Doorways

As you may have noticed, Ann Voskamp's words often strike a chord with me.  This weekend that was the case once again.  Well, actually twice as I caught up on her blog. 

Make every moment a door opening to simple goodness .....  Here's the link to the entire post.  Weekends are for doors.

You can’t get to joy by making everything perfect.  You can only get there by seeing in every imperfection all that’s joy.    When things get broken 

So, this weekend, I am trying to open doors and see joy.  Yesterday was beautiful that way. 

The gifts continue.....
462) the aroma of fresh lime juice
463) parents who willingly do a job to help me - and finish it quickly!
464) seeing improvements in behaviour of students and the meeting of expectations
465) spontaneous invitations and time for family dinner - of Indonesian food
466) restaurant owner NOT charging for the entire meal
467) spectacular silhouette of the mountains against a sunset sky
468) watching my students work with younger students
469) dinner with friends
470) talking with a friend
471) coming home to a card from a friend
472) weekends
473) sleeping until 7:30
474) community celebrating a new son
475) catching up with people
476) meeting new people and finding connections
477) watching young girls delight in a baby
478) expressions of concern and care
479) a virtual walk with my sister
480) morning sun on sunflowers
481) the way sunflowers turn to the sun
482) the musical sounds of wind chimes
483) my front step on a sunny afternoon
484) borrowing a book from a friend
485) the way a friend follows her passions - and blends them
486) a happy ending to a canoe spill (not me in the canoe!)
487) neighbour girls coming and bringing me a piece of birthday cake
488) a student remembering a need of another student and making sure that need was met
489) a glorious orange sunrise
490) an autumn drive in the country on a sunny day
491) tramping through the woods
492) administration who demonstrate compassion and care to staff
493) surprisingly warm fall mornings

more to come...... time has run out... and I must head off to church

Church was fabulous this morning.  A long service that didn't feel long because of the content.  I'm glad I was there.

494) a tomato ripening on the vine
495) students who notice the need of others and freely offer assistance
496) Tim Tams (straight from Australia!)
497) children who are eager to show gratitude
498) tea with friends
499) hugs from children
500) expressions of gratitude from parents of students
501) feeling stronger as the weeks go by
502) good results from Mom's biopsy
503) all clear from surgeon - healed from minor surgery in August
504) golden leaves against a clear blue sky
505) watching a little girl try out her new bike with her mom and grandma
506) a smile and wish for a good weekend from a student
507) the crunch of leaves on a sunny morning walk
508) a summery evening walk in a favourite park with a friend

509) sitting on a bridge looking at peaceful scenery, listening to rippling water, and talking with a friend

510) sunlight catching golden leaves in the morning
511) crisp, cool cheeks after a morning walk
512) a meaningful, challenging, encouraging, and inspiring church service

It has begun.

So, the new school year has begun.  And, despite my efforts to not let it be all consuming, I am already exhausted and fighting a cold.  I'm going to blame it on not being completely recovered from surgery yet.  And I don't think that's unwarranted.  Because I have tried to focus on the important and not on the "it would be nice."  A quote I read recently was this - "Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good."  (Voltaire)  Not that I don't want to make sure I'm doing my best.  Just that I want to make sure that I am at my best.  There's a difference there that I need to keep reminding myself of.  So, this long weekend, I have resisted the urge to get some of that beginning of the year "stuff" taken care of, and instead I have tried to take care of myself.  I have read a lot of books and sat on my front step.  Soon I will go and pick some sweet peas so that I can start my second week back with sweet peas in my house and on my desk at work - reminders of the goodness of God.  Plus, I just love the aroma!

One of the books I read had this great thought.  “A child lies like a grey pebble on the shore until a certain teacher picks him up and dips him in water, and suddenly you see all the colours and patterns in the dull stone, and it’s marvellous for the stone and marvellous for the teacher.”    Elizabeth Hay in Alone in the Classroom    p. 94  How exciting to think that I could help a child see more of the colours and patterns (gifts) that God has placed in him/her.  That's my prayer.

List of God's gifts .....

441) butterflies in my stomach as I begin a new school year

442) a friend praying for me on the first day of school

443) praying with colleagues as we begin a new year

444) a visual illustration of love overflowing and children grabbing that "love"

445) a child saying that the first day was over too soon

446) the imagination of children as they wrote stories

447) a student offering to share supplies with a classmate

448) the laughter of children

449) expressions of support from parents of my students

450) a neighbour girl's delight at showing me her new fish

451) invitation for the weekend

452) the surprise of seeing my parents outside my classroom door

453) not having to clean my house on the weekend because

454) I was able to come home to a clean house now that I've hired someone to clean my house

455) a day on the couch with a good book

456) leftovers

457) public libraries

458) flexible colleagues

459) a friend getting the job she applied for

460)scrambled eggs and bacon on a croissant

461) listening to the companionable chatting of my neighbours

The Art of Life

Every happening, great or small, is a parable whereby God speaks to us, and the art of life is to get the message.   Malcolm Muggeridge quoted in Carolyn Arends’ Wrestling with Angels  p. 41

The art of life.  I want to live such a life, a life that demonstrates the art of living.  As I head into the first official full week of a new school year, I want to be prayerfully aware of living a life that listens to God.  I will admit to being somewhat concerned that the busy-ness of life will crowd out the lessons and the habits I have learned in the detour my life has taken.  Lord, I pray that You will help me see the happenings in my life, to really see them.  And in so doing, to hear You and truly get Your message.

What follows are some of the happenings in my life.....

404) a summer evening walk in a nearby park

405) managing to find a place to park in that very busy and crowded part

406) a cool breeze which refreshes when walking

407) the variety of bird songs heard while walking in the park

408) light at the end of the tunnel - the gift of light as it plays on the trees

409) the setting sun illuminating huge billowy clouds

410) the satisfaction of coming to a decision

411) a friend who helps move furniture

412) seeing a good story come to life on the big screen (The Help)

413) Thai chicken pizza with freshly picked cilantro

414) a rainbow shining through the rainstorm

415) getting a classroom unpacked and finding room for most things

416) a willing friend who helps and who loves organizing (Thanks, E.B.)

417) sitting in a park on a summer evening, enjoying mint tea and the company of a friend

418) watching a rabbit chow down on dandelion leaves it finds in my lawn

419) the crisp, clean white of freshly painted window trim

420) the warmth of the sun on my shoulders as I run errands

421) hugs and expressions of compassion as a welcome back to work

422) excitement about new relationships with a new set of students

423) a bright little sliver of a moon

424) the first sweet peas of the season brightening my living room

425) sunshine warming my shoulders as I walk during a lunch break

426) watching butterflies flit around

427) laughter

428) a gifted story-teller

429) being inspired at the beginning of a new school year

430) a school secretary and her daughter who go above and beyond

431) colleagues who pitch in and help the secretary

432) morning walks

433) summer evenings

434) watching the sunset colours play on the clouds, changing and dancing

435) playing Scrabble in the park with a friend

436) managing 2 (yes, 2!) 7 letter words in one Scrabble game

437) a day of meandering, without much agenda, and discovering as we went along

438) plumbers

439) a free-flowing and quickly draining tub

440) successfully modifying a recipe never tried before - Mexican Quinoa Salad

A wish from a friend

Last spring when I was recuperating, a friend gave me a fridge magnet.  (Thanks, J.N.)  On it were some words with powerful wishes.  When I read the list of wishes, I am reminded again of the need to keep my eyes open to see the gifts God places in front of me every day.  It is so easy for me to go through the days taking God's goodness for granted.  But, oh, how much richer it is to take the few seconds to thank God when I notice a gift.  And, I've found that by listing these gifts, I have become more attuned to seeing the "little" and the "not-so-little" gifts that abound every day.  This life God has given me is, indeed, a rich one.

This is my wish for you…

    Comfort on difficult days

    Smiles when sadness intrudes

   Rainbows to follow the clouds

    Laughter to kiss your lips

    Sunsets to warm your heart

    Hugs when spirits sag

   Friendships to brighten your being

    Beauty for your eyes to see

    Faith so that you can believe

    Confidence for when you doubt

   Patience to accept the truth

    Courage to know yourself

    Love to complete your life

               Anonymous

And so my list of gifts continues.
345) the opportunity to "crash" my aunt's 80th birthday party, seeing aunts, uncles and cousins I rarely see
346) the peacefulness of my cousin's farmyard and the hospitality shown so freely

347) canola fields against a sunset sky (although this picture doesn't show the sunset)

348) the first fresh raspberries of the season, straight from the bush to my mouth - delectable!

349) sitting in a lovely backyard and catching up with friends (Thanks, T.M., J.K., S.B., and W.V.)

350) freshly picked raspberries on oatmeal

351) freshly picked raspberries with yogurt and granola

352) seeing paint as wallpaper paste succumbs to the scrubbing

353) my sister finding a way to conquer the paste a LITTLE more easily , helping us work our way to winning the battle of the WALL

354) seeing THE WALL with no wallpaper paste on it (This actually merits way more than one gift in the list!)

355) completing the painting of the walls

356) liking the colour I chose

357) having a sister help with the battle as I don't think I could have faced it on my own

358) painting the dresser to fit in with the new wall colour

359) rearranging furniture for a "new" room

360) attending the Canmore Folk Festival with family and a friend

361) staying in a lovely condo during the festival

362) sharing said condo with dearly loved family members

363) spending one day of the festival with a friend and both days with 2 of my sisters

364) sitting in the sun, looking at mountains, and enjoying great music

365) hearing voices in harmony

366) the wide variety of flavours God gave us in food

367) seeing a friend I hadn't seen or heard from for awhile

368) having dinner on a patio with friends - 2 nights in a row

369) having friends over so they can pick and enjoy fresh raspberries

370) playing Scrabble on a patio with a friend

371) short snuggles with cousins' kids

372) visiting a cousin and catching up after many years

373) walking the ridge path near her home and enjoying the mountain scenery and the company

374) enjoying a neighbourhood festival with a friend

375) being in my home church after a number of weeks away

376) warm greeting and conversation with a former student who has become a dear young friend (Thanks, E.N.)

377) being able to thank someone for encouraging a friend to reach out and reconnect

378) my brother's safe return from a backpacking trip

379) another successful surgical procedure

380) rides to and from the hospital

381) feeling good after the surgical procedure, surprisingly good

382) friends who take me into their home and care for me after surgery (Thanks, R. and J. K.)

383) family members and friends who demonstrate love, compassion and care

384) coming home again

385) washing machines

386) clear skies after thunderstorms

387) exciting news for friends, something they've been waiting for so eagerly!

388) a full moon in the early morning sky

389) having enough fresh raspberries to share with others

390) exploring a new provincial park with friends

391) the delightful view of the river valley with mountains in the background and prairies surrounding it

392) being able to do a fairly strenuous uphill walk, and feeling strong and capable

393) sharing dinner in a park with friends

394) seeing 4 deer throughout our explorations as we sought a park with a firepit

395) sitting by a campfire and watching the full moon rise

396) trees silhouetted against a night sky lit by a full moon

397) worshipping God with my church family

398) smiles from little girls across the church pews)

399) hugs from children after church

400) Stuart McLean and the Vinyl Cafe

401) the gift of reading and getting lost in a story

402) the power of words to evoke an "ah-ha" feeling

403) the comfort of familiar music

Glittering Mica

“Life is made up of moments, small pieces of glittering mica in a long stretch of gray cement.  It would be wonderful if they would come to us unsummoned, but particularly in lives as busy as the ones most of us lead now, that won’t happen.  We have to teach ourselves how to make room for them, to love them, and to live, really live.”  Anna Quindlen (A Short Guide to a Happy Life) quoted by Katie Couric in The Best Advice I Ever Got   p. 228

These past days and weeks have been filled with these small pieces of glittering mica.  In fact, some of them were rather large pieces of glittering mica.  Truly filling my soul.  And for that, I give thanks to God.  And to those who have been a part of providing the opportunities to see the glittering.  I am so blessed.

Here are those pieces of glitter that have brightened my life.  The list of 1000 gifts continues.  (Some photos will be added once I am home on my own computer.)

291) the generosity of others

292) a Stampede BBQ 

293) the opportunity to catch up with people I hadn't seen in years

294) the sound of my name coming from the mouths of children I love

295) praying with children as they go to bed

296) God watering my garden with rain

297) field of pink along the highway

298) glorious scenery - rolling hills of green

299) sitting in the shade looking at a peaceful, idyllic lake

300) sounds of fish jumping in the lake

301) two turtles sunning themselves on a rock

302) children chattering as they "play" with crayfish

303) little fish swimming in the lake

304) turtle poking his head out of the water

305) remnants of history - old buildings with great character

 306) surprise detours/changes in plans

307) shade and a breeze on a hot summer day

308) sunshine sparkling in the ripples on the lake

309) the smell of freshly mowed grass

310) watching a turtle swim, climb on a log, and bask in the sun

Company has come, so I'll pause to visit.


Visit is done. It was good.


311) 2 deer watching us walk by
312) double rainbow
313) ginger lemonade frozen yogurt - YUM!
314) canola fields in the morning sun
315) watching a hawk dip into the lake and fly away with a fish in its talons
316) watching a turtle gather courage to climb back onto a log
317) sunny ripples in the water
318) watching a badger watch us as we were hiking
319) laying on the grass and watching the clouds
320) sitting cozily in the front of the boat exploring the lake
321) the delightful invigorating smell of the woods
322) the magnificence of the osprey keeping watch over its nest
232) the full moon and a clear starry night
324) the crackle of the campfire
325) watching 2 beautiful birds play with each other - one with a blue head and one with a red chest (not a robin)
326) nights that are cool enough to warrant the use of an extra blanket
327) cool, crisp summer mornings with the promise of a beautiful summer day to come
328) watching mist rise off the lake in the early morning sun
329) the magnificence of lightning during a thunderstorm
330) the comfort of shelter during a thunderstorm
331) the magic and mystery of a misty summer morning on the lake

332) the sound of birds' wings flapping as they fly by
333) how fast dragonfly's wings move - so fast you can't see the wings as the dragonfly flies by
334) the glorious yellow of canola fields ripening - against the backdrop of blue sky and darkening storm clouds

335) coming in to hugs from parents
336) a sister's delight when I answer the phone at our parents' house
337) an evening walk with my dad
338) the North Saskatchewan River valley as a backdrop for a morning walk

339) getting the Q on a triple letter score - and getting to double it with two words
340) an evening with family - celebrating the engagement of a cousin
341) hearing stories from the family's past
342) visiting with a family friend over coffee and tea
343) a sister's delight at progress on a task
344) remembering the gift of spending time with others - laughing and getting to know them so much better (Thanks, C.V., H.T., G.J., S.B., and R.B.)

Punctuation

If you asked anyone at work about what I thought about punctuation, you would likely be told that I'm a little bit of a stickler for correct punctuation.  I don't know if I particularly like the word stickler, but I will admit that it can almost be painful when I see some punctuation errors (especially when it comes to apostrophes).  So when I saw that there was a test on the internet to see what kind of punctuation mark I am, I thought it would be fun to try.  If you want to try it, click here.  I even did it just now, wondering if my answers would be any different.  They may have been, but the result was the same.  Here is what I was told.


You Are a Comma

You are open minded and extremely optimistic.  You enjoy almost all facets of life.  You can find the good in almost anything.  You keep yourself busy with tons of friends, activities, and interests.  You find it hard to turn down an opportunity, even if you are pressed for time.  Your friends find you fascinating, charming, and easy to talk to.  (But with so many competing interests, your friends do feel like you hardly have time for them.)

You excel in: Inspiring people

You get along best with: The Question Mark

I'm not sure if everything there is exactly true, but I do like what it says.  (Although I have no idea what it means to get along with a question mark.  I wonder what a question mark is like.)

I did manage to keep myself busy with friends and activities this week.  The activities were mostly walking and enjoying meals together, but a little sewing and reading did get done as well.  My fridge even got cleaned and my lawn got mowed, but those aren't exactly enjoyable pasttimes.  Just necessary ones.

Along the way this week, I received more gifts from God.
269) carrot ginger cashew soup
270) breakfast on the front step enjoying the morning sun

 271) walks and visits with friends - the gifts who are next on my list

272) KV

273) WA

274) HM-W

275) JN

276) GJ

277) JR

278) SB

279) JK

280) mosquito spray

281) learning bits and pieces about the amazing bodies God gave us

282) exercises that can help muscles relearn their work

283) physiotherapists who can teach the previous two gifts

284) virtual hugs through e-mails (thanks, KR)

285) whimsical sculptures

 286) Alberta landscape

287) flowers

288) annual day out with friends - to kickstart summer - held at the Saskatoon Farm this year

289) surprise hitch-hiker on my foot

290) the delight of discovering, while making this list, just how many gifts there have been in the last few days!