WEEK FIVE - LIFESTYLE

This challenge theme stumped me. I honestly had no idea. Nothing really struck me with an ah-ha moment. All week I thought about it but....nuthin'. Now the weekend has come and gone.

So..... you get a sampling of things that captured my attention.

I guess these are glimpses into the life we lead. It fits.....kind of....

I love chocolate. I also love strawberries. The two together are a magical combination.

Our living room was full of teenagers and Little Man had way too much energy. When he finally crashed for a few minutes he pulled a pillow into the middle of the room so he wasn't too far from the action.

In this age of abundant selfies, I enjoy being the one behind the camera rather than in front of it. It is a rare photo that I like however I am learning to allow myself to be a part of the documented memories. 

Photo credit to may amazing daughter, McKenna, who is becoming a wonderfully creative photographer.

I am my beloved's and he is mine. ♥

Song of Solomon 6:3

In the midst of a snow storm and my son goes out without a coat. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree!

The thick blanket of snow covering my front yard. 

Hard to believe that it had already been shoveled. 

And more is coming! 

I loved the contrast of the dark remnants against the driven snow...

Hello February!!!

Stop!

I love my friends. Wonderful people who have heard the cries of my heart even if only over facebook and through my blog. Dear ones who see, and hear and read and think of me and send sweet reminders.

I woke this morning to this message from one of my dear, sweet camp daughters.

Only someone special can speak this truth with love that it is embraced in my heart as such.

Guilty.

I am.

I know it's true.

Prideful in all I can accomplish and all to which I commit myself. I don't like to say "no" because to refuse is to admit I can't handle it all. But the reality is I can't handle it all. Not well, anyways.

So today I am reminded that I don't need to glorify busy-ness but enjoy rest.

Thank you my dear daughter, for this hug filled with truth and love.

I am indeed blessed.

 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, 

and I will give you rest.

 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,

 for I am gentle and humble in heart, 

and you will find rest for your souls. 

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30

WEEK FOUR - LIGHT

I was quite excited at the prospect of capturing light. With the expectation of snow, I was anticipating morning sunlight glistening off of snow covered fields. Diamonds sparkling on ice covered tree branches.

Contrasting the beauty of the ice and cold with the winter sun warming our living room while the children played peacefully together.

But this was not to be. The snow came but each day was cold with blustering winds and swirling white or overcast and dreary.

I rethought my plan and decided that I also enjoy the lights of a winter evening.

I am always amazed at how the snow reflects light making the night seem bright like the day.

I love the ambiance of this house. Especially at night. In the snow.

Driving to the River, I found myself surrounded by lights.

The Bridge at night always captivates me. This night it was lined with trucks from one end to the other. 

When I turned the other direction the Detroit Skyline was another series of lights reflecting on the cold water.

As I left the river, thankful to be warm, I couldn't help but notice Assumption. My husband's family was an important part of the history here and in Detroit, when it was still a fort! 

It was worth braving the cold again to capture these.

From Here to There - Part One

Alice came upon the Cheshire Cat sitting on the bough of a tree.

“Would you tell me please which way I ought to go from here?”

“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat

“I don’t much care where---“ said Alice

“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go ,” said the Cat

“—so long as I get Somewhere,” Alice added as an explanation.

“Oh, you’re sure to do that,” said the Cat, “if you only walk long enough.”

I am sure, if you are anything like me, you have a picture in your head of who or what you wish you were. Unlike Alice you have a vision for where you want to get to. . Take a minute to write down how you envision the “there” in your life.

Maybe you would change something about your physical appearance or your spiritual fervor or maybe you just wish you had it all together.

Sometimes what we picture is attainable and other times what we hope for is wishful thinking. I am quite certain that I have the ability to gain more order to the chaos in my house but it is highly unlikely that I will ever be a cute, petite blond!

The destination is important but before we fully set our sights on where we want to be, we have to weigh in to make sure our goal is a realistic one. If it isn’t then we are setting ourselves up for failure and disappointment. Often we place our contentment on a future desire and then wonder why we aren’t happy.

As I think through all the areas of my life:

Physical – I would love to be thinner, healthier,  and have more energy BUT it is unrealistic for me to expect to be the size, shape or have the energy I did when I was 20

Mental – I want to be a positive thinker and embrace lifelong learning. I think if I stop learning I will stagnate.

Emotional – I want to be forgiving and gracious. I don't want to harbour bitterness. I desperately want to be more in control of my emotions.

Relational (social) – I want to keep growing in a happy contented marriage. I enjoy quality friendships that challenge, encourage and hold me accountable. I would love to have a mentor that invests in me and shares with me the wisdom they have gleaned. I enjoy mentoring younger women. I embrace that picture of having a hand forward to someone in the journey ahead of me and back in the journey behind me. Living in community. We are in this together.

Spiritual – I want to thrive in my daily devotions and know scripture. I want my counsel to be grounded in spiritual wisdom based on the Word of God.

I think there is an important fact that we all need to stop right here and accept. Repeat after me

“I am not perfect. I will never be perfect this side of heaven.”

It is important that we give ourselves permission to not be “all that”. THAT is an unrealistic expectation and the sooner we accept this truth, the better. Please don’t get me wrong. I don’t think that this is a license to live recklessly and do whatever I want because I “ain’t never gonna be perfect.” However, many of us hold onto the ideal of perfection like it is the holy grail. This isn’t what God calls us to be.

Motivational speaker Ronnie Doss says 

“You don’t have to be the best. You just need to be the best ‘you’ that God calls you to be"

I think that our “There” should look something like this 

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, 

let us throw off everything that hinders 

and the sin that so easily entangles. 

And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 

 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith. 

For the joy set before him he endured the cross,

 scorning its shame, 

and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 

 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, 

so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” 

Hebrews 12: 1-3 

In light of the cross my daily battles seem minor. 

When I fix my eyes on Jesus, the rest will fall into balance. 

Keeping an eternal perspective can keep me from focusing too hard on the temporal things.

WEEK THREE - SIMPLICITY

Since my experience last week, missing some beautiful shots and wishing I had my camera with me, I decided this week to travel with camera in hand. Or at least within grabbing distance.

Monday morning I was pondering what I might possibly photograph for this weeks theme. As I drove to work, I took that half hour commute to think about what simplicity means to me. I figured that it would probably be something I barely noticed as I rushed through my days. Something I took for granted but would notice if it was missing.

I had an ah-ha moment as I realized that the sun rises and sets everyday and I depend on it. My life depends on it but I certainly take for granted that the "sun`ll come out tomorrow". Faithfully. Without any input from me.

So my simplicity is a study of a week of sunsets (since anyone who knows me knows I rarely see a sunrise - I like my sleep too much!).

As simple as the concept of a sunset is, the experience will take your breath away.

If you thought last weeks challenge had too many pictures, I won`t apologize but this one has more. I couldn`t pick just one. Each evening sky transformed each moment into something spectacular. My pictures don`t do justice to the wonder I experienced this week but I hope they give you a glimpse of the beauty I beheld.

Day One

The sunset started with a simple yellow sky with a bit of orange tinges. The winter clouds covered most of the sky.

By the time I was almost home, the thick winter clouds were no longer in view.

Day Two

I was so disappointed that I had forgotten my camera at home in my rush to get out the door. Even more so when I watched a very pretty sunset dance across the sky. I was entranced all the way home.

Day Three

It started as a low orange streak across the horizon

Within minutes the entire sky was full of  colour. In our area, it seems that windmills are a blight on the skyline in every direction. Silhouetted by a flaming sky, even they can appear beautiful!

The purple streaks across the sky of fire, was a majestic display.

Day 4

The sunset started with a lot of cloud cover and a low pale pink streak. As I drove home, I expected this was the most colour I would see that dusk.

And then I rounded a curve in the road and met with the most amazing blend of pinks and purples.

I turned onto the next road and the sun peeked out from behind the clouds.

A bit further down the road, the sun dropped into full view.

Day 5

Once again, I thought a low pink streak was going to be the most I could capture and I wasn't going to complain, given the amazing sunsets I had already enjoyed.

And then again we rounded that corner in the road and rushed to a place where I could capture this:

Day 6

I arrived home, grabbed my camera and ran to the river.

I couldn't resist adding this father and son spending time ice fishing.

The sun setting over Fighting Island.

As I drove past a golf course, I couldn't ignore the sun between the hills. I stopped the car on the side of the road. jumped a ditch and followed the deer tracks through the brush for this:

I am so glad I did.

"so that from the rising of the sun
    to the place of its setting
people may know there is none besides me.
    I am the Lord, and there is no other."

Isaiah 45:6

A Weekend to Rest

I laugh as I write the title of this post because honestly, though I do plan on getting some rest,what I am really planning to do is catch up on some long overdue housework.

This is, however, the first weekend that I have had with "nothing" happening for a very long time.
Since about last May.
No commitments.
No plans.
Nothing I have to do and nowhere I have to be.
A rest. And I am claiming it. It's mine!

A precious friend sent me this today. It spoke to me as I sighed a deep and satisfying yes!

Enjoying a weekend full of rest and family......and a bit of cleaning thrown in for good measure!

Choose

Yesterday morning a friend prayed for me. He spoke words that spoke to my heart.

"Help Marnie to choose rest."

A simple sentence. 5 words. But the volumes spoken in that moment......

I know that I choose to love and I choose my words and I choose my attitude but I honestly believed that "rest" just happened. It never occurred to me.

I can CHOOSE rest.

and I can choose NOT to rest.

Anyone who knows me, knows that more often I choose not to rest. I choose busy-ness, full days and nights and weekends. I am afraid of missing out on something - like being excluded from the fun or missing connecting with someone special. So I choose to say "yes" to every invitation and often every suggestion that comes my way.

If I can manage it, I will be there. And, sometimes, even if I can't manage it, I will still be there. 

But something has to give. Someone loses out. Sometimes that's my kids missing "mumma" -time or my husband giving up "our" time. My being THERE means I am missing being HERE, in this moment.

Mostly though, it is me missing sleep, missing peace and missing time with those whom I love more than life.

A conversation I had this morning gave me a second pause. (You know one of those where you think "okay, is God trying to tell me something?")

"Why do you keep yourself so busy?!"

My friend asked an innocent question. There was no ulterior motive. No guilt intended. 

But I had to stop and think.

Why DO I keep myself so busy?

After some thought I responded,

"Hmmmm, well, I have a hard time saying "no". I don't like to miss out on anything and the next thing I know our calendar is completely full. It was interesting yesterday, my co-worker prayed that I would "choose rest" and I realize that I do have a choice. So this season I am learning to guard my time and my rest. I think that the Lord went before me a kept my calendar clear because I wouldn't have done that on my own. It is a good way for me to transition into this season of rest."

I am so excited to have some time unfilled, No pressure to do anything. No clock ticking down to my next commitment. Taking time to breathe in and be in the moment. 

So, today, I choose to be here and present.