Get out there and VOTE!

Well, it's Election Day in Canada, and this one should prove to be exciting. I think it will be quite late in the evening before we know the final result. More than in other years, I think that the Western Canadian vote will make a big difference in the result...so go cast your vote! (If you don't vote today, you can't complain about the result!...j/k)

It's looking like there will be change...but just what shape that will take is still up in the air. Most authorities are predicting a minority government. Apparently though, even if the Liberals win fewer seats than the Conservatives, in the case of a minority government, the Governor General will go to the current PM first to form government first? Bizarre!

One thing that concerns me though is Quebec. It's looking like the Bloc might take 60 seats! ...and this is not because separatist momentum is growing there, but rather because they want change and a vote for the Bloc is a vote against the Liberals. It will be quite interesting to see what happens tonight.

After work, Les and I are going to walk over to the school to cast our votes late this afternoon. Amanda will be with us (as she was for the provincial election). I think in such a close election, each and every vote seems to mean more. We are fortunate to live in this country and have the right to vote, so what are you waiting for, GO VOTE:)

:( ...I had a great post yesterday that blogger seems to have lost?! Oh well, it will have to remain a mystery....

It's amazing how Carolyn Arend's lyrics speak my heart. This song captures my heart today. I re-wrote the second verse though based on my experience:)

Surprised By Joy
words and music by Carolyn Arends

Every once in a while on a summer night
The sunset glows and I see the light
And when the stars come out it dawns on me
There is holy ground underneath my feet

Surprised by joy
Awash in love
Just one taste of grace
And I'm overcome
You've got a way
Of breaking through
'Til I'm surprised by joy
I'm amazed by you

Just the other day when I kissed my 'hun
I was blown away by what you've done
'Cause when he smiles at me with his foolish grin
All at once I see your face in him

Surprised by joy
Awash in love
Just one taste of grace
And I'm overcome
You've got a way
Of breaking through
'Til I'm surprised by joy
I'm amazed by you

And when I least expect it
You surround me
You astound me with your love

Surprised by joy
Awash in love
Just one taste of grace
And I'm overcome
You've got a way
Of breaking through
'Til I'm surprised by joy
I'm amazed by you

My reading from Nouwen was wonderful today!

Flesh Become Word
The word must become flesh, but the flesh also must become word. It is not enough for us, as human beings, just to live. We also must give words to what we are living. If we do not speak what we are living, our lives lose their vitality and creativity. When we see a beautiful view, we search for words to express what we are seeing. When we meet a caring person, we want to speak about that meeting. When we are sorrowful or in great pain, we need to talk about it. When we are surprised by joy, we want to announce it!
Through the word, we appropriate and internalize what we are living. The word makes our experience truly human.

I want to sing again!

Although I am feeling much better than last week, my ear is still plugged and as a result, alot in the world seems fuzzy to me. I just got back from a follow-up appointment with my Doctor. The decrease in pain is 'a good sign' she says but my ear is not better yet....meaning..more drops and I'll have to see a specialist. I'm sure all will be well soon. This whole thing is probably so stubborn because it took so long to diagnose (twice mis-diagnosed by other doctors). I'm grateful that it is less painful now and will do as the Doctor ordered, but I want to sing again! As I was driving back to the office from seeing the Doctor, I was playing my latest Amy Grant cd. I always croon when I'm driving alone...usually quite loudly, but with my ear plugged, I can barely sing - not that I was Whitney before?! ...but still, I want to sing again!!

Here's what I was crooning out today:

Simple Things
by Amy Grant

Wake up baby look around
Birds sing, ooooh that sound
Reminds me of a line
From Unchained Melody

Feel like I'm a little girl
Best thing in the whole wide world
Is I can see the makings of a memory
I remember how it used to be
Well I'm still dreaming...

Cuz I dream of simple things
I can believe in
Like the feeling this day brings
True love and the miracle of forgiving
I believe in simple things

Ain't nothing like a sunny day
Chit-chat at a street cafe
Just paint the picture, baby
Where you wanna be

Take a walk, take a ride
So far, you and I
Don't need a plan
But we can share
This revelry

I remember how I used to want it all
Funny now the big things seem so small

I dream of simple things
I can believe in
Like the feeling this day brings
True love and the miracle of forgiving
I believe in simple things
Through all the days
The blues, the greys
A ray of light keeps shining...

Don't know how accurate this quiz is...it didn't ask me very many questions, but came up with this acronym for my name:

S	Shiny
H	Haunting
E	Exquisite
R	Responsible
R	Radiant
I	Influential

Name / Username:

Name Acronym Generator
From Go-Quiz.com

Today is a special anniversary:)

Two years ago today Les kissed me for the first time! We were married on November 7th of that same year...it was quite a kiss! :)

Great news!

My awesome friend, Arilee, called this morning with this annoucement....Vince Gill and Amy Grant will be in concert at SaskPlace on Thursday September 30th!!

Arilee called insisting that Les and I go to the concert AND insisting that Amanda spend that evening with Aurora and her. What an amazing friend! ...to know what delights the hearts of others and then to help make a way for them to share in it! I have never seen either of these artists in concert, but have wanted to for a long time.

Amy Grant's music was a big part of growing my faith in my high school years, and a very tangible expression of my faith leading up to 1991 when my relationship with Jesus became more personal. I know alot of Christians have ceased to follow her because of areas where she has fallen in her own life, but I don't believe mine is to judge. I believe that she has learned much about grace and mercy in the process and that these truths are painted all over her most recent albumn (Simple Things).

Vince Gill is an amazing musician, and my husband, an amazing musician himself, is excited about seeing him play live! Actually, Les is just as excited about the whole thing as I am...isn't he wonderful?! I feel truly blessed that we can share in something like this! Bless you, Arilee, for blessing us in so many ways today and everyday!

Triumphant return!
I'm sorry if it seemed like I dropped off the planet. Tis a longgg story, but I haven't been well (tonsilitis, outer ear infection, fever, dizziness...you get the picture!) I saw several doctors and was mis-diagnosed a couple of times before I finally was able to see my own GP...then I was on the mend. It took a bit though...as things got worse before they got better, but I am happy to report that I'm almost myself again!

These are the words to the song that spontaneously started playing this morning as I logged into my computer at work... (someone, probably one of my staff, infaltrated my desktop...good job, I'd say!:)

Dance your cares away,
Worry's for another day.
Let the music play,
Down at Fraggle Rock.

Work you cares away,
Dancing's for another day.
Let the Fraggles play,
We're Gobo, Mokey, Wembley, Boober, Red.

Dance your cares away,
Worry's for another day.
Let the music play,
Down at Fraggle Rock.
Down at Fraggle Rock.
Down at Fraggle Rock

Les is More!

My handsome and talented husband is an amazing guitar player! (Have I ever told you that?) He can play electric, accoustic, bass....(He's pretty modest about it all and about how he writes music when he has time.) His favourite guitar is his Gibson Les Paul...and I love this logo for it!

I agree -- my Les is MORE! He is so much more that I ever hoped, dreamed or prayed for! You'd have to get to know him, of course, to fully understand... He is smart and funny and caring and sensitive and silly and creative and strong and affectionate... He's such a good father, and the most amazing husband! I feel so loved!! He makes me feel so beautiful! I love him more today than yesterday and yesterday more than any day before that!! I learn so much about God's love through Les' love and through our relationship. In his arms I feel safe, protected, treasured and happy:)

Lightning Claim First Stanley Cup!

Well, for the second year in a row, I watched the Stanley Cup Final with my loving-hubby:) I would have to say that this year's final wasn't as emotional as last year's. I did not cry (as I did last year when Giggy got the Conn Smythe), but there were tears... Watching these men revel in what they'd accomplished, I saw these little boys in them who had dreamed their whole lives of winning The Stanley Cup. As I watched them pass the Cup from one to the other, each would kiss the Cup and lift it high overhead...their little boy dreams came true...and that brought tears to my eyes.

Les and I had kind of been cheering for Calgary.. (I still can't believe that?!...We don't really like Calgary, but they seemed like our great Canadian hope, and they were such a dedicated and hard-working team!) As we watched last night's game though, we got to the point where we just wanted the better team to win. Tampa was out-playing Calgary most of the game, and when Calgary woke up with 10 minutes left, it was too little too late. All through the game, CBC was following the gathering in Brad Richard's (Tampa player) hometown in PEI. And after the game, Bettman presented the Conn Smythe Trophy for the Most Valuable Player in the playoffs to none-other-than...Brad Richards! I guess Canada did win afterall!

In fact, after the game, CBC had a little feature highlighting each Tampa player and where they were from and who their hockey hero was growing up. It seemed to me that the Tampa Bay team was largely made up of Canadian boys. Maybe Canada did win afterall!

I know there's alot of debate about the expansion in the league that has resulted in more teams in the States. Somehow it sounds odd to think that a team that resides in Florida just won the cup, but I bet you the boys on the team don't think of it that way...they're just grateful that team exists so they can play. Perhaps this very expansion that has watered down much of the talent in the NHL is the very thing that has made more Canadian boys' dreams come true as they found places to play the game they loved. Look at Martin St. Louis...he had an amazing season, but just a few year's ago he was an underachiever and actually found himself being traded away from the Calgary Flames. Perhaps if the league hadn't expanded, he might not have gotten this chance...perhaps...and oh yeah, he's a Canadian boy too...

Canada DID win, afterall!!

A daily dose of Nouwen...

The Power of the Spirit
In and through Jesus we come to know God as a powerless God, who becomes dependent on us. But it is precisely in this powerlessness that God's power reveals itself. This is not the power that controls, dictates, and commands. It is the power that heals, reconciles, and unites. It is the power of the Spirit. When Jesus appeared people wanted to be close to him and touch him because "power came out of him" (Luke 6:19).
It is this power of the divine Spirit that Jesus wants to give us. The Spirit indeed empowers us and allows us to be healing presences. When we are filled with that Spirit, we cannot be other than healers.

Bar-be-que!

Last weekend we purchased our first ever bar-be-que...and we've BBQ'd almost every night since then (with the exception of Monday...what was with that wind?!) We're really enjoying trying things out! Last night we BBQ'd steak, and I found this great recipe for a teriyaki marinade the night before, so the sirloin had marinaded in it over night...very yummy! Friends have also been offering suggestions that have been great. Last night we tried grilled asparagus thanks to Brenda's comments, and we also did some potatoes (a different way) on the bar-b-y thanks to Alana. Her great tip was to bake them some in the microwave first...then cut them up with your ecoutrements in foil...yum! They were so good that Amanda asked what they were. To which I said, "potatoes". Amanda said, "I know THAT, Mom, but what kind?" We decided that they were 'Brophy-special-grilled-potatoes-and-cheese' (with a few more secret ingredients to boot!) This week I'm going to look for the basket that Brenda mentioned that makes grilling veggies a breeze... I'm liking this!

God likes me! He really likes me!

That may not seem like a revelation to you, but over and over again I am struck by it...the fact that God likes me (even when I'm not that likeable). Yes it is amazing how He loves us, far beyond what I can fathom, but He HAS to love...by His very nature God IS love. (Well He doesn't HAVE to...He is God and He can do whatever He wants...but God is love). Never-the-less, the thought that He LIKES me really makes me feel cherished...especially when I think of how undeserving I am...I think about all the things that I don't do as well as I should and all the things that I fail at...the mistakes I've made, the sins I've committed...and His grace washes over me, His love amazes me...and the fact that He likes me makes me smile:)

Brennan Manning says it this way...

Being Cherished

Several years ago, Edward Farrell, a priest from Detroit, went on a two-week summer vacation to Ireland to visit relatives. His one living uncle was about to celebrate his eightieth birthday. On the great day, Ed and his uncle got up early. It was before dawn. They took a walk along the shores of Lake Killarney and stopped to watch the sunrise. The stood side by side for a full twenty minutes and then resumed walking. Ed glanced at his uncle and saw that his face had broken into a broad smile. Ed said, "Uncle Seamus, you look very happy." "I am." Ed asked, "How come?" And his uncle replied, "The Father of Jesus is very fond of me."

If the question were put to you, "Do you honestly believe that God LIKES you?" -- not loves you because theologically He must -- how would you answer? God loves by necessity of His nature; without the eternal, interior generation of love, He would cease to be God. But if you could answer, "The Father is very fond of me" there would come a relaxedness, a sernity, a compassionate attitude toward yourself that is a reflection of God's own tenderness. In Isaiah 49:15, God says: "Does a woman forget her baby at the breast, or fail to cherish the son of her womb? Yet even if these forget, I will never forget you."

"No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you." Joshua 1:5

Today is the MAD Hatter's Tea Party...

...at our church, that is:) The AWOL (A Woman's Outlook on Life) committee says the MAD part stands for Marvelous And Delightful...or Music And Drama as there will be that there too!

I'm really looking forward to this. I love tea and tea parties! I'm heading over to the Church to help set up the room as soon as I'm done work...so is my sister-like and almost-too-dear friend, Alana. It will be wonderful to get to do this with her! Also my gregarious and full-of-fun friend, Brenda will be there, so I'm sure there will be lots of laughter and a bit of the unexpected!


My mother-in-law is going to be my guest for the evening. As she and my father-in-law only moved here last fall, I'm hoping that she will get the chance to meet more ladies in the Church.

MAD Hatter's Tea Party...hmmm, I guess I'll have to wear a HAT!