Friday, August 21, 2009

Saying Goodbye







My beautiful, wonderful friend, Rebecca is leaving on a jet plane tomorrow. She's going to pursue a master's degree in another country far, far away.
We were able to take our coffees and spend a little time together at one of my favourite gardens this week.
I am thankful for you, sweet friend and I will miss you like crazy! Have a fabulous adventure!
Blessings!

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Thankful for Good Gifts

I am so blessed and I just have to share and give praise to Jesus!!!

I entered a contest give-away on the Attractions Ontario website and actually won one of their packages. It's kind of a running joke around here that I never win anything. I mean, seriously, when it's roll up the rim time at Tim Horton's, I don't even get a Tim Bit! No joke. So, the fact that I've won two give-aways this summer is pretty remarkable (the first was a Mary Kay give-away that Emma entered me in...I don't even usually enter contests!)!!!

Because I have surgery scheduled for later this month, Bob had said about a month ago that he hoped the two of us could get away for a night. We have enjoyed doing this a couple of times in the last few years, either to Niagara Falls or to downtown Toronto. We did not see how it could be possible, financially, this time, so I just prayed about it and left it in the Father's hands. Shortly after that I received the email about winning the giveaway. *grin*

God's special gift for Bob and I to go away for a night together was, get this: The Georgian Bay package, which included a one night's stay and breakfast at the lovely White Stone Lake Resort, a three-hour tour of Georgian Bay's 30,000 islands on the Island Queen, a fly and dine with the Georgian Bay Airways and Henry's Restaurant, and a Tim Horton's gift card (so I can get all the Tim Bits I could ever want)! Wow! This is not something we could afford nor was it something I would have put together myself. His good gifts never cease to amaze me! Thank you, Father!!!

The other part of this God-equation was, obviously, needing to find someone to care for the children for this 48 period of time. My dear friend, Christine, had mentioned that she would be willing to stay with the children if she could get two days in a row off from her new job. Again, it was in God's hands. It's a brand new job, so she could not really ask for any time off yet. But the Father arranged her schedule and the two days off in a row were Monday and Tuesday. Wow, again!

And thank you, Christine, for your loving and capable child care! You are a giving, thoughtful person and a beautiful friend!


So we drove to Parry Sound on Monday morning in time to have lunch at this restaurant near the marina...


The Island Queen...holds 550 passengers!


Part of the marina...


It was a cloudy day but the scenery was still spectacular!


There were cottages tucked in all over the islands...


This was a channel we went through...on the right hand side there was a dad and some little guys having a fun swim and up on the cliff were some teenage guys who were getting ready to jump...we got to watch them after we made our pass...very fun!


Kilbear Point


Cormorants...


Osprey nest!


Swing bridge...fascinating!


White Stone Lake...view from our balcony...


Relaxing on the patio...


Hummingbird...


Lovebirds!


Wild daisies...my favourite since I was a little girl..


Georgian Bay Airlines...


From the air...




Henry's...


Our massive pickerel lunch...


We enjoyed watching all the boats come to this island for lunch...some of them were quite large...


Flying....


We would have loved to have flown for another hour or two!


I want to also mention our two soccer chauffeurs, Amy and Nina. Thank you, sweet friends, for getting the children where they needed to go!

Thank you, Father, for Your many beautiful and surprising blessings and for Your good gifts! You never stop giving Your big hugs.


Blessings!

Sunday, August 9, 2009

MercyMe

Please pray for the members of MercyMe and their families. Their tour bus was involved in a fatal accident in Fort Wayne, Indiana after a concert early yesterday morning. There were two people killed in the car that hit their bus. The band members are okay, just very shaken.

And please, especially pray for the families whose lives have been rocked by this tragedy.

I've been praying for the band guys for the past 24 hours that the Father would use this in their lives to draw them closer to Him. That they will hear God whispering His love and comfort and new perspective to their hearts. Jesus is our Rock. I've thought of so many of their songs that speak to this time.

Here are the two that have kept coming to mind...





In prayer and with blessings.

Saturday, August 8, 2009

Tranquility

I took my younger four children to one of the local gardens on Thursday for some nature time. It was not crowded and ended up being so peaceful and such a blessing!



Benji took the next two pics...

And this was my reading companion...

Blessings!

Soccer Dude

Benji's turn in the soccer spotlight! He's #6...







Blessings!

Friday, August 7, 2009

Civic Holiday & Friends

We had a holiday on Monday and it worked out for us to meet some dear friends, Brett and Kathryn and their children, at a local waterfall for hiking, a picnic, hanging out and then on to another park for a little more water and ice cream. It was a great time to be together and be refreshed!


















I just want to sing out "The whole earth is filled with Your Glory, Lord" whenever I am experiencing beauty in nature...whether at that very moment or even just looking at these pictures again and remembering!


Blessings!