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!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
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!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
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
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
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
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
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!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
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
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
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.
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
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
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!!!
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!!!
Monday, September 1, 2008
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!!!
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!!!
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