Well the turkey-bird is in the oven...we are celebrating Thanksgiving today. Les is off at work right now, and I am making the cranberries for our feast. Soon both sides of the family will be here. It will be a busy day, but I don't want to loose sight of what it's meant for.

My heart was struck this morning when I did some research on how Thanksgiving came about in Canada. I found out (as highlighted in my last post) that Parliament, when declaring the second Monday of October as Thanksgiving in Canada, marked it as a time of giving thanks to 'Almighty God'...and I have a lot to be thankful for...

Here's a partial list:

- God's love and His grace, abundant and true

- my handsome husband... I waited what seemed like a long time for him, but God was faithful, and Les is everything on my list of what I wanted.

- my living dolly, who made me a mommy:)

- our home, a warm place where we live and grow in love

- our friends, people like the Henry's who have been such examples to me of God's family... Alana, who has been my heart's sister, who taught me to be brave and who encourages me so much... People like Caroline, who have been there for us and shown constant and unconditional love. People like Arilee who have lifted me up as mommy and helped me along...

- our extended families... Les' folks who moved here to be closer to us (well probably Amanda), who've had such a tough year... my folks, who have had to let go of their little girl...

- our jobs... although I'm feeling too much stress these days, I still thank God that I have a job and pray His strength through it

- our church... my role has changed so much in it over the last two years that sometimes I don't know where I fit, but I am thankful that they take me where I am, and I'm thankful that Les and Amanda have each found a place there. I'm thankful for Encounter and Adventure Club which will be starting later this month, for the timing of it and that there is something for each member of my family to look forward to and grow in.

- the beautiful sunshine streaming through my windows right now, the gorgeous fall trees, the sunsets I've been seeing all week, the feelings I have inside, and once again, the God who paints this all just for me (well maybe not just for me, but sometimes it feels that way:)

The Canadian Thanksgiving Day came about because of a combination of
traditions. Before the first Europeans arrived in North America, the farmers in
Europe held celebrations at harvest time. The farm workers filled a curved
goat's horn with fruit and grain to give thanks for their harvest having been a
good one. This horn was called a Horn of Plenty.....or a Cornucopia, and the
farm workers who started a new life in Canada took this tradition with them.

In Newfoundland in 1578, the English navigator Martin Frobisher held a
ceremony to give thanks for surviving the long journey. He was later knighted
and had an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean in Northern Canada named after
him.....Frobisher Bay. As other settlers arrived they continued these
ceremonies.

In 1621, in what is now the United States of America, the
Pilgrims celebrated their harvest in the New World. By the 1750's settlers
moving to Canada from America had taken this celebration to Nova Scotia. At the
same time, French settlers arriving in Canada with the explorer Samuel de
Champlain held thanksgiving feasts and shared their food with their Indian
neighbours. After the seven years war ended in 1763 the citizens of Halifax held
a special day of Thanksgiving.

At the time of the American Revolution,
the people who remained loyal to the Government in England moved to Canada and
spread the Thanksgiving celebration to other parts of the country. Other English
settlers were also used to having a harvest celebration in their churches every
Autumn.

In 1879 the Canadian Parliament declared the 6th November as a
day of Thanksgiving and a national holiday. Over the years the date has changed
with the third Monday in October being the most popular time. Finally on the
31st January 1957 the Canadian Parliament proclaimed that....

'A Day of
General Thanksgiving to Almighty God
for the bountiful harvest with which
Canada has
been blessed.....to be observed on the second Monday in October.'

From... http://www.crewsnest.vispa.com/thanksgivingcanada.htm

Interview with God

Having watched the Father's Love Letter again recently, I was reminded of this: http://www.theinterviewwithgod.com/ (check out the presentation:)

The poem it's based on goes like this, but you really need to see the pictures as well...

THE INTERVIEW WITH GOD

I dreamed I had an interview with God.

“So you would like to interview me?” God asked.

“If you have the time” I said.

God smiled. “My time is eternity.”
“What questions do you have in mind for me?”

“What surprises you most about humankind?”

God answered...
“That they get bored with childhood,
they rush to grow up, and then
long to be children again.”

“That they lose their health to make money...
and then lose their money to restore their health.”

“That by thinking anxiously about the future,
they forget the present,
such that they live in neither
the present nor the future.”

"That they live as if they will never die,
and die as though they had never lived.”

God’s hand took mine
and we were silent for a while.

And then I asked...
“As a parent, what are some of life’s lessons
you want your children to learn?”

“To learn they cannot make anyone
love them. All they can do
is let themselves be loved.”

“To learn that it is not good
to compare themselves to others.”

“To learn to forgive
by practicing forgiveness.”

“To learn that it only takes a few seconds
to open profound wounds in those they love,
and it can take many years to heal them.”

“To learn that a rich person
is not one who has the most,
but is one who needs the least.”

“To learn that there are people
who love them dearly,
but simply have not yet learned
how to express or show their feelings.”

“To learn that two people can
look at the same thing
and see it differently.”

“To learn that it is not enough that they
forgive one another, but they must also forgive themselves.”

"Thank you for your time," I said humbly.

"Is there anything else
you would like your children to know?"

God smiled and said,
“Just know that I am here... always.”

-author unknown

Have you ever watched the Father's Love Letter?

If you haven't here's a link... http://www.fathersloveletter.com/fllpreviewlarge.html

I remember the first time I saw it a couple of years ago, my eyes were just so full of tears... :)

What I'm singing these days...

Ever since the concert, I can't get this song out of my head or heart. I've been singing it every day...kinda feeling like I'm Laura...

Saved By Love

Laura loves her little family,
And she's the kind of woman who loves them with her life.
But sometimes in the evening,
When the world rests on her shoulders
With four walls closing in,
She'll close her eyes.

Oh....

It's not like she misses being younger,
Though she never was in Vogue magazine or on TV;
Her husband loves her dearly,
And the morning shows her clearly,
Kisses her little baby girl.
Laura, she's the queen of the world.

Can't imagine ever leaving now,
Now that she's been saved by love,
Saved by love, saved by love.
Listen to her quiet heart singing loud.
Laura, she's been saved by love,
Saved by love, saved by love.
I know that she's been saved by love,
Saved by love, saved by love.
Saved by love.

There's nothing quite like my family's love to warm me,
And nothing short of death's gonna ever leave me cold.
Well, still at times it's lonely,
But through it all it only
Makes me love Jesus more,
And this is what He came here for.

I can't imagine ever leaving now.
Now that I've been saved by love,
Saved by love, saved by love.
He's gone and turned my crazy world back around,
And I've been saved by love,
Saved by love, saved by love.
I know that I've been saved by love,
Saved by love, saved by love....

Oh, I'm never leaving now,
Now that I've been saved by love,
Saved by love, saved by love.
He's gone and turned my crazy world back around,
And I've been saved by love,
Saved by love, saved by love.
Amy, she's been saved by love,
Saved by love, saved by love....
Saved by love.

I'm saved by love.

That's right.
And nothing I can say,
Nothing I can do, nothing I can say.

We're all just saved by love.
Nothing you can say, nothing you can do.
Only love can say, only love can do,
Only love can say.

Only love can say, only love can do,
Only love can say.

I'm say-yay-yaved by,
I'm saved by, by,
Nothing you can do, nothing you can say,
Only love can say....

I think I'm missing something...

I'm not big on McDonalds. I mean left to me, I don't think we would ever eat there, but Amanda adores their Cheeseburger Happy Meals, and so occasionally we find ourselves in line at McDonalds after a skating lesson or dance class. It's sad, I know... I think that Amanda's fondness of that place has more to do with the marketing than the food though (but she'd never tell you that). I think it has more to do with the toy of the week. When I was young, restaurants didn't give out toys or treats with meals...not even McDonalds. A few weeks ago Amanda was disappointed when Grandma & Grandpa took her out for supper and they went to Montana's...no toy to take home. Likewise when we took Amanda and her friend Britney out to Denny's before the carnival at the Church a while ago, she was disappointed again...no toy... Both times she would have preferred McDonalds even though I'm positive she preferred the food at Montana's and Denny's.

A friend of mine recently mentioned the movie,
'Supersize Me'. I hadn't heard much about it, but did check out the website and a blog on it this weekend. I actually think I'd like to see this movie, but I'm not so sure my daughter would like me to see it...as it may reduce the number of McDonalds trips she gets...afterall she already has enough toys.

Here's a quote from the blog:

"Morgan Spurlock went on a 30 day McDonalds only diet. 3 meals a day. Only food that McD's sells over the counter. And he must supersize the meal if they ask him. He started off the diet in perfect health, and at 185lbs. He got the help of 3 doctors a nutritionist and a personal trainer to monitor he progress...and for health reasons. For a man his size they recommended 2500 calories a day. The figured that he was eating 5000 calories a day.

A couple of finds:

- a regular Yogurt parfait + granola has more calories than hot fudge sundae
- only 7 things on the menu contain no sugar – french fries, hashbrowns, iced tea, coffee, diet coke, chicken mcnuggets, and sausage….even the salads contain sugar
- “results for liver are obscene beyond anything I would have thought” – one of his doctors, after 21 days

The final report:

He suffered from massive headaches when he didn’t eat McD, mood swings, and felt depressed and exhausted most of the time. His medical tests showed that he had 2x the risk of heart failure and heart disease, his liver was fat, his cholesterol was 230 and he gained an amazing 24.5 lbs. Oh, and mentioned that his sex drive was “worthless”. He also said that he had massive cravings for McD's when he wasn't eating. Overall, he ate 30lbs of sugar, 12 lbs of fat, and took him 5 months to lose 20 lbs after the fact.

Watch the movie. Think about what you are eating. Crazy, crazy stuff. Basically, the doctors told him to stop 3 weeks in because his body was (especially liver) was very sick. Insane.

Oh, he puts some of the burgers into glass jars for a few weeks to see how they decompose. After 10 weeks he throws them out. The fries look like they were bought that day. No mould. No fungus. He wanted to see how long they could go, but his intern mistakenly threw them out. Very creepy."

I find this very interesting. If you've read my blog for a while, you know the disappointing news that I learned last spring about aspartame and how it actually makes you gain weight... So as hard as it was I've given that up...

And I think everyone knows to avoid trans fats, another sometimes hidden ingredient that actually addicts us to certains foods and adds to our girth. This is something I've always been very careful with.

Well, the latest thing I've been reading about is glutamates (including MSG), which are in so many foods (not just fast food) and so hidden that I don't know how I could eliminate it from our pantry... Apparently, glutamates are very addicting and cause us to eat more of certain foods than we should (this was also shown to be a factor in 'Supersize It'). Also, glutamates fall under all sorts of names on food labels. I don't understand how food manufacturers and restaurants can continue to put ingredients into food that are so bad for us and also be able to hide them in their ingredients list...

I miss the days of Weigh Down (a Bible focused weight loss program that I did really well on). It taught me to trust my body that God made, to get in tune to it's signals of hunger and fullness and give the rest to God. Now-a-days, every time I turn around I'm forced to focus more on the food and make sure it has no artificial sweetners, trans-fats or glutamates. When I was in Weigh Down I didn't focus on the food at all, just ate whatever I wanted when I was hungry and stopped before I was full. I would focus on God and thank Him for all the jewels He sent my way. I did exercise when I could because it felt good not because I was trying to control how many calories I burned that day. Now I run around feeling guilty if I miss a day of weights or the gazelle and have to take special care reading labels to make sure the food is righteous before I put in my mouth. I think I'm missing something...maybe we all are...

Wonderful concert last night! I was really touched by how vunerable Amy can be when she talks about the songs. I think my eyes were full of tears most of the time that she was on the stage, but since I only have a few minutes here, I'll just post one cute story about my husband at the concert.

Les and I took our seats a while before the concert started so we could get a good look at the stage, and, in particular, the guitars on the stage. I correctly picked out the Gibson (special edition, I think) that Amy's lead guitar player (who was awesome) would play (he only used one guitar...Les says, 'when it's a Gibson, you only need one!'...but I digress..). Les pointed out Vince's tele. Les also pointed out the different amps up there...he even thought he saw a vintage Vox, etc. I pointed out Amy's accoustic, a MacPherson (I think Les was impressed that I remembered as this isn't a common guitar). In any case, this is stuff we do all the time. Les loves to survey what others are using in comparison to what he uses. His focus isn't always when he gets to perform for others so much as when he's downstairs in our house jammin' with his Marshall cranked.

Once the concert began, Les seemed impressed with Amy changing off accoustics every few songs...a fella from off-stage would come and exchange guitars with her. Les said that they were likely re-tuning them back stage in between. (If you know my darling hubby, you know that tuning is a big thing to him, so this was all good...and Vince did the same thing during his performance).

Anyway, after one of the songs in Amy's concert, I whispered to Les about how her lead guitar player used his slide in his solo. Les made a few comments back, and then Amy started into her next song, 'Simple Things', which if you know me, you know is one of my songs...I just find Les and myself and our life in there... So Amy's singing the chorus ('I dream of simple things I can believe in, like the feeling this day brings...True love and the miracle of forgiveness, I believe in simple things'). Then the spotlight moves to her guitar player who lets into an amazing solo, after which Les leans over and whispers into my ear, "That's what I need...a spotlight!" I just giggled...Amy's singing about 'simple things', and my unassuming, modest and introverted husband tells me he needs a spotlight for when he's jammin' out at home:) He's so cute!

Amy & Vince Tonight!


I have looked forward to this concert for a long time...probably most of my life...and now it's finally here. Tonight Les is taking me to see Amy Grant and Vince Gill in concert!

Why does that excite me? Well first of all, it's a date with my handsome and amazing husband! That alone would be reason enough to be excited, but you see there is more...I have been a fan of Amy Grant since I was very young and have never seen her in concert. When I was a girl, singing into highlighters in the privacy of my bedroom, more often than not the singer I was singing with was Amy Grant. Then as I got older and my own relationship with Jesus became more personal, as I would drive between Saskatoon and Regina on the weekends, the singer who accompanied me on more of my trips than any other was Amy Grant. I not only sang her songs, but I found myself in them. It was amazing how her lyrics spoke my heart, and in a way discipled me in a time when my faith was maturing. ('Arms of Love', 'Raining on the Inside', 'I Love a Lonely Day', 'Father's Eyes', 'If These Walls Could Speak', 'Ask Me', 'That's What Love is For', 'All I Ever Have to Be', 'If I Have to Die', 'So Glad'...and so many more...)

Now I know there are many out there that simply don't like her music. I know that there are those who don't consider her to be an artist with depth. Perhaps you are more familiar with the exceptions, song-wise, that the rules of what sort of songs she usually writes or records, I don't know. All I do know is that as someone who took music lessons for over 8 years and vocal lessons later on, I see a lot I admire in this artist, and identify more than I can put into words with the lyrics she writes.

There is, of course, another objection that some of you may have...which is that she is somewhat of a 'fallen' person...she's had some pretty public 'failures' by the Christian community's standards. To that I say what I believe Jesus would say, "Let you without sin cast the first stone..." I actually think that I have heard some of her best work since the controversy over her marriage. Legacy, her hymns album from two years ago is one of the best albums I own, and I think I've learned a lot about grace from her recent album, Simple Things, with songs like 'Innocence Lost' and 'Out in the Open'...

They were the sweetest words I'd ever heard
My heart could barely take it in
Like water offered to the lips
Of a tired and thirsty man

Cuz
it's a tangled web I've woven
I don't know all the reasons
But it amazes
me to wake up
To your mercy every morning

So I'm standing here
spinning around
In the fields of freedom
And I'm still alive and
reaching out
And I can feel the healing

Cuz you say
Come on out
come on out
Come on out come on out
Out in the open
Come on out come
on out
Come on out come onout
Into the light
There is no jury
There is no judge
Ready and waiting
Are the steady arms of love

For the sake of never making waves I
Kept my secrets to myself
And no one ever really knew the
Darker shadows of my heart

But I
will be a witness
That there's nothing in me dark enough
The power of
forgiveness
Cannot resuce from the deep

So I'm standing here
spinning around
In the fields of freedom
And I'm still alive and
reaching out
And I can feel the healing

And you say
Come on out
come out
Come on out come out
Out in the open
Come on out come on
out
Come on out come on out
Into the light
There is no jury
There is no judge
Ready and waiting
Are the steady arms of love

Oh how those words have helped me as I've walked beside a friend going through a dark time herself. That song has been like a personal witness of the truths in the Bible as we've read about Jesus and the woman at the well, the prodigal son and even the woman caught in the act.

Probably my favourite Amy Grant song is 'Open Arms'. It's an older one and you may not know it, but it's so personal to me. It's about God's wooing me and always being in His arms...

Guess I've got a lot of learning to do
About the
way that You love.
If it had been left up to me,
I'd given up a long
time ago.
But You've got a way of wooing me,
Tender and true,
And
though I don't deserve it,
I'm falling into Your

Open arms.
Your
love has taken hold,
And I can't fight it;
I'm giving in to Your
Open arms.
They pull me to You;
They wrap Your love around me;
I'll rest in Your open arms.

Only yesterday the thought came the to
me,
Is Your love as deep as they say?
Wonder where those questions come
from.
Soon as I learn, I'll chase them away.
'Cause I've had a taste of
tenderness,
Simple and true,
It drives away the doubting
And draws
me into Your

Open arms.
Your love has taken hold,
And I can't
fight it.
I'm giving in to Your
Open arms.
They pull me to You;
They wrap Your love around me;
I'll rest in Your open arms.

So that's where I'll be tonight...in God's open arms, with the man of my dreams listening to a singer who, through her vunerability over the years, has meant a lot to me, along with her husband who is such an amazing musician... It's going to be an great night!

"Greatest Hits 1986-2004" CD & Video To Be Released October 12th!

"The first “best of” collection from Amy Grant to span her pop career, Greatest
Hits 1986-2004 (A&M/UTV/UMe), released October 12, 2004, also features two
new recordings, “Come Be With Me,” featuring Keb’ Mo’ and co-written by Beth
Nielsen Chapman (Faith Hill’s “This Kiss”), and “The Water,” co-written by Grant
and with husband Vince Gill on electric guitar.

Executive produced by Grant,
Greatest Hits 1986-2004 picks up where her platinum 1987 retrospective, The
Collection, left off. Along with the pair of new tracks are 17 of the best-loved
recordings, each digitally remastered, from one of the most popular, influential
and groundbreaking artists in music. Included are 15 of her Top 40 Adult
Contemporary hits (all but her first two), with nine of those on her scorecard
of pop Top 40s to date (all but her first). ..."

Click on this link to read the rest of this article... http://www.amygrant.com/view_article.php?story=239

Amy's website also reports that on August 27th she headed back into the studio to work on another Hymns project...haven't heard word of a release date yet...it will probably be next spring I'd think.

Isn't Fall Beautiful?!

Extreme Home Makeover

Last night after we put our Dolly to bed, Les & I watched the fall premier of Extreme Home Makeover, which we taped the other night. It was a very touching episode...the Woffards, a Christian family with eight kids that was hit with the most horrible tragedy four years ago. I think I spent most of the show in tears. This family truly deserved a new home, and what the show did was wonderful, but what I was most touched by was how the community pulled together and made it happen, how their very own Church pulled together on this was inspirational! The contractor (a guy from their own Church who had never even built a house before) was amazing, and there were people like teachers from the Church up on the roof joyfully pounding nails. The girls basketball team even came and pitched in! I've seen a few other episodes of this show, and I have never seen them complete construction a day ahead of time, but they did this time (a whole 2 story house in less than 7 days!) The 'design team' from the show kept commenting as well how they felt something else at work here. No doubt that was God and His people:)

...and I've been thinking about that ever since. You see, our Church is pursuing a new building project, and without getting into opinions on it (the size and design of the building, the cost, the financing etc.), I'll just say that it hasn't exactly been smooth sailing. I don't think it would be appropriate to go into detail here, but after watching that show, I couldn't help but think that if this building is God's will, that if our community, our Church (which is the people who make it up) were to get behind this the way the Woffard's did, well that it too would be amazing. I was deeply touched by the picture I saw of what Church really is on that program!

Tea and Giggles


Last night was so much fun...a girls'-night-IN, so to speak. My friends Tami and Arilee (and of course the darling Princess Aurora) came over for supper and to linger. Princesses Amanda and Aurora had too much fun playing Pollys and then Barbies, and Princesses Tami, Arilee and I had too much fun engaging in girl-talk and sipping on Tea of Love! These gals used to be part of my small group and I miss getting to meet with them and talk with them over some tea every two weeks.

Tami is gregarious and full of fun. She adds a touch of the unexpected to my life and reminds me to colour outside of the lines. She has the greatest laugh and an amazing heart.

Most of you who read this already know who Arilee is. She is the 'auntie-extraordinaire'. She's a very creative witty woman...who is a wonderful mom and has been such a cheerleader for me as a mom.

I admire both of these women and learn alot from them. Being with them always encourages me. We need to make more time for evenings like last night. Tea and giggles go well together:)

As I posted on Tuesday: "I guess I'm having a 'book-party' for Party-lite Candles. I went to a candle open house with my mother-in-law this weekend and somehow got roped into this. Actually, I was thankful to find a new consultant since my stock of votives and tealights was getting pretty low...plus I discovered some yummy new scents...belguim waffles, almond biscotti and pumpkin ginger:) If you're needing any votives/tealights and want me to bug you about it, let me know and I'll give you a call. "

Last night, the Party-Lite consultant called me with a special offer that I can extend to anyone who orders anything...

Buy 2 Get 1 Free!

That means if you buy 2 dozen votives, you get 1 dozen free; if you buy 2 dozen tealights, you get 1 dozen free; if you buy 2 candle holders, you get one of a value no greater than the average cost of the 2 free.

When I got home from work yesterday, I headed to the bedroom to change my clothes, and there, on the bed, on top of a heart shaped pillow, was this book, 'Keeping a Princess Heart in a Not-so Fairy-tale World'. (If you've read this blog before, you'll know that I wanted this book:) I cracked open the cover and the inscription read: "To the fairest and most beautiful princess of them all. Love you, Les" I have THE BEST husband! Have I mentioned how much I adore that man?!!

Drum roll please.....

I just learned that the release date for Carolyn Arends' new album, "Under the Gaze" is....TOMORROW! If you follow the links above to her site, there are lyrics and song-bytes from it.

I've been feeling a little bit Fragile lately...

...you know, easily moved to tears, needing a little extra care...and as I sampled Carolyn's new album on my tea-break this morning, the words to the song 'Fragile' really spoke to my heart. Here are her thoughts about writing the song along with the lyrics:

"I was once chatting with a group of good friends from my church about a mutual friend who was absent, and – to the best of our knowledge – had been struggling of late. "I think," one of my friends confided, "she’s always been a little fragile." We all nodded knowingly.

However much we loved our absent friend, in all truthfulness we didn’t label her "fragile" as a complement. It was a nice way of saying something along the lines of "emotional" or "weak". But I got to thinking later about how much we fight our weakness, and how much that fight flies in the face of the Apostle Paul’s promise that it is in our very weakness that God is strong. Leonard Cohen once said "There are cracks, cracks in everything – that’s how the light gets in." So why do we spend so much time trying to cover over the cracks?

I’ve come to think of my fragile friend (actually, I’ve got several, and one of them lives in my own skin) more like fine china – rare, valuable, easily broken and therefore deserving of respect and the utmost care."

(Fine china, eh? ...hopefully I'm a teacup with pink roses! ...SB)

Fragile
Carolyn Arends

Life would be easier in thicker skin
Yours is thin
Porcelain
It would be better if you wouldn’t cry
All your friends
They wonder why

You’re fragile, easily broken
You’re fragile, already scarred
You’re fragile, but haven’t you noticed
All the most precious things are

Well if the eyes are windows to the soul
Yours is blue
And beautiful
You just don’t have the knack for building walls
Whatever comes
You feel it all

You’re fragile, easily broken…

I’ve heard it said there’s got to be a crack or two
For the light to get through
It seems to me that you are meant to be the kind
Who shines

You’re always trying to find an even keel
Somewhere safe
And not so real
But you were made to live the lows and highs
A winter rose
A butterfly

You’re fragile, easily broken…

C 2004 Songs of Peer, Ltd / Mr. Marley's Music (ASCAP)

Sometimes we just don't know how to accept a gift...

...or a compliment, for that matter. One day this week at coffee time, I decided to head out to get myself a cup of tea. I offerred to get one for my co-worker as well if she would tell me what kind she wanted (she can't have caffeine, so I needed to know what her favourite herbal was). She fought me vehemently about it and decreed that I better not get her anything! Hmmm...it was just a cup of tea?! I was left feeling like I would offend her greatly if I did bring her something back. It left me wondering if I don't sometimes have trouble receiving a gift as well. I know I can have trouble receiving a compliment sometimes. I've learned to smile and try to just say thank you, but inside something just fights it. Maybe that's not good. I've been thinking about God's grace...how it's a gift...how it is undeserved....and how we must receive it. Do we receive it as fully as we should? Is there more grace that would pour out into our lives when we received it and said thank you if inside we weren't fighting it because we know we don't deserve it? My 'Devotion for Ragamuffins' said this today:

"Against all the canons of prudence and discretion, Jesus announced the dawn of a new age, the inbreak of a higher righteousness, that he had come to save not the just but the sinners. And the sinner is accepted prior to any statement of sorrow. First comes grace (given tenderness), then metanoia. Real sinners deserving real punishment are gratuitously pardoned: they need only accept tenderness already present. Forgiveness is granted: they need only the wisdom to accept it and repent. These are the poor in spirit whom Jesus declares blessed. They know how to accept a gift. "Come on, all you who are wiped out, confused, bewildered, lost, beat up, scarred, scared, threatened, depressed, and I'll enlighten your mind with wisdom and fill your heart with tenderness that I have received from my Father." This is unconditional pardon. The sinner need only live confidently in the wisdom of accepted tenderness."

The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. Ps 145:8

Roses in Me Heart...

That's what this site would be translated into pirate talk?!

http://www.mediocreminds.com/03q3/misc/pirate_translator/pirate_parser.php?target=http%3A%2F%2Frosesinmyheart.blogspot.com&mode=quick&sensitivity=2&submitTarget=AAARRHHH%21%21

It was too close for me to call last night when Theresa and Kalan performed for the final vote. I was especially moved though by one performance...

In tears, I watched Kalan Porter sing the song of his choosing, 'I Can Only Imagine'. What a beautiful performance! I am so proud of him for picking that song and bearing his soul that way. I completely disagree with the commentary of the judges, who appeared to not be able to understand.

I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk
By Your side

I can only imagine
What my eyes will see
When Your face
Is before me

I can only imagine

{Chorus}:
Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel
Will I dance for You Jesus or in awe of You be still
Will I stand in Your presence or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine

I can only imagine
When that day comes
And I find myself
Standing in the Son

I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever
Forever ... worship You

I can only imagine

Well, tonight's the night...the finale of Can-A-dian Idol. I'm really looking forward to it. What started out as a program I watched with/for my daughter became something I've looked forward to the last couple of months...yes, because I could share it with Amanda and Les, but also because there have been some truly wonderful performances and some truly wonderful talents. Tonight it is down to Kalen and Theresa. Most people are predicting that Kalen will win, and that wouldn't upset me, but my heart is rooting for Theresa, the Saskatoon singer with so much heart...and being from Saskatoon, myself, I know that anything is possible...this is a generous province and I'm sure her voters will be out in full force. Whatever happens, I am sure that both Kalen and Theresa will have wonderful careers ahead of them. Each of them will sing 3 songs tonight: one they've sang before, a new one they choose, and the Can-A-dian Idol single which will be released shortly after the show. Each of these singers have given us a lot of wonderful performances, so I'm not sure which songs they will choose to repeat. I'd kind of like to hear Theresa do 'Good Mother' by Jann Arden again. We'll see... :)

I’ve got money in my pocket
I like the color of my hair
I’ve got a friend who loves me
Got a house, I’ve got a car
I’ve got a good mother
and her voice is what keeps me here

Feet on ground
Heart in hand
Facing forward
Be yourself
I’ve never wanted anything
No I’ve, no I’ve, I’ve never wanted anything
so bad...so bad

Cardboard masks of all the people
I’ve been
thrown out with all the rusted, tangled
dented miseries
You could say I’m hard to hold
But if you knew me you’d know
I’ve got a good father
And his strength is what makes me cry

Feet on ground
Heart in hand
Facing forward
Be yourself
I’ve never wanted anything
No I’ve, no I’ve, I’ve never
wanted anything so bad...
so bad

I’ve got money in my pocket
I like the color of my hair
I’ve got a friend who loves me
Got a house, I’ve got a car
I’ve got a good mother
and her voice is what keeps me here

Feet on ground
Heart in hand
Facing forward
Be yourself

Heart in hand
Feet on ground
Facing forward
Be yourself
just be yourself
just be yourself

Feet on ground
Heart in hand
Feet on ground
Heart in hand

3-2 Whooo-hooo! Canada wins!

I don't agree with Lacavalier as MVP, but why swabble when we won! (Maybe that stands for Made us Vunerable with a Penalty in the semi-final?!)

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/article.jsp?content=20040914_191752_4624