Turning the page

For a little while now I've been feeling a bit 'betwixt and between'? I'm sure it's because of this 'empty nest syndrome', that I recently have been faced with. Suddenly it seems that the way I used to define myself, my life, no longer makes sense. It seems that I am experiencing an ending. And while I realize that I am not the first, nor will I be the last women on this journey, it sometimes feels like I am alone in this.

We’re all on a journey, I guess, but my journey has taken me into territory that even though I knew it was coming and perhaps even looking forward to, I'm still struggling through the process. And now that I am here I wish to go back; because going forward is unknown and it's somewhere I've never been. I've a feeling of being in ..... Limbo, which can be an uncomfortable place. It's a feeling of being on a winding path that is heading somewhere but nowhere close to being finished. At least it means there IS a forward motion in effect, a transition of sorts to new beginnings.

To help me prepare for this "The Next Chapter" of my life journey I've been journaling in hopes of understanding the transition process. Keeping myself to busy could undermine the processing, because it's in the reflection and contemplation that I am able to stop spinning my wheels long enough to examine the overflow of my heart and take my "spiritual temperature," so to speak.

Blessings

Lectio Divina

Heart to Heart is a women's ministry offered at the Zurich Mennonite church. It's open to all women, young, old, married, single, with or without kids. Each season (fall & spring) the committee plans faith studies during the 1st hour, and craft electives for the 2nd hour with a half-hour coffee break in between. It's a great opportunity to connect with many different women, it's open for any women that are able to go.

Joining this year was a big step for me, as I hadn't been a apart of this ministry since I started my job. The Lectio Divina faith elective that was offered though really caught my attention. What is Lectio? I hear you asking..... Wikipedia describes it ~ Lectio Divina is Latin for divine reading, spiritual reading, or "holy reading," and represents a traditional Christian practice of prayer and scriptural reading intended to promote communion with God and to increase in the knowledge of God's Word. It is a way of praying with Scripture that calls one to study, ponder, listen and, finally, pray and even sing and rejoice from God's Word, within the soul. It's an art that begins with cultivating the ability to listen deeply, to hear “with the ear of our hearts”. In order to hear someone speaking softly we must learn to be silent. We must learn to love silence. If we are constantly speaking or if we are surrounded with noise, we cannot hear gentle sounds. The practice of Lectio Divina, therefore, requires that we first quiet down in order to hear God's word to us.

The outcome or so I'm hoping for me is that, I have a deeper knowledge of scripture, of myself, of others and God, and to see all these in gradually increasing light of my faith.

Blessings

?Monday?

As I was perusing over my blog, I noticed that I seldom seem to blog on Mondays. I'm not anti-Monday or anything, in fact I really like them. No, there not my favourite day, but still..... I think it might be that I'm not often on the computer on Mondays. You see, Mondays are my day at home; to do laundry (although without the kids living here I am now looking for clothes to wash), baking (again without kids here, there doesn't seem to be much point), cleaning (the house really doesn't get too dirty with just two of us).

But with all the changes that "life" has given me in the past few months, I'm still trying to figure out a new routine. I found this from another friend's blog. Ironically it was on the exact day I needed to read it too.

So there you have it, my Monday blog - nothing profound or anything, but I felt I ought to show Monday there were no hard feelings. >.<

Blessings

Being Sick

is absolutely no fun.

I've been fighting with a flu bug of some sort for the past two days. I think I'm losing....... and so I sit, bundled in a warm blanket, sipping hot water with sliced lemon and a taste of honey, watching Disney movies hoping that this too shall pass.
Blessings

Autumn Indulgence

ahhh it's my favourite time of year.

Today was the official first full day of Autumn. And it was perfect. I just love this time of year – with the cool, crisp mornings… and warm, sun-filled afternoons, it's about as close to perfect as it could be.

Before we know it the fields will be empty and lady harvest will done another year. But until then I aim to enjoy each beautiful day we're given and savour them. To slow down a little more and celebrate each moment.

Blessings

Salsa Making 101

With the cool weather of fall it seemed that today was the perfect day to be in doors making Salsa with Krystle.

Aunt Ginny's recipe:
8 cups peeled, chopped tomatoes (scald in boiling water for 10 seconds, put in cold water and peel)
1 cup each of green and yellow pepper
6 jalapeño peppers, no seeds
2 jalapeño peppers with seeds (Remember that if you use habanera peppers, you will not need as many hot peppers)
2 cups chopped cooking onion
3 – 4 cloves of minced garlic
Mix together and add
¾ cup vinegar
2 tbsps salt
2 tbsps basil
¾ tsp pepper
¾ tbsp sugar (optional)
1 tsp parsley

Combine and cook uncovered for 1 – 1 ½ hours until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in 2 small tins of tomato paste. Pour in jars and seal.

End result, a basement shelf full of Salsa.... YUM! Thanks Aunt Ginny - the recipe is super yummy.

Blessings

Sweet Surprise

As I got to the office today, I was greeted with this sweet surprise. With the note that said ~ Throughout the day I had different people in the office. They would obviously notice the huge bouquet of flowers on my desk and I was asked, a couple times in fact, if it was my birthday. "Nope not my birthday", I would reply, "just because." Thanks Krys ~ your gift totally made my day, who am I kidding, this will make my week!

Blessings