Today is World Water Day... for us here in North America, clean water is a given. It's just there... flows freely from our taps. Did you know that this is not the case for millions and millions of people in the developing world...?
We saw this boy and his friend in the red shirt behind the bike {during our family's missions immersion trip to the Philippines in the Summer of 2011 when we visited both our Compassion child and LDP student} scooping water from the curb to drink. So heart-breaking...
My kids had the opportunity to try {notice I said "try"?} pumping water from a manual water pump. It is expensive to get one of these pumps installed. Often, a whole community shares one pump... most communities don't have one.
Most people get their water from a creek, river or a spring... and it is definitely not clean water!
As the world's leading child development ministry, Compassion International tackles the root causes of poverty in the lives of children around the globe. Providing safe water is a critical part of Compassion's holistic child development programs that begin with a pregnant mother and continue through childhood to young adulthood. This proven, one-on-one approach is releasing more than one million children from poverty in 26 developing countries today.
{Please pause the playlist on the sidebar of this blog as you watch this video.}
Water = Life!
Let's do our part. Live simply, give generously. Sponsor a child today!
One of my favourite quotes say, "Live simply, so that others may simply live."(This quote is attributed to Mother Teresa.) In this North American lifestyle, there is much we can do without... so that we can be in a better position to give generously. Our family is learning the lesson of simple living too... to act justly, to love mercy, to walk humbly with God. Join us?
Compassion is a command, an act of worship, a song of thanks to Him.
Another March Break has come and gone. It started with Spring-forward Sunday, when we had to get up extra early to drive across the city to our church's main site so that my girl can meet up with the youth compassion team for their week-long compassion trip to UrbanPromise Wilmington.
We woke up at 5:30am, which felt like 4:30am with the time change! Lots of coffee kept me awake that day for sure! :-) I am, however, loving the fact that it is still bright at 6pm nowadays. Yes, Spring is finally coming!!!
My girl had an awesome week! She was assigned to update the youth group's blog with a couple of posts about their week.
When we picked her up last night, she told us story after story about her week... talking non-stop through dinner and on the drive, all the way home! Yes, our chatterbox girl is definitely back! :-)
Seriously though, I see evidence of God opening her eyes even more to the things that break His heart, as evidenced by her Facebook status update upon returning home...
my heart is so unbelievably full. Jesus is doing amazing, wonderful, beautiful things through UrbanPromise Wilmington and i am so blessed to have been a tiny part of it. i don't even know if i'll be able to put it all into words but i'll try over the next few weeks and months.
God is just so good and that's all.
So, back to the start of our March Break, it was pretty quiet around here {with our Miss Chatterbox being away :-)}... it just wasn't the same without her! But, we had a good week nevertheless... mostly, my boy and me, as hubby was mostly working.
This is why I love the flexibility that my job offers. I was able to work less {I'll have to catch up a bit this week} in order to spend some time with my boy. The highlight of his week was definitely getting to meet Eric Limeback, one of Canada's top speed cubers at a cubing demo event at our local shopping mall.
Another highlight of his week would definitely be the fact that hubby drove him literally all over the city to find a special lubricant for his cubes. A lubricant that has managed to trim off a few seconds of his cubing time --- this is huge for speed cubers! ;-)
While at the speed cubing demo, my boy caught the attention of a local news reporter which resulted in a video of him posted on their Facebook page, yet another highlight of his March Break! Here's that video:
I also had the opportunity to bake over the March Break! Baking is one of those things that I love doing but don't often find the time to do so therefore this was such a treat for me. Having an actual reason and purpose to bake helps, too.
My sister had a fundraising event for her upcoming July missions trip to the Philippines and I'd organized a bake sale at church for Sunday in support of our AIDS Care Campaign. Three cheers for reasons to bake!!!
And, can I just add that the bake sale was overwhelmingly successful? I had a goal of raising $300, but was secretly hoping for $500, which I thought was hard to achieve. Well, at last count, we had raised $600! I am still waiting for the final count which should come sometime this week. God is just so amazing and so awesome like that!!!
As I continue to count grace-gifts, with unending thanks... to The One who is so amazing and so awesome... these are the things I am thankful for this week... #2876 - #2883:
:: An awesome week for my girl, being Jesus' hands and feet at UrbanPromise Wilmington {Delaware} with our church's youth compassion team.
:: The stories that she has been telling us of her experiences this past week, ones that I suspect have been etched into her heart for eternity.
:: A quiet and beautiful and fun week spent with my boy.
:: Sharing dinner with our Home Church peeps.
:: Some time off work.
:: Baking, baking and more baking!
:: Overwhelming response to the bake sale at church in support of our AIDS Care Campaign... I am blown away by God's goodness!
:: Seeing the Body of Christ come together to make "portable church" happen this past Sunday {the regional site that we attend meets in a movie theatre inside a shopping mall} despite the late arrival of all our equipment due to the truck and storage trailer being stuck and frozen in mud! What a Sunday! So humbled to be part of such an amazing faith community!
Hello back-to-school, back-to-work Monday!
There is a way to live the big of giving thanks in all things. It is this: to give thanks in this one small thing. The moments will add up.
I am one proud mama!
This past Saturday was a very special day for my girl because... she became a published writer! Yes, you read that right... a published writer!!! She said, "Mom, I have writer's block." It was the night before her literary piece was due, for a province-wide writing and creative arts competition open to all public secondary school students that her teacher invited her to join, the Student Achievement Awards.
She was to submit a piece for the Prose and Poetry Academic category, for students in Grades 9 and 10. She was to write a literary piece that would explore this year’s theme: Dis(obedience): Stand By or Stand Up.
"Just write honestly." I remember telling her. She tapped on the keys of her Mac laptop late into the night, and finally... out from the printer came two sheets of paper, The Moment It Went Dark.
I was its first audience. The story captivated me... a truly powerful piece. "This is going to go far." I said with a smile. She didn't look like she believed her mother...
But, she had faith in her Heavenly Father. "With the little time I had to write this, I'm not confident... but God will take this where He wants to take it, Mom." Yes, that's my child... it never ceases to amaze me how much I learn from her each and every day. So mature, so much wisdom. God's grace... for which I am so thankful for!
The Moment It Went Dark was declared the winner at the school level. It was now on its way to the Local District. Soon, she received a letter from the Local District letting her know that it won there too and that it was on its way to the Regional Level... and if successful, to the Provincial Level. But, this letter would be the last time we hear anything unless her submission wins the top prize.
It was exam week, in late January, when the email came. The Moment It Went Dark won!!! She stared and stared at the iPhone screen, not believing what she's reading --- she won! Provincial winners will be awarded $1000 each in prizes and will be invited to an awards ceremony in March where a video showcasing their work will be screened and a booklet published with all the winning pieces in it!
Then came filming day, on February 20. The video production company came to her school and spent almost the entire day with her. In the days leading up to filming day, she sent out prayer requests --- because she very much wanted to be able to talk about her faith in this video. We prayed that those very words will be deemed fit to be included in the film.
When hubby came back home from driving her to school on filming day, he told me that he shared Romans 1:16 with her, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation..."
I flipped my Romans Project booklet one page over, to start the week of February 20-27 and what did I see? That. very. verse! I knew right then that this video is going to be awesome because God is just so awesome like that! :-)
This past Saturday was The Day!
I didn't think that this mama's heart could contain all that happiness, so proud of my baby girl... and so thankful for God's goodness and His grace in her life!
As I continue to count grace-gifts, with unending thanks... to The One who gives good gifts... these are the things I am thankful for this week... #2871 - #2875:
:: Unexpected gifts!
:: His grace, so extravagant.
:: His love, so relentless.
:: March Break!
:: The gift of being a mom, and the joys that come with it!
Hello Monday!
In the naming that which is right before me, that which I'd otherwise miss, the invisible becomes visible.
The space that spans my inner emptiness fills in the naming.
So, when does a house become a home? And how does it stay that way? These very questions replayed over and over in my mind this past week... as my recent decision to say "no" to an amazing job opportunity still weighed heavily on my heart, a job that would have had me advocating for children living in extreme poverty all over the world!
I would ask hubby questions like, "Did we make the right decision?" or "Am I crazy to let that opportunity go?" or "Can't we have made it to work by juggling our schedules?"
Each time, our answer was the same --- if it results in us being unable to be here for our kids at a time when they still need us, how can we effectively advocate for other kids and what message are we sending to our kids?
And, each time, I breathe a sigh of relief... knowing that, though it was a difficult one to come to, I made the right choice.
This past Saturday, I came across this video via Ann Voskamp's weekend blog post...
"It was as if I heard God say, 'You are building a great cathedral. It will not be finished in your lifetime, and sadly, you will never get to live there. But if you build it well, I will.'" Beautiful, exactly the very words I needed to hear! I am building cathedrals!
And that is an important job, a very important job. This is how a house stays as a home. These cathedrals might not be finished in my lifetime, but God lives in them if I build them well! What an absolutely beautiful thought!
So, I happily stay at my current job which I can do within the hours my children are at school. Ever thankful that it is still here for me. And I continue to work hard to advocate for children in need in a volunteer capacity, a role I absolutely love! And I continue to wait on God and surrender to His beautiful plan as I fulfill my first and highest calling right in the here and now, and that is to build these two cathedrals well!
As I continue to count grace-gifts, with unending thanks... to The One who is always good and always loves... these are the things I am thankful for these two weeks... #2858 - #2870:
:: Going on a Sandwich Run for the homeless, with our church's youth.
:: Getting together and catching up with a friend over coffee at her kitchen table!
:: March is here!
:: My girl getting her learner's driver's license!
:: Volunteering, with my girl, at a Compassion event over the weekend where 10 children got sponsored and 5 more being considered!
:: Our whole family volunteering at a basketball league for inner-city families! Grateful for future funding for this ministry from our church!
:: A full and meaningful Sunday!
Hello Monday!
Jesus whispers to the surprised, "They are blessed who are humble, for the whole earth will be theirs." (Matthew 5:5) The humble are the laid low and bowed ones, the surprised ones with hands open to receive whatever He gives.
I was glad that it wasn't literally the coldest night of the year. Because if it was, I'm not quite sure how I would've survived standing outside being exposed to the elements like that! Brrrrr... it was cold!
Last Saturday, our whole family volunteered at the Oshawa location of the Coldest Night of the Year event. Together with people from our Home Church, we marshaled the route for this "non-competitive 2 km, 5 km and 10 km winter-walk fundraiser supporting select Canadian charities that serve the hungry, homeless and hurting in cities and communities across Canada."
At the Oshawa location, the organization being supported is called The Refuge, a shelter for homeless youth. It was an awesome night of serving together as a family and as a Home Church, playing a small part in helping The Refuge raise $50,000.00+!
Hubby and my boy had the not-so-cold, but harder job of driving the relief vehicle, a.k.a. our family van, along the route in case there are walkers in need of help.
Home Church peeps! What an awesome team!!!
My girl and I, along with our fellow Home Church peeps, had the easier, but oh-so-cold job of standing at designated street corners cheering on walkers and directing them where to go.
At our first post.
My girl and I, we eagerly stood at our first post. We held up these cardboard signs, designed to mimic the signs that homeless people often hold up when they stand in street corners begging. We actually caught the attention of a few passers-by and of a few people in the cars driving by. A couple actually asked us if we needed anything. We felt a little bit how it would feel to be homeless and begging and having people take notice of us!
We were chipper and cheerful, especially when we spotted the first of the yellow toques bobbing up and down in the horizon. The first batch of walkers were coming our way! We waved, blew our party horns, encouraged and thanked the walkers. In less than an hour, all of the walkers had passed us by!
Hurrah! It was time to move on to our second post, towards the end of the route.
The very nice and kind and good-looking relief vehicle driver and his eager little man assistant drove us to our second post where we set up our sign and prepared ourselves for this shift, which would be longer than the first... quite possibly double the time.
At our second post.
By this time, my toes were starting to feel cold and numb, and my nose was starting to become frozen.
As my girl and I waited and waited for signs of the first group of yellow toques to start appearing in the horizon, we noticed that night had fallen.
It was dark. We were hungry. We were miserably cold. We had toes that were frozen solid. We. just. wanted. to. go. home! We started to feel a little bit more... okay, a lot more, how it would feel to be homeless, living on the streets with nowhere to go warm up on a cold and wintry February night. And then, it happened.
I noticed that a group of three boys were walking towards us. They looked scruffy and unkempt. At this point, there was a lull in the walkers that were passing us by. My girl and I, we felt alone in that street corner.
These boys walked closer... and then one of them walked right up to my girl, at a distance that was too close for my comfort, and said suggestively, "Hey, so how's it going?"
My heart raced. This person just propositioned my girl! I was livid. Angry! My quick-thinking girl, being braver than me, stared back at him with a look that said, "Don't mess with me!" and this group of three boys silently walked away into the night, realizing that we weren't actually girls standing by a street corner waiting for "that-kind-of-business".
At that very moment, my heart broke for the countless girls, whether teenagers or not, whether homeless or not, who face this kind of atrocity each and every single day, at times all day long --- just one of many forms of modern-day slavery. Friends, we need to END THIS! We need to put an end to modern-day slavery!!!
I've recently just started to get myself educated on this topic. It started with following Tara Teng, a passionate Christian abolitionist who also happens to be Miss World Canada 2012. Then not too long ago, hubby and I attended a screening of Nefarious: Merchant of Souls, a documentary that exposes the injustice beneath the surface of sex-tourism. There's also Christine Caine and The A21 Campaign, an organization that exists to abolish injustice in the 21st century. And also International Justice Mission, a human rights organization that secures justice for victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other forms of violent oppression.
And of course, the newly-formed End It Movement, shining a light on slavery, disappearing from the social media communities yesterday "in honor of the 27 million men, women and children who've disappeared, trapped in slavery, in brothels, in factories, in quarries, working as slaves, in 161 countries, including our own."
{Please pause the playlist on the sidebar of this blog as you watch this video.}
All of a sudden...
My girl and I, we see the last of the yellow toques! Hurrah!!! It was time to end our shift. By this point, we were beyond cold. We were frozen. We were hungry. We were miserable. But the beautiful thing is, my girl and I... we get to go home!
We have a more-than-adequate house to go home to, with warm beds, with lots of food, with lots of warm clothes and most of all, a loving family. Yes, all of a sudden, the very nice and kind and good-looking relief vehicle driver and his eager little man assistant arrived to help us pack up our post. Yes, we get to finally go home and warm up our frozen-solid toes and noses, and fill our hungry tummies with food, and rest our tired bodies on a warm bed covered with a cozy comforter!
Sadly, many of our brothers and sisters do not get to go home... trapped, in modern-day slavery.
The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.
There are quite a few beautiful prayers within the book. Here are some...
God, we thank You for being near in a world filled with selfish ambition, where too often our tendency is to turn inward and contemplate our own desires despite the suffering that surrounds us. We live surrounded by a wealth that defies the imagination of our poorer brothers and sisters, yet we live with the fear that we will never have enough. Expand our hearts, Lord, that we may learn to truly love.
May we put our hand to the plow and work as those who have a higher calling. In the days that come, Lord, reveal to us new patterns of living where our spiritual lives and work lives become an integrated whole. May all that we do be worship to You.
We acknowledge that out of the ashes of our lives You are bringing shalom. We believe You are calling us to be a part of Your shalom work in our own cities and across the globe. We ask You to lead us and guide us. We are called to be Your hands and feet. As representatives of Christ we believe we should carry Your message of love and grace into the dark places You came to restore, the places where disease and illness plague people. Lord, do not allow us to seek safe havens, to hide the news of Your gospel; instead, call us out so that Your Good News will be evident to all.
Amen, amen and amen!
I came across this video today and thought it's quite appropriate and in line with what I've been reading in this book.
If not us who will be like Jesus,
To the least of these.
If not us tell me who will be like Jesus,
Like Jesus to the least of these.
Boys become kings, girls will be queens,
Wrapped in Your majesty.
When we love, when we love the least of these.
Then they will be brave and free,
Shout your name in victory.
When we love when we love the least of these.
When we love the least of these!
And this week, my friend, favourite blogger and fellow Compassion Advocate Ann Voskamp and her family are in Haiti on a family missions trip! Today, they visited a Compassion Child Development Centre and a miracle unfolded! So, so, so beautiful! I love this one sentence from the blog post, "...compassion is always the rain that ends the drought."
Friends, during this season of Lent will you...?
Learn to truly love? Put your hand to the plow as one who has a higher calling? Be Christ's hands and feet? Love the least of these? Be the rain that ends the drought?
My plans aren’t your plans, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my plans than your plans.
~ Isaiah 55:8-9, CEB.
Yesterday, I said "no" to a very good opportunity so that I can say "yes" to the best things that God has in store for me. I'd be lying if I didn't say I'm disappointed that things didn't turn out the way I envisioned them to, but I can truly say that my heart is at peace with this outcome, for I know that my God is always good and I am always loved! Let's rewind time, shall we? Five months ago, back in October 2012, an awesome job opportunity opened up at an organization that our family loves and supports. Everyone, and I mean everyone, urged me to apply for the job. The job is sooooo me, I was told.
At first, everyone but me was excited for me... if you know what I mean. Deep down in my heart though, I knew that God wanted me to take the plunge, to obey... to surrender, to send in my application. So I did! I don't have the words to explain this properly, but the very minute I clicked "send" on that email to submit my application, a deep sense of release and peace washed over me. I knew, at that very moment, that I did what God wanted me to do...
I know God is speaking to me when, in spite of my initial struggle, an undeniable release and peace follows when I have obeyed His voice. When I finally do the thing He has been nudging me to do, whether it's letting something or someone go, or taking a step toward the unknown, there is a deep calm in my soul. Where my heart and mind were once filled with terrible angst, I am now filled with a supernatural peace.
~ Kathy Troccoli, as printed in Discerning the Voice of God, Week 4, Day 3, page 73.
Yes, that feeling!
It's a beautiful feeling... and with it came the warming up to this idea of a new career path for me. I began to see that, indeed, this job is soooo me. I started to get excited about the possibilities, the things I can accomplish with this position, the ways I can make a difference in the lives of children living in extreme poverty all over the world, the way I can live out Micah 6:8 even more intentionally.
I kept moving up in the interview process. I prayed and I waited. I was excited and I was anxious. I was soooo ready for this change. By the time 2013 rolled around, I was at the last stages of the interview process, set to meet with the top leaders of this organization.
Then, something quite serious happened in mid-January reminding me not to neglect the high calling of motherhood in my pursuit of this new career. Hubby and I talked, I prayed... and I prayed some more, asking God to clearly show me the way. And, He did...
I felt very strongly that God was telling me, at this time, to not work full-time so that I can continue to devote much-needed time and support to my children, to my family. I felt like I was in a conundrum. Why would God so clearly have me apply for this full-time position, only to plop a situation on my lap to tell me that I am *not* to work full-time?!?
So... my One Word for 2013 --- surrender. Yes, that word. God sure has been giving me lots of opportunities to practice surrendering since the New Year rolled around. I came to the conclusion that it's time for another moment of surrender.
I fired off an email to my contact at this organization and told him about my conundrum. I proposed part-time work terms for this job opportunity and asked them to consider it. I apologize for surprising him with this news and told him that I didn't expect to be in this position as well when I first applied for the job.
I told him that I feel very strongly that motherhood is my first and highest calling, that I would still very much love to explore this position on a part-time basis, and still feel that I would be a very good fit given my gifts and my passion for helping those in need. But if the organization feels that they cannot continue with the interview process with me due to this new development, that I fully understand.
Yesterday, they told me that they don't think a part-time arrangement would work.
So, sadly but surely, and with great conviction... I surrendered and said "no" to this very good opportunity... in order to say "yes" to being a mom.
I feel blessed, I am blessed. I am not without a job, as I continue on with my current job {which I can do within 32 hours/week}. And the beautiful thing is... even though I won't be a staff member at this time, I continue on as a Volunteer Advocate for this wonderful organization, being involved on a regular basis in making a difference in the lives of children living in extreme poverty all over the world, still living out Micah 6:8 with intentionality each day!
And this isn't the end of this story. As the organization goes on to interview other applicants in an effort to find a full-time person for this position, they've told me to hang in there... 'coz they just might call me back. You see, when God writes your story, you just never know what the next chapter will look like...
Father, today I thank you that your greatest desire for me as your child is to have a rich, satisfying and abundant life. I pray that you will give me the wisdom to know how to say "no" to the good things that come my way so that I can say "yes" to the best things that you have for me. I pray for your wisdom that is beyond human understanding to help me make these choices that will ultimately bring out the best in me as well as bring out the best in those around me for your glory and honor! In Jesus' name, Amen.
As my girl so eloquently put it last night, "Mom, God was just testing you just like He did when He asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. He just wanted to see how far you would obey Him." Don't you just *love* her analogy? I do! :-)
This morning, I woke up feeling like a new chapter has indeed started after five months of waiting.
And, I am thankful for The Author... He who is easy to surrender to. He who is always good and He whose love is relentless, never letting go and always finding me!
Compassion is a command, an act of worship, a song of thanks to Him.
This past weekend was the Family Day long weekend here. It was a b-u-s-y one for our family with a few different significant activities on our calendar. The long weekend was made extra long with Friday being a school board Professional Activity (P.A.) Day which meant no school!!!
Friday was mostly spent at home making sure homework and laundry were all done so that we can enjoy the upcoming long weekend. We did spend a bit of Friday grocery shopping and getting supplies for my girl's 16th birthday party.
My sister and her kids came over for dinner on Friday night as my niece needed some help with a school project. Not sure who had more fun doing the project, me or her... judge for yourself! ;-)
All day Saturday was spent at the Toronto Winter Open cubing competition, an official World Cube Association event, where my boy competed for the very first time! He did an awesome job, considering it was his first competition and that he's only been cubing for less than six months.
Official Results
Here he is solving the 2x2 cube, with a time of 6.11 seconds, and the 3x3 cube in 19.19 seconds!
Sunday was an awesome day spent with lots of peeps from our church family --- a dim-sum lunch to celebrate our Lead Pastor's birthday and a potluck dinner with our Home Church!
That was our weekend, in a nutshell. I feel blessed. I am blessed. My heart is full... God is good and His love endures forever. No matter the circumstance, or the challenges in life, or the difficult decisions waiting to be made, or the not-so-easy choices that lie ahead... I know that God is always good and I am always loved! So, I will count gifts and I will give thanks!
If living eucharisteo is the key to unlocking the mystery of life, this I want. I want the hunt, the long sleuth, the careful piecing together. To learn how to be grateful and happy whether hands full or hands empty. That is a secret worth spending a life on learning.
~ Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts.
As I continue to count grace-gifts, with unending thanks... to The One who is always good and always loves... these are the things I am thankful for these two weeks... #2845 - #2857:
:: An education system that allows for adjustments and modifications for challenges that highly gifted children encounter.
:: A church family who braves a snow storm knowing that an inner-city community dinner wouldn't happen without them.
:: Celebrating Chinese New Year with my sister and her family, even during a snow storm!
:: Safety, especially when driving in snowy weather.
:: Trapped behind some cars stuck in the snow and making the most of the situation.
:: My girl's March Break mission team getting organized and raising funds!
:: Her trip, fully-funded!
:: Support and understanding from my boy's school Principal.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Sixteen years ago today, a most beautiful gift came into my life and I became a mom! Sixteen years old, time sure does flow like a relentless river... doesn't it?
Minutes after being born. :-)
Happy Birthday, Alyssa! You live life as "a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor," I am blessed and proud to be your mama! ♥
My girl is...
A beautiful young lady with the most beautiful heart! She is a champion for hope and a voice for those who cannot speak out for themselves. She wants to make a difference in the world, by becoming a social worker or a journalist or a humanitarian aid worker or a teacher or a lawyer one day. She can't just yet make up her mind... maybe all of the above?!? :D
She is out to change the world, one step at a time! She encourages her peers to do the same, venturing into the inner-city to organize community dinners for under-privileged youth, going into the downtown core to distribute bagged lunches to the homeless, taking charge of the AIDs Care Campaign at her youth group.
She wrote a piece of prose about social justice and about having the courage to stand up to injustice and her piece wins the top Provincial Award and she brainstorms and researches ways on how to spend her $1,000 prize money, not for herself, but for fighting injustice.
Tonight, we will host a party to celebrate her Sweet Sixteen and this is what she wrote on the invitation...
As I celebrate my 16th birthday, I know that I am so blessed, and that many teens just like me will celebrate their 16th this year facing life on the street.
It would really mean a lot to me if in lieu of gifts for myself, you would purchase something from Covenant House's gift catalogue in my honour, in order to help street youth through Covenant House Toronto. If you could print the card & let me know what you got, I'd love to know! :)
Thank you so much!
Beautiful, right? She is adamant... nothing for herself! So... hubby and I, and our little man {he gathers up his allowance money}... we gather around the computer and we shower her with gifts, to honour her beautiful heart!
As I publish this blog post, my sweet sixteen celebrant is sleeping in as today is the Family Day holiday here... some much-needed beauty sleep after a few late nights! As we gather with family and friends tonight, we will celebrate this beautiful girl... and how God has enriched our lives because of how she lives her life!
Christmas 2012, almost 16!
Happy Birthday, my beautiful girl! I love you!!!
You are truly a gift to us from God... His generous legacy. May "God bless you and keep you, God smile on you and gift you, God look you full in the face and make you prosper. (Numbers 6:24-26)"
May God bless youwith a restless discomfort about easy answers, half-truths and superficial relationships, so that you may seek truth boldly and love deep within your heart.
May God bless youwith holy anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may tirelessly work for justice, freedom, and peace among all people.
May God bless you with the gift of tears to shed with those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, or the loss of all that they cherish, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and transform their pain into joy.
May God bless youwith enough foolishness to believe that you really CAN make a difference in this world, so that you are able, with God's grace, to do what others claim cannot be done.
Happy Valentine's Day!
I had to drive out to a meeting this morning and he made sure my van's gas tank is full and the windshield washer fluid is topped up. That's my Valentine!
He does that, not only on Valentine's Day, but all. the. time. My children once asked me, "Mom, do you know how to use the gas pump?" :D
Twenty years ago, on this day, my Valentine and I got engaged. It's been the best years of my life!
He is the grace of my life… a man who “fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commandments.” ~ from Psalm 112:1 NASB.
I have in my hubby a man who holds my heart and chases after God's heart... I am blessed beyond measure... God is so good to me... His grace truly is amazing!
I am so glad these two hearts, mine and his fell in love all those many years ago! ♥♥♥
Compassion is a command, an act of worship, a song of thanks to Him.
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