One more time

I recently changed my blog from one blogging site to another – this one at wordpress.com.

Due to a comment from my dearly beloved husband regarding the font of my blog title and headers, I have decided to return to blogger. 

I know, I know….so annoying, right? 

Well, one more thing:  I’ve also re-named my blog.

I hope you will visit me at www.onesummerscall.blogspot.com.

 

One Liners – Global Leadership Summit

I recently  had the privilege of attending Willow Creek’s Global Leadership Summit.  Every year our church sends our pastor and elders to this leadership conference.  For the first time, the wives of the elders were invited to join them.  I have never attended a conference such as this one.  For two entire days, I had the honour to sit and listen to some of North America’s most well-known leaders both in the business world as well as in the church world.  Men and women like Bill Hybels, Wess Stafford, Michelle Rhee, Dr. Henry Cloud, the Honourable Cory Booker, Mama Maggie Goloran, and Seth Godin.  We listened to topics ranging from art to poverty, from educational issues to city problems, from learning the characteristics of an evil, foolish or wise man to having audacious faith.

The things I learned in those two days have remained in my mind and continued to percolate.  There were many profound one-liners that I wrote down.  I have already used many of them in conversation.  I’d like to share a few with you.

Bill Hybels:  “When leaders stop learning, leaders should stop leading”.

Len Schlesinger:  “Stop worrying about what you want to do, and start worrying about what you want to do next.”

and, “Failure doesn’t mean “game over” it means trying again with more experience”.

Seth Godin:  “If failure isn’t an option, than neither is success.”

and, “Just because the tide is out, doesn’t mean there is less water in the ocean.”

Steven Furtick:  (and btw this guy was hands down my absolute favourite speaker!…except for his outfit…which I think he borrowed from his wife)  “If your vision isn’t intimidating to you then it’s likely to be insulting to God”.

and, “We compare our behind the scenes with everyone else’s highlight reels.”  Isn’t this so very true?

Patrick Lencioni (this guy was the funniest!! ):  “People need to be reminded more than they need to be instructed”.

and this one was directed at the woman who unintentionally and accidentally but completely noticeabley farts in public but then totally denies it was her:   “If you are looking to build your reputation of awesomeness, then ask someone to pull your finger”.  I think we repeated this one to each other 5 or 6 times in the first hour after the session was out.

Have you ever attended Global Leadership Summit?  Who was your favourite speaker?

Truth Book

The voice in my head tells me I can’t move forward to where I’m supposed to go.

Too few words.

Such scattered thoughts.

Ideas too random.

The walls of my mind are papered with these words.

And yet I know the Truth.

I have recognized these as lies.

I open my notebook.

I read my verses.

Verses chosen to speak Truth to the lies.

Thoughts that can now be surrendered to the knowledge of Christ.

Who am I in Christ?

What has He so lovingly done for me?

Given me life so that I can be free.

Free to live a life in perfect peace.

I have only to ask.

The gift of His Word.

A book so full of His Promises.

A promise in 2 Peter reminds me of His divine power which has given me everything I need for life (1:3).

A picture is painted for me from Zephaniah (3:17) that God is with me and He will quiet me [my fears] with His love.

My Truth verses silence the lies.

They encourage me to find my strength in Him alone.
I will move forward.

And He will do amazing things among me (Josh. 3:5).

Side bar:  I made “truth books” for the ladies in my church bible study.  I have a few left.  If you would like your own truth book to fill with promises and truths that speak to your lies, then please leave me a comment here or send me an email.  I would be happy to bless you with one too!

Why is it so hard?

Why is it is so hard to pray?

When I know that I need the filling of the Holy Spirit

each day to give me strength.

Gve me strength to walk with integrity.

Love my children with out yelling.

Strength to think thru dififcult situations

and make decisions which affect our future.

I have time to drink a second cup of coffee.

Pull out the vacuum cleaner

to suck up the playdough before it gets into the carpet.

TIme to call a friend,

eat a piece of chocolate,

buy a new top.

But not time to pray.

When I know that He fillls me with peace

A peace I cannot buy at the store,

bake in the oven,

Hear from another.

He empowers me to love the ugly,

instruct my children,

go where it’s unknown.

Sustain me.

Why is it so hard to pray?

Give me an undivided heart, O Lord.

That I may seek Your Face each day.

Sun, sand, and a bear horn or two.

We have just returned from camping at our

very favourite campground – Killbear Provincial Park.
Located in Near North Ontario on Georgian Bay.

We enjoyed a beautiful week of weather and family fun.

We cliff jumped.

We read.

We journaled.

Some of us searched for….

and caught tadpoles and frogs.

While others slept….

and I looked for new things to photograph. 

Some posed for pictures….

…while others were caught unaware.

Tim went fishing with the girls.

And they were all smiles because the fish were biting that day.

We ate the caught fish.

…and octo-dogs….

…and s’mores…

….and grilled cheese sandwiches…

And I drank a.lot. of coffee.

Tim had the privilege of fishing with his friends.

And a bear decided to visit our site on the first night…

…so our fellow camping friend bought

himself and us some bear horns.

I tried to capture our Christmas picture.

…while Emily captured caterpillars…

…and frogs.

Little ones…

….and big ones…

I think Hannah’s smile perfectly depicts

how our week made us feel.

Perfectly rested.

Perfectly happy.

How was my day?

Um…not so good as far as making healthy eating choices go.

 It was my Oma’s birthday today.

  Tradition dictates that we visit her on her birthday.

  So we did.  At 10:30 a.m. 

And tradition also dictates

that she makes her own birthday cake. 

 Usually a 6 inch high torte with fresh raspberries. 

Well Oma walked away from tradition this year

 and made TWO birthday cakes. 

 One chocolate with buttercream chocolate icing.

. And one raspberry, blueberry, strawberry torte with whip cream. 

Which one did I eat?  You may ask. 

Both of them.

That’s right.

One piece of each. 

 Two pieces of cake…at 10:30 a.m.

And not tiny little slivers either.

 Generous pieces of cake.

And I didn’t say “hold the whip cream please”.

 I said “Bring. It. On”.

So how was my day?

Not so good.

How was your day?

It really DOES get easier

The girlies have been very busy today.

Busy working on a project.

A project they thought up all on their own.

They stayed in the basement for hours upon hours.

Quietly working.

Working together.

No fighting.

No crying.

No whining.

Only asking me for help to knot their thread.

While they worked on their project

I worked on my projects.

Some work needing to be done from home.

A little bit of this

and a little bit of that.

And at the end of these many hours

they showcased their work.

Barbie Sock Fashions.

This one is on the risque side of short…wouldn’t you say?

But look at the ribboned shoulder.

Hannah’s grandma taught her how to hand stitch. She put her skill to use hand stitching these pants and halter top.

Check out the sweet heart neckline on this one and the hemline on her skirt! Emily made it all by herself. My 5 year old scissor genius.

And we’ll start taking orders…….

….now.

Cottage Time

Every year on the last day of school

I head to the cottage with my girlies

and my sisters and their children.

We celebrate Canada Day

at The Village at Blue Mountain.



The five oldest cousins worked together in completing a Scavenger Hunt. It was smoking hot in The Village. The kind of hot when you feel irritated about having to breathe.



We ran into my husband’s best friend.

These two have been friends
since they were just young boys.

He was our best man.

I love him too.

It was nice to see him…in his own words

“I nearly crippled myself on the mountain today”.

Translation:  this guy likes the extreme sport
of downhill mountain biking.

We’re glad he didn’t cripple himself
and we could take a picture of him smiling.

For the past 8 years my family
has had a garage sale.

We find the most success in having
these garage sales at our parents’ cottage.

This year we had a bake sale
and Alison sold her paintings.

All money raised was to be given to a project
 that our church helps support
(i.e. Kids In Crisis Project).

A total of $84.50 was made!

This will allow a child in
Guinea, West Africa
to attend school for one year.

About 6 months ago Alison started painting on canvas.

After completing her first painting
she decided that she would sell it
at our garage sale in the summer.

Imagine her delight
when she sold
THREE
of her paintings.



This little nephew had some trouble selling the toys. 

And this little nephew needed to sit
 beside his big cousin and help.

He kept asking “what can I do to help?”

These two dads were lots of help.

Seriously though…they sat only for a little while to read the paper….

….amidst the mad rush of garage saling people. 

At the end of the day

we put everything left over from the sale

at the end of the road.

We made a sign
so no one would be confused
with what may have looked like garbage…



 ….except, of course, for one priceless thing.

The real me

My blogging friend posted a “real me” kind of post yesterday. 

I think it’s such a great idea.

Often times we view each other with such distorted lenses. 

 We may think “she” is the perfect wife,

the perfect mom,

the perfect housekeeper,

never makes mistakes,

never yells at her kids,

never has a dirty house,

always washes the floor,

always bakes from scratch,

always exercises.

But we don’t live with one another 24/7.

Our husbands

kids

sisters

know the real-er us.

Here’s the real-est me I can show you:

I’m actually very insecure.

I prefer to buy cookies than bake cookies.

I really do like my curly hair.

I wish that I had completed university.

I don’t think I could have completed university.

I’m not so nice to my children sometimes.

During the winter we watch a LOT of t.v.

Recently, I gave UP t.v. and God has richly blessed me for this committment.

My heart still flutters when Tim walks in a room.

I only surface clean…unless certain people are coming for a visit

I can’t concentrate on worshiping when Tim sings on the worship team.

I’d love to get married all over again so my “now” friends can see me get married.

I’d also love to be given showers so that I can have new dishes, pots and pans, towels, etc. 

I am counting the days until I can go away with just Tim.

I worry about things a lot. 

I wish I wasn’t such a worry wart.

I struggle with jealousy.

I was not that sad when the kids’ hamster died after only 6 days.

Sometimes I want another baby….

….then I hold my sisters babies and that’s enough for me.  (read:  I LOVE my nephews).

I would prefer to eat dessert than dinner….

Sometimes I only eat cake for breakfast.

It’s the real me.

Where I began….

About 8 months ago I hurt my back. 

 I was in bed for four days at the time and my back hasn’t been the same since.

Yesterday the pain was quite bad. 

 By the evening I was feeling very sorry for myself.  Sorry enough to have a full out one-person pity party.

 I went out to the garden to water the plants.  I used my own tears to water said plants.

As I stood crying over my peonies I tried to think of some Scripture I could recite to make me feel better.  Something to remind me of God’s goodness and faithfulness to me. 

But I was drowning in my self-pity and could think of not one verse. 

And so I returned to just crying about and dwelling on the pain.

I sat down this morning to journal about this all. 

A verse came to my mind….I couldn’t recall it word for word

 but I remembered it as saying something about God not giving me anything I can’t handle.

I wanted to know the exact verse and so I googled it. 

I was quickly reminded of what the actual verse says.

1 Corinthians 10:13 says “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. 

And God is faithful,

 he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. 

 But when you are tempted he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it”.

So how can I apply this to me right now?  To my pain…my frustration?

Although this back pain isn’t a temptation to sin directly,

 I am finding myself tempted to and even guilty of giving up. 

 I’m frustrated and feeling sorry for myself. 

 I am lacking patience with and compassion for my kids.

  I certainly am not exercising self-control.

This verse reminds me that God will provide a way out for me during these times

which makes HIM the way out for me. 

 I looked up “stand up under it” in my Greek dictionary

and it lists “to endure” as another translation for these words. 

 Asking Him all day long to give me all that I need to ENDURE the day and the pain.

I will continue to be frustrated if I continue to try to do it on my own.

It was while I was journalling this that Galatians 5:22 came to mind

 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,

 faithfulness, gentleness & self-control”. 

And how can I live in the Spirit?

2 Peter 1:3 tells me that “his divine power has given me everything I need for life and godliness”.

So although I remembered the verse wrong….the Holy Spirit took me on a journey today to remind me of God’s faithfulness to me….which is exactly where I began yesterday.

And in other news…

we added someone to our family yesterday…