Monday, November 29, 2010

Weightless


I recently discovered Christa Wells an amazing musician!  I have been listening to the song  Weightless over & over!  Unless you've lived in a bunker for most of your life, you will appreciate her music.  You can hear the song by visiting her site (look for the nimbit player and scroll to the song). Listen and ponder the weightlessness of being forgiven!  If I was more techie, I might know how to put her song into this blog for you to listen to as you read the lyrics.  There are no videos to go with this song which would have made it easier to share.


Click here to listen  It is song #8  Scroll down the page till you find the little music player.



Weightless

Nothing scalds
like the memory of wrongs I did when I was young
how could I, how could I
I’m sorry


I see the eyes
of the ones that I so carelessly abused
how could I, how could I
I’m sorry


Well, I’ve carried this a long time
in a well hidden bundle on my back
but I’ve realized repentance is weightless
so I’ll leave my burden on the tracks


And then I face
the yesterdays that disappointed
misunderstood by a cruel world
and I’m angry


You might suppose
the years would close the curtains on a scene
from such a time, but this was mine to harbor


Well, I’ve carried this a long time
in a well-hidden bundle on my back
but I’ve realized forgiveness is weightless
so I’ll leave my burden on the tracks


Its gonna be like delivery that’s overdue and getting too heavy
Then suddenly, I’m weightless

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

I am

In the stillness I am
In the noise I am
In my sleep I am
In a crowd I am

Alone.

Pious

"It is tragic to see how the religious sentiment of the West has become so individualized that concepts such as "a contrite heart," have come to refer only to the personal experiences of guilt and willingness to do penance for it. The awareness of our impurity in thoughts, words and deeds can indeed put us in a remorseful mood and create in us the hope for a forgiving gesture. But if the catastrophical events of our days, the wars, mass murders, unbridled violence, crowded prisons, torture chambers, the hunger and the illness of millions of people and he unnamable misery of a major part of the human race is safely kept outside the solitude of our hearts, our contrition remains no more than a pious emotion. "


— Henri J.M. Nouwen (Reaching Out)

Monday, November 15, 2010

“The whole problem with the world is that fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts"

Bertrand Russell

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Patience

Oswald Chambers writes:


Patience is more than endurance. A saint’s life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of the archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, and He stretches and strains, and every now and again the saint says, ‘I cannot stand anymore.’ God does not heed, He goes on stretching till His purpose is in sight, then He lets fly. Trust yourself in God’s hands.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Colossians 3:12).

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Some favourite photos....Just thought I'd add in some photos of those I love and adore!

my ever sarcastic, speaks his mind, whether you wanted his advice or not, husband!


This was our first night meeting Alli & Shane.  That day will always be precious to my family.



Alli & Shane



My beautiful sister, mum & ella as a wee baby!


My youngest brother Boyd with ella as a baby.


Connor, Meaghan, Jack, Sam & Ben


my dad in his old red ford truck!


Ella looking so beautiful in her little coat from Sweden (thanks Linda) wearing her pretty fairisle hat.



My kids looking so young...


Ella wearing her cloth diapers...she was sooo cuddly!


Here she is crawling around in her big cloth diapered bum!


Ben & Sam at the company picnic a few years ago.



Sam looking sooo cute waiting around to play baseball.


Our new kitty Callum.

Jack & ella drinking hot chocolate by the fire.


Jack may years ago now brushing his teeth.


Martha's Birthday



Ella with tea in her cheeks



Sharon's 50th



Ben out witting Shane!



Alli's Birthday!

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Weeding My Garden!


There is something about weeding your garden that allows your mind and your spirit to wander into deeper places.  The simplicity of weeding is what makes it so profound.  I used to sneak to my old church and weed the garden.  Either on the nights we would meet to pray...all 3 or 4 of us or when I would take Ella and her friend over to play on the swings.  I always felt I was doing something more profound than just weeding, I was removing strongholds on our church.

So strangely enough, this past spring and summer I stopped weeding my own garden!  I had given up on some things in my life thinking it was better to let it down than to continue to struggle.  Weeding which can be quite the mundane task, always gave me peace, gave me pleasure, allowed me to warfare against the enemy which steals in, robbing us of our peace, our faith, our family unit, whatever you may hold precious.

At a recent prayer meeting with an amazing group of people....I realized the significance of my despair. The place where we met was a place where love and nurturing was evident all around.  It said welcome and it also said I take care of my land!   When I had proclaimed "I didn't care anymore" it allowed a breech, a foxhole, a rathole to enter into my territory, my land! 

Today I reclaimed my land!!!!  I took back some ground by yanking out some nasty weeds out of my garden.  Even though, others may not care, even though all around me negativity may mutter...I will stand my ground as a child of God!  I am picking up my sword, putting on my armour and protecting my ground, my family, those I love near and afar!

Saturday, September 04, 2010

Thursday, April 08, 2010

Patience


"A waiting person is a patient person. The word patience means the willingness to stay where we are and live the situation out to the full in the belief that something hidden there will manifest itself to us."

— Henri J.M. Nouwen

image jenniferferraro.com

Tuesday, April 06, 2010

Isn't it Funny...


How you can find yourself in situations that at one time you would never have been able to deal with, but you do deal with it & grow stronger, tougher & gentler all at the same time.

How the word humble & humbled can take on new meaning, again & again.

How being alone can mean being lonely in a crowd yet never fully alone because your conversing with God all the way through it.

How beautiful people are...especially children!  Children are truly GIFTS from God!  Open vessels wanting only to be filled with love, encouragement, guidance, & acceptance.
Religion today is not transforming people; rather it is being transformed by the people. It is not raising the moral level of society; it is descending to society's own level, and congratulating itself that it has scored a victory because society is smilingly accepting its surrender.


... A. W. Tozer (1897-1963)

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Friend

"When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares."


— Henri J.M. Nouwen (The Road to Daybreak: A Spiritual Journey)

Silence

                              
1799-1801 Oil on canvas, Kunsthaus, Zürich

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Pointing to the Cross


faithdoubtfaithdoubtfaithdoubtfaithdoubtfaith

I've been doing a lot more reading when I have a spare minute.  I have been pondering where the church is going, how it is led and how watered down the word of God has become.  Turn on the television or  go online and the majority of preachers/pastors promote themselves, their own theology, their books, their dvd's and draw you in with promises or answers to questions that ultimately leads people away from the Word of God!   

I have no problem with doubts, questions or fears that anyone...including pastors may have.  However, I do have a problem when their ministry becomes one that supports or encourages a person's doubts rather than redirecting them back to the cross.

"Christianity, if false, is of not importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it can...not be is moderately important." C.S. Lewis

We all experience doubt, we all go through incredible dry spells, dark times, but acknowledging that you will hold on to what feels like a thread of a promise, trusting God, you will come through it.

"Patience is more than endurance. A saint's life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, and He stretches and strains, and every now and again the saint says--'I cannot stand anymore.' God does not heed, He goes on stretching till His purpose is in sight, then He lets fly. Trust yourself in God's hands. Maintain your relationship to Jesus Christ by the patience of faith. 'Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him."

— Oswald Chambers

 If as a church or as a Pastor we can not be supportive of someone with doubts, yet continually point them back to the Cross, back to the Word of God then we aren't doing our jobs.  Our desire to nod in agreement, assure people that their doubts and fears are real, valid, and common, yet never redirect them back to the Cross in case we offend them, then ultimately, we end up adding to their fears!

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Have I Mentioned My Amazing Sister Lately....

This is a recent article by the Halifax Chronicle Herald about my beautiful, talented sister! Her new magazine Flea Market Style has finally hit the newstands! I encourage you to buy it and support this magazine as it is, as far as I know, the first magazine to truly feature and value bloggers who share their decorating talent which would have otherwise gone unnoticed! Thanks to the wisdom of Mathew Mead the main creator! Enjoy!!!!


New Glasgow blogger lands in New York decorating magazine

Flea Market Style lists MacDonald as Editor at Large

By MONICA GRAHAM

Sun. Feb 21 - 4:52 AM


Linda MacDonald, a former nurse, caught the eye of home designer Matthew Mead when some American publications ran a story on a playhouse she had decorated for her daughter.

Flea Market Style is published by Harris Publications Inc. in New York.

Linda MacDonald’s career as a writer sounds like one of those Hollywood success stories in which a future star is discovered while sorting socks at the automatic laundry.

In MacDonald’s case, American home designer Matthew Mead discovered the New Glasgow woman while she shared her homegrown decorating tips with her sister through an online diary or blog.

"It was just her reading it as far as I knew," MacDonald said.

But one thing led to another until this month when the mother of three school-aged children and former nurse opened the premier issue of Flea Market Style to see her byline on five articles and herself listed as the magazine’s editor-at-large.
MacDonald profiled five decor bloggers for the magazine that was launched by Mead and co-editor Ki Nassauer, and published by Harris Publications Inc. in New York. There’s an article about MacDonald herself, a feature she wrote about a home tour and another feature about an antique shop in Great Village. The fifth article focuses on her daughter’s playhouse, decorated by MacDonald.

The playhouse was what first attracted Mead’s attention, after prominent American newspapers, magazines and home decorating websites featured her blog post about it.

Mead contacted MacDonald and arranged for a photo shoot last summer that coincided with a visit to Great Village. The meeting soon grew into a larger role for MacDonald, as she began blogging about the behind-the-scenes creation of the magazine.

The co-editors recognized that she had a good way of connecting with potential readers through her blog, and saw that the future of publishing relies on reaching out to the online community, MacDonald said.

But she didn’t start out to be a writer. She fell into decorating because it turned out that she was good at it. She and her husband bought and resold homes, which moved quickly after MacDonald redecorated them.

After a real estate agent suggested she go into business staging homes so they would sell faster, MacDonald took a brief course, but she is otherwise self-taught.

She found there was little demand for staging in the New Glasgow area, so she branched into decorating. The work allowed her to meet other people interested in restyling their homes on realistic budgets, and to be at home with her young children.

At her sister’s suggestion, she started the blog (http://restyledhome.blogspot.com) to share her love of what she calls "modern vintage" decorating style. When people other than her sister told her they followed it she put a counter on the site.

Then she watched as the number of visitors increased to 1,000 a month, leading to her gig with Flea Market Style. Readership increased to 1,000 hits a day as visitors began following her posts about the behind-the-scenes creation of the magazine.

"It’s a really innovative way to gain support for the magazine," she said.

MacDonald is uncertain if more issues of Flea Market Style will be produced, or if it will be a single-issue magazine, but Mead has already asked her to contribute to a Christmas design issue.

She tries to promote the inclusion of Canadian designers and attractions, because so many Canadians read U.S. publications, she said.

She’s grateful for the encouragement from the online decorating community.

"If you felt no one was reading, there wouldn’t be much inspiration to write," MacDonald said.

And she’s still amazed that the blog started as a small experiment and grew into something that she loves to do, and earns her an income as well.

"It blends decorating and writing, and it’s more fun than just choosing paint colours," she said. "I’m actually really enjoying writing, as much or more as decorating."

Monica Graham is a freelance writer living in rural Pictou County.

( mgraham@herald.ca)

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Searching


Stand at the crossroads and look;

ask for the ancient paths,

ask where the good way is, and walk in it,

and you will find rest for your souls.

(Jeremiah 6:16 NIV)

Saturday, January 30, 2010

The Purpose of Apologetics

This is a quote used on another blog in regards to the subject of apologetics. It's a great article and I found myself nodding in agreement. You can click on the title and it will link you to the article.

“How many hours in a day ought a man to give to [becoming acquainted with all the phases of modern doubt]? Twenty-five out of the twenty-four would hardly be sufficient…Am I to spend my time in going about to knock his cardhouses over?


“Not I! I have something else to do; and so has every Christian minister. He has real doubts to deal with, which vex true hearts; he has anxieties to relieve in converted souls, and in minds that are pining after the truth and the right; he has these to meet, without everlastingly tilting at windmills, and running all over the country to put down every scarecrow which learned simpletons may set up.”


- The Weaned Child, sermon by CH Spurgeon