Can't Sleep...Giving Thanks

Preparaions for baby are still happening around here - a dresser was built, a crib put together & placed and lots of sorting & organizing happening - my wonderful hard-working husband is in dreamland & I'm back out of bed wide awake.

Excited? Anxious? Restless? I'm not sure which!

The funny thing is I have the song "This is the day that the Lord has made" running through my head. Not sure if its reminding me of the day I just had or preparing me for the day that is about to become?

Today was rather simple - sunny but not too hot. Enjoyable enough to keep all the windows open without turning on the air - I'm thankful for that. Tomorrow is supposed to be warmer - the a/c may need to be on but it might also mean I get to splash around in my pool (my pregnancy investment - a kiddie pool) and I would be thankful for that as well. Maybe its just a reminder that I need to be thankful each day, even for the simple things like plastic pools and breezey days.

With this babe racing around my womb like its practicing for the olympics, its hard to lay down & let my body relax. I suppose any mother will tell me that the worrying only begins during pregnancy & probably will last for life. As we draw to the close of this phase of our lives and we look at embarking on the next one: parenthood, there are plenty of things I could be worried about...and I'm sure I will be. So, I'm just trying to be thankful for the moment to moment things. Thankful that my baby is so active that I get constant reassurance that things are ok in there. Thankful that I'm feeling great & not having any complications. Thankful for the abnormally cool spring - helps keep the gardens growing, keeps the a/c off, and keeps me from being too warm. Thankful that my husband's business keeps him busy enough that we can be financially able to provide for ourselves & this new little miracle. Yes, there are many MORE things to be thankful for than there are to be worrying about.

And while I may not be ready for sleeping yet tonight, I'm reminded that "this is the night that the Lord has made" - He's right here in the night time as well as the day and some night things can be special too - the breeze rustling the leaves, crickets singing at us till dawn, the odd frog croaking (probably wishing to eat those crickets) and the quietness of a household in slumber.

What do you know - the baby has settled down in my belly ... maybe I can get some sleep afterall.

Good night friends!

I'm coming back - honest!

As usual, time is flying and I've been uncreative in blog land.

But it feels like summer is here & the world around me in in blossom - actually, the world OF me is in blossom too as we have less than two months until our little one makes his or her debut in this world.

I just wanted to check in & say hi & let you know that I plan on being back real soon.

Where Have I Been?

Hello Friends! Thanks so much for asking, wondering & waiting patiently. I'm here and I'm still appreciative of blogs & blogging. I just feel my whole little world has been wrapped up in 'being pregnant' that some days I don't know what to say or even where to start.

A quick recap on my life this past month or so.

Spring has arrived in the Okanagan and the world is greening up around me. The crocuses have finished their blooming, tulips are about at the half-way point and all my other perrenials are making their presence known. In a couple weeks, my yard will be BURSTING with lilac blooms and I will be praising God for one of my most favourite flowers & fragrances. I can't wait.

I've been digging up irises. Seriously! I hate those things. They take over like a giant tuberous weed. I want to plant some other things and so where I can take up the battle, I am. I can't work in the garden for long because my belly seems to get in the way but I make small efforts. What a strange & amusing root system irises have. They are FUN to dig up because the challenge of unearthing this large bulbous thing cracks me up. Did you ever see the Harry Potter movie where they planted mandrakes? This is what the iris root looks like to me. I dug them all up, loaded them in the wheelbarrow & then wheeled them over to my husband to see if he agreed. We figured any minute they would start shreeking at us.

So, I hope to clear some spots to put more perrenials. More daisies, a spirea bush, one more lilac bush and maybe a burning bush. Flowers & foliage. How I love this time of year!

Lawrence and I had a first on Sunday. Our pastor & his wife were away at a conference and so the two of us led worship. Though our newly formed little congregation is rather tiny, we are a great family of believers and so standing up there in front of that little group of friends wasn't as intimidating as I thought it would be. Apparently we even did a good job & picked some pretty good songs. It was fun picking the songs & practicing together. I always beam with pride when I hear him play guitar & sing but to be able to be singing together was always a dream of mine even before I met him because I've loved to sing for so long. I felt oh-so-blessed that it was something we could do together! Thank you Lord for the gift of music!!

As for the pregnancy stuff, things are going great. I am, apparently, a model patient according to my wonderful doctor. Everything is normal, measuring well & no complications so to speak. Our little one is VERY active and spends half the day booting, dancing, wiggling and swimming around in my womb much to my amusement. All the nausea & morning sickness is finally gone - aside from regular morning routine stuff, I'm feeling really good. I am amazed what the female body can do! Though I wear out really easy and have no strength because I was feeling so awful all winter, I am happy that its spring so I can get outside, walk a bit, stretch a bit and just embrace this new & exciting time in our lives. I promise I'll post a photo eventually!

Although I haven't been actively posting them, I still invite you to visit the site for the Voice of the Martyrs at www.persecution.com and pray for our brothers and sisters that are imprisoned, harmed, humiliated, even tortured for their faith. Pray that they will stay strong in their faith. Pray for their health and their safety. Pray that they will know of God's love & steadfastness even in the midst of their persecution. And if you have even more time, write them letters of encouragement.

Thanks for stopping by. I'll try to post more often and visit your blogs more when I get the chance as wel.

Just A Little

"A little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked." Pslam 37:16

We live in a little old house, and for this I am thankful. 2 bedrooms, one bath, an office area, a kitchen, eating area & living room. That's it! Some days it feels too small. And with the new baby coming, I'm sure some days its going to feel even smaller. Some days I wish for an extra bathroom or a little more closet space. Some days I think cleaning the floors will never end and wouldn't wish for one more square foot.

Even though its a small house I'm appreciative what we have. We've made it a home. Its cozy, its welcoming & warm, and its our happy place. You could call it a Love Nest but we want all who visit to feel the love & welcome that's there too, despite its size & age.

Like everyone, we have goals & dreams for where we'll live next. More property, another bedroom or two for our growing family, maybe a view, and definitely room for a shop for Lawrence's business. Some days we scan the realty pages and drool over bigger & beautiful homes. Homes you can get lost in with many rooms and areas.

But when we come home, we are always grateful for what we have.

I think when I spent some time in Africa it help me put a few things in perspective. While we travelled, we lived with the bare necessities...but we saw so many living with even LESS! At times we felt sorry for the ones in tiny huts & tiny villages. But what shocked me most was that they didn't seem to feel sorry for themselves. I saw joy! I saw laughter! I saw sharing & caring for eachother! And I felt so much welcome for each place we visited! What was there to feel sorry about? The little they had brought them joy anyways.

I think I need that reminder more often!

Joy!

"You visit the earth and water it, You greatly enrich it;... You crown the year with Your goodness ... the little hills rejoice on every side... they shout for JOY, they also sing." ~ Psalm 65: 9, 11, 12, 13

I feel like singing & shouting for joy today! It is a BEAUTIFUL sunny day and Spring is definitely in the air. But now I see, it is also bursting from the ground. For the last week or so I have been scoping out my backyard, waiting for those first signs of life poking thru with green shoots! Those first blades of the crocus plant. Today I found them. Oh, I'm sure they've been popping up in yards everywhere for a couple weeks now, but these are in my yard, and my yard gets a lot of shade so I had to be patient!

And today my patience paid off. For there they were stretching out of the cold damp earth and reaching towards heaven, towards the warmth of the sun.

Yes, the ice is still on the lakes, yes there is still snow in the corners of the yard and yes, chances are real that a few flakes could STILL fall, but these little heralds of spring pay no attention to all that and reach through all the same!

Praise God for greatly enriching the earth!

Still Waiting

"Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage" Psalm 27:14

Its certainly not kayaking season yet!

Spring is starting to let its presence be known here in the valley. The sun has been coming out for us and for people like me, having a sunny day changes my whole attitude. I love the sun. Winters can be so dreary here and when we have sunny days I feel the sun in my soul. It encourages me. I had been waiting to feel its warmth on my face! And now, in mid-February, its finally gaining some warmth. The temps rise above freezing, the snow is melting and believe it or not, rumors of crocuses in bloom are being whispered here & there.

And so, another sunny and somewhat warm day, I took myself down to the lake. I was greeted with this huge ice shelf full of cracks & caverns. On the side of the lake where the wind blows the most it pushes the ice up onto the shore to make amazing formations!

I got up close & took some photos, hearing the ice cracking, breaking & dripping all around me. I stomped the softer ice to encourage it to break & melt sooner. I threw rocks out a little further to see how strong it was...still pretty strong.

And so, we are still waiting for the warmth, the thaw and the sign of green things. But I am thankful for sunny days to encourage & warm my soul. I'm thankful that the ice can hold some wonder for me while I wait for it to melt away.

"...and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord." Psalm 27:14

A Catch Up

I feel so far behind in blogging that I don't even know where to start to catch up. I also apologize for not posting "Voice of The Martyrs" lately. I know some of you appreciate reading those & I will try to get back to posting them regularly so we can continue to pray for persecuted Christians!

We woke up to a somewhat awful site this morning. The big beautiful elm trees that give our backyard summer shade & all season privacy were torn down. Now, they were growing in the neighbours yard, and while we know he has every right to cut down his own trees, it was devastating to us. Now the back just seems like a big open hole, gaping wide to the old aggregate plant that they are also in the process of tearing down. Dirt & dust everywhere. I guess I can be at least thankful that they are doing this in the winter when all windows are closed because the snow in my backyard is no longer white!

But more about these trees, besides losing our privacy and shade from the blistering afternoon summer sun, we are losing a lot more. My squirrels lived in that tree. I hope they had more warning than we did. There are more smaller trees on the side of our property. I can only hope that they might want to stick around for the sake of a few extra peanuts. I so enjoyed watching them chase eachother & run & leap from tree to tree!

Also, these trees house 1000s of birds during the year, some that built their nest in them, others that just hang out for the shade and sing their little hearts out. It was just last fall that dozens of my most favourite bird, the red-winged blackbird, took a rest in this tree before they journeyed on, giving me outstanding joy! And, from time to time, a very large owl has taken refuge in these elms, hanging out during the afternoon till it was dusk & time for him to go on the prowl!

The neighbour also cut down a large tree that was between our houses, that offered us privacy while we sat in our office, between their family entertainment room. Now, I can sit at my desk and stare at them while they watch tv. Its such a disappointment. Thank goodness for blinds!

Aside from this oh-so-depressing day of losing trees, things have been going well here in the Wolfe household. My pregnancy nausea isn't quite as bad as before although other lovely symptoms seem to be more than happy to take the spot if nausea is giving me a break!

The weather has been quite chilly lately but fortunately, while cold, it has also given us clear blue sunny skies. I did sneak out one day to Hayne's Point (where I took the above squirrel photos) but the cold wind drove me back home pretty quick!

However, looking at the weather pages of our neighbours to the direct east, Alberta is getting some serious sub-zero temps this week. And to the south, Washington just got hammered with some really heavy snowfall so I guess we don't have it so bad here afterall!

I've been reading the books of Samuel. I'm not sure what motivated me but I started at chapter one and now I'm half way through second Samuel. I suppose its because its an interesting read of battles, treason, love & hate and God's preservation of His chosen ones! I always wonder when David had time to write all those beautiful Psalms when he was either on the run or conquering others in battle. When you pair the Psalms he wrote with moments throughout the books of Samuel, you see a whole other side of the story. Worship, fear, anger, passion, thankfulness and more! I love the Psalms but it has given me a new perspective by refreshing myself on all the journeys David took in his life!

Anyways, bundle up if you're in the deep freeze of winter & enjoy the warmth if you are so fortunate to be in a warmer location!

God Bless!

Winter Weather

"I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope." Psalm 130:5

What a strange weathered week it has been again. I finally got out for a much needed walk this week, taking my camera with me for the first photos of 2008. The first photos in a long time actually as I just haven't been feeling up to taking pictures.

As always, my feet led me to my favourite park, Hayne's Point, where I have posted countless photos in the past. I didn't get to have a long walk as the gentle snow that was falling turned into stinging ice rain, blasting every which way in the wind!


I managed to head to the side of the point that was the calmest and I wanted to check out the ice on the lake. It was smooth & solid. No interesting crevices or cracks like what I found last January but smooth with bits of snow blown across leaving beautiful formations all the way across to town. It felt peaceful on that side. The world was a dim grey blue as the snow ice fell!

There was a skiff of snow on the smooth ice so I bent down & wrote 2008 in the snow. Just to remind myself it was my first time out with my camera in the new year!

Usually I like to walk around Hayne's Point and think, talk to God, think about life & what is going on in the world. But with the wind and that stinging snow, I didn't do much but think of how I could take a couple pictures without getting my camera pelted too many times.

I like the shape of these trees in the winter. I took similar photos to the one below last year. When the sky is so bright & the world beyond is so hazy it makes them look silhouetted, and lonely. I found a bit of shelter from the wind where I could take a few more because the weather was right (despite the snow & wind) for this same silhouette to occur - and who knew when I'd have the energy to come again on such a day. I got a few shots that I was pleased with.

Though I'm more of a spring & fall girl, and I'm already eagerly anticipating Spring, I love that I can find moments of beauty in all the seasons and that I was granted some strength (and respite from my nausea) for this brisk winter weather walk.

2008: Its Going To Be Great

My heart is overflowing with a GOOD THEME; I recite composition concerning the King; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer. ~ Psalm 45:1

Happy New Year my blog friends! Can you believe its 2008 already? Where did the time go? I'd like to commit to blogging more in this new year, and new month as I know I was seriously lacking in the past little while. But still, I'm struggling.

I suppose its time to share with you the reasons for my struggle. I am pregnant! Very exciting news for our household as this is the first child for Lawrence and I and we are thrilled.

However, with that joy & anticipation has come a LOT of sickness for me. I have been very nauseous & ill, all of December & part of November. Oh the price to pay to bring a miracle into this world. So, in my nausea & fatigue, I just haven't had the energy to blog, or even read blogs for that matter & I apologize to you whom I used to visit so frequently.

The good news is the end of the first trimester is not far away, well, a couple more weeks, and maybe I shall have some relief in sight for that! I hope & pray that I do!

So, with my seasonal new year's wishes to you all, I revived the verses I posted on January 1st of last year! I'm really looking forward to 2008. So many wonderful changes are occuring that I'm anticipating, both in our home lives, the life of our new church which will be undergoing a location change, and the spiritual vibe that is coming alive in this community. A Good Theme has already begun and I see it will carry forth in 2008, with nothing to beat it down or stand in its way!

I offer you verses from Psalms for starting the new year with a Good Theme:

Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. ~ Ps. 37:5

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. ~ Ps. 90:12

This is the day which the Lord has made; we will rejoice & be glad in it. ~Ps. 118:24

Your word is a lamp unto my feet & and light to my path. ~Ps. 119:105

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord! ~ Ps. 150:6

Merry Christmas

Friends! I thank you all so much for the greetings & well wishes (and 'where are you?'s) you have left in my comments over the past month.

Sorry I have been an absentee blogger. Haven't felt all that great this month & am hoping for an improvement & rededication to blogging in January!

My husband and I wanted to wish a wonderful & blessed Christmas to you & your families, where ever you are on this beautiful globe! God bless in 2008!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Winter & Spring - all in one week

"He comes from the north as golden splendor; with God is awesome majesty." Job 37:22

So much snow! We had so much snow fall on Saturday & Sunday! It was beautiful & bright & dangerous. We were meant to go out to visit family on Sunday but after some contemplation, we decided to just go back home & watch it from the safety of our living room. It just wasn't stopping & wasn't quite worth the risk of driving in it.

And then, overnight Sunday, the temperature started to creep up and it began to rain, and rain, AND RAIN. The snow was melting away on Monday! Tuesday morning we woke to find our yards bare & void of any hint that it had snow. The sun came out & we walked around town in nothing but sweaters, no jackets needed!

How does the temperature change so drastically? What is the purpose of it? Last winter when the snow came in November, it stayed with us until well into the new year. I kind of figured this would happen again but here we are back to brown & bare. And the grass looks so green today! You would think it was one last Spring storm & the buds should be popping out tomorrow!

I have one silly lilac bush that never knows what time of year it is. It had full thick buds on it early November. Last January I noticed it was doing the same thing. And then, after all that effort, it didn't produce one flower. Its too confused to get it right.

With all this talk of global warming affecting this and that, the cold temperatures we had last week just made me scoff at the term 'global warming' but then here we are today, sunny and about +7 Celcius! Crazy stuff!

I've posted before on the verses in the book of Job that talk about weather...

"From the chamber of the south comes the whirlwind, and cold from the scattering winds of the north. By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen. Also with moisture He saturates the thick clouds; He scatters His bright clouds. And they swirl about, being turned by His guidance, that they may do whatever He commands them on the face of the whole earth. He causes it to come, whether for correction, or for His land, or for mercy." Job 37:9-13

I like that last part, as to why God causes weather - for correction, for His land, or for mercy. Whenever we get strange or wonderful or fierce weather, I wonder about this verse. I wonder why we are having it. Often I wonder if its for correction. I wonder this about New Orleans, and where the other hurricanes & tsunamis hit. All within God's power to change, to wield, to release. I can say the whole world needs a lot of correction, and many areas also need mercy and in between, He's just taking care of His land so that it will continue to flourish.

And then I think of our own lives and the weather that passes through our souls. We can have snow storms one day, fear of going out into the world, feeling angry, feeling sad ~ the storm can last for days, holding our souls captive, or, the very next day, a spring-like warmth can come, reviving & rejuvinating our souls. Letting the greeness of new growth & new life burst forth. Maybe the storm was for correction, maybe the spring sun was for mercy.

Weather on the earth, weather in our souls - all part of God's divine plan!

Let The Flame Burn Brighter

Let the Flame Burn Brighter

~ Graham Kendrick

We'll walk the land, with hearts on fire

And every step will be a prayer

Hope is rising, new day dawning

Sound of singing fills the air.

Two thousand years and still the flame

Is burning bright across the land

Hearts are waiting, longing, aching,

For awakening once again.

Let the flame burn brighter

In the heart of the darkness

Turning night to glorious day

Let the song grow louder

As our love grows stronger

Let it shine, Let it shine

We'll walk for truth, speak out for love

In Jesus' name we shall be strong

To lift the fallen, to save the children

To fill the nations with your song!

Let the flame burn brighter
In the heart of the darkness
Turning night to glorious day
Let the song grow louder
As our love grows stronger
Let it shine, Let it shine.

Nope, this isn't me. We had some 'fire dancers' performing last summer! It was loads of fun to photograph these, using different shutter speeds & stuff!

Thin Ice

Bubbles & cracks in very thin ice

"These six things the Lord hates..." Proverbs 6:16

I just don't understand people! Really! Why do Christians hurt other Christians? Why do we go out of our way to kick a brother or sister when they are down? How is it that we can be the ones to push eachother down? Doesn't Christian mean "Christ like", 'striving to be like Christ', or at least "Christ Follower"? How is it that we can lead one another to the edge of thin ice & then say 'go walk on it' and turn our backs?

We have been praying for revival in our church, for revival in our individual lives. I think its coming but it has come in a way that is unexpected. Well, God uses whatever ways He sees fit to do His work!

Sometimes a total cleansing needs to take place. Sometimes a total breakdown has to happen. Not everyone will like it. People will talk, people will say things, people will gossip, people will hurt others...because they are people! God can change any person! But He is very clear on things He doesn't like to see happen...

"These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies and one who sows discord among brethren." Proverbs 6:16-19

The last part of the verse sticks out the most to me "one who sows discord among brethren" and its the part that baffles me the most. I know that even in the church world the phrase "why can't we all just get along" is not something that is possible. But the gossip that flies around corners of sanctuaries, beneathe the pews & around the alters of our churches today ... well, I guess sometimes it just surprises me!

Yes, our pastor has been encouraging us to pray for a revival, individually & in the church. I see it coming! I believe he sees it too! God will not be slowed down by gossip, by discord, or by wicked plans. God never treads on thin ice and He will not let a revival fall through the cracks!

Deck the Halls

Fa, la, la, la, laaaa, La, la, la, laaaaaa

Anyone who knows me well knows that Christmas is my absolute favourite time of year. And I also LOVE Christmas decorating. I'm of the "Go big or Go home" school of thought. While I know decorations and lights aren't for everyone, it is definitely for me. I don't just deck the halls, I deck the living room, deck the kitchen, the bathroom, the boot room. A snowman hangs in my car. A mistletoe hangs in my bedroom. I have a USB lit Christmas tree that plugs into my laptop. The bird cage has bows and a bell. The windows have stickies on them, as do half the mirrors!

November 1st, the first few hints of Christmas start appearing. I start with a snowman here & there because they are my favourites. As the month progresses a few more things appear. The boxes start being opened as I dig for the ones I cherish the most. Some things from the past get rejected, and a few new ones are always added to the collection.

This year I've even taken photographs of different ornaments in order to print them and put them in the frames that are already hanging up. And I like the results!

I feel festive! I feel jolly! I feel merry! I feel cheery! This IS my favourite time of year and I can't help but hurl my Christmas joy at everyone else.

So many people say "too early! too early". Others say its a big waste of money! Still others claim that they are too lazy, or just too grinchy to bother. But none of these get me down. I love to Deck the Halls and Deck the Halls I shall!

"But what about Jesus?" you might say. Isn't all this decorating frivolous & worldly? I don't think it is. I know what Christmas is all about, that doesn't mean I need to bring out my nativity scenes only & put all the rest away. It doesn't mean I can't find joy in such a joyful season! Its just the way I choose to decorate my house at this time of year. When it all goes away after Christmas, it doesn't make the fact that Jesus came to earth go away any more than it does to have it all out.

Blessings & joy to you all at the start of this Christmas season!