 29:11 New International Version (NIV)

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

What's your go-to or life verse that helps you through any situation?

Blessings

Happy Canada Day, eh!

There are many things to be thankful for living in Canada.  And while I am not the most partiotic person,

I am quite proud to be Canadian. 

 

Blessings