Happy New Year

A new year...a time for new hopes, new dreams, and new memories. A time to choose to live each day with purpose. Don't waste the precious gift of each day!


Blessings and joy to you in 2012!!  

Stop and Think

This is a great way to spend 15 minutes, listening to Francis Chan!  It's much better if you put it on full screen, instead of just watching the little video.



Stop & Think from Stop & Think on Vimeo.

When Love was born - sung by Mark Schultz

Merry Christmas!

Take time out of the busyness the next couple days to set your heart on Jesus, worship Him, thank God for His gift to you.  Merry Christmas!  

He Came to Get Messy

Need some focus for  your heart this Christmas?  Watch this video.  


Do you ever feel that God is nowhere near and can’t understand your pain? Over 2000 years ago, Jesus, God’s Son, came into the world, not as royalty but as a baby born in a stable full of muck and animals. In this video Tommy reminds us with powerful imagery of the sacrifice that Jesus made by humbling himself to become one of us. It was a dirty job and he didn’t have to do it…but the world is changed because he did.

The Heart of Christmas

The world's in a hurry this December
City streets and shopping malls
I wish we could slow down and remember
The meaning of it all
Wherever you are, no matter how far
Come back to the heart, the heart of Christmas
Live while you can, cherish the moment
The ones that you love, make sure they know it
Don't miss it, the heart of Christmas

How Many Kings?

This is my focus for the week.

Manito Park Lights

If you live in the Spokane area, and you enjoy Christmas lights, I recommend a trip to Manito Park this weekend.  My husband and I took in the lights at the conservatory, and it was so beautiful!  Of course, I love visiting here year round, so this was an extra treat!  The conservatory is staying open later this week, through the 18th, until around 7 pm, I believe.  Beginning the 19th, they go back to regular hours, closing at 3:30.  So, if you want to enjoy the lights once darkness falls upon the plants, plan a trip this weekend!  

A Drive Down Memory Lane

I literally took a drive down memory lane this week.  My husband and I were up at Western Pleasures Guest Ranch, where I enjoyed a wonderful sleigh ride, and getting to see old friends.  On our way home, my husband took a drive through the Selle area.  As I drove by homes, I would tell my husband who lives, or used to live in those places, when I was a kid.  I had memories of 4-H meetings, and family friends.  I remembered where some close friends lived where we would go sledding, snowmobiling, and cross country skiing in the winter, long before some of the houses that are now there appeared.  We had a great time being kids.  I had tears roll down my cheek as we drove by my adopted grandparents home.  They have both been gone for several years now, but the memories flashed through my mind, much like a powerpoint presentation of my childhood and early adulthood.  


I told my husband I miss the comfort that was along that road, the people I knew as I grew up.  I know that times have changed now, and that many of the people I once knew who filled the homes along that road are no longer on this earth.  Others have moved on, as I have, to a different area.  Some of the homes are still filled with the same wonderful people.  Although I didn't grow up directly in the Selle Valley, it was like home with all the great people I knew in that area.  


It seems our world has changed, and not for the better in that area.  There are very few areas where we can drive down a long stretch of road, and know anyone, and if we do know of someone who lives in a home, we probably don't really know them too well.  Our world has become too reliant on social media and texting, and we have forgotten how to really connect and communicate, to build a community where people know each other and feel safe, where we know each others needs, and help one another out when needed, and where memories of childhood are abundant and our hearts are filled to the brim with love.  


I challenge you, as I do myself, to work on building a community like that where you live.  Make checking on actual people, face to face, more important than checking your facebook.  Help the kids in your home, or in your neighborhood, have a lifetime of wonderful memories when they think back to their childhood.  Make a connection, make a difference, reach out to one another.  


I am thankful for the drive down memory lane yesterday.  I hold dear and cherish the memories that flooded my mind.  I am thankful for those who invested in my life outside of my home, whether it was a friend's parents, my adopted grandparents, a teacher, or a 4-H or youth leader.  Each left heart prints on my life, each made a difference.  

God, Be My Guide

Yes, Lord!  Thank You!

Mr. Mall Clause Could Learn a Lesson From an 8 Year Old

The other day, I was with my mom and nieces at one of the malls in our area.  The girls wanted to see Santa, so we waited in line to see him.  I started to wonder about this Santa long before we got in to see him, because he makes the kids stand in front of him and tell them what they would like for Christmas, instead of sitting next to him in his giant chair, or sitting on his knee.  Well, I guess he lets those paying to get their picture taken with him sit on his knee, but they are the only ones.  I will say, he looked authentic, with real whiskers, and hair, and he is an older man, much as you would suspect Santa would really look like.  However, he doesn't have the heart of what I suspect Santa would have.  

One of my nieces wrote her letter to Santa at the beginning of the week.  I read it.  I shed a couple tears.  She doesn't really ask for anything.  She is 8, not a very typical thing for a little girl.  But, my little niece has a big heart and is a very caring. 

 She had two things on her list.  If she read my blog, I would be in trouble, because I am not supposed to tell anyone what she asked for, but I am going to do it.  She asked that the homeless kitty that wandered to their home a week or so ago can stay, and she asked for snow for Christmas.  She told me the kitty needs a place to live, and a family, so she just wants it to be able to stay at their home and they can take care of it.  I met it, and although I am not much of a cat lover, this kitty does not know that.  It snuggled against my legs, becoming my new best friend while I was out in their driveway.  It refused to give up on becoming my friend, and I gave in and petted it and loved on it.  In return I received loving purrs and soft meows.  I am sure the kitty has a new home at my sister's house.  


The second thing she asked for.....snow.  She asked for snow because everyone loves snow at Christmas.  While it's a big thing to produce, it's a pretty humble request from a little one, in my opinion.  This is what she asked Mr. Mall Santa for, to which he didnt' have much of a response at first.  He stood there, dumb struck.  I just kept smiling as I watched him stumble over his words, and frankly, make a jerk of himself, at least to the adults watching.  He asks her what do you really want, to which she continues to reply 'snow.'  He then says, in a rude voice 'Well, why don't you just ask for world peace!!!???'  My wide-eyed niece stood staring at him, not realizing he was being a sarcastic, rude man.  He had the nerve to say it to her again.  By this time, my mom and I were starting to tense up and at least I was thinking of telling Mr. Mall Clause a thing or two about talking to little kids.  He continued to make a few dumb comments, continuing to ask her what toy she wanted or what game, to which she shook her head and said she only wanted snow.  I was worried that my little tenderhearted niece was going to pick up Santa's bad attitude and get teary-eyed because he was being an insensitive person to a pretty sensitive little girl.  She finished up by telling Mr. Mall Clause that she wanted to knit a scarf for Mrs. Clause because she thinks it would be nice to give her a present, since Santa is always giving presents to others.  He said in a fairly gruff, you are wasting my time kid voice, 'Oh, well, you have a nice Christmas now,' as he pretty much pushed her along.  I would expect the real Santa would say to her how it was nice that she was thinking of Mrs. Clause, and that Mrs. C would love a handmade scarf, and that she was a thoughtful little girl.  I would also expect that he would think that she didn't have a long list of give me's would be something that was nice as well.  Yes, she's my niece, but I would feel this way about any kid/Mall Clause situation.  I watched him with a couple other kids, and he is far from a person who should be representing Santa.  One kid was scared to death of him, and he kept trying to shove a color book in his face, the gift he was giving to kids, instead of just talking to the little guy, getting down on his level, and trying to calm him down, not make him more upset as he kept saying 'here take this book.'  


I am proud of both my nieces.  Neither one is centered on the give me's of Christmas.  My other niece just asked Santa for a dark blue dress.  Pretty simple list for a little girl who just turned 7.  They aren't asking for the latest and greatest toys, Ipads, phones, computers.  They have simple lists, lists we all should have.  Their focus isn't on the materialism of Christmas that the world tries to push on all of us.  They are focused on the little things, the simple things.  They are making a lot of gifts to give to all their loved ones, and that is what they are really excited about.  They are also excited about Jesus, the real reason for Christmas.  They are learning how to do sign language to Jesus Loves Me for their Christmas play at church.  They are so excited to share that song.  In all that matters, what Mr. Mall Clause thinks doesn't matter one bit.  What matters is having a giving heart, a heart focused on others not self or materialism.  I hope I can remember to be childlike throughout this season, to keep things simple, to appreciate the little things, to look at things with wonder, and to take time to remember that Jesus Loves Me.  

30 days of Thanks

Today I am thankful for the opportunity to continue an education.  I applied and have been excepted to take classes, and will start at the University on January 2nd.  To say I am a bit nervous is an understatement.  I haven't been in college over 20 years.  I wonder if my brain will be able to keep up!  I pray it can.  My classes are online, and through live interactive classes, and I will be pursuing a degree in counseling, with some life coaching, with a focus on helping troubled teens.  This has been my heart desire since high school.  When I went off to college, the first time, my plans were to get a degree as a psychologist, with a focus on teens.  My advisor at college, however, thought otherwise, and would not let me pursue my dream because of excellent grades in another subject, which I did not want to pursue.  Needless to say, I did not finish at that college, for one, because I did not receive any support in what I really wanted to do in my life.  

Although I did not have the degree, I have worked with teens for over 20 years and it has been a blessing, a learning experience, and has brought a lot of challenges as well as joy along the way.  I know it will all help me with life experience as I pursue these courses and I look forward to learning, challenging myself, and finally getting a degree.  

30 days of Thanks

Today I am thankful for God's fingerprint, available everywhere I look.  I am especially blessed because I live in a beautiful area filled with the artist's touch at every glance.  I am surrounded by mountains and trees, many lakes, and quite a bit of wildlife.  God is an amazing creator and artist, look around and enjoy His masterpiece!

  

30 days of Thanks

30 days of Thanks

Today, and every day, I am thankful for unending love, amazing grace!

30 days of Thanks

Today I am thankful for my camera.  My camera is my therapist.  When I need to get away, refresh, think things through, I grab my camera and go for a drive, and snap away at whatever beauty God puts in front of me.  There is beauty almost everywhere, if we choose to see it, and I try to do that with or without my camera.  I often see some small details, that may be overlooked, because I am a photographer. My camera and I have spent many wonderful hours together, capturing the beauty God has laid before all of us.  Photography is my way to unwind when life gets a little too wound up!  I can easily get lost in a sunset, drift off at a lake, and get mesmerized in the details I see in a flower, a raindrop, or flake of snow.  

 Photography is definitely one of my strong passions, and although I have great room for improvement, I see the improvement I make every year as I look over old photos. I love just playing around with settings, not knowing what will show up on the captured image.  I tried to take time to be specific about the settings, but it became too much to think about, and took the time of unwinding away, so most of the time, I just shoot, mess with a few settings, and see what I get.  I like it that way.  

I also enjoy sharing my camera with others to help them enjoy and learn the love of photography. My young nieces are in that group, and I love to look at what their young eyes see.  

I have enjoyed taking photos since I was nine years old.  I remember my first camera well..it was a little black Kodak camera.  It had a 'case' that flipped over the top, and that 'case' hinged to the side of the camera when you were taking the picture.  I remember the day I went to the Image Maker in Sandpoint and got my first real camera.  I think I was 20 years old.  It was a Canon EOS, and it was capable of having different lenses! I was so excited.  I couldn't afford any other lenses at the time, but eventually I added a zoom lens to my collection.  I remember almost six years ago when my hubby suggested I get a digital camera.  I didn't know why I needed a new camera because my 15 year old Canon was working fine!  I mean, why do I want to switch to a digital camera?  I was sure they didn't take as good of pictures as my film camera.  Well, he bought me a digital Canon anyway, and for awhile, I carried both cameras with me, usually using my film camera.  However, once I started using the digital, I saw a great improvement in the quality of the pictures I was developing, and I didn't have to buy film!  Now, I must say, my first camera has joined the collection of old cameras I have.  I still cherish it, as we had many wonderful times together!  

"Photographers view the world through a lens of gratitude."

30 days of Thanks, Day 18

Today I am thankful for books.  I love books, the real thing.  I have an electronic library device, but nothing can or ever will replace a real book to me.  I have enough books to start my own library, and when someone may suggest that once you read a book, you've read it, get rid of it, I shudder.  Ok, there may be a rare occasion when I think it is alright to get rid of a book....but it's usually when I didn't enjoy the book at all.  

Another reason to get rid of one of my treasured books would be when my dad decides to borrow one, and likes it so much that he ends up keeping it.  See, my dad and I share a common love of books, and we share a love of writing notes, underlining, and highlighting things that really speak to us in those books.  I often have others ask me if I have such and such a book, which I often do, but my books are written in from beginning to end, along with stars, highlights, and underlining.  I tend to make my books personal, so does my dad.  

Recently, I bought John Eldredge's new book BEAUTIFUL OUTLAW.  I received that book a day before my parents came to visit.  I hadn't even had a chance to look at the book, when dad sat down and started to read it.  We all know that if we give dad a book at Christmas, the odds are, we won't hear from him for the rest of the day.  Well, same thing happened with my new book as he settled into a big, overstuffed chair and dove into the new book.  I told dad to go ahead and take it home, as I didn't have time to read in the next week anyway.  He talked to me the next day and said he was having a difficult time not writing in and underlining my book.  I told him to go ahead, I would get myself another book.  Dad gave the talk in his church today out of that book, and did an amazing job by the way.  He joked that he knows how to get new books, to pick up mine, take it home, and then I have to get myself another one.  I must say, he has ended up with a few of my books by this process of his, but that's ok because I am sure I have a few of his, as well.  

Books are a treasure to me, have been for as long as I can remember.  You can escape to different worlds, like in a Narnia book.  You can learn new things, and glean from others knowledge.  My favorite book is the book that instructs me through all the things I face in life.  It is full of lessons, but more importantly, it is an amazing love letter written to me, and you, to anyone who picks it up.  The Bible.  It is filled with almost everything you want to read about.  If you don't believe me, pick it up and read it....mystery, action, war, deception, history, kings and queens, and the new testament, well, it's a love story.  A love story where you are the center of the story because Jesus came down to earth to die on a cross to save you, to save me, if we accept what He has done for us, if we allow Him to be in charge of our lives, if we love Him back.  

I am thankful for the ability to read.  I am thankful for books.  I am forever grateful for God's word, and His precious gift that was given for me.  

30 days of Thanks, Day 17

Today I am thankful for memories.  I am thankful for memories made with those still in my life, memories we make and continue to make.  I am thankful for memories of loved ones who are no longer on this earth, as well. 

Memories can never leave our hearts.  Memories are precious gifts that we can hold onto and treasure for the rest of our lives.  God gives us precious moments, fun times, good talks, words of wisdom, and time with others as a gift.  Keep that gift open, and remember with fondness and love those memories, with both those who are still in our lives, and those who are not.  For those still in our lives, continue to make wonderful memories.  For those who have gone on, don't close the gift of memories, but open it up and remember.  Most important, live each moment of life completely and enjoy time with those special to you.  Celebrate life!  Build a treasure chest of memories for all in your life, so when you are gone, they can look back at the wonderful gift you left behind.  

Life brings simple pleasures to us every day. It is up to us to make them wonderful memories. 

Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose. 

Creating memories is a priceless gift. Memories will last a lifetime; things only a short-period of time. 

Memories are the most beautiful pictures our minds can paint, and nothing can ever erase them.  

30 days of Thanks, Day 16

Today I am thankful for a home to live in.  I know many are losing their homes during these difficult times, and I am grateful and  humbled to have a home, a shelter to share with my hubby.  




"Having someplace to go is home.  Having someone to love is family.  Having both is a blessing."

30 days of Thanks, Day 15

Today I am thankful for the gift of hearing.  Some of the examples of what I love to hear are laughter, music, birds, waterfalls, slamming waves at the ocean, I love you's, the voices of my friends and family, a crackling fire, whistling, and words that teach.  There are so many wonderful sounds in our world.  I could go on and on.  It can be easy to take advantage of our gifts, like the gift of hearing, so take some time and be grateful for what we do have in our lives.  We are surrounded by gifts, we just have to notice them, and be thankful. 

30 Days of Thanks, Day 14

Today I am thankful for all the lives that have touched mine through years of youth ministry. Each one left a heartprint on my life and am thankful for the blessings of being involved in so many lives.

Most of the 'kids' are now adults, many with families of their own.  I love to see how so many have turned out to be wonderful, giving, loving people, people who follow God.  I am also thankful that through facebook, I can still have contact with many of them, so the blessings continue to touch my life.  

30 Days of Thanks, Day 13

Today I am thankful for laughter.  It always feels good to laugh, and a really good laugh can do wonders  to lift moods, lighten heavy burdens, and put things back in perspective.  I shared some wonderful giggles with my nieces yesterday.  I love sharing laughter with them.  What is in our hearts spills out on to our lips.  I want mine to be joy, despite circumstances in life.  Laughter is a good way to outwardly express that joy.  Join me today, and  make your heart smile.  Find something to laugh about, something that brings you joy, and thoroughly enjoy it.  

30 Days of Thanks, Day 12

Today I am thankful for the first snow.  I can't believe I am saying that, but it's so beautiful.  I was dreading the first snow, but when I woke up this morning and saw it, the little kid in me came out and I was excited.  

30 Days of Thanks, Day 11, Thank You Veterans

Today I am extremely thankful and  for all our veterans, those who have served and those who are currently serving our country!   We honor you, and your families, for the sacrifices you have given for our freedom.  Thank you seems so insignificant for all you have given for my freedoms, but it is with deepest gratitude we say thanks.  God bless each of you!