Divine Contradiction

The Blank Canvas

2012-01-02T23:56:00.005-05:00

I'm not a big risk taker when it comes to my life. I'm the type of person that tends to play it safe. I'm predictable. Most of my decisions don't shock anybody. And for most of my life I was okay with that.

But lately something has changed. As my health has taken a dramatic turn for the better I knew that the time was coming to pursue a full-time career instead of juggling whatever part-time jobs I could come up with. And while I have been absolutely thrilled to have the energy and opportunity to do more with my life, I have to admit it was a little scary at the same time too. Because suddenly there was an awful lot of unknowns and a lot of decisions facing me down.

Should I move out of town to pursue a different career than what would be available to me here?

Should I go back to school?

Should I build on what I have been doing?

Or should I pursue something else entirely?

I have to admit somewhere deep down inside I was tempted to do something safe, something secure. Like work at a bank or something like that. But as I looked out at the blank canvas of my future I realized something. And that's if I'm ever going to take a chance, this is the time. By most people's standards I'm still pretty young. I have no big obligations or commitments like a mortgage or kids. If there was ever a moment to wander away from my typical path of taking the safest route, this is it.

And so after a lot of thinking and prayer I decided a few months ago that I wasn't going to play it safe when it comes to my career. The stability lover in me would be happy to take a nine to five job with benefits and a steady paycheck, but the dreamer in me knows that's not the path I'm supposed to travel right now.

Which is why I choose to follow my hearts desire and that is to pursue opening up my own business, something I'm in the process of doing right now.

The business? Media and design. For over 10 years I've been dabbling in web design. Over the years I've built quite a few sites for people and it was both something I enjoyed and a supplement to my income. Then over the past year I've expanded into video production and that's also been picking up steam, to the point where I think if I really pursue web design and media (such as video production) full-time I can make a go of it. Of course as anyone who has worked in the industry knows, to get where I want to be requires a sizable investment in equipment, software, and the like, which is where the risk comes in.

So yes, this is perhaps the most "unsafe" decision I've ever made in my life, but it is also one that is making me feel so alive and like I'm finally where I am supposed to be in life. Even as I work endlessly on business plans and cost projections and all kinds of things that are causing me to reopen my university textbooks, I'm loving every minute of it and I can't wait to see where this goes!

This song from Michael Paynter has become my theme song for this journey, because yes, I'm learning to love the fall.

The Reason We Celebrate

2011-12-24T02:30:00.005-05:00

One of my absolute favourite modern day Christmas songs is "The Night Before Christmas" (see below). I think one of the reasons I love it so much is because it reminds me of the contrast of what our world was like before Jesus came in and what it was like after He took his first breaths as a baby. It also reminds me of the hope and light He brought then and brings now to everyone who believes.

I know my life has drastically changed with His presence in it and so that is what I am celebrating this Christmas. Sure I love having four days off work, yes I enjoy getting together with family and friends, and hey who doesn't love gifts. But in the midst of that I don't want the reason any of us have to celebrate be overshadowed by the celebrations themselves.

Jesus came down to our earth. Emmanuel, God with us. He came not just to die one day for our sins and pave a path between God and mankind; but He also came to bring us calmness in chaos, peace in uncertainty, love to those who feel unlovable and ultimately, light in the darkness.

That is the reason we have to celebrate. And that is something I don't want to lose sight of this season.

Merry Christmas.

One-Twelfth

2011-12-14T21:58:00.005-05:00

It's no secret that for many December is the busiest month of the year. And when you ask people why they are so busy, chances are they are going to say it's because they are getting ready for Christmas. And while that's certainly an acceptable answer, let's just think about this for a second.

If every year in December we spend the majority of our time getting ready for Christmas, that means that we're pretty much dedicating one month of the year to it. Which doesn't sound so bad in the grand scheme of one year, but let's break it down further.

If every December we spend most of our time preparing for Christmas and December is one month out of twelve in a year, it's a safe assumption to make that many of us will spend one-twelfth of the free time we have in our entire lives getting ready for a holiday.

Now don't count me out as a Scrooge. Ask anyone around me- I absolutely love Christmas! But what I don't love is when I get so busy with preparing for the occasion that I end up losing Jesus in the middle of meals and presents and baking and parties. If I'm going to spend one-twelfth of the free time in my life on something, I want to make sure I'm spending it on something that is going to count. And if my way of celebrating Christmas and preparing for December 25th is nothing but shopping and to-do lists and obligations, then I'm afraid I'm missing the mark.

However, if my celebrations are centered around Christ and I use this time of year to do the things that He loves best, like:

-reach out to the lonely

-give to the poor

-share His Gospel with those around me

Then not only am I not wasting 1/12 of my life, but I'm actually living out the kind of life that God wants His followers to live. And that's something we would all do good to follow every day of the year, Christmas or not.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’" (Matthew 25:34-40)

Clean Drinking Water

2011-11-19T00:42:00.003-05:00

The end of this month brings about the 10th anniversary of the MAD Christian Radio Show. That astounds me- I can't believe I've been doing this for 10 years! In some ways it seems like I just got started yesterday. In others it seems like this is something that has always been part of my life.

I wanted to do something special to mark the milestone and since MAD stands for Making A Difference it seemed only suitable to partner with a cause that would allow all the listeners to get involved and be Making A Difference. And the cause that has been on my heart for a long time is bringing clean drinking water to people in Africa.

It's unbelievableto think that something we have such free access to is virtually non-existent in many parts of the world. But thanks to organizations like the Blood:Water Mission it's very easy for you or I to do something about it.

For every dollar we give, they can give someone in Africa clean drinking water for an entire year! If you'd like to give the gift of clean water, click here to donate. Everyone who does using that link not only can make a huge difference, but also will have the chance to win in our 10th Anniversary Giveaway as a way of saying thanks for your generosity!

Creative Approach

2011-10-19T22:06:00.002-04:00

I like things that are creative and a little out of the box, which can definitely be said for this video! It's a lego take on TobyMac's song "Tonight"- check it out!

Thanksgiving

2011-10-07T17:11:00.003-04:00

This weekend us Canadians celebrate thanksgiving. Here are a few things that I am thankful for:

-My family and friends. Over this past year especially I've been realizing just how blessed I am to have the people in my life that I do. I've got an incredibly supportive "home team" and I value each one of them so much.
-My church family. I belong to a great congregation of people and I'm excited about the direction God is leading us in.
-My health. I've struggled quite a bit with health issues over the past 5-6 years and to see healing come in many ways over these past few months has been incredible! I'm so grateful for the improvements and love what feeling better has allowed me to be able to do.
-The MAD Christian Radio Show. I'm floored to think that I've been doing this show for nearly 10 years- that's over 500 shows! But in a lot of ways it feels like it's just getting started.
-New opportunities on the horizon. With my improved health and the changes that have come into my life as a result, I feel like I'm moving into the next stage of my life and while I can't say I know exactly what that's going to look like, the glimpses I've been getting are remarkable. I can't wait for what lies ahead!!!

So happy thanksgiving! I'll leave you with a thanksgiving clip from one of my favorite shows:

Boasting

2011-10-01T14:31:00.002-04:00

Ever since I first heard this song from Lecrae I can't get it out of my head. It's one that I want to be my anthem.

The Unknown

2011-09-18T19:58:00.003-04:00

Today I came across this quote from Theodore Epp:

"As we trust God to give us wisdom for today's decisions, He will lead us a step at a time into what He wants us to be doing in the future."

It hit close to home as over the next couple of months I have some decisions to make about the future. And where before decisions like these would cause me to worry, I find myself feeling kind of excited about them. I never used to be the kind of person who thrived in the unknown, but lately I have been.

But maybe that's because looking back I can see an intricate weaving of events where God had lead me thus far and I can now trust that the things that He has ahead for me are just as good, if not better, than the things I've left behind.

Here's to the unknown!

August Holiday

2011-09-10T00:19:00.002-04:00

Our family started a new tradition last year that during the last week of August we all meet up at my aunts cottage for a family vacation. The tradition carried on this year and it's one that I love. Somehow when my family gets all together, we're transported back in time to when we were kids and many memories of the times we spent together growing up emerge.

This year there was added joy with the new addition to our family, my nephew Timothy, joining us. He's now eight months old and it's amazing to see his personality emerge and our personalities change with him being there. Where before we only knew our mom as a mother, now the Oma (grandmother) side of her has made itself known. I see the changes in my brother as he's a dad and have witnessed the changes in my sister and I as we are now aunts. They say kids change a family and only eight months in, I can attest that it's true and it's a wonderful thing to experience.

It was a fantastic week filled with so many precious moments. A few highlights:

-standing outside with all the lights turned off, looking at the blanket of stars that filled the evening sky. Then being filled with wonder as shooting stars streaked across the night sky.
-playing board games at the kitchen table, teasing each other and laughing so hard that our eyes filled with tears.
-going for bike rides around the lake and being floored with the expanse of God's beautiful creation.
-playing with my nephew and learning what makes him laugh. Having him sit on my lap and mimic my breathing and laughter.
-fishing below the dam and reeling in my catch.

I feel so blessed to be a part of the family that I call mine. While we like any family have had our struggles, the trials that we've gone through have refined us and made us a stronger unit as a result.

In my family I not only have people who love me unconditionally, but a team of people who are extremely protective of me. People who inspire me to dream and believe that I can accomplish great things. Having that kind of home team is something that I used to take for granted, but these days I'm learning to stop and be grateful for what I have.

I'm choosing to allow each moment to truly soak in my heart and soul, to reflect on the goodness of this gift from God and ultimately I'm aspiring to be the best sister, aunt, and daughter that I can be.

Young Love

2011-08-26T14:41:00.002-04:00

I don't often run out and buy an album right on release day, but when it came to Mat Kearney's latest "Young Love" I made an exception and the album didn't disappoint.

Since coming out earlier this month I've been listening to it non-stop and I haven't tired of it yet. The beats are catchy, the lyrics are deep, and the songwriting is original. It's definitely made its way to my top 10 list.

Existing To Live

2011-08-20T16:33:00.002-04:00

In her book Cold Tangerines Shauna Niequest wrote:

"I want a life that sizzles and pops and makes me laugh out loud. And I don't want to get to the end, or to tomorrow even, and realize that my life is a collection of meetings and pop cans and errands and receipts and dirty dishes. I want to eat cold tangerines and sing out loud in the car with the windows open and wear pink shoes and stay up all night laughing and paint my walls the exact color of the sky right now. I want to sleep hard on clean white sheets and throw parties and eat ripe tomatoes and read books so good they make me jump up and down, and I want my everyday to make God belly laugh, glad that He gave life to someone who loves the gift."

I resonate so much with that quote because that's the kind of life I'm determined to be living. Ever since my sleep problems started getting better this spring I've been attacking life with a vigor and it's been such an amazing experience that I never want to go back to living to exist rather than existing to live.

I've had such an amazing summer so far packed with experiences that I'll never forget. Going horseback riding and feeling fear with an equal measure of feeling so alive when the horse started to run. Four wheeling through the bush and nearly coming face to face with a bear and her cubs. Kayaking on the lake. Golfing just because the weather was nice and I could. Staying up until all hours of the night talking with friends. Meeting new people and connecting with them on a soul level. Watching my nephew as he experiences so many "firsts". Spending days out by the pool. Reading books that are so good I want to share them with everyone I meet. Taking spontaneous road trips in my suv. The list goes on and on.

Today I'm writing this to reflect and be thankful, but also to remind myself never to get so busy or caught up in the details of life that I forget to really live. And also because I never want to overlook the One who give me this life and the One who I want to honour with every moment that He gives me.

God's Masterpieces

2011-08-13T00:43:00.003-04:00

There are voids in this world that need filling. Did you ever stop and think that maybe you were created to fill one of them?

Ephesisans 2:10 tells us "For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago."

You are God's masterpiece. Not His mistake. Not His leftovers. His masterpiece.

And He has something planned for your life. Not day after day of mediocrity. But a plan that takes your unique giftings to fill a void that can change lives, and maybe, even maybe change the world.

So what are you waiting for? Get out there! Masterpieces are created to be displayed on the wall, not hidden in a closet where no one can appreciate their beauty.

Recognizing The Sacrifice

2011-08-08T11:46:00.002-04:00

Recently I had a rather scary experience. I had canoed out to one of my favourite spots at my aunts cottage and found two dogs on the beach. Before long one of them swam out into the lake and started playing with a buoy in the water. I guess his mistook the buoy for a toy and tried to pull it towards shore. Since the buoy was anchored he couldn't move it and was using up his energy trying to move something that couldn't be moved. Seeing that he was starting to struggle in the water I tried to call him to shore, but he wouldn't come and at the same time was struggling to stay afloat, so I did the only thing I thought I could do- I jumped in the water and swam out to where he was.

There I tried to coax him to let go of the buoy but he was panicking and wouldn't let it go. Then I tried to pull him towards shore but he had no collar on so I couldn't get any leverage. I yelled for help but his owners were no where to be found. So after struggling with the dog in the water to no avail I swam to shore and ran up to the nearest cottage to get help. When I got there I found the people who turned out to be his owners I explained in no uncertain terms that their dog was in trouble and needed their help.

Thankfully while this was happening, the dog had come to his senses and released the buoy and I think with the assistance of the other dog, had made it to shore. But these people were not thankful. Anything but. Instead of thanking me for risking myself to save their dog, they were irritated and one of them actually blamed me for the incident. Like I had thrown his dog in the lake or something.

As I canoed back to the cottage I couldn't help but be appalled at their attitude. I mean here I went and put myself in jeopardy for their pet and instead of giving even a thank you, they went so far as to get mad at me for the situation. I admit, I was getting a little self-righteous when God reminded me that this situation is not unique and something He faces on a daily basis.

Just think about it. Jesus came to this earth and paid the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. He actually went the distance and allowed His life to be traded for ours. And instead of accepting His gift and thanking Him for it, the majority of people out there mock His sacrifice in their refusal to accept it. Then if that wasn't bad enough, when life doesn't go their way they actually step out and blame Him for their problems.

And I can say that with certainty because before I finally surrendered at the age of 16 I was one of them.

1 John 4, verses 9 and 10 tell us:

"God showed how much he loved us by sending His only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins." (1 John 4:9-10)

That was no small sacrifice. Imagine what it took for the Son of God to give up the riches of heaven and the power of a creator and instead confine Himself to a human body, rubbing shoulders with sinners and making a sacrifice that by far is not accepted or appreciated by most?

If you're a Christian like myself we have accepted the sacrifice of His payment for our sins, but if you're anything like me, in time it's easy to forget just what a gift that is. So let this be our reminder to daily go before God and thank Him for what He's done and then honour His sacrifice by how we live.

Holidays

2011-07-15T11:29:00.001-04:00

On Monday I got back after my first week of vacation for the summer and let me say, it was fantastic! Instead of heading far out of town we holed up at a cottage for part of the week, then tried our hands at camping for the second part. The idea was to have a low-key time to recharge and relax. In the end we had lots of that, but some unexpected adventures thrown in as well. Here are some of my highlights from the week:

Fishing
About halfway through the week my brother, sister-in-law and little nephew came out to join us for the day at the cottage. It was a great time (minus being chased by a guy on a motorcycle, but that's a story for another day) and it was made even greater when we went fishing. My brother took us to a spot he had heard about and while it was quite the trek through the bush to get there, it was worth it. The scenery was beautiful and the fish were really biting. We caught saugers, walleye, and white fish.

Reading
It's not secret that I absolutely love to read, but over the past few years I haven't been able to do as much of it as I would have liked to because my sleep issues really effected my memory and memory really effects your reading. But now that my sleep issues are so much better I've been able to start devouring books again. I read a couple fiction books and in the non fiction category I started and finished Bittersweet by Shauna Niequist, which I highly recommend and The Real You by Dr. Kevin Leman, also a great read.

The Great Outdoors
Of course we spent a lot of time in the great outdoors. We did quite a bit of biking and on one of our runs nearly came face to face with a bear! One afternoon we rented a boat and spent some time out on the water. I went swimming, but that fun ended when I had to jump in the lake to try and save a dog that was drowning. In the end the dog was okay, but I'd by lying if I said that experience wasn't somewhat traumatic.

Zero Gravity
In the past I was never the kind of person who enjoyed lounging. There was always something to do and I wanted to do it, however in recent years I've come to appreciate the art of just being still and that practice becomes even more of an artform when you have a zero gravity chair. There was one at the trailer we were staying at and I could have spent the whole week in it, reading, resting and taking in the sights of the lake. I need to get myself one of these! Or maybe not because my productivity level at home would likely drop drastically.

All in all, it was a fantastic holiday and while it is now over, the summer fun has just started. Later today a friend and I are heading out on a road trip to a nearby town, I've got another week of holidays coming up in August and plan to spend a lot of time playing basketball, lounging by the pool and camping between now and then.

Let Your Life Speak

2011-07-10T16:31:00.000-04:00

"If we can learn to read our own responses to our own experience - a text we are writing unconsciously every day we spend on earth - we will receive the guidance we need to live more authentic lives. But if I am to let my life speak things I want to hear, things I would gladly tell others, I must also let it speak things I do not want to hear and would never tell anyone else! My life is not only about my strengths and virtues; it is also about my liabilities and my limits, my trespasses and my shadow. An inevitable though often ignored dimension of the quest for wholeness is that we must embrace what we dislike or find shameful about ourselves as well as what we are confident and proud of."

Parker Palmer (Let Your Life Speak)

Mobile

2011-06-28T13:18:00.004-04:00

A few weeks ago I purchased a mobile internet stick, which is basically a fancy way of describing a device that lets you have intenet access on your laptop no matter where you are. For me that has meant freedom because it means I'm no longer tied down to my office or a wireless hot spot when I'm working. So between that and finally having my own vehicle I can work at the park, at the beach, on the road or at the cottage, which is amazing!

About a week and a half ago I was driving back from Cochrane with a friend and we saw these guys on the side of the road. Something I definitely wouldn't have seen out my office window:

Looking For One

2011-06-07T15:19:00.001-04:00

I was in Sudbury last week and on a recommendation, I picked up the Jake Hamilton album called "Freedom Calling" and I'm really loving it. It reminds me of Jason Upton, mixed with a bit of Hillsong and Kim Walker.

My favorite song on the album is called "Looking For One" and it's really the cry of my heart to be that one who stands in the gap. Listen to the song below and check out the lyrics:

Looking For One
By Jake Hamilton

Jesus came to save the world
Then He let us give it a whirl and we messed it up
But I'm not giving up
Cause as far as I know, mercy still remains
And judgement only comes if we don't remain faithful
You'll find me faithful

Cause you're looking for one
Who can hear Your heart beat
Who can feel when You lead
And the time and the season
You're looking for one
Who will stand in the gap
Who will never look back
Finds Your heart in their freedom
You're looking for one

I've heard it said He hates our show
And all He wants is for us to know justice
And what true love is
Our melodies will never do
And all these programs keeping You distant
Have we missed it

You choose the broken, You choose the weak
You favor the humble, You raise up the meek
Blessed are those who are found poor in spirit
For theres is the kingdom, it's so hard to hear it
You don't shy away from the foolish and fumbling
You're able to use all those tired and stumbling
And just when we think that our work is all done
I hear your heart,
You're looking for one.

Weekend @ the Cottage

2011-06-01T15:47:00.004-04:00

Last weekend I jetted out to my aunts cottage to spend my first weekend there this summer. Even though it rained off and on throughout the weekend I still had a fantastic time.

I did some reading in Andy Stanley's The Principle of the Path, a book that I'm thoroughly enjoying. I did some thinking and praying about the future and the changes that are ahead. I spent time outdoors, enjoying the beauty of God's creation. And in the evenings I wrote a few new devotionals for the MAD Christian Radio Show (which you can find here, along with a new feature that links the devotionals with facebook).

All in all, it was a very peaceful time where I got to clear my head and quiet myself so that I could hear God speak. I left feeling encouraged and excited about the future. Can't wait to spend more time out there this summer!

Truth from Psalm 40

2011-05-23T23:59:00.002-04:00

"I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
and he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
and steadied me as I walked along.
He has given me a new song to sing,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the Lord." (Psalm 40)

Quotes

2011-05-05T23:19:00.002-04:00

I'm a huge fan of quotes and when I find ones that are inspiring or thought provoking I tend to write them down, resulting in quotes written down all over the place in my house!

I thought I'd share a few that have been inspiring me and/or causing me to think lately:

"All endings are also beginnings. We just don't know it at the time." (Mitch Albom, The Five People You Meet In Heaven)

"God asks no one whether he/she will accept life. That is not the choice. You must take it. The only choice is how." (Henry Ward Beecher)

"Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies within us while we live." (Norman Cousins)

And a Bible verse that has been on my mind a lot lately:

"Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.'" (Isaiah 30:21)

True Love

2011-04-21T20:47:00.005-04:00

If you ever wondered what Easter is really about, or maybe like me, you can use a reminder check out this video:

Cracks In The Foundation

2011-04-18T22:10:00.001-04:00

Last week I went into the bathroom in our basement downstairs and stepped into some water that shouldn't have been there. At first I thought my mom was a little over zealous when it came to washing the floor, but after some investigation I found out that the water was coming in from outside. And as I talked to different friends and family members it turned out we weren't the only one with this problem.

You see the night before we had a huge downpour and since the ground here was still frozen, the water had no where to go but in the cracks in our foundations and into our basements.

What I found interesting about this all is that most people who had water come in had no idea that there was anything wrong with their foundation. It was only when the storm came that it became obvious something was seriously wrong.

Aren't our lives like that? We can go about our business day after day and call ourselves Christians, go to church and do all the right things and on the surface everything seems fine. But then when the storm comes we realize something is desperately wrong when we're up to our knees in water with no way to stop it from coming gushing in.

Like Jesus taught in Matthew 7:24-27:

"Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won't collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn't obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash."

Jesus Calling

2011-04-06T18:28:00.003-04:00

For a while I've been looking for a good devotional book to start my day with and the search is over. Two weeks ago I picked up "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young and it's been rocking my world.

It's written very different than most devotional books because it's written in the perspective of God writing to you and while it took a bit of getting used to, it's been amazing. Nearly every day I've been confronted with a profound truth or just something I really needed to hear.

If you're looking for a fresh element to add to your morning devotions, I highly recommend either picking up a copy of the book or downloading the Jesus Calling app in iTunes.

"The only thing you can grasp without damaging your soul is My hand." (Jesus Calling)

The West Wing

2011-03-29T22:23:00.002-04:00

The West Wing moved up to bump the original Practice out of the running as my all-time favorite tv show. Here's why:

and...

I may be a little late to the party, but I absolutely love this show!

How Good Business Is Done

2011-03-24T10:09:00.002-04:00

A few months ago I signed up for a membership with www.shootlove.com. It's a photography website and since I've been wanting to expand on my photo taking abilities and they were giving a great introductory offer, I decided to sign up.

During the first couple of months they had a few roadblocks and delays and instead of just expecting their customers to put up with it, they instead did something unexpected:

SL Big Announcement + GOYA Assignment from frshnk on Vimeo.

And they were good on their word. The day after getting this message I got a notice that my monthly payments to shootlove.com were cancelled and I'm now lucky enough to have a lifetime membership, absolutely free!

And that my friends is how good business is done....

Eye Opening Article

2011-03-20T14:11:00.002-04:00

It's interesting how with all the reports of the nuclear problems Japan is having, officials from the government both there and here insist that things are safe. This is the first article I've read that shows just how unsafe things are and how bad things could get.

The people of Japan truly need our support and prayers!

How Could This Be

2011-03-11T23:44:00.003-05:00

Writing is something that I just love to do and my writing takes on a lot of different forms. Sometimes thoughts or lines will come to me that turn into a devotional, other times a radio ad, other times a chapter for a book and then there are some times that they turn into a potential song. I say potential because while I can write words that resemble lyrics I lack the musical inclination to turn them into an actual song. But that is where it pays to have gifted friends :)

To hear one of our recent songs, check out the video. The lyrics are also posted below.

How Could This Be

By: Julie Bouchard & Kristen McNulty

Moonlight at midnight

All the stars shining bright

Reflections of Your glory

All of heaven tells a story

Seeing just a small glance

Journey of the second chance

Creation redeemed

That's your plan for me

Hearts and lives restored

I'm amazed Lord

How could this be?

Rainbows on a dreary day

Direction when I've lost my way

Light that shines bright inside

Even the darkness can't hide

What a complex mystery

Heaven re-writing our history

That one event changed it all

Jesus Christ, redeemer of the fall

How can it be, how can it be?

Forgiveness and grace are mine

Covered by Your love divine

How can it be, how can it be?

The OC Supertones

2011-03-09T10:40:00.004-05:00

In high school, which was more years ago than I would care to admit, one of my favorite bands was the OC Supertones. I liked the band because yes, as a trombone player it was one of the few bands that I could play along to, but also because their lyrics had a depth to them that I appreciated.

There wasn't many other bands out there quoting the likes of Schaeffer and encouraging Christians to go beyond the surface of faith.

When the band broke up I was very disappointed that I never had the opportunity to see them in concert, but my hopes were reignited recently when I found out they played a couple concerts on the West Coast last summer. Here's to hoping it won't be the last time the guys get together for a few shows.

Wilderness:

Crossing Another Item Off

2011-02-16T12:49:00.004-05:00

Last weekend I had the chance to scratch another item off of my bucket list- a helicopter ride! I was out of town and they were offering rides, so my sister, sister-in-law and I decided to take advantage of the opportunity.

It was a thrilling experience to say the least. Although I was the only one who had a helicopter ride on their bucket list, we all had a great time. The take off and landing was so much different than an airplane and the view from the top was incredible. We got to tour the town in style before landing on the ice in the middle of a lake. If you ever get a chance, I highly recommend taking a spin!

Superbowl Commercials

2011-02-08T00:25:00.004-05:00

Maybe it's professional hazard, but I love hearing and watching well-written commercials. So the Superbowl commercials are ones that I look forward to catching, almost as much as I look forward to watching the game.

This year my favorite commercial of the bunch was Chrysler's. I think what I love about it is how they take something basic, the idea that Detroit is an auto manufacturing town, and turn it into a compelling story.

In my opinion it was brilliant.

Mountains Move

2011-02-05T14:55:00.003-05:00

While I love worship, it is a challenge for me to find worship albums that I can really get into and listen from start to finish over and over again. But I've found one that I'm loving and I thought I'd share it with you all.

It's called Mountains Move and it's from Kristian Stanfill. I highly recommend you check it out!

Your Love

2011-01-28T00:03:00.010-05:00

One song I've been listening to a lot lately is "Your Love" by Brandon Heath. The lyrics that stand out to me in particular are:

You're the light when the night is falling
You're the song when my heart is singing
It's Your love
You're the eyes to the blind man
You're the feet to the lame man walking
You're the sound of people singing
It's Your love"

Have you ever experience a love like that? One that fills your heart and changes everything. Giving light to the darkness, hope in the hopeless and peace in the turmoil?

We as humans even on the best of days fall short when it comes to really loving someone else. No matter how hard we try, we do mess up, we do disappoint and we do hurt. We don't meet other peoples needs, we say the wrong things and we are way too quick to jump to conclusions and solutions when all someone else needs is understanding.

But there's another love out there. A love that no matter how hard we try to replicate we'll always fall short of. And it's a love that doesn't need replicating because it's available freely to every one of us and that is the love of God.

Many of us view God as an older gentleman with high standards who makes it impossible to get a stamp of approval from. But that couldn't be further from the truth:

"But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness." (Psalm 86:1)

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

"[Jesus said] as the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love." (John 15:9)

"This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." (1 John 4:9)

And my personal favorite:

"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow- not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below- indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)

Isn't the love of God a truly amazing thing?

Let Go

2011-01-22T00:58:00.006-05:00

Lately I pulled out my copy of "Let Go" by Francois Fenelon. When I picked it up I thought it would be a quick read because of its small size, but it turned out to be just the opposite. There is so much wisdom packed into each chapter- most only 3-4 pages long, that you'll find yourself not wanting to read more than a few pages at a time so that you can let it all sink in. If you haven't read this book yet, I highly recommend picking up a copy.

"Tell God all that is in your heart, as one unloads one's heart, its pleasures and its pains, to a dear friend. Tell Him your troubles, that He may comfort you; tell Him your joys, that He may sober them; tell Him your longings, that He may purify them; tell Him your dislikes, that He may help you conquer them; talk to Him of your temptations, that He may shield you from them: show Him the wounds of your heart, that He may heal them; lay bare your indifference to good, your depraved tastes for evil, your instability. Tell Him how self-love makes you unjust to others, how vanity tempts you to be insincere, how pride disguises you to yourself and others." (from Let Go)

Looking Back, Looking Ahead

2011-01-15T13:53:00.003-05:00

Last year at this time I was thinking and praying about the year 2010 and while I don't often get messages like this, I believe I got a message loud and clear from God saying that 2010 was going to be a year of change.

It rang so loudly and seemed so profound that I shared this with a number of people in my life. It's a good thing I did because I wasn't alone in shaking my head in awe as the events of this past year unraveled.

2010 truly was a year of the foundation being shaken up in my life and I experienced major changes in pretty much every area of my life: family, ministry, friendships, health, the list goes on and on.

While knowing in advance that 2010 was going to be a year of change didn't remove the effects that these changes had on my life, it did help to soften the blow because with each change and challenge I was reminded that God saw this coming. He knew what I would be facing this past year and in His grace He was kind enough to give me a heads up.

During one intense period of changes and challenges this spring I was talking with someone I respect very much and he told me that when I climbed out of this valley he believed that I would have a different and deeper relationship with God. To be honest, at the time that wasn't much of a consolation, but today I can see the truth in what he said.

My relationship with God has gone deeper and I see Him very differently than I did even a year ago. I also feel very much loved by Him, which is something that has been so amazing to experience.

As 2011 has arrived I have no idea what the year will bring, but I do know this- no matter what the next year holds, whether they are "Job sized" challenges or abundant blessings, God has His hand on my life. And if this past year has taught me anything it's that He walks with us every single step of the way. During no other time period in my life have I felt the nearness of God and it's been a remarkable thing to experience.

New Years Prayer

2010-12-31T01:46:00.002-05:00

"May God make your year a happy one!
Not by shielding you from all sorrows and pain,
But by strengthening you to bear it, as it comes;
Not by making your path easy,
But by making you sturdy to travel any path;
Not by taking hardships from you,
But by taking fear from your heart;
Not by granting you unbroken sunshine,
But by keeping your face bright, even in the shadows;
Not by making your life always pleasant,
But by showing you when people and their causes need you most,
and by making you anxious to be there to help.
God's love, peace, hope and joy to you for the year ahead." (Anonymous)

What A Wonderful Christmas

2010-12-29T00:59:00.004-05:00

If your family is anything like mine Christmas day doesn't usually come and go without some sort of roadblock or mini-disaster. Last year it was a flood at my grandpa's house right before we served Christmas dinner. This year my brother called Christmas morning saying that he, his wife and my little nephew wouldn't be able to come for Christmas since he and his wife were quite sick. When we found this out we knew we had a choice to make- focus on what we weren't going to have or focus on what we did have. And so we continued on with our plans.

Christmas morning we had my grandfather and aunt and uncle over for a traditional McNulty Christmas breakfast. The highlight of this being our stocking opening. This has become somewhat of a legend in our household. Our banister is packed with everyones stockings (at last count I think we had eight) and most of us contribute to filling them with unique and creative things. This year the stockings were such a hit that we didn't have room in our stockings for everything that people brought! After our stocking opening was done our company left so my Mom and I did our gift exchange and then had some downtime.

In the afternoon most of our extended family, along with my sister and brother-in-law met up for Christmas dinner at my aunts house. It was great to get to see everyone and we had such a good time! After our delicious dinner we had our 2nd Annual Baking Contest. How it works is that everyone brings their entry (either a cookie, bar or square) along with a small entry fee and they are numbered so it's anonymous who made what. We do a taste test of the entries and cast our vote for the winner. The winner gets a cash pot, which suited me just fine because this year I took home first place!

On Boxing Day after church we all gathered again at my grandfathers house for another family get together and of course, more games and contests. First was a dress-up contest where everyone came dressed up as a character from a Christmas movie and had to recite a line or two from the movie. There were prizes for best costume and most convincing character and it was hilarious to be a part of! My sister and brother-in-law even went so far as to do a scene from Christmas Vacation on my grandfathers front lawn. I have no idea what the neighbors thought but I thought I was going to be sick from laughing! This is the first time my family has done anything like this and I don't think it'll be the last!

Finally to wrap things up we played a game that I created this year called "Sing It, Act It or Say It". I made it for a Christmas party I hosted earlier this month and it turned out to be a really fun game to play as a group so I decided to do a re-run on Boxing Day. I've been encouraged to make a non-Christmas version of it and copyright it but I think it's something I'm going to keep for just family and friends...

So those are the highlights of my Christmas of 2010- how was yours?

God With Us

2010-12-24T14:47:00.003-05:00

"All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means 'God is with us')." (Isaiah 7:14)

God with us.

One of the most stunning truths about the Christmas story to me can be summed up in three words: God with us.

The same God who was the mastermind behind creation confined Himself to a baby's body. The same God who ruled over creation was content to be brought up by human parents. The same God who is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords was willing to humble Himself to die for those very beings who refused to worship and obey. God with us.

When we're tired. When we're discouraged. When we don't feel like we can make it through another day. God with us.

I can see evidence of God with me everyday. I see it in the sunrise that streaks across the sky. I see it in the music that moves my soul with every note. I see it in the people He sends across my path just when I need them. I see it in the circumstances He orchestrates into a brilliant set of events, otherwise known as my life story. God with us.

God with us. Not just today. Not just tomorrow, but forever. No matter what life events arise. No matter what our days hold, we've got God with us and that fact changes everything.

It puts the hope in the hopeless. The peace in the turmoil. And the love in what otherwise would have been lonely.

God with us.

That's the Christmas story. Not just sheep and wisemen, but what the birth of Jesus set in motion. Events that had been pre-planned by the ultimate God of love. Through Jesus coming to earth and dying for our sins, we were given a second chance. A way to restore our relationship with God. Our own story of Redemption.

My Favourite Time of Year

2010-12-22T23:17:00.000-05:00

I love this music video. It looks like the people in my Christmas village come to life :) The band put a lot into this and they did it all without the support of a label- impressive!

Meeting Timothy

2010-12-19T16:59:00.004-05:00

This past week has been one of the best of my life and it's all because of a bundle of joy weighing 8 pounds and 14 ounces. My nephew, Timothy Ryan McNulty, was born at 10:41 on Tuesday morning and he is absolutely amazing! From the moment I got to hold him shortly after his birth feelings of love, connection and protectiveness flooded in and they were amazing things to feel. There's something so precious about a newborn baby. When I get to hold this little guy it's like time stands still and all is right in the world.

I'm so thrilled to finally be an aunt and I'm excited to be able to be a part of his life. I'm also so proud of my brother and sister-in-law. No matter how many curve balls they were thrown throughout the labour and delivery they just rolled with the punches and kept their focus. It was a truly amazing thing to witness and I'm thankful that they were so open to sharing the process with us. We spent most of Monday and Tuesday camped out at the hospital and it was an interesting experience to say the least!

On Tuesday night after coming home from the hospital I went and "randomly" flipped open my Bible and wouldn't you know it, but the page opened on 2 Timothy! My eyes fell to this verse and I knew at that moment that God has some remarkable plans for this little life: "Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 2:1)

Thank God for little miracles!

A Christmas Prayer

2010-12-12T17:47:00.005-05:00

A few years ago I came across this Christmas prayer written by Henri Nouwen. It's a powerful one I've found myself thinking of quite a bit these days:

"Lord Jesus, Master of both the light and the darkness, send your Holy Spirit upon our preparations for Christmas. We who have so much to do seek quiet spaces to hear your voice each day. We who are anxious over many things look forward to your coming among us. We who are blessed in so many ways long for the complete joy of your kingdom. We whose hearts are heavy seek the joy of your presence. We are your people, walking in darkness, yet seeking the light. To You we say, come Lord Jesus."

Keeping Focus (even when life gets crazy)

2010-12-10T01:08:00.005-05:00

While there are a lot of benefits to being able to work out of your own home, there are some downfalls too. One of them being those moments when you realize that you haven't stepped outside in a few days (yes, it has happened on more than one occasion!). The other one is that there is no punch clock at the end of the day. If there is work to be done, it doesn't matter if it's 6:00 and you should be calling it a day, you've got to finish. And I don't know if it's Murphy's Law or not, but at least with the various jobs and commitments I'm involved with, it seems like when it rains, it pours and I'm left desperately trying not to get wet (or miss a deadline)!

That's what the last few weeks have been like for me. On top of my regular commitments, I've had quite a few unexpected things come up as well. But even as challenging as it's been to get everything done, it's been good in the sense that I haven't allowed myself to become completely overwhelmed by it either. Through doing this kind of work, I've learned my lessons (often the hard way) and as a result I've got quite the system for my to-do list. I have it set up so at a glance I can see what needs to be done, who it's being done for and when it's due. And when I finish an item I cross it off and don't start a new list until Monday morning. It gives a sense of accomplishment when you look at your list and see more items scratched off than left on, doesn't it? Well maybe it doesn't for you, but for me it does and it allows me to stay organized and keep my focus on what matters.

Another thing I've really learned the value of is saying "no". In fact, the only reason I got through the past couple of weeks is because as certain areas of my life increased their demand on my time, I had to put aside other things.

But it isn't easy to say "no" or "I can't" or "not this time" because no one wants to let someone else down and it's also not easy to accept and embrace our limitations, but it's not healthy if we don't. I've learned (the hard way) that I can't be all things for all people. Over the last year or two I've been on the journey of deciding what's important in my life and what things, jobs, people, ministries, and relationships I want to invest my time in and go with that. Of course that list is a work in progress and as things come up, I do re-evaluate, but keeping that in mind has allowed me to have the boundaries I need in my life to be well-balanced and keep my focus on what's important.

Because when I look back on my life I don't want to look back on one disorganized mess of a life where I was so busy running from one thing to the next that I didn't get anything done. No, I want to look back and be able to say that I was faithful with what God gave me and what I did, I did well. No one's perfect and I know I have many mistakes ahead, but at least this is one step forward on the journey...

The Music That Makes A Moment

2010-12-06T12:22:00.003-05:00

Recently I've been spending quite a bit of my time working on making videos. The more time I spend on projects like these, the more I enjoy it. There's something about telling a story with a mix of video, pictures and music that appeals to me.

With the latest video project I'm working on I've really noticed how it's the music that truly makes the video. You could have the best mix of photos and video clips and transitions, but if you don't have the right music playing in the background, you lessen the impact of the moment.

Whoever said that music speaks to us was onto something. And it's not just the lyrics that we can relate with or the melodies that catch our attention. It's the memories that we attach to the music we listen to that is truly a powerful thing. That's why you can be transported back in time just by hearing a song playing in a grocery store or you could have so many different emotions raised just by hearing a song on the radio. Music is something we identify with and carry with us on so many different levels.

Night Before Christmas

2010-11-29T09:00:00.002-05:00

I love Christmas music, mainly the classics, but every once and a while a new song comes out that catches my attention and makes it onto my favorites list. This song from Brandon Heath is one of those songs. He released it last Christmas and it's a powerful one worth checking out!

Sabbath

2010-11-21T16:38:00.006-05:00

I've been thinking quite a bit about the Sabbath lately. I have to admit taking a Sabbath day every week isn't something I've always done. There have been seasons when I did, but slowly but surely, my commitment to taking a day set apart would fade.

Recently I re-committed to taking a Sabbath day a week. One day completely void of work and filled with a combination of rest and time spent with people and God. I don't do this because I believe it's a requirement to get into heaven or something that we as Christians have to do, but I do it because I believe that the reason God instituted it is because He knew it has great value for us. Not only just for rest in our busy worlds, but also as a good reminder of who is in control at the end of the day. As Peter Scazzero wrote in Emotionally Healthy Spiritually,

"We stop on Sabbaths because God is on the throne, assuring us the world will not fall apart if we cease our activities."

So last Sunday instead of catching up on work or undertaking a project or scratching an item from my to-do list, I just took a time out from it all. I enjoyed a challenging church service, then went out with friends for lunch afterwards. In the afternoon I spent time thinking about that mornings service. I took a rest, played some video games, and did some reading. The after supper I spent some time with my family, watching our first Christmas movie of the season. It was a very enjoyable day that recharged me. And sadly, it was filled with things I would have missed out on if I was still pursing my to-do list or trying to fill my time with things I view as being "productive".

All in all I agree with what Andrew Wylie said: "The Sabbath is the link between the paradise which has passed away, and the paradise which is yet to come."

MAD on Facebook

2010-11-19T19:17:00.001-05:00

Yes the rumors are true, the MAD Christian Radio Show is finally on facebook. Click on the badge below to connect with the page and click "like" to add MAD as a friend.

The MAD Christian Radio Show |

Things Are Not As They Seem

2010-11-15T21:28:00.005-05:00

A few years ago I read this quote on the back of a HM Magazine and it impacted me so much that I wrote it down and kept it for years in my "quotes file":

"David was the youngest son of a shepherd, but he became the greatest king of Israel. Paul ardently persecuted the early church, but he became the one who would spread the Gospel to the Gentiles. Mary was an ordinary teenage girl who became the mother of the Messiah. There are times in our lives when things seem almost hopeless but God wants to use us all for great purposes. He does not look at our current condition, but at what we have the potential to become. We should view others and ourselves in the same way...We should try to view all things with the faith and hope that God can and will transform us into the people He wants us to be."

It's a good reminder to me that "things are not as they seem". Sometimes I know I can be cynical and think that because I can't see something happening that the ending has been written in stone. Well I've been learning more and more over the years that the exact opposite is true. God can do anything and often His work comes in the most unexpected ways and in situations we've written off as hopeless and lifeless. We follow and serve a God who cannot be fit into a box and with whom all things are truly possible.

I Will Lift You Up Again

2010-11-08T22:26:00.003-05:00

I wrote this in the summer when I was out at my aunts cottage and it's been playing on repeat on and off in my head ever since. It's a reminder to me that I have a choice whether I'm going to believe the lies that are being whispered or not. It's also a reminder to me that those whispers couldn't be further from the truth when it comes to what God thinks about you or I.

I Will Lift You Up Again

Satan tells you that you're insignificant

Not worthy of even love

He whispers you've gone too far

Your mistakes can't be undone

He's told you your dreams are over

Happy ever after isn't for you

You know his words are lies

But you still believe they're true

You've added your mistakes

They seem too count too high

But you're neglecting the truth

Don't you remember who's on your side?

God says,

You've fallen, but I will lift you up again

You've failed, but I still have a greater plan

You're broken, but hearts are what I mend

You're down, but I will lift you up again.

I will lift you up again, I will lift you up again.

Yes you may have disappointed

Those regrets might keep you up

But God hasn't stopped forgiving

Let Him redeem you with His love

Cause He says...

You've fallen, but I will lift you up again

You've failed, but I still have a greater plan

You're broken, but hearts are what I mend

You're down, but I will lift you up again

I will lift you up again, I will lift you up again.

Sudbury Getaway

2010-11-02T18:35:00.005-04:00

On Friday I headed down to Sudbury with my sister and sister-in-law to do a little bit of shopping and have a change of scenery. We had never done a trip together just the three of us and since my sister-in-law is due in a few weeks, we figured it was as good of a time as any to have a little getaway.

We stayed one night and had a great time together. We hit up a lot of stores, had a delicious dinner at Respect Is Burning and enjoyed our hotel. It was also a good chance for me to test out the new camera I bought earlier last week. As much as I loved my previous Canon, this summer it bit the dust and I didn't want to be without a camera, especially with a niece or nephew on the way, so I invested in the Canon SX30. So far it has not disappointed. The first picture below was taken through the hotel window while the flag was going nuts in the wind. I love the responsiveness of the camera and the zoom is pretty amazing. The second image was taken through a (rather dirty) car windshield while the car was moving. Eventually I would like to save up for a real DSLR, but for now this will definitely do the trick!

Back to December

2010-11-01T15:38:00.004-04:00

I'll admit it- I am a closet Taylor Swift fan. When "Speak Now" released last Tuesday, I did buy it on iTunes and I have to say, I'm loving it.

It's one of those albums that is really written from the heart and many of the songs are relatable to me, especially right now. I don't know if I should admit this or not, but yesterday at church I couldn't get one of them out of my head.

Here's a performance of one of my favorites "Back to December" that Taylor did today on Ellen:

The Best Question Ever

2010-10-28T12:07:00.005-04:00

So last night brought about the end of "The Best Question Ever". It's a course that I've been helping out with at my church for the last six weeks.

The series is presented by Andy Stanley and it's one of those things that you can watch over and over again because there are just so many valuable truths in it. In fact this was my third time going through it and it hasn't tired on me yet.

Andy's "Best Question Ever" is "In light of my past experience, current circumstances and future hopes and dreams, what is the wise thing to do?" He says that by asking this question in our decision making we can truly foolproof our lives and I believe it.

I've gone through many DVD series in small group settings and on my own and honestly, this is the best one I've ever participated in. No matter where we are in life, we all have decisions to make and since the series is all teaching us to make wise decisions, it's one of the most applicable things I've ever watched.

Some of my favourite quotes from the series:

"No one plans to mess up their lives, but we don't plan not to mess up either."

"We can talk ourselves into anything and make a bad idea sound like a good idea."

"We make bad choices because our hearts deceive us."

"Unwise decisions set us up for moral failure... we justify our unwise decisions by saying there's nothing wrong. That's why we need to ask not 'what is the right thing to do?', but 'what is the wise thing to do?'"

"For most of us our greatest regrets were at a time when we were consciously running from God. We knew 'I'm not going to listen, I'm going to say no' and then we wonder why that's the chapter of our lives with the most regret."

Emotionally Spiritually Healthy

2010-10-25T20:51:00.002-04:00

Right now I'm reading a book called "Emotionally Spiritually Healthy" by Peter Scazzero (and I highly recommend it). Through reading the book one of the things I've been challenged the most about is facing things head on. As he wrote in the chapter I'm reading now: "When we deny our pain, losses and feelings year after year, we become less and less human."

In my own life often the temptation has been to sweep things under the carpet, especially when it comes to pain and hurt. But through the pages of this book and my own spiritual journey as of lately, I've been learning that denying the pain or dismissing the hurt is not the quick way to joy. Often it's only through embracing our feelings about something that we fully do come alive.

But this is something that takes courage. It's not easy to reopen wounds or look unpleasant things in the face. It takes a heart that is ready to be challenged in order to be healed. But when we arrive at that place, we do find something unexpected there- life.

What About Today?

2010-10-12T14:06:00.000-04:00

Recently I re-read my copy of "No Compromise", a book that tells the life story of Keith Green, a radical Christian musician who passed away in a plane crash when he was only 28 years old. Just one year older than I am right now.

One of the things that inspires me most about Keith's story is that while he could have never known that his life would be tragically cut short at such a young age, he lived like a man who was very aware of his mortality, making sure every day he had on this earth counted for something. It challenges me and causes me to question myself because I certainly don't always have such passion and drive.

Isn't that sadly the way it goes? We often get so busy thinking about tomorrow that we forget about today. And in forgetting about today, we forget that tomorrow is no guarantee.

So the question that I ask myself, that we all need to ask ourselves, is "if today was it, would it have been enough? Did I really make it count"

None of us are born with an expiration date stamped on our foreheads. We don't know when our time on earth is coming to a close, so that makes it that much more important that we live life to the fullest everyday, leaving nothing undone. As Paul instructed us,

"Another reason for right living is that you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for the coming of our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed." (Romans 13:11)

So how do we live embracing today, knowing that we aren't promised a tomorrow? Well I believe it comes from sharpening our focus and getting serious about making a mark everyday. That manifests itself in a variety of ways- of leaving nothing unsaid with friends and family and making sure that everyone in our lives are well aware of where they stand with us. Of not putting things off for tomorrow that can easily be done today, whether that's talking to those around us about our faith or reaching out to the person who's been tugging on our hearts for a while. And ultimately it means not allowing today to slip by without realizing its purpose and significance in the grand scheme of things.

If satan can convince us that today is just another day and really doesn't amount to much in the end, slowly our purpose slacks and we become a people satisfied with saving everything for tomorrow and then the next day and then the one after that. Soon our lives turn from being ones filled with passion and zeal into ones defined only by our lack of direction and motivation. As Donald Miller once wrote: "It occurs to me it is not so much the aim of the devil to lure me with evil as it is to preoccupy me with meaningless."

We all have a choice of what we are going to fill our time and our minds with. And I'm not saying that we always have to be doing something- there is also great purpose found in "being still and knowing that He is God". But it comes down to the daily choices we make and often the smaller the choice appears, the bigger impact it can have in the long run.

Are we going to choose to spend hours in front of the television? Or tonight are we going to turn off the tv early and pick up the Word of God to see what He might have to say?

Are we going to spend yet another evening reading status updates from people we might otherwise pass by on the street? Or are we going to call up that person who could really use some company right now?

Are we going to join yet another activity, sports team or club to occupy and invest in ourselves? Or are we going to take the talents we've given and use them to invest in other peoples lives and eternity?

Are we going to choose to continue in a cycle that finds us trapped in sin? Or are we going to stop being complacent and do what we know needs to be done so that we can walk in freedom?

These are the choices we're faced with everyday and they are the choices that define what today means for us. This day is not just another one on the calendar- during these 24 hours God could literally change the course of your own life or someone else's life through you. So are you going to give it everything you have? You might as well- there's no use holding back for a day that isn't guaranteed to come anyways. As Theodore Epp said "Live as though Christ died yesterday, rose from the grave today and is coming back tomorrow."

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-10-11T15:03:00.000-04:00

Crossing An Item Off

2010-09-21T15:21:00.007-04:00

Many years ago I started my "list of things I want to do before I die" otherwise known as my bucket list. The original list had probably fifteen items on it and I've since added many more items and crossed off quite a few as well. Well this last weekend I got to cross another one off and it was unexpected.

I'm not big into bowling, I go maybe a couple of times a year, but a few years ago I decided that one of my things to do before I die is to one day bowl over 300. I knew it was a long shot, seeing as though I don't normally come anywhere near getting that number, but I added it on the list nonetheless.

So on the weekend when I went bowling with friends as part of a birthday extravaganza, I was shocked and thrilled when on my second game I hit 310! It was great to hit this goal with friends cheering me on and it was nice to be able to come home and cross another item off of my list. That's the fourth item I've been able to cross off during the last year, the other three ones being:

-have lyrics of mine put to music (accomplished x6 this year thanks to a talented friend)

-see a musical (saw the Sound of Music last fall in Toronto)

-visit an art museum (went to the Art Gallery of Ontario in March)

So now that I've been crossing off items, I'm thinking I need to start adding more to the list. My next goal is to start working on the travelling section of my list, but we'll see how that goes!

My Summer So Far

2010-08-21T00:38:00.005-04:00

So I've been pretty absent from the blogging world lately. There's a few reasons for that. I've been having a little writers block lately when it comes to blogging, article writing, etc. Usually in the summer I'm more inspired than ever to write, but that hasn't been the case this year. I think mainly because this has been a very different summer for me and my routine has been off.

Since July I've calculated it and I've spent more nights away from home than I have at home and that's a big change. So where have I been? All over the map. I've spent just over two weeks at my best friends house throughout July and August, helping out with some babysitting, which actually has been a blast. It's amazing how differently kids view the world and the more time I spend with them, the more I appreciate the difference. They have such a wide-eyed wonder that we seem to lose when we get older and it's amazing how the world is a much more exciting place from their perspective. It's been a refreshing change to see more of that this summer.

July also brought about a week of holidays from work, so I packed up and went to my aunts cottage to spend my time off there with said friend and child. It was a great week and I felt so refreshed during my time there that it was a major effort to leave and come home. One of the biggest blessings of my time there was it led me on the journey to acceptance which isn't an easy thing to always find.

So what did I need to accept? Well as most of you probably know, I have struggled with health problems quite a bit and while previously I had tried a ton of different things to help, nothing worked. That is until I tried a certain medication last spring. At first the change was incredible. I felt like a new person and for the first time in years I had hope that my struggles were behind me. That feeling lasted for a few weeks, but then the bottom fell out.

Not only was the medication extremely pricey, which put the strain on, but the longer I took it, the worse the side effects that came with it became. Until finally it came to the point where I had to make the choice to stop taking the pills, which was one of the toughest choices I've ever had to make. Because while no one likes side effects I was very much aware that to stop taking the medication was choosing to go back to the way I was and I would have done anything possible to avoid going back there. But back there I went within weeks of stopping the pill and no pun intended, that was a hard pill to swallow. But it was during my holidays that I started the journey towards acceptance and in the weeks following I have found that place of acceptance again. Even though it's not pleasant, I really do trust that God has a reason in all of this and I'm finding my way back to the solid assurance that faith brings especially when life isn't easy.

This month besides celebrating a wedding and doing more babysitting between work, the radio show and other life responsibilities, I also headed off on my one real road trip of the summer. In the past it's been a tradition to always go somewhere in the summer and where in the past my travels have taken me to Southern Ontario, Chicago, and Traverse City, this summer was a different story and circumstances dictated that I was going to be sticking closer to home. So some friends and I took a weekend trip to Sudbury just under two weeks ago. We took in Science North, did a bit of shopping, shot some crazy videos, and enjoyed some pool time at the hotel. It was a fun weekend and while I still have a real burning desire to travel and see the world, I was reminded that you don't always have to go far to have a good time!

So that's what I have been up to lately. So where has summer taken you so far?

Who I've Been Hates Who I've Become

2010-07-15T12:18:00.001-04:00

This week I wrote a new devotional for the MAD Christian Radio Show. It's called "Who I've Been Hates Who I've Become". Check it out:

Relient K has a song that is titled "Who I Am Hates Who I've Been", but sometimes don't you feel the reverse, that who you've been hates who you've become?

As Christians we experience a remarkable life change when we come to know Christ as our saviour, but that doesn't take us out of the running when it comes to trials, temptations, doubts, and disappointments.

Sometimes there are days when we look in the mirror and can't recognize the face staring back at us. And when we arrive at this place, this crossroads, we have a decision to make.

Are we going to ignore our conscience and run full steam ahead down a road that we know is leading to destruction? Or are we going to humble ourselves before God, confess our sin, our fears, our doubts and our disappointments and ask for His help in experiencing real change? That is what we are instructed to do in James.

James 4:7-10: "So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up in honor."

You want change in your life? Those verses in James are the formula. Humble yourself before God and instead of letting the gap exist and grow, draw close to Him and He's going to draw close to you. Instead of giving the devil free rain, resist him and he's going to flee. Let yourself experience sadness over what's happened as you humble yourself before God, but here is the key- don't stay there! As we're told in that verse when we humble ourselves before God, He's going to lift us up in honor. And when He does, Satan is going to want nothing more than to keep you down in self-condemnation- be aware and choose not to go there!

The truth is, God is a God of forgiveness and grace. 1 John 1:9 says "But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness."

That verse doesn't say that God only forgives some people and you are not one of them. It doesn't say that if this is confession number 299, you're out of luck. The verse says that God is faithful and just to not only forgive our sins, but cleanse us when we confess!

Remember that God loves you, mistakes and all. If you've come to a place in your life where who you've been hates who you've become, know that you don't have to stay there. There is grace, love, and forgiveness waiting for you, just a prayer away.

Before The Morning

2010-06-19T21:37:00.003-04:00

I've been listening to a lot of music lately. Even more so than normal, which is a lot! I guess I've been really trying to fill my mind with good things and reminders that God is with me no matter how hard life gets or how gloomy it seems outside.

One song that has really been clicking with me is "Everything Falls" by Fee and the second that has become my theme song of the moment is "Before The Morning" by Josh Wilson. If you haven't heard the song before, take a minute to watch the video below. It includes the very powerful lyrics and if you are anything like myself, you won't be able to help but be moved as they sink in. I love the line in the chorus that says "Cause the pain that you've been feeling, it's just the dark before the morning."

What I've Been Up To

2010-06-13T22:22:00.003-04:00

It's been a while since my last post and while some might assume that means I haven't been doing much writing, in fact the opposite is true. I've been spending most of my spare moments finishing up the book manuscript that I started last summer. It's hard to believe that it is nearly finished. When I started writing last July I never dreamed that the pages would take form like they have and I am really excited about the message that it contains.

I still have no idea when or if it will ever be published, but I am excited about it all the same!

So what's it about? Well it's about the times in our life when we're between one thing and the next. In the upcoming months as the final words are constructed and the last chapter is closed, I will share more. But for the moment, here's a little excerpt for you. It's from a chapter called "So I'm In The Desert, Now What?":

So you're stuck in the middle between where you were and where you want to be. Life took an unexpected turn and it feels like your life is a phone call that has been stuck on hold for way too long. If that's your journey, you're not alone. Let's take a look at a few people who experienced very similar situations.

David was one of these people. For many years of his young life, he spent his time in the fields working alone as a lowly shepherd with little recognition. In fact he was considered to be so low on the food chain that when it came time for Jesse to go meet Samuel with his sons in order for Samuel to recognize which one of them would be the next King of Israel, David was left at home. Talk about what had to be one big bruise on his ego.

Once David was finally confirmed as God's choice for the next king, he didn't immediately get on the throne. In fact he had many years ahead of him filled with lots of difficult experiences before he finally put on his crown. He worked as an armor bearer, he played his harp for the king, he defeated Goliath, his life was threatened and he was forced to go and hide in a cave in the middle of no where. He fought battles and he wandered like a nomad with no permanent place to call home.

He had the promise of a future as king, but he still was forced to live for many years in the in between.

Jesus had a similar story. He had a pretty remarkable event of His birth that attracted much attention, but growing up His life looked pretty similar to that of other sons of carpenters. Here we have the Son of God and instead of attracting crowds at 16, He was likely putting in long hours, helping Joseph at work. In fact it was only when Jesus was 30 did He make enough waves to be recognized in history when he started His public ministry.

If it took King David, the man after God's own heart, years of preparation before he was ready for what God had for him, who are we to think that we don't need a similar time of waiting? If it took Jesus, the Son of God, nearly 30 years to be prepared for His three and a half years of public ministry, why do we think that we can shortchange our own times of preparation?

Instead of trying to speed up our journey from point a to point b, we really need to learn what it means to bloom where we are planted. As Mother Teresa once said "I am not called to be successful, but I am called to be faithful."

You Hold Me Now

2010-05-13T15:05:00.003-04:00

I heard the song "You Hold Me Now" by Hillsong United for the first time yesterday and it really spoke to me. Sometimes it's easy to get so caught up in the pain and darkness in front of us that we forget the hope that we have in Christ.

"No weeping, no hurt or pain
No suffering, You hold me now
You hold me now
No darkness, no sick or lame
No hiding, You hold me now
You hold me now

In this life I will stand
Through my joy and my pain
Knowing there's a greater day
There's a hope that never fails."

From 26 to 27

2010-05-08T21:42:00.001-04:00

So tomorrow I make the transition from age 26 to 27. To celebrate, I'll be hiding out in the bush with some of my favourite people in the world. When I think of the fact that I'm already going to be 27, it floors me. Yet all it takes is a quick look in the mirror to see the grey hairs that are accumulating to confirm that yes, I am getting older.

But getting older is not necessarily a bad thing. Because with age comes wisdom and maturity. And I'm much more comfortable with the person I've become at 27 than the person that I was at 17.

So to commemorate another year in my life that's come and gone, I've decided to take a quick look back on my favourite things of year 26.

Favourites of 26:
Book: Jesus Wants To Save Christians by Rob Bell. I cannot say enough good things about this book. I'm not being over dramatic when I say I think it's one that every Christian should read and then re-read. There are so many valuable lessons that can be learned and I love the way that Rob captures the whole story of our redemption from Old Testament to New Testament.

Movie: The Blind Side. My favourite kinds of movies and books are those based on a true story. Something about that just adds an element of validity to it in my mind. I'm also a fan of sports movies and Sandra Bullock, so all things combined, how could I not love this movie? The storyline was great and the acting believable, I highly recommend it.

Album: Alter The Ending by Dashboard Confessional. My brother introduced me to Dashboard Confessional a couple years ago and I've been a fan ever since, so I was very excited to find out that he was coming out with a new CD this year and had to pick it up. It did not disappoint. Until Morning is a catchy song that has also become my ringtone and the album is filled with other outstanding tracks like Get Me Right, Belle of the Boulevard, and Hell on the Throat. I love the spiritual undertones that sprinkle this whole album- it's fantastic.

TV Show: The Good Wife. I love reading books and watching movies and tv shows about lawyers, but ever since The Practice left the airways (and I'm talking about the original Practice), I had yet to find another lawyer based tv show that I really loved. That is, until The Good Wife hit the air. While the story revolves around lawyers and their practice, it also adds an interesting element regarding political scandals and marriage. Plus it's set in my favourite city- Chicago, so all things considered, it became pretty much an instant favourite.

Experience: Year 26 was a hard year in a lot of ways, but in others it was definitely one of my best. It was packed full of new experiences, like venturing into songwriting, seeing a musical, and taking my first trip to an art museum. Fun moments, like my brothers wedding, a trip down south last summer, and many amazing weekends at the cottage. Growing moments, like working on my next book (more on that to come!). And many learning experiences. To pick one experience that rises above the rest is an impossible thing to do, which in itself is a good thing because I've been blessed with so many of them!

So the chapter on year 26 has come to a close, but I am looking forward to year 27 and the possibilities that it brings.

Wisdom from Merton

2010-04-28T22:38:00.000-04:00

"My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think I am following
your will does not mean
that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that my desire to please you
does in fact please you.
And I hope that I have that desire
in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything
apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this
you will lead me by the right road
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always
though I may seem to be lost
and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear,
for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me
to face my perils alone."
- Thomas Merton (1915-1968)

The new pain & energy meter

2010-04-10T17:13:00.003-04:00

Have you ever gone to a doctor's appointment and they ask you to rate your pain or energy on a scale of 1-10? I've been asked that question many times and it always throws me. It just seems to be too vague. For pain, do they mean a 10 is the worst pain I've ever experienced? Or the worst pain I could ever imagine experiencing? And when it comes to energy, that's also vague because my energy levels can change from one hour to the next.

A friend and I were discussing this the other night and it turns out I'm not the only one who has trouble answering these questions. So we came up with the idea about doctors using a concrete scale that people can relate with. We came up with a few ideas of ways to measure pain, then the other night when I had a little too much time on my hands, I finished it.

So for anyone who's ever had trouble determining if your ache is a 2 or 7, this is for you:

Pain meter
0 - Happy as a clam
1 - Someone poked you (not on facebook, real life buddy)
2 - Paper cut
3 - Stubbed toe
4 - Fell playing hockey in the snow
5 - Body slammed into the wall
6 - Punched in the face
7 - Finger stuck in a car door
8 - Fastball to the face
9 - A car ran over your foot
10 - Your arm just fell off and someone just dropped a cast iron pot on your toe.

And then of course, there's the lack of energy meter,

0 - Red Bull was named after you.
1 - Your sleep is solid and you feel like a million bucks. If only you could transfer feelings into dollars...
2 - The world seems like a much better place when you're sitting on the sofa with a remote in hand
3 - You just downed an energy drink and still have trouble remembering your first name
4 - You're winded from that long journey to tie your shoelaces
5 - Energy? Like money that's a foreign concept
6 - Yawn isn't just a four letter word, it's the only one you manage to keep saying over and over again
7 - Your speech is slurred, and it's not just from all the alcohol last night
8 - Brain is on neutral, eyes need to be supported open by toothpicks
9 - Brain is off, but you still know it's there. Or you suspect it is.
10 - The amount of energy your body has when you sleep. Or at least you think it does.

Just bring this with you to your next doctors appointment so they can know exactly what you're thinking and feeling! lol

Trip Down Memory Lane

2010-04-03T00:53:00.002-04:00

Kodak Gallery is having a sale on photo prints, so I decided to tackle a project I've been putting off for years- getting my digital prints developed. I bought my first digital camera back in 2003 and since then most of my photos have been saved on a hard drive, not printed for an album or displayed.

As I've been going through thousands of photos this week, it's been like taking a major trip down memory lane. Photos from trips, birthdays, graduations, retreats, weddings, and events I had all but completely forgotten about passed before my eyes this week.

Two things really stood out to me as I've been going through visual representations of the last 7 years of my life. The first is how quickly life can change. When I look back I can see how everything is different now even compared to a few years ago. Life is always changing!

The second thing that struck me was the value of community. As I looked at snapshots from my life from over the years I saw many important faces. People who I've laughed with, grown with, leaned on, and had the time of my life with. And while many of the experiences I've had in my life have been great in and of themselves, it was often the people I was with who really made the memory. I was reminded of something that C.S. Lewis once wrote:

"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival." (CS Lewis)

Really is there anything better than journeying through life with other people by your side? I have a feeling the community we experience here is a small taste of the joy and love we're going to experience in the afterlife. God knew what He was doing when He designed community. No, it's not perfect and yes, there are times when people will let us down. But if we don't take that risk, we're never going to experience the blessing that can be found in the people we journey through life with.

"Life is partly what we make it, and partly what is is made by the friends we choose." (Tennessee Williams)

Darkness & Light

2010-03-16T19:22:00.005-04:00

On Sunday I returned home after spending a couple of days in Toronto. I had a doctors appointment and we decided to spend an extra two days exploring the city afterwards.

One of the these days we went to the Art Gallery of Ontario to view the King Tut exhibit. While the exhibit was fabulous, the gallery itself was also pretty incredible. I love photography and was thrilled to explore the large exhibit they had, mostly of black and white prints. They also had a whole room dedicated to the masters of the details- Freud and Rembrandt. I was surprised to see just how many sketches Rembrandt did of Biblical scenes. I think he captured the story of Abraham and Isaac more profoundly in one picture than I've ever seen or heard it explained before.

On the way out I stopped by the store and while browsing, I came across a painting by Lawren Harris that I really connected with. At first glance I know it's not the most amazing painting that's ever been done, but there's something about his use of darkness and light that really resounded with me:

To me this painting speaks to the truth that many times in life there is a lot of darkness in front of us and it's easy to just focus on the darkness, the ugliness, the despair. But if we take our eyes off of the foreground and look at the whole picture we can get a glimpse of the light, and the hope, in the distance. Light and hope which we are moving towards, not away from. At the same time, the light can cast on even the darkest things, as we see with the outline of the trees in this painting.

So needless to say I ended up buying a print of this painting and will be hanging it on my office wall. A reminder that even in the darkness, there is light and hope in the distance.

The Words I Would Say

2010-03-10T10:34:00.002-05:00

Over the past couple of days I've been thinking a lot about comings and goings. Maybe that has something to do with getting ready to take a trip, but I've been thinking about our "hello's" and "goodbye's" in life. In my case now I might be only leaving for a few days, but what would I change if I knew I was leaving and never coming back?

Would I change the way I talk with my friends, my family? Would I spend more quality time with them? Would I see that person who lives ten minutes away, but might as well live 10,000 miles away for all we see each other? What would I do differently?

And as I thought about this more, I realized how important it is in life to never leave things undone. Because while I've booked a return ticket to come home after my trip, we never really know what life has in store for us or the people we love. Nothing is a guarantee and that said, we shouldn't get too comfortable with the idea of a certain tomorrow. Not that we should freak out and never plan for tomorrow, but we should never leave things undone or unsaid because the truth is we really don't know.

Olympics

2010-03-01T00:22:00.003-05:00

I've always been a fan of the Olympics, but I can say with certainty that I've never before gone as "Olympic crazy" as I did this time around. I think having the torch pass through our community on the way to Vancouver helped in reminding me what our great country is all about and what it really means to be patriotic. Then watching our athletes rise to the top on home soil? That just sweetened the deal.

But the Olympics are about more than just winning gold medals. They are about countries coming together who normally would not stand next to each other. They are about lowering the walls the divide us. And they are about victorious moments when athletes surpass what seem to be insurmountable obstacles in order to stand on the podium, representing their country.

Yes, Canada won more gold medals than any other country has ever won at a winter Olympics game, but that's not why I'm proud to be Canadian. I'm proud of our never give up spirit and I'm proud that even in a country that is as spread out and as diverse as we are- we still can come together and stand as one. And isn't that what the Olympics are all about after all?

My Weekend In Review

2010-02-22T22:52:00.001-05:00

This weekend started off in a rather weird way on Friday night when I heard the doorbell ring after dinner. I opened the door only to find a guy with a ski mask and goggles and a sign that said "come with me". It turned out my "fake kidnapper" was commissioned by a group of friends who wanted me to come out to watch a movie and chose a rather interesting way to pass on the invitation! For someone who rarely gets surprised, I have to say they did a pretty good job getting me.

Saturday was a beautiful day weather wise so in the afternoon we grabbed our skates and headed out to the skating rink. The conditions were great and it was good to be back on skates again. We always had rinks in our yard growing up, so I pretty much grew up skating and sadly don't skate nearly often enough now that I'm older.

Sunday morning brought about a great service at my home church. Our pastor spoke on pursing excellence in our lives and I was challenged to be more mindful of where I'm investing my best. Is it towards my relationship with God? Sadly not always, but that's something I'm going to work on.

After church I went over to my grandfathers house to meet up with the rest of the family, which was followed by dinner at my brothers place. After dinner I went to a friends place to watch the Canadian men's team take on the USA in the Olympics. While Canada ultimately came out with a disappointing loss, it was a good effort and I enjoyed the game. Here's to hoping the team makes out better when they face off against Germany on Tuesday!

The Best Question Ever & Fearless

2010-02-06T00:41:00.002-05:00

Life's been good and I've been learning a lot lately.

At College and Career's we've been going through a series called "The Best Question Ever" by Andy Stanley and it's been quite eye-opening. Andy's best question is not "What is the right thing to do?" or "What is the moral thing to do", but "Based on my past history, my current situation and my future hopes and dreams, what is the wise thing to do?". It's one of the most applicable series I've ever gone through and I highly recommend it for small group or personal study.

At the same time I'm also going through the book "Fearless" by Max Lucado with my best friend. We've been reading through it a chapter at a time, then taking time to discuss what we've read and go through the questions in the discussion guide that's at the back of the book. I believe we're only at chapter 4 and already the content has been worth the price of the book. Some of my favourite quotes so far:

"Fear never wrote a symphony or poem, negotiated a peace treaty, or cured a disease. Fear never pulled a family out of poverty or a country out of bigotry. Fear never saved a marriage or a business. Courage did that. Faith did that. People who refused to consult or cower to their timidities did that. But fear itself? Fear herds us into a prison and slams the door. Wouldn't it be great to walk out?"

"Feed your fears and your faith will starve. Feed your faith and your fears will."

"Fear at it's center is perceived loss of control."

So what good books, DVD's or studies have you been into lately?

Some thought provoking quotes

2010-01-24T00:16:00.001-05:00

Here are some quotes that have been circling in my mind over this past week:

"Here is the test to find whether your mission on earth is finished. If you're alive, it isn't." (Richard Bach)

"Unbeing dead isn't being alive." (E.E. Cummings)

"To live is so startling it leaves little time for anything else." (Emily Dickinson)

"Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare." (Japanese Proverb)

Shocking Story

2010-01-20T11:16:00.004-05:00

There's a shocking story in the news today about parents who are fighting doctors who want to remove their baby from life support. According to the story, these parents were handed a letter saying when the doctors planned on taking their baby off life support and were surprised as they had not made the decision themselves to do so. Now they are caught up in a court battle in order to fight to give their baby more time.

Isn't that scary that decisions like that have been removed from our hands? It used to be that a family would make a choice depending on their own beliefs and what their loved ones wishes would have been. Now a medical team can make a choice and even if you disagree with it, they'll proceed unless the courts intervene on your behalf (the Terri Schiavo case was a very sad example of this).

That's one of the reasons I believe it's so important to have a Power of Attorney for Personal Care. Not only does this give you the chance to legally appoint who you would like speaking on your behalf in a situation where you could not, but it gives you the opportunity to clearly communicate your wishes and it's all recorded on a legal document (to download the form for Canadians click here).

I know it's not pleasant to have to think about what might happen if, but in a society where there are more grey areas than black or white, I feel it's important that we make our opinions known if we feel strongly one way or the other.

Josh Wilson

2010-01-09T12:13:00.003-05:00

You're stuck in an airport during a security breach. It's packed and people are getting very impatient. So what do you do to help the situation? Well if you're Josh Wilson you start leading an impromptu sing-a-long.

Check out the amazing video below and if you haven't heard Josh Wilson's music, I highly recommend checking out his album "Trying To Fit The Ocean In A Cup".

Christmas Re-cap

2009-12-29T23:35:00.003-05:00

Well Christmas Day has come and gone and what a wonderful Christmas it was.

Christmas Eve I received one of the best Christmas gifts I've ever gotten (more on that to come) and enjoyed Christmas Eve service at my home church. Afterwards we headed over to my grandfather's house where we visited and watched the Griswold's Christmas Vacation- a favourite in our family.

Christmas Day was packed full of visits with various members of our family, both immediate and extended. Our family started a new tradition this year- a Christmas baking contest. We each anonymously brought in a dessert to my grandfather's house at dinner and nominated two judges to decide which ones were worthy of being called winners. My sister-in-law took first place, followed by my cousin in second and myself in third. I made no-bake chocolate cookie squares and not only are they easy to make, but they are tasty.

I've been very much enjoying the large amount of free time that the Christmas holidays bring. On the weekend I spent one day mostly reading, which is something I love to do, but have rarely spent that much time doing lately. Yesterday a friend and I re-visited our childhoods and went sliding. Other than one really wicked wipe-out, I survived with only a few bruises. Tonight's activities of choice was dinner and bowling, followed by a free skate (thank you Tim Horton's!) at a local arena.

And maybe that's one of the things I love the most about Christmastime- the lack of schedules that were are so ingrained into keeping. Instead we're free to enjoy spontaneous time shared with family and friends.

Christmas

2009-12-17T14:10:00.006-05:00

This year our family is doing something a little different- we're celebrating two Christmas'. Since my sister and her husband aren't able to come for the actual Christmas day because of work, they are driving up today and tonight we are having what we've come to refer to as our "fake Christmas". Big meal, gift exchange, Christmas baking, the works. Then next Friday I get to do it all over again with our extended family.

I just love this time of year. There's something about Christmas that is so special. Maybe it's the fact that we actually pause to spend more time with the people who are important to us. Maybe it's the feeling of expectation in the air. Maybe it's seeing people you haven't seen in forever and having the opportunity to get caught up. Maybe it's the hope that Christmas represents. Or maybe it's all of the above. I can't put my finger on it exactly, but there's no denying that there is something so different and wonderful about this time of year.

And speaking of Christmas, if you are in for some good Christmas music, over the next week or so the stations who air MAD will be airing our MAD Christmas Special. It's a couple of hours of Christmas music, memories from the artists and reflections on the season. And what makes it even more special this year is the fact that I'm joined by a special guest co-host! You'll have to tune in to find out who it is, but I can tell you this much- we had a blast putting it together. To see where and when you can listen, visit http://www.madradioshow.net/tune.html.

Gifts in the Manger

2009-12-07T23:04:00.003-05:00

To prepare my own heart for Christmas and to put together a series for College and Careers, I've been spending quite a bit of time contemplating Christmas. One thing that has struck me this year is the vast amount of gifts we received (and still are receiving) in Christ.

You see I've known and believed that Jesus came to die for my sins. And while that is true, there are also quite a few other reasons why He came. Here are some verses I've come across in my studies:

"For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day." (John 6:38-39)

"I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark. " (John 12:46)

"Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose." (Matthew 5:17)

"Jesus responded, 'You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.'" (John 18:37)

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10)

"But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. " (1 John 3:8)

I had read most of these verses many times before, but I never really realized how often Jesus said the words "I came" and proceeded to tell us reasons why He came into our earth on that very first Christmas morning.

As if the forgiveness of sins and redemption of mankind wasn't enough! He also came into the world to: give us abundant life, bring us light in the darkness, provide Truth that casts out lies, fulfil the law, the list goes on and on and on.

It's one thing to imagine how horrible it would be if there was no hope of the afterlife following the here and now. But this Christmas I'm also mindful of the fact that our lives here and now could be much different without the gifts that Christ gives us. I don't know about you, but without peace or hope or the light of Christ, my life would be very different than it is. And the only reason I have these things is because God made the choose to send His Son into our world. What a truly amazing gift that is!

iPod Touch

2009-11-26T12:23:00.002-05:00

Last month I made the leap and finally bought an ipod touch. It's something I've wanted for a while, but I'm very cautious when it comes to decision making, so it took me a while to finally make the purchase. Am I ever glad I did.

This thing is incredible. I can watch movies or tv shows on it. I can check my email or surf the internet as long as there's wifi available. I can get details on the weather or play games. I can read the Bible or other books. It even has two built-in apps that let you take voice memos or notes, which comes in very handy.

The best thing about the ipod touch is that you can get most of the apps that are available for the iphone, so the sky is pretty much the limit of what you can add on and do on this thing.

Yesterday I was stuck waiting for tests for a couple of hours and thanks to having my ipod touch with me, I didn't even mind the wait.

Wisdom from Merton

2009-11-18T17:46:00.000-05:00

"The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and not to twist them to fit our own image. Otherwise we love only the reflection of ourselves we find in them." (Thomas Merton)

The Civil Wars

2009-11-12T23:23:00.003-05:00

When I first started to get into Christian music, one of my favourite artists early on was Joy Williams. I found her music to be a great combination of songs that pick you up and songs that move you.

So I was pretty disappointed when for a few years she kind of dropped off the radar. Well, now she's back and in my opinion, is better than ever. She's putting out both stuff on her own, and as part of the duo otherwise known as The Civil Wars.

Tonight I heard their new song "Poison & Wine" for the first time and it's fantastic. It's one that will hit home for anyone who's been through a divorce or break-up.

Here's the video for you to enjoy:

Toronto Trip

2009-11-07T00:08:00.001-05:00

Well I've been back from Toronto for a couple of days now. It truly was a great trip. My doctors appointment went very well and it was nice to have a bit of time to explore the city. Although I've been to Toronto quite a few times over the years, this was my first time actually staying right downtown. Hearing siren after siren (we were in the hospital district) took some getting used to, but it was worth it to be in the middle of the action and in walking distance from pretty much everything we wanted to do during our free time.

One of the highlights for me was seeing the Dead Sea Scrolls at the Royal Ontario Museum. There was something about seeing parts of the Bible in the original language that was thrilling, but then also to know that these scrolls were thousands of years old? It was an experience like no other that's for sure.

Another amazing thing they had at the museum was an actual chunk of stone from the temple in Jerusalem. The stone had stayed in tact even with the destruction of the temple and historians believe that the very stone was something that was overtop a door of the temple. Meaning that Jesus would have walked right under this stone during His time on earth!

For that to still be in tact over two thousand years later is amazing. But that they were able to transport it to Canada where I was able to stand next to it in a museum was just incredible. I have to imagine the feeling I had looking at the stone and the scrolls is a small comparison of what it would feel like to walk in the footsteps of Jesus in the actual Holy Land.

Unfortunately to preserve the artifacts, no cameras were allowed in that part of the museum, so I don't have any pictures. But I do highly recommend checking out the exhibit if you have the chance!

Fear

2009-10-27T22:15:00.001-04:00

With all of the fear surrounding the H1N1 flu, I think this is a very important verse for us to remember: "Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday." (Psalm 91:6)

With 24/7 news networks blaring and sites like twitter and facebook bringing us real time information and speculation about this illness, it's very easy for us to get caught up in a cycle of obsession and fear. And just when we think we're getting over our fear, we turn on the TV to see another newsflash and we're back to square one.

As believers in Christ, we shouldn't be placing our faith in CNN or the WHO or even a friend on facebook. We should be placing our faith in Christ and trusting in His sovereignty.

The truth of the matter is, not one of us knows exactly how long we're going to be on this earth for. We might live to 100 or we might die unexpectedly tomorrow. But in the meantime, we can't live our lives so caught up in fear that we're not really living at all.

Even with this flu, all we can do is take reasonable precautions such as wash our hands, eat right, get our sleep, and avoid contact with people we know are sick. After that, it's up to us to trust God with the rest. Walking around like the world is about to explode isn't a way to live.

Things change at a very fast pace here on this earth. Illness come and go. Disasters take on many forms. And no one is given any guarantee over what is coming their way tomorrow. But we can know this- we follow a God who is worth trusting. A God who never allows us to walk through life alone. And a God who knows the number of our days. Isn't that alone enough that we can rest in?

"I lift my eyes to the mountains- does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, He who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps." (Psalm 121:1-4)

Thanksgiving Wedding

2009-10-18T23:48:00.004-04:00

Last weekend, on October 10 to be exact, was my little brothers wedding. Yes, I realize I should have posted this days ago, but after the wedding I was so tired from all the busyness that blogging was the last thing on my mind. But it's better late than never, right?

So back to the wedding. The ceremony was beautiful and the reception was fantastic. It was great fun to re-connect with some family and friends I hadn't seen in a long while and the celebration was unique and very much them. From the mess-up during the ceremony and their reactions to it (one of the rings was put on the wrong hand!) to the speeches and stories to the dance to ending the evening with fireworks, everything contributed to making a very memorable day.

Part of my role for the wedding was putting together the slideshow and doing a speech and in the process, I took quite a few trips down memory lane. Through that I realized just how lucky I am to have grown up where I did and with the people I did. When we were younger we lived in the country and there weren't a lot of kids around, so my siblings and I were literally forced to become best friends with each other if we wanted to have any fun. And what fun we did have. From playing hours of hockey outside to making our own cabins in the bush to sumo wrestling in the snow to building our own "bob sled" track and doing crazy stunts on the toboggan, we are all blessed with many great memories of growing up together.

So thank you to those of you were praying for the wedding. Your prayers were definitely answered. The weather was beautiful and everything ran very smoothly. God was certainly in the midst of it all :)

Redemption & Someday

2009-10-07T18:36:00.012-04:00

So last week I mentioned a song called "Redemption" that I had written the lyrics to and sent to my best friend, Julie Bouchard, who surprised me by coming up with music to the song.

Well now she has recorded a demo of Redemption and put it online, along with another song called "Someday" that we wrote together.

You can check out the lyrics to both songs below and visit www.myspace.com/juliejbouchard to give both songs a listen!

Redemption
If is a very hard word to live with
Something you wish you didn't
Ever have to think about.
Those mistakes that keep you tossing & turning
Praying, hoping, yearning
To be freed from.

But you've gotta believe,

Chorus:
That redemption is more than just a word
It's the story that God is writing
In our lives
The brush is still in His hands
And the picture He's painting
Is beautiful,
Just so beautiful.

All those things that you've done
The scars, every single one
Have been washed away.
Each tear, everytime you've cried
He's been there by your side
And He promises to never leave.

But you've gotta believe,

Everytime you fall,
Everytime you hide
Everytime you feel
Worthless inside
He's there, oh yeah
Everytime you doubt
Everytime you question
Everytime you pray
He's singing redemption
He's singing redemption
Redemption.

If is a very hard word to live with
Something you wish you didn't
Ever have to think about.

Someday
Sometimes my heart grows weary
Sometimes my heart grows faint
Waiting for that special day
When You call my name

Sometimes it's so hard to see
Sometimes I just don't wanna believe
But I've been given a promise
And that promise carries me
Oh yes, that promise carries me

Chorus:
Someday it's all going to fade away
And the Word that became flesh
Will stand right before me.
Someday it's all going to pass away
The old will be gone, the new will stay
I'll be standing there, singing Your praise.

Sometimes I can't help but wonder
Sometimes I just seem to question why
Still I'm holding onto hope
That You will redeem my life

Sometimes my vision is cloudy
Sometimes I don't seem to hear so well
But again You whisper my name
And I'm just so ovewhelmed

Bridge
Someday, it's a day that I'm waiting for
Somehow, I know that it's coming Lord
Someday, someday.

Wedding Prep

2009-10-05T23:06:00.002-04:00

As one of my tasks for the wedding this weekend, I've been commissioned to put together the dance music for the reception. This has lead to many hours of sifting through songs to find ones that will be perfect for dancing.

I've found lots of good oldies, some beautiful slow songs, and some great fast songs, like the one below. However, I somehow doubt that any of us will be that co-ordinated on the dance floor ;)

Weekend Adventures & Redemption

2009-09-28T23:56:00.002-04:00

It's been a couple of pretty incredible days. I had planned for a routine weekend of playing catch-up on things that had been piling up, but when I got a phone call on Friday afternoon asking if I'd rather take off to head out of town instead, I quickly scrapped my previous plans.

We had a great weekend in the midst of God's creation. It's the perfect time of year to be out at the cottage, with all the leaves changing colour and falling off the trees (as you can see to the left). And besides having lots of fun, it was very recharging for me. Just being in the outdoors does something magical for the soul.

On Sunday we came back into town in time so that I could attend my brothers wedding shower. It's crazy to think that in less than two weeks my little brother will be getting married- the wedding has snuck up on us so quickly. But it was a fun evening and was very interesting to hear them answer everyone's questions and see them fair out in the games that tested how well they really know each other.

Today threw an interesting curve ball my way when the power went out for a couple hours this evening. I had lost some time this afternoon because of a doctors appointment and I was hoping to use the evening hours to catch up, but alas, it was not so.

However as much as the day today brought its moments of inconvenience, all was redeemed (literally) at around 10:00 when the power went back on. About a month ago I had written some song lyrics and waiting in my inbox when the power went on was said lyrics put to music by my super-talented friend. And while I may be really biased, I think it sounds just incredible! The song is called Redemption and who knows, you might just be hearing it someday soon!

Rising From The Ashes

2009-09-24T23:48:00.004-04:00

Tonight I had a great time at our College and Careers kick-off. It was an amazing night of worship and sharing what God has done and the things we've been learning lately.

For my part of the "open mic" portion of the evening, I shared something I wrote called "Rising From The Ashes" and since I shared it with them, I thought it would only be fitting to share it with you all as well. So here it is:

Rising From The Ashes

In the summer of 2008 I had the opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream I had of visiting the city of Chicago. Chicago was always a place that fascinated me. I'd seen its landscape in movies, read about its attractive qualities in books, and it fueled in me a desire to want to see the city.

While I was there touring the sites the thing that impressed me most about Chicago was something I hadn't know a lot about previously. That is the rebuilding of Chicago. You see in 1871, a great fire spread throughout a good part of the city and burned everything in its path. As a result, many of the landmarks of the city were destroyed and over 100,000 people were left homeless. Instead of moving away or scaling back the city, the people and officials came up with a plan for a bigger and better Chicago. They took the ashes and debris from the fire and dumped it along the waterfront, creating room for wonders like Grant Park and Soldier Field. Architects from around the world flocked to the city in order to help rebuild.

Where Chicago could have turned into a desolate city as a result of the fire, it instead turned into something stronger and something greater. Chicago literally rose out of the ashes with character and purpose.

As I listened to the tour guide tell this story, I couldn't help but think about the refining fires that we face in our lives. Do we, like Chicago, rise from the ashes when the flames flicker out? Or do we let the ashes settle on our lives and remain there, forever buried in darkness?

Much of the answers to those questions depend on the shape of our hearts before the fire starts. If we wait until the smoke starts rising to think about our character, chances are once things heat up we will be found wanting. But if we are already living our lives striving after the good things in life, the flames will only serve to refine and bring out the best of what is already there.

This was the message that God gave the prophet Jeremiah. God said to him:

"Jeremiah, I have made you a tester of metals, that you may determine the quality of my people. Are they the worst of rebels, full of slander? They are as insolent as bronze, as hard and cruel as iron. All of them lead others into corruption. The bellows blow fiercely. The refining fire grows hotter. But it will never purify and cleanse them because there is no purity in them to refine. I will label them 'Rejected Silver because I, the LORD, am discarding them." (Jeremiah 6:27-30)

Just as a rock can only be refined into gold if there was gold in it to begin with, so is it with you and I. If our lives are lacking in purity and character then when the refining fires sweep into our lives, instead of bringing the beauty in us to the surface, they will only leave us feeling burned.

There aren't a lot of guarantees in our lives, but we do know that no one is exempt from facing tough times. Therefore, we shouldn't wait until the smoke starts clouding our vision before we get serious about being a people of character, passion, and purity.

Instead we need to live our lives in such a way that when the fire comes, not only do we have a strong foundation to stand on because of our relationship with Christ, but we have a heart that is ready to come out of the flames stronger and brighter, not burned, or worse, lifeless.

Let’s make it our mission in life to be people who are refined and not defined by the things we go through.

College and Careers Start-up

2009-09-22T17:10:00.002-04:00

This Thursday brings about the start of College and Careers for another year. The summer must have gone by quicker than usual- I'm having a hard time believing it's already time to start meeting again!

This will be my 7th year with the group and it never ceases to amaze me how God seems to have something different for us up His sleeve every year.

I'm really looking forward to seeing what He has in store for us this year. We'll be starting off with a "Worship & Open Mic Night" on Thursday before transitioning into the "Becoming A Contagious Christian" course, which will take us to our Christmas break.

If you live in the Timmins area and are between the ages of 18-30, please feel free to join us! All the details can be found at collegeandcareers.ca.

It Might Be Hope

2009-09-18T23:59:00.004-04:00

This theme of hope has been carrying out throughout the rest of my week. And one thing that has been driving the point home again and again is a song from Sara Groves called "It Might Be Hope" that I recently came across. I love how she portrays hope as something that can be found just when we least expect it (see lyrics below).

I know that's been my story many times. Life gets dark and it looks like the lights are never going to go on again, but then suddenly a sliver of light comes in the most unexpected places. A phone call. A letter. A verse that shines. Or just a deep down feeling that everything is going to be okay.

It Might Be Hope by Sara Groves
(click here to listen on youtube)

You do your work the best that you can
You put one foot in front of the other
Life comes in waves and makes it's demands
You hold on as well as your able

You've been here for a long long time

Hope has a way of turning it's face to you
Just when you least expect it
You walk in a room
You look out a window
And something there leaves you breathless
You say to yourself
It's been a while since I felt this
But it feels like it might be hope

It's hard to recall what blew out the flame
It's been dark since you can remember
You talk it all through to find it a name
As days go on by without number

You've been here for a long long time

Some Verses on Hope

2009-09-12T16:33:00.002-04:00

I've been thinking a lot about hope lately and what a great thing it is to have in our lives. To know that no matter how dark it gets, we have our hope of glory in Christ.

I thought I'd share a few of my favourite verses on hope:

Psalms 31:24- "Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD."

Romans 5:3-5- "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love."

Romans 15:4- "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."

1 Peter 1:3- "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."

Colossians 1:27- "To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

Pondering The Path of Our Feet

2009-09-09T20:09:00.001-04:00

In the Psalms, we're instructed to ponder the path of our feet. In a practical sense that involves thinking about where it is we're heading. I know that sounds like such an obvious thing to do, but is it really something that we spend enough time doing?

How often is it that we stop and think about where we are heading and what's going to happen if we take another step in that direction?

If you keep stepping in one direction at work, what will your life look like in a year or two down the path?

If you keep walking down a winding road in a relationship, is it going to lead to the destination you had in mind?

If you keep taking one step in the direction of a new beginning, a new job, a new ministry, are you going to wake up one day and regret where the road took you?

Pondering the path of our feet.

I'm convinced that if we truly took the time to think a head of where our steps are leading us to, we'd often make some very different decisions. Saying yes to some things while saying no to others. All while keeping in mind that every step we take leads somewhere. Every choice, every decision, all lead us a step further from one thing and a step closer to something else.

That's why living a complacent life is so dangerous. We can fool ourselves into thinking that if we are complacent we aren't heading in any direction so we can't be heading towards anything difficult or wrong either. That's one of the biggest lies the enemy spins. We all are like bottles tossed in the ocean- we're going to move a little with the current of life even if we are just treading water.

I don't know about you, but I don't want to wake up one day miles away from where I'm supposed to be. So once again I'm making a conscious effort to ponder the path of my feet, knowing that if I do so, I won't just be drifting with the tides in life.

Webster Falls

2009-09-03T21:15:00.004-04:00

Another shot from my trip. This one was taken at Webster Falls and I got the opportunity to play with the shutter speed a bit. If you look closely, you can see what appears to be falls behind the falls. It was quite the site to see!

Around & About

2009-08-31T19:13:00.007-04:00

So I've been silent for a bit. That's because I've been on the move. First I spent a couple incredible days in Barrie for work, then I had my week of vacation time which was first spent visiting with my sister down south, traveling in and around the area. Then I came back up north for some good old cottage time.

It was a great week and a half and it seemed like everyday was filled with something very different. Some highlights of my time:

The LIFE 10th Anniversary Party
I was so grateful for the opportunity to be able to head down to Barrie for the 10th Anniversary of LIFE 100.3, the place that I have been blessed to work for since January 2007 (albeit from quite the distance).

I really enjoyed my time in Barrie and especially the evening of the concert. Three local artists opened the show and each one did a great job, then the headliner was Lincoln Brewster. I've always been a fan of his music and it was great to have the opportunity to see him again. It was quite the atmosphere of worship and I was floored with thankfulness for all God has done and continues to do.

Family Time
After leaving Barrie, I spent a couple of great days with my sister at her home in the Cambridge area. Because she's been on the move quite a bit ever since getting married over a year and a half ago, we haven't had a whole lot of quality time together since she left home, but that changed during my time there. We had a lot of fun together, road tripping around the area, even going up to Sauble Beach for a day. Plus while I was there one of my great-uncles had a barbecue at his place near Lake Ontario and most of my family on my grandfathers side, who I never get to see, were there. It was so nice to catch up with some and meet others for the first time.

Hiking & Biking
While at my sisters place, I borrowed a bike and explored part of the Trans-Canada Trail, which started just over a kilometer from her house. It was a beautiful section of trail and it was fun to explore an unfamiliar area.

One night my sister took me to see the beautiful Webster Falls and the Spencer Gorge. We spent an evening hiking to see the various waterfalls in the area and looking out on the gorge. I got some great photos.

Homecoming
Usually one of the worst parts about being away is coming home, knowing that the holiday is over. But this time around I had a very different perspective. First off, because I knew I was coming home only to turn around and go out to my aunts cottage for the rest of my week off.

Secondly, and more importantly, I realized how wonderful a feeling it can be knowing you have people to come home to. People who actually missed having you around and couldn't wait to hear the stories of your travels. Being surprised at the airport with a welcoming committee and then spending an evening with some of the most important people in my life was quite the nice homecoming.

Cottage Time
After spending one evening at home, my friend and I headed out to my aunts cottage where I spent the rest of my week off. We had a great day and night together, then she had to head back home for work and I spent a beautiful day in solitude before my Mom joined me for the weekend.

We spent time biking, walking, playing bocce, and I also got quite a bit of time in for reading and writing. So much so that I added another couple thousand words to my manuscript for my next book. I am so excited to finish it and can't wait to see what God is going to do with it.

All in all it was an excellent week and a half!

Those Moments You Won't Forget

2009-08-18T13:30:00.002-04:00

I read a great quote today on the Abercrombie & Kent website:

“How many things have you done in your life that you know, with absolute certainty, you will remember for the rest of your life?” (Geoffrey Kent, Chairman & CEO)

I know in my life I've been blessed to have quite a few experiences that I know I'll never forget:

Standing in the middle of Walt Disney World as an 8 year old, being overwhelmed by the magic of it all.

Playing scrabble until late in the night with my mom, brother, sister, and grandparents and laughing until my sides hurt.

Taking in the Atlantic ocean in Fundy National Park in New Brunswick. Feeling so small next to the vastness of the ocean.

Conquering my fear of heights with a trip up to the observation floor on the John Hancock Center, being in awe of the sprawling and beautiful city of Chicago below.

Walking along a bush road with a friend this summer, the wind blowing around us as the sunset reflected off the lake. Talking about heaven and knowing it would feel something like that.

And while I could add many more memories to that list, I know at the same time that there is room for a whole lot more. I want to live my life in a way that is purposeful, not just allowing time to idly slide by. I want to remember every moment, every experience and live every day to the absolute fullest. Whether I'm standing next to the ocean or walking down the street downtown.

Life is a gift. It is precious. And I'm thankful for each moment I get.

The Blame Game

2009-08-13T17:11:00.000-04:00

This summer I've been spending a good chunk of my spare time writing for my next book. I'm probably at least halfway through the book as far as writing goes and I've been loving every second of it.

One chapter I've been spending a lot of time on lately is one that addresses the issue of taking responsibility when things go wrong in our lives. This is a very touchy subject for some people and apparently, according to some research that I've done, it's becoming a cultural trend:

"Responsibility is waning. The strong sense of holding people responsible is getting more and more difficult. We still hold people responsible all the time in a legal sense. But in a moral sense, it's as thought no one is responsible anymore." (Joan McGregor, Arizona State University)

It's a terrible thing, but instead of taking responsibility so many of us are caught up in something that's even worse- the blame game.

The blame game is one with no rules other than to cast blame on someone else and it's something we do all the time, "It's not me. It's MTV or my parents or my circumstances or my boss or my financial situation." The list of excuses goes on and on and on.

So who do you blame when things go wrong? And how can we break out of this cycle?

That's My King

2009-08-10T22:10:00.002-04:00

I heard this for the first time not long after I became a Christian nearly 10 years ago and I can't tell you how many times it's blessed me since. Enjoy.

"The heavens of heavens cannot contain Him, let alone a man explain Him...

You can't outlive Him and you can't live without Him!"

Wisdom from Twain

2009-08-05T13:25:00.001-04:00

"Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." (Mark Twain)

The Desert Song

2009-07-29T23:43:00.005-04:00

Recently a friend played for me Hillsong's "The Desert Song" for the first time and I was floored. The lyrics apply so well to every season of our lives.

In the desert:
When the stream dries up,
When the ground feels chalky,
When you've been begging for just one drop of water.

In the fire:
When the foundation is scorching,
When the flames can't be escaped,
When you've been praying for relief.

In the battle:
When the odds are overwhelming,
When nothing feels secure,
When you've come to the end of yourself.

In the harvest:
When the food is plentiful,
When the blessings are abound,
When you feel completely satisfied.

If you haven't heard the song yet, do yourself a favour and listen to it below. It's definitely an anthem we can all get behind.

PaperFest

2009-07-27T00:09:00.004-04:00

Yesterday a friend and I went to Iroquois Falls to take in PaperFest. It's a music festival they have every year and while in previous years I never really was too keen on wanting to go, this year was a different story.

While the Timmins area is known for being the hometown of Shania Twain, we don't often attract big artists for shows, but Iroquois Falls managed to book Terri Clark for the festival. That was an opportunity I wasn't about to pass up :)

While I always thought she had a great voice, live it sounded even more impressive. Add to that she really knows how to get the crowd going and it all made for a great evening.

Here's one shot from the night:

So what's the best concert you've been to lately?

When The Mom's Away, The Kid's Will...

2009-07-23T23:35:00.002-04:00

In my case, cook.

I wanted to try out some recipes while our "master chef" was gone, so I did. This is what I attempted today- Pizza Spaghetti Style. It turned out pretty well if I do say so myself:

Here's the recipe: http://busycooks.about.com/od/pastacasserolerecipes/r/pizzaspaggstyle.htm

Follow Me

2009-07-14T22:33:00.000-04:00

Being a follower of Jesus means that we are willing to follow wherever He leads. While we've attached expectations and conditions to that, the truth is the only two words Jesus ever said were "follow me". Not "follow me and start a worldwide ministry" or "follow me and all your problems disappear" or "follow me and you'll get a recording contract", but just "follow me". Detritich Bonfoeffer described discipleship like this:

"And what does that text inform us about the content of discipleship? Follow me, run along behind me! That is all. To follow in His steps is something which is void of all content. It gives us no intelligible programme for a way of life, no goal or ideal to strive after. It is not a cause which human calculation might deem worth of our devotion, even the devotion of ourselves. What happens? At the call, Levi leaves all that he has- but not simply because he thinks that he might be doing something worthwhile, but simply for the sake of the call. Otherwise, he cannot follow in the footsteps of Jesus." (The Cost of Discipleship, p. 58)

Do me a favor and read those last two sentences again. Levi (known to many of us as Matthew) left all he had, not for some spiritual promotion or dream destiny, but simply for the sake of the call.

Are you willing to follow for the sake of the call? Big question with far-reaching implications.

Reminder Of A Promise

2009-07-06T07:18:00.000-04:00

I saw this rainbow on the drive home from the cottage and my friend and I pulled over, just to take it in. While looking at it's beauty, I was reminded of this promise:

God continued, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and everything living around you and everyone living after you. I'm putting my rainbow in the clouds, a sign of the covenant between me and the Earth. From now on, when I form a cloud over the Earth and the rainbow appears in the cloud, I'll remember my covenant between me and you and everything living, that never again will floodwaters destroy all life. When the rainbow appears in the cloud, I'll see it and remember the eternal covenant between God and everything living, every last living creature on Earth." (Genesis 9:12-16, The Message)

Worth While Read

2009-07-03T20:16:00.003-04:00

I don't often re-post stuff from other blogs on this page, but after coming across this post I couldn't not pass it on.

If you're looking for some challenging words, you'll enjoy this post. You can read it by clicking here.