Treasure Hunts & Outside

The children in the neighbourhood have been busy over the long weekend creating Treasure Hunts for each other.  It shows their creativity both to create the clues, and to decipher both what the clues might mean & how their environment could be perceived.

 Here they are looking for clues they think are under somebody's shoes.

Seems the children like to congregate in our yard since its the largest on the block and not full of stuff.  Its a great place for tag, soccer, Dead Ant Tag,  and just goofing off.  But then the neighbours' draw is that most of them have trampolines and a bunch of stuff.  So they wander between the yards, playing well together and having a lot of fun.

Slightly different topic:

I was shocked, to say the least, when one of the moms stopped by the other day to say "It is such a beautiful sight to see your children out in your yard playing."  She was referring to our children playing out there on a daily basis when the other children are off to school or stuck in their houses doing homework.  Our children love to play outside and are often seen out there even when the weather isn't exactly the nicest (in my estimation, anyways).

The compliment came just as I finished reading "LAST CHILD IN THE WOODS: SAVING OUR CHILDREN FROM NATURE-DEFICIT DISORDER   by Richard Louv  and was feeling like my children don't get into nature enough.  They could get out into creation more, do more hiking, more sitting under a tree to watch the squirrels, etc and I don't set a good example in that department, but nonetheless it was nice that somebody took the time to encourage me that I'm on a good path.  Thanks, Britt, you blessed me.

Reach Out & Touch Someone

It's hard not to consider what has recently happened in Japan and it not effect you at some level.  Even if it is to realize that what we spend out time on is quite insignificant.


You may or may not feel that there is anything that you can do to help the Japanese at this time (there are lots of organizations to donate to like Salvation Army or  Tzu Chi)but there is something we can do in all circumstances, every day of our lives.  


“I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.” -- Maya Angelou


It may seem insignificant, but in somebody's life it may make a huge difference. 


If you aren't walking in their shoes, you have know idea how uncomfortable to them their shoes are.

Be a Blessing to Someone Today.

Weigh Your Thoughts

I'm reading 'Soul-Full Eating' by Maureen Whitehouse.  Working through this 400+ page book slowly as I have much to think about.  It fits nicely with my Word for 2011, Be Mindful.

Her chapter on "Weigh Your Thoughts" starts with Galatians 6:7, 'As ye sow, so shall ye reap.'

"The most powerful way to affect your outer world is to be mindful of your inner world.  Your mind is like a field into which you can plant any seed and it will grow.  That is why it is of utmost importance that you notice what kinds of thoughts you consistently think and then weigh them to see if they are life-seed-thoughts of compassion, joy, accomplishment, acceptance and love, those things will appear in your life abundantly.  Conversely, if you choose to plant a briar patch of negative, doubtful and fearful thoughts, they too will grow.  Choose wisely. "

image from Garden Web World

It reminds me of scripture in Deuteronomy where God says "I put before you Life and Death, Blessings and Curses.  Choose Life, that you and your children may live."

We have choices.

Are you Choosing Life???

Family Fun

Rauchelle caught the train down to spend the weekend with the family to celebrate my birthday.  Its a challenge for her to find the time from work to get down to our place via the train, but it beats the bus!!She treated me to beautiful bag of wholesome, natural goodies in a great natural fabric bag with says about 'A Wise Woman......'  I was a bit giddy opening the packages as they were daintily wrapped, and we aren't big on Gift Giving.  I think Rauchelle had as much fun watching me open it as she had shopping for it!

 Then....what Mama wanted to do was for the Family to go out for a walk together.  I see this hill from the children's bedrooms and I was curious as to what was up there.  So, the rain had stopped and we trekked out.

Toveli found a four-leaf clover.

Rauchelle had brought 

bandana's for Maret and Mitchell, and was wearing some herself, but 'Jesse' was feeling left out so he mooched one off of Rauchelle to be a Bandit.

Always somewhere's new to climb and conquer.

Rauchelle is always up to fun and a challenge. 

 She did stand on this and roll it.  This is where she fell off.

Two Buds at the Top

We found a water reserve at the top of the hill, and it had a ladder..........so of course we had to climb it.  Only of course, the bottom had a metal cover to discourage climbers, but we got over that, one way or other.

The littles climbed up the backside, squished between the ladder and wall.

Evaluating how much farther he had to climb.

He got right up to the top!

Even Mama did it!

There's most of us, at the top.

Rauchelle and Toveli

Taking a leap of faith.

Thanks, family, for making my day a special, love-filled one!  I am Blessed.

A Sweet End & a New Beginning

We had the privilege of having my eldest brother and his son spend a few days with us, along with our own dd Layne, and last night we were joined Momentarily (1 sleep) with Rauchelle.  But it was a sweet way to spend part of the last of 2010 with some of those that we love.

And tonight was Shabbat so we celebrated with a Special Meal.

A wonderful way to go into the New Year of 2011.

New Years Apple Challah

(Toveli's Request)

Blessings to all of you,

and all the best for you and your loved ones

in the New Year.

For the Neighbours (DPP December Photo Project)

Challah
Shabbat Shalom!!

Hallelujah! Food Court Flash Mob

Thankfulness

(Us Canucks are celebrating Thanksgiving.......

Always anxious to eat turkey and pumpkin pie, we cant wait until November to celebrate.)

I love this time of year, not for the rain and cool weather we have, but for the warm sunny days that you don t sweat in, and the colours of the autumn leaves (more incredible in Cape Breton than BC, I must admit), and the crunch of them under your feet.

Autumn colours are my favourite colour schemes.  So warm, and earthy and serene.

Its a perfect time for making "Mrs. Johnson" soups that simmer away on the stove-top for the morning.  Warming body and soul.  Or making a pitcher of raw Hot Cocoa, a glorified & chocolatified (just made that one up) almond-milk.  And sitting on the couch all snuggled up under blankets and bodies and enjoying the read-aloud book with my little darlings.

And cool nights sliding between cotton sheets, seeking out the warm body of my husband to calm my shivers.

Ahhh.  I love Autumn.  For This I Am Thankful.

Update on My Brother

Head shaved, he went into surgery this morning, confident that all would go well.

And so it did.

Although they weren't able to remove all of the cyst, nor all of the tumour things are looking good.  Drugged for the mean time, he is recovering well.  Slowly but surely he will return to active life.  This is what we proclaim.

Thanks to all Well-wishers and Pray-ers.  It is all appreciated.

We give thanks for many things, but particularly for the Blessings of Family & Friends and our Health.

Thank You, God.  You are Always Faithful.

Give Every Day

I've added a new button over on the right sidebar, and wanted to highlight about it today.


About the Sheaffers:

"We are a family of four who are planning to travel the country with the intent purpose of giving – every day.

We are selling our house and almost all of our possessions. The next step will be to buy an RV, map our route, and give more than we’ve ever given before."

You can check out their blog and see for yourself what adventure they are beginning, and consider supporting them in prayer and financially, if your heart says to. 

I admire the journey they are beginning, and know from our own experiences that it will be greater and grander and a whole-lot different than they could imagine at the moment.  And something SO well worth it.  What a heritage/experience to give their beautiful daughters.  We would all do better to Give Every Day. 

Blessings, Sheaffers. 

Happy Thought

The world is so full

of a number of things, 

I'm sure we should all

be as happy as Kings.

~Robert Louis Stevenson

 

Painting by Mary Cassatt

Maret Behind the Camera

Question for You:  What's your favorite pic Maret took, and why?

Layne is Engaged!

Yes, it's true. Our eldest daughter has just gotten engaged to Micah.

Yes, its sudden, and that almost seems to becoming a family tradition now!!

Everette and I were wed 5 1/2 months after we met, and we were living in opposite regions of the province for much of that time. And here we are, 24 years later and happily married. One of my older brothers has already celebrated his 25th with his lovely wife, and they were wed 4 months after starting to date. Another brother of mine also dated less than a year, and they've made it to 20 years. And we all have many more great years ahead of us!!




We look forward to getting to know Micah better, as I'm sure we'll get ample opportunity over the years to come. We will gratefully embrace a new son into the family as we see the blessings of the Lord coming through a different means of increase! And we pray that the Lord will help us each adjust gracefully to new roles in our relationships as our little girl becomes Micah's wife.

I never imagined that these changes in Layne's life would take place while we are sssooooo far away geographically. But I am blessed to have a close relationship heart to heart with Layne, and that's immeasurably more important than being geographically close and yet miles apart in the heart. Another blessing from the Lord. I'm counting my blessings!!


PS.
Thanks for waiting till we get back to BC, Micah!!!

Power in Words

I have a few videos to share from XP Media (ministry of Extreme Prophetic).

They talk about the power of our words, for both good and bad. There are encouragements for us to be careful about what we speak, and to purpose to decree the word of God in our own lives and those of our loved ones, and even for the country and churches and leaders.



The Power of Words

What do we speak over our children? Watch Stacey Campbell here.

One of societies problems that the church of Jesus Christ certainly has not escaped, although we should have, is Gossip. Gossip even seems to sneak in under the guise of 'concern' or even via prayer chains.


Here's simple instruction on how to crush gossip. It's about The Test of Three spoken of by Socrates, and Patricia King shares about it here.

Blessings and Curses

Life and Death are in the power of our words. What a huge responsibility!! Let's encourage.


Getting a Tune-Up. Julie Meyer shares about a dream she had, and how the Lord wants to help prepare the Bride of Christ.

Question for You: Do you have a good word to share?

A Time of Encouragment and Blessing

Our last day having the whole family together (for now) under one roof. We took the opportunity to share words of encouragement between one another and pour out blessings on each members' lives. This is what we did (minus Anders who refused to be a part of any of it. Bummer)





We put one person at a time to sit on an ottoman in the centre of the living room. We each voiced what we liked about that person, what they've done that has been a blessing or been a good example to us, what we admire in their life, how we see the Lord working in their life, etc.


We worked our way up from youngest to oldest. Notice, everybody was wearing a happy face! I'm not sure exactly why, but mama was the only one who cried. (Chelle admitted to getting a bit teary-eyed, but I just thought she was coming down with a cold!)






When you sit there with a room full of people talking about you, it can be a bit embarrassing and awkward to hear them praising you for something you feel utterly inadequate about. We are our hardest critics. We give grace to others, not expecting them to be perfect, but when people admire us we seem to think "Yeah, but you don't know how many times I ________ (fill in the blank.....ie.screw up)."



Of course, we aren't looking for perfection in one another. We are looking for the good (not the perfect), and we are focusing on that, to build one another up in the Lord. To see how the Lord is working through each other, and how we see them yielding to the Lord.



After we blessed Everette/Dad (oh, yeah, he was kinda looking like a cold was coming on, too, with teary eyes and a bit of a runny nose also!!) then we put an individual in the centre of a circle we formed around them and danced around them while holding hands with the others and shouting/singing "We Bless (insert name)!" along with kisses, pinched butts, tickles, or in the case of Rauchelle we kick-butt!!! Lots of laughter and giggles and loves.


What a great time! I think everybody feels better after an uplifting time like that. Nothing beats a family having fun together!!!!





Question for You: Does your family do something to purposely bless one another?