Back at it.

It’s been awhile, a very long while. So much has changed and yet, so little. 

So, what’s changed? My baby girl is now a toddler. A crazy 3 year old, with most amazing vocabulary and entertaining personality. She’s always up for fun and a giggle, she’s friendly and outgoing, she knows what she wants and I’m certain one day this will be a trait I greatly admire in her, although at times it makes me want to scream.

There is however still a baby girl in my life. A sweet little one year old, who is full of smiles and spunk. She’s a quiet the observer and then quickly surprises you with her go-getter attitude. Did I mention she’s sweet? She truly is, the sweetest little thing and she’s been like that from the moment she joined our wee family.

Our world is busier and much more pink, but then it’s always been busy and always very pink. I’m still at this stay-at-home mom thing. Working on not beating myself up over the little things and celebrating the little (& the BIG!) things. Have you ever noticed how it’s easier to beat ourself up than to celebrate our wins, no matter how big? Here’s a win, I’ve finished cups of coffee lately before they’ve gone cold. I won’t get into my dismal feelings of failure…not today at least. I’m sure there’s great pieces of wisdom to be shared, I’m just still working through the process of not picking myself apart too badly. Thankfully His mercies are new every morning and perhaps after nap times, too?

We’ve grown and experienced and been stretched & challenged & here we are still standing. I’m still holding hands with the most amazing man I know. He’s forever wowing us with how he loves, protects, provides, encourages and supports us. Through every season we’ve faced we’ve somehow come through stronger and more committed than before. 

It’s the fall, a new season. Although September is not even close to beginning of the year, in my mind it’s always been the beginning. Perhaps because after our little summer hiatus from everything from actives to favourite TV shows, it’s all starting up again. Or perhaps it’s because in my former career everything seemed to kick start after the summer and I’m stuck in that mode. Regardless, I’m happy for this fall, I’m feeling rooted and ready for all that’s headed our way.

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses

Yikes, it's been far too long since I've found myself with a blank page before myself with the opportunity to create & communicate. I have to admit, although I took a very welcome break, it's good to be back. Not only am I back to writing & blogging, but coming up in four weeks I'll be speaking again too!

This autumn/fall has proven to be full of change & in turn exhausting. The beginning of November the conditions were lifted on our offer to purchase a new home in a new community. The two weeks that followed the whirlwind began as I packed every earthly possessions we own & cleaned our first home for a new family to inhabit. This time of transition was incredibly emotional as I essentially prepared for our move on my own.

Three trailers, three Jeep's, two sets of parents & a few amazing strong hands later we were moved into our new home. It was time to settle & begin a normal life together again. Unpacking is much more fun then packing! I found that I made sacrifices in our new home as I found places for all of our possessions & yet in other areas I seemed to have room to spare. All in all, our home was starting to feel just like that, home.

Before I knew it the first of December had rolled around & it was time to prepare for Christmas. Decorations, parties, dinners, friends, family & gifts were in abundance! Oh & I was coughing & had congested sinus'.

New Years came & went with family & treasured life long friends & my cold got worse. Which brings me to today, it's nearly the end of January & I can finally say I'm feeling better...for the most part.

As always, God has been so incredibly faithful to Matt & I. We're now totally settled in a beautiful home, located in a lovely neighbourhood. We've met our new neighbours, all of which are friendly & kind. I've had the opportunity to give my body the rest it's needed as I've fought this awful virus. We've had family & friends to visit us in our new home. After spending three months apart this autumn, we've had plenty of time together to laugh, dream & cry.

Life is exceptionally beautiful & although I currently find myself in a new place, with no job, no friends (although I do have plenty of family around) & no real plan, I'm incredibly content.

With all my excuses out of the way I can say, I'm back! Time to write, dream & create.

So long, farewell

After years of having to say goodbye, you think I’d be good at it, or at least comfortable with it.  The truth is, I’m not.  As I face the end of yet another chapter in my life, I find myself in a bit of denial as I know that all too soon I’ll be saying those two words laced with tears.  I suppose it’s a good thing when one stays “soft,” at least that’s what I’m telling myself.

Reflecting back there are certain goodbyes I distinctively remember.
I’ve had to say goodbye to my parents & siblings as I’ve left the continent, unsure if I’d ever return to call Canada “home.”
I said goodbye to my best friend/boyfriend (now husband), as I went to the opposite end of the world just days after we started dating.
I’ve said goodbye to friends from around the globe, not knowing when, where, or if our paths will ever cross again.
I’ve said final goodbyes to two grandparents who graduated to heaven.
My husband & I have said goodbye countless times as he or I have left the other for days at a time to take work trips.
I’ve said goodbye to besties who have relocated.
Each of these goodbye has been significant & painful in its own way.

Despite these various situations of having to say goodbye to some of my nearest & dearest, I have a feeling the round of goodbyes coming up could quite possibly be one of the most painful.  In just over a week I will be saying goodbye to my church family as my husband & I continue the crazy adventure we’ve on together.  I’m aware that people leave churches all the time, be it because of discontent, unresolved issues, or relocation; what we’re about to do is nothing out of the norm.  However, I’d like to suggest that our departure will indeed be one of great sadness as we are in fact leaving on a good note, yet a difficult one.  I’ve been on staff at our church for over 5 years…  5 of the most difficult, wonderful & stretching years of my life.  I’ve grown in countless ways & learned that there’s a lot that wasn’t actually taught to me in Bible College, that or perhaps I was just to naïve to take notice of that which would prepare me for real life ministry.  We’ve gone through rough patches, as well as some good.  Numerous times the thought crossed my mind to leave earlier, yet I always felt that the timing just wasn’t right & now there’s peace as my notice has been given & my final day is in sight.

Our church has not only been my place of employment, but it’s also become a second family to us.  We’ve created relationships with young & old that have made an eternal impact on our lives.  We’re so thankful for the laughs, tears, coffees, lunches, dinners, desserts & fun we’ve had the opportunity to share with those have accepted & loved us.  We've both grown & matured in countless ways. We've been empowered & released to do what God has called us to in ministry & in our everyday lives.

I know that more goodbyes will come my way over the years.  I also know that this isn’t a final goodbye, as I’m certain we’ll visit this “home” of ours often.  When we encounter those who are a part of this family we’ve grown with, our interactions will not be awkward or unfriendly, rather we’ll embrace with warmth & fondness.  Not only are we moving on with a blessing, we will leave one as we go & although you'll hear goodbyes from our mouths, in our hearts we'll really be saying "see you soon."

I was evacuated.

There's nothing like an evacuation to put life into perspective. Thankfully I was home from work as the small town I live in was being evacuated. Frantically I went through our home of three years gathering what would be needed in the event that our house ended up in flames.

While gathering important papers, passports & photos I began to get a greater perspective on what's truly of value. I'm so thankful that my parents were able to come assist me. My mom helped me get a handle on what's irreplaceable as she began packing up pieces from my husband's grandma & china pieces that have been passed down through generations, plus precious quilts handmade by my maternal grandma.

Leaving my home gave me a new understanding of what it would feel like to live in a developing nation. As I looked ahead & saw nothing but a steady stream of traffic & in my rear view mirrors just as many vehicles following. Imagining what it would be like to be making that trek away from my home on foot brought all sorts of emotions to the surface. I could not have been more thankful to have a vehicle to assist with my quick evacuation; my Jeep, is something that I so often take for granted & yet after a day like yesterday, I was so appreciative of the four wheels that transported me to safety.

My mom & I headed out of town at the same time, while my dad was a bit behind as he went to rescue our trailer. The only thing is that he wasn't just "a bit" behind, we didn't see him for more then five hours. Did I mention he didn't have a cell phone on him? What was supposed to be a quick trip, ended up being an evening full of praying & fried nerves. Turns out my dad was stuck in traffic, thankfully that's all that had happened.

Although I had our family heirlooms, all important documents & our wedding photos, I realize that the most important thing in my life, isn't a thing. The most important thing in my life is without a doubt the relationships I have with my nearest & dearest. I know that that sounds incredibly cliche, but it couldn't be more true after the past 24 hours I've experienced.

Last night I was incredibly displaced with only a suitcase that I threw a few clothing items in (no shoes I might add, shocking, I know!), a laundry basket with items wrapped in tea towels & a backseat full of important papers & photos. To be honest, I'm still emotionally raw. I could not be more thankful for the many men & women who have worked so hard to keep homes & lives safe. I could not be more thankful to my incredible brother-in-law who was out digging trenches, one of the many unsung heros of Southern Alberta; someone who certainly never signed up to fight fires.

Finally my heart is bursting at the seams that my family is safe. Words can't even begin to describe how thankful & grateful I am at the moment. The words "His mercies are new every morning," have never felt more true in my life then they did today.

Thankful

This past weekend Canadians celebrated Thanksgiving, a time set aside every year to thank God for everything we have.

Yesterday a beloved friend sent me a list of 365 things she's thankful for in 2011, which got me thinking. The following list isn't quite 365, not nearly 365 in fact, but here's a few things I was reminded to be thankful for over the course of this past weekend...

I spent Friday afternoon & evening with my lovely sister-in-law, her husband & their beautiful twin girls. I'm thankful to have the kind of relationship with my sister-in-law that I'm able to be apart of their lives on a regular basis. I love that I get to spend time with my lovely nieces & watch as each week they grow up just a little bit more.

Saturday I got to spend basically the whole day with my husband. I'm thankful for someone who's strong, caring, generous, kind, honest, gracious, supportive, understanding, patient, loving, encouraging, wise, smart, sexy...the list goes on. Not only is this man my life partner, he's also my best friend. He's the only one who knows absolutely everything about me & yet still loves me.

Sunday morning in church I was reminded to be thankful that I live in a country where there is freedom to worship my God.

Sunday we celebrated Thanksgiving with both our families. I'm thankful for my roots. My parents are incredible people who have been amazing parents. They've taught me about life & have instilled great values into me. My in-laws are such amazing people who love ms as their own daughter. They have done a fine job in raising my husband to be the man he is today. I couldn't be more thankful for these two families who have shaped my husband & I. We are a direct result of their love, persistence & God's grace. Our meal was delicious & filling. I'm thankful for the abundance of nourishment available to me.

The majority of Monday was spent in my home, which is located in a fabulous little cul-de-sac with fantastic neighbours. I'm happy for the shelter I'm lucky enough to dwell in. It's comfy, it's warm & it's safe. My neighbourhood if full of amazing friendly people, all of whom I know are looking out for us & we for them.

Truly this is just scrapping the surface. There is so much that I'm thankful for & although this list isn't 365 things long, I know without a doubt it could be...

Psalm 136:1

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever.

Remembering Summer...

The past few months of summer, have seemed to have been a whirlwind of emotions & memories.

From weddings, to funerals, auntie time, auntie withdrawals, family reunions, reunions with good friends, road trips, camping trips, packing for holidays, packing to move & everything in between its hard to believe the warmest season (not to mention my favourite!) is coming to an end.

Although with great sadness I say good-bye to long days, warm sunshine, short work days, weekends spent in my second home, BBQ suppers, iced coffees, raspberry lemon loaf, pedicured feet, sandals, skirts, tank tops & my fabulous tan lines I can't help but look forward to the new season just around the corner.

Having drank my first Pumpkin Spice Latte this morning I can confidently say I'm ready to welcome fall. Boots, pashminas, evenings spent in front of the fireplace with a book, the changing leaves & perhaps a new hair colour are all just around the corner.

As the seasons change a favourite verse from Daniel comes to mind:

He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. (2:21)

Knowing that He is the one who brings change, I'm ready for what's to come. I feel as though I thrive during change. I'm not a huge fan of the familiar as I feel that I get stuck in a rut & don't seem to reach my full potential. I enjoy challenges & being stretched, which is what I confidently feel autumn has in store. Knowing that in 9 months summer will be here again, with an open heart I'm ready to face autumn.

3 years

3 places of residences

13 vehicles

1 ATV

1 Sea-Doo

1 Trailer

4 job promotions

Many laughs, a few tears, plenty of memories

For better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness & health

3 little words that never get old..."I love you"

perhaps this is for Lethbridge???

Today I read Joel 2:23 -
Rejoice in the Lord your God, for he has given you the autumn rains in righteousness. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before.

In Lethbridge we definitely had a wet spring, and this autumn is shaping out to the be the same, as a result upon reading this little clip from the prophet, I couldn't help but think of myself.

With the wet weather it's been easy to do anything BUT rejoice. Try complain, or whine and I'm right there, however Joel tell us that we're to rejoice, as if the autumn rains are a gift!?! And perhaps they are...

Laurel Place

I've come to realize that I'm quite passionate about community. It's something that I crave and that I fight to maintain.

The cul-de-sac that my husband I live in, is one of the large reasons why I would like to never move. It has nothing to do with our house (although I REALLY love my home), it has nothing to do with the location (although the location is perfect for us at this stage in our lives), it's more about the other families who are our neighbors.

Over the past year, some of our neighbors have become our closest friends. It's not unusual for us to spent at least one afternoon/evening during the week with one of our neighbors. We've celebrated births, birthday's, we've helped landscape, done snow removal, played games, shared meals...the list goes on and on.

There's one particular family in our cul-de-sac that we don't see very often. With our different schedules it seems often the only times we ever connect is a quick wave as one is pulling into the driveway and the other pulls out. However, over the weekend this couple mentioned to us how sad they will be when/if they move, as they have never felt so loved and accepted by their neighbors! SERIOUSLY! We hardly ever see them, let alone spend anytime with them.

I've come to conclusion that building community doesn't mean that you have to be best friends. You don't have to spend loads of time together, or know ever detail about someone's life. You merely have to take the time to wave, to shout "hello" across the street, to shovel the sidewalk that connects the houses.

It's really not rocket science, and it certainly doesn't take much effort.

I love Laurel Place, and even now as it seems some changes will happen as new houses are built, and some original owners move on, I know that I will continue to love it. We're not only neighbors, we're friends. The bar for our community has already been set.

just bragging...

about my husband. I am married to the man who:

• worked long hours all week
• at 11:00pm Friday evening, drove to pick up friend who was stranded on the highway
  
• got up early Saturday morning to get ready for a day of quadding
• drove the opposite direction of the mountains to pick up his friends, before turning around the heading in the right direction
• suffered through seasonal/outdoor allergies all weekend without so much as a complaint or brief whine session
• let his wife tag along for a day of quadding through the snow/rain/sun/mud
• arrived home after said day of quadding, only to manually help neighbor back fill
• got up early Sunday morning to do BV's
• taught 2&3 year olds about Jonah and obedience
• vacuumed both the truck full of mud from previous day, and my vehicle
• had a neighbor friend over who's in the process of making some huge decisions
  
• cuddled wife before falling asleep

I am a blessed woman. The above list may be specific to this past weekend, but I could come up with a similar one everyday if needed.

good genes

This week has been abnormally busy. And by busy I mean absolutely crazy!

I'm one lucky girl because even though its been outrageous in my life, I have one amazing, super supportive, always encouraging, best cheerleader on the planet husband (and he's hot, which is an added bonus), not to mention the fact that I live in the same city as my incredible parents who go out of their way to help others.

Case in point, my brother goes to a college where he's involved with the men's volleyball team. This weekend his team will be playing the college in my city. Pretty sweet as it means a chance to see my brother. Earlier this week my brother texted my mum saying that they were having trouble finding a hotel to stay in over the weekend. So naturally (although unnatural to others) she offered to let the team stay at their place. Keep in mind this is 15-ish, 6 foot-something, athletic men.

The main reason this comes so naturally to my mum is that my grandparents (her parents) were the same - opened their home. There was always an extra seat at the table, and more then enough food for whoever happened to stop by. Although I don't remember my great grandma, I can only imagine that she was the same. I'm convinced that this gift of hospitality has been passed on from generation, to generation - it has to be genetic.

In saying that, on Thursday evening, the men's volleyball team will be at my parents house, and the ladies...at mine.

And for this I'm truly thankful! Will it be crazy? Likely. Will it be exhausting? I'm sure. Will it be a blessing to the 15-ish people who enter my home? I certainly hope so.

My prayer is that those at my home, would leave the same as those who stay at my parents...well taken care of, physically and spiritually/emotionally.

intuition?

Some people will pull out of their driveway, only minutes later to pull back in and check to make sure they remembered to lock the door. I am not one of those people. There is the very rare occasion in which I will double check something, but it is VERY RARE. This could potentially be because my husband double checks things, or maybe its because I just never think to do so.

One day last week happened to be one of those rare occasions though. As I was locking the door to my house and climbing into my car, I began to question whether I had unplugged my hair straightener or not. I brushed the questioning off as I'm not one to double check, "of course I unplugged my hair straightener," I attempted to convince myself. "I always unplug it before I leave."

As I drove down the street I couldn't help but continue to question and reason with myself.
"Did I unplug the straightener?"
"Of course I did."
"I don't actually remember pulling the plug out from the wall."
"You always unplug it, why would today be any different from all other days?"

I finally came to the point where I had to turn around. The battle in my mind was driving me crazy and just wouldn't subside.

I pulled into the driveway, unlocked the door and headed into house. As I entered my bathroom I realized that I HAD NOT unplugged my straightener. Not only was my straightener still plugged in, it was still on. Thank goodness for the battle in my mind!

Call that funny feeling intuition, call it too much coffee, call it Holy Spirit, call it paranoia, whatever you want to call that funny feeling, know that it left my house standing one more day!

I spend quite a bit of my time with kids. And often explain hearing the voice of God to them, the same as I described the above situation...a funny feeling that you get about something, or someone that you often try to talk yourself out of entertaining anymore, because of the risk of being wrong, embarrassed, or wasting time.

And so, in the case of my experience last week, know that I totally accredit my funny feeling to Holy Spirit, knowing that without that feeling, something awful could have happened in my home.

open door policy

My husband and I moved into our first home earlier this year. This house has quite a bit of special meaning to us as we built it and we were able to put our own special touches in it. From picking out the floor plan and all the hardware, to the appliances and paint colors, this house is very dear to my heart.

This past weekend we had the privilege to host some of my husband's family in our home between my sister-in-law's wedding ceremony and reception. My husband comes from a culture where it is important to "pay it forward". Whether that means reciprocating a wedding gift, or hosting someone in your house after they have hosted you. For my husband having everyone over to our house was important culturally, but more then that it was important to us because we have been taught hospitality from childhood.

Where other people would look at us and think that having 15+ people over would be loads of work and huge strain, we look at it as an opportunity to use our house for what it was actually built for...a place of comfort, a haven, a shelter...a home.

People often comment on how my parents (and my in-laws) have the gift of hospitality. Personally I'm not sure its a gift, rather a lifestyle...a choice that both our parents decided to make. As a result we have an "open door policy" in our own home, since being hospitable is essentially part of our DNA.

In the entry way to our house we have a saying on our wall beneath our welcome sign..."Happy is the home that shelters a friend." We both know this to be true as we grew up in homes where friends were always sheltered and happiness was always in abundance.

Our prayer as we were in the building process was that our home would not only be "ours" but a "home to many." We are now seeing the reprocusions of our prayers...and we're loving every moment of it!

in all ways...always

Every week I have the privilege of interacting with children and their families. It's amazing how much I can gather about a child's homelife just by observing their behavior and interaction with others.

Now, I'm not a parent, and definitely don't claim to be an expert or professional when it comes to raising children, but there's something very key that I've noticed when it comes to maintaining open, honest, and close relationships in families. It's something that seems so simple, yet is often misinterpreted or understood - it's unconditional love.

Perhaps I'm biased to unconditional love because I feel as though I grew up in a home where it was in abundance. To me it seemed like there was nothing I could do that would make my parents love me any less. And so, when I hit the age of becoming an adult, where many teens would keep secrets, conversation was open and honest with my parents. Now, there were times when my parents may have been disappointed, but it didn't change the fact that I was loved and accepted.

Unconditional love needs to be shown in the simplest of ways for trust to be built. For example, children need to know that they are loved regardless of their grades in school, their behavior, their looks - until they know that they are loved, the chances of them trusting an adult are very slim. If a child feels like they can't trust an adult with something as simple as a bad grade on a test, how will they ever trust an adult with a secret such as being abused, drinking or smoking, sex, pornography, relationships?

As adults we need to be certain that we are showing unconditional love to the children in our world. Unfortunately there are children who come from homes where unconditional love isn't found. It breaks my heart to think that there are children who have deep, dark secrets and no one to share them with. That's where I step in. Although I generally only spend a few hours a week with the children in my world, they know that I'm a safe place, that they are accepted and loved regardless of the week they've had. They are loved simply because of who they are, not what they do.

I see showing unconditional love in all ways, always, as being a crucial part in raising confident, secure, successful children.

Imagine how different our schools, churches, communities and cities could be if all children knew that they were loved unconditionally? Imagine how things would change if children knew that despite their current situation or circumstance that they're accepted?

My job is to let children know that there is at least one adult in their life who loves them and believes in their potential.

wherever, whenever, however

One of my (many) passions is family. I grew up in a home where family was a priority. When my husband and I went through pre-marital counseling together, one of the exercises we were asked to do as a questionnaire on our family, from which our families were then plotted on a grid. My family came up as abnormally close...no surprises there. As a whole, I get along quite well with my siblings, and I'm very close with my parents.

I'm a huge advocate of family meals. Growing up, often the deepest and most meaningful conversations happened around the table over a meal. There were many laughs shared around my parents dining room table, and also many tears. Supper was never to be missed by anyone! My husband has a demanding job, in which he often is needed to put in overtime hours. When we join my family for dinner (unless ABSOLUTELY necessary), we all wait for my husband to join us before we begin eating. It's just the way things work in my parents home.

However, I do remember a time in my life when meals were on the go...Tuesday's during my jr. high years were the manic days in our home. Tuesday was the day that we had music lessons, among other commitments. I can remember bolting from the school when the bell rang, signifying the end of another day, and hoping into my mum's van where my bag full of piano books was already waiting. We'd drive to the opposite side of the city for my piano lessons, and from there I often didn't see my siblings until 9:00pm that evening as we all had various activities we needed to be at.

But before anyone was dropped off after school we ALWAYS hit the McDonald's drive-thru for McFlurry's. And as we downed our McFlurry's on the way from point A to point B conversations flowed. We'd catch up on our days, on the challenges we faced, and everything we'd accomplished.

I look back on this time, and although I'm sure Tuesday's were the day my mum dreaded, for me the were often the highlight of my week. The point is, often times life gets in the way of the dinner table...and although I definitely believe that time spent together over a meal should never be replaced, sometimes you just need to make do with what you have. For my family, that meant staying a family even as we dined on drive-thru from McDonald's.

Life is busy. So go with the flow, create strong relationships with your family, wherever, whenever & however it may look for the season of life you find yourself in.

human doing.

I have a very full life. From the responsibilities I face daily at work, the planning, the meetings, volunteering, keeping a (somewhat) clean house, family, keeping up with friends, being a friendly neighbor, sending and receiving e-mails, texts & phone calls, paying bills, being a wife...it seems there's always something to be doing.

It's interesting that in the full (or busy) life that I lead, I often feel very refreshed. I've come to understand that I'm not only a people person, but that crowds and activity seem to energize me. (This was an interesting discovery because at the time, as I was surrounded by introverted people who need time alone to have the same feeling I have nearly all the time.) It's been ages since I've been bored and have had nothing to do...and yet, I'm (generally) not exhausted.

I've heard the phrase before "we're human beings, not human doings." True. But how do I balance between "being" and "doing"?

The thing is that we've all been created differently. Just as there are no two fingerprints that are alike, there truly are no two people alike. And I've come to understand that my "doing" is also part my "being". It's just the way I've been wired. (Mind you, my heart and thoughts have to be in the right place in my "doing.")

It's ok, and perfectly normal for my life (at this point) to be very full. It's ok that often times I don't see my husband until we eat dinner (occasionally at 9:00pm). It's ok that I rarely get "me" time. It's ok that I don't remember sitting through a whole church service.

It's ok... because in all of this "doing" I truly believe that I'm just "being."

having both is a blessing.

My amazing mother-in-law has remarkable quote on the wall in her dining room, it says
"Having somewhere to go is HOME
Having someone to love is FAMILY
Having both is a BLESSING"

I love that quote because it's so true! "Home" doesn't necissarily have to be your house, or someone else's. It's a place where you can go and be yourself. And "family" isn't always just the people that you're related to. It's the people in your world who love you unconditional and take you as you are.

Being a children's pastor its my desire to see all children blessed with both. If they aren't finding these things at their house, I would love to be able to help them find it some other place...possibly even at church.

That's why the other staff at my church and myself have determined that we need to create "family" in our congregation. Through things as simple as the ushers and greeters who volunteer every Sunday, to connect groups, to family events...we're doing what we can to try and create a place of belonging where relationships can form and flourish.

My prayer is that our church is BLESSING to many.

won't you be my neighbor?

I remember watching Mister Rogers' Neighborhood when I was young. He would always sing a song asking me (and all other children viewing his show) to be his neighbor. After watching his 30 minute show on television I'd plan up ways in my head to become a neighbor to someone so kind and friendly...

Although I've never been Mr. Rogers neighbor, I most certainly have lived in communities with people much like Mr. Rogers - people who genuinely care about those in their communities. That's the kind of neighbor I aspire to be.

I live in a small town just minutes from the city I grew up in. It's quite incredible the difference a smaller center can make brining neighbors together.

There's a bakery in my town that has the most delicious pastries ever! It's locally owned and it seems like there's always a vehicle parked out front picking up a loaf of fresh baked bread, or goodies to take home and share with the family.

There's also a gas station just as you enter our town. It's one of the few Full Service stations in our area. There always seems to be teenage boys standing about waiting for the next customer to roll up and proclaim "fill 'er up."

In this economic crisis that the world is finding itself in, its quite evident that people are tightening their belts, including my husband and I. I have become quite the sale shopper and spend time going through flyers looking for the best deals on the goods needed in our home. However, one place that we refuse to cut costs is when it comes to supporting our local businesses.

Sure I could buy bread at the grocery store for a more inexpensive price. And I could fill up my gar with gas at a station that's self serve and spend less.
But then, what kind of neighbor am I being?

If I fail to be a good neighbor and support those who invest so much of their time into making my town better, I'm not only tightening my belt, but I'm also becoming stingy. This economic crisis is no doubt affecting the small businesses in my community, I would hate to be a contributing factor to businesses closing and my neighbors moving away.

I want to be known as someone who lives generously. I want to contribute to a community that lives generously.

I want to be like Mr. Rogers.

making a house a home

Matt & I are so close to being in our first house! It's been quite the process. We made the decision to start building last summer. In July they started digging our basement and pouring our foundation. Soon after the process began we moved out of our rental home and into my parents house. We picked our flooring, cabinets, light fixtures, counter tops, appliances, hardware and finally we're almost at the point of being able to enjoy it!

Over the past seven months I've been reminded of what makes a house a home while living in my parents home again. Between the months spent with them and the days of "relief" (☺) spent with my in-laws I've began to realize what truly makes a house a home.

Its not the decorations (although those are very lovely and definitely contribute to the "homey" feel). Its not the space, or the designated rooms. It's not what kind of food is served. It's not the mood music that's played, or mood lighting.

Rather its the things that you don't see that make a house a home. It's the way that everyone belongs. It's the way you're allowed to be who you are. It's the way there's always an extra chair that can be pulled up to the table. It's the way the conversation just flows and you know that your opinion matters. It's the way family and friends alike feel sheltered and safe.

And so, although I'm EXTREMELY excited to get into our house and set it up as ours, I'm more excited to create a haven. My mother-in-law gave us something for our wall when the building process just began, and I truly believe it will become the essence of our home and it simply says: "Welcome, happy is the home that shelters a friend." And that is the home that Matt & will strive to create.