Day 30 - One Thing You're Excited For

Day 30 - One Thing You're Excited For

Just one?!  I'm excited for Christmas coming up; for our cruise (just Nathan and I) in February which, this year, will include cruising out of Orlando/Port Canaveral, then renting a convertible to drive down to Fort Lauderdale to watch the Jets play the Panthers; as well as our family trip to Florida in late March/early April.

Day 29 - 21st birthday

Day 29 - The Night of Your 21st Birthday

Well, that was pretty long ago, and not a memorable one that I can recall.  I would have been married without kids so I'm assuming Nathan and I went out for dinner - but we weren't going to The Keg yet then, so I don't know where we would've gone.

Day 28 - Words

Day 28 - The Word or Phrase You Use Constantly

This is probably easier to do for someone else than yourself.  I can't really think of something I say constantly - other than maybe "Love you, babe" to my girls and "Love you, buddy" to my son.

Day 27 - What You Wore Today

Day 27 - What You Wore Today

Today was a day off of school for the kids, followed by hockey practices in the evening and a get-together for Emma with her youth friends.

So, I wore my exercise clothes until I finally got around to exercising, and then yoga pants with an UA shirt after that.  

Day 26 - Ex

Day 26 - Things You'd Say to an Ex


This is sort of a weird one.  I don't think of my exes, and don't really have anything to say to them, other than that I hope they have a relationship with Jesus and wish them the best.

Day 25 - Weird Traits

Day 25 - Four Weird Traits I have

Hmmm, I'm not sure I have 4 weird traits. Maybe my laugh is weird.  I'll go with 4 flaws instead.

I procrastinate in certain areas.
I'm very often late by a few minutes.
I can be impatient and easily irritated.
I can be proud.

Good thing He's not finished with me yet!

Book Review: A Respectable Actress by Dorothy Love

About the Book: When India Hartley is accused of murder, she must uncover the deceptions of others to save herself.

India Hartley, a famous and beautiful actress, is now alone after her father's death and embarks upon a tour of theaters across the South. Her first stop is Savannah's Southern Palace. On the eve of the second night's performance, something goes horribly wrong. Her co-star, Arthur Sterling, is shot dead on stage in front of a packed house, and India is arrested and accused of the crime.

A benefactor hires Philip Sinclair, the best---and handsomest---lawyer in Savannah to defend India. A widower, Philip is struggling to reinvent his worn-out plantation on St. Simons Island. He needs to increase his income from his law practice in order to restore Indigo Point, and hardly anything will bring him more new clients than successfully defending a famous actress on a murder charge.

Because India can't go anywhere in town without being mobbed, Philip persuades the judge handling her case to let him take her to Indigo Point until her trial date. India is charmed by the beauty of the Georgia lowcountry and is increasingly drawn to Philip. But a locked room that appears to be a shrine to Philip's dead wife and the unsolved disappearance of a former slave girl raise troubling questions. Piecing together clues in an abandoned boat and a burned-out chapel, India discovers a trail of dark secrets that lead back to Philip, secrets that ultimately may hold the key to her freedom. If only he will believe her.

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/1MUVRqX

My Thoughts:  I don't know much about the theatre or life of an actress, other than to know it has not always been a respectable form of employment.

Unfortunately, this book just didn't hold my attention.  I'm hard pressed to say what exactly it was, but I just was not captivated by the storyline.  It took me much longer to read this book than normal because I kept putting it down and forgetting about it.  

I enjoyed the mystery portion of this book more than the romantic subplot which seemed a bit forced or an odd fit.  

Other than that, I can't put my finger on anything "wrong" with the book, it just wasn't my cup of tea.

Thank you to Litfuse Publicity for organizing this tour and providing me with my complimentary review copy.

Day 24 - Something I Miss

Day 24 - Something I Miss

I wouldn't necessarily turn back time if I could, but there are many things I miss.

I miss my dad.
I miss being pregnant (not the being sick part though).
I miss feeling the kick of a baby in my womb, knowing the miracle of life is growing inside me.
I miss snuggling babies and smelling their unique scent.
I miss holding a sleeping child.
I miss first steps.
I miss mispronounced words.

And right now, I miss summer :)

Odyssey Adventure Club - Give the gift that lasts all year!

 

What’s on your children’s Christmas wish list? As excited as they might be about that new toy, as every parent knows, the thrill of the gift will eventually wear off. Focus on the Family and Adventures in Odyssey have created the perfect gift for those who want to give their children or grandchildren a present that will provide year-round fun with eternal impact.

The Odyssey Adventure Club (OAC) offers families 24/7 access to 25 years’ worth of Adventures in Odyssey (AIO) episodes in a safe online environment where children can explore and learn. Christmas really is the perfect time to tap into your children’s imagination while infusing faith and fun into their day . . . and every day of the year.

To celebrate the holidays this year, the OAC is offering free content for everyone, including an Advent calendar, a broadcast download with tips to create a memorable Christmas, AIO cutouts and Christmas stocking stuffer cards. Membership to the OAC costs just $9.99 a month — or even less if parents make a six-month or one-year commitment. Enrollment provides more than enough content to keep kids engaged throughout the year:



• Access to exclusive content and first looks at books and select Radio Theatre dramas. 
• On-the-go access to the OAC app for both iOS and Android users. 
• 24/7 streaming access to nearly 800 AIO episodes. 
• A new, members-only AIO episode every month. 
• A subscription to Adventures in Odyssey Clubhouse Magazine, and more.

In keeping with AIO’s rich heritage of teaching children about biblical principles — such as the importance of giving — a portion of each OAC membership benefits Focus on the Family partner organizations. Here are a couple of examples of what has been accomplished through Odyssey Adventure Club members:

• Carry the Cure received a sound system they needed to provide after-school programs to children in Alaska. 
• Mission Aviation Fellowship has been able to provide health vaccines to 65,000 children. 

The Odyssey Adventure Club wants to reach beyond fleeting entertainment this Christmas, partnering with parents in helping their kids grow deep in faith and find their place in God’s story.

Speaking of the holidays, you can prepare for Christmas with Thriving Family's 2015 Advent Activity Calendar — Tales of Christmas Past: 25 Inspiring true stories of the season. Assemble a beautifully designed Advent poster to help your kids focus on Christ this Christmas. Then read Scripture passages and stories that relate to individual flaps on the poster. You can also create easy-to-fold booklets for each story. Get more information about this year's free Advent calendar at ThrivingFamily.com/Advent, or sign up to download it.


To learn more about the Odyssey Adventure Club, visit www.oaclub.org, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Day 23 - Family

Day 23 - A Family Member you Dislike

Ha ha - as if I'm answering that one!

I love my family.  Obviously, I love Nathan and the kids.  But the rest of my immediate family and Nathan's, I mean.  Many of us are very different from each other, and some of us have extremely different points of view about many things, including faith.  But even though I may disagree with them, and continue to pray for them to see the truth - particularly for them to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, who He is, and what He has done for them - I still love them.

Day 22 - Morning routine

Day 22 -  Morning routine

What I wish my morning routine looked like....

Wake up early and read my Bible and Bible blog before the kids are up for school.
Read the kids a devotional while they're eating breakfast and get them off to school.
Exercise, shower, and get ready for the day.

What it actually looks like......
Sleep as long as possible, get up at some point while the kids are getting ready and finish getting them off to school - sometimes reading a devotional, but always praying with them before they leave.
Waste time on email, Facebook, and Candy Crush.
Eventually exercise, shower, and read my Bible and Bible blog.

Always room to grow! :)

Day 21 - Horoscope

Day 21 - Your Zodiac/horoscope and whether you think it fits you


As a Christian, I don't believe in horoscopes or any other type of astrology.  I don't believe that the stars and the planets influence my life - I believe that the Creator of the stars and planets is sovereign over my life and the life of every person on the planet whether they believe in Him or not.

The Bible forbids the practice of divination and sorcery of any kind, and any source of guidance outside of God and His Word, is not acceptable for a believer.  Period.

I have no idea what my zodiac sign is, and I have no interest or faith in anything my horoscope would have to say about my life.

Day 20 - Music

Day 20 - Well, I actually don't have any music on my phone right now.  Pathetic, right?  I switched from iTunes to Samsung, and I haven't bothered figuring out how to get my songs onto my phone.  I usually just let the kids connect their phones or iPods to the vehicle via bluetooth and use their music if I don't like what's on the radio.  And I hardly ever listen to music at home.

If I go to iTunes, and just press play, it's currently sorted by album, and the first 3 songs are...
What do I Know of Holy? by Addison Road - one of my most favourites!
Airwaves by Brett Kissel
Santa Claus (I Still Believe in You) by Alabama

So, there's that!

Day 19 - Fears

Day 19 - Five Fears that you Have

Everyone has fears to a certain extent. I'm thankful that I don't battle fear on a daily basis like some people do!

Some fears I have or have struggled with in the past.....

I used to struggle with a fear of Nathan dying, because of my dad dying when I was young.  Experience taught me that life was not guaranteed and I was fearful of the same thing happening to me.  Thankfully, with God's help, I was able to release that fear to Him.  I know that Nathan's life is not guaranteed, but I do know that God is sovereign and that nothing will happen that hasn't first passed through His hand, and that He works everything for good for those that love Him.  Now, that doesn't mean that everything that happens is good, but that He is good and that He can work through anything, even bad things, to bring about good whether in this life or in eternity.  Bad things may happen, but if/when they do, Jesus will never leave me or forsake me, and He will walk me through it, carrying me when necessary.  And I have faith in the hope of heaven.

As a parent it is easy to struggle with fear for your kids - that they won't make right choices (particularly with huge ones like whether or not to trust Jesus as their Lord and Saviour, and who to marry).  Again, all we can do is teach them right from wrong; being open, honest, transparent, and intentional - and pray, pray, pray!

To completely change gears.....
As a kid I was scared of grasshoppers.  And moths.  And crickets.  Snakes. Thunderstorms.  Tornadoes (still a little scary).  Pretty much anything outdoors. :)

Day 18 - Colour

Day 18 - Your favourite colour and why

My favourite colour is blue.  I'm not sure why exactly.  For clothes, it goes good with my eyes, which are also blue.

Although, if you'd look in my closet you could argue that in reality my favourite colour is black - because it's so versatile.

Day 17 - Quote

Day 17 - A quote you try to live by

There are two, and they are rather similar.....

The Golden Rule - do unto others what you would have them do unto you.

This means, that not only do you stop from doing rude, mean, or unkind things - you purposefully do kind, helpful, generous, and encouraging things.  Do good, not just refrain from bad.


The next is from Matthew 22
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 Anda second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Love God.  Love people.  Simple, but certainly not easy!

Day 16 - My day

Day 16 - Bullet your entire day

Well, this one won't be a regular day in the life, since it was a travel day.

Left home at 6am to drive south.
Stopped in GF for breakfast at Denny's - had eggs over easy, chicken sausage, oatmeal, and a couple bites of pancakes.
Stopped in F at Scheel's and picked up a drink for the road.
Stopped for lunch at Pizza Ranch - unfortunately we were on the late side for lunch and their buffet was almost shut down so pickings were slim!
Stopped in an outlet mall.
Arrived at our hotel, checked in, then headed to the mall where we spent the rest of the evening.
Ate supper at Cadillac Ranch, and then watched the new James Bond movie, before heading back to the hotel for night.

Fun day!

Oops - just realized I'm a week off - oh well, that was the 9th :)

Day 15 - Pet Peeves

Day 15 - Three Pet Peeves

I prefer the toilet paper roll to unroll from underneath, not from the top.

Obvious grammar and spelling errors drive me crazy!

The sound of people chewing grosses me out, particularly chewing gum with their mouth open.

Day 14 - 7 Years

Day 14 - Your life in 7 years.


7 years from now, I will be 45 (!!), Nathan will be 46, we will have been married for almost 27 years, and our kids will be 21, 19, 17, and 15.  What?!  I don't know if I want to think about that yet :)

We could have only 2 kids at home, or we would still have all 4 around, depending on what they decide to do after high school.  I'm sure we'll still be doing a lot of chaffeuring, particularly for Jacob's hockey.  Nathan will still be building houses - though possibly he'll be doing more general contracting and less physical labour himself.

I'm sure it will be great, but I don't want it to come too quickly.  I want to enjoy each moment while it lasts.

Day 13 - Commute

Day 13 - Your Commute to and from Work/School, etc.

Well, I don't go to school and I don't work outside of the home, so this one's pretty boring.  So, let's give a bit of history.....

After I graduated, I went to university downtown and lived in a tiny basement suite of a couple from our church.  I took the city bus or walked to school and to the restaurant I worked part time at.

When we got married and I was working, I continued to take the bus to work as long as we lived in the city - so for 2 years.

When we built our first house in our small town, I started car pooling to work with a few fellow employees.  Had a few interesting driving experiences with one particularly crazy driver.  The two of us in the backseat joked that car pooling with Brad was good for our prayer lives.

After having kids I went on maternity leave and then stayed home with them.  I currently do volunteer work at church and school (drive the van), as well as do the bookkeeping for Nathan's home building company.

We live close enough to the elementary school that our youngest 3 walk to school, and we live just far enough away from the high school for our oldest to take the bus.

Day 12 - Laugh

Day 12 - Two Words/Phrases that Make You Laugh

"Is it you or is it me?"  This is a total inside joke but there was something hilarious that happened at a funeral (I know!) and that phrase came up.  Now, every time we say that phrase, we're reminded of the "incident" and start laughing all over again.

I love to laugh, and it's pretty infectious, so there's a lot of things that make me laugh.  It's good for the soul!

Day 11 - Current Relationship

Day 11 - Your Current Relationship

I have been married for Nathan for almost 20 years.  We met when I was 17 and halfway through Grade 12.  We married the summer after I turned 19 and he was 20.  Which means we've got some big birthdays coming up that I'd like to ignore :)

Nathan is an amazing husband and father, and I could not have chosen more wisely!  He is a servant leader, always looking for ways to make my days easier or better.  He is a good provider, a hard worker, and has a great sense of humour.  He's definitely a man's man who enjoys sports, etc, but he is also a great communicator.  Does he have faults?  Of course he does.  So do I.  We're all human after all. Though he is not perfect, he's perfect for me.  And we're both determined to give 100% which is the only way for a marriage to work, and to keep Jesus at the centre of our relationship and home.

I'd marry him again in a heartbeat.

Day 10 - fruit

Day 10 - A Fruit you Dislike and Why

I love fruit!  Vegetables on the other hand....

My favourites are strawberries, raspberries, watermelon, grapes, bananas, pears, kiwi, mandarin oranges, the list goes on!

Fruit I dislike - unripe bananas.

And tomatoes, if they're considered a fruit.

Day 9 - Ageism

Day 9 - Your Feelings on Ageism

As a Christian, I believe that every human life has value - not because of what we can do (either for ourselves or for others), but for who we are - people created in the image of God to glorify and enjoy Him.  Our value comes from who He is, and really has nothing to do with us personally.

From the moment of conception to the moment of our final breath (as determined by God not man), we are valuable and should be treated as such.

With all that aside, elderly people have much to offer us. We can gain much wisdom from taking the time to learn about their life experiences.  The Bible speaks to this as well....

Proverbs 16:31 Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.

All in all, it's quite simple really.

Love God.  Love each other.  At every age.

Day 8 - Books

Day 8 - A Book I loved and One I Didn't

Surprisingly, this is a tough one for me.  Mainly because I read so many books that the titles/authors all tend to blend together somewhat, and it's not very often one jumps out as being way better than another, or, for that matter, way worse.

The Bible is the easy, Sunday School answer, and it is true.  But for just "regular" books....

One of my favourites is Angie Smith's I Will Carry You.  It's a heartbreaking and inspiring true story - if you read it, have kleenex at hand.

About the book: In 2008, Angie Smith and her husband Todd (lead singer of the group Selah) learned through ultrasound that their fourth daughter had conditions making her "incompatible with life." Advised to terminate the pregnancy, the Smiths chose instead to carry this child and allow room for a miracle. That miracle came the day they met Audrey Caroline and got the chance to love her for the precious two-and-a-half hours she lived on earth.

As far as least favourite, I would say that it's books that are theologically inaccurate.  Two that I have read would be Heaven is for Real, and A More Christlike God.  For an interesting read, check out this article - "Christian" Books Every Christian would be Better Off NOT Reading