- one old gift: the joy of reading. Although my evening was not quite what was planned, I did enjoy my evening. I was at Starbucks with a coffee in one hand and a book in the other. I've loved reading for as long as I can remember and tonight was no exception.
- one new gift: camaraderie (ca·ma·ra·de·rie/ˌkäm(ə)ˈrädərē/
Noun: mutual trust and friendship among people who spend a lot of time together).
Over the past year or so, I've gained a definite appreciation for one of my friends. We can laugh, talk, cry, yell, get angry or just sit in comfortable silence. We can pray with/for each other, embarrass each other and support each other. We share our joys, sorrows, struggles and burdens. I love the ease of our friendship. Tonight got busy and life got in the way, so coffee together didn't work out. But we were still able to share snippets of our day and our frustrations with each other and encourage each other to keep on going. Just as I was packing up my things, on heard a song on the radio and, although I didn't completely recognize it and there were no lyrics, it reminded me of the song "You've got a Friend in Me" from Toy Story (I'll add a video link at the bottom of this post) and that just made me appreciate our friendship on a new level. - one blue gift: our pool. My folks have an indoor pool and I love it! I am trying to lose weight and have several 'swimming buddies' who come over at various points in the week to swim laps with me. Having access to a private, indoor pool all year long is definitely a gift.
the joy dare: day 4
the joy dare: day 3
3 lines you overheard that were graces
- "Komm, Herr Jesu; sei du unser Gast; und segne, was du uns bescheret hast. Amen."
English translation: "Come, Lord Jesus, be our Guest; and bless what you have bestowed upon us. Amen." This has been my dad's 'go to' meal time prayer ever since I can remember. This probably isn't what is meant by the word 'graces' for today's joy dare. But it's not only the table grace my dad always says, it's the one my Oma Janzen often said too. And when I think of Oma Janzen, I have to think of the word 'grace' because she embodied the word. - "Yeah, outside is great, if you're dressed for it! Crisp air!" That was the response I got via text message when talking about chicken noodle soup, ice wine picking temperatures and feeling sorry for my dad and brother who were working outside for a number of hours. My dad and brother and the ice wine crew started to pick and press our ice wine grapes at 3am. The day stayed cold and temperatures didn't start to rise until the following morning and the whole ice wine crew was pretty chilled by the time they were able to take a break. The text came from a friend who is an avid skier and has spent many years in BC (not in the rainy parts, but in the cold and snowy and mountainy parts). I guess many people would enjoy this kind of weather. In fact, because it was clear and sunny, I bundled up and went for a walk to enjoy the "crisp air".
- "Dear Lord, forgive me for trying to fill the empty places of my soul with people, possessions and positions. I want to know what it means to have You, Lord, as the satisfier of the deep places meant only for You. Show me. Teach me. Lead me. And I will follow. In Jesus’ Name, Amen." This was the prayer at the end of the daily devotional that is e-mailed to me (well, the end of yesterday's devotional that I didn't read until today). This prayer is a lesson I've been learning over and over and over again. I recently told someone that looking back on 2011, I see a lot of negatives and not so many positives. It wasn't a 'bad' year, but it wasn't necessarily a 'good' year either. It is very easy to lose focus on Christ and shift the focus to me and what I need/want and to fill my life with people and things and activities - to the point where they start to crowd out my time for prayer and the time I spend with God and in His Word. As always, God forgives and I try to stay focused on Him. But God's forgiveness is the epitome of grace. (click here for the full devotional)
the joy dare: day 2
- a gift outside: the playful cats
- a gift inside: the warmth of an electric blanket
- a gift on a plate: yogourt made from goat's milk (Liberté Goat Yogourt)
the joy dare: day 1
3 things about yourself you are grateful for
- my love for kids
- my love for all things "craft"
- my love for friends and family
The Joy Dare: January
Join me on a Joy Dare. Find 3 things to be thankful for every day and by the end of the year you'll have over 1000 reasons to be thankful.
For more details, check out the joy dare.
Believe
Christmas is a season for childlike faith and innocence, when we are invited to believe that anything is possible.
As we grow up, though, the stories so cherished in childhood simply become harder to believe. Most of us grow skeptical about life, including the story of Christmas.
Yet, two thousand years ago, God invited two very different people to believe in Him for the impossible and what happened next changed their lives forever.
What would it take for us to experience the miracle of Christmas in our time and in our lives? What would happen if we could, once again, just Believe?
As we grow up, though, the stories so cherished in childhood simply become harder to believe. Most of us grow skeptical about life, including the story of Christmas.
Yet, two thousand years ago, God invited two very different people to believe in Him for the impossible and what happened next changed their lives forever.
What would it take for us to experience the miracle of Christmas in our time and in our lives? What would happen if we could, once again, just Believe?
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