Facing the Giants

Along with having time to read, I also planned ahead and rented some DVD's from the church library to watch. My favorite was the movie "Facing the Giants". It starts off a bit slow, but the best scene is called The Deathcrawl (trust, you'll know which one it is when you rent the movie, which you should go and do!). I first watched this scene during one of our weeks in Kona, and had no idea of the connection to this movie. I don't want to spoil it for you - there's so many things I could talk about. Just go rent it!

Practicing the Presence of God

Given the abundance of time driving, combined with the lack of internet in general over the last few days, I've had a chance to do some reading. My brother gave me the book "The Practice of the Presence of God, with Spiritual Maxims" by Brother Lawrence (who died in 1691). Here are some of my favorite quotes:

"That our sanctification did not depend upon changing our works, but in doing that for God's sake which we commonly do for our own." p. 26

"The King, full of mercy and goodness, very far from chastising me, embraces me with love, makes me eat at His table, serves me with His own hands, gives me the key of His treasures; He converses and delights Himself with me incessantly, in a thousand and a thousand ways, and treats me in all respects as His favorite." pp. 36 - 37

"Believe me, count as lost each day you have not used in loving God." p. 112

Passing the Flame

I don't know about you, but I LOVE the Olympics! I get caught up in it every time - summer or winter - and I am extra excited to live in this year's host country (though the event is quite a distance away from me!). I love to see people triumph and tears come to my eyes when flags are raised and national anthems are played in victory. The flame is making its way across Canada and I missed it in Manitoba last week, mostly because of the cold temperatures. Well, as luck would have it, we beat the flame to Saskatchewan and were able to catch a glimpse of it in the town where my brother is living (and the temperatures were much higher, which helped). Only 31 days until the 2010 Vancouver Olympics start - I can't wait!!

The Open Road

Kiera's arrival took yesterday's blog - as it should have! So I'm showing you the open road we traveled yesterday. NOTHING but open road - both behind and ahead! (And yes, I was driving and taking this picture at the same time. Other than the fact that I'm multi-talented, this is where the camera is on automatic and, as you can see, there are no other vehicles for miles. . .kilometers in Canada!).

Welcome to our World!

I just knew that my friend, Brenda, would have her baby when I was gone. Originally that was to be Egypt, but Saskatoon feels just as far away when you want to see the latest arrival! I can't wait to meet you Kiera Grey - welcome to our world!

The Next Great Adventure

I went to send off some packages at the post office today and the lady behind the desk recognized my address from all the packages my parents sent (or at least tried to send - we don't have much luck with the postal system!).

"Oh, you're the girl that's been traveling all over! What's your next great adventure?"

To which I replied, "We're heading out to Saskatoon this weekend - does that count as an adventure?!?"

Packing Away Christmas

While putting away the ornaments and taking down the Christmas tree today (yes, it's artificial), I finally realized why it did not feel like Christmas to me in South Africa. I thought that maybe it was the weather, but I think I could live with a warm Christmas (-42 with the wind chill today!!). I mean, I could make that sacrifice if I really had to. In taking down our decorations, I realized that people did not have Christmas lights on their houses or trees all decorated inside. I left mid-December, so maybe the decorating happens closer to Christmas time itself. Or maybe they just celebrate Jesus' birth. . .and maybe we just decorate. . .

The Serenity Prayer

You know the serenity prayer, but here's the extended version:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time, accepting hardship as the pathway to peace. Taking as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it, trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will; that I may be reasonably happy in this life, and supremely happy with Him forever in the next.

~Reinhold Niebuhr

Today

Today. . .I went outside and didn't freeze my butt off because the southerly winds have warmed us up a bit, and with it, big, fluffy snowflakes fell.

Today. . .I finally got all my paperwork together and started applying for teaching jobs.

Today. . .I was surprised with a phone call from Thurstan in South Africa and, if only for a moment, I was transported across the globe.

Today. . .I received a book about human trafficking in my church mailbox from one of our pastors - I've spent the past few days wondering what other organizations I could involve myself with here in Canada.

Hitting the Airwaves Again!

I'm sorry if this is short notice, but my taped interview with Colleen (back from Dec. 18) is airing on CHVN today at 4 and 5 pm and tomorrow morning at 7 and 8 am (3 and 4 pm SA time). Locally it will be 95.1 FM, and online you can check out their live feed at:
http://goldenweststreaming.com/chvn_player/index.html

New Year's Resolutions

In church this morning we were challenged to make new year's resolutions in the small things, because that will in turn help to make the bigger changes more achievable. The sermon focused on scripture from Exodus 33 where Moses is talking with God, and Moses says that he does not want to continue on without God's presence going before them. So the challenge, then, is to decide whether we will allow God to lead us into 2010. Of course, sometimes that's easier said than done, but I know that I don't want to venture out on my own, especially when God has the larger viewpoint.

Wind Chill

Upon arriving home, I promised I would blog about the wind chill factor and given yesterday's and today's temperatures, I feel like it's an appropriate time to do so. It also did not help to receive a text from South Africa today, stating how very hot it is there!

We have hit a cold snap, though it's not quite as cold as what Alberta and Saskatchewan received a short time ago. Today's temperature on the thermometer is about -30 degrees Celsius (no typo)! But in the winter, the wind speed makes it feel colder than what the actual temperature is, hence the wind chill factor. So, even though it's actually -30, it FEELS LIKE -40 to exposed skin. Yep, that's COLD, eh?!?

The Best of Friends

I taught in Morden about 1.5 years ago, and I only taught there 1/2 time for one year, but I had a number of colleagues that I really enjoyed hanging out with. Though no longer in Morden, I met up with my friend Lisa today, who taught French. We got to know one another well because she shared her classroom with me for the first part of that school year. You know you've got the best of friends when you sit down to chat after not having seen each other or really emailed much in the last 9 months and the few hours we spent together today were filled with so much laughter and great stories! Actually, thinking back over the last few weeks, that's been the case with all of the friends I've met with. You just pick up where you left off the last time, add some laughter and some tears, and know that you've got quality people in your life that are truly the best of friends!

The Cry - A Song for Canada

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A83cfs0gWCo