MORE CONTRASTS

This is the main street in Ladner. I like it cause it is small and has cute little stores.

Dad and I arrive at the party for Gwen Wells on Sat. night. Gwen was Ken's teacher in about grade 2. We now go to home group together.

Yesterday was such a good day. The sermon at Gracepoint was on "Burning questions" and the Christian life is never presented as a "walk in the park". Scars do not have to become open wounds that never heal; but if we give our past into the ocean of God's love He absorbs it in his Holiness. We can be transformed.

We came home and it was warm enough to eat muffins on the front porch and listen to the neighbor children playing and also to the Vingl Cafe. Then camera's in hand we set off to Ladner to find some old homes that I wanted to take pictures of and contrast with the new. I did not really get what I wanted but took lots of pictures. The main street of Ladner looked so lovely and the smallness of this place has a charm that welcomes you to wander along the streets.

Dockins, the scientist, was on the radio. He comes across to be as very self confident and very critical of believers. Believers, those who put their faith in God, come in various packaging. I would disagree with some of those he finds fault with. Truth must never be bent to prove our points even to justify Jesus or the Bible. I would like to invite him to church for a year to live in a Christian community with all it's faults and weaknesses but with the power to transform and heal the broken-hearted. We all have experienced deep sorrow and felt our lives were shattered and we have long to be held in loving arms and feel loved.

The day changed and got very windy; the leaves showering down upon us, so we headed off to the Green Lettuce where we ordered our usual. In the evenning Cathy came by for a visit and I was exhausted by the time my head hit the pillow.

Contrasts
Dirty with clean
Hope with hopelessness
Fear with Faith
Deaf with Hearing
Closed with open
East with West
Full with empty

Dad has done something with all the pictures so I will add one or two later.

CONTRASTS

A smile and a frown a young little hand with grannie's

Morgan wants our hats

grandpa enjoys Ben and Morgan

Life is full of contrasts.

My childhood and upbringung so much different than today; freer and less parental involment.
Free to roam around the neighborhood, over to the park or walking to the swimming pool.

The sick and the healthy, the rich or the poor,

the beauty of the night with the beauty of the daylight,

the broken with the whole [today I found one whole wine bottle and one smashed beer bottle], the young with the old. [ The elderly have such amazing stories to tell and I love to listen to them.]
Religion with science.

Hope with hopelessness.

The Bible is also full of contrasts.

The old testament and the new testament.
Mary and Martha.
Jesus and John the Baptist.
Jesus and Paul.

Sinner with saint.
The gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke contrast with John's gospel.

REALITY VERSES TRUTH

There is a stream. Can you see it? Truth can be hidden but waiting to be found!

This rainy day changed to a beautiful fall day. Fall is my favorite time of the year even when the clouds hang heavy over the day.

I am trying to distinquish reality that is also truth.

Reality : I cannot picture God.

Truth : I believe and know that His presence is real. As real as the air we breath

and the wind that blows.

Reality : Life can be stressful and I can and do make unwise choices.

Truth : I am learning to see my mistakes more clearly and trying to be willing to

change.

Reality : Prayers do not always get answered as I wanted or when I wanted.

Truth : Prayers are always heard. Prayer changes us.

Reality : My feelings are real and are a part of what makes me me. I have been

shaped by my childhood and all that I have experienced.

Truth : Fear and doubt can be real yet faith can help us overcome our insecurity.

Faith is an open door that is available and waiting for us to open;

it does not promise us an easy path but one that challenges us.

Reality : No one wants to be judged.

Truth : No one understands exactly how I feel or my inner struggles or how great

the need is to be loved not judged.

Any illness can make you appreciate health more. I know I cannot always trust my feelings

especially when I get over tired and get annoyed with myself for not being more of a doer.

I am good at listening except sometimes with dad!

Even though I feel isolated and alone I feel the prayers

of others surrounding me.

Truth God is good!

BEING REAL

I love the fall colours

I cannot resist looking at the books.

I am so thankful I do not have to drive every day in heavy traffic.

I am processing how I really feel and being honest about what I can and cannot do. I have being aware of the stress and worry the people who love you experience as I now worry about dad.
I carried a lot of guilt all the years when I was so sick and the doctors did not know the answers.
Theresa is so honest about how terrible she feels when she eats wheat and she has am immediate re-action. By the time they found out what was wrong with me I was straving my body because it was not getting fed. I was fortunate to recover as well as I did although I have never had the energy that I hoped for. I am trying to be honest and take care of myself and rest when i am tired and stick to my diet.

Yesterday I had an excellent day. I had a fancy coffee with Jane and she is some one I can be honest with and that is good. She understands chronic health issues and encourages me so very much. I am fortunate I have many good friends. Our home group at Panorama and our other study group have become like family who care and love you.

I then went visiting at the Nursing Home. It appears it is not closing. There are three people still there that I visit and they are so happy to see me and that gives me joy! Then I went to visit Shirley and we had tea and then I walked with her around the garden grounds. I am going to try to do this every Thrusday. Dad had my glutin-free soup warming for me when I got home. I have a lot of great glutin-free food that I can eat and not be tempted to buy cake from the Safeway. The reason I cheated was well this is as good as I am going to get so I would like to have some enjoyment.

Then we talked to Ken and Melina on the phone. We were so sorry to hear Ken's car had been bassed in at the shopping center; thankfully no one was hurt, but the car was badly damaged and barely driveable. The fellow promised to report it to his insurance but so far has failed to do it and pretends he cannot speak English.

We all face our personal challenges and some times there seems to be no silver lining; but in the midst of it all we find out what really matters. The love of family and friends; and for me a faith which has always had a childlike quality to it, good books to read, uplifting music to listen to, an amazing world of colour all around me. We have many things to be thankful for. We can all pick up a dandelion and blow the seeds and make a wish.

The little boy's face grew very solemn as he blew the dandelion seeds and he said "Half these seeds go to Santa and half go up to God. Whatever God leaves by our tree. . . . it's sure to be enough." I will always believe that God meets our needs in surprising ways in His time and through many different people.

MY FAVORITE VERSES

i LOVE THIS WINDOW

I LOVE THIS VIEW

I was just thinking what if some day some one wants to know my favorite scriptures. I enjoy reading the Bible and discussing it and always seeing new things. "We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope." Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This means that I can choose to put my hope in a loving God and look for comfort in the scripture.

This is one of my favorite scriptures ISAIAH 43:1-4

Do not fear for I have redeemed you

I have called you by name

WHEN you past through the waters I will be with you

and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you------

Because you are precious in my sight

and honored, and I love you!

And Jeremiah 29:11-14

For surely I know the plans I have for you

plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future and a hope.

"O God within me, give me grace today to recognize the stirrings of Thy Spirit within my soul and to listen most attentively to all Thou has to say to me. Let not the noises of the world ever so confuse me that I cannot hear Thee speak." --M. Dawn "Being Well When Were Ill"

Faith gives us hope but not easy answers! !

MULTI-TASKING

Our drive into to Vancouver on Tuesday it pour rain and even some hail.

This was the pond at the Sylvia the rain making a beautiful picture.

1 Outside the beach was empty except for the odd dog walker and jojjer.

It starts to clear before we leave

I go for a short walk when I get home and enjoy the fall colours.

Yes, I am multi-tasking! I am drinking my water, curling my hair and bloging!

Yesterday I tried to search for a reason that I was feeling so weak; and all I could think of was I had done too much the day before. The senselessness and meaninglessness draws me away from God's grace into a discouraging place that I do not want to be.

I had things I was looking forward to doing, walking down to Zellers to meet friends for coffee and going for Bible Study at Deborah and Lane's house.

Just as we were getting ready to go my brother Brian phoned to wish us Happy Anniversary.

He has had a lot of pain with kidney stones and finally had an operation. He has to drink more water too and hopes they will wash any stones out that keep forming.

Brian and Trauel had also looked after their sons baffalo ranch and the bull had gone crazy and broke through a fence. Fortunely a neighbor was able to help fix the fence.

"The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to the skillful; but time and chance happen to them all."

Ecclesiastes 9:11 - 12.

I am happy for the days when I feel good and I have still to learn to surrender to the Lord and find strength in prayer and resting in His grace.

MEMORIES

I came from sunny Saskatchewan to the land of umbrellas

Dad and I have built many memories together even with our different interests. I still love to read and love going to church to sing and be with friends. We had a beautiful day driving through the rain down to the Slvia.

It is a little hard to remember the childhood curiosity I had regarding God, but I do know it was very real. I loved to imagine things and I would imagine that one day I would be a writer and a singer. I loved to read and I loved to sing and I still do.

Yesterday we celebrated our 53 wedding anniversary and we remember it was a foggy damp day when we arrived in Vancouver about 9 on a Saturday night. My first plane ride was a little bumy but I was too excited and happy to notice.

I have never lost that strong and powerful yearning for the spiritual; and it has become a foundation upon which my life has been built. I have experienced many forms of worship and have glimpsed the need of the young to want to change church structure and beliefs. Through it all I have been growing spiritually.

Time for change. Time for church worship to be joyful as well as meaningful.

Memories are good and it was wonderful to have yorkshire pudding and roast beef at Sandra's house and having a visit with the family.