What would you do without...

friends?

If we say that sentence over and over again and place verbal emphasis on a different word each time, the shock of the question hits us in a slightly different way each time we repeat it.

Try it. Say it, out loud, six times. Putting emphasis on a different.

What would you do without friends?
What would you do without friends?
What would you do without friends?
What would you do without friends?
What would you do without friends?
What woudl you do without friends?

Can you hear the difference?

While the shock of the question hits us differently each time (depending on which word we emphasize), if you are like me, the same sense of panic strkes in my heart of hearts each time I say it.

It's more than a bit fearful to consider a period of time (days, weeks, months, years) without friends, and down right paralizing to consider a lifetime without friends.

Different friends meet different needs in our lives. It's true.
It's almost like God knew we would need that.

Almost... what a hoot!

Our Creator, God, knew exactly what we would need. Friendship, being one.

Take a minute today and tell a friend how much they mean to you.
Remember, friends are not disposable. Nor are they guaranteed.

They are, however, a gift.

I'm playing make-up makeover with one of my friends, today.
Can hardly wait.

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Grace and Salt ...

Wednesday.

"Halfway to the weekend" day.

"W2W" day (women 2 women).

"Community Care" day.

"The Power of a Woman's Words" by Sharon Jaynes, day.


I'm currently studying that book, with a group of, roughly, 100 other women.
Last week's chapter discussed the power of a woman's words to... the world. What could we really do for the world and through the people of world if we were 100% conscious of our words - with everyone we met.

E V E R Y O N E.

Our words can be encouraging, or not. Positive or not. Rude or not. True or not.

And,
no
matter
what
we
say
we affect our world. Because our words affect the people in our world. And those people affect other people and so on and so on and so on (remind you of a shampoo commercial from days gone by?)

The effect our words can have is, really, rather staggering.

Check out Colossians 4:6 with me.
"Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."

This verse is discussing opportunities we have to share about God's love, specifically. However, I believe if we uncover it a wee bit more, there is potential for a much broader application.

"...so that you may know how to answer everyone."
That is HUGE. Who wouldn't want to know how to answer everyone?

The right answers can literally be on the tip of our tongues IF we "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt..."

There it is. Grace and Salt.
Grace means not being treated in a way that the deepest, darkest, ugliest parts of us deserve. Salt does three things - it flavors, heals, and preserves.

Have you caught the broader application?
It's not just about WHAT answer we give. It's also about HOW we answer everyone.

Can you imagine what our world would be like if we answered everyone with grace and salt?

You and I chat with many people. And we enjoy giving good advice, helpful advice, right advice. The Bible says that if we are full of grace and seasoned with salt, we will know how to answer everyone. What we say will be spoken out of love and will be purposed to heal, flavor or preserve.

Oh, that this would permeate my very being.

Grace and salt.
Grace and salt.
Grace and salt.

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Polish up your rake...

On Nov 13th a group of StoneRidge Fellowship peeps and their friends are going to pile into a bus, and hopefully, many cars as well, and head off to different neighbourhoods in the Sackville area.

If home owners will allow us, we plan to rake up their leaves, leave them by the curb for pick-up and be on our way to yard number 2 and then number 3 and then number 4 and so on.

Doesn't that sound like fun?

Piles of leaves, laughing children, people excited to care for their neighbours and a community that is touched by "many hands making light work".

It's still a couple weeks away.
I'm already wondering how many families will blessed by this small act of kindness. Aren't you?
I'm already curious to know how many families will take the offer to attend our Christmas Drama: This Very Night. Aren't you?

Fun times are definately awaiting anyone who joins the the Rake Crew.
A surprise along with some VIP seating are awaiting our community.

What will be the outcome?
The possibilities are endless, absolutely endless! Which only adds to the fun of this kind of adventure.

Go polish up your rake.
Anyone can join. Absolutely anyone. That means Y... O... U.

Sat, Nov 13
8:30 AM - Noon
Meet at 85 Temple Terrace, Sackville
Bring: a rake, warm cloths, drink of water for yourself

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Girl's Night Out... aka: GNO

This Saturday evening, October 23rd, at the home of Sheila Margeson.

All things fiction and all things fondue.

Any, absolutely any, lady welcome.
The fun begins at 7:30 - who knows when it ends. Sheila, what says you?

Bring a friend or come to meet friends.

Bring a snack that can be dipped in either cheese or... chocolate, of course. YUM!

Bring your thoughts on a recent read (fiction or non).

18 High road, Fall River
RSVP to GNO@SRFconnect.com


Oh my - don't some of you just wish you lived closer?
I do.

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Pay it Forward

Several weeks ago I was leaving the grocery store with a few things in hand when I decided it would be a good idea to grab a coffee for myself and a Timbit for my little girl. I placed my order and seconds later thought, " Do I have any real money"? I had bought my groceries with plastic and knew very well that this coffee establishment did not take Visa or Interact. I quickly put a halt to the preperation of my order explaining my situation, when a deep male voice behind me said "I'll pay for it. The poor kid needs her Timbit". I assured the gentleman that it wasn't neccessary that he pay, but he insisted. What could I do? Rob him of a blessing?
I decided to take his offer and assured him I would pay the kind deed forward.

I have not bought anyone a coffee yet ( but will when the opportunity arises ) but I am more conscious of holding the door longer, carrying things for people who need help and letting people make a left hand turn against me in traffic. I am actually looking for acts of kindness that I can do. All because of this one kind gesture.

Do unto others has you would have them do unto you...Matthew 7:12.

It's a simple biblical principle that has been adopted as the Golden Rule in secular society. Wouldn' t our world be a better place if more of us ( self included ) would practice this "rule" more often.

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"Do Our Roots Need A Little Touch-Up?

In early July I revisited Old Salem, N.C. A community founded in 1776 by the Moravians, a Germanic peoples, whose mission was to teach their religion to the natives. Today the "village" encompasses 100 acres and is nationally acclaimed for it's gardens, museums, stores including Winkler Bakery. The library includes more than 20,000 rare books, periodicals/manuscript from across the early South.

It was a beautiful hot day (I Love the heat), when my daughter and I had decided to step-back in time with two of my southern born grand-babes, and introduce them to some of their American History.

We meandered along the brick sidewalks. Every so often we'd drop into a shop to learn something new about the past lives of these immigrants. All the while the aroma of freshly baked bread and cookies wafted through the streets. Drawing many unsuspecting visitors to the doors of the bakery, Mr. Pied-Piper had nothing on this.

As we were walking along one of the tree lined streets, we quickly noticed the pathway ahead resembled an old-fashioned washboard. The bricks were raised at different angles making the walking quite tricky. It was obvious that the roots from the canopy above had over time grown just beneath the bricks and were the cause of the upheaval, making the passage dangerous.

This encounter made me think about the "roots" in our lives. As Christ-followers are we living in such a way that daily we are growing deeper in our walk with Christ?! Are we receiving nourishment for "strong roots"? Unless our roots are deep in His Word we will never grow in maturity and become resistant to life's challenges ~~~ or become "Fruitful" people.

The closer we commune with Him, not only the firmer our foundation, but also the sweeter our fruit. Galatians 5:22 (Message): "But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way the fruit appears in an orchard ~~like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely."

Deep rooted trees become solid/significant in their location, they breathe oxygen into the atmosphere around them, shelter in a storm for weary passersby, and beauty for the landscape. As believers if our lives have only "surface roots" in our Creator then we are stunted. We find it difficult to cope with the drought and storms that come our way, in this journey of life.

Sadly, many times our feet hit the floor early in the mornings with a list of "Must Accomplish" items revolving within our cranium ~~~ rarely giving a thought to the ONE who is the giver of our very breath. Sometimes we live for months, yes, even years looking the part of a believer. We can appear to have things all together but when the calamities of life arise the deep-rooted strength/wisdom will be waning.

Do green leaves always mean healthy roots? Maybe it's time for a "touch-up"....

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Pumpkins and squash and gourds...

Decorating is a blast for me.
For you?

One reason holidays and special days give me a thrill is because of the excuse to decorate for them. And, possibilities are absolutely endless as decorating can happen outside a house as well as inside a house.

I purchased some pumpkins, squash and gourds. Then I placed them here and I placed them there. The result is that my front doorstep makes me smile.

Come by.
I 'd love if it made you smile too.

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Grab a coffee and some...

Pumpkin-Spice Biscotti
Prep 20 min
Suggested Total 1 hour 25 min

2.5 cups all purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsalted raw shelled pumpkin seeds
2 tsp pumpkin-pie spice
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup coarse sugar (I found at Bulk Barn)

PREHEAT oven to 300F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl stir flour with sugar, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin spice, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs with pumpkin puree, butter and vanilla extract. Pour egg mixture into flour mixture and stir to combine.

TRANSFER dough to a lightly floured surface. Shape into two long, flat logs, about 2in. wide and 1/2in. thick. (Dough will rise as it bakes.) Sprinkle coarse sugar on top of logs, pressing gently so it adheres. Bake for 30 min, until centers are firm to the touch.

REMOVE from oven and let cook 5 min. Reduce oven temperature to 275F. Using a serrated knife, cut logs into 1/2-in. pieces. Place cut-side down on the baking sheet and bake an additional 35 min. Cool completely on a rack.
(I baked pieces for 1 hour)

MAKES 42 BISCOTTI (uummmm... made 35 pieces for me)
per biscotti: 79 calories, 1g protein, 12g carbs, 3g fat, 21mg sodium.

pg 262 october 2010/chatelaine

PS: I also drizzled mine with... you guessed it... chocolate. So, that would, potentially change the calorie count, and everything else. Oh well. ;o)

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January in October...

A friend told me, last week, that she was working her way through Oswald Chambers' book "My utmost for His highest".

She peaked my interest in a book that I had read once before, and enjoyed, but had forgotten 99.999% of it's contents.

So, this past Saturday morning I sent myself on a bit of a treasure hunt and was rewarded with actually locating my copy. I began at the beginning, which means at the page dated January 1st.

And, WHAM!

What do you think about this sentence:
"Shut out every other thought and keep yourself before God in this one thing only - my utmost for His highest."

If I thought/lived like that, what would change in my world?
If you thought/lived like that, what would change in your world?
And, could we change our world, together, with this radical thinking/living?

Another question:
How much of whatever keeps us from thinking/living this way comes from pure will?
And, not pure will as in unmixed with any other matter.
But, pure will as in us exercising our will (wants, control, selfishness) over His.

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Puggles!

Every Wednesday morning, something special happens at our church, which I personally happen to be involved with. Every Wednesday morning up to 20ish two year olds toddle into a nursery room downstairs, proudly sporting little blue shirts. I, along with two other great ladies, run a childrens program called Puggles...the newest and youngest branch of the children's program AWANA, which takes place Wednesday nights at our church. These Wednesday mornings can be stressful sometimes...sometimes we leave, covered with snot, tears, and other bodily functions, in dire need of a shower. Actually, that's most Wednesday mornings. There are tears, temper tantrums, confusion, poop, toy alercations, banged heads, fevers (and that's just among the leaders...oooooh...just kidding.). So why do we do this you ask? Two year olds are just babies, mostly not out of diapers until the year is almost over. But if I've learned anything, amongst the choas, is that two year olds can LEARN. In the best, most simplistic ways. They take us back to basics. All we teach them is that God made the whole world and that God loves them. But how incredible is that? How incredible is it to be among the first people in their lives that get to tell them that? To sit there, in a circle where only half the audience appears to be listening, hold up a pot of flowers, a leaf, a picture of a dog and tell them that God made THAT. That God loves THEM, that THEY are special. To us it is an awesome privilege, and every year we learn from them. Life is SO complicated, there are so many pressures and decisions and just everyday stuff that happens. It is so refreshing to focus on being created by God and being loved by Him. I look at these little Puggles and see potential, hope, new beginings, and a fresh start in everyone of these little lives. And I am reminded that this is how God is looking at us....hope, potential...a fresh start. No matter what has already happened, and no matter how old we are. It is wonderful to be able to be reminded of that every single week in the faces of these precious little ones. So thank you to the Mommys of our little Puggles for bringing us your two year olds every week, we look forward to what we will learn from them this year!

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