Yet another update....

OK The DEED IS DONE!!!

WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

WINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN


YAAAAAAAAAAWHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO


As the old saying goes....humbly, of course....we're Canadian.....


WE'RE #1!!! WE'RE #1!!! WE'RE # 1!!!!

OhhhhhhhhhhhhhYaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

(sorry U.S.)

Drats....

How could the U.S. score in the last 25 seconds of the 3rd period to tie it up.

How, I ask you..........?????????????

I just can't make myself watch the overtime........

Much too stressful.......

But I'm drawn to it like a moth to the flame......

Hope Canada's the flame...and not the moth......

go....canada......

Down to the wire....

Since I can't stand the tension....Canada 2...U.S. 1....last minute of play in 3rd period...


Thought I'd take a computer break so I don't have to watch the last seconds!!!!

Good shot...

Some curling game. Winning gold is very sweet.....again......

Canada is doing well....better than I thought we'd do.

Now for the hockey game. Don't know if I can stand the excitement, so I may not watch.

Go C A N A D A!!!!!!

The son has an eye.....

for beauty....

These are a couple of the pictures Matt took from Nepal. He and Kim had a wonderful time volunteering there and by the looks of some of his pictures, was surrounded by such majestic beauty, he had to capture it on camera.

I'll be posting more of his work as the days progress.

And it's so good to have Matt and Kim here....although we'll have to get him to beef up some!!! We began the process by having cheesecake AND chocolate layer cake for dessert at supper. This should help me greatly too, in watching my girlish figure.:-(

Typhoid has a way of making you lose weight.....not to mention poor quality water and lack of sanitation.

To sleep...perchance to dream.......

The list....

I still need to clean the bathrooms....

And get ready for Sunday Worship Service....

And work tomorrow all day.....

........before son and lady friend arrive around 7 p.m. tomorrow.

But hey, if I can live in a bit of a mess with a few dust bunnies....I'm sure they can too.:-)

Bring them safely here, God.....

These are a few.....

of my favorite things.

The place.....

Sometimes God leads me to a place where I feel very inadequate....but good..... because I know it's by his grace that I'm there....

Onward and upward.......

Lent....

This past week we held a service at church as it was "Ash Wednesday"...the beginning of the season of Lent. We talked about what this day meant to us as Christians, especially with our varying backgrounds...Catholic, Methodist, Lutheran, United.....now all Covenanters. And with these various backgrounds came varied ways of expressing the season of Lent.

After we spoke of the meaning of Lent, we had a time of "receiving the mark" (as I like to call it), of the pastor smearing the mark of the cross on our forehead with ashes. It was a sign to myself and to others. Had the service taken place that morning, I would have walked around that day with dirt on my face. I would have had "the mark". It represented the sin of my life being displayed for everyone to see and for me to acknowledge that sin and begin a time of repenting and asking for forgiveness for the unrighteousness of my life. A humbling thing to acknowledge my sin to God but it seems we have a much more difficult time of admitting our sin to our neighbors, our family, our friends. Sin has a way of making itself look actually appealing, of making us want to entertain it and for it to become a part of us with our total approval. But the mark of the cross reminds us of the sacrifice that was a part of God's humiliation as he experienced crucifixion on a cross....in front of the whole city....his friends, enemies, disciples and family.

Why do I find it so uncomfortable? Why would someone put their life on the line and give it up......for me? Seems like when I realize the totality of this sacrificial death....I am humbled, beyond what I can express here....

But when we begin to search our hearts and see sin for what it is....something that takes us from the presence of God....... whether it's gossiping, excessive drinking, kicking the cat, obsessive sex, yelling in anger, gambling, stealing, always wanting more (rather than being satisfied with what we have been given), or not being hospitable or giving or loving or kind to others......then, we can move away from that sin towards a more healthy life. That is the job of the Spirit of God...to allow our conscience to be made more aware of our wrong-ness.

So the beginning of Lent sets me on a path towards wholeness and new life...one which I walk every single year.

Ya, I know. I'm a very slow learner.

Oh, by the way, that "cross experience" Jesus had????....it was for you too, my friend.

The Eagle(t) has landed....

Safely and soundly.

I may now rest in peace....so to speak.

A long Skype chat today with Matt was so very good....just to know he'll be coming to P.A. in a week or so too, makes me happy.

And he looked so wonderful.:-)

We spoke of changes....the seen and unseen.

And so I thank God for his safe return and how He has been working.... mostly in the unseen parts of his life. It is very, very good.

You were always on my mind...

" Licking the Candles" ceremony.
Flowers & Cake were enjoyed by all.

And these two hopefully landed right side up and intact.

It's been a good day.

Our children were foremost on my mind.....being a "birthday" day and a "homecoming" day.

Not sure how much more excitement I can handle...

The birthday girl and her daughter are now off to the movies.

Now we wait for a phone call from Winnipeg to say that all is well. Who knows....maybe they missed their plane in Delhi and they're sitting on the side of the road, holding a piece of cardboard which says "Winnipeg or bust".....and being in India no one would know what a Winnipeg was let alone a bust....and the police would come along and haul them off to jail for making obscene messages on the side of a road and they'd only get fed rice for many days and not allowed to use the phone to call their moms....and.....and.....

Well, you know how moms can get.........:-)

Tommorow we celebrate...

Shannon celebrates a birthday. I can't even begin to describe the joy that overtook our home the day she entered it!!! She is truly a gem. She's reliable, beautiful, loyal, honest, funny, sensitive and is always looking out for others before herself. I really like her! AND I'm proud to have been a part in growing her up to maturity, and into this beautiful young woman. We will wish her a "Happy Birthday" as she celebrates tomorrow.

And tomorrow as Shannon celebrates a birthday, we also celebrate Matthew's baptism day....26 years ago. He wore Shannon's baptism gown and he was nearly 2 months old. Some ways it seems like so long ago....and yet........

As we celebrate these two wonderful events we will also celebrate Matt's return to Canada.

It will be one great day! May God bless and watch over these two grown-up children of ours!!!

We are thankful and blessed.....

Walking the path...

But which path do we choose? Left or right.....or turn back??? We have a choice.

It's the beginning of Lent today, the season of making ourselves new again and the preparation we must involve ourselves in before this newness can take hold and change us.

It involves acknowledging our unholiness, our un-right-ness, our need for help and our need to be forgiven. It involves making choices....

We may wonder why it is necessary to go through this time of preparation. We've lived pretty good lives, haven't killed anyone, or taken anything that didn't belong to us, or cuss (too much). We've been pretty upright citizens and a good example of the human race, as far as we're concerned.

But there is something deep within us that knows better. There's something way down there that says we really haven't been what we could be and we've not taken things seriously, like feeding the poor and helping out those that need shelter and clothing.....loving our neighbor.

If we do all that, will we be better people? Perhaps. Depends I guess on our motives and why we do these good things. If it's to make ourselves look good to others, we might just as well stay home under the bed covers and hide in shame.

This is Lent...a time to revisit our motives, to decide which path we want to go on, a time to ask for help and forgiveness from God and others and a time to attempt to be better people......

Which path will I take?

It's a technological breakthrough....

Almost.

Being that church Council in the last few years, has successfully taken to communicating via email for good, sometimes lengthy discussions, so as not to take up so much time in talking when we DO meet, the only person behind the '8 ball' is husband. He knows nothing....computer wise at least.

Today the bull's horns were taken hold of and he now has an email account. If you want to wish him well in the beginning stages of this exciting adventure you may email him thusly: kenkent65@gmail.com You can tell by the email address that a problem could exist....

Now yes, an email account has been established, however, the how-to's of turning on the computer, how to use a mouse, which side to click and how many times......that's all going to be left for tomorrow's lessons. Usually he's a fast learner. We'll see how stubbornness and determination are able to go hand in hand in the matter.

I say, anyone who can drive a boat, pull a 32foot trailer behind a half ton truck AND back it into place, who can build most anything AND cook up a storm, not to mention pull a fish hook back out through his finger, MUST have quite a bit to back him up....although fine motor skills may not be his forte.

I say, he'll be an email whiz by this time next year. Of course, most people accuse me of being overly optimistic in most ventures.

Bits of lovliness.....

Click on the pics.

Day after day we're given so many beautiful gifts in nature......all free!

It is good to stop and appreciate them.....and the One who does the creating....

In memory of Nodar Kumaritashvili...

A tragedy occurred today as Vancouver prepares to host the 2010 Winter Olympics. A young man was killed in a luge accident. The country he represented decided, in the spirit of the Olympics, to go on and participate. Here is the story.....

Georgia: Georgia will march in opening ceremony and compete in Olympic Winter Games
Feb 12, 2010
Vancouver (AFP) - Georgia will march in the 2010 Olympic Winter Games Opening Ceremony, officials said on Friday, despite the death of one of the country's lugers.
"Officials have confirmed the Georgia team will march in the opening ceremony of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games," said a statement.
Nodar Kumaritashvili, 21, was killed in a high-speed crash in training at the Whistler Sliding Centre on Friday.
Georgia will compete in the 2010 Olympic Winter Games despite the death of one of the country's lugers, a senior minister said Friday.
"On the Georgian team's participation, during the 2008 Summer Olympics Georgia was invaded by Russia and despite this they stayed and won several medals," said minister for sports and culture Nikolos Rurua.
"So our sportsmen have decided to be loyal to the spirit of the Olympic Games and compete and dedicate their efforts to their fallen comrade."
Nodar Kumaritashvili, 21, was killed in a high-speed crash in training at the Whistler Sliding Centre on Friday."

May God be with this young man's grieving family.

iiiieeeeeeee.....

It's been a sore-head-ice-on-the-forehead-with-husband-having-chills-fever-vomiting kind of twenty-four hours.

We missed our first Council meeting of the year too. Sometimes sickness is more untimely than it aught to be! But we just have to roll with it, I guess.

Our lives have been improving the last few hours. We ate toast and drank tea. Always a good sign.

Enjoy your evening.....

Land of meditation....

Son looks like he has found another realm of the spirit perhaps. The Himalayas in the background make for a majestic picture, kind of surreal, very out-of-the-ordinary for this prairie fellow. But he has made his way to India, Nepal and now back to India for the last leg of his journey. He will be back on Canadian soil on February 19 at 5:35 p.m. landing in Winnipeg.

It makes me happy that in the next weeks we will see him again and hear his stories of how the trip has changed his life both inwardly and outwardly.

It makes me sad too, to think that he will be leaving a place where he has hopefully managed to find a real sense of peace.........in another land, in another culture. I pray that that same sense of contentment will follow him home and that life will be forever changed because of his initial decision to leave his home with everything familiar and face the realities of poverty, and injustice and the extreme over-population of a different country and culture.

May God watch over him as he travels home again.

Ce...le...bra....tion.....

Tomorrow will be a day of celebrating at church!

There will be a time of welcoming new members, people who have made a decision to commit to being a part of a group of people who desire God to be a part of their lives and for them to have a place to grow more fully within the community of believers at Gateway Covenant Church.....along with everyone else.

And to celebrate that event, we will all eat and have some fun together after we worship together......."together" being the key word here. It's good to be a part of each other's lives, to help each other along in life and to encourage and be encouraged by others.

We will also feast before we have the potluck. The Feast at the Table...which Christ has set out for us.....a place of communing.....of taking the gift Christ has offered and allowing it to be a part of our every-day lives. The gift of grace......of unmerited favor....of getting something good we really don't deserve....all of it a mystery that can't be explained......

These are things worth celebrating!!! So, celebrate we will....tomorrow at 10 a.m. Join us.

Sweet Sixteen....

February 4th began in a fog.

Gram sang Brittney the "Birthday Song"

(a 16th birthday rendition)

Gramps and Brittney
"Paddy" and Brittney

"Mammas" and Brittney

The Birthday Plate lick in memory of

her great-grandpa Benson

Yep, turning 16 causes smoke!!!

Our beautiful Brittney!

Sweet Sixteen and looking like

a lovely young woman!!!

Sixteen years have gone by. Where did they go?

Wasn't it just yesterday a sweet, chubby cherub made her way into the world where she would be loved and cared for and brought up well.

She continues to mature and grow and learn the lessons of life, knowing she will always be loved by her family.

She is sensitive and caring and loving and kind and has all the qualities that will make this world a better place.......because of her.

A great source of pride....to us all.

HAPPY SWEET SIXTEEN to our very sweet granddaughter, Brittney Elizabeth. May God watch over her and bring her through the trials and temptations of teenage years....and may He protect her when the proverbial "licence" is issued. AMEN!!!

Willie is a dud...

I think if someone dragged me out from a nice warm room into a cold winter's day, I'd run back into my little den too. So we can't blame Willie for another six weeks of winter...shadow or no shadow.

Can we think of a time when we DIDN'T have six more weeks of winter after February 2nd????

No.

It must be some kind of diversion for we people in the north country to get some kind of kick out of winter....and I think it works.

So, "Happy Groundhog Day"!!!! Cheers to Willie for going back in his hole!!!

And now I'm going to go into my little hole too, and cover up and have a good sleep.