13 Hours of Rain

I have a love/hate relationship with Christmas shopping. I do not enjoy fighting traffic, vying for a parking spot, and discovering that the one item that I really needed to purchase is gone. I roll my eyes in disgust when Christmas carol after Christmas carol is played to death in the background of every store. I detest waiting in line for half an hour or more to purchase a few measly items. And I really get annoyed with I am trying to cope with frigid winter temperatures during the whole process. (Aside: Though I have a new appreciation for online shopping. You can avoid almost all of the above problems!) However, I enjoy saving up for Christmas and then delightfully spending all the money set aside to celebrate Christ's birth. I am thrilled when I purchase an item for a special person in my life and he or she is excited to receive it. I count it a privilege to assist the underprivileged during this season of giving. And I love opening gifts on Christmas day (especially with ju...

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they. Hebrews 1:1-4 Merry Christmas from our family to yours! May you experience God's grace, joy and peace today and into 2009!

Current Reading: "Blue Like Jazz" by Donald Miller Thoughtful Quote: Do I want social justice for the oppressed, or do I just want to be known as a socially active person? I spend 95 percent of my time thinking of myself anyway. I don't have to watch the evening news to see that the world is bad, I only have to look at myself. I am not browbeating myself here; I am only saying that true change, true life-giving, God-honoring change would have to start with the individual. I was the very problem I have been protesting. (pg. 20) Related Poem by C. S. Lewis: All this is flashy rhetoric about loving you. I never had a selfless thought since I was born. I am mercenary and self-seeking through and through; I want God, you, all friends, merely to serve my turn. Peace, reassurance, pleasure, are the goals I seek, I cannot crawl one inch outside by proper skin; I talk of love - a scholar's parrot may talk Greek - But, self-imprisoned, always end where I begin.

7 signs that I have become a parent: I listen to "old music" that was typical of my generation. I rarely go to music stores to buy a new CD. I do not have an iTunes library. I don't follow the current radio trends. Instead, I get excited when Glass Tiger , Ah Ha , and Roxette get some air time. Currently, I am listening to Toddler Bible Songs and classical music. I rarely sleep in anymore. My daughter dictates my wake up time. Gone are the days when I could leisurely lounge in bed until 10 a.m. But, I do get to nap when she is napping, if I desire. I am more interested in buying clothes for my daughter than myself. I will spend more time in the baby section of the department store. I am more likely to spontaneously spend cash on her than myself. (However, I do need to go shopping for myself! My wardrobe needs a face lift!) My baby literacy has increased. Name brands such as Graco , Evenflo , Safety First , Tiny Love , Fisher Price , Gerber , Baby Einstein, and Nuby act...

During the early months of my daughter's life I would inevitably be asked the question, "So, are you enjoying motherhood?" (Of course, there were other questions like "Is she sleeping through the night?" and "Are you nursing?" Both of which were initially very annoying. Anyway, I digress.) Motherhood... I would hesitate in response. "Yes, mostly, um... it is quite the change from my job. Don't get me wrong! I love HER," came my tentative answer. The first two months of my daughter's life were HARD. University Calculus seemed like a walk in the park in comparison. SHE was a good baby, on the whole, but life was very challenging in the feeding department. Things did not go as expected. I felt overwhelmed, under qualified, and inadequate. Yet, my daughter kept on growing. She started to reveal more of her personality. And we began to rediscover the world through the eyes of our little girl. Lately we have been REALLY enjoying her. She i...

"...we also rejoice in our sufferings , because we know that suffering produces perseverance ; perseverance, character ; and character, hope . And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us" Romans 5:3-5 (NIV), emphasis added. Definitions courtesy of The Blue Letter Bible : rejoice: to glory (whether with reason or without) sufferings: oppression, affliction, tribulation, distress perseverance: steadfastness, constancy, endurance character: approved, tried character hope: expectation of good disappoint: dishonour, disgrace, to put to shame poured: to bestow or distribute largely love: affection, good will, love, benevolence, brotherly love hearts: denotes the centre of all physical and spiritual life An amplified version: We also take glory, with or without reason, in our oppression, affliction, tribulation and distress, because we know that this suffering produces steadfastness, con...

My mind is submerged with random thoughts, whirling around in a sea of contemplation. I need to open the floodgates for a moment: I've joined THEM. I finally stopped procrastinating and started a Moms Group with several women from my church. I have been encouraged by the response, though at times, I don't know what the heck I'm doing! I guess I really haven't thought of joining a Moms Group in the past (obviously!). Now I'm hosting it. :) Boys, stop fighting, or Mommy's coming. The "boys" in Ottawa can't get along on Parliament Hill. The Governor General is cutting short her European tour to settle affairs. I wonder if she regrets the day Stephen Harper became Prime Minister. I really don't know what to think of this mess. Following your dreams. I have been reading the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Very interesting. It is a fable about following your dreams. The storyline has made me think of my dreams, many of which have been fulfilled. Yet, ...

I received a local Christian bookstore's Christmas catalogue in the mail a couple of days ago. I perused through it and a few things caught my eye (like a Baby's First Christmas ornament which I could easily purchase at Hallmark ). However, there were three things that particularly annoyed me. Number One: "Christian" Marketing? In an attempt to sell a CD entitled "Dance or Die" by Family Force Five, the description states: "A very diverse band. Mix Pink Floyd, Smashing Pumpkins, and Backstreet Boys together and you've got Family Force Five." My husband is a HUGE Pink Floyd fan. He would be insulted. We both cringe at the Backstreet Boys. I guess we are not touching this CD with a ten foot pole. Number Two: Christian Fiction. Some plots involve women from the early 1900's, predominantly from European descent. Many stories are romantic in nature. Other plots mimic typical Hollywood themes such as government conspiracies, 9/11, and murder myst...

Why do I even listen to the news? Terror attacks in Mumbai, India. Political unrest in Thailand. Markets are tanking. "Do not call lists" do not work. Environment is falling apart. A building collapsed in Montreal. All of this bad news reminds me of an excerpt from Jack Johnson's song "The News": Why don't the newscasters cry when they read about people who die? At least they could be decent enough to put just a tear in their eyes. *sigh* I am going to watch my daughter sleep for a moment. Her life is at peace right now. Thank God.

I am my daughter's chief nutritionist. It is my job to monitor what she eats and how she reacts to the food she consumes. Every day I try to create a menu that has a healthy amount of grain, protein, fruits, vegetables, and calcium. I make sure her diet is free of added sugar and salt. She is encouraged to enjoy foods in their unadulterated form. Yet, at some point, parents introduce their children to the world of high salt, added sugar, and extra fat: french fries, chips, pop, candy, processed meats, cookies, donuts, chocolate bars, ice cream, etc. Hey, I indulge in these "pleasures" off and on. And I am not against completely eliminating the above foods from my child's diet (though I definitely will limit the intake!). However, I desire to model healthy eating habits for my daughter. An example of this is the amount of fruits and vegetables we are supposed to eat: 5 to 10 servings a day! Sounds like a tall order. But feeding my daughter has inspired me to eat more ...

"You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed." Psalm 139:15-16 My Dear Little Noble Princess, I love you, more than words can describe. Your Daddy and I are thrilled that you came into our lives. You bring joy and laughter in our home. You remind us to appreciate the simple things in life. Thank you. I praise God that He watched and protected you while your were being formed in my womb. I thank Him that He knows the beautiful and dark moments in your life to come. I pray that you will sense His presence early on in your life. It is our desire that you choose to follow Christ with your whole heart. We pray that our lives will encourage your spiritual development. I pray that you will grow up to be physically healthy. I understand that there will be times that you will get sick. Yet, ...

Last night I read the following quote from The Myth of Certainty. It resonates with my previous post: ...the pessimistic words of Job about the inevitability of trouble are followed with an affirmation (5:8-9): "But as for me, I would seek God. And I would place my cause before God; who does great and unsearchable things, wonders without number." These are my words as well. I am keenly aware that humankind is born to trouble. It is painfully clear to me that I do not have absolute certainty that anything I believe is true. My reason is inadequate in these things to guide me to a sure conclusion; my emotions often fail me (not infrequently by their absence). But I will remember that others have endured this situation before me. I will call to mind their testimony and my own encounters with God. Memory . I will seek out the fellowship of others who likewise struggle. I will forgive them their trespasses as they forgive me mine. Community . I will seek to run the race with endu...

Yesterday, in a moment of frustration, I took a black marker to an empty toilet paper roll and wrote, "Change Me!" Of course, my dear husband is not the only person in our household guilty of this crime. I have avoided the job of changing the roll as well. Nonetheless, I was having a moment of angst. Truthfully, it had more to do with issues of my personal past than a mere inconvenience in the present. Yet, all of this has got me thinking... there are times in our lives when we grieve over our past or present circumstances. And often, we make ourselves feel better by imagining situations far worse than ours. How many times have we heard (or said) "Well, I could be starving in a war-torn African country." Or "At least I am not going through what he/she is experiencing." But what if a person's current reality is absolutely awful and he/she can't imagine a life more atrocious than his/her own? What is that person supposed to do then? I am sure you hav...

Today, we bought part of our daughter's Christmas present at our favourite bookstore. After perusing several shelves of children's books, we returned to the tried, tested, and true: Dr. Seuss. We purchased Hop on Pop . Why? Lots of great pictures, fun colors, and simple words. However, we would like to expand our daughter's repertoire of authors. Any ideas?

"...lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace." (Apostle Paul, Ephesians 4:1-3) I am a control freak. I appreciate order instead of chaos. I cherish harmony. I avoid conflict. I often feel personally responsible for the maintenance of my relationships. I want everyone to get along. Sometimes, much to my shame, I wish people could just be like me. And, when my life seems out of control (or I am unable to control people), I rearrange the glasses in my cupboard. The glasses don't complain. They just move at my command. But Paul reminds me to be humble, gentle, and patient with others. He exhorts me to graciously accept the people around me despite their imperfections. Paul is not expecting me to mask conflict with the guise of harmony, but rathe...

Last night, my husband and I read Daniel 1. (What a great story of God's faithfulness to those who chose to honor Him during the Jewish exile.) Afterwards, my husband asked, "Did Daniel ever do anything wrong?" Of course, we know that nobody is perfect, including Daniel. However, the book of Daniel does not seem to reveal anything negative about his character. Yet the written accounts of many other great men of faith, such as Abraham, Moses, David, and Solomon, speak of their admirable strengths and their shameful weaknesses. What was the purpose of hiding Daniel's character flaws? Another curiosity... where was Daniel when his three buddies were thrown into the fiery furnace after they refused to worship Nebuchadnezzar's gold statue (chapter 3)? Nonetheless, the Book of Daniel is a fascinating and complicated book.

Remember... I try. But it is hard. I do not have close relations with anyone who is affected by war in the here and now. Yes, in my lifetime, several wars have transpired. Currently, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are being fought. Other nations are experiencing internal and external conflict. Yet the closest I have come to experiencing war is through the television screen. I have "witnessed" the horrors of war either through the eyes of the media or through Hollywood's depiction of reality. But I have the luxury of fast forwarding the images, changing the channel, or turning the atrocities off. There are millions of people who are not as lucky as I. Tomorrow, I will try to remember and pray for them.

Dear "Girl: 5 - 9 Years", Today we finished putting together your Christmas gift from our family. Here is what we sent you in your special "created-for-you" red and green box: A pink digital watch to tell time. Socks to keep your feet warm. Colorful ties for your hair and funky bracelets for your arms. A Winter Wonderland coloring book and wax crayons to encourage creativity. Two Dream Ponies , one pink, the other one blue. Strawberry Campino candies: Yummy! A toothbrush to clean your teeth after your sweet treat. Sparkling pencils... you may need them to finish your homework! A pink hand towel and grapefruit lemongrass Dove soap. A brown and pink teddy bear to cuddle with when you fall asleep. We have also enclosed a picture of our family and an individual picture of our daughter. She is much younger than you! But maybe, one day, you two will meet? It is our family's desire that you will enjoy each gift in your shoebox. However, it is our hope and prayer tha...

Time passes in moments... moments which, rushing past define the path of a life just as surely as they lead towards its end. How rarely do we stop to examine that path, to see the reasons why all things happen, to consider whether the path we take in life is our own making or simply one into which we drift with eyes closed. But what if we could stop, pause to take stock of each precious moment before it passes? Might we then see the endless forks in the road that have shaped a life? And, seeing those choices, choose another path? X Files, All Things, Season 7 Friends of ours recently had a baby. When I received the good news, I could sense the excitement and wonder in the parents' voices. A feeling of nostalgia crept into my heart. I couldn't help but go back to the moment when my daughter was born. It was amazing. It was a miracle. It was an answer to many prayers. Yet, there are times, like tonight, when I think of the "endless forks in the road" too much. While m...

1. Barack Obama... What a moment in history! Approximately 400 year ago, America began enslaving black Africans and did not stop for 2.5 centuries. The process to abolish slavery was a controversial and bloody ordeal: America's infamous civil war was deemed necessary to actually get the movement going. Under the leadership of Abraham Lincoln, a Republican, the thirteenth amendment to the United States Constitution was passed in 1865. This amendment officially ended slavery as we understand it today. At the time, southern Democrats endorsed slavery. Now America has elected a Democrat President with African roots. It is about time! 2. Toronto Maple Leafs... While many will argue that the Maple Leafs haven't really changed for years (it has been a long time since they experienced a successfully playoff run), last Saturday's game was a breath of fresh air. As quoted on TSN : "The New York Rangers were cruising along with a 2-0 lead midway through the third period and seem...

One of my favorite times with my daughter is just before I place her in the crib for the night. Her night time routine is coming to a close. She has been bathed, dressed, and fed. I have read her a bedtime story. The lights are dimmed and I sing her various lullabies. She rests against me, content. Sometimes she sucks her left thumb and caresses my arm with her right hand. Sometimes she drifts off to sleep. And sometimes she gives a soft cry which usually indicates, "Mommy, I tired... just put me in my crib." Then, after blessing her with a prayer, she falls asleep while she snuggles with her blankets. (Though there are some rare evenings, like tonight, when she fusses for long time before falling asleep.) A few hours later, after the evening tasks are completed, my husband and I quietly sneak into her room and watch her sleep for a few moments. We usually place our hands on her chest to feel her steady breathing. We can't help but smile and murmur, "She is beautifu...

Lately, I have been reading The Myth of Certainty by Daniel Taylor before I retire for the evening. The book is expository in nature and easy to read. However, there are times I can only read a few paragraphs due to the author's depth of writing. Last night I encountered the following two paragraphs: "No significant area of life is free from risk. It is a key ingredient in every accomplishment and every relationship. Whenever a decision is required, there is risk. Wherever we must act, there is risk. Wherever people intertwine their lives, there is risk. Should we expect it to be any different in our relationship with transcendence? Why should we insist on being certain about God, on having proof of His existence, or on having unmistakable absolutes on which to build a faith when none of these is compatible with being the finite creatures God has created? If risk is...at heart of all meaningful relationships between people, then we should not be chagrined or embarrassed to fi...

I did it. I started a blog. I fought the temptation for a long time. But I have succumbed to the pull of virtual reality. I know... this is not like me. I'm a quasi-Luddite. I am often suspect of technological advancements. I get very annoyed when industry forces humans to consume its products. We are pushed to buy the next gadget because the old one isn't available anymore and the new one is touted to be superior. Our nation keeps on buying, consuming, and throwing used goods in the nearest landfill. Yet, I've started a blog. Why? Good question... In many ways, a blog goes against my nature. Here I am, alone, at a lap top, typing away a message to who knows who. Someone may read it. Yet, for all I know, my thoughts will become electrical impulses reverberating in a digital world without any REAL person ever giving my introspection a second glance. Hey, I rather get together with a friend in real time and space and muse about life over a cup of coffee. However, connecting w...