October Snow

Hope Does Not Disappoint

I was reflecting this morning on the funeral for the little girl that Belinda spoke about in her last 'Micah Update'. Rylee was only 21 months old. My sweet little is Esmé 20 months old! I kissed her cheeks with fervor as she struggled in my arms and her little life felt so precious to me.

I read Psalm 139 and found comfort in God's perfect knowledge of us.

Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.

How precious are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!
If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;
When I awake, I am still with You.
Psalm 139: 16-18

Those words are music to my soul!

My thoughts are also on Belinda as she sees the pain of so many parent's in this battle of cancer. It hurts us to imagine that kind of pain, but she's in it. God is going before her and there is power in that (to say the least!). Remember all the battles God fought for Israel? He always reminded His warriors that it was His battle and would only be won in His strength. He not only leads His troops, He fights the battle for them. What a mighty God we serve!

And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations(sufferings), knowing that tribulation produces, perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Romans 5:3-5

And so I pray. I pray that God gives grace to Rylee's parents and reveals to them that He is Good- that His love is better than life! And I pray that God's grace surrounds Belinda as she witnesses and endures suffering. Our God is big and I will not doubt His power.

There is a song that is speaking to me.

"Jesus Draw Me Ever Nearer"
Music by Keith Getty;
Words by Margaret BeckerCopyright © 2002 Thankyou Music

Jesus draw me ever nearer
As I labour through the storm.
You have called me to this passage,
and I'll follow, though I'm worn.

May this journey bring a blessing,
May I rise on wings of faith;
And at the end of my heart's testing,
With Your likeness let me wake.

Jesus guide me through the tempest;
Keep my spirit staid and sure.
When the midnight meets the morning,
Let me love You even more.

Let the treasures of the trial
Form within me as I go -
And at the end of this long passage,
Let me leave them at Your throne.

Here's the link to hear it (and more) on MySpace: Keith and Krystyn Getty

Hoping- because 'He is mine and I am His'!

Not Me! Monday

My sister has been writing 'Not Me! Monday' posts and I thought it was kinda fun. I'd like to try it too, so here goes! Just to be clear, the idea behind this is COMPLETE sarcasm.

I would NEVER, and I mean never leave my last load of laundry in the dryer to veg for an entire week. In fact, I always have all of my laundry washed, dried, folded and put away in one day. What is the point of doing the work and then living out of laundry baskets!?

I would never get my children's passport photos done in grubby cloths and especially not in wet ones. If my youngest spilled water on her shirt before we left the house to get the pics done, I would most definitely change her shirt.

I do not look forward to putting my children to bed. I miss them dreadfully when they are sleeping and spend most of my evenings peeking into their bedrooms. I simply cannot concentrate on a book, or a hobby while they are down for the night.

I would never go to church without freshly washed hair. People would certainly notice and be thoroughly disgusted. I simply would not be able to wait until Monday morning to shampoo it.

I would never sit down to read a book while there is piles of laundry to fold, or blog with the laundry on the back of my mind!

I would never put my kids to bed in a T-shirt that they had worn all day. And if for some insane reason I overlooked it, they would definitely not be wearing that same shirt the next day!

No...not me!

Wilayna's New Friend

Just thought I'd post this sweet picture of my little cousin Wilayna. Pretty neat eh! She made the front page of the Brantford Expositor-check it out.

Family Pics 2008

We had our family pictures done in September by Lisa Pennings. It sure was time! The last good family picture we had, I was pregnant with Esmé. We had these taken at the old train station behind our house-behind Giant Tiger and VanPelt's.

Mia(almost 5)
Ksena (3 years old)
Esmé (19 months)
Just imagine when they are teenagers...