yeah and hooray

Thursday, November 3, 2011 Nervous

Tonight I represent Home with a Heart in an interview for a funding proposal that I am submitting.  I think I am prepared to answer any questions. Still I am nervous and want the program to be represented well. Butterflies..... 

Posted by Anita Eleveld at 3:15 PM

 The above post went up in November and I heard back last Friday that my proposal was approved and so now I have a significant amount of the budget for Home with a Heart funded for the year and options for the next two years after that. An answer to prayer and an encouragement for the work I do with this program. Now forward with the joy of serving in this most wonderful program.

bubble - licious

                                              what a great picture

Breakfast

Years ago some of my kids would listen to Christian music artists or bands.
Quite often I found myself enjoying the music as well.
     The W's, Steven Curtis Chapman, Michael W. Smith,
     Jars of Clay, Amy Grant among others.
One of my favourite songs was by a group called the Newsboys. 
It was called Breakfast in Hell and spoke to the loss of a loved one.

Breakfast clubbers, drop the hankies. 
Though to some our friend was odd, 
That day he bought those pine pajamas 
His check was good with God.  
Those here without the Lord, How do you cope? 
For this morning we don't mourn Like those who have no hope  
Oh, rise up, Fruit Loop lovers - Sing out sweet & low 
With spoons held high We bid our brother, "Cheerio!"

I really like the quirky words to this song
and enjoy singing along with it in my own off-key but enthusiastic way.

When we experience the loss of a loved one
the hope that comes from faith is a wonderful comfort.

Marks and Scars

"My marks and scars I carry with me to be a witness for me."
A line from Paul Bunyan's Pilgrims Progress. A book I have held in my hand a number of times trying to get started on reading it. I have not yet found a time that I looked at the first page and wanted to tackle it. Don't know if I ever will. Maybe the Readers Digest Condensed version.
But I love the line.
"My marks and scars I carry with me to be a witness for me."

I found those words in the Canadian Parliament Building in Ottawa. It is located in the Memorial room where war time losses are remembered. War certainly causes marks and scars. Some deeper than others.

It is true that we carry with us the marks and scars that we have picked up during our life.
I have some mighty impressive stretch marks across my belly which were created by my wonderful children doing the growing of the first 9 months of their lives. Now I am not altogether proud of these marks which look a tad like Darth-Vaders-helmetless-head. But very proud of the children that grew under them.

I have other marks and scars.
A small gash on my hand because the scalpel used when I was trying to dissect my dead-as-a-doornail science frog from highschool.
A slash on my thumb from some rather tacky craft project, again from my highschool days.
An appendix removal scar from 1983.
And various others which need not be added to the list for you to know that I have received some bumps along the way.

But we all carry marks and scars that are never seen on the outside.
Scars on the inside - hurt feelings, angry words, disappointments,
careless words spoken, relationships which I wish were different.

I am sure that I have, at one point or another, been the inflictor of marks and scars on others.
In each case I would like to have the chance to apologise and to make amends.
To offer and to receive forgiveness is a cleansing thing. 

My marks and scars are part of who I am - the seen ones and the unseen ones.
Expect I will gain some more before I am through.
Likely I will inflict some more before I am through.

Still I look forward to the future.

such grand kids

Ethan and Moriah are growing fast. I usually help for a feed or two a couple of times a week and love seeing them starting to respond. Ethan has such a smiley face and Moriah loves to sit in her bumble chair and look around.

weather or not

We have had a particularly mild winter so far - I think it has been only twice so far that has it snowed any amount so that it has stayed overnight.
Right now though sitting at the computer I feel chilly.
I ought to put on a sweater but will try something else first.

Here I sit on a beach in the Bahamas with my mamma taking the picture.

Lest you think I have taken up the habit of cigar smoking

- look ye closer - 

the cigar in question is a sausage-on-a-bun without the bun. 

Just looking at pictures of warmer places warms me up.
And looking at pictures of the cruise I took with my mom
also warms the cockles of my heart. I have a great mom.

But I'd better goeth to findeth my ye olde sweater
lest I geteth myselfeth chilled
(that is pronounced chill- (slight pause here) ed)

Again with the brackets
(whaz up with dat?)