This week..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfxqW9QwOSI

The Power of Prayer

Week 11-

Fall is here already and the weather has been outstanding, and I soak in every moment of God's beauty that I can. I am realizing the power of prayer, and how I am really experiencing right now. We are almost at the halfway mark, and life is wonderful. I love everything about today. My God, my communion with family, friends, church, my husband, my children, my job (SO FUN!), my house...with the 11 year old futon comfy as ever and going strong, my fleece pajamas, my tea...the list goes on. I only need the first 1, the rest is just a huge undeserved blessing. It's quiet and I am alone here, but I am not lonely. God is taking care of me and the boys and I know it is because of answered prayers and His grace. This journey I am on has given me a whole new appreciation and appetite for life, a new perspective, and I am rejoicing. Believe  me when I say, there are times..I call them moments..that it can be trying, but they pass...and then comes more grace. I want to Shout to the Lord and sing His praises all day long, He is GOOD.  I end this evenings post with a favourite Psalm...

                                                                  

Psalm 121

A song of ascents.

 ¹ I lift up my eyes to the hills—

       where does my help come from?

 ² My help comes from the LORD, 

       the Maker of heaven and earth.

 ³ He will not let your foot slip— 

       he who watches over you will not slumber;

 ⁴ indeed, he who watches over Israel 

       will neither slumber nor sleep.

 ⁵ The LORD watches over you— 

       the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

 ⁶ the sun will not harm you by day, 

       nor the moon by night.

 ⁷ The LORD will keep you from all harm— 

       he will watch over your life;

 ⁸ the LORD will watch over your coming and going 

       both now and forevermore.

So it's hello..and then goodbye again...

Is saying good-bye harder the second time, since I know what I am in for? For sure...but it still was worth the weekend. I would mark it as one of the best weekends ever, and we didn't even have to go anywhere or do anything. Saturday morning waking up with the kids and no schedule was like a dream, and after one fantastic and convicting sermon on Sunday morning (my ears were burning..anyone else?), Darryl said it was good to be home. Today we spent part of the day at the new Aldergrove bike park 1 street over from our house, with my sister and her husband and kids and it was beautiful weather. It was good to see Darryl back home with the kids, and of course, helping all the other kids too that were there. For me, it is true what they say, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder". When I picked him up from the airport, I almost didn't know how to act, like we were dating again, so weird, but something pretty neat to experience. By day 2 it felt like he had never left, and today we were both quiet, knowing he had to leave. He also knew the toughest part of his journey was ahead....as they call it...'hell week' was coming and the work is going to be more and get tougher. So far, he really likes depot and although it has been tough being away from the kids and me, he says it is a lot better than he thought and is glad to be there. he was told there are 16000 applicants right now waiting to get in, and that since budget cuts, they are taking 1/4 of the cadets they were last year. So the odds of him being there are crazy and we both know it is by god's total grace and obviously in his plan. 

For me, this next part will be the longest stretch of time away, almost 11 weeks, and no more summer evenings with walks to kill time or sleepovers during the week. There is much to look forward too, as Halloween approaches and I can keep the boys occupied decorating Halloween cookies, pumpkin patch going and pumpkin carving. I bought 2 of those coupon books from Mcdonalds that sell 8 items for $1, only good for November, but I foresee many evenings, especially on weekends, where I can take the kids there to run around and burn some energy and not feel guilty about spending so much money. I also myself am waaaay behind on many things that I thought I would have time for when he was gone but seem to have less time for. I received a letter in the mail stating my BCRPA has expired and if I want to teach Fitness classes in the future I need to take some courses...soon. Or else I may have to get my licence all over again...which would be a lot of work and very expensive. I also am way behind on Darryl's books for the first 6 months of the year and my file box has been staring at me for months. Aside from listing all my 'junk' on ebay and getting rid of stuff to make some extra $$$...I really hope to get this all done before Christmas. This week I have a staff meeting and a soccer tournament so once this is all out of the way, I should be good to tackle some of these mounting projects. Once again, feeling so blessed and so much too be thankful for, astounded at how gracious and Good God is to me and to our family. I couldn't be any richer...

Sharing a song about how I feel right now...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d33iScnAa9w&feature=fvsr

 

Beautiful.

Yesterday my Aunt passed away at the age of 53. I didn't know her very well, but I am still sad for my Mom and family. Her life ended in a disease of addiction and wrong choices. But God is good, she confessed him name over the last few years and we can Praise God because she is in the heavens rejoicing and not suffering anymore. We are all here by grace and everything we have received is by grace. With 1 or 2 wrong decisions when we are younger, we could all have different outcomes in our life and it is only by grace we are blessed to be where we are.

8 weeks...1/3 of 'this' journey done.

Ahhhhh.....I do love Sunday evenings. Kids in bed by 7:15 and the house quiet, except for the sound of the water boiling on the stove for tea. 4 more sleeps till Darryl comes home for a short visit, and we are excited to say the least. I would have really liked to go to Regina with the boys to see what D is all involved in and get a better understanding of things. But this was obviously more cost effective and a chance for him to get 'out' for a bit. Things are still going relatively well, I have had a few more stressy moments with the boys particularly the older 2. It's tough for them not getting all the attention they are used to, and I have been slipping with discipline sometimes and it it shows easily. In church today, I really struggled as I sat in the second row of chairs at the front, smack dab for all eyes to see my 6 year old completely losing it several times. That was tough for me, a range of emotions between embarrassment, anger, frustration and empathy. Cody is exactly like me and does not like being controlled or disciplined for that matter. Church is tough for him, and our church particularly is not geared up at all for kids at the age of 6. It's the be quiet, sit still, learn how to be somewhat of a 'zombie' or else you know what is coming your way when we get home. I disliked this part of church as a child, I guess that is why I was so passionate about Little lambs. I now wish they had a bit of a model like the Christian reformed churches where the kids under the age of 9 can sing in church and then are excused for the sermon part to go learn a bible lesson that is more appropriate to their age level. Well it is tough for him now, as he is whispering to me in church "I wanna be 5, I wanna be 5 again!" Yes, grade 1 Full-time is a huge adjustment alongside no more Sunday school and Dad being gone, I do feel for him, but I couldn't stand that he wouldn't be quiet. I should know better, it is what they call 'payback' I hear. Well, whatever, people will think what they think and I can only only answer to God, so be it I suppose.
Well, tomorrow I am supposed to be going on his field trip with the grade 1 class and taking my other 2 boys. One can only guess how this will all go, but I want to try and take Jesse out more and also be involved in Cody's life as much as I can right now. I have been tempted to go an by some cigarettes once and a while to have one at night while the kids are sleeping, but so far, I haven't. Prayer seems to be the stress reliever of my life and thankfully, its free and all I've got. I do miss teaching classes though, and even when D comes back I don't think it will be as much as I did before because of his new schedule...plus who knows where we will be living anyway.
He is doing great, a tough moment here or there for him, but generally it is going well and he is enjoying the experience thoroughly. I can't believe all the things he has learned and experienced in such a short amount of time, and how much we have learned about each other. I have learned alot too, mostly about my relationship with God. Even though I have very supportive family and friends, and a loving husband....I have been brought to my knees several times and made to realize, that there is no one on this earth that can fulfill the human needs I have other than Christ. That at the end of the day, everyone is sinful and God is the only one with whom we can have a truly intimate relationship with, and who can understand the path we are walking. And for that, i am thankful...GRACE GRACE AND MORE GRACE........Praise the LORD....!