Joy?

  

Despite the fact that the new year doesn't actually begin until the Monday when the kids go back to school, I've tried to get into a rhythm of daily readings right from the get go, on the first of January. Yay me.

Every year I commit to reading through the Bible-in-One-Year. For the last 5 years, I've been re-reading the NLT version. 

This year, just to change things up, I'm giving The Message version a try. So far, so good. I'd recommend it. 

Every year I also choose a daily devotional to read each morning. Last year's inspirational book was Trusting God with Today by Charles Stanley; I recommend it if you're looking for some encouraging words to begin your day with . 

This year, I'm redoing The Songs of Jesus (A Year of Daily Devotions in the Psalms) by Timothy Keller. Last time I did this one was in 2017.  

Not surprisingly, it's still applicable all these years later. 

Originally, I thought I'd commit to reading the new book I purchased this year, but it just made me angry, so I went back to my Library of Tried and True and dug up the Psalms one by Keller.

The one I am angry at? I bought it during the second week of December without looking through it first (my bad). And the more I thought about committing to reading/writing in it, the more indignant I got. 

I have a friend who has a 5 Year Diary beside her bed. Every night before she goes to sleep, she adds a line of two of the day's highlights. I admire her discipline at keeping this up night after night, year after year. This activity forces you to evaluate your day, then distill it down to the most memorable of highlights. What do you want to remember most about this day? 

The added bonus is that while you're writing today's summary, you get to read, on the same page, on the lines above, your thoughts from January 5 of last year. And the year before. 

I'll have to ask her to know for sure, but I have a feeling this type of journaling prevents your days from all running together into a blur of nothingness. 

ANYWAY, this Three Minute Journal of Joy, is a little bit similar EXCEPT THAT IT'S NOT. 

Each page is good for 3 years. I'm fine with that. A three year commitment is easier than 5. BUT...  each day is to be summed it up in ONE WORD.    ONE WORD? The good Lord created 10 million gazillion words and this journal is telling me to choose just one to describe the day? I can tell you right now, that I can't even think of one word to describe just one hour of the day. Every hour could bring an onslaught of new emotions, varied responses, wild happenings or boring nothingness.

Secondly, I'm to record what brought me joy. 

Thirdly, I'm to write down how I spread joy. 

Do you know what this forces you to do? TO THINK ABOUT JOY ALL DAY. Am I feeling it? How come? What caused it? How can I experience more of it? Is it reasonable to expect to feel joyous every single day of your live-long life? Did I spread joy? How would I know if I did? Can you intentionally spread joy? Does someone have to receive it? Or can you leave it just out there, floating, hoping someone catches it? What if you're doing something for someone and hope it makes them feel joy, but it totally doesn't? What if it annoys them? What if they had no feelings about it at all? What would you write down then? 

And since when did JOY become the point of it all?

I've been focused on gratitude. And peace... compassion... and friendship. For the past decade. Really? JOY is going to be my thing for the next three years? No thank you. What's the opposite of joy? I'll do that. 

BESIDES. TINY, WHITE, ALL-CAP FONT on LIGHT ORANGE PAGES? WHO DESIGNED THIS JOURNAL? A 13 year old girl?

So that was my attitude on New Year's Eve.

And then? On New Year's Day I thought of a word that summed up my day; "reflective'. And I thought of two things that made me feel joy. And I thought of a couple things that I'd done that maybe/might/hopefully have caused a few people to feel joy. (Shrugs shoulders. Unless they specifically tell you, "hey thanks for that; it caused me to feel joy", you never really know.) I guess the point is to just Do The Things. And not concern yourself with the results. 

Despite my intentions, I repeated it again on January 2. And January 3. And January 4. 

Today is January 5, and I've been reading various online posts about 'Choosing your Word of the Year'. Most folks who do this, prayerfully choose meaningful words and then they stick to making sure all their activities and thoughts are filtered through that word for the coming12 months. I may have done this in the past? At least I can remember choosing a noble word in January and then forgetting it by the end of the month. (Likely by the end if the week.) Unless you have that word on display in a very prominent part of your home, you have to be super intentional about keeping it in the forefront of your mind. 

With this in mind, I was pondering what my word could/should be this year? Beginnings? Adventure? Curiosity? Trust? Practice? 

And where would I post that word? On my condo door, so I am reminded of it every time I leave? On my bedroom wall? The wall only I can see from my bed? So it's visible and in my face every time I wake up? In my bathroom? What would that even look like? A post it note stuck to a surface with the word JOY scribbled on it? Or should I make it fancy? Using paints and glitter? 

And then, staring me in the face from my spot (sitting at my kitchen island) was this:

It's technically a Christmas decoration, hauled out of storage every year for the past 25 years. It really should be on a fireplace mantle, nestled amongst evergreens and holly berries, but since 2021 it spends a month every year on my kitchen counter.

Without overthinking it (HA!) I'm going to accept that my word for 2025 is JOY. The universe has spoken. This elegant silver reminder will be right here taunting me. So I will be filling in every page of this blasted peach and white journal for the next three years. If I happen to do something that brings you joy, let me know, K? 

Three things I'm thankful for:

1. Yay, I have a word for 2025.

2. Due to a late night obsession to clean something, my craft cupboard, pantry, and games cabinet are all organized. 

3. It felt magical walking under and beside the brightly lit tree trunks at Cultus. It's still Christmas in my home and heart. 

(Are the things I'm thankful for the same things that bring me joy?)

Thanks for reading; feel your boobs, tip generously, don't run red lights, 

xo

New Beginnings

 Happy New Year!

How's it going? We're, uh, 20 hours into 2025... 

So far I've walked 5500 steps. Made a huge batch of soup. Finished off all the raspberry cream chocolates in my condo. Apologized for being insensitive in a (now deleted) Facebook post. Listened to two podcasts (Revisionist History, Season 1, Episodes 1 and 2) by Malcolm Gladwell) with my new noise-cancelling, cordless air pods. (Thank you Max.) Painted a couple rocks with my new paints. (Thank you, Clint.) And postponed washing my hair for ANOTHER day. 

(I will be thanking Drew and Mackenzie for the new lamp to read under when Amazon gets it delivered.) (Yes. Very spoiled this year.) 

In addition to all that, I'm being reflective. Reflective in my thoughts, not my skin. 

Steve sent me this pdf on December 21, and it's been sitting in my inbox, haunting (taunting) me ever since. I started answering the questions last night. Thought I'd post some of my less vulnerable answers here. 

First - the document. Feel free to use it yourself if you have some thinkin to do...

This one's fun:

Things I'm Thankful For (at least 10)...

(Cracks knuckles. Ten? Haha. Hold my beer:)

(Just to be clear, I still don't drink. I'm just using a saying (that was so 5 years ago). I don't think anyone says that anymore.)

1. During a year of so many uncertainties, I'm grateful for the LTD insurance I'd been paying into for such a time as this. All my financial needs were met in 2024. (God probably gets some glory for this as well...)  :)
2. My teensy condo. I walk in my door and breathe deeply; this is home. It's my happy place.
3. A random, but fun, (text) message from God (via someone else) about His ability to use me in the future. 
4. Opportunities to spend time with (and get to know) the new girls in my family during the latter half of this year. <3
5. Jim's cancer journey is over. No trace of it during his last blood test. (I need some emoji's).
6. So glad Hallmark used my suite to film Falling Together. Absolutely loved the close-up look into the entertainment industry. Such an exciting flurry of activity that month. 
7. Book club. Consistently one of my favorite nights of the month. We started our 16th year of reading and discussing books in September... so thankful for writers who write. And readers who like to talk. 
8. Music. This has been a year of much live music. (Not to be confused with Much Music.) Speaking of which, Canada Post, (just before it went on strike) issued two new collectible stamps:

(Yes, I bought a book of them.)

ANYWAYS, from concerts in auditoriums, parks and backyards, to Hymn Sings in old churches and worship events in parking lots, it's been a wonderful year of music. 

9. People; specifically family and friends. So many relationships I'm thankful for. 

10. Unexpected adventures; sand and sun, pools and palms, dinosaurs and dunes, crab catching, wandering down my mom's memory lane, ducks and dots, rocks and walks ... so thankful for them all.

11. Watching a tear-inducing, spectacular, once-in-a-lifetime display of Northern Lights at the lake with Max. 

12. Colours. So glad God created them. 

13. As always, text messages that start with the word "Mom ..."

14. Answered prayer. 

15. Opportunity to pray to Someone who not only cares, but is all powerful and has the ability to answer.

16. Artists. I love scrolling through their work on social media.

17. Actors. Screen-writers. Directors. Producers. Everyone involved in the entertain industry who keeps the content coming. 

18. Fresh air. Clean water. I love them both. Especially when the air is warm and water is cold. How lucky am I to live in a place where both are abundant?

19. Memes that make me think. Or laugh. 

20. Friends who share their wisdom and experience with me. I took a chance asking a couple dozen friends to allow me to ask them (personal) questions. I'd hit a slump with blogging, and needed motivation. SO grateful to the 12 (just like Jesus had 12!?) (Haha) who participated in the first year of my Wise Women series. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The rest of the questions in the 2024 Reflection Tool will be answered in my old-school off-line journal. I am not that transparent. 

But it's a good exercise... I recommend taking an hour of so to think about who's blessed you, what's been hard, what changes need to be made, and what needs to be entrusted to God. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lastly, a prayer. 

It's from this book: 

I'll type this one out:

God of history and of my heart, 

so much has happened to me this past year:

        I've known death (Uncle Johnny and Cynthia) and birth (Julia Elaine),

        I've been brave (have I?) and scared (most of January and February),

        I've hurt, I've helped, 

        I've been honest, and I've been less than honest,

        I've broken things (but hopefully not relationships), I've created,

        I've been with people, and oh goodness yes, I've been lonely.

        I've been loyal, I've been betrayed, (sobs)

        I've decided decisively, I've waffled back n forth and back again,

        I've laughed but mostly I've cried. 

You know my frail heart and my frayed history - 

and now another year begins...

Oh God, help me to believe in beginnings

and in my beginning again,

(no matter how often I've failed before).

Help me to make new beginnings:

        to begin going out of my weary mind INTO FRESH DREAMS

                       daring to make my own bold tracks in the land of now;

        to begin forgiving better, quicker, oftener, 

                       that I might experience (and recognize) when mercy is extended;

        to begin questioning the unquestionable, or things I simply 'assume'

                       that I might know the truth;

        to begin disciplining myself (OY. This is THE HARDEST),

                       that I may create beauty;

        to begin sacrificing

                       that I might accomplish justice;

        to begin risking (sigh... )

                       that I may make peace;

        to begin loving

                        that I may realize joy.

Help me to be a beginning for others,

        to be a singer (snort) to the songless,

        a storyteller to the aimless,

        a befriender of the friendless;

to become a beginning of hope for the despairing,

        of assurance for the doubting,

        of reconciliation for the divided;

to become a beginning of freedom for the oppressed,

        of comfort for the sorrowing,

        of friendship for the forgotten;

to become a beginning of beauty for the forlorn,

        of sweetness for the soured,

        of gentleness for the angry,

        of wholeness for the broken,

        of peace for the frightened and violent. 

Help me to believe in beginnings,

        to make a beginning,

                to be a beginning,

so that I may not just grow old,

        but grow new

each day of this wild, amazing life

        you call me to live

                with the passion of Jesus. 

Amen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Whoa.

It's so much harder to pray those things when you type them out as opposed to simply reading it. 

This is a prayer that needs a miracle to answer it. This business of beginnings is alot. Especially if you're coming at it after a year of none of those things. 

Thanks for reading. 

Hoping this is the beginning (hahaha) of a year of better blogging.

Be nice to yourself, feel your boobs, stretch once in awhile, 

xo

Wisdom: Heather

We met years earlier, but it didn't 'stick' 😊, so it wasn't until 2008 (?) (when she recognized my name on the visitor's registry at the short-term care home both her mom and my dad were in) that she contacted me. We became intentional about keeping in touch. Her mom had Alzheimer's. My dad had dementia. Our lives were intersecting at a sensitive, difficult junction.

"Keeping in touch" is the precursor to friendship. And so it began. 

In 2013, I moved into her 'hood, so long evening walks became our thing. And shortly after that we discovered a mutual fondness for (the lowkey Tedtalks Vancouver version) Salon Nights. The former mayor of Vancouver would invite 6 - 8 interesting people who were passionate about something, to share their enthusiasm and expertise to a packed room at the Vancouver Playhouse.  We were in that room, excited to learn and be inspired by new-to-us things. Afterwards we'd stay at a Vancouver hotel to unpack all that we'd heard, wear facial masks and eat snacks. We'd end our mini-vacay by walking around downtown, feeling very urban and hip. 

Since then, she and Mark, became absolute lifesavers with their pick-up truck and uber-kind weekly offers to take a load of crap/treasures to the dump/thrift store. If it wasn't for them, my mom and I would still be buried deep under a mountain of the precious items stored in every nook and cranny of that massive house on 114th Ave. Her love language is practical acts of service. And I am the lucky recipient of that. 

Earlier this year, when I was a bit of a mess, she whisked me away for 5 days of rest and list making. Along with being a great baker (sourdough and scones), an avid reader, and a let's-get-this-done friend, she is also loaded with wisdom. It's a rare occasion when she doesn't know exactly what's needed. She often is saying to me, "You should ..." or "You need to ..." with all the confidence of one who just knows. 

I'm excited for you to meet Heather: 

Heather, girlfriend, let's start with what would you tell your younger self and really hope she understands?

That's easy. Pay more attention to what is going on around you. Pause and slow down. Don’t be so

automatically trusting, and don’t be afraid to put up boundaries. The busy (and sometimes frustrating) season when your children are small is truly short.

So what makes your life meaningful?

Being involved in our grandkids lives. We have 5. Each different from the others.

Each so very very precious. I’m so fortunate to be able to see them often and I feel

like we are part of their village. I love spending time with them, either in person, or on

FaceTime. They truly are life!

Who has inspired/mentored you?

The matriarchs in my family have set an example of strength, persistence, and

determination. My great grandmother came to Canada from Scotland. Her life wasn’t

easy (no one’s life was easy then), but she made things happen. It was she who purchased our beach front property in Tsawwassen. 

In her own name. 

In 1935. 

!!!

Our beach is still ours because of her.

One of her daughters was my Nannie. Tillie (well, Emma Amelia), was tall, inventive

and not afraid to do new things. She gave birth to my mom before she was married,

and raised her for awhile on her own. After her husband died, she rented rooms to

BCIT students, hosted bus trips to Reno, and filled her purse with extra salad before

she left Mr. Mikes in Burnaby. She was so sociable and loved being around people.

My mom. Rarely took no for an answer. She was spontaneous, funny, and larger than

life. Oddly enough, I felt that I was the closest to her in her final years… her Alzheimer

years. It was a full time job for my sister and I to advocate for her. But, did we ever

laugh together!

Annnd, what're you looking forward to?

I’m not a planner, so looking forward really isn’t my thing. If you ask me where I’ll be 5

years from now, my answer would be… “I don’t know”.

I’m looking forward to traveling, to see and experience new things with my husband,

family and friends. (Girlfriend trips are life.) You only have to mention going

somewhere, and I’ll have tickets and itinerary done!

Learning – I took a course a few years ago on Behavioral Intervention. I plan on taking

more courses in 2025.

What is the best thing about being your current age?

Senior discounts. Also, wisdom and patience. There is a solution for almost every

problem if you pause and think.

What's your greatest fear?

It’s an unrealistic fear, but that anything bad should happen to any of our kids or grandkids.

Can you share three major highlights you’ve experienced so far?

Easy – Luke, Emily and Laura

Have you had a life-changing event? What did you learn from it? 

Yup, many life changing events. I’ve learned that advocating for someone is hard work, and if you don’t take no for an answer you may not always be popular. I’ve learned to trust my gut.

Thoughts on beauty?

Don’t overthink it. God has given you your face to make you YOU. But at the same time, use SPF.

General wisdom, on any topic, you’d like to pass along to younger women? (faith,

finances, aging, relationships, cleaning, self-care, health diet, travel etc)

• A good sense of humour will get you through a lot of things in your life. It can be a wonderful coping tool.
• Work hard, save, and be frugal. Be intentional with your money, and at the same time be generous.
• Never pay full price for toilet paper.
• Buy the book.

What is your favorite/most memorable/impactful:

Book – I’m a reader; a library enthusiast. I love it when I find a new author that I will

like. Anything by Kristin Hannah, Kathy Reichs or Louise Penny. Favorite books in the

past few years: The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese, The Women by Kristin

Hannah.

Movie/show – Letters to Juliet, Mama Mia, Escape (aka Asleep) to the Country.

Song – Original Sin by Elton (it sounds spiritual – but it’s not ). I Know You By Heart,

Fields of Gold, Over The Rainbow – Eva Cassidy. Christmas song: Mary Did You Know.

City you’ve lived in/visited – I was born in Burnaby, and lived there until 1991 when we

built our house in Surrey. It was a big leap for us to cross the bridge, but we are so

glad that we did.

Great Britain. I have family there and it always feels like coming home.

Verse or quote –Romans 12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who

mourn. To me this is a reminder to always have grace.

Activity that brings joy – being with my kids and grandkids, gardening, reading, being

on an airplane. Being with my GB family.

Spending time at my beach.

Getting a better price on a rental car.

Sunsets (Saskatoon’s are breathtaking)

Surprising moment – Finding out that our son Luke and his wife Tanya were expecting

a baby. We thought it wasn’t going to happen, and then we got Jack.

Favorite flower – tulips, especially when they are droopy. Sunflowers, especially when

they are chasing the sun. I also have a thing for zinnias and cosmos.

Favorite snack – Lays Original Potato Chips, Penguin Bars, cinnamon buns, cashews,

licorice allsorts.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks, girlfriend!

xo

Pack Yer Praise

In September I attended an Elevation Worship concert. The was music loud. (I may have been too old for this one.) But I DID love the LED bracelets we were given upon entry. Very cool to have a personal light show on your wrist in sync with the one on stage. 

Two months later, I'm still remembering the super short 'sermon' (?) shared at the half-way point. It was about Miriam, Moses' sister. I'm going to paraphrase what I heard/remember, so be forewarned that I'm likely gonna butcher the whole message. 

It was about that time when, after all the plagues, the children of Israel (descendants of Joseph, the young fella who had a coat of many colours), were told to leave Egypt in the middle of the night. They had to hurry, in case Pharoah changed his mind. So they packed up quickly and grabbed what they could carry. 

I'm trying to imagine what I'd grab if I had an hour to pack for an unknown adventure that would last the rest of my life to a location only referred to as The Land of Milk and Honey. (Say WUT? How would one pack for THAT?)  There was no coming back. It might be exciting but probably also very scary. If you are the type to get anxious, your blood pressure would likely be off the charts. And Dr. M would call you at 10 pm to tell you he's sent a prescription to your local Shopper's pharmacy. 

ANYway, they left, as per the instructions given to them, taking All The Things they'd need to live in the wilderness and/or The Promised Land.  Haha. What did they know? They'd been slaves for 430 years. An oppressed people who knew nothing about packing, traveling, camping, traveling ...

As expected, because Pharaoh was a bit of a pill, it only took a hot moment for him to realize he wanted his slaves back. You probably are familiar with this story. But just in case you need a refresher, here's the official account. If you know how this story plays out, feel free to scroll abit:

"When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds and said, “What the heck? What were we thinking! We let the Israelites go and have lost their services!” So he took six hundred of the best chariots, along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them.  The Egyptians—all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, horsemen and troops—pursued the Israelites and overtook them as they camped by the sea. 

 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and LOW AND BEHOLD! there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out “What the heck? What were we thinking? Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?  Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”

 Moses answered, “What the heck? Oh ye people of little faith... Do not be afraid. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

 Then the Lord said to Moses, “ Tell the Israelites to move on.  Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground.”

 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, (without questioning God or saying What the heck...) and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.

 The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen followed them into the sea.  During the last watch of the night the Lord looked down at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion.  He jammed the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, “Plot twist. We didn't see this coming! Let’s get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting for them against Egypt.”

 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.”  Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived.

 The Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.  That day the Lord saved Israel from the hands of the Egyptians.  And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant."

Then Miriam, Moses' sister, took a timbrel (tamborine) in her hand, and all the women followed her singing and dancing while Miriam sang to them:

"Sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted..."

And THIS is the point of this blog post. 

Miriam, on that scary night, when she was getting ready to flee a madman and follow her younger brother (the one who, as a baby, floated on the Nile in a basket) she followed him into the unknown, packed her timbrel, anticipating that she was going to need it to praise God someday. 

She packed her praise. She planned on being thankful, despite the fears, the anxiety, the gut-wrenching awareness that danger may be ahead ... despite all that, she packed her instrument of praise, trusting in a happy ending. 

Whoa. 

Looking forward to having tea with Miriam one day. 

Three things I'm thankful for:

1. Sunny December days with crisp clean air and blue skies.

2. Condo living. Especially when there's a store that sells Cream Soda within walking distance. And a bakery that makes fresh croissants every morning.

3. Checking things off my To Do list. 

4. Long, rambling voice notes from friends with delightful accents from England.

5. Attentive doctors.

6. Plans to do seasonal things this weekend.

7. Plans to do nothing before then. 

Feel your boobs, send texts to those you love, and take a nap when you need it. 

Much love xo