fantastic fall

Carpe Diem

Did it today.

Just grabbed the day and ran with it, and I'm so glad I did.

Wouldn't have wanted to miss this one!

The last day of October celebrated with my delightful new friend.

She's been here for the past month or so, a bonus brought here by the son's girlfriend - all the way from California.

Seeing as everybody in her world is busy with college or university and midterms etc. etc. I get to have her pretty much to myself which has been a delight!

We run errands, visiting all the way, making discoveries and sharing stories.

I feel incredibly accomplished and she's just plain happy to be out after having wrestled with illness for about two weeks of the past month.

A very sweet companion with the biggest brown eyes and most tender heart.

God has not sent me just one very fine housemate, but two.

Double portion fills my cup.

So today, after Metro we dropped off my old computer at Opa's and set it up for him. (Funny how I always say "we" when she really did all the work). Anyways, Opa declared he had a headache after his first computer lesson and told me NOT to order the telus internet connection. We'll see about that.

We snacked on leftovers in Oma's kitchen and ventured into the most beautiful fall afternoon imaginable.

The sky was blue, the air was calm and perfectly comfortable. Not even cold!

We sped off to Timmy's to grab some caffeine to perk up our sleepy bodies that were crying out for an afternoon siesta.

Some espresso in our icecaps cured our exhaustion and an adventure was underway.

The trees are exquisite this fall. Absolutely stunning. Breathtaking.

Words actually don't suffice.

We haven't had the 'big frost' followed by the 'big wind' so the trees have been holding onto their glory and we are daily drinking in their beauty.

The afternoon drive did not disappoint and we zoomed along enjoying the sights - Duck Lake, over the mountain to Okanagan Lake, Gray Monk winery, back to Woods Lake and finally my all time favorite park on Kalamalka Lake.

Oh my goodness! Even my sweet friend said she felt as thought she was walking into Narnia and that the park just needed a lamp post!

The yellow leaves lay thick on the green grass and the aqua lake sparkled in the sunlight. Golden leaves, red leaves, berries and lilly pads.

Meeting a complete stranger who soon became a friend that we prayed with; another lovely gift from the Father of lights.

Even a stop to buy fireworks for future fun extravaganzas!

And another stop to buy a delectable chocolate chunk layer cake to celebrate the end of a fantastic fall day. Covered with whipping cream later in the evening as we prepared to watch Shadowlands.

I'm grateful for this sweet season of unexpected friendship.

I'm just loving both my housemates for as long as the Lord lends them to me.

Payroll

I can't believe it is past the middle of October and I am finally back at work. And, just making the big announcement that I AM ON PAYROLL!!

It makes me feel like I am somebody or something like that. HaHa!

It seems to be a very long time since I've received a real cheque for real work.

I have been totally happy doing this as a volunteer for the past three years (or has it been four?!) but somehow I feel like this is important from the standpoint of pursuing a career and adding credibility to my certificates and title of "reading therapist".

So today I looked at stats with my "boss" and we decided which of the most "at risk" kids I would start working with.

WOOHOO!! What a blessing to be able to work with these precious unique kids! Back to students, jelly bellies and cool early mornings with a purpose.

Something New

I was excited this morning to go to church.

Wow.

So I ventured off with a new housemate that is here temporarily and we went downtown to Metro. I am amazed that I have so quickly found what seems to be a new church home. God gave me what felt like permission to leave my last church home at the beginning of September and I thought I would spend some time visiting around, but after very little time and only one or two visits, I think I'm home.

I sit while all this life swirls around me in a rather cramped building downtown where people are encountering Jesus and sharing Jesus and loving Jesus.

Very simple really, and beautiful and raw and real.

I think my favorite time is "open mic" when people just get up and share what God is doing in their lives. So enlightening and encouraging.

Street people who are making good decisions.

People confessing addictions and others celebrating that they have been clean for 5 months.

People getting ready to walk down to the lake to testify through baptism that they have died to the old and are rising to their new life in Jesus.

On a cold fall morning!!

A young guy playing guitar and an older fellow in a scooter with a flag sticking out the back playing harmonica - leading us in worship to the King Eternal, Immortal and Invisible.

But I saw Him this morning.

In His beautiful creation.

Broken people full of eternal life because of Jesus.

It's an amazing miracle and I just need to be in this place because it helps me remember what is most important.

Thank you dear Jesus that you are real and people are meeting you every day.

You make them cry, you make them laugh, you fill them with hope and purpose.

You give me hope.

You are the beautiful One.

All on one Weekend!

Got home from that delightful holiday with the kids and had a marvelous Thanksgiving weekend with great people, a big turkey and the presence of God saturating this place! Seriously, it was so wonderful to have both sides of the family here again, at least the parts that were in town and could make it. We spread the table as long as it could go, set up the TV tables in the living room and there was plenty of joy and food for all. Each person got a Bible Verse as well and it was so fun having different ones read them out loud.

OH THE WONDERFUL POWERFUL LIVING WORD OF GOD!!!!

And I loved the one that randomly fell to my Dad. "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you...." Oh yes Daddy - just go head finally and do it for once!! Praying this will be the year that will happen. We are all waiting and praying and waiting and praying and.... SOON!!

The oldest ones seemed especially happy to be together celebrating life and the goodness of God. Despite age and deafness and blindness and the other stresses of life, there was laughter and sharing. They sat for ever so long around the table enjoying tea and coffee and a glorious assortment of desserts following a table that was so loaded that all the dishes couldn't even fit on at once! Now that is an extravagant God!

And the younger ones in the living room, visiting and catching up. The cousin from out of town enjoying the in towners and showing off his girlfriend and her puffy dog. Speaking of dogs, her dog got a little shaving in the backyard.

This past weekend there was plenty of that going on. My dear housemate took hours to groom the poopies and they now look slick and so much cleaner and cooler with their very short cuts.

The weekend also held a wedding ceremony in the backyard with the glorious sun peeking out right in time to highlight the bride as she came towards her beaming groom.

Another wedding ceremony ALMOST happened the day before but due to strange weather patterns they relocated. The rehearsal was a blast though the night before with the grandfather of the groom playing the bag pipes as the bride and groom walked down the grassy aisle. Such fun - the excitement was palpable.

Then my sister and I took off for a night in Vancouver to take in some brain therapy (long story) and we had an interesting time. Unfortunately when I felt good she didn't feel good and vice versa. In fact, when she found this picture on the cover of a magazine in the doctor's office she was so happy because it portrayed just how she was feeling. All the anxiety of getting to Vancouver, driving in the big city traffic and finding parking ($2 for every twenty minutes and we were there a few hours) made her feel.... well the picture obviously expresses it well.

I ended up with a migraine the evening that she was eager to go out for supper so I sat there feeling nauseated and drank ginger ale while she enjoyed her stir fry. Sometimes life is just like that. We are hoping and praying for calm brains and good results after those four sessions with the therapists and biofeedback sessions. The whole thing is a little surreal somehow. Anyhoodle.

Just tellin' the story as it happens. And there's lots happening!

WHEW!

I am home.

Laying on my bed.

Absolutely EXHAUSTED!!

Daniel and I finished the trip together and flew into a very warm and sunny Kelowna yesterday- on his birthday! His beloved met us at the airport and promptly had to get dropped off at college but I think they were happy to reconnect, even so briefly.

I got home (rushed out to do a video bible study and back) and was happy to rest after a very long day. Unfortunately I had a rough night due to strong back spasms starting at 2:45 or so. I think I may be onto something though. I had very good sleeps during the whole holiday which is almost unheard of. I'm wondering if this rough long season of bad sleeps due to back spasms is partly due to this new (expensive) bed I purchased last Spring?!? I may sleep in the guest room tonight to do a comparison.

This morning I met with a group of amazing women at my friend's place to be a part of something new.... New for me anyways. We will be studying a book called Sacred Rhythms together and doing contemplative Bible readings and listening prayer. It was lovely this morning to meditate on the scriptures that were read out loud for us and to pick out the phrases or words that God was impressing upon us from Matthew 11:28.

My words:

Easy

Gentle and humble of heart

Trust.

I do so much want to trust my Jesus. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. He will work out those things that are weighing heavily upon me.

From that sweet fellowship I went to a funeral and celebrated the homegoing of a Godly man who has left behind him a legacy of loving Godly children and grandchildren. What more could a man ask for? We worshiped together, ate together and connected with people we haven't seen for many years as we said farewell to this saint.

Now I am completely and absolutely exhausted. So many long days with hardly a chance to have my afternoon lie down. It seems to have caught up with me but I am more than grateful that I had the privilege and opportunity to travel, be with my kids, and see so much of God's creativity and beauty. I just LOVE traveling and am thankful that I can, even though it is very hard work on so many levels. Not just for me but for the dear souls who have to push me up steep hills and haul my wheelchair in and out of the car and carry my bags. God sends me helpers. He comes with so many different skins on and loves me.

Oh yes, He loves me.

Murietta

Sea World was WET!!

But we had purchased tickets at no small cost and we were going!

We kept laughing that we were actually sitting through shows as the rain drizzled down on us watching animals leap in the water and acrobats swing through the air. We weren't much into the orchestrated shows (except Shamu and his whale friends were incredible - gorgeous and sleek and totally amazing in every way) but we loved seeing all the sea life swimming in their different huge aquariums. Words just don't suffice when trying to describe the wildness and beauty and diversity.

We got to play with some bat sting rays in a pool and it was amazing to touch them and rub them as they swam by. They were huge and the experience put a huge smile on all of our faces. How cool is that to touch one of those rubbery slippery creatures that we normally just observe on our animal documentaries.

The baluga whales were so graceful and beautiful. I could have sat and watched them for ever so long, but there was always something pulling us onward. Another show involving more outrageously amazing sea life. Sea lions, dolphins, whales, turtles, sharks, penguins, polar bears...

So we were wet but satisfied to have feasted our eyes on more of God's brilliant creation.

The wet trip continued as we drove to Murietta where the daughter is attending a Bible College in about the most beautiful setting imaginable. Hot springs, a lake, spanish style buildings, mosaics, lush gardens surrounding beautiful walkways, fountains, pools, palms...

OH MY GOODNESS! She is surrounded by incredible beauty and amazing bible teaching so it doesn't get much better than that. Plus she has wonderful room mates, so she is well taken care of for this season of her life

The son drove us to some vineyards before where he purchased a bottle of well sought out wine for his beloved. Then we enjoyed lunch at one of the daughter's favorite eateries - Chipotle's. Delicious Mexican food followed by some frozen yogurt at a nearby shop for dessert. Just so much goodness on so many levels!

It was not difficult to say farewell to the daughter as we dropped her back off at the Bible College. Knowing she is in such a very good place made that easy which is a gift from God. She is a very beloved daughter, but this is a season for her to find her own way and to enjoy her own journey with God and new friends.

Daniel and I hit an outlet mall where we made some fun purchases and then we enjoyed the amazing scenery around Lake Elisnore as we traveled towards the ocean. My favorite ocean side town was Carmalito or something like that? Spanish ruins and sweet little shops, a large stone church with huge bells tolling right as we drove by. I fell in love even though we didn't have time to stop and wander the streets.

The rain and darkness set in shortly after this so we hit the I-5 and headed back to San Diego where we are now bedded down for the night. Ready to celebrate Daniel's birthday tomorrow on the plane!

Thank you dear Jesus for this privilege of spending time with my precious kids.

Up the Coast

Today we left San Diego and traveled North along the coast. I just LOVE discovering new spots that I've never seen before. Glimpses of the ocean as we wind through scenic areas, driving through amazing ritzy neighborhoods in La Jolla and finally landing near a beautiful park right on the ocean. We had lunch overlooking the ocean at a little sandwich shop and had a lovely walk through a park where we saw seals playing and fighting on the rocks right below us. They put on a marvelous show and we had a good laugh over their antics. There were about six of them entertaining us and we were thrilled with the live nature show.

From there we headed to Birch Aquarium near the San Diego University. So amazing to see so much underwater sea life. The daughter in particular finds great delight at these places, especially if there is a hands on interactive part - which there was.

We were delighted with what we saw and I was overwhelmed again with God's creative genius. It seems the older I get the more I become aware of Him and His hand in nature and people and my life. I loved hearing the interactions between the children and their parents as they talked about the wild and wonderful creatures in the aquariums. One was a huge wall housing so many fish and eels - it was like looking right into the ocean. Lovely - absolutely LOVELY and mind blowing.

Over the TOP AmaZING!

San Diego.

My kids.

And one super sweet friend.

Life hardly gets better than this.

SERIOUSLY!!

Daniel and I flew into San Diego yesterday around noon after a fairly seamless trip, tho the day started ridiculously early.

We got our car, found our hotel and waited with eager anticipation for the dear daughter and her sweet friend to arrive and what a reunion!! Lots of laughter and a trip to Old Town San Diego for Mexican food with singers serenading started things off with a bang.

Shopping for sunglasses (3 pairs for $22) left us all looking pretty groovy and ready to hit Coronado Island at sunset!

Coronado Island. Thanks to a good friend I was advised to make this a part of our travel itinerary and am I ever glad we did!

Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful!!

Watching the three of them on the beach while the waves crashed in and the sun slowly sunk behind the rocks was truly a gift from God.

Overwhelmed with His goodness and His beauty!

San Diego Zoo today after a sweet breakfast at a Marina just down the street from our hotel.

We're just having fun all the time.

The zoo and the animals...words just don't suffice.

Honestly - the magnificence of the elephants brought me to tears and I had to talk to God about spending time with elephants. Haha!!! He totally understood how captivated I was.

And the zebras and warthogs and a polar bear swimming right past me - one flippin inch away from me. Simply divided by a thick piece of plexi glass.

WOW WEEZERS!!

And to top all of this off. Matt Redman playing at a church about 20 minutes away for free.

WORSHIP!!! With visions of the sweet creative genius of Jesus floating through my head - the animals were part of all of that if that makes any sense.

Just amazed. And super duper blessed.

To be with my kids experiencing all of this goodness. Sheer and pure God.

I had asked Him at the beginning of the trip to restore the years the locust has eaten.

He is doing it. Big time.

Birthday Birthday!

Had an amazing evening celebrating two birthdays on one evening. The blessings overflowed and it was more than good to gather together around one very long table to honor the two who are turning 24. My precious son and his lovely girlfriend.

The joy of generations gathering together, the littles, the honored grandparents and everybody in between. Each one a priceless treasure.

Each breath a gift from God

So we take time to recognize the gift that the years are.