in all deep places

This summer I have been catching up with reading for relaxation - I'm loving it. I just finished this book call "In All Deep Places" by Susan Meissner. It was definately a book that pulled my heart strings and I strongly recommend it. (In a way it reminded me of my favourite book, "Who Has Seen the Wind" by WO Mitchell.)
I found the following excerpt especially touching. Have you ever wondered why there are some people who constantly get the short stick in life? I know it has been something that I have always questioned and struggled with. This passage from the book shows Luke (the little boy in the story) dealing with this topic. I found it very enlightening as I have never seen it from this angle before.

“So why doesn’t God ease up on her, then?” Luke said. “He hasn’t let even half as much bad stuff happen to us as He has to Nell. Or Norah.”
“Well I don’t know all that God knows about individual people, Luke. I believe He works in each life in whatever way that will draw that person to Him.”
“Yeah, but Dad – this will just drive them all away from Him!”
Jack nodded. “Tough times will bring that out in people, Luke. It’s the worst of times that a person will either run to God or turn his back on Him. I think it’s always been that way.”
Luke was silent for a moment.
“Don’t you ever wonder why, Dad?” Don’t you ever wonder why it’s that way? Why he made us like that? I mean, why are we even here if life is going to be so hard that it turns some people away from God?”
“I’ve wondered those things too, Luke,” Jack said. “Sometimes I still do. I’m not sure why God has made us the way He did. I know we were made in His image, so there’s something about is that is uniquely like Him, but there’s probably much more to it than that. As to why we’re here, well I think maybe we’re here to learn to love Him. To learn to love God and want to be with Him. I think we’re here to cultivate our longing for heaven.”
Luke sighed. “Heaven,” he said. “Seems like a long, long way off, Dad.”
Jack nodded. “It does. But I think God gives us glimpses of heaven from time to time to help us nurture the desire to want to be there at the end of our lives.”
“What do you mean?” Luke asked, feeling at that moment that he greatly needed a glimpse of heaven.
“Well, I see glimpses every spring when the earth renews itself. And sometimes I see glimpses in a worship service when I’m singing about Jesus and all of the sudden I feel like I’m right there in His arms. And sometimes I see glimpses at dawn after a snowfall, before the ploughs come through, before the sunlight touches the new snow and only the dying moonlight is falling on it. I see it all the time.”
Luke leaned back against the wall of the tree house, considering his father’s words. He could understand that God would purposely place humans on a planet with limitations, that He would give those same humans the ability to make choices, and that He would also instil in every person a tiny longing for heaven, a longing designed to blossom. He even began to feel that tiny longing stir within his own heart and soul. It all made sense except for one thing. It did not explain why God had allowed such an abundance of tragedy into Norah’s life. She never saw glimpses of heaven. Never. How could she? He wouldn’t be surprised if all she saw were glimpses of hell.
“But Dad,” he said. “What about Norah? When does she ever get to see a glimpse of heaven? Dad, their life is a nightmare.”
Jack leaned forward and placed his hands on Luke’s shoulders.“Luke, listen to me. Every time you’ve showed kindness to Norah, they’ve seen the love of God in you. I know their lives are harder than yours, but Luke, God hasn’t forgotten about them. They have seen a glimpse of heaven every time you cared for them.”

you're everything to me

I grew up in sunday school
I memorized the Golden rule
And how Jesus came to set the sinner free
I know the story inside out
I can tell you all about
The path that led Him up to Calvary
But ask me why He loves me
And I don't know what to say
But I'll never be the same
Because He changed my life when He became...

Everything to me
He's more than a story
More than words on a page of history
He's the air that I breath
The water I thirst for
And the ground beneath my feet
He's everything, everything to me

We're living in uncertain times
And more and more I find that I'm aware
Of just how fragile life can be
I want to tell the world I found
A love that turned my life around
They need to know that they can taste and see
Now everyday I'm praying
Just to give my heart away
I want live for Jesus
So that someone else might see that he is...

Everything to me.

You're everything to me
You're more than a story
More than words on a page of history
You're everything to me
You're more than a story
More than words on a page of history
You're the air that I breath
The water I thirst for
And the ground beneath my feet
Lord, you're everything to me

-- Avalon.

summertime

Today is the official start of summer, so here's why I love summer:

driving (fast) with the windows down
being barefoot
camping
being at the ballpark
Sundays
gardening
the many bonfires which equals s'mores (mmmmm)
bbq's
lemonade
picking wildflowers
star gazing
sleeping in a hammock (well if we had one, i almost got one for my dad for father's day, but i would have bought it for selfish reasons)
reading on the beach
pool parties
smell of freshly cut grass
fireflies and crickets

my dad

In my life my dad has been my main infulence. He has been one of my greatest supports and has encouraged me to chase after my dreams - however unrealistic they are - and has always been there standing at the end no matter what the result. Throughout my life I have strove to make my dad proud and it has been worth every effort; it has made me into the person I am today. Though we don't say the words often enough, I love my him with all my heart and I am proud to call him my dad.

My dad has taught me the importance of:

• a strong faith
• dedication
• ambition
• hard work
• stubborness
• strength in character
• a passion for life
• determination
• never settling
• accomplishment
• risk
• having fun
• believing in yourself
• opinions
• trying new things
• never giving up
• intelligence
• learning
  

what is that scent?

Correct me if im wrong... but i smell a comeback. It smells like oil mixed with BO

Is the cup going to return to Canada where it belongs? According to me, yes. Oilers are a Cinderella team, and Cinderella hasn't disappointed me yet.

Scamp

Today my childhood friend and companion, Scamp, died of old age. I still remember the first day we got him...
Our previous dog had gotten killed on the road a month before, so my dad went searching for a new dog to call our own. I remember coming home from school and my mom telling my older brother Mike and I that my dad had a surprise waiting for us in the barn. Both of us raced to the barn where my dad and my little sister Erika were waiting with the biggest dog I had ever seen in my life. Seriously, he was the biggest dog in the county of North Dundas and was well known to all the milk truck drivers, vets, milk testers, and breeders who would come to our farm. My dad wanted to name our new dog King, but all of us refused and my dad gave into the name Scamp. At first he had to stay in the barn so that he would get used to the surroundings and not try to run back to his old home. So this meant that it was our job to walk him... though because of his size it took all three of us to hold onto the rope and yet he was still the one that ended up walking us, instead of the other way around.
The moment I laid my eyes on Scamp he won a place in my heart. Throughout my childhood he was my faithful friend: If I had a bad day at school he would be there with me when I would hide behind the machine shed and lick my tears, when we played house he was always willing to be the horse and let us ride on his back, when my brother would chase me he would take ahold of my sleeve and pull me faster than I could run (sometimes I would end up being dragged, but he meant well), when a groundhog was making holes in our fields he would kill them, and when my kittens would die I was comforted by thought that Scamp would not.
I am going to miss my Scampy, but I am thankful for the role that he played in my life. He was a dog full of loyalty and love. We were blessed to have a dog like him.
"Blessed is the person who has earned the love of an old dog."--Sydney Jeanne Seward

diet confidential

Question: I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life; is this true?
Answer: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it... don't waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.

Question: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
Answer: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.

Question: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?
Answer: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine, that means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made out of grain.

Question: Aren't fried foods bad for you?
Answer: Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?

Question: Is chocolate bad for me?
Answer: Are you crazy? Cocoa beans another vegetable. It's the best feel-good food around.

Question: Is swimming good for your figure?
Answer: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.

Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets. Although I think that it is important to note that I do not suggest that you make this the new Jenny Craig and apply them to your daily lifestyle. I just use these points for an excuse in situations where they are needed...

If you do exercise and eat healthy I salute you!

the Scripps National Spelling Bee

Now, I don't know how many of you have ever watched a Spelling Bee on prime time television, but if you haven't you are missing out! For the past three years I have watched the "Scripps National Spelling Bee." The first time I saw it, it was shown on TSN when there was supposed to be a Blue Jays game on. I was not impressed and even laughed at the idea of showing a spelling bee on tv, who in their right mind would watch that?! But then they started to spell... the sweat dripping of their forheads, asking for the orgins of words, the monotone voice of the officials, the look in their eyes, the invisible strokes that they make on their number cards struggling to spell a ridicously hard word. Before I knew it an hour had passed; I was hooked. I'm not going to lie the Scripps National Spelling Bee is intense. Last year I witnessed one boy faint on stage because he was under so much pressure and had to spell from a chair for the rest of the time. This year it was a battle until the end but in the end Katherine won with the word URSPRACHE and out very own Canadian, Finola Hackette, got second.
Believe it or not, I am not the only one who watches Spelling Bees. ABC reported that an average of 8 million viewers watched it unfold, and as many as 14 million tuned in for the final 11 minuets.
So if you missed it this year, be sure not to next year!

*interesting fact: there is no origin for the word Spelling Bee; it is one of those language puzzles that has never been satisfactorily accounted for.