August 7, 2010

so true

sometimes you see a message

in the most unlikely places

i was stuck in traffic in halifax

and saw this on the side of an old wooden home

and thought

so true

isn't that often the case?

we wish someone was with us

when i am in roatan i wish my family and friends

were there

when i am in canada i wish my friends from roatan

were here

crazy huh?

well today i looked over at our son

who was smiling  and brighter in his heart

then he has been in a while

and i thought

this

i 

am

glad 

he 

is

here

and i looked in the rear view mirror

at our daughter 

with her snazzy new haircut

and dancing eyes

and thought

i 

am

glad 

she 

is 

here

so what is the point?

make the most of those you are with
where they are is where you are
don't wish
just be

okay?

okay

August 6, 2010

queen ann's lace

i don't remember there being fields and fields

of queen ann's lace here in nova scotia

but it is everywhere!

i love it

i went for a walk once we got home

around the property and i was struck by the color

in the background of the late afternoon sun

i forgot my camera earlier or i would have taken

photos of matt and emily standing in the lake at 

birch cove freezing,

or the rowers rowing frantically to the finish line,

or a wet dog dripping by the shore,

or the light sparkling on the water

but it is all a memory

of a lovely summer day here

it was actually hot.

so nice

August 5, 2010

you got mail

i saw this when i went for a walk yesterday

but i didn't have my camera so i went

back today

i can't help but wonder how long that mail

has been sitting in that rusted mailbox?!

i'd guess years...

talk about leaving things undone....

wow.

 

the place does look a little abandoned doesn't it?

i mean why else would the mail be there

for so long 

and the mailbox rusted right out?!!

you know you are in a rural area when you see 

things like that.

August 4, 2010

love

this is a sea smoothed rock covered

in felt

made by 

amy marshall

how beautiful

love

 love 

love

love love love love love

love love love love love

 love 

 love 

 love 

love

love

love

if we think it is easy to love

or that love can be bought

we kid ourselves

true love is a sacrifice

and a self less act

it sometimes hurts

when christ died on the cross it cost him everything

it was brutal to love us in that way

but He was willing

the kind of love that we are giving to our son right

now costs us

it hurts

it isn't easy

it aches and cries

but we are indebted to remain by his side no matter

what he faces, no matter what he goes through.

that kind of commitment.

dedication, compassion and

unconditional love is

straight from heaven i believe.

love oozes from Him

and when we are broken enough and open enough to seeps in

to us.

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.

Roman 13:8

i am grateful in a tired sort of way for the love that keeps 

me hoping and believing through each day.

August 3, 2010

cole harbour

this is the view from our friend's window

i woke up early this morning 

and the light was lovely on the water

it was like glass

it looks like a tiny pond from where i took it

but it is really part of the sea

you just can't see the sea from where i am

made me think that is how it is for us 

sometimes

we feel like a small part,

a pond,

a little insignificant person

when in reality 

we are part of a greater force

a kingdom of light

unseen by most

but very grandoise and real

August 2, 2010

standing through it all

i took these while waiting for mattie

at the penhorn mall bus stop.

our phone was dead so we couldn't let him know where we were

so we were waiting for quite awhile til we finally

figured to go use the payphone!  

what a novel idea...

:-)

anyways,

waiting is always easier with a camera in hand

time passes so sweetly when i have my camera

i can be in a doctor's office, a government building,

outside at a garage

wherever i am waiting it is easier

because no matter where i am

i seem to be be able to find the beauty of the place

i have a thing for clover

the whole field by the bus stop was a mess of clover

as a kid i would roll in it

i was pretty tempted to do the 'roll'

but i didn't

:-)

we have been under some stress lately 

Mattie is going through a rough time

we are glad we are here for him but

that stuff is the hardest as a parent to navigate

because we love them so much and hate to see them

hurt or suffer in any way

but pain is a part of life if we are real and honest

i remember once years ago realizing that

He is in the middle of my pain

it was a simple but revolutionary thought that changed me forever

we tend to try to be good, good, good 

and when we aren't good, good, good we pretend we are 

instead of admitting to God and finding Him right there in the middle of 

all that bad, bad, bad.

see the photo with the yellow flower?

you may think that is pretty but it is way more then that for me

the one standing up tall is symbolic of what i want my life to be like

there are always situations 

people

pain

that threatens to bring us down

but i want to remain standing

believing through it all.

i find comfort in this verse:

"A bruised reed He will not break

And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; 

He will faithfully bring forth justice."

Isaiah 42:3 

no matter what you are going through to today

good, good, good...

or bad, bad, bad...

know that you won't break under it,

but be able to stand

because He is in the middle of it..

He is.

August 1, 2010

dinner out

today after we got matt set up in his new place 

we headed to west chezzacook to dan and shirley's

for dinner

it was a wonderful time of catching up,

sharing a fantastic meal outdoors,

then the guys playing guitar together.

we have spent many a night singing together

with dan and shirley

it was like ol' times again

i am amazed at how musicians can just

jam together!

i can sing but i can't play an instrument

dan is an amazing musician and song writer.

he is one of the few who remembers the lyrics 

of those difficult songs that most of us only

know the chorus to.

matt played along so well,

picking and filling in the spaces so creatively and wonderfully

amazing...

i am blessed to be surrounded by musicians