Happy 33rd Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary wishes go out to my parents today, with many more to come!

One of Those Weeks

Maybe you've had a week like I've had - one that just couldn't end soon enough!  Things didn't seem to work out for me.  I made arrangements to pick up things or meet people, and they never showed.  Of course, we also had the porcupine episode this week (though Sydney seems to have recovered and is back to her normal, hyper self).  I'm so thankful for the weekend and another chance to try it again next week!

The Road of Lost Innocence

I just finished reading "The Road of Lost Innocence" by Somaly Mam, Cambodian heroine.  I was only in about 3 chapters when my friend asked about the book and the only response I could come up with was, "Why was I born in Canada?"  That's really the difference between her life and mine - she was born into poverty in Cambodia and I was born into riches in Canada (not by our standards per say, but certainly by the world's).  I always end my speaking engagements by saying that I don't want people to feel guilty about our resources, but rather to do something with them.  We've - I've - been blessed beyond compare and can no longer stand by and wait for someone else to do something. . .change starts within each of us.

"I don't feel like I can change the world.  I don't even try.  I only want to change this small life that I see standing in front of me, which is suffering.  I want to change this small real thing that is the destiny of one little girl.  And then another, and another, because if I didn't, I wouldn't be able to live with myself or sleep at night." (p. 128 - 129)

The Adventures of Sydney the Dog

I'm thinking of writing a book called "The Adventures of Sydney the Dog".  I mean, I wouldn't have to worry about material at all because our dog Sydney supplies more of her fair share of adventure.  Today's chapter:  I went out to do some weed-eating and Sydney greeted me at the back door.  I looked at her, turned around, opened the inside door and yelled "I think Sydney met a porcupine today" to my parents.  Sure enough, the 4 quills (which looks liked pieces of straw or bits of wood from a distance) we could see at the surface around her face were just the beginning.  I held on to her while my dad started pulling the quills out with pliers.  She probably had around 30 all over her body and we're hoping that we got them all, as she has such thick fur.  Sydney has never sat quite so still for such a long time!  As we got rid of the quills I kept telling her that, although she wants everyone to be her friend, porcupines CANNOT be her friend!

What is God's Greatest Gift to You?

The speaker this past Sunday for the community worship service at the festival quoted part of a 1989 TIME interview with Mother Teresa.  She was asked the question, "What is God's greatest gift to you?"  Certainly our Western mentality might answer some of our abundant material blessings or perhaps our family and friends.  Of course, that was not Mother Teresa's answer.  Rather, she stated, "The poor people."  Then she was asked, "How are they a gift?"  To which she replied, "I have an opportunity to be with Jesus 24 hours a day."  The poor were not a burden to her or some project to win brownie points with God - they WERE Jesus.  To serve them was to serve Jesus himself.

"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. . .Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me."

~Jesus (Matthew 25:35, 36, 40b)

What is the Church?

Over the last few days I've had a number of interesting conversation about the church.  What exactly is the church?  Or maybe the better question is, WHO is the church?  When Jesus commissioned his followers to go and make disciples, he never mentioned Sunday mornings or stained glass windows.  We so easily get caught up in programs and forget that Jesus was in the business of people and their hearts.  I am learning that church is not a building, but rather broken people, hungry and searching after God.  The deeper we go, the rawer we get, the more vulnerable and naked we become, I believe the closer we get to what the church should be.  I grew up thinking that church was full of perfect people. . .except for me.  But the church is really only alive when we are honest in our pain and are willing to walk with one another just as Jesus did while he was here on earth.

Great Start to the Festivals

I had a great start to selling Threads of Hope and Little Travellers at the Manitoba Sunflower Festival in Altona this weekend.  Seventeen Little Travellers found new homes and 385 Threads went out (plus 79 that I gave to the kids this morning at the end of my children's feature in the Sunday worship service - that's me on the far right).  Thanks for your support Altona!  The next place you can find my table will be at the Winkler Harvest Festival from August 13 - 15.

Everyone Loves a Parade

The Sunflower Festival is similar to a big reunion.  You see people you haven't seen in years (sometimes on purpose!) and again realize how quickly another year has passed as you reminisce about what has happened since the last festival.  I missed the festival last year, so I was able to once again enjoy the sights and sounds it has to offer, starting with the parade.  Being the Sunflower festival, you can't forget to bring the sunflower seeds along with your lawnchairs.  You hear the bagpipes in the distance, see the flashing lights of the police car and sit back to see what the parade has in store.  My only question - how much do you get paid to be a giant tire (or other such mascot), especially on a day when the temperature reached +30?!?

Manitoba Sunflower Festival

Just a reminder to find my table in the park at the Manitoba Sunflower Festival in Altona this weekend.  I will be selling Threads of Hope ($1) and Little Travellers ($5 - $9).  Hope to see you there!

All that I Do. . .

"All that I do in civil rights I consider a part of my ministry, because I think the gospel in its essence ministers to the whole man.  It is not enough to be concerned about the soul of man, you've got to be concerned about the body and the environment conditions, which may scar the soul."  ~Martin Luther King Jr.

Slavery

Bubble Brain

I thought I would be dreaming of bubbles last night - our coding is coloring in bubble sheets all day long.  After the initial training yesterday, I was able to get through 13 bundles (10 assessments per bundle).  Today I marked 34 bundles.  I fill in my i.d. number (that 3 circles to shade in) and then we look at the same 9 questions (that's 9 more bubbles) for each booklet.  No wonder I have bubble brain. . .34 x 10 x 12 = 4080 bubbles just today!

The Last Decade

I am spending this week in Winnipeg doing some marking (well, scoring. . .no, they actually call it "coding"!) thanks to my friend Lisa putting in a good word for me (they desperately needed more math markers this week so they'll get through the 40,000 assessments).  Anyway, I arrive in the room this morning to get started only to realize that it's the exact ballroom where my university graduation dinner was held just over 10 years ago!  I'm sure I could never have predicted what the last decade would hold for me when I was celebrating my graduation so long ago.

Quality People

I like to believe that I surround myself with quality people.  You know those people that would actually tell you that you're dating a jerk because they care about you and know that, eventually, you'll get over it and realize that they said it for your benefit.  I mean, who wants people who won't look out for you (and vice versa)?!

Well, I love it when "my people" prove me right (and no, I'm not dating - a jerk or otherwise)!  I got an unexpected gift the other day from my friend Diane.  I had mentioned, in passing, some books I wanted to get about a Cambodian woman named Somaly Mam.  Gifts are wonderful, especially when they're unexpected, and even more so when someone gets you exactly what you want, without you even asking!  So whether it's an all-important thing like dating the right guy or the little things like getting a surprise just-because gift, it's really all about the quality person who's willing to journey life together with me.  For ALL my quality people out there, I just want to remind you, THAT YOU ROCK, and that my life would be so much less without you!!