I was sent this quote by a friend and thought that it was definitely worth sharing with you all.
When Jesus takes your hand, He keeps you tight. When Jesus keeps you tight, He leads you through your whole life. When Jesus leads you through your life, He brings you safely home.
Corrie Ten Boom
Friday, August 31, 2007
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
When Life Is Confusing
"When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don't throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer."
Corrie Ten Boom
Corrie Ten Boom
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Drop A Pebble In The Water
Drop a pebble in the water; just a splash, and it is gone;
But there's half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on,
Spreading, spreading from the center, flowing on out to the sea.
And there is no way of telling where the end is going to be.
Drop a pebble in the water; in a minute you forget,
But there's little waves a-flowing, and there's ripples circling yet,
And those little waves a-flowing to a great big wave have grown;
You've disturbed a mighty river just by dropping in a stone.
Drop an unkind word, or careless: in a minute it is gone;
But there's half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on.
They keep spreading, spreading, spreading from the center as they go,
And there is no way to stop them, once you've started them to flow.
Drop an unkind word, or careless: in a minute you forget;
But there's little waves a-flowing, and there's ripples circling yet,
And perhaps in some sad heart a mighty wave of tears you've stirred,
And disturbed a life was happy ere you dropped that unkind word.
Drop a word of cheer and kindness: just a flash and it is gone;
But there's half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on,
Bearing hope and joy and comfort on each splashing, dashing wave
Til you wouldn't believe the volume of the one kind word you gave.
But there's half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on,
Spreading, spreading from the center, flowing on out to the sea.
And there is no way of telling where the end is going to be.
Drop a pebble in the water; in a minute you forget,
But there's little waves a-flowing, and there's ripples circling yet,
And those little waves a-flowing to a great big wave have grown;
You've disturbed a mighty river just by dropping in a stone.
Drop an unkind word, or careless: in a minute it is gone;
But there's half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on.
They keep spreading, spreading, spreading from the center as they go,
And there is no way to stop them, once you've started them to flow.
Drop an unkind word, or careless: in a minute you forget;
But there's little waves a-flowing, and there's ripples circling yet,
And perhaps in some sad heart a mighty wave of tears you've stirred,
And disturbed a life was happy ere you dropped that unkind word.
Drop a word of cheer and kindness: just a flash and it is gone;
But there's half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on,
Bearing hope and joy and comfort on each splashing, dashing wave
Til you wouldn't believe the volume of the one kind word you gave.
Drop a word of cheer and kindness: in a minute you forget;
But there's gladness still a-swelling, and there's joy a-circling yet,
And you've rolled a wave of comfort whose sweet music can be heard
Over miles and miles of water just by dropping one kind word.
James W. Foley
But there's gladness still a-swelling, and there's joy a-circling yet,
And you've rolled a wave of comfort whose sweet music can be heard
Over miles and miles of water just by dropping one kind word.
James W. Foley
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
A Perfect Picnic
It was a perfect summer day. There was a nice breeze. We had a day's vacation. We went for a picnic.
Picnics are such fun. Just lying in the grass; staring up at the blue sky through the branches of the tree; feeling the breeze stirring your hair; the warmth of the sun on your arms. Just lying around and being lazy and doing nothing except eat.
That was what struck me - we were just sitting there eating. The total aim and purpose of this trip was to eat. We went to all that effort to get together food, pack up the car, head out on the road, find some nice grass and share our space with the bugs and what were we doing? Eating. I decided to voice my thoughts.
"Does it strike anyone that we're just sitting here eating?"
My sister viewed me consideringly, head on one side.
"Well, you are just sitting there stuffing your face."
Sisters are so wonderfully blunt sometimes. She hastened to assure me that she didn't mean 'you' as in 'you', just 'you' as in 'one'. Problem is, I was just sitting there stuffing my face. I wouldn't have chosen to phrase it that way if I had been left to pick the terminology myself, but beat around the bush however much you like, when it comes down to the basic facts, that was what I was doing.
That picnic was so much fun. We were really silly and laughed until we nearly choked; we made a lot of noise and made people stare at us; we lay around in the grass and just talked (and ate). We enjoyed the sun and the grass, the laughter and time with each other.
Life isn't perfect, but it has its perfect moments.
That picnic was definitely one of those perfect moments.
Picnics are such fun. Just lying in the grass; staring up at the blue sky through the branches of the tree; feeling the breeze stirring your hair; the warmth of the sun on your arms. Just lying around and being lazy and doing nothing except eat.
That was what struck me - we were just sitting there eating. The total aim and purpose of this trip was to eat. We went to all that effort to get together food, pack up the car, head out on the road, find some nice grass and share our space with the bugs and what were we doing? Eating. I decided to voice my thoughts.
"Does it strike anyone that we're just sitting here eating?"
My sister viewed me consideringly, head on one side.
"Well, you are just sitting there stuffing your face."
Sisters are so wonderfully blunt sometimes. She hastened to assure me that she didn't mean 'you' as in 'you', just 'you' as in 'one'. Problem is, I was just sitting there stuffing my face. I wouldn't have chosen to phrase it that way if I had been left to pick the terminology myself, but beat around the bush however much you like, when it comes down to the basic facts, that was what I was doing.
That picnic was so much fun. We were really silly and laughed until we nearly choked; we made a lot of noise and made people stare at us; we lay around in the grass and just talked (and ate). We enjoyed the sun and the grass, the laughter and time with each other.
Life isn't perfect, but it has its perfect moments.
That picnic was definitely one of those perfect moments.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Home Again
I've been away for a few days, visiting a friend and having a wonderful time. Spending time with friends is special and I was made to feel very welcome, but there is nothing quite like coming home again.
As I got out of the car my sister was waiting for me on the doorstep and as soon as I reached the door she gave me a massive hug and said how glad she was that I was home again. I walked into the kitchen and got another big hug.
After I had chatted in the kitchen for a bit I went upstairs to my room and found a freshly-made bed, a vacuumed floor and a vase of flowers from the garden sitting on my dresser.
Sitting round the table at supper I sat back and listening to everyone talking at once and trying to tell all the news from the past couple of days in 3 minutes maximum.
A little later my sisters and I all squashed on the couch together to watch a movie. We talked to the characters on the screen when they did something particularly stupid and we kept a running commentary going throughout most of the movie.
The noise getting ready for bed was typical - people running up and down stairs; the bathroom door banging open and shut; laughing over teeth-brushing; the chatter that continues through mouthfuls of toothpaste, the shut bathroom door, pyjama tops as they are put over heads and is then raised a couple of levels as the last few comments are shouted from one bedroom to the next and then the creaking of beds as everyone settles down.
I had such an amazing time with my friend, but it was good to be home again.
As I got out of the car my sister was waiting for me on the doorstep and as soon as I reached the door she gave me a massive hug and said how glad she was that I was home again. I walked into the kitchen and got another big hug.
After I had chatted in the kitchen for a bit I went upstairs to my room and found a freshly-made bed, a vacuumed floor and a vase of flowers from the garden sitting on my dresser.
Sitting round the table at supper I sat back and listening to everyone talking at once and trying to tell all the news from the past couple of days in 3 minutes maximum.
A little later my sisters and I all squashed on the couch together to watch a movie. We talked to the characters on the screen when they did something particularly stupid and we kept a running commentary going throughout most of the movie.
The noise getting ready for bed was typical - people running up and down stairs; the bathroom door banging open and shut; laughing over teeth-brushing; the chatter that continues through mouthfuls of toothpaste, the shut bathroom door, pyjama tops as they are put over heads and is then raised a couple of levels as the last few comments are shouted from one bedroom to the next and then the creaking of beds as everyone settles down.
I had such an amazing time with my friend, but it was good to be home again.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
God Is In Control
It all started a few months back. Some old friends were going through a touch time with illness in the family. Their daughter had cancer in her leg and there was chemotherapy and surgery, then more chemotherapy. Two close friends were both struggling and just needed a listening ear and support.
Our closet family friends announced a few weeks ago that they were thinking of moving - countries, not just across town. It felt like an important and stable anchor in life was being ripped up. Then I heard that a lady who was almost like a surrogate aunt-come-grandmother to me had cancer. An operation should fix the problem. A lot of effort has been put into gifts, cards and notes to show support.
This week, life started to crumble and this morning it caved-in. Our friends are definitely moving - maybe in just a few weeks. Then this morning we had an e-mail. Our old friends with an ill daughter had not got good news. Worst of all, although things were still looking good with the lady with cancer, her husband had just been diagnosed with an aggressive form of a pretty nasty cancer.
I felt like I was sinking. What exactly was going on here? Why was all of this happening? And why to all these people? I wondered around in a daze, showering and getting dressed auotmaticaly as I tried to grasp why all of this was happening - and why all at once. I couldn't cope with all of this right then and how on earth was I meant to be able to stretch myself out and help all of these different people? Why did stuff like this have to happen to such nice people? Where they going to die? Why wasn't God stopping this? Why?
I didn't have the answers this morning and I don't have them now. I still feel like I'm wondering around surrounded by a cloud. All the thinking and the emotions have made me exhausted - what must it be like for our friends who are going through all of this right now?
God is in control. He knows what He's doing and why all of this is happening. It doesn't feel like it. It doesn't look like it. How am I supposed to feel that everything - including all of this - is in God's control?
I don't think I am. I think that God understands. He knows how difficult it is to trust Him sometimes. He knows that sometimes it is impossible to feel like God is in control.
What I have to do is believe that God is in control. We are told in the Bible that everything is in God's control, so that is the way it is. No argument. That fact is what we have to hold on to. Take the truth and hold onto it. Believe that God's word is true and even though you don't feel that God is in control, know that God is in control. Sometimes we can only get as far as the cold, light-of-day head-knowledge. God is merciful and compassionate and I believe He takes that cold, light-of-day head-knowledge and He takes care of the rest.
Right now, whether or not I feel it, the truth is there to be taken firm hold of - God is in control.
Our closet family friends announced a few weeks ago that they were thinking of moving - countries, not just across town. It felt like an important and stable anchor in life was being ripped up. Then I heard that a lady who was almost like a surrogate aunt-come-grandmother to me had cancer. An operation should fix the problem. A lot of effort has been put into gifts, cards and notes to show support.
This week, life started to crumble and this morning it caved-in. Our friends are definitely moving - maybe in just a few weeks. Then this morning we had an e-mail. Our old friends with an ill daughter had not got good news. Worst of all, although things were still looking good with the lady with cancer, her husband had just been diagnosed with an aggressive form of a pretty nasty cancer.
I felt like I was sinking. What exactly was going on here? Why was all of this happening? And why to all these people? I wondered around in a daze, showering and getting dressed auotmaticaly as I tried to grasp why all of this was happening - and why all at once. I couldn't cope with all of this right then and how on earth was I meant to be able to stretch myself out and help all of these different people? Why did stuff like this have to happen to such nice people? Where they going to die? Why wasn't God stopping this? Why?
I didn't have the answers this morning and I don't have them now. I still feel like I'm wondering around surrounded by a cloud. All the thinking and the emotions have made me exhausted - what must it be like for our friends who are going through all of this right now?
God is in control. He knows what He's doing and why all of this is happening. It doesn't feel like it. It doesn't look like it. How am I supposed to feel that everything - including all of this - is in God's control?
I don't think I am. I think that God understands. He knows how difficult it is to trust Him sometimes. He knows that sometimes it is impossible to feel like God is in control.
What I have to do is believe that God is in control. We are told in the Bible that everything is in God's control, so that is the way it is. No argument. That fact is what we have to hold on to. Take the truth and hold onto it. Believe that God's word is true and even though you don't feel that God is in control, know that God is in control. Sometimes we can only get as far as the cold, light-of-day head-knowledge. God is merciful and compassionate and I believe He takes that cold, light-of-day head-knowledge and He takes care of the rest.
Right now, whether or not I feel it, the truth is there to be taken firm hold of - God is in control.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Pink Satin And Perfect Little Bags
I've got all excited about the birthday present I'm making for my sister! My sister has a Kirsten American Girl Doll and I decided to make her a really pretty ball dress for the doll.
Whenever I get to a fabric store I am always overwhelmed by all the fabric - so many different patterns and colors to choose from and each piece of fabric just begs you to take it off of the shelf and give your inspiration free-reign. Another thing I like about fabric stores is the strange sort of quiet, even when people are talking and the tantalising smell of new fabric. I love going up to the bolts of fabric, rubbing it between my fingers and feeling that crisp, slightly rough feel that you only get from pre-washed fabric.
I wondered around, looking at all the different fabric, checking out the sales, matching up possible colors and trying to imagine what the finished dress would look like. I tried to pick out something that my sister would love to wear to a party herself, or the kind of dress she says she would wear to a ball.
Eventually I chose out some shinny pink satin - just the right color. Next I needed something for the over-skirt - definitely filmy and see-through. A white organza with little white flowers embroidered on it and a scalloped edge was most certainly the perfect match. Next I needed some lace, ribbon for the trimming and some little rosette flowers to hold up the gathers on the over-skirt. A delicate purpley-blue coordinated wonderfully with the pink of the dress and at last I found both rosettes and ribbon in almost the same color. In the end I found some lace which would go quite nicely and the last thing I needed was some ribbon to tie in the doll's hair. I know that the pink, gauzy, shimmery ribbon I found will fill my sister's heart with delight.
The perfect touch came when I found these little bags in the wedding department. They are made out of the same kind of gauzy fabric as the over-skirt and have little ribbons to draw the bag closed at the top. They came in three colors: blue, white and a pink that perfectly matches the pink of the satin. I could hardly believe my eyes! They are the perfect size to look like the little bags they have in the Jane Austen movies and I can't wait to see my sister's face when she sees the two little bags - one white and one pink.
Now I need to set to work to cut out the fabric and sew the dress. I hope that the finished dress will be all that I'm hoping it will be. I think the hard work will all be worth it if I see the stars of wonder and delight that I'm hoping to see in my sister's eyes!
Whenever I get to a fabric store I am always overwhelmed by all the fabric - so many different patterns and colors to choose from and each piece of fabric just begs you to take it off of the shelf and give your inspiration free-reign. Another thing I like about fabric stores is the strange sort of quiet, even when people are talking and the tantalising smell of new fabric. I love going up to the bolts of fabric, rubbing it between my fingers and feeling that crisp, slightly rough feel that you only get from pre-washed fabric.
I wondered around, looking at all the different fabric, checking out the sales, matching up possible colors and trying to imagine what the finished dress would look like. I tried to pick out something that my sister would love to wear to a party herself, or the kind of dress she says she would wear to a ball.
Eventually I chose out some shinny pink satin - just the right color. Next I needed something for the over-skirt - definitely filmy and see-through. A white organza with little white flowers embroidered on it and a scalloped edge was most certainly the perfect match. Next I needed some lace, ribbon for the trimming and some little rosette flowers to hold up the gathers on the over-skirt. A delicate purpley-blue coordinated wonderfully with the pink of the dress and at last I found both rosettes and ribbon in almost the same color. In the end I found some lace which would go quite nicely and the last thing I needed was some ribbon to tie in the doll's hair. I know that the pink, gauzy, shimmery ribbon I found will fill my sister's heart with delight.
The perfect touch came when I found these little bags in the wedding department. They are made out of the same kind of gauzy fabric as the over-skirt and have little ribbons to draw the bag closed at the top. They came in three colors: blue, white and a pink that perfectly matches the pink of the satin. I could hardly believe my eyes! They are the perfect size to look like the little bags they have in the Jane Austen movies and I can't wait to see my sister's face when she sees the two little bags - one white and one pink.
Now I need to set to work to cut out the fabric and sew the dress. I hope that the finished dress will be all that I'm hoping it will be. I think the hard work will all be worth it if I see the stars of wonder and delight that I'm hoping to see in my sister's eyes!
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
His Strength
This week I am helping out as a counselor at the day-camp my church runs for a week every summer. For the past couple of weeks there have been meetings to attend, lessons to prepare and a lot of cutting and painting to do as we transformed our space into a treasure-island. I also had to search through my closet looking for clothes that could make me look like a pirate.
On Monday morning we launched into a mad time of songs, games, lessons, crafts, drinks, more games, more songs and the best bit of all - when one of the counsellors gets 'gunged'! It is an amazing opportunity to teach lots of children about Jesus and all that He has done for us. Many of the children have never been to church and this is the first time they are hearing about God.
The question always seems to be, who's having the most fun - the children or us counsellors? The whole week is the greatest fun and I really think that the counsellors have just as much fun as the children.
The problem is, it is totally exhausting. Everyone puts a lot of time and energy in to each of the children and moving them around and doing the lessons and joining in with the games. Also, there is the not-so-little question of keeping all the children going in the same direction, picking up lagers for every activity and making sure that they don't get left out, keeping our area clean and tidy, getting the children involved in the lesson and answering the questions and a new one for me - stopping the fights that break out. This last one has been especially tiring. For some reason I seem to have ended up with an unusually high percentage of difficult and disruptive children. Trying to keep the balance between discipline, order and control, and fun, encouraging and interested is proving to be a lot harder then I would ever have imagined.
Today I became totally stressed out and all I wanted to do was come home and cry. I was totally exhausted and I felt as if I would never be able to ring another drop of energy from my weary body. Worse still, everyone else could see it too. I was wondering if I would ever be able to be nice to another child again.
I was totally convinced that I would not be able to get through another day. At last I managed to work out a strategy for dealing with the slightly more challenging children. Maybe I could make myself be nice to everyone and with a bit of hard work I would be able to get through all that needed to be done with a smile on my face.
Hang on, what about God? Where does He come into it? What is He doing all this time? What exactly is the real reason we are doing this camp?
I have become so stressed and tired that I had totally forgotten to ask God to be there with us through our time, to show Himself to the children through our lessons and to be with me as I'm trying to cope with the demands of the day. Maybe if I asked God to give me the strength I need, I might find myself relying on Him to get me through, rather than worrying about how I am going to manage.
What a revolutionary idea. Duh.
Tomorrow I am going am going to be trying my hardest to rely on God's strength, not my own; to ask Him, rather then worrying; to rely on His faithfulness rather then trying to do something that is beyond my capabilities. Putting my reliance and trust where it belongs will put the right perspective on all that is going on.
I am hoping - and praying! - that tomorrow will be a less stressful and tiring day for me and a more enjoyable and constructive day for the children. Tomorrow, with the help of a new day, a refreshed attitude and an all-powerful and ever-faithful God, the children and I can both have fun together.
On Monday morning we launched into a mad time of songs, games, lessons, crafts, drinks, more games, more songs and the best bit of all - when one of the counsellors gets 'gunged'! It is an amazing opportunity to teach lots of children about Jesus and all that He has done for us. Many of the children have never been to church and this is the first time they are hearing about God.
The question always seems to be, who's having the most fun - the children or us counsellors? The whole week is the greatest fun and I really think that the counsellors have just as much fun as the children.
The problem is, it is totally exhausting. Everyone puts a lot of time and energy in to each of the children and moving them around and doing the lessons and joining in with the games. Also, there is the not-so-little question of keeping all the children going in the same direction, picking up lagers for every activity and making sure that they don't get left out, keeping our area clean and tidy, getting the children involved in the lesson and answering the questions and a new one for me - stopping the fights that break out. This last one has been especially tiring. For some reason I seem to have ended up with an unusually high percentage of difficult and disruptive children. Trying to keep the balance between discipline, order and control, and fun, encouraging and interested is proving to be a lot harder then I would ever have imagined.
Today I became totally stressed out and all I wanted to do was come home and cry. I was totally exhausted and I felt as if I would never be able to ring another drop of energy from my weary body. Worse still, everyone else could see it too. I was wondering if I would ever be able to be nice to another child again.
I was totally convinced that I would not be able to get through another day. At last I managed to work out a strategy for dealing with the slightly more challenging children. Maybe I could make myself be nice to everyone and with a bit of hard work I would be able to get through all that needed to be done with a smile on my face.
Hang on, what about God? Where does He come into it? What is He doing all this time? What exactly is the real reason we are doing this camp?
I have become so stressed and tired that I had totally forgotten to ask God to be there with us through our time, to show Himself to the children through our lessons and to be with me as I'm trying to cope with the demands of the day. Maybe if I asked God to give me the strength I need, I might find myself relying on Him to get me through, rather than worrying about how I am going to manage.
What a revolutionary idea. Duh.
Tomorrow I am going am going to be trying my hardest to rely on God's strength, not my own; to ask Him, rather then worrying; to rely on His faithfulness rather then trying to do something that is beyond my capabilities. Putting my reliance and trust where it belongs will put the right perspective on all that is going on.
I am hoping - and praying! - that tomorrow will be a less stressful and tiring day for me and a more enjoyable and constructive day for the children. Tomorrow, with the help of a new day, a refreshed attitude and an all-powerful and ever-faithful God, the children and I can both have fun together.
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