Reasons Why People Don't Go To Church - A Must See

Your Hands.

This is a song thats been in my head lately. No matter what is going on in my life, I can be assured that I am still in Gods hands.

When my world is shaking - Heaven stands.
When my heart is breaking - I never leave Your hands.

The End of Myself

My mom recently sent me a link for a video from the We Walk With Jesus website. It was a video about a husband and wife who adopted a child and the child developed severe mental and physical disabilities and this ended up bringing them to Christ I think. And what the husband said at the end of the video really spoke to me. Here is what he said:

"God brings us to the end of ourselves - end of strength, wits - destroys our pride and self confidence in order to reveal to us His grace. Your circumstances don't define Gods love for you - the cross defines His love for you.  Your circumstances are merely used to point you towards that Love - to bring you to a point of total desperation, where you kneel at the Cross, and surrender all of your strength, for all of His grace."

Christmas Flash Mob!

Just a little video to get you into the Christmas spirit!

Steady My Heart, Lord

Even when it hurts

Even when its hard

Even when it all just falls apart

I will run to You

Cause I know that You are

Lover of my soul

Healer of my scars

You steady my heart

 

 

Black Friday

Now thats the kind of savings I'm talking about!

Funny Peter Grandich Post

My dad read this post to me one day and its pretty funny, so I decided to post it on here so you could have a laugh too. Its from Peter Grandich's website on November 14, 2012. Its regarding the US economy.

I asked a very smart business person what he thought is likely to happen going forward. Here’s his response:

Sometime next year, we taxpayers will again receive another ‘Economic Stimulus’ payment. This is indeed a very exciting program, and I’ll explain it by using a Q & A format:

Q. What is an ‘Economic Stimulus’ payment ?

A. It is money that the federal government will send to taxpayers.

Q.. Where will the government get this money ?

A. From taxpayers.

Q. So the government is giving me back my own money ?

A. Only a smidgen of it.

Q. What is the purpose of this payment ?

A. The plan is for you to use the money to purchase a high-definition TV set, thus stimulating the economy.

Q. But isn’t that stimulating the economy of China ?

A. Shut up.

Below is some helpful advice on how to best help the U.S. Economy by spending your stimulus check wisely:

* If you spend the stimulus money at Wal-Mart, the money will go to China or Sri Lanka.

* If you spend it on gasoline, your money will go to the Arabs.

* If you purchase a computer, it will go to India , Taiwan or China.

* If you purchase fruit and vegetables, it will go to Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala.

* If you buy an efficient car, it will go to Japan or Korea.

* If you purchase useless stuff, it will go to Taiwan.

* If you pay your credit cards off, or buy stock, it will go to management bonuses and they will hide it offshore.

Instead, keep the money in America by doing one of the following:

1) Spending it at yard sales, or

2) Going to ball games, or

3) Spending it on prostitutes, or

4) Beer, or

5) Tattoos.

(These are the only American businesses still operating in the U.S. )

So, in conclusion, the best way to keep American money on American soil:

Go to a ball game with a tattooed prostitute that you met at a yard sale and drink beer all day.

No need to thank me, I’m just glad I could be of help.

Funny Video

Check out this funny video - its a message about prayer, but really its just FUNNY.

Quick Trip to Ottawa

Michael and I were able to make a quick last minute trip up to Ottawa to visit his family. This was a really nice treat because Michael's work schedule is very busy and we figured he wouldn't get the chance to get home for Christmas, so this worked out perfectly. Here are a few pictures:

Michael and I at his parents place in Ottawa 

 Michael visiting his old stomping ground in downtown Ottawa

Michael and I getting ready for a date 

 



Parliament 

Thanksgiving 2012

It was really nice this year to be able to enjoy Thanksgiving up north at my brothers place. That same weekend it was my mom and my dad's birthdays which made it even more special.

Evan with his froggy and me with my doggy, all ready for bed!

Karina absolutely loved Chewie. Every time she saw Chewie she would start laughing. It was adorable! 

Karina and I 

Mark, Evan, Chewie and I playing in the fall leaves! 

Mark, Averil, Evan, Mom, Karina and Dad 

Myself with Evan and Mom with Karina. 

My mom and I, on my mom's birthday

The Vertical Church Tour

 

Michael and I were blessed to be able to attend James MacDonald's Vertical Church Tour last week. It touched me, as Im sure it touched almost everyone there. He talked about the church needing to get back to being focused on the vertical - a relationship with Christ.
If you ever have the chance to attend a James MacDonald event, I would highly recommend going. God has definitely blessed James with the gift of teaching and preaching. I have never heard a James MacDonald sermon that I havent been struck by. I want to make a more regular habit of going online and listening to Walk in the Word.

High Valley at the Western Fair!

A friend and I went to the Western Fair on Wednesday to see HIGH VALLEY! They are a Canadian country group - but they are Christians.  They sang an old gospal hymn at their concert which was nice. The group is made up of 3 brothers who were raised in a Mennonite community in Alberta. Their music is country but with definite Christian elements to alot of their songs. They won 3 Gospel Music awards in 2011 I think, and have done performances in Christian book stores throughout Canada (I know this cause I've watched some of their performances on youtube). But now they seem to be making it on the Country music scene. It will be interesting to see how they develop in the music industry and see if they stay true to their roots. I hope so!

Jars of Clay

My girl friends and I drove over to a nearby town to see Jars of Clay perform at a youth event. It was kind of neat to see them. Although I haven't listened to much of their new music, I did listen to some of their music growing up so it brought me back. It was kind of a strange event and it was not very well attended, but it was still fun!

STAND.

This is my song today.

Long Weekend with the Family

This labour day weekend was a wedding weekend for my cousin James and so all us family travelled up to the Sault to celebrate with him. It was very tiring, but worth every moment. Here are a few pics!

 

Interesting Points...

I'm not really a fan of Joyce Meyer but today I watched an hour long sermon of her's on YouTube. Here are a few points that are really relevant to me right now.

-What Satan means for harm, God intends for good.

-It may look bad now, it may hurt now, but somewhere down the road, it is going to work out for my good.

-He can take a mess and turn it into a miracle

-The attitude you have while you are in the wilderness determines how long you will be there

-If you stay busy thinking about right things, the devil won't be able to fill your mind with wrong things.

The Adjustment Bureau

I recently watched the movie "The Adjustment Bureau" with my dad. It was interesting..... can generate some great discussion for us as Christians, especially regarding freewill and the Sovereignty of God. In the movie Matt Damon's character falls in love with a girl who he wasn't actually supposed to meet and so the Chairman, the man who controls everyone's destiny, and his agents, need to make "adjustments" to correct their story and get it back on track. But Matt's character is fighting them to be with the woman he loves.

Here is an excerpt from the Gospel Coalition blog on this movie:
 
"The Adjustment Bureau presents a world in which a sinister power above us moves our lives along a certain path, and true happiness is found in freeing ourselves from this power by exercising the power of our own will. Freedom from the power above is found by the application of the power within."

"But what if it's entirely the other way round? Suppose the dark, sinister power is not above us but within us. What if that dark power has attached itself to you and become part of who you are? What if it has infiltrated your choices so that they are no longer as free as you would like to think, but are weighted and biased against your own best interest? What if the enemy is not above but within?"

"If that were true, everything would be reversed. Instead of finding freedom from the power above by exercising the power within, your hope would lie in finding freedom from the power within by the intervention of the power above. And that gets to the heart of the gospel."

"The problem we face does not lie in God but in us. Our battle is not against a sinister sovereign but against the dark power of sin that lies in our own nature, affecting our thinking, feeling, remembering, imagining, and choosing."

"The Adjustment Bureau suggests that you need to make choices that will deliver you from a dark and sinister God. But the real story is about how you need the sovereign God to deliver you from the dark and sinister power that inhabits your choices. The film suggests that your will is supremely good and that God cannot be trusted. But the real story is that God is supremely good and that you dare not trust your own will. The Adjustment Bureau suggests that the best plan for your life is the one that originates with you. The real story is that pleasures beyond anything you can imagine are at God’s right hand, and he is able to deliver you from the self indulgent choices that would keep you from them."

Fibromyalgia Program

I wanted to make a quick comment that the Fibromyalgia Program at St.Joseph's Hospital was very worthwhile. I would highly recommend it to anyone who has Fibromyalgia.

"There is a difference between pain and suffering. Pain is in the body, but suffering is in the mind."

August Long Weekend

My neice Petra and I!

I did it!!

Thank you LORD!

I did it!!!!!

I completed my 1 year Bible reading schedule.
I was 3 months behind at one point, but I didn't give up and kept going and going and going and I finished it today!

"We Must Go"

This is a song I've been thinking alot about lately. Lord, how do you want me to serve You?

Flash Mob in Welland!

This video went around a while ago, but I still think its amazing. A Flash Mob in the Seaway Mall in Welland, somwhere I use to live. The first thing I thought when I saw this video, was 'when did the Seaway mall get an Arbys???' haha

Kinda neat that something from a small town like Welland has 38 million hits!

Have Your Way Lord

This is a great song I've been listening to over and over again lately.

Lord, please have Your way in my life.

Hilarious Ugly Betty Clip

This clip won't be funny to you unless you have watched Ugly Betty before. But if you have, it is absolutely HILARIOUS. If you haven't, just imagine - a super posh stuck up fashion magazine listening to an article pitch from the crazy kids dressed as a hot dog.

Perfect People by Natalie Grant

This is another great song by Natalie Grant called Perfect People

Great Quote

"The more we love God the more we will obey. The more we obey the more we will be aware of the reality of Christ in our lives. The more we are aware of Christ in our lives, the more victory we will experience. The more victory we experience, the less difficult the choices are and the less conflict we have within ourselves." ~ Norma Becker

Father's Day

Our family was lucky enough to get to spend almost 2 days together as a whole family on Father's Day weekend. This doesn't happen much anymore with everyone in different cities and busy with life, which makes it extra special when it does happen. The new babies are both growing and adorable!

 This is Evan, Mark and Andrew playing some soccer.

Aunt Rebecca and baby Karina

 Evan and Rebecca goofing around

 Baby Petra so adorable with her soccer ball

 Cousins 10 days apart - Karina and Petra

 Mommy Averil with Evan and Karina

 Andrew, Nadine and Petra dressed up for church

2 happy Grandparents with their 3 happy Grandchildren!

My Fibro

Well, my Fibro has been really, really awful lately, affecting every part of my life. I'm currently unable to work and am eagerly awaiting the start of the treatment at the hospital.

But with all this happening, I am trying to stay in the Word and cling to the Lord. I'm hanging onto the promises in Proverbs 3:5-6.

'Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding, but in all of your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths."

MEXICO!

My friend Christine and I had an amazing time in Mexico! That was my first trip down south to a resort and it was alot of fun. The heat was hard on me though, I have to admit, but we still had a great time. Here are some pictures to share the experience!

 This was the resort we stayed at

This is the front of the beautiful resort

This is me at the resort's beach

This is Chris and I in the lobby

This was my first horeback riding experience!

This was my view at one of the pools we lounged by.

Me repelling into the Cenotes

Ziplining!

Chris and I ready for dinner!

African Lion Safari

I decided to spend 1 day of my much needed vacation at African Lion Safari with a couple friends. I've always wanted to go there so I was thrilled I actually got the chance. It was really empty cause the season was just starting and everyone was still in school, so it was really great. The highlight for me was definitely the Elephants! Here are a few pictures:

 An Elephant enjoying a swim!

Giraffes in the Game Reserve

A monkey on my car!! We hung in the monkey area a long time to get them to climb on the car hah - he was sitting on my driver's side mirror. I was so excited this was the best picture I could get.

Rosette and I getting an elephant ride!

HE SAID!!

This song has really been speaking to me lately.

He won't give me more than I can take and He might let me bend, but He won't let me break. He will never ever let me go. And I'm not going to forget what He has said.

Day in Hamilton!

This past weekend I was able to spend a day with some family at Andrew and Nadine's place in Hamilton. Petra is absolutely adorable! And it was great seeing some relatives I haven't seen in a while. And Chewie too! haha Here are a couple pictures!

Trust & Obey

This song has been on my heart and mind all day. Lord, help me to trust and obey even when it is hard to do.

10,000 Reasons

This is an awesome worship song! My favourite right now!



PS Happy Birthday to Mark and Evan!

To Sudbury and Back!

Mom, Kristi and I took a quick trip up to Sudbury this Easter to see Karina! And we also swung by Hamilton on the way back on Sunday to see Petra! Wow, what a tiring weekend but it was awesome. Thanks for welcoming us on such short notice Mark and Averil!

Easter Sunday!

He is RISEN!!!

Happy Easter everyone!!



Lyrics:

How do we know we’ve been forgiven?
How do we know that we have been made clean?
How do we know we’ll go to heaven?
How do we know we’ve been redeemed?

You have been raised, the tomb has been opened
Nothing can take away our hope in You
You have been raised
You have been raised, the work is completed
Hell and its powers have been defeated
You have been raised

Now we are free from condemnation
There is no judgment left for us to fear
We don’t have to wonder if we’re welcome
You are the One who’s brought us near

The price You paid for us
Has fully been accepted
Because of Your shed blood
We cannot be rejected

Petra Naomi!

Congratulations to Andrew and Nadine on the safe arrival of their first baby!

Some Creative Accounting?

I don't know anything about this guy but my friend showed me this video about the math and numbers associated with copyright theft and piracy. It's rather amusing...maybe more so for those like me with a love of numbers and economics...but still amausing none the less!



Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....... "and some people think that string theory is tough."

Karina Ann!

Congratulations Mark, Averil and Evan on the arrival of their new baby!