Learning to grow my giving heart...

*From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. (Luke 12:48)*

Today is the first day I've heard about the 30 days of giving. Apparently it was started last year (2009) for the month of November, and this year it's running online from November 1-30.

I was expecting to find a to-do list on the website of exactly which action to take on each day of the month, and I was really excited that it's nothing like that. What the 30 Days of Giving is about is bringing the whole IDEA of giving to the front of your mind, and helping people to focus on doing things for others.

It's like the new song from Matthew West called "My Own Little World." If you haven't heard the song, here's a link to the song on youtube. What hits me about the song is just how simple it is to find people every single day who are in need.

Physical needs like shoes, coats, hats, scarves...

Needing food...

Needing clean drinking water...

Needing someone to talk to...

Needing hope...

Needing salvation...

How often do I look the other way when there are needs before me? How often do I AVOID the homeless man or woman because "I don't have time" or because "they look funny." I want to become aware.

I remember Service Week in grade 10 with my high school class. We went to Toronto for a week, and I don't remember what month it was, but it was cold outside. There were people sleeping on the streets in boxes. There were people sleeping on park benches. There were people who wouldn't even meet our eyes begging for money, or food, or even just the recognition that they are human. I remember feeling shocked that these people lived so close to me, and I had all my needs filled when they didn't have anything.

This month is not going to rid the world of poverty, or find homes for all the homeless, or feed every hungry child in Africa; but if we can change our hearts, maybe we can change the life of one person.

Maybe we can give shoes and coats and food.

Maybe we can speak of the hope we have.

Maybe we can be all the difference between life and death.

I'm going to give. And I hope it won't just be for a month.

-A

Daybook: October 12

Outside my window...

trucks driving on the 401, street lights shining the only light. a peaceful night.

I am thinking...

tomorrow is my dad's birthday. does he know how much I love him?

I am thankful for...

so many blessings I can't name them all.

From the kitchen...

soft-shell tacos for dinner, and a few cakes in the works for the babes that are soon to be born...

I am wearing...

cozy pjs.

I am creating...

royal icing decorations for the long list of cakes I'm hoping to make. also I've got probably 5 baby blankets on the go...

I am going...

to start 2 new classes this week! Looking forward to advanced baking, but I'm not so sure about vegetarian fusion...

I am reading...

Think Like a Chef, by Tom Colicchio

I am hoping...

that I can come up with a fun meal for our (Swedish) guests coming for dinner tomorrow night

I am hearing...

sleepy breathing from the wonderful man next to me who takes care of my when I'm sick

Around the house...

dishes are done, fresh roses are in a vase, bathroom is clean, leftovers are away... the place is almost ready for company tomorrow night.

One of my favorite things...

baking cakes and bread! Hopefully in lab tomorrow I get pulled for one of those jobs!

A few plans for the rest of the week:
reorganizing my tool boxes, writing my essay for class, and helping out at the Y by partnering with students who are learning how to cook!

Here is a picture reflecting what I'm thinking...

Happy Birthday Dad. I love you.

Thankful

A few texts on my mind today:

Psalm 95: 1-7 (NLT)

Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;

let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before him with thanksgiving

and extol him with music and song.

For the Lord is the great God,

the great King above all gods.

In his hands are the depths of the earth,

and the mountain peaks belong to him.

The sea is his, for he made it,

and his hands formed the dry land.

Come, let us bow down in worship,

let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;

for he is our God

and we are the people of his pasture,

the flock under his care.

Philippians 4: 4-9 (NLT)

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again - rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

And now dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned from me and heard from me and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you.

I wish you all a blessed thanksgiving, and I pray that you would be filled with joy.

-A

Local Farms, Awesome Flavours!!

Today is the day I've been waiting for!

K-town is surrounded by many local farms and amazing local produce that we as a family get to experience, and TODAY is an event called "Open Farms" where many of these local farms open up and allow the public to see what goes on!!

We grabbed a brochure in the middle of the summer that highlighted local farms with a brief description and a map that listed all these farms. Check out the Local Flavours website and take a look at the maps for the producers, and also for the outlets which serve local foods.

Looking at all those local farms really got me excited, and I wanted to see ALL of the farms participating in Open Farms, but there's too many for just one day, so we've narrowed it down to 4 that are close enough (and on a semi-direct route) so that we don't wear ourselves out.

The top choices of the day (not the BEST, just the ones that are close to our place and that interest us)

1. Fruition Berry Farm

-in the summer you can pick your own strawberries, raspberries.... and in the fall pick your own pumpkins, go through a corn maze, and go on hay rides!!

2. Waddell Apples

-pick your own apples and pumpkins!!

-great website with fun recipes I want to try for all things APPLE!!

3. Forman Farms

-great variety of local produce including squash, sweet corn, garlic and pumpkins

-they also sell flowers, fall decor, and Christmas greens!

4. Wendy's Country Market

-I'd heard about Wendy's Mobile Market because we order from them at work, but this farm is going to be my favourite trip of all....

-they focus on local, in-season produce, but they also sell meats, artisanal cheeses, maple syrup, baked goods, herbal teas.....and lots more! AND they deliver products through their mobile market (Check out their GIANT order form!!)

TODAY! I'm super excited to get going... but the little man is sleeping, so we have to wait until he wakes up...

Don't you wish you lived in Kingston?

Daybook: Monday August 23

FOR TODAY
Outside my window...

cool night air after a wonderful rainy day.

I am thinking...
I'm so glad tonight that we have only one little monkey... 4 is a lot of monkeys, and a lot of mess...

I am thankful for...

having my little boy back after he spent a week at grandma and grumpa's

From the kitchen...

we had breakfast for supper tonight: yummy whole wheat chocolate chip pancakes and breakfast sausages! And the picky children we fed actually enjoyed the pancakes!! However Hubs and I are starving, so here comes a reheated pizza creation from work...

I am wearing...

comfy jeans and my warm red sweater.

I am creating...

a menu plan that will actually be possible to complete.

I am going...

to bed soon. Midnight shift plus a day full of activities makes one very incoherent mama...

I am reading...

"House Works" by Cynthia Townley Ewer of OrganizedHome.com

I am hoping...

that my hands will start to feel better and the eczema will go away in time for school (which starts in 15 days!!)

I am hearing...

random alien words from a video game called "Spore" that the Hubs is playing.

Around the house...

the fans are going, the baby is sleeping, and the Hubs and I are once again in our own separate screened-in bubbles

One of my favorite things...

Disney movies that have jokes specifically for adults! Looking forward to re-watching "Enchanted"

A few plans for the rest of the week:
Seeing my mama friends on Wednesday...I've missed them for the past few weeks. Also I need to attack the Shaggy Dog that is my head...preferably before I start school.

Here is a picture reflecting what I'm thinking...

I love you little man. Welcome back, and I'm so glad you have a name for me now. it was a long time in coming, but your mama has to smile every time you call my name...

-A.

LOVE Week (Part 2)

I guess our "week" was a bit longer than 7 days, because we continued to celebrate into Saturday, Sunday, and even into Monday... what can I say? I LOVE celebrating with the man ILOVE...

I'll pick up where we left off...

THURSDAY we celebrated the receipt of our anniversary present from my wonderful mother! We LOVE board games and as soon as we got Ticket to Ride home, we broke it open and played 3 times... for dinner we had TV dinners so that we didn't have to do any dishes. LOVE easy suppers and simple nights in!!

FRIDAY we had some wonderful open conversations and really shared what was on our hearts. We also got to walk around the mall and see the pet store. LOVE honesty and cute animals!!

SATURDAY we went treasure hunting at garage sales...and we found some really great treasures!! LOVE other people's junk that becomes treasures!

SUNDAY was the end of our child-free week, and I don't know if we could have taken another day...even after working all night I couldn't sleep because I was counting the hours to baby C coming home...so I LOVE Hubs for cleaning the house, and for letting me "sleep" when really I was awake and waiting...

MONDAY is my official end to LOVE week... because even though it's been more than a week, we make the choice to LOVE every day. Tokens of affection, and little adventures together are wonderful, and today my favourite man brought me some beautiful flowers, but I don't LOVEhim only because he does these things, I LOVE him for who he is and for his heart which he has given me totally and completely...So, my LOVE....for all these things and millions more, I choose you everyday, I thank you for three years of YES, and I LOVE you more and more and more....

LOVE Week (Part 1)

So three years of marriage have gone by already, and I still feel like I'm back there in that moment saying "Yes" every day...

This year, celebrating marriage-day on the actual date that Hubs and I were married was not really possible...We tried to make dinner reservations... then delayed them... and then ended up cancelling them...AND I was sick with a stomach virus... I did end up getting a KILLER summer dress at an unexpected shopping trip that only came about because dinner plans were cancelled, but that's not the point.



The point is the lack of celebrating the big day...SOOO we decided to make it more of a week long celebration, and since this is the week that C has a vacation at Grandma and "Grumpa's" place...(he named himself that...)...This is LOVE week!!!



SATURDAY we started with the celebration of LOVE for two wonderful people. My heart felt like it was trying to explode with happiness for the two of them. I couldn't stop smiling... LOVE weddings!!!



SUNDAY we celebrated LOVE in the anniversary of my aunt and uncle, and also LOVE for my best cousin who is now across the ocean teaching for the third year...LOVE anniversaries and amazing jobs (and family!!!)



MONDAY we celebrated our LOVE for the amazing world God has given us by taking an extra long drive home from Gram's and Grump's place (after raiding their garden of course). Oh, and we celebrated quirky little diners in tiny little towns, and finding cute antique shops in the middle of nowhere!! LOVE great food, great laughs, and great inspiration!!!



TUESDAY we celebrated our LOVE of movies and junk food by doing a snack run to Bulk Barn and then taking in a double feature at the drive-in!! LOVE laughter, sugar, and the drive-in!!!



WEDNESDAY we celebrated LOVING others by helping a friend out. We got to spend a nice evening talking about everything and anything, and just being honest and open. And then instead of buying presents for each other, we were able to buy a gift for this friend that will help her and her kids be able to listen to the amazing Christian broadcasting we have in this area. We absolutely LOVE UCB Canada and K-Love, and being Christ's hands and feet!!



And that's my first half of LOVE week! I'm not sure if we have plans for the rest of the week, but there are many things that I LOVE, and I'm hoping that if I look close enough, I can celebrate those things every day.



What kind of things did you do this week that you LOVE?



A



ps...I already miss C... I LOVE both of my wonderful men...