September Blitz

I am alive, but it has been one wildly busy month. There's lots to share, but no time to share it!

There has been work conferences, Joyce Myers conference and a wedding and in between lots and lots of work. Hope to be able to share some highlights and insights I've gained along the way. In the meantime you might want to check out this book by Joyce, I Dare You

I had to take Miss Bailey back to the vet today because she developed this large, nasty bump on the side of her face that required antibiotics. She was fine, but what a circus at the vet's office! First, Gracie peed on the floor, so they gave me paper towels to clean it up - you can imagine what it is like trying to hold two dogs and clean up pee at the same time. I no sooner got finished when Bailey got on the scale and peed on it! I told them I was going to take the dogs outside for a few minutes while we waited, and Gracie proceeded to poop in the middle of the parking lot. All I had with me was some kleenex to clean it up with. I'm sure they were glad to see the end of me!

There is going to be an ocean in heaven...oh, and little puppy dogs too. I decided to take the girls to the ocean again today - it went much better this time; Gracie didn't come unhooked from her leash, and I managed not to lock my keys in the trunk!

The weather was pure heaven. There was a delicious breeze coming in off the water that felt like silk running across your skin. The girls and I spent an hour walking up and down the beach looking for sea glass and seashells. Well, I was looking for those things, the girls were mostly smelling under every rock and chewing on dried out crab shells (yuck!) and of course, Gracie was rolling around in the seaweed (again, yuck!)

After meandering along the coastline, we eventually ended up at the campground in Hubbards for some fish & chips (there's going to be fish & chips in heaven too.) I decided to take the dogs with me when I got out of the car at the canteen, rather than go through listening to them bark and howl at me from the car, and try to climb out the window. They proceeded to charm everyone in the vicinity, and after the man behind the counter gave them treats, he called the girls from the kitchen to come out and see the dogs. There was an older gentleman there who was camping, and he came over and wanted to know all about them, and even offered to hold their leashes while I collected up my food. They were all quite amazed when they heard the story of how I got them. It amazes me, the world that opens up to you when you have these cute little dogs around.

My usual spot at the picnic area was taken, so I decided to go down to the beach to eat supper, and it was incredible. Do you ever have one of those days where you feel the breath of God on it? Where it seems He is going ahead of you and arranging things? Well, today was one of those days, and I felt Him so close that it couldn't have been any more real than if He was with me in person. I took the girls for a walk, and with every turn that we made there was an even better surprise waiting for us. The scenery just became more and more incredible. Every bit of it had the signature of God all over it. As I listened to the ocean waves, I could feel everything inside of me beginning to slow down; my heartbeat, my thoughts, even the blood pumping through my veins.

I could barely tear myself away to come home, I just wanted to stay all night. Hard to believe there is a hurricane on the way, but time enough to think about that tomorrow; there's a little bit of heaven to be enjoyed here today.

Quiet Walks

"Sitting by the quiet stream is one of the best medicines for our fast-paced, helter-skelter, microwave society."





There's just something about being outside isn't there? As much effort as it takes, I have been enjoying so much getting outside and walking the dogs - last night was so beautiful, the air was just like silk, and the moon was lighting our way as it shone from behind the clouds. And the other morning the sun had just come up and there was this beautiful dew over everything, and then I saw eight mourning doves.

You can certainly appreciate the beauty of the scenery around you when you look out a window, but you miss out on the smell of the flowers, the feel of the air on your skin, and the sound of the birds as they call to one another from the trees...it's kind've the same with God's presence; you can watch others as they enter in, and you can listen to the things that God has revealed to someone else, but when you actually take that step into His presence and hear His voice for yourself, there's nothing else that can compare, and you wonder why you didn't do it before.

I read this the other day:

"Sitting by the quiet stream is one of the best medicines for our fast-paced, helter-skelter, microwave society. Simplicity and solitude are lost arts in our culture, even among Christians, which is one reason why so many believers complain that God seems so distant and unreal to them. We need a renewed emphasis on this facet of our spiritual lives. It's time to rediscover the power of contemplation, return to the quiet stream, and let the Good Shepherd restore our souls."

Great Big Bone

Bailey and Gracie went to visit their friends Kaylee and Leia the other day, and Gracie fell in love with this big bone that they had. Dianne graciously allowed Gracie to bring it home with her because it was too big for Kaylee - not so with Miss Gracie; I went out for a few hours one day, and when I came home Gracie had jumped up on my bed with the bone and was chewing away, much to Bailey's distress because she can't jump on the bed! I have no idea how that little dog jumped up on my bed with that great big bone!

Bailey & Gracie's favorite spot when I am sitting at my desk....

Retraction

Okaaay...I guess I can't sell a puppy dog that is this cute...and besides I got myself a snazzy new pair of glasses!

FOR SALE:

Miniature Schnauzer named Gracie

Color: Gray

Doesn't bark, except at hummingbirds

Interests: Eating eyeglasses

(Enjoys the taste of credit cards too)

I'm just sitting here in the quiet at the last end of a Sunday evening trying to put words to what I've experienced this weekend. I had the opportunity to go and visit my friend Shiromi in her new home on Friday night. Shiromi and her family came here from Sri Lanka a little over a year ago, and I have had the pleasure of getting to know her since that time. I have watched as she and her family have struggled to adjust to the culture of this new home of theirs called Canada; I have heard the stories of all they gave up in order to come here; I have shared in the tears as they questioned their decision to move here. Was it really God's voice they heard? And I have prayed and believed with them for a miracle that would allow them to finally be able to have a home of their own, and be able to move on from the tiny apartment that they had reduced their life to over the last year. As she took us from room to room in their new home, telling us of the miraculous ways that so many of the things had been provided, I was overwhelmed at the kindness and faithfulness of God. I felt Him there with us; I felt privileged to be able to take part in something so special, so precious. He steals my words away sometimes, so that I cannot adequately express how I feel inside. That was one of those moments.

And then on Saturday night, one of the girls from our home group invited us over to her house for a BBQ. We decided when our group started at the first of the year, that we were going to choose one thing that we each were believing for in our lives, and agree together to pray every time that we got together, and any time in between when God brought it to our minds, and the answers that we have seen have been amazing. These women are very dear friends of mine, but I can feel the covenant between us, which is something so much more.

She had emailed us at the first of the week, and asked us to pray about a certain situation that had arisen, and we each agreed to do so. There is something that happens when God knits your soul together with someone else; their burdens become your burdens, their pain your pain, and their successes and happiness bring a joy to your heart that couldn't really be exceeded if it were your own. Well, as we each arrived at her house, we saw the miracle that she had been praying for taking place right in front of our eyes. We got to see it for ourselves, and it was incredible! I just kept saying "Thank you God, for letting me see that. Thank you for letting me be there."

We were praying one night in our group, and God spoke to us and said "My divine 'Yes' is upon your life, so ask Me again, ask me for your heart's desire because I am saying 'Yes'." I have seen it happen in our group, and in the lives of many others around me over the last while. God is up to something, and the thing that makes makes it even more incredible is that He lets us share our lives with one another. It's hard sometimes to take that next step to a deeper level called "covenant" with someone. It can be uncomfortable sometimes when you discover the imperfections that live below the surface in someone's life, which can so easily be covered on a Sunday morning in church. It takes genuine effort and time to "be there" for someone, when many times it would be so much easier to just not know. And the anguish that you feel when you share in someone else's soul pain can sometimes be overwhelming. But oh the feeling when you get to take part in the answer, in the breakthrough, in the healing, in the miracle...there are no words to describe it, and it makes you fall in love with God all over again, and realize that the cost of being in covenant is so small compared to what you gain because of it.

Bewildered!

So I'm in my kitchen last evening preparing supper, and little Gracie is doing her favorite thing (other than sleeping on my bed) which is sitting in front of the glass door looking outside, and all of a sudden she starts barking, so I go to see who is at my door. Now this is only about the third time I've actually heard Gracie bark, so I figure it must be someone pretty important, but when I look out, no one is there. So I go back to the stove, and she starts barking again; so I go back to the door and look out, but I can't see anybody, and then I notice what it is she is barking at...can you guess what it was...a hummingbird! The crazy dog was barking at a hummingbird that was feeding from my flowers! Cars go by, people come to the door, dogs bark, and she never makes a peep, but when she sees a hummingbird she goes crazy! Go figure....