Hey there!

I have dropped the ball again on posting here. Life just being busy and the fact that the mother board on my laptop blew up have something to do with it. But also, I just haven't been giving a lot of time to writing down, creatively or otherwise all the things going through my head or what God has been revealing to me. 

I do have a few moments to say hi, so hi.

I was challenged the other day to think about writing again.  Not just stating matter of factually what I am thinking but challenged to push myself to express it creatively whether it is in essay, journal, story or poem format.  I still might not be on here as regularly as I would like to be for the next while but you should start seeing some hints of my existence again. :-)

You might be asking what is new.  So here is a quick list:

•  I have been taking modern dance lessons at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and have loved every minute of it. We just had our dance recital this weekend. I haven't done anything like that since high school. It was a lot of work and tiring but SO much fun! 
• I moved into my own apartment in December. It is a season I felt the Holy Spirit leading me into and have learned a lot from this transition. 

• I am still working the same job but I have different opportunities that have been coming up that get me away from the desk. Most of those opportunities have involved speaking to and teaching different groups on different topics.  This has really been a stretch for me as public speaking hasn't been my forte. But Holy Spirit is giving me the grace to do it.  My favorite break through moment was when one time I was just about to get up and speak, I was feeling a little nervous and I had one of those light bulb or Ah Ha! moments where I realized that God was with me as I spoke and the people who I was going to be standing in front of were just that, people, and were no different from me.  

As for what is going on in my heart; God is speaking to me a lot about compassion and mercy and justice issues again. I have been meditating a lot on the cross lately. It is a place I come back to over and over again. I have also been enjoying His presence, knowing that Holy Spirit is with me where ever I am and working that muscle of finding Him in the every day "small stuff" of daily life.

If you still check this blog out here is hoping another post will soon follow this one!  

Summer life

What a hot hot summer, it has been perfect.  It has been a summer of insights, adventures, having a quiet heart (or trying too), learning where to push and learning where to let go.  I am continuing to stumble and bumble my way into the world of photography which I enjoy.  I haven't been brave enough yet to "go manual"  need to do some more reading first. It has been a summer of reading, some heavy, some lite.

It is a summer of wandering. Wandering through the book of Exodus with the Israelites,  going on road trips and hikes, daydreams, prayers, wondering what is next.  That is what summer is for isn't it?  To slow down because of the heat, to enjoy the creation God has given us, to enjoy the moment He has us in and to ask what is next as the months move on and the season changes; well actually that is probably what every season is for but summer seems to accentuate it some how.

It is also a season of waiting, waiting for the veggies in the garden to be ready to harvest.  My roommate and I planted the garden late this year, so we have to wait a little longer to enjoy the vegetables that are growing.  Waiting for the heat to break though I do enjoy it at the same time. Waiting to see how and when Abba will answer my prayers. 

Some things this summer haven't changed, I am living in the same apartment with the same crazy and wonderful roommates.  I am working the same job that surprises and challenges me almost daily, whether it is the challenge of just sticking to a routine (I love variety), the challenge and surprise of how God speaks to my heart while I am there, the challenge of being present when people call with real deep heart needs; even if all I say is, "I will pass you through to this person who can talk with you" or the odd time I get to pray with them. It continues to be a place of learning to serve and to find joy in the place of serving. 

Other things that are different, I have had some great heart revelation on how God views me and it has change again how I view myself and the people around me. Even though I haven't been home to Rapid City yet this summer, the fact that this is the first year my grandma hasn't been able to plant a garden has made me a little sad.  I remember how glorious her gardens were when I was growing up.  The fun we had picking all the vegetables when it was harvest time, all the feasting and canning.  It is a reminder that she is much older now and seasons are changing. My hair is growing out, and I haven't wanted to cut it crazy short. My mama and I have had some of the best conversations we have had in a long time. I traveled to a part of Manitoba I have never been to before and had a great time with friends, talking about God and life and enjoying great big belly laughs through it all. I went to the mountains for the first time in years.  I remember always loving the "scope for imagination" there was in the mountains when I was little.  And I think it stirred me to dream again.

To ask the Lord what He has in store for fall, to ask again what is on His heart and to ask about the dreams I have in mine. Whether He put them there or I have dreamed them up on my own.  It's not a discouraged or frustrated dreaming, well at least not most of the time.  It is more of a Lord, do you remember this?  Do I still hold on to it?  Is it time?  And do you remember when?  What do you think of this?  How does this make you feel?  Most of the time it feels like a one sided conversation, but I know He is there; sometimes I hear Him say,"just hold on to that and wait a little longer".  I think He just enjoys the talking, and I am learning to enjoy it too and to not get frustrated when I don't hear the answers. 

I have been enjoying this slow, hot, good, trying, growing, stretching,  hopeful, dream filled, waiting, adventurous, summer.

Heatwave and other things...

Well, Summer is in full swing and the temperature is rising!! Yes, I say that with glee.  I love these hot days of summer.  The days where you move slow, eat lots of fruit and curl up in front of a fan with iced tea and a good book.  

Summer has been fun and busy so far.  I was a way for a leadership training for work, during the first week of July at this place:

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Picture courtesy of Google.

We had a fabulous week of hot sunny blue skied days that would cool off in the evening.  The teaching, worship and small group times were amazing.  I loved meeting so many new people and getting to know some old acquaintances better.  It was a week to go deep in the knowledge of our identity in Christ and in knowing who He is. The funnest part, the dancing!! The celebration and freedom in worship, it was so fun to just go wild and enjoy the presence of God that way!!

After the training was finished I went to Banff for the day with Jules.  I wish I could show pictures, but my computer can't hold them right now.  :-( It was a beautiful day to walk around and to visit the best candy store in the world :-)  I haven't found one better, so in my opinion I am not exaggerating.

The rest of this summer just includes enjoying those books and iced tea, working and planning for the fall and next spring, hopefully heading to Brandon and Rapid City for a visit, waiting for our veggies in the garden to grow so we can enjoy them, getting out to some of the festivals that happen here in the 'Peg each summer and of course running hard with the crew at SHOP.  

Hope you all are enjoying this heat and staying cool!