what do you want to do . . .

. . . after high school?
what do you want to be when you grow up?
what do you plan to do with your life?

These are questions we often ask our children when they are young or approaching a major milestone in their lives.

I too have been asking these same questions.

Our youngest graduates from high school in 2 years. At that time, I will have spent the last 16 years devoted to my children & their schooling. What after that? What do I want my life to look like? What do I want to be when I grow up? How do I want to spend my time? In what ways do I want to use the gifts God has given me?

Last Friday, my husband & I took the day to drive down to Montana. Although our purpose was to pick up a package that had been shipped to Eureka, it gave us the day together, uninterrupted. We had a wonderful time together. On the way home, I drove for several hours. To help keep me alert, I initiated this discussion with Florian. Although we didn't arrive at any earth-shattering conclusions, it was good to have the opportunity to discuss the things that I have been thinking.

I don't have an answer. I don't know that I need to have it all 'figured out'.

What I do know is that for today I have been asked to continue focusing on getting my daughters through high school - to care for my family - to make our home a place of refuge.

Above all, I want to love the Lord with all my heart, mind & soul. I want to serve Him today.

giving a shout out...

My dear friend Diane has introduced a new blog award from Women to Women.



She and I would love to start seeing it on hundreds of blogs. Hopefully it will encourage other bloggers to help us exalt the name of Christ as we share our papercrafting passions.

The Exalting Christ blog award is given to bloggers who consistently exalt the name of Christ on their blogs. What a joy to see crafters blend their passion for Christ and papercrafting. This award is given to bloggers who share Christ through their posts or through the design of their artwork. We are commanded in Scripture to be "salt and light" sharing the Good News of Jesus no matter where we are (Matthew 5:13-16). This award is just a way members of Women to Women: Sharing Jesus can say thanks for exalting Christ with us!

Rules:

1. Post the blog award in a regular post on your blog with the explanation, including the original link to WTW and the rules for passing the award along
2. Name five people (more or less is fine!) to whom you want to offer this award and link to their blogs. The blogs need to obviously exalt Christ in some manner.
3. Contact the bloggers you have named to let them know they can pick up their blog award from you.
4. Invite them to permanently display the WTW blog badge and/or the award on their blogs. The badge can be obtained on the WTW site.

*************

I am giving this blog award to:

Jennifer of Just Coffee Please is a wonderful wonderful friend who is just living life to the fullest as she radiates the love of Jesus.

PurpleStamper316 muses on her blog. What a witness to the love of Jesus as she provides thoughts on life, faith, art...

I got to actually meet Diane (momoffive) a few years ago!! She's an amazing woman!! She has been such an example to me of God's love in action as she juggles a very full plate!!

peggysue (Roses by my Window) is another friend that I got to meet IRL (in real life) a few years ago. I love her deep desire to honour God in all that she does - her love for Him is so evident!

Tricia (Simply Stamping) is another dear friend that I 'met' while ago. Tricia is a godly woman who seeks to shine for Him!!

Enjoy their blogs and let their creative works of art be an inspiration for you today!!

stepping out . . .

A few months ago I was asked to consider writing a devotional for a new blog that a dear friend of mine was setting up. Diane has been such a blessing to me since I "met" her!!

Woman to Women Sharing Jesus is a "place where women can meet and share their love of Christ".

I invite you to come and be challenged... inspired... to enjoy the company of women who love Jesus.

I've been thinking....

lately about a couple of things:

• Kenosis... found in Philippians 2:5-8 we read how Jesus, emptied Himself and we are to 'have the same attitude of Christ Jesus'. What does that look like in real life? Do you suppose it's leaving what I'm doing to take a look at my daughter's school project? and doing it without complaining or feeling imposed upon? or perhaps taking to the sink the plates & cups left downstairs by the TV? again without putting on the garment of martyrdom? What about you? How can you, today, have this same mind of Christ?

• Shalom... more than merely rest from chaos, shalom speaks of peace that comes from knowing the presence of God. As we heard this morning from our Senior Pastor, "Shalom is what happens when we are immersed, submersed, drowned, overwhelmed and drawn deep into God. Shalom. It just sounds like peace. It has to do with wholeness, completeness, and fulfillment." So what stands in the way of experiencing Shalom? What happens that we don't experience this peace? Could it be that every place where peace has been broken - in every instance it is because someone demanded their own way? If so, then Philipians 2:3 suggests that in order for Shalom to take place we have to become humble, and Christ again is our perfect example. "In humility consider others better than yourselves". Peace does not being by waiting for the someone else to start it and we do not offer Shalom becuase it is natural for us to do so, but because Jesus Christ has given us Shalom. Peace has come to us as a gift - a gift that was wrapped in swaddling clothes.*

With that, somehow it seems to me we can't have one without the other....

I pray that you will experience this wonderful gift that God has given us... Shalom




* sermon by Pastor Murray Swalm, Dec 14,2008

three months have passed . . .

since I last posted here.

I guess one could assume that "no news is good news"?! Florian was back this week for another appointment and again... no lumps or bumps. We continue to be thankful.

At the same time, I have realized that it's become pretty easy to slip back into a mundane "every day's just more of the same" attitude... waking each morning expecting that the day will unfold as per "our" plans.

Are we back to the same place that we were before we started this journey? I certainly hope not.

To that end, I would like to ensure that during the next 3 months I praise God for each new day... that I daily count my blessings... that I affirm Florian for who he is and show my appreciation to him for all that he does...

My prayer is that, during these next 3 months, I wouldn't take so many things for granted . . .

and now for the rest of the story...

Florian had an appointment at the Cancer Clinic today - just a routine follow-up with bloodwork and a "touchy-feely" exam.

We didn't know quite what to expect but the doctor's verdict given to Florian is that he no longer has lymphoma. What we believe the doctor means is that Florian is in full recession! We are thankful.

Furthermore, he should, at 7 months be free, from all side effects from the treatments. Since he continues to feel so very tired, the doctor has suggested that he make an appointment at a gym with a personal trainer to have an exercise program set up that will take into consideration his aneurysm. Then, with regular exercise, his energy levels should return to normal.

So there you have it.

God is good. His mercies are new every morning.

It's been about a year...

since we started this leg of the journey. In some ways the year has just flown by so quickly... yet in other ways it feels like it's just been a grueling, daily struggle.

Reflecting on our lives today, I see that there has been an emotional toll that's been paid... school just couldn't get done soon enough (today was our last day). We had the option of enrolling dd2 into a course for summer school but in the end chose not. She was relieved - she was willing to take it if we wanted, but deep down really just wanted to have the summer to relax.

I'm also somewhat surprised at my own response to today: I'm not sure who is more excited to put the books away for the summer: me? or the girls? and I can let out an ecstatic scream of pure delight & relief that would challenge the best of the teenage girls in my house!!! LOL But does it ever feel good to release those emotions!!!!!

It's been more than a year since I've felt this relieved.... and I am looking forward to the next 2 months with great anticipation of: a trip to Mexico for dd1, outside projects that didn't get done last year, a trip to Creationfest for ds1, a family camping weekend in August, a bbq to celebrate 25 years, a week vacation as a family in August...

I look forward to finding ways to thoroughly enjoy our summer...