Psalm 100

"Make a Joyful Noise" is the famous Psalm 100 scripture passage.

This week I went for a walk in a local park. It was a beautiful autumn day with the wind blowing and the sun shining. As I walked this scripture popped into my mind and I came home and wrote my own version. Here it is.

Walking through the forest, a joyful noise.
wind blowing, leaves crunching, children laughing in the distance.
Sun peeking through the trees.
I look up. Waaaay up....two squirrels, cracking nuts, shells dropping to the floor.
Thump.

Rose Garden with buds shining red, orange and yellow colours. Is it really nearly November?

Petting zoo empty. No sign of life. A place of story from weeks gone past. I wonder where the animals are? I listen for birds....none. I hear trees blowing in the wind.

A man appears from another path. All wrapped up in warm clothing and a toque.I wonder where he is going. What is his story? I look at him to offer a smile, he walks by, no eye contact, humming a song.

I think to myself, God is good. God is sooooo good!
Then... I look down.
Shining in the light....chestnuts!! Like a child, I begin a treasure hunt. Gathering, collecting, feeling their smooth skin. I imagine cooking them on a fire.

I stand up, bright sun on my face. I give thanks for silent moments. God's sheer beauty.

Adoption Update

I don't think I've posted an update on my adoption recently. Yesterday marked 27 months, waiting for a child. It's ridiculous really, being that thousands of children in this province are waiting for homes and this process is taking as long as an international adoption would. However I won't complain because I really believe my time is coming.

Last year I was praying for CHANGE in my life and God has answered my prayers in many ways. I have a wonderful new job with more hours and more pay. I have a new mortgage and on November 21 I will have a new home and in December I will be assigned a new adoption worker. This can only mean that a child (or children) must be coming my way.

I am getting a new worker because I am moving from one region to another and it is a requirement to change but I think it will be a blessing in itself. My current worker really hasn't done much and I am not convinced that she supports single parent adoption. Hopefully my new one will be great. It will give the opportunity to start fresh and from a new beginning.

Ice Skating

I took the senior youth group ice skating last night. There were eight of us which was small in comparison to events in the past but it was a great night to build relationship with the youth in my congregation. Taking on this new job and returning to weekly leadership at youth group, has been a good reminder that it takes a lot of time, trust and honesty to build a healthy youth community. This particular group has had quite the year full of many transitions (leaders coming and leaving) along with some internal drama and conflict.

Who knew that ice skating would turn into a teaching moment.

To make a long story short we ran into a bit of challenging time with a group of teens who showed up at the ice rink, drunk. They were so drunk that they could barely skate straight nearly banging and crashing into people as they made there way around the ice. One of them threw up all over the ice. The language they were using was very foul and there were no adults around. Only three young staff. When we arrived I found out that it was a teen-only skate but I managed to convince the cashier that I needed to skate with my group. This drunk group of teens became quite the problem and we ended up leaving early and sneaking out a back door in order to stay safe.

It made me sad that young teenagers were that drunk. What is going (or not going) on in their lives to lead them to this point? Are they just bored? Is there home life so tough that they turn to alcohol? Is it just a stage?

The evening ended up providing us with an opportunity to discuss alcohol, bullying, youth violence and drugs. The evening took our group to a new level.

New House Photos

Homelessness

Today was a great Sunday! I co-led my first sermon with my new colleague, Will. Our focus was on the theme of homelessness and meeting our neighbours. This last week has been Homelessness Action Week (worldwide) and there have been numerous events around the world. Our church is located in an area where the need for food, shelter, clothing and care is extremely high. We have people dropping in for food daily and today was no different. Immediately following the worship service a man dropped in to get some food for himself and his two children.

If you have a few minutes...read our sermon. It can be found here:
http://www.northwood-united.org/sermon.html

If you have more than a few minutes then be sure to buy some extra groceries for the food bank or donate some blankets or socks to a local shelter. The need is so great, everywhere we live.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Well its Thanksgiving and I am sitting at my computer thinking about the many things I am thankful for. Mom and I will find a restaurant tomorrow and enjoy a turkey dinner. I am usually alone during the biggest celebrations of the year (Thanksgiving, my Birthday, Christmas, Easter) so its nice to have Mom in town.

Today during the Children's lesson I reminded them about being thankful and saying grace every time we sit down to enjoy huge meals. It was a good lesson and I think many adults resonated with it.

I am so blessed with a good, rich life. I have a warm home, lots of food, many friends, clothes, opportunities, choices and excitement in my life. I am aware that all the shelters in Metro Vancouver are full tonight with people waiting and hoping to get a bed. I spent two hours on Friday calling around trying to help a young man out. It is so heartbreaking at times and good a reminder to be thankful for all that I have.

New House!

In the last six days I listed, sold and purchased property! I will be moving from New Westminster to Cloverdale most likely over the the US Thanksgiving weekend (end of November) just in time for Advent to begin.

I am really excited and at the same time really calm. I've been through this process twice before so it is now a piece of cake!

My new home will be a townhome, 1300 square feet, 2 bedrooms and a den, a huge kitchen island which is super exciting and a garage. The complex itself has a community garden! Could there even be a better match out there?

WOW!

Ready, Set, GO!!!

I signed the papers last night and my house was officially listed on the market today. The realtor has already had four phone calls and there are showings tonight and tomorrow. WOW! Could this be a luck-filled weekend or am I just the new-house-on-the-block??

In any doubt, it's exciting and stressful all at once. There is nothing like living in a home that was yours, is still yours but now you are surrounded by a staged look; fake plants, fake photos, books, clocks....its a little strange I must say.

It's pretty hard to be passionate about cooking and baking when all of your equipment is in storage and all that remains are fake fruits in a basket on the counter.

I look at more houses on Monday. Ready, Set, GO!!!