Weak in the Knees

In the past few months, an intriguing subject has been the topic of many conversations with two close friends of mine: Knees.

Shawn, a Florida boy who has been raised being pulled behind a ski boat, had a very unfortuate incident happen during the summer months. While he was wakeboarding, his knee blew out on him. And he wasn't even doing a trick! The result has been painful surgery with a slow, uncomfortable recovery.

Laura, who is actually a distant relative of Shawn's (ironic,eh?), also had a knee incident within the last couple of weeks. She was on a run and jumped over a chain not even a foot off the ground, and suddenly she was down on the gravel with a gash in her knee all the way to the bone. She is off her crutches and gets her stitches out tomorrow, but her knee will still be sore for quite a long while.

What's special about these 2 people is that they are both children of God. God the Father is their Abba. Jesus Christ is their Teacher, Master and Rabbi. And the Holy Spirit is their Comfort and Joy. Because of injury and circumstance, they have been given the opportunity to spend more time at the knee of the Lord, learning, studying...just spending time with Him.

What have I learned from the knee injuries of my friends?

That I need to spend more time on mine.

What does it take for us to purposefully sit at the feet of the Lord? Pain, death, suffering? Shouldn't we be there at all times, just because we want to be?

I think we all need to pray for the heart of Mary, who spent her time with Christ at His feet. On her knees.

Lord, if you have to take us out at the knees, do what you have to do for us to spend that time with you.

Like Shawn and Laura, Lord, make me weak in the knees.

AHHHH Summer....Where art thou?

I have had a new and shocking discovery lately: I dislike cold with a deep passion.

This is shocking because I've been born and raised in the True North, the birthplace of hockey and Tim Horton's. I should love frolicking in the snow, and taking in a deep cold breath. I should like ice,....looking at it, seeing it, eating it. But the hard truth is this: I don't even like it in a drink. My water is always room temperature and my iced tea is NEVER iced. Cold wind makes me breathless and cold. Snow makes me wet and cold. Ice after I've slipped and fallen on it (which doesn't happen very often...let's face it, I am still a Canadian girl), makes me sore and cold. Which all makes me incredibly cranky and unpleasent to be around.

I love heat. It feels SO good. I didn't complain once this summer about it being hot because I knew it would be over way too soon. I love the sun, I love daylight, I love green grass, blooming flowers, the buzzing of bees and humming of hummingbirds. And why is it when everyone else in the office is hot, I still have my jacket on? Is the Lord preparing me to migrate south?

Am I living in the wrong place? Should it bother me that the change of two leaves on one tree cause me to what to burst into tears?

No matter what the case, I'm called to be content where the Lord has placed me. Sure the thought of getting snow tires on my car, and having to warm it up in the AM before I get into it makes me cringe, but shouldn't I remember that all things come from the Lord?

Posted on my mirror in my bedroom is Job 37:10. "By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen." I've placed it there so I can be reminded that winter is a beautiful gift that the Lord has given,...even if I'm not very excited about it right now.

So, winter is coming. I need to face the inevitable. Ice and snow....made by the breath of God. A time for God's creation to rest, and tough Canadians to grab their sticks and pucks.

I will eventually give in, but that doesn't stop me from dreaming about next spring and planning upcoming trips to Florida.

Life after NYC

One thing I can't say: Life is the same since going to New York City.

It was so big, so loud, so fast, so GREAT.

I know that might be a wierd thing to hear about NYC. It is such a materialistic place, and focus is mostly on self. But I found out quickly that people are the same everywhere. If you are kind to someone, most people will be kind to you. We all want to be happy, to find fufillment in life, to find a reason to keep living. People are people no matter where you are.

And it was in these people that we found the image of Christ. We saw Him in those He created, and because of this were able to love people and be Christ to them.

My team was amazing. I couldn't imagine going with a greater group of people. So willing to serve, so ready to give, so much fun! Because of this trip, I now have friends for life. We became a family, brothers and sisters loving and taking care of each other. We really learned what it means to be one as the Body of Christ.

This trip changed my life. Again, God allowed me to see the world in His perspective. He allowed a city that could be considered as a scary place become my new favorite place. I love this city, and I'm looking forward to my return.

Laura, Adam, Chris, Jonathan, Erin, Ashley, Marissa, Nick, Andrew, Christine, Lisa. What a blessing to serve with you all. When are we going again?

I know, I know...

Haven't written a blog in a long time....it's true!! I'll be on it soon, so keep checking back.(:

Christos Anesti!

I was thinking today about the movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding". Mostly because I have an interest in the Greek language, not that I want a big fat wedding!!(:

Why today you may ask? I was thinking about Easter. This glorious weekend of celebrating the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. In a part of the movie, Tula tells Ian that to tell someone "Happy Easter", you say "Christos Anesti". And then the other person responds with "A la tos anesti". I studied a little bit of Greek in Bible school, and I began thinking about the literal translation: Christos means Christ in Greek...(I know that's kind of obvious). Then, as a history buff, I remember what early Christians used to say to one another in greetings.

One would say:"Christ is Risen!

In response, the other would say:He is Risen Indeed!!

So, I looked it up.

Christos anesti does not mean Happy Easter, it means CHRIST IS RISEN!!!

We don't have to wait until Sunday to say this to one another! Christ is Risen! He is Risen INDEED!!! This is how children of God should greet each other every day!!

Celebrate!!! He is not dead, He is RISEN!

Christos Anesti!!!!!!!

Treasures from the Land of Promise

Last night I got to see my dear friend Laura for the first time since her return from the Holy Land. She said she had some things for me, and then started to pour out her gifts.

Being a lover of creation, my friend knows me well by bringing me back "pieces" of earth from the land where the Lord walked while He was here as the God-man. She brought me back sea shells from the beach at Joppa, and stones from the sea of Galilee. A small keepsake box made from stone in Jerusalem and a necklace charm carved from the wood of olive trees. Being a lover of history, geography and ancient truths, this was astonishing to me. To feel more connected to Yehweh and Yeshua of the past, and seeing how they are Lord and Savior to me today was captivating.

One stone she gave me from the sea of Galilee was bedrock, old enough to have been there when Jesus walked the shore after His resurrection and was speaking to His disciples as they were fishing. It was so profound to me. It was like it wasn't just faith anymore, it was reality. This stone was sitting on the beach when Jesus was there!

Before I went to bed last night, I was looking at the shells and their beauty, and found myself talking to the Lord about them. I shared with Him how special they were because they were from such a special Land. Then it was like He said to me, "they are special because I made them. Just like I made the seashells that you would find on a beach at home. Yes, they are from the Land where I walked when I was on this earth, but I walk with you EVERY DAY!".

My dear friend blessed me with very special gifts that I will treasure because I know they came from her heart and much thought was put into them. And she will be blessed to hear about the JOY that filled my heart because of the glorious truth that was given to me through them!

Oh, Israel! How blessed you are among the nations! To be chosen to fulfill the will of the Lord, to have the Savior come through this promised seed of Abraham!

And how Blessed am I! A Gentile! To have the Creator of seashells and bedrock live in my very soul and penetrate my very being....EVERY DAY.

Obsession

It's been a tough week....Or at least it should have been.

I found out some heartbreaking news on Sunday, something that affected me deeply. And at first, I wasn't sure I would emotionally make it through that night. I didn't sleep much, and just begged the Lord to get me through work the next day.

I asked a simple request of the Lord: That I trust Him. That I believe Him when it says that He will NEVER fail me.

Two friends of mine started praying for me that day, and I know that they're been praying for me all week. I've had unexplained strength, joy and confidence and I know that it's because of faithful children of God placing my needs at the feet of our Lord.

These words for Steven Curtis Chapman have also spoken to my very soul:

"Lord, you know how much, I want to know so much
In the way of answers and explainations
I have cried and prayed, but still I seem to stay
In the middle of life's complications
All this pursuing leaves me feeling like I'm chasing down the wind
But now it's brought me back to You
And I can SEE AGAIN

This is everything I want, this is everything I need
I want this to be my one consuming passion
Everything my heart desires
Lord, I want it all to be for you, Jesus
Be my Magnificant OBSESSION

So capture my heart again, take me to depths I've never been
Into the riches of your grace and your mercy
Return me to the cross, and let me be completely lost
In the wonder of the love that you've shown me
Cut through these chains that tie me down to SO many lesser things
Let all my dreams fall to the ground until this ONE remains

You are everything I want, You are everything I need
Lord, You are all my heart desires, You are EVERYTHING to me!

YOU are everything I want, YOU are everything I need
I want YOU to be my one consuming passion
Everything my heart desires, Lord I want it all to be for YOU, Jesus
Be my Magnificant OBSESSION"




Jesus is Life. I want Him to be EVERYTHING.


Things happen. But trusting and believing in Him turns mourning into dancing!


Thank You Lord, for who You are. And not just getting us through, but making us THRIVE.

And thank You for little things like Earl Gray tea, and March Madness.(:

Spiritual Insights From Rox

I'm often reminded in my workplace about what it means to be a new creature in Christ. How you may ask? From a Turtle.

Rocky is the turtle's name here at the Orthodontist's office where I work (Rox is what I call her. She is a girl, so I felt obligated to feminize her name!). She doesn't do much but sit on her rock, eat her food or chase around the finger of a patient who has become enthralled with her. But one thing she seems to do much of is shead.

Rox grows continually. At our last estimate, she is at least 35 years old, more likely closer to 40. And what I find fascinating is that it seems as though every time I look over at her from my desk, she is losing another piece of her shell. Her growth spirt has been more rapid in the past week and she has lost at least 2 pieces of her shell. And, from what I see, is working on AT LEAST 2 more! When she loses shell, she's getting bigger, she's growing, sheading the old shell for the new.

When we come to know Jesus and put our trust in Him, we become new in Him. Old things are passed away and new things come (2 Cor 5:17). Just like Rox's shell, the old has to leave to make way for the new. As the old passes, and the new comes, she grows. She becomes, bigger, better, older, and wiser.

This is how we should grow in Christ. Before we knew Him, we were like a turtle with an old shell. Then when we put our trust in Him, the new shell exploded from beneath. And as we grow in Him, the pieces of our old life continue to fall off. Either they float off on their own, or we are put through pain until it is forced to leave us.

This is what Rox does. She waits patiently for it to leave her at it's appointed time, or she will allow herself the pain of scratching off the old against a sharp-edged rock. In the between times, she rests on her rock, feeds on her food, finds joy in the chase or works to move heavy rocks. But in all that she does as a turtle, I think she grows because of the freedom she has been given to do so. As her large home gives her the freedom to grow, so our life in Christ does so for us.

We are free to enjoy the joy found in Him, free to work knowing there is a purpose for it, free to feed on the knowledge of His Word, and free to rest in all that He is.

You may think I'm stretching this. Why would I take the time to get spiritual insights from the life of a turtle? Simple: Rox has the fingerprints of her Creator all over her. I don't know if turtles know much, but I believe that Rox knows Who created her. So, with that in mind you can see how I would find something spiritual. The created who knows her Creator, placed in a tank across an Orthodontist office, was put there with His purpose: To bring man to God.

It is true that man has no excuse. God is not far from us. The gospel of Jesus Christ is in all that He's made. And once you're on this journey of knowing Him, you find Him in the most surprising places. He says that if we seek, we shall find (Matt 7:7).

I found Him among the rocks and algae of a turtle tank...