peace

WOW sometimes life just seems toooooo BUSY!!!! Then WHAT?????? RE-FOCUS!!!!
AND ASK MYSELF SOME QUESTIONS LIKE WHY, WHAT AND HOW, WHEN< WHERE?????
I'm teaching ESL these days so these words are very familiar to me at present...I just need to apply them to my life and get some SHALOM. PEACE...
the actual root of that word means WHOLENESS < COMPLETENESS and there is quite a few others that belong to its family...GOD MADE WORD FAMILIES!!!!

I've been watching an early morning TV program and learning about our original language..the Creator's and creation's Language..yes it's HEBREW..and God used this language to CREATE EVERYTHING INVISIBLE AND VISIBLE
and it will be spoken in Heaven
..sorry don..not GERMAN...

did you know that HEBREW is a mathematical Language and that our God is intricately concerned with details..every detail of our lives.

did you know that every HEBREW word has 3 consanants in it that speak of its ROOTS..yes roots, just like a tree has roots and bears fruit or leaves , so does each Hebrew root word gives birth to other words , same beginnings

did you know that in every HEBREW word you can recognize it's family,related words, by its 3 consanant roots..COOL HUH..JUST LIKE OUR CHILDREN..they have familiar characteristics coming out of their roots..family line.

did you know that there are no vowels in the HEBREW language just consanants and they can become any part of speech you want them to be..like verbs, or nouns, or adjectives or whatever else you need...very COOL!

more to follow...the eternal teacher is quite excited about all of this..have you noticed???

so SHALOM TO YOU and ME and YOURS today..hope my ENGLISH IS CORRECT..
it's the heart that matters right..

may you be still and know that HE is GOD today and that He is a God who is LOVE and can BE nothing else
HE LOVES YOU INTRICATELY..every detail of your life!

one last thought to ponder did you know
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO BE THINKING THE TRUTH AND HAVE NEGATIVE EMOTIONS
WHOAAAAAAA WHAT am I thinking???

BE blessed with HIS TRUTH and HIS ROOTS today and forever..mama

the rescue...

self-rightness exposed!!!

My dear husband had minor surgery today to remove a cataract and put in a new lens enabling him to see more clearly..He left the office with a patched eye..the pirate look!!! Being the "no fear" .."no big deal" thinking kind of man he is , he sailed through the procedure and of course had the surgeon laughing during the course of the event...even Pavarati's timing was right on and the minor surgery ended with "applause" for both the singer's performance and the surgeons..quite a unique marketing strategy don't you think..Don loved it..he thought the applause was for him!!!!


Now being the man that he is he really didn't ask for "my presence" or invite me to be by his side ( you know to hold his hand or something) but i thought i would be the wise, well wiser, compassionate wife and go to his "aid"..you know drive him home at least as "recommended" by the doctor's office. So I got in my car and headed for the office 2 minutes from our place, expecting to come to the "rescue". New lens in place we left and headed for our individual cars....he drove his own vehicle there..remember he wasn't asking for my help.

The plan was to take one vehicle home and i would chauffeur him around for the next few hours while He recuperated..my thoughts. I was parked directly behind him and we decided to drive a short distance .. to the next parking lot over where there is an amazing Bagel place ( I had rushed out of the house without breakfast as I was on a rescue mission)..the one-eyed patched man gets in his vehicle and drives carefully and speedily over to the Bagel store. The ever wise ,compassionate rescuing wife gets in her car and drives swiflty up and over and onto the curb that she forgets is in front of her vehicle...Yep, I did just that and now guess who's coming to whose rescue???

After a failed attempt to reverse out of the situation , my handy dandy cell phone needs to do its job,HOW EMBARRASSING...AND HUMBLING ... STRANDED ON THE CURB AND REQUESTING AID FROM A POST OPERATIVE PATIENT,that i had come to help out..there really was no one else around at the time ...
"could you please help me..i'm hung up on the curb"...silence

the one eyed patched man came walking back across the lot to my rescue ,assessed the situation with his one eye and after an unsuccessfull attempt at reversing the car back over the curb he told "moi" to get in and he( the just finished surgery man) "lifted" the car up and over the curb while i put the "pedal to the medal in reverse" so to speak.. back and over the curb we went ...
guess I wasn't much of a rescuer today huh..but the warm cinnamon bagel and tea comforted and soothed my soul and I realized once again that men are just made for rescuing damsels in distress... even when they are only seeing out of one eye...

I hate it when i think the "No big deals" are "Big Deals" and then it's made clear to me that maybe they aren't as big a deal as I thought they were!!!! I guess I could have just believed him and waited patiently at home...but then I might have missed out on that warm bagel and cup of tea..
Life's journey is full of experiences and memories we can share together.. i think we had a memorable day!

New International Version (NIV)
The man (woman) who thinks he/she knows something does not yet know as he/she ought to know.
1 Corinthians 8:1-3 ( in context)

thanks Prince Charming...you were my Hero today!!! Just think what you will do with all that new vision you've just acquired

and then there was none!!!!

i thought i had self-control ...it seemed to slip away every time i took another" one" out of the box .
I can do it i told myself after taking "a few" out of the box and leaving the box downstairs in the cupboard far from the computer room i was in..aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh...just "one" more.......
back down again ............ another handful...okay that's it!!! ..no more..that should satisfy this little sweet craving i have...well just one last one..back down again to that cupboard.... hhhhhhmmmmm....might as well take that BOX up with me and keep it in the computer room ..just in case i want some more tomorrow or the next day...... HAHAHa..
mmmmmmmm...sooooo good..just one more...mmmmmm..okay another......tummy beginning to feel a little chocolated out...mmmmmm but mmmmm..one last one...
hhhmmmm
only" two" left..well one more...AWWWWWWWWWW mine as well eat that last one can't leave one little cashew in the box all alone !!!
It may as well join the rest of them in my not feeling so good tum tum !!!


I CAN'T BELIEVE I ATE THE WHOLE BOX...IN LESS THAN 5 mins i'm certain..
YUCK not feeling so great now!

Self control is a very fine way to go..so i think i'll just control myself ...next time:):)
Thanks Jenaya and Mikayla for all those fine boxes of chocolates....do you think you could help me out with the self-control ..maybe we could eat them together next time!!!

Life

a friend sent me this Cannes award winning short film for 2008.

Last night ,I actually was thinking of sending her an e-mail to let her know i didn't want all these forwards i was receiving and this morning here was another one in my inbox!
It changed my day ...WORDS really do form thoughts which turn into beliefs which turn into actions , habits and lifestyle... so today i'm thinking a review of my thoughts could change my whole life!!! click on the second picture to watch the video clip..it could be a life changing day.

i need a little help with these downloads though ..maybe i'm not using the right gadget tool I just wanted the one movie clip

and by the way thanks dear friend..you sent me new life today..i guess the delete button isnt too hard to press!

Celebrating

forgiveness is a gift
that keeps on giving forever
that's how i've been forgiven..no conditions..no measuring up..
thank you Jesus for your grace
to forgive
and the understanding
that i wasn't perfect
before you forgave
and that others don't have to be perfect
before i forgive
there's real freedom in that truth..
let's celebrate it!

TODAY

today was a great day!Why was it so great you ask???
Well i got some more bookwork done YAY ... and my brain didn't hurt or freeze up....maybe because i only exercised it half of the day not the whole day! sometimes i'm just a little impatient and want to get it all done at once...ever felt that way... well with some things you just can't get caught up ever..there's always more waiting for you the next day....so don't sweat it... accept it

a nice surprise...I got to see two of my grandchildren briefly and so I got some precious"hugs" from both Maddie (4) and Caleb (2 1/2)..he's always got a great big smiley "Hiya"and his enthusiasm is so sweet and he gives the best kisses ever....


AND
our new counter top arrivedTODAY and is now sitting pretty in our kitchen along with a brand spankin new double sink, that we could almost bathe in!!!!
even though the water's not hooked up yet , i'm so excited that i can actually see it in it's place..and i'm even dreaming about filling it up with water and soap suds and dirty dishes...you can tell i've been without a kitchen sink for a little while ..just remove something that's taken for granted or has become familiar from your life for a while and see how thankful you become.. I'M VERY THANKFUL!!! bathrooms and dishes just don't quite go together in my books...

and last but not least

another great thing about today was that I took some time to spend with a very special lady ..Hannah... she is 81 years young.. God's gift of a grandma in my life ..there is something about her that reminds me of my grandma and i do miss not being able to really get to know my grandma. There's also something about making time in your life for the older generation that has gone before you..not only are they full of wisdom and life experiences they are not in a hurry and life slows down to a livable pace ..today, I realized once again just what life is all about ..relationships.. not getting a 101 things done in a day , one job after the next, it's making time for people and caring about them ...taking time to listen..asking questions..sharing stories..valuing who they are and honoring their lives andhow they overcame the challenges they were faced with.
Thanks Hannah for lunch today..it was a breath of fresh air ..just to sit and relax and enjoy each other!
consider taking a grandma or grandpa to lunch , give them a quick phone call ,share a cup of tea together.. you will be blessed.................................................and so will they!

God sets the lonely in families....what a blessing to have one

Brain Freeze

Right now I have brain freeze.or at least that is what it feels like. I've been working with numbers for the better part of the day and my head feels like it's crammed full> BUT i know and have heard that we only use a very small portion of our brains...so how come this one is not co-operating anymore???

AHA.it's a muscle and needs to be exercised...like a few other muscles in this bod of mine!
I guess it's just making it's point...what you don't use resists use ! I think i'd much rather exercise it in other ways though..balancing books is no small task. Hats off to all you bookkeepers out there!
Here's to a good night's rest

Gifts

God I want to see your gifts each and
everyday
don't let me miss them
by looking in the wrong places.

your gifts are hidden treasures

in open spaces

perfect pictures of your love

truth announcing itself simply....
standing out amongst all else!

i'm hungry

what I don't feed will die..pride ,unforgiveness, shame, bitterness, anger, control, independence, gossip, criticism, impatience, guilt, selfishness, comparison jealousy, envy, greed..complaining..finding something wrong with everything and everyone

what I feed will live...,believing the best about others , kindness, gentleness ,thankfulness, patience for myself and with others, self-restraint, preferring others interests above my own, compassion, forgiveness, ...a smile, laughter, encouragement, grace, generosity,honesty, a helping hand, teachablility

today help me God to believe who I really am so that I'm so secure in You i can take off my heavy garb and put on your servants towel. ...place your life-giving words on my lips OR shut my mouth!

Matthew 15:11

It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth.”

(defile= to debase the pureness or excellence of..
that's us and others made in His likeness!)

and for us visual learners the Message version....

10-11 He then called the crowd together and said, "Listen, and take this to heart. It's not what you swallow that pollutes your life, but what you vomit up."
yuck...yuck ...yuck... smelly and not pretty...

l

AUTUMN

daylight shortened and leaves shouted
as they became the center of attention

I Wish

I wish that i could do all those things i don't know how to do and do them as well as i think everyone else is doing them but then we really wouldn't need each other would we?

Why Study Geography?

I was helping Chan (our Grade 11, Korean Homestay student) with some homework
and this was the question...

Why study geography?

the internet is an amazing resource for answers , although I think he thinks it's like cheating and i keep having that feeling too BUT ITS NOT ....ITS LEARNING.... we found a couple of sites that really answered the question well..in fact i wasn't quite prepared for how well !!!
the first is quite poetic and all you visual learners will love it...

Geography is essential to an education because we, on this spinning blue marble hanging in space, are an interdependent family. Our actions on this planet, like tossing a stone into pond, send out rippling waves, rings of consequences that effect every other person on this planet. To ponder these ripples, to consider what caused each ringing wave, and to reflect on how each ripple will effect each person in earth’s pond, this is the essence of geography .
THAT'S SO BEAUTIFUL IT MAKES ME WANT TO CRY...WELL..ALMOST!!


Without geography, we are raising young people to be ego-centric, (ouch) thinking that they alone exist in the world, in a world that they share with no one, sole sailors in an empty pond, where their waves effect no one, and no one else’s waves effect them.


WHOAAAA, I don't think I was listening in Geography class way back when.

What a beautiful picture for someone with a limited language base...Chan saw the picture clearly!

Why in the world is geography an important element of education?

To build trust with our global neighbors. " trust" .....never even gave that one a thought..now were learning something....

Last year, then American Secretary of State Colin Powell said,

“To solve most of the major problems facing our county today – from wiping out terrorism, to minimizing global environmental problems, to eliminating the scourge of AIDS –will require every young person to learn more about other regions, cultures, and language

and that's why i love having international students live with us..we see our world and theirs from a whole new point of view...and i realize how much has become familiar in my "little world"

familiarity breeds contempt...thats a proverb..and it's true..at times i can be so unthankful.....until

i met you ..from the other side of my world....

STILL ,there is always a lighter side to life

We found some fun reasons on another site..just to make you smile..
Chan found these ones much more amusing(He's got a great smile and a wonderful laugh..we love him dearly and glad he's back with us this year...) so here goes...

You won't buy an Amtrak ticket from California to Hawaii.

Michael Jordan was a Geography major so you can be like Mike and make millions of dollars.
One of the most admired women in history, Mother Teresa, was a geography teacher. You'll actually know where those coffee beans come from!

Geography 101 and i'm sure there will be more life lessons to come....the year has just begun

carried away

OKAY OKAY SO i got a little carried away with my last post..i'm new to blogging and got caught up in the moment of writing.. all you writers will understand..i'm pretty sure my next post won't be that long..MAYBE..totally me huh!!

Yesterday

Yesterday was one of those days where...... I couldn't sleep the night before and so stayed up doing something "useful" and challenging (bookwork) and by the time i looked at the clock it was 4:30 am andI was beginning to get sleepy and decided it was time to turn in and tune out..... and
Well... it always seems like i'm getting something useful done but there is a price to pay for this undisciplined life of mine and yesterday around noon..poof no more energy...uh oh..what to do???
Well there was still lots do !!!!!that was the HUGE problem or so it seemed... Whats a mama gonna do when the days' tasks are bidding " pick me" "pick me"" pick me" and the gas tank is on empty> Read on to find out what this mama did...

Well i chose to plop myself down on a big chair and engage in a movie that my dearest youngest daughter had tuned into on her lunch break. ....a little disgruntled about movies during midday but id idn't have the energy to fight it...you kow howmaam's can become upset about thingsthat seem so little and insignificant to you at the time because its what you want to do.....PEARL HARBOUR was the movie in progress. GREAT At the time I was just searching for some way out of the bombardment of thoughts ,of things that had seeming deadlines a place of refuge from figuring out how life is going to get done i zone into a A War movie but it was right in the" capture your heart" moment love loss scene where Danny and Evelyn think Rae?? is dead....... it's interesting how God reaches out and touches us in these moments captures our hearts to be ableto speak to us... A "War" movie to get me out of my exhaustion and self-induced pressures..creativity or what???

I kept thinking I need to get up and do something.. this is such a waste of time ...yet I found myself drawn and glued to the chair..well i did take a quick"fix" break to prepare a toasted cinnamon raisin english muffin smothered in butter and peanut butter with honey drizzled on top..and a cup of" gingerbread" tea!!! Are you tasting it mmmmmgood.... Now that's a real meal deal and no small feat in the midst of our kitchen renos..water being drawn from the bathroom sink only, thankfully not other places in the bathroom......and besides some people travel for eight miles in other countries..children at that... to carry back some dirty water for eating, drinking and washing themselves with. OKAY OKAY Off topic but God is teaching me a lot these days through our home renovations project...thankfulness and contentment...pure bliss!

The meal was simple, yummy and delicioous and the tea warm and soul soothing..i recommend it..
So back to Pearl Harbour..the movie that is..of course i'm loving the love story that is developing and getting "connected" emotionally there ,love, the intensity of the war happening ..explosions everywhere..gunfire..chaos, panic, fear,the overwhelming sense of life suddenly being totally out of control...choices to be made , hard decisions, sacrifices made and not just i'll give up my 'paint color" for the one you like kind of sacrifices..rather i'll give my life for you, my love for you , our nation, for truth kind of choices...WOW talk a bout a change of perspective in an hour and a half.
As I sat caught up in the moments..my heart and mind began to see and feel differently..I cried, felt anger at situations, was overwhelmed by desperation and inability, inspired by courageous acts ...you get the picture TOTALLY INTO IT in fact not wanting it to end knowing the ending already...back to the movie..
One of the lines that brought tears to my eyes was"everything will be okay"
can you believe it??? 4 fairly simple words yet they held such authority..like the missiles being released by the enemy planes in the movie, hitting their targets dead on BOOM a release of the pressure came.... the words I needed to hear in the midst of my strength and energy being completely emptied , the pressing needs of the day, the chaos that surrounded me in the midst of renos, the words my heart needed to be encouarged with, these words spoken out loud by some movie actor who didn't even know what I was going through. God my loving kind Father who cares about our state of being each and every minute of each and every day... wanted to "break through" and He did! It's going to be all right..everything is going to be okay!"
I'll let you watch the movie to find out just where that line comes in..

It's just so true and so like our God to stop us in our tracks and be the good father He really is.
sometimes I just can't hear His voice because I'm so caught up in my own world of thoughts..exploding like those bombs minute after minute ,, distracted and buying into every distraction that comes my way and He just wants to sit me down and say "Be still , relax, Peace out ,chill out , Calm down relax your sphincter muscles, my dear husband uses that phrase in laymens terms which i won't get into...whatever generational/cultural language you want to use.."I'm here"..everything will be not just okay ..I want to take you in my arms and speak it to you tenderly and allow you to rest in my loving embrace..have you ever had that kind of hug or experienced that kind of comfort. He gives me peace and rest and inner joy just like those kind of human hugs do but sometimes someone is not always there to do that and often times i'm not willing or able to share what's really going on in my heart ..BUT HE's always ready to give one out...
... It's when He reminds me I'm not a human doing a human being!!!

today i don't want to lose sight of who He is.. I need those hugs of His each and everyday...It seems so easy" to do" in this world of instant everything, life in the fast line..fast tracking...fast food..quick fixes...a million and one things on the agenda...busy busy busy for what purpose to know were significant, our lives matter, to help others ..well PAPA's home and He ain't going anywhere and He's hoping to share some hugs with you today a REAL MEAL...loving on you and letting you know just how much He cares and values you as you are .. the being He created, His idea, His masterpiece..reflecting HIM in this FAST WORLD...He's always ready to give out those warm loving life giving hugs...do you need one or want one today?????? I hope so..
I'd like to become that kind of "hugger"..I know I can only do that by embracing Him first, experienceing what it's like firsthand.. and he's teaching me about the actual doing of putting Him first, restoring order into my life and bringing me peace and rest and comfort when i've reached and exhausted my limits.. is joy unspeakable. really attainable ..not just outward, momentary, happy feelings but lasting joy , forever in the hidden places of my heart! He tellsl me it is..it's my search and greatest goal...
hoping you can see Him clearly today..It can be more than okay everyday. It's definitely going to be "Extra ordinary" and "wonder-filled".... enjoy His hugs and allow to Him speak..Be still..it's refreshing and so comforting! ..in fact I had a great evening
until i came home to an unfullfilled promise...ahhhhhhgggggggg ..... but that's another story and another occasion for another hug..afterall
what's a mama gonna do ......she's gonna get her love tank filled to love on you!!!

Breakfast at The Stangs

Today we had yummy crepes at Jay and Tam's ...what a treat with an inoperable kitchen at home it's so nice to enjoy the sunshine and "Clobber" with the kids.
So what's "Clobber"???? a fun card game that allows you to "clobber" not each other but the cards!!!!..although the hands can take a beating depending on whose clobbering!
Games are such a great way to get to know people and their personalities.
Ask me how to play if you need a new way of expressing some emtoions.

it's a beautful sunshiny day and we are enjoying the last day before school begins!!!

Whose in control

• I shall not fear anyone on Earth.
• I shall fear only God.
• I shall not bear ill will toward anyone.
• I shall not submit to injustice from anyone.
• I shall conquer untruth by truth. And in resisting untruth, I shall put up with all suffering.”

Notice that all of Gandhi’s resolutions begin with the word “I,” which is an excellent reminder that you only have control over yourself, right now in this moment. If you focus your intentions on something that YOU can change, you will likely be successful. But if you focus on wanting to change the behaviors of others, your efforts may fall on deaf ears.


Yes, we are well on our way. You see, it only takes 10 percent of the public to be conscious of the truth, as once that level is reached it will tend to spread like wildfire through the population. Once that percentage of people know the truth, change is inevitable and unstoppable..
"In a gentle way you can shake the world."

Ghandi

the chair and the Captain

Today I decided it was definitely time to move the chairs from around our dining room table to get at the "extra food" that gets left behind somehow after meals...if you have a pet you may not experience these morsels that lay there collecting whatever is attracted to them .It's amazing what remains hidden under table legs!

Well to move the dining room table is a little tricky especially with a large glass fruit bowl on top and in the middle ,as the table is solid oak..nevertheless, I got to the task at hand. The area rug that lies beneath the table is supposed to protect the carpet from those 'little spills" that occur now and then in life at the dinner table. The only problem is the area rug is one of those braided ones and the thread is letting loose in places so the table legs get caught in between the braids and as I try to get the legs out, the rug twists and turns and you know , if you have a braided rug that has become undone it never wants to lay quite flat and on and on and on the struggle goes.
So what's the point..well it has nothing to do with the rug..I just wanted to get you in the feel of the "moment"..frustrating..so as my frustration was mounting and as I moved the 6 chairs away from table into the hallway I noticed that one Captain's chair and some of my feelings increased in intensity. No I wasn't throwing the chair around... but have you ever had that happen...feelings coming out of nowhere or so you think....ones that bring to memory past events..some sweet and some bitter tasting
I felt a little bit of resentment happening and begant o wonder where it was coming from...... remembering back to when we first got our dining room suite ,We had to choose how many "Captain's chairs" we wanted..you know the chairs "with arms "as opposed to" armless." I thought we should have two more out of a need to balance each end of the table or so i told myself, but my dear husband felt one was enough..after all there can only be one captain and that chair was his to own ,situation settled! or so he thought...Well everytime I saw that one chair ,why did this little bit of "oh yeah well there may be one chair and you may be sitting in it but i'm not so sure about the captain's authority. Don , as sweet as sweet can be would jokingly let everyone know that the captain's chair was definitely for him and I would steam a little more inside everytime he exposed the fact that he was "captain". I can't really say why I wanted to be included in that place except for the knowledge I have now that we all want to be in control and it's hard to let someone else make choices that will affect us and our life especially if you feel you are not being treated "fairly".That was probably 25 years ago..WOW

Today as this feeling re-surfaced it was brought it into proper perspective. into the light and out of the darkness..I wanted to be the captain with full captain privileges but what happened in the "crisis situations"..I think I jumped overboard most times...I didn't want the responsibility to make decisions that are necessary in those times. Of course I would have a lot to say about the situation usually in the form of grumbling, complaining , whining..y'know. Nothing that really contributed to his support yet I wanted the title, the position, the "uniform that said something". I wanted control not to have to trust someone else's decisions for that would take trust and faith in someone other than myself.

In fact today I thought of the captain in the movie Titanic and how he fared in his time of "crisis". Not so well!!! His ship went down..Pride, unteachablility, indecisiveness, How the crisis is handled depends on who you have become, where you gain your strength from ..... your humility and quick obedience . Today I was thankful to have a husband who was willing to be that captain, someone who was willing to make hard decisions and take responsibility for them ..with or without support.

Fear kept me from trusting, I wanted to steer my own boat...pride held me captive to my own thoughts unyielding,
We are not to put our trust in any man but we certainly are called to pray for one another (the captain's in our life ) that they may hear the voice of the Ultimate Captain and have all wisdom to steer the ship! When we are so concerned about the chair and its arms and who's sitting in it, we miss being embraced by His arms and hearing Him say Peace Be still...Know that I am God..

to think I just wanted to vacuum up some crumbs! oh I did get them and by the way the rug lies flat ..a humble position I can take before God

a heart that is open to be taught will certainly receive His teachings..thanks Lord for your Spirit of revelation today and for being our Ultimate Captain..