Fun on the weekend

On Saturday I went to Toronto for the day to pick up one of our visiting workers. Marie was one of the women I was able to visit with in Thailand, and she is staying with me in London for the week. We are so glad to have her here during our COP (Candidate Orientation Program) as she shares with us. On Saturday we went to Chinatown, to Kensington Market, and got a bit of shopping in at a new store in the Eaton Centre. When I was in Bangkok with her, we had a system worked out as we shopped at a market on a free day. She would do the bartering because she would get a better deal because of her Asian face. Then I would find us a place to sit, or to eat, because I would get better treatment as a white foreigner. Warped I know, but we made it work for us, and decided to laugh about it.


Then on the way home from Toronto I stopped in Cambridge and stayed over with Steve & Amanda and the next morning Amanda and I went to Fergus for Matthew Garrett's baby dedication.

It was a great weekend, spent with people I love. Living so far away from family, I am SO grateful for friends like Steve & Amanda and Kim & Pat... they ARE family!

A sore back, two paper-cuts and one vicious fight with a paper shredder

You just knew it was this glamorous didn't you?

I spent the day hunkering down on the floor of my office which has officially been pronounced a disaster area (to the delight of certain co-workers, jealous of how organized I was bragging about being :) ). My mind is numb now after reorganizing and purging all 35 of our missionaries' files. I've got the battle wounds to prove it.

I was pretty excited yesterday to receive our new Edge (short-term) brochures, which are the first full-colour brochures I've designed. And the other day we received our mini-displays, which are the first displays I've designed. Because I am so proud of myself, I took a picture of some of them to show you.



Yesterday was much more fun, because I got to play with Stephen, while his parents (Scott & Courtney who work with me at PIONEERS) worked on stuff after hours. That is, until he bumped his head on my desk and I handed him back over to mom.


Ok, just wanted to give you a peek inside my exciting week :)

Oh yeah- the fight between me and the paper shredder? I won of course.
And I'll be good as new in a few days. :)

"I run to Thee"

A praise song written for the PIONEERS retreat I went to in Cyprus, written by one of our missionaries in Central Asia.

I run to Thee with longing heart
My childlike steps to waiting arms
To know You as the highest prize
I cast aside these worldly charms
To hear Your voice, to share Your life
To see You in Your majesty

And drawing near I find my rest, and hide myself in Thee
And drawing near I find my rest, and hide myself in Thee

I run to Thee all burdened down
With cares of life and load of sin,
Your invitation beckons me
To steal away and enter in
My will release, my heart exchange
Your life for mine, the mystery

And drawing near I find my rest, and hide myself in Thee
And drawing near I find my rest, and hide myself in Thee

I run to Thee with battle wounds,
A heavy heart, and throbbing pain
For You, the source of healing streams,
Can only make me whole again
And hope is mine when weakened, I
In Your strength face the enemy

And drawing near I find my rest, and hide myself in Thee
And drawing near I find my rest, and hide myself in Thee

I run to Thee with arms outstretched,
My crowns from life I cannot hold
But cast them down at love-scarred feet
And enter into joy untold
Your nail-pierced hands and radiant face
Now I, in wondrous glory see

And drawing near I find my rest, and hide myself in Thee
And drawing near I find my rest, and hide myself in Thee

I found it!

During Christmas break in 2001, I brought my decrepit laptop home with me, and my 13 year-old sister Ashley borrowed it one day and made me this simple picture and message, and saved it as my wallpaper. As most of you know, she died in February of 2002 so it suddenly meant a lot to me. Then my computer died, and I thought I lost the file.
Today as I was going through old, old files I found it!
Just a simple picture that means an awful lot to me. :)
Thank You God!

Forgiveness

I heard a good sermon this past week at North Park. It was about forgiveness. It got me thinking. I never realized I had trouble forgiving until the past few years. This was the quote that helped it finally "click" for me:

In His death Christ has paid for all sin- not only mine, but also that of the whole world- and that includes the sin that committed against me by my neighbour. The Gospel gives me a solid foundation not only for receiving forgiveness, but also for giving it. We can now forgive, knowing that our sense of justice has not been muzzled, but rather vindicated in the finished work of Christ.

Forgiveness is the choice to agree with God concerning what is due the one who has sinned against me. In the finished work of Christ I hear God say, 'It has been paid for.' To refuse to forgive is to choose to disagree with God, saying that the cross was not enough to deal with all sin.

From malcolmsmith.org

Recently I took the picture below, and on it, put the names of all of the people in my life I could think of who had hurt or wounded me in some way. All of the people who have either caused me pain, or sinned against me, or both. Then I crossed each name out, and put "PAID FOR, DEALT WITH, FORGIVEN" across it. Every sin has been paid for, and every pain carried by Jesus at the cross. As I recognize that truth, real healing and forgiveness is unavoidable. I'd share my worship art with you, but why bring up all the names and old hurts? They all were dealt with at the cross. Thank You Jesus!

As I went through it all, one thing became painfully clear: I can make a long list of wounds, minor and major, but as I think about all of the people I have met in my life, I realize that I have hurt, and treated people worse than I have been treated. I don't have anything to say about it, as I am still reeling from the realization. It probably shouldn't be such a surprise.

LORD thank you that you are changing me!

Christ's love spilling out

It is so wonderful to watch God at work, and even more wonderful when He allows us to be a part of it.

This morning our team spent in prayer: prayer of thanksgiving, praise, confession, and petition. We prayed for ourselves, each other, and for the numerous people we have been given the privelege of serving. We prayed for those preparing to live overseas, and those already there living as salt and light in the darkest places of the world.

I also heard some great stories of how God is at work, and what struck me this morning was this: the stories we are hearing about lives being touched by God's Love and Truth are stories where it is clearly God at work. The most amazing stories are not the ones where ambitious servants started programs, or developed winning strategies (though there are places for those things). The stories that I am hearing are about how ordinary people, who have chosen to live in dark places, let the Light of God shine through them naturally.

Like the girl **Samantha living in East Asia among a Buddhist people. She wanted to find a way to share some Truth with friends who had gathered together to work on a research project. Before she even had a chance, as they discussed funeral rites, one of the girls began to share how she has seen that Christians are not afraid of death like her people are. The Hope, Light, Truth and Love of Christ are shared first, without words.

Less and less am I concerned about strategies and methods. More and more I am consumed with a desire to KNOW God. More and more I realize that Christ IS my life. As I am overwhelmed with His love, I can't help but love Him, and I can't hold back the love I have for others. I want it to flow out naturally, like breathing. I want people to know me, and as a result, hunger and thirst after the only One who can satisfy.


** name changed

Pictures from my July trip to New Brunswick

In July I had the opportunity to go home to New Brunswick for a week to see my family. It was such a needed break, and a huge blessing to be able to make the unexpected trip. Thank you LORD! I also had the opportunity to travel to White Head Island to share at the church there, and to fellowship with some great people. Here are some of my pictures from the trip. Enjoy!
(click on the picture if you want to see it larger than shown here)

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BEAUTIFUL NEW BRUNSWICK SCENERY
Notice almost every picture here has the ocean in it. Guess what I miss the most when I am living far inland in Ontario? (Aside from my great family of course)


At my aunt & uncle's lot


another view from their beach


from the beach in front of our family's cottage


On Dorchester Island


Dorchester Island again
(that's Dorchester NEW BRUNSWICK- not Dorchester Ontario) :)

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SOME OF MY WONDERFUL FAMILY
I don't have pictures of all of them- I have a huge family... but here are a few


Me with mom and dad on Dorchester Island


aunt Marcia, aunt Alva, aunt Simonne, and mom
(4 of the 12 siblings)


aunt Marcia and my cousin Rebecca


my cousin Christy
(we share the same birthday, but not the same year, in case you were wondering)


aunt Carolyn and uncle Gary


My two grandmothers: memere and nan
(A true Canadian- I'm Acadian and British (with some Scottish) and proud of it!)

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MY TRIP TO WHITE HEAD ISLAND
My parents and I travelled to White Head Island so that I could share at the church there. The island is beautiful, and the people warm and hospitable. It was too short of a trip, so I guess I'll just have to go back to visit again sometime.


Here waiting for the first ferry


On the ferry




A view of part of Grand Manan Island from the ferry as it passed by. I kick myself for not taking more pictures when I actually got to White Head, but I was too nervous about speaking at the church to remember!