So. Much. Space.

I've lived in a bedroom for the past 14 months.
It's were I would sleep, work on my computer, watch TV, keep my clothes, do my hair, put on my make-up. Everything I needed; camera, clothes, books, wrapping paper, suitcases, legal papers, banking info, towels, footwear... EVERYTHING was kept in that bedroom.

But NOW?
Now that I'm back in the basement?
OH. My. GOODNESS.

I have a room with couches to watch TV on.
I have a separate space (shared with a pool table, non-functioning 70 rear projection TV, old bar and bar stools, but stillllll)  I have carved out some space for a desk for my laptop.
There are closets for clothes and suitcases.
And a bedroom with a queen size bed and a dresser and normal sized night tables.

I. feel. so. rich.

Hahaha.

Perspective.

~~~~~~~~~~~

In case you've been wondering, no, the kids who broke into the cabin have not been arrested. Still praying for them.

And we are in the final stages of getting the walls/door/ceiling repaired. Not everything that was stolen or damaged was covered by our policy (look at the fine print, kids. Dirt bikes are not insured under your homeowner's policy. At least ours weren't.)

~~~~~~~~~~~

Three things I'm thankful for:

1. Utter silence.
2. Movie nights.
3. Online conversations.

Shalom,
xo

I love when they go all psycho with the lights on the pedestrian overpass.

Arting

All my worlds collided on Friday night when I attended TWU's Senior Art Show at the Art Museum in White Rock.

I went with friends from this life.
And saw people from my old lives...
(Folks from my teen years, my married years, my mom-of-teens years.)
Weird and strange and cool.

And the art was pretty amazing:

Afterwards, three of us went looking for a coffee shop.
To order hot water. And sit in comfortable surroundings. To talk.
We drove around for half an hour.

Sleepy retirement communities do not have coffee shops that stay open past 9 pm.
So we ended up at McDonald's.

We be classy chicks.



Three things I'm thankful for:

1. So appreciative of talented, artistic people.
2. Thankful for opportunities to see the work of talented, artistic people.
3. Grateful for long conversations on plastic chairs underneath fluorescent lights at midnight.

Shalom,
xo

Eleven PM on March Fifth

We just had another snowfall.
I went for a walk.

And thought about a few things.
Like, last week, when I binge watched The Kindness Diaries?
During the first episode, after an older man offers Leon a night in his home, Leon asks him "why?
Why were you so kind?"
And he said that years ago, when he lived in Sheffield, England, he attended a Billy Graham crusade and went forward during the 'altar call' at end.
"Haven't looked back since. Been a Christian and trying to do the right thing."

So. Possibly a bit of foreshadowing concerning the Festival Of Hope with Franklin Graham this weekend?
Maybeeeee.

But there's another thing too.
He mentioned Sheffield. And it just so happens that I've been praying for someone who lives in Sheffield.

Y'know how sometimes, you wonder if your prayers are needed?
Like? Are they making a difference?
God's gonna look for his lost sheep regardless of whether I ask/beg/plead him to, right?
And beside, my Sheffield resident had just moved to South Africa. So maybe someone else would pick up the prayer baton?

But, the very next day at work, during devo's, on the randomly placed slip of paper (with a prayer request on it) that was waiting on my chair? Was the request that I pray for South Africa and our office there.

So.

So there's that.
Seems pretty clear:

I will keep praying. For South Africa, our office there, the country's leaders, it's residents.

And I'll keep praying for crusades and festivals and the life changing work they do.

(I watched tonight's Festival of Hope event on my phone, as it was broadcast live.
Nothing like having a Michael W Smith concert happening in the palm of yer hand.
I SO wanted to be there tonight...

Reminds me of the Olympics, in that I didn't fully appreciate the size and scope and impact of the event, which took years to plan, until it began.)

Dear God,

Will this winter end? Soon?
Help me to appreciate and love the stillness of this season.
Open my eyes to whatever it is you're attempting to show me...
I want to see it and be wow-ed by it.

Thank you for this weekend's Festival of Hope.
I pray that You will be especially close to those who made a commitment to follow You on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings.

Provide them with mentors, friends, churches, and teachers to walk alongside.
Stir in them a longing to know You more.
Let the words they read in the Gospels they were given, make sense.

Bless the team and the leaders/bands/speakers as they debrief, unwind, rest, and prepare for the next city. May the impact they had on Vancouver be far-reaching and life-changing.

And God?
Thank you for this season of weddings and babies.
SO MANY of each.

I'm guessing You smile every time someone gets engaged.
And laugh with joy as they get married.

And I think You delight in every new child that is born.
Babies are Your precious gift to us. thankyouthankyouthankyou

God?
The TED conference is the next big thing to hit Vancouver. Could you use that event for Your purposes and glory?
Not sure what that would look like, but have at 'er.

Amen.

Three things I'm thankful for:

1. Divine coincidences.
2. Answered prayer.
3. Late night walks.

Shalom,
xo

Cynical

So.
The Kindness Diaries.

They've been on my mind all day.
The premise is, this guy, Leon, gives up his lucrative job in order to travel around the world on the kindness of strangers.

Just him, his bright yellow motorbike and a back pack filled with tshirts and boxers, traveling across the USA, then across Europe, then across Asia.
(And a camera crew, with all their equipment, following his every footstep, likely in a motorhome. So while he's asking strangers (in some countries, poverty stricken strangers...) if he can sleep in their homes/shanties that night, his team is recording it all then spending the evening in their comfortable, relatively safe, house on wheels.

No wonder some of the folks he met were confused.
"What? You have no money? You want me to buy you a meal?"

(Those nights he slept in the sidecar of his motorbike? Or that night on the beach? Because no one let him stay in their house? Was likely a 5 minute photo opp. Once the cameras were off, he probably snuggled up with his team, wherever they were sleeping.)

In a few of the European countries, savvy businessmen saw the cameras and played along; offering a meal, a bed, an experience ... while gaining some free publicity.

And some of the folks, especially in the poorest of countries, saw the cameras and took full advantage of the opportunity to have some international exposure on issues that were on their hearts.

By the 11th episode I stopped being amazed at The Kindness and was more awestruck by the breathtaking scenery. PLUS he traveled through Cambodia and Vietnam and was in the exact same place I was last June. I love being able to say (to myself), "HEY! I was there!"

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

In other news this was the forecast a few minutes ago:

That's SEVEN DAYS OF SNOW AHEAD.

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

My favorite time waster?

Watching this woman decorate cookies. 

I'm loving instagram these days.

It used to be for it's photographs. 

Now? It's for anything artistic.

This fella's illustrations, for example. 

And this account features some amazing art. 

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

Three things I'm thankful for:

1.Unexpected night at the lake. I came up after work planning on cleaning out the fridge and washing the cupboards. But by the time I arrived (there was a car in the median on the freeway. We all had to stop and look)

(plus I needed gas)

($1.22 a gallon IN CHILLIWACK. Last weekend it was $1.08)

(And I needed a few groceries)

... by the time I arrived, it was after 8 pm. 

By the time I'd prepared some eats, and then eaten them, it was 9 pm and the couch was calling my name. Next thing I know? It's 12:30 am. Dishes from supper still need to be washed. Forget about doing the cupboards and fridge (SIGH. A pastor and his family are using the cabin this weekend and I should probably spend the rest of this night washing and cleaning, but. But I just don't want to) and there's a bathtub in a big bathroom upstairs and I'd love a bubble bath. And there's a QUEEN SIZE bed... my arms won't fall off the sides when I sleep in it. Hahaha. Nothing like sleeping in a twin to help you appreciate the fact that all your body parts stay on the mattress when you stretch out on a queen. 

So, all that to say. I'm thankful that The Pastor and His Wife have stayed here before, in less than ideal conditions, so they'll likely be able to handle it again. 

2. In case I wasn't clear in the point above, I am thankful for bathtubs and beds. 

3. And I'm thankful for the peace I feel when I enter this space. 

Shalom,
xo

This n that.

Tonight? On Feb 28, with the snow falling (again) outside, I am binge-watching The Kindness Diaries on Netflix.

(It's about an English bloke from Los Angeles, on his motorcycle, traveling around the world with no money. He depends on the kindness of strangers for food, shelter and fuel. Some parts area bit cheesy, but there are enough inspirational moments to keep me watching.)
(Our world is so very beautiful. I would love to see more parts of it. even India. But if not in this lifetime, then I'm counting on heaven being breathtaking.)


Watch it if you want to see how kind people can be. #Humbling

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

This article.
I really shouldn't read parenting articles.
How many things did I do totally wrong?
All. Of. Them.
In awe that my three are self-reliant, functioning adults.


~~~~~~~~~~~

And this article.


“It has been Christ’s plan since the beginning of the church to advance his kingdom through dinner tables.”

“God has made forks and spoons, pans, pots, and plates weapons of war against the darkness.”

Showing hospitality is a fight. Satan will convince you, six ways to Sunday, that you don’t have time to share your table with others. Whether scheduling issues, sports practices, fatigue, or money constraints — there will always be a reason not to invite others over for dinner.

But hospitality is worth the fight. When you survey your kitchen at the night’s close, and it is filled with dirty silverware, piles of plates, and a sink overflowing with greasy pans and pots, may you realize these are the well-used weapons of our war against the darkness. Make your ladles, casserole dishes, and cookie sheets become your trusty side arms in our fight to expand his kingdom.

~~~~~~~~~~


This friend.
I loved our photo shoot.
She is full of life, laughter, wisdom, and wit.

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


Three things I'm thankful for:


1. A sunny Sunday afternoon.

2. A walk along the Promenade

3. So thankful that we're saying goodbye to February tonight.

Back to Normal

So.
First I was sick for a week.
Then I had no extra energy for a week.
Then we had another blizzard and our office was closed for a couple days (and THIS TIME I WAS GOING TO MAINTAIN THE DRIVEWAY AND SIDEWALK if it killed me.)
And then there was the long LOVE weekend which (sort of) included Family Day and Valentine's Day.

Despite numerous attempts to gather my kin, I couldn't make it happen. They all have friends. And plans. And I understand.

So I went to the lake bt myself and watched the ice melt.

Which, admittedly, was pretty spectacular.

Yes, I was feeling a little sorry for myself.
Everywhere I  looked people were holding hands.
And Facebook was just one happy family after another posting their adventures.
Haha. Nothing like feeling like a loser on Family Day especially if you work for an organization during the week that's All About Families.

And it didn't help that I read this. Because it made me question/doubt what I was doing two decades ago.

Right on the heels of Family Day was Valentine's Day... another day that emphasizes how not married I am.

Whoa. What a whiney mess.
Totes embarrassing. Get a grip woman. THIS IS NOT ALL ABOUT YOU.


So.
Bring on Feb 15.


Nothing but lengthening days and rising temperatures ahead.
Thank you, God, that Spring is just around the corner.


Three things I'm thankful for:

1. The new series on Netflix: Abstract - The Art of Design. I'm finding it fascinating.
2. The book, Shoe Dog, by Phil Knight. My boys have all read it and recommended it to me. Also fascinating. (Story of Nike, by it's founder.)
3.Lovely email from a colleague at work that undid me. A card in the kitchen from my mom. Then a beautiful surprise in my bedroom that had me bawling. Daughters are the best invention ever.

Shalom,
xo

Family Day + Valentine's Day = Love Days

Show them you love 'em by having dinner together.

Two videos that got me in the feels tonight:

Best conversations always take place around a table, yes?
Wishing you a couple of good Love days; hoping you can share a meal with those you care about most.

Three things I'm thankful for:

1. Companies and organizations that inspire and motivate.
2. A stat holiday in February.
3. Meal time memories.

Shalom,
xo

Family Day Weekend

After three solid weeks of feeling less energetic than usual and two weeks of extreme winter weather - things took a turn for the better at 5 on Friday.

The view from my office looked promising.
The storm clouds were moving on, and clear skies were being uncovered.
Plus, my cough was becoming less annoying.

I picked up groceries for my mom, took out the garbage, emptied the dishwasher, and checked on the basement (Drew and Dani are moving back in this weekend). With the driveway and sidewalks cleared, and the porch was tidied, and I felt OK about going away for a night or two. No one had been out to check on the cabin and Chilliwack had received 30" of snow last week... It was the responsible thing to do.

So at 8:30 I packed up two back packs, my laptop, some notebooks, a crate of food, some books, my camera and I headed east toward the full moon. The skies were clear and sparkly. The roads were dry and empty. And I felt so free. 2017 has been a bit rough so far. Nothing big, just a Cold From Hell, Blizzards, Storms and Snow, and Uncertainties re: housing.

But on Friday night, I felt peace.

I stopped in at Nestor's to get some milk and eggs. I stood in the 12 Items Or Less line, behind a 20-something year old guy who was buying a bunch of vegies and a steak.
Him: I'm so excited to get home. I'm having steak tonight.
Her (clerk): Uh huh.
Him: And I'm making my own salsa. With lots of cilantro. I love it.
Her: Apparently, some people hate it.
Him: I heard that. Like, it's a genetic thing or something.
Her: Yeah.
Him: Well, I love it. And I make it with .... (and he starts listing all the groceries he's buying.) This is what I love about being an adult. I can eat whatever I want. It. Is. So. Awesome.
Her: Adulting. It's just the best.
Him: It really is.

Haha. I took a pic of him with my phone, because I thought, while this conversation was happening, that I'd blog about it and having a photo to go along with it would be nice. Better than a wall of text. But then.
Yeah.
That's just creepy.
And chances are someone might know him.
Too awkward.


Anyway, I was invited to move over to the CheckStand 4 because Flirty Clerk was taking forever to get that order rung up. I paid and left and they were still discussing the advantages of being an adult. ("Wine! I'm going to have a glass of wine with my steak...")

I got on the freeway with half a tank of gas, and decided I'd stop to fill up at Whatcom Road because a) gas is cheap there and b) there's always a lot of Pokemon there.
(Yes, I still catch them. And there's a Valentine's special on right now. DOUBLE CANDY and all the pink Pokemon would be out in force.)

I pulled into an empty Petrocan station at 9:30. While I filled up, I had my phone out and was in the midst of catching a couple Lickatungs when I heard two cars pull in. Their mufflers had been tampered with, and they were revving the heck outa their engines. One million decibels of sound broke the silence I had been experiencing. Before filling their tanks, they revved their engines a few more times, for good measure.

I didn't look up; I had some pink Pokemon to catch.
"Our cars are pretty annoying, eh?"
I looked over my shoulder to see if he was talking to me.
He was.
I shrugged and went back to my phone.
"Like, they're really loud, right?"
He was probably in his early 20's.
"Uh, no. Not annoying. I've got three sons. I'm used to noise."
"But do your sons have cars like these?" he wondered.
"No, not really. But my one son did have a couple drifting cars."
"What? Drifting?"
He turned to his buddy. "That's way cooler than us."

Haha.
After that, he went back to filling up his car. And I caught a Jigglypuff.


The temperature was 5 degrees, so the roads were not frozen.
The stars were super bright and other than the snow on the fields and in the median, it could have been a summer night. I mean, if you're driving at night, with the heated seat keeping you warm, seasons don't really make a difference.

Until you try to enter a yard that hasn't been cleared and there's 12 - 20 inches of snow....

My truck has been completely reliable this winter. I have not slipped, nor gotten stuck on any road or lane I've driven on. I've got good tires and a 4WD, and it's a truck, so it sits a lil higher than a car. I had it serviced in December so I have been confident that it can handle whatever I encounter.

Except 12 - 20" of packed snow.

I entered our neighbourhood at lil after 10 and it was dead quiet. Whoever was up for the weekend, was all tucked into bed for the night. I drove slowly down the lane, checking driveways to see who was around, then drove into our yard and got stuck. The snow was so deep it came up over my bumper. My truck pushed snow forward for a second, then my backwheels just started to spin. There was nothing to get traction on. Just snow and snow and more snow. So I put it in reverse and backed it out. And took a running stab at it again. But I just sunk into more deep snow.

Totally new experience for me.

So I broke The Number One Rule of Cultus Lake and parked on the road.
I slung my backpacks over my shoulders and pulled the crate of food out of the back seat. I took a couple steps towards the house and sank. It was so deep it came up over the top of my boots. I trudged toward the house, where the snow had drifted up the stairs and made my way to the porch. I repeated this three times because I pack like an idiot and had brought a million things to do.

I'm really quite done with snow.


Three things I'm thankful for:

1. I just started and finished this book today. I suppose you watch Fixer Upper?  So you totally know who Chip and Joanna are. Well I haven't had cable in, like 4 years, so I am not acquainted with their awesomeness. But they sure have inspiring lives, eh?

After reading it, I sent them both a thank you message for sharing their story. Then I made a detailed To Do list that has 1,559 items on it. They accomplish SO MUCH, and have fun doing it. With 4 kids.

2. I'm thankful for winter and cozy places and bathtubs with no sliding glass doors and complete silence and fresh cold water and solitude and books and lists and stories and peace. 

3. I am thankful for long weekends and Family Day and families in general and my family specifically. I am thankful for boys, sons, young men, dads. I am grateful for conversations and online chats and text messages and kids. I am so glad I have friends and a sister and a brother and some cousins and a mom. God knew what He was doing when He made us to be community-minded. We need each other to be better people. 

Shalom,

xo

Not Today

So, every single day, since late June I've been checking the new listings that come onto the market. 

Every. Single. Day. 

Plus, I've been praying, Every. Single. Day about the market. our financing, our future neighbourhood, and the direction of the backyard (south-facing, please). Along with praying about my housing needs, I've been praying for my mom and what's best for her. 

The plan was, I was going to buy a house (finally! It's been a few years) with Drew and Danica; they'd live in the basement suite, I'd live upstairs. 

Separate laundry, kitchen, entrance, etc. 

The plan was to buy in the summer/early fall and move in just before/after the wedding. 

We've all been praying, that, if this is God's will for us, we will trust in His timing and look forward to seeing where He wants us to live. And if this wasn't His will, He'd make that very clear. 

What we didn't plan on was the craziest, most chaotic, most unrealistic Real Estate Market of the Century to take place exactly when we started looking. By the end of the summer, it looked hopeless. (Was this a sign from God? Was this His way of saying, "Sorry, no. You have a good plan, but it's not MY plan. So, no. Jane, you are to stay at your mom's and I have something totally different in mind for Drew and Dani." OR was He saying, "Trust me. I know it looks hopeless, but I can do this. Just wait... I have something perfect in mind for you.") 

It's confusing when you don't have a sense of how God is answering your prayers. 

But then, in mid-Sept, The Perfect House came onto the market. And I knew, I just knew, within minutes of walking through the front door, that This Was Home. I told Nancy, my realtor, that I wanted to write up an offer right away. EVERYTHING on my dream-house list was checked off, including the southern back yard and a breezeway that connected the garage to the house. Drew was mentally moving their things into the basement and it was going to work just fine for them. PLUS it had a coach house. 

It. Was. God's. Gift. To. Me. 

And I was so grateful. 

SO thankful.

SO in awe of how generous He is to me. 

The kids were super excited.

My friends were super happy for me. 

But my mom was sad; this was hard for her. 

I changed my prayer from "God, please, please, please let this deal go through..." to "God, please make this deal go through, only if it's what's best for me, Drew + Dani and mom. If the timing isn't right for her, then I don't want the house." 

The deal fell through and I had my answer. 

This was not God's plan. 

I was all kinds of disappointed, ("That house was PERFECT. A gem. A shiny jewel. We'd NEVVVVER find another house as wonderfullllll") but trusted that He had a plan in mind. 

Drew and Dani got married and were offered a brand new townhouse to live in, rent free for 3 months. The townhouse was just minutes from Dani's salon, and the owner was one of her clients. This had the hand of God all over it. 

Not knowing what else to do, I've continued looking at listings Every Single Day. 

And spending lunch hours driving by houses. 

And walking through open houses on weekends. 

There hasn't been a single house in our price range, with a basement suite and coach house in months. And months. 

Until yesterday. 

I opened the email, like I do every morning, and say, "God? Is this the one?" anticipating that one of these days, I'll see a listing and Just Know. 

Yesterday was that day. 

I checked the price first. 

It was in our sweet spot. 

I look at the first few photos next, and the house looked promising. 

I could live there. 

Then I read the write up. 

A suite.

A coach house.

I sent the link to Drew/Danica and within seconds they respond with, "WE NEED TO SEE THIS HOUSE."

So I made arrangements to see it that afternoon. 

"God? Is this Your gift to us? It seems perfect. We are SO excited. So very excited. The timing is perfect, Drew n Dani need to move out of the townhouse and the location is ideal, and the price is right, and is this OK with You? Is this good for all of us?"

Danica had to work, so Drew and I walked through it at 5 pm during the 2nd Great Blizzard of 2017. Snow and freezing rain was pelting us, the streets and sidewalks were buried under a foot of snow and the world was grey. 

We walked through the house and saw all the imperfections. Carpet was dirty. Walls would need repainting. Finishing wasn't the quality that I'm used to. There was very limited street parking. And the backyard faced north. 

We were about 85% thrilled with it. 

But if we could get it for the price it was listed, it would be good investment. 

I got in touch with our realtor about an offer and she said she'd call the listing agent first thing in the morning. 

At noon, at work, today, I joined a few colleagues in the boardroom where we watched a taped chapel service from our office in the States. Liz Curtis Higgs was the speaker. Her message? That God loves to do the impossible. When it looks hopeless and not-do-able, He will surprise and astound you. He will do things that will cause You to say, "Only God could have made this happen. I had nothing to do with it..."

I checked my phone after watching Liz's talk, and saw the text messages from my realtor. The house was sold. It sold a few hours after I'd viewed it the night before. An offer came in that was so amazing, the owners had no choice but to accept it. 

I got into my truck, drove over to Shopper's, bought a bag of Cadbury Creme Eggs to binge on while I cried and prayed. I texted Drew and Danica to let them know.

Drew: Wow. LOL.

Danica: God always has a plan, and He will always take care of us. There's nothing to worry about. We will always have a roof over our heads and when the right house comes along we will absolutely know and everything will happen the right way!

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

So.

I pulled myself together, bought 8 litres of mouthwash (to clean the blackboard wall in the creative department at work), a fruit platter, and some popcorn then drove back to work to celebrate a birthday and oversee the cleaning of our wall. 

I'm pretty sure God has something in mind. Something better than I could ask for or imagine. Something that is good and right for me, for my kids, for my mom. Something that will have us saying, "Only God could have made that happen."

In the meantime, I'll keep praying and looking at listings. 

In the meantime, I'll keep trusting and hoping. 

In the meantime, He is still good. 

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

Three things I'm thankful for:

1. Timely message from God through Liz Curtis Higgs recorded in December, viewed today, exactly when I needed to hear it. 

2. Amazing response by my kids.

3. Cadbury Creme Eggs.

Shalom, xo 

#BCStorm and The Road We Must Travel

This post is a mashup.
Pics are from today - the day after the Storm of the Year.
Blizzard 2017.

And the prose is from the book I'm reading:

I'm only on Chapter 4, but there were quite a few underline-able thoughts, so I'm posting them here.


Almost all the photos were taken from my bedroom and from the driver's seat of my truck, (on the way to work, and again on the drive home). I opened the windows, and pointed my camera towards something pretty. I depend on auto focus and auto settings a tremendous amount. Obviously.

Test yourself to make sure you are solid in the faith. Don't drift along, taking everything for granted. Give yourself regular check ups.

I have found the best way to enhance such a check up, is questions. Questions are an extension of one's curiosity, and they work beautifully as one examines his or her own soul in the presence of the Lord.

Every human transaction in life offers an insight. But its often like buried gold or oil. It has to be discovered. Perhaps that's why busy people are impressive but often shallow, No time to mine the gold or drill the oil,

Here are some conversation starters/questions that will help you begin to excavate the hidden gold:

• What have been the beautiful moments in which God may have been revealing Himself to me? 
• And what have been the evil moments when the worst in me (or the worst in the larger world) showed itself? 

• What happened this week that needs to be remembered, perhaps recorded in a journal so I can return to it in the future and recall the blessing (or the rebuke) of God?

• What have my prevailing feelings been this week? Sadness? Fear? Anger? Emptiness? Joy? Enthusiasm? What is the reason? 

• What have been the blessings, those acts of grace that have come through others, or, as I perceive it, directly from God Himself? Can I express praise and appreciation, via thank you note or journal entry?

• Have things happened for which I need to accept responsibility, perhaps leading to repentance? Why did they happen? Were they avoidable and how can they be prevented in the future? 

• What thoughts have been dominating my think time? Noble thoughts? Escapist thoughts that woo me away from more important or challenging issues? Superficial thoughts that lead to nowhere? 

• Is there a possibility that I am living in denial of certain realities (for example, painful criticism, sloppy work, habitual patterns) that are hurting me and others? 

• Are there any resentments or ill feelings toward others that remain unaddressed, unforgiven?

• Visualizing myself in the company of spouse, children, friends, colleagues - am I a pleasant person to be around? Are people challenged, elevated, enthused when I enter the room? As someone has observed, "Some people bring joy wherever they go, others bring joy when they go." Which one am I?

• What is God trying to say into my life today? Through scriptures? Through other readings? What has He been saying through those in my inner circle of relationships? Through critics? What insights swirl up and out of the deepest parts of my soul? 

• What are the possibilities in the hours ahead? Where might there be ambushes that would challenge character, reputation and well-being?

• What things might I say and do that would make the people in my inner circle feel more loved and appreciated?

• Am I mindful of the socially awkward. the poor, the suffering, the oppressed in my local world and in the larger world? Am I in tune with appropriate current events in the world and perceiving them through the lens of biblical perspective? 

• What specific steps will I take today to enhance my growth as a follower of Jesus? 

• What are my top three spiritual gifts? (I should be able to answer that question as easily as 'what's my name and phone number') How am I developing those gifts? 

Three things I'm thankful for:

1. I live in a beautiful corner of the world. And my commute is pretty. 

2. Winter is only a season, it's not forever. 

3. Friends who pray. 

4. The colour blue.

5. Conversations that take can take place because of the internet. 

6. Yams.

7. Books.

8. The creative team I work with. If you know of anyone who would appreciate this beautiful, relevant, biblically-based French magazine, send them to sign up here. 

Shalom,

xo