Penetrating the Darkness

When I was younger, I remember our family doing a variety of things on Halloween night.  I remember my Dad driving us from acreage to acreage when we lived in the North as it was already too cold and trudging through a few snow banks in our Clown-Around Family costumes would be difficult.  I also remember going to our Baptist Church in Hay River, dressed up as a Biblical character to have fun together with other like minded friends and families.  As we got older and we were often traveling, I remember my Mom and Dad taking us to the local convenience store in the town we were in, giving us a loonie, and then letting us choose the treat we'd like to enjoy.  Halloween night was also a time for our family to go and enjoy a movie together at a theatre so that we weren't at home.

As I remembered this morning what I had done as a child, it was very timely that my Mom sent me some links to my inbox to ponder:

In his book Celebration of Discipline, Richard Foster says, "Why allow Halloween to be a pagan holiday in commemoration of the powers of darkness? Fill the house or church with light; sing and celebrate the victory of Christ over darkness."

John Piper's thoughts were also well spoken:

As we embark on this parenting journey, Marco and I ask ourselves how our family will be salt and light.  How about you?  What "traditions" or family boundaries do you have for this day?  In what ways are you filling your house with Light?

After Dinner...

Marco and I just finished eating supper. For some reason I was really looking forward to tonight even though we try really hard to make eating together a part of our normal routine. Over the last month, life has been extremely busy with "more"...more meetings after school, more errands to run, more jobs to do, more lists to keep track of, more late nights.... After another busy day and with those other things in the back of my mind I was looking forward to sharing my day with Marco. He is such a good listener. Tonight while we ate supper at the island I often got excited about teaching and kids and he patiently and intently listened about my day.

Here are some of the highlights :):
* At 8:30 I took my Grade 2 class to gym. They were really excited to play tag games and floor hockey early this morning.
* For the rest of the morning, we wrote Dr. Seuss-like stories. Even if you are not a kid you should visit www.seussville.com. It's a lot of fun!
* After recess, I spent 20 minutes sorting out a bullying issue that happened on the playground because it was more important than doing math.
* Shortly after 2:30, I had a boy take a huge nose-dive on the classroom floor. There were lots of tears and blood. After doing the basic first aid, we took a little walk to the office.
* When I came back to the classroom, no one was focused so we had some free time at the end of the day :).

Blessed Be Your Name

Blessed be Your name in the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name
And blessed be Your name when I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be your name

Every blessing you pour out I'll turn back to praise
And when the darkness closes in, Lord, still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name when the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name
And blessed be Your name on the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

Thinking Thursday

In my Grade 2 class, I try and make each day special. We start off our day by reading a morning message that I've written to them. If I was at school today it would be "Thinking Thursday". I decided to call a sub this morning at 6:30 am. It has been a heavy week and I felt I needed the time at home to spend time praying and collecting my thoughts. Here are some things I've been thinking about and praising God for:
1. the Sovereignty of God...that He is in control of all things despite our flaws
2. for God's faithfulness and grace that is new every morning
3. a husband who loves God and serves Him
4. family and friends who love, support, encourage, and keep me accountable
5. a question I'm thinking about: What does it really mean to be vulnerable, real, and genuine with those around you?

I don't usually like sending out forwards. However, like a friend wrote "This one was time well spent!" Here is the link to both the article and the video. Read the article first! http://cjcphoto.com/can/
Blessings,
Kristin

1 Corinthians 13 (The Message)

The Way of Love

1If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.

2If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing.

3If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.

4Love never gives up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
5Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
6Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
7Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.
8Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit.

9We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete.
10But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled.
11When I was an infant at my mother's breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good.
12We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!
13But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Roads by Jean Little

Some people walk on straight roads
And see to both ends
--But my road dips and loops and swoops
And crooks and bends.

I've heard some people tell the world
That they know where they're going
But that's a thing I couldn't stand:
Always knowing!

Come Thou Long-Expected Jesusby: Charles Wesley/Rowland H. Prichard

Come, Thou long-expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free
From our fears and sins release us
Let us find our rest in Thee

Israel's strength and consolation
Hope of all the earth Thou art
Dear desire of every nation
Joy of ev'ry longing heart

Born Thy people to deliver
Born a child, and yet a King
Born to reign in us forever
Now Thy gracious Kingdom bring
By Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone
By Thine all sufficient merit
Raise us to Thy glorious throne
Israel's strength and consolation
Hope of all the earth Thou art
Dear desire of every nation
Joy of ev'ry longing heart

Come Jesus Come

My Favourite Things

Yesterday afternoon I watched Oprah to see what made her list of favourite things. She talked about her favourite clothes, shoes, accessories, cosmetics, food, electronic gadgets, etc. for the year and then gave each favourite thing away to every audience member. At first I was really happy for the deserving men and women in her audience; they were all relief workers for Hurricane Katrina. But after a while I started to feel jealous, greedy, and selfish. When is Oprah going to invite me to be a part of her audience so she can give me her favourites? Thank-you Father for forgiving me when I focus too much on my self and for showing me how blessed I truly am!

After reading another blog I started thinking about my favourite things...the simple things I enjoy, the meaningful things, the things that last, the things that are of eternal value. Here is my list:

* The amazing love and grace of God--it is unchanging, unfailing, and unending
* The blessing of my husband Marco--I love you!
* My family near and far
* Close friends that you can be honest and "real" with
* Towels and sheets that have dried outside in the sun
* Hearing rain fall on a tin roof
* Walking through the river valley when the leaves are changing colour
* Waking up to fresh snow on the ground

* Seeing the first patch of green grass or red tulip after winter
* Walking by the window and seeing the most beautiful sunset
* Shopping with a latte from Starbucks
* Taking good pictures with my camera
* Watching the Amazing Race, Lost, and CSI on the couch with my husband, maybe with a bowl of popcorn
* Lighting candles after supper
* The smell of a clean house
* An unprovoked hug and "I love you" from a child

* Hearing a child laugh--the kind that is way down deep and makes you laugh too
* Being a "kid magnet" on the playground

Well, I think I'm going to stop here. What are your favourite things?