13 Hours of Rain

We approach the Eve of the Christmas Consumer Season. Once the sugary craze of Halloween passes, the stores will BURST with red, green, and all things that glitter. And then we get asked, "What do you want for Christmas? What do your kids want?" And then we receive money, "Buy something for yourself and your kids." And then we start purchasing. And then the annual collection of STUFF begins. And then, a few years later, we dispose of that same STUFF because it is useless. USELESS. I've asked my preschooler what her favorite memory was from this year. Does she remember all the gifts she received? Not really. Does she recall being overwhelmed with all the candy associated with Valentines, Easter, Halloween, and Christmas? A bit. Does she appreciate all the stuff she plays with day-to-day? Kind of. So, what does she care about? What memory sticks out? What delights her imagination? She'll tell you, "The merry-go-round and the monster-truck-ride!" ...

Louie, our Thursday afternoon kitten I am prosperous. Let's face it. I have enough food during a meal to generate left overs for the refrigerator or to collect scraps for trash cans. I own a home and a car. I reside in a city with low crime where many individuals leave their doors unlocked. I live in a neighbourhood where new moms can afford to shop at Baby Gap and possess the technology to connect via Facebook . I have a faithful husband who has a fantastic job that enables me, with some sacrifices (albeit extremely minor according to third world standards), to stay at home with our children. But I catch myself complaining about the lack of frivolity in my life. It is ridiculous, really. Which brings me to this question: " What is our responsibility to suffering humanity as prosperous first world Christians? " I've been pondering this in light of being so blessed. And my interaction with Louie , our Thursday afternoon kitten. Last Thursday, my kids and I mad...

My Little Preschooler When I was a little girl, I had imaginary friends. Don't worry, I had real "flesh and blood" friends as well. But my imaginary friends were companions to me no matter where I was. I talked to myself, carrying conversations with invisible people who had names. In addition, I utilized my imagination and dreamt up fanciful places with intriguing characters. I had time to pen silly stories that involved horses, mysteries, and childhood drama. Some nights I would just lay in bed with my eyes w-i-d-e open while I rehearsed a possible scene in my head for my "novel". I remember those days of innocence. What a beautiful time of life that was! And now I see similar tendencies in my daughter! It makes me smile with joy! I caught her in the washroom today, babbling away. "Who are you talking to?" I inquired. "The veggie tales," she responded. "Where are they?" I asked. "Over there," she pointed to a...

Today marks one year of residency in this little city. There were days when I ached to return to more familiar neighborhoods. But today, after experiencing four seasons in this home, I've arrived at the conclusion that I do enjoy living here. For that I am very grateful to God. I guess Frodo's words to Sam, in Lord of the Rings , resonate with me now: My dear Sam, you cannot always be torn in two. You will have to be one and whole for many years. You have so much to enjoy and to be, and to do. Your part in this story will go on. A special thank you to my new friends who have gone out of their way to welcome my family and I. I say it again: thank you.

Don't you just LOVE the spelling of the word "chaos"? It makes no sense! I distinctly remember the moment when I discovered the spelling of this word. My reaction? "Really??? You gotta be kidding!" No kidding. The word chaos originated from Greek and it originally meant  abyss or "the bottomless gulf, pit, or chaos of the old cosmogonies" (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary). The abyss was feared. It was equated with ideas such as emptiness and void. It included terrifying creatures associated with the underworld. It even extended to the sea and encompassed sea monsters. The Greeks were so disturbed by the idea of chaos, that they didn't even allow the number zero to exist in their counting system. Zero was equated with nothingness, a concept to be shunned. With the thought of the void in mind, take a moment to read Genesis 1:1-3 through fresh eyes: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and VOID , a...

Lagorrhea: excessive and often incoherent talkativeness or wordiness. (Merriam-Webster On-Line Dictionary) My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. James 1:19-20 (NIV) I am an observer of human behaviour. I think I might have enjoyed a degree in sociology. But alas, my natural science leanings pushed me down a different career path. Nonetheless, people watching (and listening) fascinates me. I've even caught myself eavesdropping on strangers' conversations during my public transit days. It is amazing what you can learn about people through their somewhat random dialogues. A while back I posted on a movie entitled Fight Club . The reason I mention it again is that I've been mulling over a scene between two of the main characters. They were discussing why they enjoyed attending support groups even through they wer...

Hiking with my Eccos My goal was to purchase a pair of comfy shoes to grace my feet during a Canadian west coast trip to celebrate *US*. The result? A lesson in perseverance and grace! And a FABULOUS story of excellent customer service coupled with a sweet I-CAN'T-BELIEVE-IT deal. Frantically searched for a pair of Ecco sandals in a larger urban center. The style that piqued my interested were either too expense for my budget or on sale but unavailable in my size. Settled for a pair of Romika sandals that looked a bit "senior citizenish". Oh well... Donned on the Romikas for a couple of days once I returned home. Threads on the interior of the shoe started to feel like sandpaper. Contacted the manager and negotiated a return of the shoes in the near future. Purchased a cheap sandal at Walmart . Feet HURT! Returned the shoes in spite of some wear and tear. Week before departure, searched Quarks.ca for Ecco ...