Look what we're missing!

God & me day

Fall has arrived and along with beautiful colors and cooler temperatures, it brings back our crazy schedule. Doug is gone more than he's home and this year I'm almost as bad. As I write this, I'm in a hotel room yet again. Thursday I was home and had carved out the day to spend with God, my Bible, journal and study guide by Anne Graham Lotz http://www.annegrahamlotz.com called "I Saw the Lord". It's her newest out and focuses on some Bible characters and their quest for what she calls personal revival. Great stuff! I chose Nehemiah to look at in depth. I've been using Anne's study questions for all my Bible study lately. They are: What are the facts of the passage? What are the lessons to be learned? What is God saying to me? What am I going to do about it? Anyhow, back to Nehemiah....here's a few stand out things I was reminded of again.

1. Burden is the first step to vision.
2. Prayer for us is to learn God's burden for the situation. The greater the challenge the greater the prayer.
3. "Just do it" from the old Nike ad - even when the way is full of hard things.

It was great to revisit and recommit to my own personal vision/purpose of coming alongside women's ministry leaders and pastor's wives to love them, listen to them, encourage them, equip them and empower them to be and do all God wants for them. It's been a tough number of months in one of my roles, so this recommitment to my vision was good.

I also commited to carving out regular "God & me" days and wrote them on my calendar - even in the middle of our crazy schedule.

And like Nehemiah, I'm going to "just do it" - no matter the cost!

These "God & me" times are always great for realignment with Him.

Are we making a difference?

Maybe twice a month, when Doug's not home yet, I'll catch a few minutes of Oprah as I'm getting supper ready. I couldn't believe my ears today as she was talking about women and erotica -the new word for pornography and open marriages - couples that agree to have multiple partners. Oprah seemed to pride herself in being open minded about these "new approaches" to women's sexuality. Of course she had "specialists" on to support these 'new' ideas. I think it was something I was supposed to see as I've been contemplating the role of women's ministries in the lives of average Canadian women. Hopefully women using 'erotica' and open marriages are not the average, but nevertheless they are happening with the encouragement of influencers to be open minded to this unbiblical and unhealthy way of living. As women's leaders, are we aware of what's being touted as normal and good in our world? How much are the women in our churches being influenced by this? Are the women in our churches being equipped to not only make godly choices for themselves, but also to influence their own corner of the world by lovingly living out the reality of their faith? How do we respond to this tolerant behaviour? Are women's minstries really making a difference? I sure don't have all the answers, but we HAVE to be asking ourselves these questions!

Reflections on a treadmill

I've been wanting to increase my workout on my treadmill, but haven't figured out how to add more time on it in my already full days. So, I've been increasing the incline, making for a harder workout, if not longer. Some days the time speeds by as I'm deep in thought problem solving or thinking about what's ahead in my day. Other days my legs feel like lead and each minute seems to crawl by. On those days what helps - I'm slowly discovering - is not to focus on how slowly the time is moving ahead on my read out or how tired my body feels, but to think about what I'm accomplishing, keeping my goal in sight of better health and more energy.
This morning around mile 1, I reflected that this whole thing is lots like running the race of life and then sure enough the message at church today was keeping our focus on the "God who is bigger" rather than on the tough things we're facing. If my eyes are on God and the work he's accomplishing in my character, then my focus is not so much on the gorry details of the tough things. Maybe I'll inch that incline up even higher tomorrow!

Anita Renfroe

We bought a new resource for women's ministries at work and it arrived 2 days ago. Heather and I previewed it yesterday and laughed ourselves silly! She does a number of routines on motherhood on this particular DVD. Everything from prenatal visits, to delivery to nursing. I'll be checking out the other DVD's she has available.http://anitarenfroe.com/

Psalm 42

The last 2 days have been full of challenges! Things aren't going how I'd like them to go with some of my ministry. However, I'm so glad that God has been faithfully giving me what I need from his word to make it through these days. I feel like David is reminding himself, in spite of his unpleasant circumstances, to focus on God. He's boiled it down to a choice - either focus on the tough stuff or focus on the God who can get you through the tough stuff! I choose to focus on God!

"Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God."

Ontario Happenings

We've been in Burlington, Ontario since Wednesday. I went to Grade 13 here and was married when our family lived here, so it's lots like coming home, even though we've been gone from here for many years. Doug's family lives here and in the area still. We'll be enjoying lunch with them all tomorrow before we fly home. Here's the house we lived in when I was married and here's my high school - Grade 13.

Doug was in DS meetings from Wednesday evening until yesterday. The other DS wives joined everyone yesterday. I spent the day yesterday with 2 of my District Directors and today all the DS's and most of the wives travelled to Niagara Falls, Niagara on the Lake and then up to Milton where Central's DS - Ron Bonar - lives for supper and the evening. It was a day well spent, since we told lots of stories, laughed lots and got to know each other better - the women at least. Of course, the men all know each other well. Lise Pearson - from Quebec - did not join us as they're still settling their children into life in Montreal. Jennifer Bonar didn't join us until we returned to their lovely home tonight.

We rode the Funicular up the escarpment from the Falls to have lunch in the Keg in the huge Embassy Hotel - it had a spectacular view of the Niagara River and Falls.

Niagara on the Lake was as beautiful as ever, but I didn't take pictures. We stopped for coffee and peach pie on main street.

A Sad Goodbye

We said goodbye to our son, wife and grandson today. They've been at Shay's home until now and left tonight for home. It was sad saying goodbye to Jaxton - he's changed this week already! We're not sure when we'll get to see him again.

Telephone Day and other things

I can't believe where the day has gone! I spent pretty much the whole day on the phone, but it was at least productive. God was evident in all of them. One call has been long awaited for and reminds me that God is at work even when we don't see the immediate evidence - something I know, but am not always good at applying.
One of my calls was with my coach. We've been developing a great relationship via our weekly phone calls. For someone who I've never met in person, I'd say she knows a whole lot more about me than most. I'm so grateful God has placed her in my life and look forward to our on going friendship and the learning I do through her. The whole coaching thing came about as a prerequisite for my own coaching training that I've now completed. I know this whole coaching thing is a bit of a buzz word right now, but when you connect with the right person, it's very worthwhile. Once again it proves that God knows what I need better than I do!

Renewing old friendships

We had a great time yesterday renewing our friendship with Bruce McLeod and 2 of his kids, Grant and Matthew. Bruce and Lori are in the process of moving back to Regina, after 5 years away in Brandon, MB and Listowel, ON. Bruce has been transferred back to Regina with Farm Credit Corporation. Lori and I have known each other since we were teenagers. Then, when we pastored in Kingston, ON in the 80's she, along with hubby Bruce and baby Hope moved to Kingston and attended our church. We've kept in touch through the years with many visits to their home in Regina and our yearly rendezvous at Manitoba's Family Camp.
They have a home just minutes away from ours, so we're looking forward to good times with them.

Rivalry in the house!

Aaron loves the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Shay loves the Saskatchewan Roughriders! That meant this last Sunday's football game was interesting in our house. 5 actually went to the game. (Gramma got to stay home and babysit Jaxton!) We had a consolation/celebration barbeque that night! Notice the jersey on Jaxton - a signed one from Matt Domingas no less. Shay teaches the son of someone - can't remember the name who is involved in football somehow that is friends with Eric Tillman, so thus the jersey.

Our Kids Treat

As I've told you earlier on my blog, we celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary in August. Our kids surprised us this weekend by shooing us out of the kitchen, cooking supper for us and then putting on a "program" for us which included a funny video Aaron created about the 2 of us; a song written and performed by Karmyn and Brock about us; and a great acrostic and game put together by Lauryl and Tyler that we had much fun with. We felt honored and loved and stuffed by the end of the evening. They also gave us the set of Planet Earth DVD's which we've enjoyed off and on all weekend.

Office baby shower

Our dear office staff put on a great baby shower for Jaxton - it was so thoughtful of them. He received some great gifts. Jaxton's Aunt Karmyn painted the picture for his nursery.

A Mother's Delight!

It's been a whirlwind of fun with all our kids and their spouses home and of course our sweet grandson. We arrived back in Regina on Thursday and the rest of the gang came the next day. Of course, Jaxton was the main source of entertainment. How can a 9 lb little boy keep 8 adults occupied and entertained? Except between midnite and 8 a.m. I don't think he was left unheld for a minute! We also managed our family badminton tournament with Aaron and Shay champions for this go round.

I'm having computer trouble these days, so check back for more pics soon.