Forsaking All I Trust Him

Forsaking

All

I

Trust

Him

Oh, wow! You may be thinking who in their right mind would do that? Who would give up everything and trust God? I can think of many examples in the Bible of people who have done that and have found that the blessings that come from that kind of trust is amazing! I personally have experienced that kind of faith so I can testify to the fact that when you give it all to Christ, you won't regret it.

One of the examples of faith in the bible that really flows with this particular acronym of faith is the story of the fishermen by the seashore in the book of Matthew Chapter 4. Jesus commanded them: "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men." Can you imagine what must have been going through their minds? That was their only source of income and some stranger walks up to them and says, "Leave your job and come with me! I guarantee you that if you do, you'll win many over to my Kingdom!" What a leap of faith it took for these poor fishermen to leave their way of life and follow Jesus. What great and mighty things they did and saw as a result of their obedience. They got to witness firsthand the miraculous touch of the creator of the universe as he healed the sick, raised the dead, cast out evil spirits etc. They became part of his chosen 12!

Here are are a few facts about these fisherman:

1. They were poor men: if they had had estates, or any considerable stock in trade, fishing would have been their recreation not their occupation. It didn't matter to Jesus that they were poor, when He saw them he saw the potential they had to become great leaders for his Kingdom. He is no respecter of persons. He will choose to use and bless those who are willing to step out in faith! Rich or poor, all it takes is a willingness empty ourselves of self and become a vessel for God to flow through touching the lives of those around us.

2. They were unlearned men, not exposed to books or literature as Moses was. He had the opportunity in Egypt to be taught by the best. He lived in the kings palace! It didn't matter to God that these fishermen were uneducated. He knew that if they had faith, they would trust Him enough to give them the right words to say at the right time through the Holy Spirit. God isn't looking for those who want to impress others with their degree's or successes in life. He desires that no matter if we are uneducated or educated, that we will allow Him to speak through us.

3. They were men of business, who knew their trade inside out and wasn't afraid of hard labour. God isn't looking for lazy people to further his kingdom here on earth, he desires that we be motivated with a goal and a vision. Pressing toward the mark of the high calling of God. After all, we are his hands and feet in this world. It should be our mission to show Christ to everyone you meet.

4. They were men that were accustomed to hardships and hazards. Becoming a fisherman is one of the most laborious and perilous jobs around. Fishermen must be often wet and cold; they must watch, and wait, and toil. They were often in perilous waters constantly being exposed to danger and near death experiences. God is looking for those of us that have learned to bear hardships and be exposed to dangers that bring us courage as we trust in Him. It is those type of people that are prepared for the fellowship and discipleship of Jesus Christ. Good soldiers of Christ must endure hardness. What a lesson we can learn from this story when you begin to reflect on how much faith it took for them to follow Jesus that day.

Lately, I've been reading and studying a lot on faith in my own personal devotions. Hebrews chapter 11 is a great passage of scripture on faith. I quote it often when I want to encourage someone to increase their faith or to reach out in faith for the answers they desire from God. The first verse talks about how "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Verse 2 goes on to say "For by it the elders obtained a good report." You will notice as you read go on to read the rest of this chapter that a lot of victories came through great faith of many men and woman in the Bible.

The beauty of it is that it doesn't take much faith to move the hand of God. Just the size of a grain of mustard seed! A mustard seed is pretty tiny! I encourage you today to have faith in God! Go where he is leading you. It doesn't necessarily mean you'll be leaving your current job or the area you live like the fishermen in the Bible did. It does mean that your priorities will change as you begin to obey God, putting him first in your life as he leads you into his will. Take that step towards the place he is calling you. Beyond the open door awaits a work that only you can do and with it comes a new and fresh anointing on your life. Be encouraged and have faith. It will move those mountains that stand in your way!

Matthew 17:9

And Jesus said unto them, ...

"If ye have FAITH of a grain of mustard seed

Ye shall say unto this mountain,

Remove hence to yonder place,

And it shall remove and

NOTHING shall be

impossible unto you!"

Just a tiny grain.........

No matter what..... Have Faith!

Don't Let the Devil Steal Your Song

Wow! What a title! "Don't Let the Devil Steal Your Song!" I can't take credit for it though. I heard as a sermon title the first night at Music Camp this past summer. As soon as Bro. Jeff Saunders said it, I was overwhelmed and tears welled up in my eyes. Just those words alone were enough to encourage me and heal some of the hurt I had experienced recently. I begin to feel God speaking to my heart as Bro. Saunders begin to minister to the campers and staff. I knew his message was God-given and it was for me. The timing just couldn't be better and God touched me deeply that night. I determined that no matter what, I wasn't going to let the devil steal my song.

Just before camp started, I had gotten extremely hurt by someone very dear to me. I truly believe that this individual has no clue just how deeply they hurt me because I tried to brush it off and not give them any indication that it bothered me. I decided I was going to just give it to God and go on, not changing how I treated this person. I forgave them and left it in God's hands. However, I did vow that I would never sing again, something I had been doing my whole life. Isn't it just amazing how God works? He had plans for me and my music ministry, the enemy knew it and tried to discourage me so much so that it almost worked! For this to be the first sermon preached just after this happened, I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt God wanted me to know that he had given me a song and I needed not to allow the enemy to steal it. All the scriptures spoken with Bro. Saunders sermon, the story he told about how the canary who had a beautiful voice and sang every day got sucked up in a vacuum cleaner. It wouldn't sing anymore but through love and care of it's owner it finally broke out into a song again. Everything he said, spoke volumes to my soul! I am so thankful that he was sensitive to what God wanted for that service. I thank God every day for Music Camp because I believe it was the launching pad to my singing ministry. I am still overwhelmed at all that has happened since then! To God be ALL the glory!

In the middle of the week of Music Camp one of our local gospel radio stations, CJRI sent a DJ up to record a promotion for the camp. This DJ requested that someone record a song, a piano solo, etc to showcase some of what we had learned. I was asked to record a song and I immediately said no! I was extremely hesitant and even though God had touched me greatly on Sunday night I felt I just needed more time before I sang again; let alone have it recorded. Truthfully, I was scared to 'put myself' out there. It's always been one of my dreams and goals to record a gospel CD and normally I would have jumped at the chance to record a song but after getting hurt like I did, I felt that I wasn't ready. Surely they could find a better singer than I to record a song for the promotion. God reprimanded me saying, "It's time to stop burying your talent in the sand, I want to turn your misery into a ministry!" With the persistence of the Music Director at camp and others I reluctantly recorded a Joel Hemphill song called, "Consider the Lilies" Camp went on with some great services and since I was staying there as Staff for the full month of July, I quickly forgot about the song I recorded.

In August, I found out that the station was still playing the song I recorded. Apparently, after the first time it played over the airwaves calls came pouring in to request it to be played over and over. I was shocked! I couldn't believe it! What was even more unbelievable to me, was the fact that it was the number one most requested song of a local artist for 14 weeks breaking a record at the station! It wasn't long before family and friends who live far away heard about this and they wanted to hear it. Again, I was reluctant to share it with anyone but they insisted so I made it into a video and posted it on Facebook. The comments and e-mails came pouring in non-stop to me.

There is one story I want to share here. It's about a lady who had walked away from God years ago, she heard my song when it was posted on facebook. While listening to it she could feel God's presence, it made her cry and she relized that God still cares for her. She made the decision to turn her life around and serve God after all those years of being away from him. She thanked me over and over for posting my song. I was so humbled and it made everything I had gone through so very worth it! To God be ALL the glory as to what he has done with that song. I often joke with people who thank me, telling me they were ministered to after hearing me sing that I just want to be a vessel for God's presence to flow through even though I am slightly cracked! In all seriousness though, it's ALL because of God and his anointing he has placed on my life.

I was even hesitant to blog about this because I don't want to appear to be promoting myself or bragging. I am just so excited about the blessings that God has poured in my life about it that I want to share it in hopes that it will encourage a reader who is struggling with what God wants them to do with their life. When God opens a door wide, hold your head high and walk through it. You won't regret it. Sure people will criticize and point fingers but if your heart is right and your doing it for the Lord; you will be able to forgive them and not allow it to ruin your relationship with them. I never dreamed that the song would even be played on the radio again! The purpose of it was only to promote the camp. Recently, it was voted as part of the Top 20 songs of the year 2010. In January, I was the recipient of an award for it placing #2 runner up song of the year in the Top 20 by popular vote of the listeners of CJRI Faithway Radio Network. To God be ALL the glory for that!

Unbelievable! To top it all off on new years day, I was given a free one year membership to the Maritime Gospel Music Association (MGMA) http://www.mgma.ca/ They promoted me as artist of the month for January! Again, I have to say, To God be ALL the glory! People are disappointed when they realize I haven't recorded a CD yet but that is in the works and will be released in God's time. I've already had a consult at a recording studio and are weighing all my options. I have been traveling around locally taking part in different gospel concerts throughout our area. To me, this is a ministry. I take it very seriously want to stay in tune with what God wants for me in this area of my life. I don't do it for awards or promotion and definitly not for entertainment. I do it for God! I truly believe there are lost and hurting people who need to be ministered to. Music is such a universal language that it can reach into the depths of a persons heart, soothing the emotional pain they are in. Everyone loves music of some genre but music that comes from God is the most powerful of all! I thank God everyday for all these blessings he's given me. I feel so undeserving of it all and I'm very humbled that He would even use me.

To everyone who has supported me and encouraged me so far through out this journey I am on, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I couldn't have done it without you. Your prayers and your sound advice have kept me grounded. To the staff and the listeners of the CJRI stationhttp://www.cjri.fm/ and to those who voted for me, I thank you! To the staff of MGMA and all the local artists, thank you for everything! I sure do appreciate the support and encouragement you've given me as a new artist. To my family and close friends, I love you more than anything. Thank you for being there for me through the laughter and tears! You guys are my rock and I appreciate you so very much! Don't stop praying for me! Above all, I want to thank God who is my Saviour, my Healer, my Redeemer, my Provider and Best Friend. All the praises, all the glory belong to Him! He is so good and as long as he is on my side, I don't need to worry about the devil stealing my song!

To God Alone be the Glory

To God Alone be the Praise
Everything I say and Do

Let it be All for you

The Glory is yours Alone

Yours Alone

~Aaron Shust

Psalm 13: 6

"I will sing unto the Lord because

He hath delt bountifully with me!

Be Still

Be still! Only 2 words yet they can be so powerful when spoken by an authoritative command to a restless toddler, a noisy teenager or a misbehaving child at church. Sometimes they listen right away and obey, other times they ignore it and go right on doing what they shouldn't be doing. We have 7 people living here in Storeyland and believe me it can get pretty noisy at times. The children often try to overpower each other and when one starts to get loud it isn't long before the other 4 are trying to add more volume and next thing you know you can't hear what anyone is saying because it's just babble. Eventually, one of us has to say "Be still!" or "Be quiet" reminding them to use their manners and wait for their turn to talk. Sometimes, I just want to run away from all the noise and I'm sure Hubby feels that way at times too. We treasure those quiet moments with our children when we can really get to know them in a deeper way. It is something we do not want to take for granted. You know we are often like our children when it comes to our relationship with our heavenly Father. We don't always listen and often have a hard time being still.

One warm wintry morning recently, I was watching the children wait for the bus. For some reason, they were being very quiet. The photo you see with this post was one I took later that day. I couldn't resist adding the scripture on it that God spoke to me. The sun was rising up casting it's golden glow over our front yard and I begin to reflect on the goodness of God. I was thinking about how much I wanted to get to know him more. I've been serving God for over 20 years now yet I still want to go deeper in my relationship with him. Psalms 46: 10 immediately came to mind! "Be still and know that I am God!" I realized in my busy life I needed to find more time to just be still and allow God to work on some area's of my life that I had been neglecting. I needed to shut out the noise of the world and all the other distractions around me so I could hear that still small voice speaking to my heart. It's so easy in this day and age to be distracted. It makes me wonder, does God ever get lonely for us? Just to give him our undivided attention.

With technology today, the whole world is at our fingertips robbing us of the time we once had just to fellowship face to face with God and with other people. I am a people person, and I love Facebook. I usually leave it running all day, checking periodically for messages. I book my photography appointments through it and rely on it a lot for communication. It's a great way to connect with long lost relatives and friends. I have a lot of family and friends that live far away and I truly believe that if God were here on earth. He'd join Facebook just so he could communicate with some of us! It's so easy to get caught up in catching up with everyone on that site. This year, I am trying also to have a balance to not only catch up with them there but actually invite them over for a meal, or go out for a coffee with them, visiting them or doing a fun activity with them. I don't want to loose that 'old fashioned' fellowship with people I hold close. Personally, I refuse to go on Facebook while I am in the house of God to worship him and be fed by his word. I've often wondered what I would do if I were on Facebook during a church service and God actually wrote on my wall like he did on the wall of the kings palace in the old testament! "Hey, I miss my time with you. I love you so much! Can't you even set aside a couple of hours for me? After all, YOU came to MY house to visit ME! Get off of Facebook and worship me! Then you can go home, update your status and tell of the miracles I performed in your life today, or the prayers that I answered. Maybe you can also share the blessing you got or the healing I gave you with your friends online!" Wow, I think I would probably feel bad that I was choosing to catch up with my friends instead of catching up with God. It certainly makes you think doesn't it? Please don't be offended if your reading this blog and you use Facebook in church. This is a personal conviction I have and I just felt to share it because it goes along with this post. God's been dealing with me on a personal level when it comes to being still and knowing that he is God.

I am reminded of a story I heard one time about a young lady who God woke up out of a deep sleep at the crack of dawn and compelled her to go outside. She obeyed but wondered why God would want her to do that. She just couldn't see any purpose in it. The sun begin to rise and as she watched the sky explode in to gorgeous colors, she heard a still small voice say, "Thank you for watching the sunrise with me today, I may be God but I still get lonely to spend time with my children." I really do believe that God hungers for us to give him our undivided attention. I have learned that when I do that, I am amazed by the things I learn from his word and even at times I can hear him speak to me with so much love. If it's been a while since you've shut in with God in a secret place, I encourage you to do that. Don't allow the cares of this life to become so loud that they drown out his voice. He loves you and he misses you! He is waiting with arms opened wide for you to come to him. All he wants is for you to be still and to know that he truly is your God!

"Let all those that seek thee, rejoice and be glad in thee;

and let such as love thy salvation say continually,

Let God be Magnified!"

Psalm 70:4

Christmas 2010

Dear Family and Friends:

Christmas 2010 was the most unusual Christmas The 7 Storey's have ever encountered. In the hustle and bustle of Chrismas programs, shopping and preparing for the holidays, our province experienced an unusual rain storm! When we should have been dumped upon by huge piles of snow here in the North, we were instead being soaked with torrents of rain all over the Maritimes. There was flash flooding in several different area's and unfortunately it hit home, literally. I had actually started a blog post right before Christmas, but never got the chance to finish it so I decided to just post a new one.

We had gotten so much rain that our basement flooded badly. It destroyed our furnace, hot water tank, our Tristar vacuum cleaner among other house hold items. Some things were sentimental and just can't be replaced. It was difficult mourning the loss of those things but that's exactly what they were, things. Due to the mild temperatures, we were ok at home for a few days. We only had a couple of small heaters as a source of heat. We huddled around them in the living room but as the temperatures dropped lower, we were forced to move out and live in a hotel for a few days until a furnace arrived. Through it all, despite the fact things were in chaos and it was so close to Christmas, I was so thankful that we were safe and alive. It could have been so much worse. My cousins who live about an hour away ended up with over 5 ft of water in their homes and now are homeless as the flood destroyed all of their things. Currently, as I write this, my brother is still living in a hotel waiting for repairs on his home due to flood damage that was discovered after Christmas. My cousins are still dealing with the uncertainty of their situations as well. I ask that you keep these flood victims among many more in your thoughts and payers because a lot of people lost everything during what should have been the most joyous holiday of the year. We were fortunate to get home 2 days before Christmas and were scrambling at the last minute to get things prepared for our 5 children. I have to say, that it never ceased to amaze me how God provided and took care of my family through this disaster.

When funds were low and we only had one gift to give to each child as Christmas Day drew closer, God provided. When I wasn't sure if I'd get any baking done for company, God provided. When we weren't sure how the children were going to get from the little town we were staying in, to the country where their school was due to one vehicle, God provided. When we didn't know where our next meal would come from or snacks for the children's lunch, God provided! When we thought we'd have to take care of all the damages all on our own, God provided. I could list many examples of how God came through for us as we were tossed to and fro from all of this. He definitely is our JEHOVAH JIRAH... OUR PROVIDER! I want to say again to all of our Angels who helped us during this difficult time of our life a huge THANK YOU! We love and appreciate you all. Our prayer is that God blesses you abundantly for your giving. I love how we can depend on God to move in any given situation and lean on his word. We certainly held on to these scriptures:

Psalms 37: 23-26

23. The steps of a man are established by the Lord when he delights in his way

24. Though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, the Lord upholds his hand

25. I have been young and now I am old yet I have not seen his righteous forsaken nor his children begging for bread.

26. He is ever lending generously and his children become a blessing.

If you are currently facing a disaster of your own, I encourage you to lean on these promises. God will provide and he does have a plan. He cares! One of my favorite quotes is "Sometimes He calms the storm and other times he calms his child. You can have peace but it only comes when you begin to be thankful for your situation and start trusting that he is going to work it all out for the greater good.

When the children told us this was the best Christmas ever, all I could do is weep. It touched my heart deeply to see them wrapping up some of their toys for other young flood victims who lost everything! We truly saw the spirit of giving this Christmas Season every where we went and our lives were changed because of it.

I remember one particular day, I had the girls with me at the mall. I had some pocket change so I told them I'd get them a hot chocolate and treat myself to a coffee. We were standing in line behind a sweet little lady that has taken a shine to our family. She lives in a seniors complex and has no family here. They all live over sea's. She was using a Tim Horton's Gift Card to pay for her coffee. The girl waiting on her informed her that there was nothing left on it. My daughter looked at me and said exactly what I was thinking, "Mommy, lets buy her drink" I smiled and took the last $10 out of my wallet. I believe that God compelled me to reload her gift card. My girls eyes got huge because they were aware of our flood situation and that funds were extremely tight, however I didn't hesitate. Not only did I want to obey God but I wanted to show them that it is more blessed to give than to receive. I used it as a teachable moment. You should have seen them a couple of day's later when I opened a Christmas card and inside more than double the amount I gave this dear lady plus a Tim's Card with the exact amount I gave her on it! To them it was a complete miracle and greatly increased their faith in God. So, I encourage you... give if you can and trust God because he will see you through. If he did it for us, he'll do it for you because He is no respecter of persons. He treats us all the same and loves us beyond what we could ever imagine.

GOD IS ALWAYS ON TIME AND HE IS GOOD!!!

We got to visit with family and spent the rest of our holidays, doing some flood aftermath clean up. We also got to spend some time with my precious Mother who was really missing Dad this Christmas. Dad was out west due to work and wasn't able to come home. As I mentioned earlier, it was the most unusual Christmas ever but I echo what my children said... It was also the BEST one ever!!

Love and Prayers;

The 7 Storeys

A Time to Mourn

Have you ever said "Enough Already! I can't handle any more!" I'm sure that there have been times in every ones life when we feel like we are at the end of our rope and don't even want to pick up the phone for fear that it will be more bad news. It's been like that for Hubby and I pretty much ever since December 2009. Since then, we have had 7 deaths in our family, either on my side or Hubby's. Some were very unexpected and a shock, others we saw coming as we watched our dear family members fight a courageous battle with that terrible disease known as Cancer. Being called to mourn so many times, one tends to get a little numb and weary. Daily reflecting on the value of life. Don't get me wrong, we need to reflect on the value of life more often than what we normally do, however we can't be so consumed with it that we are afraid to live. All of this combined with other non-related issues made for a crazy roller coaster ride for the first few months of 2010 in Storeyland. It seemed at times that there was more tears than laughter. It was truly a sad time for all of us.

As each person was taken away within weeks or months of each other, my mind was plagued with fear that I was going to loose one of my children or my husband. I went through a rough patch where I allowed this fear to control my life. I couldn't sleep at night, and if I did I payed the price by dreaming horrible dreams about my family. I was restless and overprotective of the children. I would obsessively check on them when they were sleeping to make sure they were ok. I just wanted to hold them close to me in hopes that I could somehow protect them from anything that could potentially harm them. No one wants to loose what is most precious to you, no one ever wants to walk willingly down that road even if we are assured that Heaven will be our home. We are human, and we thrive off of being connected to our loved ones. Seeing their smiles, talking to them, hearing their laughter, wiping their tears away and just being with them. There is a certain loneliness that can come when we loose those who matter most to us. A void is created in us and if we aren't careful, depression and fear can take a hold of us. I know because I've faced both. It took a while for me to realize that I needed to allow God to fill that space and take away the loneliness I felt for my family that's gone on to be with the Lord. Through prayer and daily bible reading, God touched me taking away those horrible feelings and dreams. He gave me back my joy and peace of mind.

Just when I thought, I was going to be ok, something else happened to rock our world. On September 15th, I went to my cousins funeral with my parents. My husband stayed at Mom's house with the children because we couldn't find a babysitter for him to go. As soon as we got home from the funeral, Hubby said that our 6 year old daughter Emily wasn't feeling well. She was sleeping so I went to check on her. She wouldn't wake up and was having difficulty breathing. We rushed her to the hospital. She was admitted right away and put on oxygen, and other monitors. Her oxygen level was extremely low and her heart rate was very high. That fear I had suddenly came back as I tried desperately to force thoughts of loosing her out of my head. As the night wore on, she would go from bad to worse then be ok for a bit. Needless today, we were up the entire night. However, God came through and we know a lot of people were offering up prayers for her. We are so thankful for those prayers. Despite the rough night, she had a somewhat better day but we still didn't have a diagnosis. She was even able to eat a little bit of toast and visit the playroom in the hospital for a bit. Her oxygen levels continued to climb and become closer to the levels they wanted to see in her. The next morning, the Doctor came to see her and she was doing so much better. Finally, we had a diagnosis which was she has Reactive Airway Disease. A better way of explaining it is that she has allergy induced asthma. After being on meds for a few of days and very careful follow up care at home after her hospital stay, we are happy to report that she is back to her normal self. One of the things that set off her allergy attack was the goldenrod flower that is in full bloom here right now, as seen in the above photo I took yesterday. The day of the funeral, she had picked a bouquet of them for my mother which Mom put in a vase. Not only was she around it outside but inside as well. We are so grateful that this is a childhood disease that she will eventually grow out of and she will only have symptoms during the spring and fall seasons. Now that we know the signs and symptoms to look for and what is wrong with her, we can be more vigilant when it comes to caring for her during those seasons of severe allergies. We serve a great big wonderful God who touched her mightly and helped her bounce back so quickly from this ordeal. Our hearts go out to parents who live with terminal illness in their children or that experience scares like this more frequently. We pray the God will comfort you and strengthen you as you go about your daily routine and our prayers go up for all the sick children in our world. To those that have walked through the 'valley of the shadow of death' we pray for God to minister to you in a great and mighty way. You will get through your situation and come out on the other side a more stronger, thankful person. You are not alone, you have a God who is there walking beside you and even carrying you at times just like the famous Footprints poem talks about. You need not to fear or be driven by negative emotions because if you trust God he will replace your fears with peace and your negative emotions with hope for the future. He is an on time God and he loves you more than anything. I leave with you the following scriptures that have ministered to me as we faced one situation after another in the last few months. I am so thankful that 'God is my refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble!'(Psalm 46:1) I'd think of that passage of scripture daily. Here are a few more that gave me encouragement. I pray as you read these you will feel Gods word come alive and speak to your heart.

Jeremiah 29:11 ~ "For I know the thoughts I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil to give you an expected end."

~1 John 4:18 ~ "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."

~Romans 15:3 ~ "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that ye may abound in hope. through the power of the Holy Ghost."

~2 Corinthians 13:11 ~ "Finally bretheren, Farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you."

~Philippians 4:7 ~ "And the peace of God which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and mind through Christ Jesus."

~Isaiah 26:3 ~ "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee."

There are so many more that I could add to this post but I encourage you to find some of your own, ask God to speak to you through his word. Start in the book of Psalms. God knows exactly what you need to hear from him to help you in your situation.

God Bless!

Summer, Where Art Thou?

If you are a Maritimer, you've probably had that thought in your head a few times... Where is Summer? Those beautiful, hazy and hot days of relaxing in the pool, laying on the grass staring at the clouds or barbecuing on your back deck. Those sticky, humid hot summer nights being serenaded to sleep by mosquito's or maybe cooling off in front of a fan with a glass of ice water in hand. We could probably still count on one hand how many gorgeous summer day's we've had so far this year. Believe it or not, the weather has been on the chilly side and we had enough rain to make us think we should build an ark! Here we are almost at the end of July and still waiting for the Summer weather to arrive. However, I'm not complaining. I am so thankful that God has given us another day, no matter what the weather is like. Despite the chilly weather, our family hasn't allowed it to dampen our spirits or ruin our family fun. We've had a blast going on different adventures in Storeyland and take full advantage of those few and far between hot summer days.

At the end of June we had a big birthday bash for the Twins. They turned 5 on June 24th. I was going to put a separate post for them, reflecting on how far they've come but time got away on me and I've been so busy having fun with the kids that I put blogging on a lower priority list. My apologies to those of you who've been waiting for me to up date. The following are a few pics of the Twins 5th Birthday:

The Twins Birthday Supper At Greco

Their Favorite Restaurant!!

(For the sake of our relatives who are still in the dark ages with dial up we've put the pics into a collage so they will upload faster LOL ...Enjoy)

Their Backyard 5th Birthday BBQ Bash

(We planned this on the spur of

the moment in 2 days and had over

30+ adults and children in attendance after

many days of rain we were sure we'd have

to have this inside, but Mr. Sun made an

appearance and the children enjoyed a lot

of outdoor games and fun!!)

Happy Canada Day.. July 1st, 2009

We had the privilege of attending both parades one

in our little town and one in the capital city! Reuben

was a part of the parade in our community

with the Navy League Cadets!! We had a

blast hanging out with my sis and her family

who were visiting from Alberta!!

Canada Day Fireworks

We were fortunate to have great weather for all these events and were so excited to see my lil sis... Michelle, her fiancee, Jackson and their 2 girls. They came home to get married on July 4th and were able to attend the Canada Day festivities. They flew in at mid-night on the day before and my nieces stayed the night at our house. Our children had a great time catching up on the last 10 months with their adorable cousins, Shanelle and Jasmine. It was great to see them all together again and so awesome to get to spend the week with one of my bestest friends. (There will be a separate blog about their wedding)

Reuben recently attended the "Play on Our River" Camp at the Salmon Museum and had lots of fun canoeing, fishing, swimming and doing other educational activities. He also had the opportunity to meet in person a well known, avid fisher woman, Joan Wolfe. He and his cousin Jonathan spent the entire week at this day camp and enjoyed every minute of it.

On one of our rare hot summer days the children enjoy swimming in the pool or cooling off at the Water Park. We have no complaints and are thankful for every day we are alive and well. Every day is the day that the "Lord hath made so we will rejoice and be glad in it...." no matter the weather. We all know that storms never last and after the rain comes the rainbow. So, if your getting frustrated with this bi-polar weather we've been getting, cheer up... put on a smile and be thankful your alive to enjoy the weather, no matter what it may be!!

You Are Special

Summer has finally arrived! These beautiful lilacs that bloomed in our backyard this past spring are now gone. Since Father's Day, we have been so busy that I tonight was the first time I had a moment to update my blog. With all graduations, birthdays, festivals and other events; we've had a lot of fun creating memories that will last a life time. In my next post, I'll do a more detailed update as to what's been going on in Storeyland.

It's 2am and I just finished my sister's favors for her Scottish wedding on Saturday. It's been an extremely long day and I am heading to bed shortly, however I wanted to take a moment to let you know how special YOU are!! Yes, YOU... the one who is reading this right now. Never forget that God loves you and EVERYTHING He creates is a masterpiece carefully made with a love that goes beyond our wildest imagination. I hope you have a safe and happy Summer and may God richly bless you! ♥ Jo

Our Graduate, Our Niece Alice

Alice

We are so proud of you girl! Even though the journey seemed long and the road rough at times you didn't give up. It's so hard to believe that the sweet little baby with yellow PJ's I met many years ago is now graduating! When I first met you, I felt such a special bond with you little did we know that a few years down the road you would become my niece. No matter what path you choose after high school, keep in mind that God is there every step of the way and if you let him he will lead you into great happiness and blessings. Never fear the road that lies ahead or what the future holds because God has it all under control.

Jer 29:11 ~"I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out--plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.
Jer 29:12 ~When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. "

(the MSG Bible)

Congratulations on graduating from high school. We are so proud of you and we love you very much. May God richly bless you in all you do.

Love and Prayers:

Uncle Conrad, Aunt Joanie and your 5 lil Cousins

Our Graduate, Our Nephew Luke

Luke:

We just want to say we are so proud of your accomplishments. If there is one thing we have learned over the years, it's that your a fighter. From the time you were a little boy diagnosed with Leukemia, you beat the odds and came out victorious. We know that no matter what path you choose in life you will succeed, especially if you put God first and allow him to lead you. We've watch you grow into a fine young man and want you to know that you are in our prayers daily. As this new chapter unfolds before you remember to:

" Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not in your own understanding.... In all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct your paths!" Proverbs 3:4-5

Congratulations on your graduation from High School, Luke. May God richly bless you in all you do!

Love and Prayers:

Uncle Conrad, Aunt Joanie and your 5 Storey cousins

~*~Beyond the Sunset~*~

Have you ever seen a sunset that compelled you to stop what you were doing and stand as if in awe and disbelief of how such beauty could be created? This happened to us recently while out for a family drive near the airport. I couldn't help but get my husband to stop the van so I could make a pathetic attempt to capture it on film. The camera I have isn't the greatest and even though I can't seem to capture the beauty of the moment, I'm still determined to try. On this particular evening, I didn't notice the little white cross right away. The sunset had my full and undivided attention.

After snapping a few pictures, I turned to get into the van and that's when I noticed the little white cross. It is common knowledge that these crosses are placed in loving memory of a loved one lost in that particular spot. I was moved with compassion for the family and friends of this girl that had died. She was so young! According to the years written on the cross, she was just 18 or 19 depending on where her birthday fell. Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought about this young girl who had her whole life ahead of her and was taken so suddenly. I stood there for a moment feeling so thankful and blessed that I was alive to see such a gorgeous sunset. Blessed that I had all my children and husband waiting for me to get back in the van. I didn't know this young girl but I said a little prayer for her loved ones as we drove away.

All evening, I couldn't help but think of a song I heard often as a little girl when riding in the truck with my grandfather entitled "Beyond the Sunset" He is a big Hank Williams fan and every so often while riding along a country road we'd hear this song that offers so much comfort during the loss of a loved one. The following are the lyrics to this song:

Beyond the Sunset

Should you go first and I remain
To walk the road alone
I'll live in memory's garden, dear
When happy days we've known.
In spring I'll watch for roses red
And shades of lilac blue
In early fall when the brown leaves fall
Then I'll catch a glimpse of you.
Should you go first and I remain
To finish with the scroll
No lenghtening shadows shall creep in
To make this life seem droll.
We've known so much of happiness
Yes, we've had our cup of joy
And memory is one gift of God
That death cannot destroy.
Should you go first and I remain
There's one thing I'd have you do
Walk slowly down that long road
For soon I'll follow you.
I want you to know each step I take
So that you may walk the same
For someday down that lonely road
I'll hear you calling my name.

Beyond the sunset, oh glad reunion
With our dear loved ones who've gone before
In that fair homeland we'll know no parting
Beyond the sunset for evermore...

Recently, we unexpectedly lost one of our dear brothers in Christ. Our church family, the community and of course his loved ones will feel this loss immensely. To the Mitchell family, we extend our deepest sympathies and are keeping you daily in our thoughts and prayers. May God bring you comfort and peace which surpasses all understanding during this difficult time. Our hearts go out to you! We esteemed this dear brother very highly and Hubby thought the world of him. We will miss his singing and playing the guitar. We have some precious memories of which we'll cherish for the rest of our lives. What a joy it is to know that we'll see Mac again.... just beyond the sunset!

* This pic was taken during a charades game at
Mac and Lena's. We shared a lot of laughs that night!

Still Waters

Psalms 23:2

"He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters."

While driving along the St. John river last summer, I was amazed at how still the river was. I asked hubby to stop the van so I could take a picture of it. He obliged and when I stepped out on to the curb instantly a feeling of peace washed over my soul. All the tension and stress I had been under left my body. It was as if the calmness of the water saturated every fiber of my being right through my eyes! In the tranquility of the moment, I was moved at how God could use nature to remind us that there are times we need to be still and know that He is God! ~(Psalms 46:10)

It had been a rough summer up to that point. There were times I craved being beside those "still waters" where I could be refreshed. I desperately needed rest and peace of mind. Gazing out over God's peaceful masterpiece, I suddenly realized that all this time I was leading myself! Somewhere along the way I had taken things back into my own hands not allowing God to lead me in the right direction. We often need to be reminded that God is in control and he has our best interest at heart. He knows exactly when it's time for us to slow down. He will lead us beside those still waters where we can find that much needed rest but we have to step back and allow him to lead.

Isaiah 30:15

"For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel;

In returning and rest shall ye be saved;

in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength!"

Bloom Where You Are Planted

I have a confession to make and it might shock you!!! I do not have a green thumb, actually its rather fleshly colored. (Tee hee) Anyhow, it is the truth though. I am not a good gardener. I tend to get impatient waiting for things to bloom and grow and half the time I don't have a clue if I am yanking up weeds or gorgeous flowers. I have decided I should stick to planting tree's and creating rock gardens. The less maintenance the better. All though, part of this problem is due to the fact I am so thinly spread that I don't have a great amount a time to devote to tending to a garden, the other issue I have is lack of knowledge. Every spring I get the urge to plant and create a beautiful flower garden but I seem to have a problem not knowing where to start. I always find it amazing how fast the tree's and peoples gardens bloom out with all the spring blossoms. We have already mowed the lawn a few times this month and have had some awesome weather. I've got a start on a tan already and summer hasn't arrived yet LOL. I love being kissed by the warm rays of the sun especially those first warm days after a cold and dreary winter! I am sure those little blossoms asleep under the blanket of snow feel the same way!

We planted some trees this month. The children had a blast helping Hubby and I make our yard look more beautiful and do something positive for the environment. They also create a nice hedge and once the fencing is done between them, our property will be more visible to potential future buyers. While they were busy planting, I was busy doing something I really enjoyed -taking pictures of it all!

~Hubby getting ready to dig another hole!



~Reuben mowed the grass while Daddy dug

the holes!

~The Twins helped Daddy put the tree in the hole!

~Time to spread the mulch!

~Alex & Emily carefully water the trees!

~The almost finished result!

*You can see our neighbours garage in the background of this pic.The tree's help to section off our properties. Our plan is to put fancy fencing in between each tree. We opted for that instead of just a fence. We can't wait until it's finished!*

As I stated earlier, I personally do not have a green thumb and even plastic plants don't survive me! HAHA.....Well actually, it's more like they don't survive my rambunctious children. I'll never forget the time I bought a real, gorgeous tropical plant for the house. I was diligent in watering it and caring for it. To my surprise despite my ungreen (is that a word LOL) thumb it was growing so beautifully, until one day Alex decided to give it a 'haircut and use the stems as a microphone! I was so sad to see all the lovely green leaves on the floor and determined in my heart I'd never pay over $60 for a plant like that again! Even though, I got a little upset, it was hard to stay angry and discipline him for it because he was so cute at explaining why he did it. I did manage to capture a picture of him singing into the limbs of the plant. :-)

~Alex singing into his new "microphone"

after he gave the plant a "haircut"!!! Kids are so creative eh?

Even though I don't have the coveted green thumb, I do love flowers, plants and tree's. When we bought our house a few years back, there was a gorgeous flower garden in the front of the house. Needless, to say I tried my best to weed it but unfortunately, I don't think it was just weeds I was pulling out of it. I tried googling gardening tips and pictures of the difference between weeds and actual plants but I didn't have much luck. So, I just pulled everything out with the intention of replanting. The only plant that survived my antics was a beautiful flowering bush in the middle of the garden. It's a small tree that blooms out vibrant red blossoms and I have no clue what it is. I love it though. It's so pretty. My decision this year about that garden is to turn it into a rock garden around this beautiful tree so that the tree can stand out and not be cluttered. It has grown a lot over the past 3 years and is taking up a lot of room in the flower box. One thing I have learned though through this experience is that most plants do bloom where they are planted.

You know, our life is often like a garden. Sometimes, we allow weeds such as sin, anger, bitterness and hatred to grow choking out the beautiful person that we really are. We can often get to a place where we are not content with what we have and long to be planted in someone else's garden. However, keep in mind that you and I are right where God wants us. He has planted us in these specific spots for a reason. Every day as his plan for our lives unfolds, he desires us to bloom so that we can touch the lives of others and lead them to Christ. He wants us to bloom where we are planted and if we allow that to happen, we will live a life of joy, peace and happiness.

~Jeremiah 29:11- "I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out--plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for." ( The MSG Bible)

Joy Comes in the Morning

I am not a morning person. I tend to wake up very slowly and slightly disgruntled. I am nocturnal, I can clean, read, pray or relax into the wee hours of the night. I love the alone time I can get when the house has quieted down after an extremely busy day and everyone is sleeping. However, being a busy mom of 5 children I am learning quickly that I need to find a solution to this little problem of mine. I wake up most mornings very tired and no matter what kind of relaxation techniques I use to go to sleep, I lay there wide awake just waiting for that blessed slumber. Most nights I fall asleep praying. I am so thankful that God hears and answers our prayers. I am learning more and more every day just how much God cares about his children.

In this troubled, superficial world we live in, we need to believe in something that is real and can give us hope. Even in the midst of tragedy, we can have internal peace and joy when we realize that we have a God that is bigger than all our problems. When God created us he placed in us a void that only he can fill. I truly believe that you'll never know true happiness until you come to know the God that created you. So many people are sick and tired of being sick and tired. Even Christians can get that way, but we have to remember that the Joy of the Lord is our strength (Neh 8:10). One of the tools the enemy of our soul likes to use against us is getting our focas on the problem rather than on the one who can take care of it. It is when we have no joy and we feel we can't face another day that we need a new perspective on our problem. I may have mentioned this quote before but it has helped me so many times that I want to share it again:

"Rather than saying God here is my problem...we should say problem, HERE IS MY GOD!"

I am so glad that the bad times don't last forever and we can have comfort in the fact that God is in the midst of life's storm with us. Recently, my family has faced some pretty tough situations but I am thankful that when the morning sun broke through the darkness of the night, riding on it's warm rays was JOY! I am here to offer you hope and encouragement to the fact that your darkness wont last if you trust God. The light of his love will break through the gloom and joy will come. If you think you've done all you can to obtain joy by the worlds standards and are still unhappy, I encourage you to pick up a Bible and start reading the book of Psalms. Try prayer, it does work and it does change things.

Psalm 30:5 says "For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. "

Dear Family & Friends

Happy New Year!!!!! Wow, it is so hard to believe this is the last year of 2008. Time certainly goes by quickly and days turn into seasons it leaves us wondering, where did the time go? This past year has been a challenging one for my family and I. We certainly had our ups and downs and made many mistakes but thank God for his mercy and forgiveness. He is so wonderful to pick us up when we are down and bring us back to a road of peace and happiness in Him. He is a loving God and I am so happy to know him in such a deep and intimate way.

As I look over the past year, I realize I am BLESSED. Truly Blessed. God had brought so much joy into my life. I am excited about what the new year holds for my family and I. We have made a lot of changes in the past few weeks and have seen some tremendous results. We have grown closer and are now making God the center of our home on a daily basis. I am so thankful that I have a loving, caring, forgiving Husband and such wonderful children. They are so precious to me and with each passing moment I grow to love them more and more. I still try to find those teachable moments with them and take the time to spend individual time with them as well.

I have to say. I am so glad 2008 is almost over with!!! It was a rough year and I don't care to go back there! I am choosing to leave it in the past where it belongs and start fresh and new. I am determined to learn from my mistakes and not repeat them. We all make mistakes, we all fall and do things we shouldn't do. The important thing is to go to God for direction and purpose. He will guide you every step of the way if you'll let him. This past year made me take a good hard look at myself and the end result was ...I didn't like what I saw. I didn't like who I had become during the year of 2008 and I was not happy because somewhere along the way I had taken my eyes of God and put them on things that I thought were important. My relationship with God suffered because of it. My faith in God was shaken and everyone in my family were innocent bystanders of the windfall in the choices I made. For that I am so sorry. Thank God, he saw fit to rescue me just in time and set me back on the straight and narrow :)

To my family and friends, I am sorry if I hurt you this past year in any way. If my actions or words caused you hurt or anger, I am truly sorry. My prayer for 2009 is that I take captive every thought and allow my words to heal rather than hurt. To bless rather than curse and to love rather than judge. I pray that you all have peace, love, joy and happiness in the new year and that God blesses you beyond measure. We are keeping you all daily in our thoughts and prayers.

We are out with the old and in with the new!!!!!!! YIPEEEEEEEEEE

~*~ Catching Snowflakes ~*~

Our 3 youngest creating a childhood memory as they try to catch a snowflake in the first 'real' snowstorm :)

On the 7th Day

If you are at all familiar with the story of the creation in Genesis, you will know that on the 7th day God rested. For us, our 7th day is Sunday all though there isn't much resting going on. With 5 children who are amazingly wide awake in the afternoon, it is next to impossible for us to get any sleep let alone a time of 'resting'. We are left dreaming about how it used to be on those lazy Sunday afternoons and spend reality being busy parents. There is always something that needs tended to, a broken toy, ruffled feelings, sibling rivalry and so on. I am beginning to think that our children have these built in sensors that go off as soon as we put our feet up and begin to relax :) However, they are precious and it won't be long when we will be wishing we had these chaotic, noisy afternoons! It is amazing how fast time goes and how quickly they grow up.

Today is the first day of December. Wow!! That is hard to believe. We went into Freddy Sunday afternoon and it was bustling with Christmas shoppers. It was hard to find a parking space. We had intended on ordering our Son's glasses but they weren't open so we spent an hour walking mindlessly around the mall talking to friends we hadn't seen since this time last year. One of the things, I do enjoy about this season is running into the 'long time no see' friends at the mall. It's always a surprise as to who your going to run into. I think there will be quite a few trips to the mall before the big day on the 25th because I have barely started my Christmas shopping. I love this time of year and even enjoy the rush to get that last gift :)

Through the hustle and bustle of every Christmas Season, we make sure our children know that it is not about getting but rather giving. Even more importantly, it is a special time of year that we can set aside to honor the birth of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. During the day, I try to find quiet moments with each of my children to teach them what I call a golden nugget from the Bible. This month, these golden nuggets will revolve around the true meaning of Christmas and when I can, I will find those quiet moments for myself even if it has to be after they are snuggled in their beds. It's in those quiet moments of reflecting on the word of God that I gain strength for tomorrow. If even God himself needed a time of resting, how much more do us humans need it? I crave those quiet moments when life is chaotic and I haven't given God some of my time. Naturally, in our flesh we need to sleep and to recharge our batteries, this also applies to our spirit as well. Too often, we allow our burdens to weigh us down sometimes to the point where we can't even remember how to lay them down at the foot of the cross and just rest in the arms of the one who loves us the most. He carried the weight of the world on his shoulders and he is definitely big enough to carry your heavy burdens. He said in Mat 11:28 "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."

It is not in God's plan our lives for us to be stressed out and burnt out. If after 6 days of just speaking the world into existence, God rested we can be confidant that He wants the same for us. We all know that as the 25th gets closer, life is going to kick into high gear on the road of nonstop busyness. Christmas parties, concerts, banquets, shopping, hosting, visiting, travelling and the list goes on and on will rob us of our time. However, if we go into the season with our minds made up that it's ok to relax and ok to say no to some things, we may actually enJOY the season :) I encourage you to find those quiet moments, and I guarantee you...you won't regret it!

Comfort and Joy!

Our Christmas Tree 2008


What a beautiful day God has given us! There is still a slight dusting of snow on the ground outside and the air is crisp with winter on the horizon. Last night, I had the opportunity to do some Christmas shopping for the children. This is just the start. Every year I determine that I am going to start early and I do, however, the gifts usually end up as birthday presents or gifts for special occasions. Going shopping last night, with Christmas carols serenading me as I choose that perfect gift inspired me to come home and decorate for the season. This is what the end result was at 1am! The children have a tree that they decorate so when they got up this morning and saw the one in the living room...they started bugging me to get theirs out. However, Rachael is away visiting Grammie and so we have to wait for her to come home.

There has been no school the last couple of days and so I am trying to find things to amuse the children. They on the other hand just want to create a mess everywhere they go. Between coloring the white rungs on the staircase the other day with a purple crayon and today coloring the door they sure love making more work for me. :) I am just thanking God for Magic Erasers!! They don't last long at our house. I love my life and wouldn't trade my children for the world even though they try my patience at time. They are precious to me. And like God blessed Abraham and Sarah with laughter when he gave them Issac...he has blessed our home with laughter when he gave us our 5 sweet children. Laughter is good medicine. It's good for the soul mind and body. In this busyness of this Christmas Season..take time to laugh. Play the Ha..Ha game with your children and I guarantee you that you will split your sides laughing not too far into the game. I do that at the oddest moments during the day with my children. It definitely help to relieve stress. The bible talks about how the Joy of the Lord is our strength. This is the season of JOY it's there for the taking but not to hold onto...give it to the next person you meet! :)
♫ Oh tiding of comfort and joy.... ♫

Gorgeous Colors all Around!

Fall Colors ~Taken today by Jo

What a gorgeous fall day! I am thankful for every day the weather is crisp yet warm enough to be comfortable without a jacket. As I drove down our road this morning, the leaves were so pretty that I had to really concentrate to keep my eyes on the traffic. The beauty of the early morning sun reflecting on the colorful leaves overwhelmed me that I had to pull over and take a few pictures. I love my province this time of year. It is very picturesque. Everywhere you look you see the gorgeous masterpieces God creates with his eternal paintbrush. All I can say is WOW! To top it all off, He also painted a gorgeous sunset for us to enjoy. What inspiration for an empty canvass to a budding artist :)

Here are a few pics of what I see every morning on the way to preschool with the Twins:

Tonight's Sunset!!

I Am Blessed ~ Rachael Lampa

I love this song...it is one of my favorites. If your sound is on, it is the first song you will hear today as you read my blog. My playlist is located at the bottom of the blog if you want to hear it again. Here are the lyrics to such a wonderful song:

BlessedBy: Rachael Lampa

I may never climb a mountain,

So I could see the word from there.

I may never ride the waves,

And taste the salty ocean air.

Or build a bridge, That would last a hundred years.

But no matter where the road leads,

One thing is always clear....

(chorus)

I am blessed, I am blessed,

From when I rise up in the morning,

Till I lay my head to rest, And I feel you near me,

You sooth me when I'm weary.

Oh, Lord,For all the worst and all the best,

I am blessed.

All along the road less traveled,

I have crawled and I have run.

I have wandered through the winds and rains,

Until I found the sun.

But watching eyes, Asked me why,

I walk this narrow way, I will gladly give a reason,

For the hope I have today....

(chorus)

You've given me joy, You've given me love,

You give me stength, When I want to give up.

You came from heaven, To rescue my soul.

You are the reason, I know,I know.

(chorus)