Beautiful Lolee!!!!!

Its my baby sisters birthday today! She is 21!
This makes me very old, well almost!
She is my iron sharpening iron,
my friend for life &
I'm grateful for her!
She is the first miracle I ever witnessed!
I prayed & prayed for a
baby sister & God answered!
We have had our bumpy road, full of joy & sorrow,
but I wouldn't trade it for the world!
No one knows me like her!

I love you Leah!

Not the same...

Well, lately as I've cleaned my house, I've listened to messages. So far I've listened to...

'No Ordinary Worshipper' Part 1 by Alan Frow
'No Ordinary Worshipper' Part 2 by Alan Frow
'The Church of Noble Character' by Alan Frow
'Bringing Through a Resilient People' by Peter Howard Brown

They were all so good!! I laughed (especially on the one by Peter Brown), I cried alot, especially on the 'Church of Noble Character!!'
I'm being challenged. God is leaving no stone unturned in my life!
I feel him gently but firmly taking the pruning shears to my character, my motives, my heart condition & attitude & telling me in his loving way, 'No, daughter, this just won't do! I can't have a child of mine looking this way! You are a daughter of the King! You are royalty! You have an inheritance that outweighs anything you could ever imagine in this life! So that torn up, dirty coat your wearing? That has got to go! I've got something better in mind!'
It really is unfathomable to me that the God of the Universe would take interest in me enough to teach me & change me! The majority of the time I chafe at the bit. I kick and scream or dig in my heels at the possibility of change, but He knows me so well. He knows how to get into my heart. He knows the insecurities & the questions. He knows why I am the way I am. And He is faithful to walk beside me, to hold me & to not leave me the same!
God, thank you that your love is relentless!!

Links to messages:
http://southlands.net/310758.ihtml
http://ncmi.net/Resources/Downloads/tabid/61/language/en-US/Default.aspx

Expanding my knowledge & Shrinking my waistline...

Well, I've come to the conclusion if I want to be balanced in christian literature, I need to expand the tent pegs of my mind!
So I'm beginning with this book..Mark recommended it because I had read some quotes by the author and was very moved by them. I read the first page & became so enthralled with it, so I hope that is a good sign

So I will let you know how the book is as I read it!!

Also, being inspired by Half Soled Boots

I am trying out a fitness challenge...that I will update as well, but on my food blog

along with fat fighting foods!!Yippee

Today...

Today was a day with active, energetic, fun boys.
But it was also a day of strong wills, a few tantrums, attitudes, gigantic messes, spilled milk & so much cleaning I should go into business

(*note: last statement was sarcasm)
As I dealt with each issue with the grace & poise of Supernanny(NOT), I found myself feeling like God was dealing with me!
Every day, He is faced with my strong will, tantrums & my stinkin, rotten attitude!
He teaches me about patience, love & mercy!
Though I am undeserving, His grace is ready & available with endless supply.
I am so far from perfection, that sometimes I wonder if I'll ever get it right,
but Jesus' love never fails me!
He has taught me that behind every strong will there is a leader that needs to be taught how to lead. Behind every tantrum there is a heart that needs to come under the rulership of Christ. Behind every attitude there is a life that needs to live inside the Fathers arms. Because then the attitude is turned into godly character.

So I will look back on the events of today with gratitude. Because, in the midst of life's happenings, God loved me enough to take the time to teach me about my own heart & His faithfullness.

Happy Birthday My Friend

'My heart is full to overflowing because God has given me a friend'

I love you Christy!

Psalm 113:9

He gives the barren woman a home,

making her the joyous mother of children.

Praise the LORD!

Lord, I trust that you know perfectly your plan for my life! I put my life in your hands. I don't understand what you are doing in me, but I know that you are faithful to complete it. My heart has questions, but I know you will answer! My mind can't comprehend why you take me through what you do, but I know you are the God of the mountains AND the God of the valley!!

So, even though i can't see, I will hold tightly to your hand, for you promise you will NEVER let me go! You promise to give me a future & a hope. You promise that if I delight in You, then You will give me the desires of my heart!

Thank you for your giving me all that I need.

Does anybody see?

Well, I want to post this artwork* because it has ministered to me lately.
Karen sent me some pictures of a photo shoot she did. Below is one of the pictures. It spoke volumes to me of how I felt on the inside. Feelings of loneliness, pain, confusion, hurt, frustration, anger & brokenness.
So I started to edit the picture in photoshop. As I stared at the picture, this poem came to me. Because even though I feel these things and even though they are so real, I am loved, comforted, carried & changed by the one who is the Answer!!

*with Karen's permission

UGH!

I have been fighting a bad cold the last couple days & have had no blogging energy! I feel like my head is full of rocks and my ears hurt sooo bad! My throat is so swollen that attempts to eat anything but food with the consistency of mashed potatoes is quite the feat, and every muscle feels like it was attacked by a SWAT team!

UGGHHH!!
And of course I'm babysitting, so I don't get a nap time and all i want to do is just cuddle up in my bed with a jumbo cup of apple juice & watch a movie!
WAAA!
Ok, I'm done whining now!
Talk to you soon!

( ) ( )

(> ';'<)

Happy Anniversary!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Markus:
Looking back, I'm so amazed at how far we've come. You have challenged me to be more than I thought I was. You've pushed me to not settle for anything less than God's very best for my life. I am still in awe of the man you are & the man I know you'll be! You are the greatest man I've ever known! You bring me me the life of Jesus in the word & in living like Him every day. Thanks for being gentle, strong, courageous, loyal, passionate & transparent as you have served Christ & me. You're example has spoken volumes to me.
I don't think I will get over the feeling of being un-worthy of such an incredible man. God really means it when He said that He is able to do abundantly more than we could ever think or imagine!

Mark, I love you more than I ever thought possible. Thanks for marrying me, for loving me, for being my best friend & my greatest fan! I'm forever grateful!

Is it only me?

This is totally random, but I thought I would share this weird phenomenom that happens to me first thing in the morning! Mark calls it 'angelina lips' cause it quite resembles her lips, except hers looks good in contrast to the rest of her features, where as mine? Its like I got punched in the face! They are huge and puffy! Does this happen to anyone else?

Morning Lips

Angelina's Lips

My Regular Lips

Whoa!!

Sunday was a great day! Church was awesome. After, a bunch of people went out to the lake! It was fantastic! Mark took this picture of me & Livvie! Its now in my Top 10 favorites!!

Well, the GTT (Geographical Training Time) is swiftly approaching & I've been trying to get the music done. I'm excited, nervous (like usuall) & anticipating great things. I'm very excited to have Rigby from South Africa & Mike from Nanaimo coming!! Here is the link to their churches:

www.oceansidechurch.ca
www.commongroundchurch.co.za



I've also been writing some songs which I hope to post soon (if I get enough courage). Leah & I will be doing a set at the Hope for the Children Coffee House in September:

www.hopeforthechildren.wordpress.com

Its also our 7 year anniversary on Monday, the 25th! I can't believe its been that long! We will be celebrating it in September or October when we have a bit more money!

So that's my life in a nutshell lately! Busy & Beautiful, Leaning on the very capable arm of the Father, learning to trust Him alone!

1st Gold for Canada!!

The first gold of the '08 Olympics was won by
Carol Huynh,
wrestler from Hazelton, B.C.
Its so cool that Northwest B.C. could be the ones to give us our first medal!

Nicknames....well not really...

This is from Christy's tag...
#-Girls
*-Boys

The names we both like

The names I like
The names Mark likes



Adelaide Aislynn Ariel Avery
Bryce Beau Baxter Beatrix Bowie
Cadence
Dannyn
Eleanor Evie
Finley Faith
Henry Hannah Hope
Kate
Maddox Mercy Maggie Maverick Meg
Nasya
Paige
Rhys Ryan
Skylar
Theodore
Willow
Xavier
Zoe Zazi We (Way)

The Always Exciting Bathroom ;)

We like the simple, calm, natural, spa-feel bathroom.

Stone, Natural wood, lots of natural light.

Mmmmm...so relaxing!

Our Living Room...

Hey, all...i started a new blog ...

www.ruthssong.blogspot.com

Check it out!

Well, our living room is very important! Entertaining, fellowship, comfort, inviting...all this is really important to us! We love simple, retro-ish (not full blown, but pieces of it). Picture #2 is both Mark & my favorite one! We love the flooring, the dark painted beams,vaulted ceiling, big windows, shag rug..all of it! We aren't too picky about the colors, though I'd rather have neutrals and accent with colors. I'm so in love with the furniture in Pic #1, but in a different color! It just looks soooo inviting!!

Tag you're it!

okay...
10 random things about me...

1. I can't stand gum...i can chew it if I have to, but I can't look at chewed gum or see it in peoples mouth, its a full blown phobia!!
2. I love horse jumping on tv
3. When I die, I want my heart thrown over Victoria Falls in Africa
4. I once wanted teal, grey & white as my wedding colors
5. I once was obsessed with Mickey Mouse & had the bedroom border!!
6. My best friend had the same boyfriend, faked playing the same instrument in school & is pretty much me in another body!
7. I love indie-chick music!
8. I once swam in the mediterranean sea with a bleeding leg in the same spot there were great white sharks 1 day prior!
9. The most embarassing moment of my life was when I peed on stage during a performance at Vanier Hall in front of 300+ people! And the crazy thing was no one knew!!!!
10. I love love love being part of a church family, not a congregation, but a family. I have never felt community or love like that anywhere & I'm really grateful for it!

I tag:
Steph (because her posts crack me up)
Tamara (she will put something creepy)

for tagging rules : http://www.plastiquedolly.blogspot.com/

My Art/Photgraphy/Music Room

I love storage, so this room will have lots of it. I would love to have it divided into sections, like one corner: Painting. Another: Music. And Another: Photography. I love the idea of having a attic/loft style. I like simple decoration like a jar of branches or a piece of art. There would be no color scheme & probably have only one wall of color or a wall of art like in pic #2. I like that the decoration will be art & photos. I want a huge table in the center of the room for art/craft get togethers!! The last 3 pictures are just great art storage ideas.