Fell into Fall and Wondering about Winter

It's coming, we had one day of it and it barely lasted. Yup, Winter! The first snow storm of the year and I managed to hit ice and then a curb. Lovely! ha ha  All was good I was not hurt and no one was involved except that poor old curb.

As I babysit my parents dog these last few day I have enjoyed the warm fireplace inside as I study the book of Ruth and ponder at how she was like AMAZING! Oh if only God would grow in me her work ethic, her wisdom, her dedication and her bravery, such a brave soul. I enjoy looking up from the pages of my bible at the flames burning, it reminds me that winter is coming. Soon it will be here..what will it be like?

Cold. I am sure it will be cold but more than just temperatures what is God going to do with me next, what wild road will He send me on. Will I be walking saddened with a relative to a foreign land? Will I find myself in a beautiful field under the watchful eye of a man of standing? Either way I know who my guide will be and will buckle up those winter boots and trek along.

It's been busy up here in the northern country. Things are in full swing I fell into Fall with a bang and a boom and am now stuck at my desk pondering winter..

What does God have up His sleeve this year?

I am so full of wonder as I anticipate.

Serving

Serving. I googled it because that is the best I could come up with this afternoon. Expecting to see pictures of waitresses and the such I was surprised that the second picture in my search was this; serving. I love it! The imagery, the meaning and the way I needed God to use it to speak to my heart.

I just took a course on leadership and the biggest lesson I learned was this quote I am summing it up of course but it went something like this; "I am not a person who does kind things, I am kind! I am not someone who does serving things, I am a servant." To become a servant like my Jesus is usually the goal hear on earth but I think I have spent useless time on kind & serving things without actually becoming a kind servant. Humbling for me I tell you!

We've been helping out a difficult lady lately and I have been wondering "How can you be so ungrateful? You are so hard to serve" it is in moments like these that I am reminded that it has nothing to do with me or how the other person behaves but that I am a servant and I shall do what is required of me; to serve. To serve all; the nice, the humble, the bitter, the injured, the old, the young, the mentally challenged, the well, the orphan, the ungrateful, the repentant, the unrepentant, ALL.

Let that soak in, it's doing a number on me. I don't get to choose who I will serve it has already been chosen for me through the sacrifice of my Saviour "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."

I have been blessed and will be blessed to serve all/everyone Christ died for, to die to myself daily and become the kind servant I was meant to be not this "person who does kind & serving things from time to time"

Bless you.

Stress Relief

My mind is boggled, literally boggled!

When I was young and stressed I would go for a walk, a hot bath or cry with my mommy. Sometimes I would run into my dads arms and snuggle or lock myself in my room with my cat.

Now a days my teenagers (I have 20 of them) smoke weed, cut themselves, take up smoking or drink to deal with "stress"

I'm going crazy!

I mean yes, I did the smoking & drinking thing but it wasn't because I was stressed it was because I was young and stupid.

I am boggled.

Praying God can un-boggle me and teach me how to deal with these youth, how to talk to them and how to show them positive outlets to deal with their stress. I am going to a seminar tonight on "Helping teenagers deal with stress" and hoping to gain some insight then take it home and make it biblical. God is sure challenging me but walking right with me.

Suicide is rampant right now, honestly going out of control in my northern corner and I am sick of it! Everytime I check a message it's another mom with a messed up kid, another friend with a broken marriage, or another report of a preventable death.

But I will choose Jesus, I will choose Joy and I will choose Victory! The Victory won for me and everyone on the cross. I choose life, life with God following Him and seeking Him for all my needs!

If you think of Grande Prairie please send up a prayer like this

"Hey satan, MOVE BACK off of these teenagers, MOVE BACK off these marriages, MOVE BACK off these suicides and MOVE BACK off of our callings, GET LOST! IN JESUS NAME BE GONE! MOVE BACK! Jesus, ENTER IN to these teenagers, ENTER IN to these marriages, ENTER IN to these boggled minds, ENTER IN to our callings and GUIDE us, PROTECT us and REMIND us of Your LOVE for US! AMEN!

-Thanks.

Water Aerobics & Sex Songs.

I go to water aerobics, everyday pretty much and the above picture is an accurate depiction of the type of ladies who are in my class. I love it, it's a fun way to work out, be active and not look like you're dying of dehydration. I've been attending for a year now and since our old pool closed and we moved into the new one we have been without any tunes for some time. Recently they have purchased this new music machine that usually busts out the beats of Abba or some Celine to a pumped up jam. I enjoy it!

A few weeks ago they introduced a new cd and I have dubbed it the "sex songs" disc. Unforunately because I went to public school and rode the school bus I know every word to these awful songs and I find myself singing along loudly. The other day when I caught myself singing "It's getting hot in here, so take off all your clothes" I stopped myself, dunked myself in the water and went woooow! I couldn't believe that the staffing thought this was the best CD for us to be working out to. I started wondering if I was the only one who felt a wee bit awkward or if I was just overreacting because I'm so innocent <-- lol not likely!!

When I turned to see an old grandma singing along to "Don't you wish your girlfriend was hot like me" I thought maybe I am old school. Maybe I need to be a bit more with it, or hip or whatever they call it! Then I thought about it again and decided Nope I don't have to be. Music is lame. I don't like how it gets into your brain and doesn't escape. I do not own any of the CD's with the songs I sing along to in the pool but they're there in my head catalouged away. Weird.

I guess I don't know where this is going except if you think water aerobics is just for a bunch of sissy old ladies who are singing the beats of Abba then don't let them fool you. They're young hipsters who are singing "Sexy Back" and burning the calories!

I do hate the CD and I'm planning to say something next week so I don't have to be singing all those nasty lyrics but I have also been praying for God to imbed His word in my heart so I can be singing that instead.

And it is so odd to hear a 60 year old belt out "shake your body like a belly dancer" just saying!

Bless you all!

psalm 34:18

There has been a lot going on this week. On Tuesday night we had a 15 year old girl take her life. The sorrow in my heart is nearly unbearable but not only my heart but my youths hearts. I had a busy day of emergecy counselling and being there no matter what these kids needed.

Please pray.

* For comfort for the family grieving (mom, dad, sister and brother left behind)
* My youth group who lost a friend.
* For the blood of Jesus to be claimed over these young kids lives and that satan would have no power here in the sadness and grief.

Thank-you.

On another note.

Dad arrived Thursday early morning and is now here to stay, mom will come back at the end of June. The parents are back in GP yet again but this time they bought a house, so I'm thinking it's pretty official.

Courage- thanks Kvemsy errr Gilly lol :)

So I'm back.

Been gone from this blogging world for awhile but really feeling the pull to share the joys/struggles of my existence with my beautiful blogging/praying friends!

Life's hard.

Work... harder.

God is on the move, there is a lot going on but I am really starting to feel the stresses and tension of satan and his little lame guys who like to get right into a good thing and mess around. This good thing is the church and I cry a lot. Pray for guidance, pride to fall and COURAGE. I know God is working, and that He is sovereign but boy do things ever get messy & complicated in this life I live.

I am getting tired.

Not tired of God, oh definitely not! But tired of sadness of pain and of despair. That despair that drives you to hug a newly married woman whose husband doesn't desire to live anymore. The despair of men working for the Lord who no longer think the scripture is the "only" source. The despair of PRIDE killing any good thing in this world with the idea that "I am #1" Despair..dang despair.

But then...JOY.

It comes. Joy of answered prayers, walls breaking down and repentance being sought after. The joy of Gods' faithfulness and that He not only says it in His word but He does what He says <-- at least there is one great God-guy left out there whose bold enough to deal with the mess. Praise You God. The joy of parents moving back, bills being met, food being consume and Goddaughters resting in the Word of my Jesus.

Stopped at Elli's blog listened to a song by Cathy AJ Hardy. Then clicked another "Courage for today" and boy thank you Jesus for good solid Bible believing, sin repenting friends who seek after You and die daily to this ugly & messy thing called earth. Who refuse to live in the flesh but seek to love what You love. Praise YOU again!!!

Lift it all up in prayer my friends. It's been rocky. It's been exciting. Mostly it's been a lot of clinging to the Father for everything, oh how I love His warmth.