vendredi 10 décembre 2010
Half a year after
I have to admit that this blog has definitely fallen by the wayside; however, I haven't minded the lapse too much. Life has been very good since the last time I wrote on here and I've been able to experience a lot of wonderful things! Along with a few trips out east, I travelled to the United Kingdom this summer and have had some great trips around my own province this summer and fall. Life in ministry has been ever-interesting and a constant journey of growth and adventure. Admittedly, this year has not been what I've expected but those are the most pleasant surprises, aren't they? Since I don't envision myself keeping this blog too updated, I'd like to wish anyone who randomly pops by here a merry Christmas filled with the joy and wonder of Christ's arrival!
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." - Isaiah 9:6
Libellés : Christmas, everyday life
vendredi 18 décembre 2009
Christmas vacation
Although I'm a fan of occasional white Christmases, I'm finding that this is too much snow for my liking. I don't think I've ever spent Christmas away from home but the temptation to leave this winter weather is increasing by the day. I'm still praying about where and when exactly I can go (if I can, for that matter) but it'll be wonderful to escape winter driving and having my car tires spin in the mounds of snow that have been building up. Even if I don't get to go somewhere, the nice thing is that I can stay at home and avoid going out. The irony though is that the weather is probably warming up just about now, so I probably had to go to work when it was at its worst. At least I'm off of work for now! :)
Update: Hurrah - I'll be able to spend Christmas away from the snow now :) Last-minute trips are always such a fun rush!
vendredi 26 décembre 2008
Christmas reflection
Oh, I feel terrible that I haven't written anything in almost two months, much less bothered to look at my blog (sorry to those who have kindly commented to an absent blogger!). After taking almost a week off from checking my email - which I've still yet to do - and catching up on my news reader, I'm finally taking the time to say a very belated "Merry Christmas" to anyone who may be glancing this way :)
Well, I've just had my very first Christmas turkey dinner with my family and am looking forward to the leftovers - yum. I'm greatly enjoying a break from work and am not anxious to return next week. By that time, I hope to have painted my room, rearranged some furniture, and purged as much of my possessions as possible. I've spent the past several days filling in holes and cracks in the walls and will be sanding the surface soon - something I've been waiting for for months!
One lovely blessing from this Christmas is that it's pretty much been giftless (apart from receiving several delicious sweets) and honestly, I much prefer it this way. Not only have I been able to avoid the malls but I've spent more time with my family and with church celebrations without having to think about shopping. This Christmas is almost the reverse of what it was last year when we had a soaring Canadian dollar and people went crazy trying to benefit from it. Granted, the economy has really taken a fall since but I can see how it's caused people to refocus their priorities in seeing that stuff is not the answer.
Anyhow, that's a brief summary of a few of my sentiments on Christmas this year. Of course, what I love most about the season is the celebration of the virgin birth that took place two millennia ago - the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ!
"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has even seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known." - John 1:14, 17-18
Libellés : Christmas
mercredi 27 décembre 2006
Post-Boxing day
Goodness it's been a while! Christmas has come and gone, just like that. In past years, I've always been on top of holiday preparations - my gift-buying and card-writing are usually finished by the start of December. However, this year really got the best of me! I ended not getting gifts for others and for the first time since junior high, neglected to send out Christmas cards. So, here's a belated Merry Christmas; I hope that you and your loved ones had a wonderful celebration of the Lord's birth :)
We finally have that white Christmas snowstorm now (a few days late, like me), which I have to say is more festive than the warm 15 degrees we had on Christmas Eve last year. I'm sad that I didn't prepare myself during Advent as much as I wanted to; I hope not to repeat this year's experience again! On the other hand, I have had a chance to savour the break from school. I'm in the process of organizing all my books and school stuff so that I can get a head start on my semester. Not very relaxing, but it's such a nice change from writing papers! After all this fun organizing, I'll get started on reading some textbooks - including some that I got for Christmas, yay! - along with all the fiction that I can take on without becoming a complete sloth. Oh who am I kidding, I need those New Year's resolutions now. Have a great remainder of the Christmas season everyone!
Libellés : Christmas
dimanche 26 novembre 2006
Start of the season
The end of the semester is somewhat in sight and I'm encouraged that December is nearly here! Of course, it means that I'll be scrambling about trying to finish all my assignments and get my research finished, but hooray - it's almost Christmas!
I'm excited about the Christmas concerts coming up at my church and my college, and about celebrating the message of Christ during this special time of the year. It's incredible that there is so much opportunity to speak about Jesus and His birth, and I pray that I will be able to share the Good News with others. In fact, it was a conversation about Christmas with a friend that led to my hearing of the Gospel for the first time in my life (and don't think that it's limited by the time of year either - I had this conversation in August!).
Admittedly, I've been feeling bombarded by the commercialism of this season, but we had a message at church today about how the "Gift" that came to us from God is truly the one gift worth giving to others! It's easy to get caught up with buying presents for other people and rather than feeling discouraged at all the things I need to do, I want to rejoice that we have such a season where we can reflect on the birth of the Saviour and delight in the wonder of the Incarnation of our Lord. I know it's something we ponder everyday anyways but having it marked out on our calendars and etched into our way of life around this time just makes it all the more special.
Libellés : Christmas
dimanche 11 décembre 2005
Too lofty to attain
"In literal terms the Annunciation can only confound us. But the whole story of Jesus is confounding to the literal-minded. It might be a good idea if, like the White Queen, we practised believing six impossible things every morning before breakfast, for we are called on to believe what to many people is impossible. Instead of rejoicing in this glorious 'impossible' which gives meaning and dignity to our lives, we try to domesticate God, to make his mighty actions comprehensible to our finite minds. It is not that the power to understand is not available to us; it is; he has promised it."
- Madeleine L'Engle, 1980, Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art, 82.
"Indescribable uncontainable
You placed the stars in the sky
And You know them by name
You are amazing God
All powerful untamable
Awestruck we fall to our knees
As we humbly proclaim
You are amazing God"
- Laura Story, 2004, "Indescribable"
Libellés : Christmas, quotes, songs
lundi 5 décembre 2005
Alive!
I went to the mall today for a brief half-hour and lived to tell this sentence :) Thankfully, it wasn't too packed but still, the amount of people and things! I'm glad that I've had time these past few days to sing some Christmas songs/hymns and to take a break from the pressures of finding gifts. Today was only part 1. I still have so much to get done before school ends. But I'm becoming increasingly grateful for online shopping - it's too bad I didn't start that earlier!
And, just four days until Narnia! I have to make some time in the next few weeks to reread the books, which I haven't touched since elementary school. I was listening to a bit of Focus on the Family Radio and tonight's focus was on "Entering the world of Narnia through film". I found out that they also have a dramatic radio theatre presentation, which would be so cool to listen to, in addition to the movie.
mercredi 30 novembre 2005
Every which direction
- I am so behind this year in that I have not even started Christmas shopping or writing Christmas cards (much less buying them in the first place). I may even have to forego cards this year, gasp!
- With the news that a federal election is underway, I think I get to participate in advanced voting or some other form of non-ordinary voting this year :) But it still leads me to ask, what is a snowbird according to the government of Canada?
- If you have a chance, please go to Light to Unite in support of World AIDS Day where every "candle" that is lit will help with proceeds to AIDS medication for those who need it most.
- Travis and Alexis are engaged! Such happy news!
- Upon finding out that extensions can be purchased for distance education, I realize that this knowledge could be very dangerous to my academic career.
- As I was on the road today, I saw a large truck run out of gas and get stuck on a highway ramp. Then I saw cars driving around it on the grass to at least get onto the main road. I later heard that a semi tried to do the same thing but got stuck in the process. That ramp and road were completely shut down after that! Oh winter driving.
samedi 8 janvier 2005
That's a wrap
Please add more recommendations and questions for the post below; I look forward to seeing them :)
I'm heading out to a little get-together soon, but I haven't really written anything about what I've done over the Christmas break. Actually, it's hard to remember at this point! So here is how productive I have been:
- Rented movies the moment finals were over
- Last minute self-Christmas shopping
- Bus adventures around town with the nicest drivers
- The largest Christmas Day meal I've ever had
- Avoided any venues with crazy consumers
- Girly meals at Earl's
- Visualization about living simply and 'war-like'
- Utter failure in carrying it out
- Randomly and inadvertently running into people
- Catching up with friends from high school
- Lots of crocheting
- Getting textbooks earlier/cheaper and attempting to finish them
- Getting a comforter for under $20
- Too much MuchMoreMusic for my own good
- Constant insomnia night after night
- Trying to cure my insatiable desire for books
- Watching lots of Radio-Canada and dubbed films
- Getting some sort of 24 hr illness
- Back on a Bible reading plan and journalling once again
- Mocking resolutions, getting fed with CBC satire
- Excited about school starting up, especially my seminary class!
Libellés : Christmas
vendredi 24 décembre 2004
O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
Veni, veni Emanuel!
Captivum solve Israel!
Qui gemit in exilio,
Privatus Dei Filio.
Gaude, gaude, Emanuel
Nascetur pro te, Israel.
Veni, veni o oriens!
Solare nos adveniens,
Noctis depelle nebulas,
Dirasque noctis tenebras.
Gaude, gaude, Emanuel
Nascetur pro te, Israel.
Veni, veni Adonai!
Qui populo in Sinai
Legem dedisti vertice,
In Maiestate gloriae.
Gaude, gaude, Emanuel
Nascetur pro te, Israel.
- French Franciscan nuns of the 15th century
Libellés : Christmas
mercredi 1 décembre 2004
It's Christmas Time Again
I can't believe it is Christmas time already! Today signifies the beginning of one of the busiest months of shopping during the year. I know where I work, we make 40% of our total earnings for this year within the span of these 24 days. With that you also get impatient customers who are ready to snap at you at any point for no reason, but alongside those customers, you get ones who encourage you and display true kindness and love towards others.
I love this time of year not only because of the lights and decorations, the music and the snow, but because this is the time of year we celebrate the birth of Jesus. It gives us a chance to reflect on why he came and how he has shown us what the true meaning of love is. So while this season has begun to take a more materialistic outlook, I think we should all take one step back and see that Christmas really started over 2000 years ago in a stinky dirty stable where a baby was born to a common couple who had very little. His bed was a feeding trough and his blanket scraps of fabric. This baby was proclaimed to be the king of kings and yet the only ones who on that night came to adore him were mere shepherds. Why did the Son of God come in such a manner? Because God wanted us to see that he would go to any length for us. He was willing to humble himself to the frailest form, a newborn baby. His position in life was not that of a king but a carpenter. His closest friends were not nobility but tax collectors and fisher men. People who one day would praise him and the next day shout, "Crucify him". He died the worst death imaginable and took upon himself the sins of the world past, present and future. He was buried in someone else's tomb and everyone thought that was it, but he rose on the third day! And to think all this started with this tiny little baby, who was born to save the world. That to me is the reason for this season!
Libellés : Christmas
samedi 1 novembre 2003
Christmastime
I just love Christmas! Being able to celebrate the birth of Christ with friends and my church family is the best time of year. Since I'm one of those weird peoples who enjoy giving gifts more than receiving them (according to my friends), it's one of my passions to go out and buy presents for close ones. I am also a Christmas card nut, which is always hard because the most you can buy in a bulk quantity is 24 or 36. And this year, my card list has over 100 people on it...!
Anyways, I definitely recommend doing Operation Christmas Child, which is an excellent way to pass on the giving spirit. My life group is hoping to make a few shoeboxes this Christmas. It's very easy to put together and the rewards are infinite! My best friend got to give out some shoeboxes to little children in Mexico one year and she said that the looks on the kids' faces were beyond description.
Here's some stuff you can put in them if you're stuck for ideas:
Toys: small cars, balls, dolls, stuffed animals, plastic kazoos, harmonicas, yo-yos, small Etch A Sketch®, toys that light up or make noise (with extra batteries), Slinky, etc.
School supplies: pens, pencils and sharpener, crayons or markers, stamps and ink pad sets, coloring books, writing pads or paper, solar calculators, etc.
Hygiene items: toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, comb, washcloth, etc.
Other: hard candy, lollipops, mints, gum, sunglasses, flashlights with extra batteries, ball caps, socks, T-shirts, toy jewelry sets, hair clips, watches, small picture books, etc.
(Ideas are taken from the Samaritan's Purse website)
Libellés : Christmas
