THE MARTIN FAMILY

I'm leaving on a jet plane ....

2009-10-28T20:42:00.004-04:00

I am off to visit my sister and her family and my mom and dad for a week! I am very excited, but this is the first time in 18 years I've ever traveled anywhere for more than a day without my husband and/or my girls. I am very excited to see my family and especially my niece, Alandria (5) and my new nephew, Xander (2 1/2 months). Baby cuddles and little kid chatter make my heart soar!

On the other hand, I am worried about my husband and kids at home. My husband has reassured me over and over again that they will be just fine ... but, I don't want them to be too fine! I want them to still need me! I never imagined that my heart would be so torn ....

I will enjoy my time away, but will look forward to being reunited with my own family in a week.

Here I go .....

Aerosol AND organic?

2009-10-20T18:39:00.002-04:00

I saw this product at Wal-Mart today. Really?? Pancake and waffle batter in an aerosol can can be organic? To me, "aerosol" and "organic" shouldn't be in the same sentence!

It's all about the coffee ...

2009-10-01T08:01:00.005-04:00

Coffee is simply part of who I am. From the time I was a little girl, I can remember my mom waking me up for school and sharing her cup of coffee with me. Pretty soon, rather than share her cup, she would bring me my own cup of coffee. I remember being in grade 3 and opening up my thermos at lunchtime and in it was coffee. For most of my life, the coffee I enjoyed was instant coffee - Taster's Choice. However, in recent years, I have come to enjoy a much richer, fuller taste of coffee. It's no secret that my husband and I enjoy Starbucks, but we mostly brew it at home.

Last week, my husband was given a sum of money to buy us an espresso machine. Things have been very tight financially around our house and of all the things we really need, an espresso machine was not on the list! However, this money was specifically given for that purpose. We found the machine we wanted, found it on sale and then got an even better deal on it! We brought home our new "baby" ... "Collaboration with BMW Group DesignworksUSA and Saeco Italy Creates the New Starbucks® Sirena." We have spent the last few days, brewing over and over again until we've got it just about right ... the perfect espresso ... appreciating the layers ... the crema, the heart and the body.

I attended a Ladies Conference with my friend, Rhonda, last weekend and one of the points made at the conference involved coffee! We were encouraged to make our relationships worthy of a second cup of coffee. You see, we can all meet someone and enjoy one cup of coffee with them. We can bluff our way through one conversation ... our marriage is spectacular, our children are wonderful, we have all the self-confidence needed to conquer the world! An "instant coffee" relationship.

However, in actuality, people are looking for authenticity in relationships. We need to be honest with each other, admitting our faults, admitting our fears, sharing our discoveries, learning from each other, bearing one another's burdens. Once our conversations and relationships move to that second cup of coffee, it is much more difficult to hide. Honesty begins to show. Authenticity develops. Yes, this does take an investment of time and energy, however the dividends are immeasurable!

I'm lifting a glass of warm, rich espresso ... here's to you and your relationships ... may you take the time to invest in someone else ... enjoy that second cup of coffee with them ... allow yourself to be authentic.

May you enjoy the crema, heart and body of not only coffee, but of relationships as well!

Yum ....

2009-09-14T16:56:00.003-04:00

We had company last weekend and I served this for dessert! Absolutely scrumptous! Definitely worth sharing the recipe ...

Prep Time:
15 min
Total Time:
3 hr 15 min

Makes:
12 servings, 1 slice (103 g) each

What You Need!
2 cups orange sorbet or sherbet, softened
1 pkg. (250 g) PHILADELPHIA Brick Cream Cheese, softened
1 can (300 mL) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup orange juice
3 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

Make It!
LINE 9x5-inch loaf pan with foil. Spread sorbet onto bottom of prepared pan to form even layer. Freeze 10 min.
MEANWHILE, beat cream cheese in large bowl with mixer until creamy. Gradually add condensed milk and orange juice, beating until blended. Gently stir in Cool Whip. Spread over sorbet in pan.
FREEZE 3 hours. To unmold, invert pan onto plate; remove foil.

Saving money ...

2009-09-14T16:29:00.002-04:00

As a 'stay-at-home' mom, it has always been my feeling that because I wasn't contributing to the household income, at least I could help save money by buying smart. I have always shopped according to the sales and made my meal plans with the weekly flyers in front of me. In the past I have been an avid coupon user and have recently started using them again.

Yesterday I got a great deal! 'Feminine products' were on sale at Shoppers Drug Mart for $1.99. I had a $2.00 off coupon!! All I had to pay were the taxes ... so the total was $0.40 for 4 packages!

However, my hubby headed to Canadian Tire to pick up some stuff for our van. He had a scratch and save coupon I had given him from the weekend flyers and ended up scratching "Save $5.00". Then he swiped his CT MasterCard and used his "money on the card" to cover the rest of the cost. His total ... $0.00!!

So, he won .... this time!

Are all your eggs in one basket?

2009-08-28T09:54:00.002-04:00

So, over the course of the last several weeks, I have been concerned that my husband and I have 'put all our eggs in one basket' so to speak.

Wikipedia says ... "'Don't put all your eggs in one basket' is an idiomatic phrase meaning that one should not focus all one's resources on one hope, possibility or avenue of success."

I realized this morning that indeed, our 'eggs are all in one basket', but that basket belongs to God!! If 'all our eggs' are in HIS basket, what do we have to be concerned about!? Oh yeah ... I am focusing all my resources on one Hope, Possiblity and Avenue of Success!

Technology is Precious ....

2009-08-18T20:51:00.000-04:00

Very early in 2009, during a phone conversation with my sister, I noticed some apprehension in her voice. When I questioned her, she just said she was scared. I questioned her further until I answered my own question, "You think you're pregant?" ... "No." ... "You KNOW you're pregnant!" ... "Yes."

Because of her medical history, getting pregnant for her was very risky. She had been warned that there could be problems with the baby or with her own body. She had been told that miscarriage was a very real possibility.

I was the first person she told that she was pregnant and together we began to believe for a healthy pregnancy resulting in a healthy baby. We held our breath as the first 3 months passed with no sign of miscarriage. Then we waited patiently for the ultrasound to show that the baby was perfect in every way!

Although she was scheduled for a C-section in 3 days, Charlene went into labour early yesterday morning. My mom called me and let me know that Charlene had been admitted into the hospital. I e-mailed my brother-in-law knowing he would get his e-mails on his blackberry. He replied with 2 words ... "in surgery". Just a few moments later, my mom called on her way to the hospital. She had her cell phone up to one ear talking to my brother-in-law and my dad's cell phone up to her other ear talking to me! The message was passed to me ... 7lb 7oz ... 21 inches long ... lots of black hair ... and then ... my mom put the two phones together so I could hear THIS ...
the beautiful cry of a newborn baby from 1400km away. What can I say except in situations like this, "Technology is Precious!"

Alexander L. Kloster (aka Xander)

To Do List ...

2009-08-15T18:43:00.004-04:00

For July and August ...

Things that are done:

-Finish schoolwork with my kids - didn't finish until the end of July, but they both are Honour Students!

-Make appointment for MacKenzie to get her wisdom teeth out

-Do some sewing ... mostly mending

-Go to Canada's Wonderland with our kids and their friends

-Clean the carpets in the school/playroom and the dining room

-Paint the school/play room

-Load in the school/playroom with only things the girls will need for highschool (gasp!)

-Sign Savannah up for a 3 week course in "Advanced Theatre and Acting for Teens"

-List old homeschooling materials on eBay

-Spend 4 days in Niagara Falls with our family, Andrew's sister's family and Andrew's mom and dad camping at the KOA (swimming, campfires, a few local activities and lots of good food)

-Organize my kitchen cupboards and drawers and give away anything I don't need

-Lose the last couple of pounds to make it 20 lbs lost and keep a regular work-out routine

-Freecycle old homeschooling stuff not worth selling on eBay

-Organize schoolwork for 2009/2010

-Read some good books

-Watch some favourite movies

-Give my blog a new look, update it and get back to writing on it ... even my DAD mentioned that I hadn't posted anything since April!

Things not yet done:

-Paint the downstairs bathroom

-Go to the Toronto Zoo

-Spend some time at Andrew's gramma's cottage

-Frame some photos

-Clean the family room carpet

-Go to the beach

So, what have YOU been up to??

Wishes and Dreams ...

2009-04-01T08:55:00.004-04:00

I have enjoyed reading a series of books by Robin Gunn Jones called "Sisterchicks". In each book a set of friends travel to a different part of the world and discover not only new cultures and scenery, but new truths about God. These are books that are light and fun to read, but full of reminders that God cares about the intricate details of our lives.

In the most recent edition, the Sisterchicks go to Britain and a paragraph near the end of the book stood out to me ...

"It seems that when a wish comes true, it's sweet and satisfying. And when it's over, that's it. But a dream is something that starts in the part of your heart where your passions lie. It doesn't go away."

What are your dreams? Maybe you've lost sight of them or burried them for so long that you don't even remember them. Start with discovering what you are passionate about and then let God lead you from there. I'm ready to begin the process ... want to join me? I've had lots of wishes come true, but dreams? Now that's a different story. Honestly, I have to start at the very beginning because I don't even know what my own dreams are! So, you've been invited to come along. We could have our own "Sisterchicks" adventure into dreams coming true!

I Then Shall Live .....

2009-03-24T08:29:00.003-04:00

Last week my husband, Andrew, had the opportunity to do the vocal producing for our friend, Tammy, as her dream of recording a CD came true. The next morning I was excited to listen to the final product, but one song in particular was highlighted to me. The lyrics seemed to jump into the air and grip me ... they challenged me more than anything, but also inspired me. May you be challenged and inspired today as well.

I Then Shall Live (written by Gloria Gaither)
I have put the words in bold that were highlighted to me ....

I then shall live as one who's been forgiven.
I'll walk with joy to know my debts are paid.
I know my name is clear before my Father;
I am His child and I am not afraid.
So, greatly pardoned, I'll forgive my brother;
The law of love I gladly will obey.

I then shall live as one who's learned compassion.
I've been so loved, that I'll risk loving too.
I know how fear builds walls instead of bridges;
I'll dare to see another's point of view.
And when relationships demand commitment,
Then I'll be there to care and follow through.

Your Kingdom come around and through and in me;
Your power and glory, let them shine through me.
Your Hallowed Name, O may I bear with honor,
And may Your living Kingdom come in me.
The Bread of Life, O may I share with honor,
And may You feed a hungry world through me.

Does this happen in your family?

2009-03-03T21:00:00.001-05:00

Clean Laundry ...

2009-02-17T22:17:00.005-05:00

Everyone who knows me knows that I am obsessed with my clothesline. I LOVE hanging out clothes to dry and I even defied the cold this past weekend and dried my sheets on the line! My mom sent me this forward today and I thought it was worth sharing ...

A young couple moves into a new neighborhood.
The next morning while they are eating breakfast,
The young woman sees her neighbor hanging the wash outside.
"That laundry is not very clean", she said.
"She doesn't know how to wash correctly.
Perhaps?she needs better laundry soap."

Her husband looked on, but remained silent.

Every time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry,
The young woman would make the same comments.

About one month later, the woman was surprised to see a
Nice clean wash on the line and said to her husband:

"Look, she has learned how to wash correctly.
I wonder who taught her this."

The husband said, "I got up early this morning and
Cleaned our windows."
And so it is with life. What we see when watching others
Depends on the purity of the window through which we look.

Love ...

2009-02-12T08:36:00.003-05:00

25 Random Things ...

2009-02-04T21:49:00.001-05:00

This was something I did on Facebook, but not all my friends are on Facebook, so I'm adding this here as well. This is simply a list of 25 random things about me ...

1. This is hard to do because I very often define myself by what I am to other people ... mostly my husband and kids.
2. I have been married almost 17.5 years which is quite an accomplishment these days. We both are committed to working hard at staying married and we often have long, in-depth conversations about our feelings. I have only ever been in love with my husband.
3. I like to think I look young and act young, but inside I am very old-fashioned.
4. I have homeschooled my children for their entire education ... we're up to grade 10 and grade 8 now.
5. If I have the remote, I like to watch home-renovation shows or real estate shows (Divine Design, Sarah's House, House to Flip, House Hunters) ... HGTV and TLC for me.
6. I learned how to run sound so my husband wouldn't have to hire a sound person and so we could travel as a family and I am good at it.
7. I believe that if everyone would simply tell the truth, there would be far less trouble in the world. The truth does indeed set people free.
8. One thing that my husband really wanted me to do and I did not want to do, but now I'm glad I did was pierce my ears.
9. I am a control freak (but learning how to overcome this!)
10. I don't truly relax unless my house is tidy.
11. I am an insanely jealous wife.
12. I bite my fingernails ... yes, still.
13. I had a back injury 3 1/2 years ago and ended up spending 7 weeks in bed on heavy meds, but through God and common sense I was able to avoid surgery.
14. I am very close to my sister even though we live very far apart.
15. I am afraid of elevators (which is rooted in the fact that my sister got stuck in one when we were kids. Funny, she isn't afraid of elevators and I am!)
16. I live across the road from my in-laws and my gramma-in-law and I'm fine with that.
17. As I age, I hope to have the grace of my Gramma Cooling, the gentleness of my husband's Gramma Martin and the wisdom of them both.
18. It took me 3 tries to get my driver's licence (when I was 17), but I've never had a ticket or an accident!
19. My dad worked for the Bank of Montreal until I was 9 and then he started pastoring which he still does.
20. My mom knows how to give the best presents ever ... even the tiniest things have significant meanings.
21. My real lname is "Vicki", not "Victoria" and I am named after my Grampa ... William Victor Cooling.
22. I have a silly fear of being cold ... ask anyone who has visited in the winter and discovered how I keep my woodstove going! I NEED to know that my furnace has oil and my garage has a pile of wood.
23. When I am angry or stressed, I clean house.
24. I would rather drive an older vehicle, live in a "tired" house and have "tired" furniture than be in debt.
25. I truly and absolutely believe that God not only loves me, but that He cares about even the tiniest detail of my life. Every cell in my body loves God, but I am often confused by His "kids".

The "not-so-fortunate" Fortune Cookie ...

2009-01-29T15:55:00.004-05:00

Our family recently went out for Chinese food. Part of the experience is always getting a good laugh at the fortune cookies! We each opened ours, shared the 'wisdom', and then watched as Savannah's mouth dropped open! Her fortune cookie simply said ...

Fortune not found

Abort? Ignore? Retry?

Seriously!!

It isn't fair ...

2009-01-29T15:51:00.005-05:00

I have recently discovered a product that I really like, but it isn't fair that I have to use it!! Picture me stamping my feet and yelling, "IT ISN"T FAIR"!!

We should NOT have to fight wrinkles AND zits at the SAME TIME!!!!

It simply isn't fair ....

A video to share ....

2009-01-15T08:22:00.006-05:00

It is a wonderful feeling to see our kids involved in something great! When my hubby was asked to be part of "A Season of Joy" (The Singing Christmas Tree) last year, our girls were invited to be part of the youth choreography team. What a joy to see them work hard, make great friends and perform so beautifully.

Each evening my husband shared a very brief testimony during the performance of one song. This clip shows that as well as the girls dancing. In this clip MacKenzie is the dancer seated directly beside Andrew and Savannah enters from the left side part way through. Enjoy!

ps. Lots more clips of Andrew can be seen on his Facebook Fanpage.

A very, very close call ....

2008-12-06T11:48:00.002-05:00

After "A Season of Joy" performance on Thursday night, Andrew and I headed out to eat with our friends, Todd & Reagan, from here in Red Deer. As we left the restaurant we noticed that it was frezzing rain and everything was glare ice. We headed out to the highway and merged into an ice rink that turned very dangerous. It is only about 9km to the exit for our motel but we did not make it. As we crested a hill, we could see into the valley and there was a huge surprise waiting for us. There were 100 - 150 vehicles, cars, trucks, SUV's and many transports all collected together at the bottom of the hill. Andrew applied the brakes (we were doing 30 kms hour) and could not stop. He pumped the brakes lightly while going down the hill and stopped about 4 car lengths from the transports and other cars. Then we slid, ever so gently, sideways off the road and into the ditch!

We got out of the van to assess the situation and chat with other motorists. Our van was sitting on a very sharp angle and we knew it could flip at any moment. At that moment a truck come sliding down the hill and smashed into the car in the ditch right behind our van. We knew getting back into the van was not an option and now standing on the side of the road was not an option either. So, we walked the 4km back to our hotel ... walking on ice, in dress shoes and high heel boots. It was 1am when we arrived at our hotel.

Tired and wet, Andrew called CAA to get a tow and they informed me the RCMP had shut down the highway! When Andrew met the tow truck driver back at the van the next morning, he realized just how much danger we had been in! The tow truck driver ran his hand back and forth under the front drivers tire and he said the back one was only touching the ground. He said if we had slid 2 inches farther we would have rolled the van.

Thank you, Lord, for your protection as we travel!

N.A.M.E.

2008-11-16T23:04:00.002-05:00

So, we've just spent the last few days at the N.A.M.E. Conference ... the National Association of Marriage Enrichment. What an incredible opportunity to be involved in such a great event! My husband was the guest soloist, but we were encouraged to participate in all the sessions and take advantage of the teaching as well. Now, I knew that I was going to the marriage conference, but I remembered that my husband might just be 'going to work'. (see previous post ... We went to a Wedding) It turns out that we both enjoyed some seminars, and meeting and getting to know some of the teachers and leaders. Some of the ones we thoroughly enjoyed were Dr. Tim Clinton, director of The American Association of Christian Counsellors (I ordered several of this books!), Pastors Rick and Judy Hilsden, former Ontario District Superintendent of the PAOC and now pastors of The Park Church in Sherwood Park, AB and Phil and Cindy Waugh, Executive Directors of Covenant Marriage Movement.

One particular moment that stood out in my mind was in a session about Effective and Ineffective Communication led by Phil and Cindy Waugh. They were the explaining the concept of "Messaging to be understood and Listening to Understand". Part of communicating this way with your spouse involves "mirroring". When not in agreement, the one spouse responds with, "what I hear you say is ....." and once the concept is completely understood, the other spouse says, "that makes me feel ....". I leaned over to my husband and asked him if he remembered when we had first heard that concept. He did.

We were singing at The Park Church in April 2008. During the Sunday morning service, Pastor Rick was speaking about marriage. I remember a lot of his message because he was very funny, but mostly because of this: you see, in August of 2007 Rick suffered a heart attack and then, a few days later, an acute stroke. He wasn't expected to live. It was soon realized that the part of his brain that had been affected by the stroke was his "communication department". As a pastor, this is his most precious gift! With the help of his wife, he has continued to pastor a growing, thriving, large church. To see Rick now, you wouldn't know that he had been ill, but once he begins to speak there is a hesitation and stumbling over words. During the morning in April when Rick was speaking about marriage, he began to explain the concept of "mirroring" ... "what I hear you say is ...." and "that makes me feel ...". He had barely begun to explain the concept when his words began to get very muddled. He tried a couple times to straighten them out and just couldn't get his thoughts out. Quietly, his wife Judy left her seat in the front row, walked up to the platform, took a mic and explained the concept beautifully while Rick stepped back and took a few deep breaths before he was ready to begin again. Then, Judy just stepped back down to her seat in the front row. The picture of that has been embedded in my mind. Two people working as one. Neither one looking for attention. Simply working together to accomplish a purpose. The concept has stayed with me and I've shared it with several friends, but even more poignant was the relationship between Rick and Judy. Truly they are an inspiration!!

So, not only have we been surrounded by great teaching, but we have been inspired by other marriages in action.

This week ...

2008-11-10T00:07:00.001-05:00

This week we were blessed by friends who allowed us to use their time share in beautiful Canmore, AB ... right at the foothills of the Rockies. Our chalet had 2 stories, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 3 TVs, fireplace, full kitchen including dishwasher, washer, dryer, balcony off the master bedroom and we enjoyed some of the amenities at the Lodge ... pool, sauna, hot tub, games room and free movies. We enjoyed exploring the town, driving around looking at the exquisite homes, window shopping in the picturesque downtown, sipping coffee at a superb Italian cafe, and basically relaxing without schedules.

Our Chalet in Canmore, AB and the views from the master bedroom balcony

We did drive into Banff one of the days (about 15 minutes up the road) and enjoyed driving around looking at homes, visiting the Hot Springs for a warm dip on a cool afternoon, checking out the great shops and then eating at our favourite place ... The Keg (thanks to gift certificates from our friends at http://www.dyckandhorner.com/). During the afternoon it began to snow, which for our family, made the day absolutely perfect!

My hubby and I downtown Banff, AB on a snowy evening. The end of a perfect day!

Our drive to Alberta ...

2008-11-09T00:33:00.005-05:00

Here's some pics of the drive to Alberta .... notice the goose from Wawa, ON, pics of beautiful Lake Superior, the Terry Fox Monument in Thunder Bay, ON, the largest teepee in Medicine Hat, AB, the moose warning sign and then the mountains in the distance.

We are indeed surrounded by incredible beauty!

Week One ...

2008-10-28T22:06:00.002-04:00

We hit the road last Friday morning and one week later ... about 176 hours later ... we had traveled over 3,800 km, been in 4 provinces and 3 time zones.

My hubby had sung in 2 full concerts, 1 special Sunday morning appearance, 1 World Vision Artist Associate luncheon, 1 GMA Showcase and spent a day in a studio doing TV tapings.

We had stopped and visited with friends we've only met through e-mail in North Bay, my Aunt and Uncle in Winnipeg, our friends, The Wilson Family, in rural Saskatchewan and lots of artists at different venues.

We ate at Wendy's, McDonald's (x3), A+W, Mary Browns, Subway (x2), Swiss Chalet, The Olive Garden, Drifters, The Keg, Caseys, KFC, Red Lobster, Montanas, a catered luncheon, Tim Hortons (x2) and Starbucks (x??)

We stayed at Travelodge, Voyageur Inn, Best Western, Comfort Inn, Howard Johnston (x2), and Days Inn.

Yesterday my hubby had a meeting with the musical director for the musical he will be involved in beginning at the end of next month. 7,000 tickets sold out in 5 days! He's not only going to be the guest soloist, but he is also doing some arrangements and vocal choreography for the choir. He meets with the choir for the first time tomorrow.

I've managed to keep the kids on track with schoolwork, keep laundry clean and read a few books. I've also realized that 1 laptop with 4 people is not enough!

Sounds crazy, huh? Welcome to my life!

So, for those who want to know how it's going ... great!

We went to a Wedding ...

2008-10-13T08:22:00.000-04:00

Early in the summer I received a beautiful invitation in the mail. Two young friends of ours were about to commit their lives to each other in a wedding ceremony. More than just being invited to the wedding, my husband was also asked to sing at the ceremony and the band he plays with, Scandalous Grace, was asked to play for the dance.

I looked forward the date all summer long. I had a dress picked out (although I switched outfits at the last moment because of the heat!), I had my hair done and paid extra special attention to getting ready. I was looking forward to spending the day with my husband, reminiscing about the day when it was us confessing our love to each other in front of our family and friends.

Us ... just before the wedding started ...

We arrived early to set up sound. My husband sat in the front row ready to sing during the ceremony and I sat in tiny, hot sound booth at the back. I watched other couples cuddle close together watching the bride and groom while my hubby motioned to me to turn down channel one and turn up channel two.

As people exited the church, my hubby and I quickly packed the sound gear and headed to where the reception and dance would be. We set up there and I began to relax while he discussed the evening with the band. We enjoyed an incredible meal and while speeches were being made the band was getting ready. I spent the next few hours watching Scandalous Grace sing and play with all their might. They were incredible!! An absolutely stellar performance which delighted the crowd completely. I watched husbands and wives embracing on the dance floor, fire in their eyes. I watched as the music sung brought back heart-warming memories for them. I was sitting by the sound booth wondering why there was so much fun around me and yet I wasn't enjoying any of it.

Then it hit me ... Silly me. I thought I was going on a date with my husband; he was simply going to work! Silly, silly me.

Being married to a singer means that my life is a lot different than many others, but this was one aspect I hadn't considered before. To be fair, my hubby took me out on a date the next week and this time it wasn't about work!

Birthday Present ...

2008-10-01T20:13:00.004-04:00

My birthday isn't until next week, but my mom contacted me in August and told me what my birthday present would be. She wanted her two girls and her three granddaughters to spend some time together. So, she bought plane tickets for my girls and I to fly to my sisters to spend a few days with her family. We had a wonderful time together and then spent 3 days with my mom and dad before flying home. My sister described the visit beautifully ... check it out ...
http://www.witandwishdom.blogspot.com/.

Thanks, Mom!!

Homeschooling Goals

2008-09-06T20:36:00.001-04:00

Our school year got off to a great start this week. It's hard to believe we've been formally homeschooling for 11 years! What a journey!

While going through an old box of homeschooling things this summer, I came across a list I made several years ago when our homeschooling journey began. I'm pleased that our goals have not altered at all! I wrote them when our kids were merely elementary students and now, with one doing Grade 10 work and one doing a mix of Grade 8 and Grade 9 work, the goals seem just as poignant.

Written around 1999:

Our Destination Goal for Homeschooling

1. That our children would love to learn.

2. That our children would have a marketable set of skills ... research, communication and technical.

3. That our children would understand Christianity and enjoy a vital relationship with the Lord.

4. That our children would discover their talents and gifts and be able to develop them and use them.

5. That our children would develop integrity of character that would be noticeable not only to us, but our family, friends and church.

Few days away ...

2008-08-30T21:58:00.011-04:00

The cottage has been owned by my hubby's grandparents for decades. This sign at the end of the driveway has always signified to me ...
"The stress of life ends here ... prepare to relax!"

Beautiful setting. Sisters relaxing by the lake!

Just the 4 of us

3 days

8 movies

lots of board games

no schedule at all

long walks ... in the rain AND the heat

simple meals

fishing off the dock

ice cream from the corner store

reading great books for however long we wanted

water lapping at the dock

woodstove crackling in the morning

breeze blowing in all the open windows

DEEP BREATHS ... STRESS RELIEVED!

American Idol Update

2008-08-26T13:20:00.003-04:00

So, a month after we went to the American Idols Live concert I am finally blogging about it! The day was fantastic from start to finish. We left early and headed to Toronto for an early supper at my hubby's favourite restaurant, Ivory Thailand. MacKenzie had been there before with her dad, but for Savannah and I it was our first experience. The food was even better than I could have imagined! Who knew we'd all be lovers of Thai food??

Our anticipation grew as we headed over to the Air Canada Centre. While waiting in line, we were asked if we wanted to have our pic taken to be used on the big screen. We said sure! Here's the pic ....

In our opinion, almost all the idols have made huge strides as far as stage presence is concerned. Kristy Lee Cook and Syesha Mercado win the awards for 'Most Improved'. David Aruchuleta wins 'Crowd Favourite'. Michael Johns wins 'Was Voted Off Waaayyy Too Early'. In our eyes David Cook and Carly Smithson were definitly rock stars in every sense of the word. My favourite, Jason Castro, did a beautiful rendition of 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' that almost made me cry!

All in all, we had a fun family day full of great memories!

PS. Check out MacKenzie and Savannah's Facebook pages for pics of the concert.

American Idols Live Tour 2008

2008-07-26T10:42:00.004-04:00

One thing that our family enjoys doing together is watching American Idol. This year we actually watched every single episode! During the Finale on TV, my husband casually mentioned to our girls that the live tour was coming to Toronto in July. They looked at him with raised eyebrows, "Really?"

"Yes, and we've got tickets to go see it!!"

This resulted in lots of screaming!!

I asked MacKenzie this morning who her favourite was. Right away she answered, "David Cooke. .... and Carly Smithson. .... oh, and Jason Castro." This year the talent was exceptional ... so many different styles and I especially loved seeing the contestants get better and better every week. My favourite was Jason Castro. I loved his performances of "Hallelujah" and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". Just for the record though, in my opinion he was not ready to be the winner. David Cooke was the right one as far as I'm concerned!

Today is the day! We've packed snacks for the ride, got the tickets and binoculars ready to go and we are pumped!

School's Out!

2008-07-17T11:16:00.003-04:00

I know for almost everyone else in Canada, school's been out for several weeks. When you are homeschooling, you can educate on your own schedule. In the past, this has always worked to our advantage and we've usually finished school in May. This year was different. With my husband's schedule being so heavy last fall, we got way behind in our schoolwork and just couldn't seem to get caught up. Now, we're finally done! I've even completed report cards.

Now the kids and I are officially on 'summer holidays'. I've got a few plans, but nothing extravagant. I plan to spend some time at the library and then enjoy reading the books and watching the DVDs I borrow, painting a few more things around my home, starting a Facebook page, trying a few new recipes, blogging about some things that have been on my mind and then getting ready for the next school year. We are also planning on attending a couple concerts ... my hubby and the band he plays with, Scandalous Grace, are doing a fundraising concert tomorrow (Friday) at DSCF, our friend Kevin Pauls is in concert in Whitby next week, and then next Saturday we have tickets to see American Idols Live at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto!

Here's hoping for a few lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer!

Questions ...

2008-07-14T06:06:00.001-04:00

A couple questions have been going through my mind lately. Maybe you can help!

1. Where have all the red-skinned potatoes gone to?

2. I know that eating fruits and veggies in season gives you the most punch of vitamins etc., but does anyone have an easy way to remember what is in season and when in Ontario?

Just wondering ....

Weekend Projects ...

2008-07-03T08:47:00.005-04:00

Television programming has been bombarded with decorating shows and when I have the flicker in my hand, that's usually what we watch. However, actually doing something to my own home is much more challenging!

Our family room furniture has been deteriorating rapidly over the last several years. We own two beautiful, long-haired, cuddly cats with nails who have torn the front panels of our furniture to shreds. The actual structure of the furniture is fine, but the upholstery needed help.

I've been wanting to highlight the black in our family room for quite some time ... our wood stove is black, our lamps are black, a few candle holders are black. So, I found an old pair of black pants and a can of black paint. Andrew tackled the front panels of the furniture, removing the green and adding the black, while I painted all the green legs of our end tables a nice, shiny black. The projects took a few hours, but were completely FREE! We were amazed at the results. Thought you'd like to see ...

Mike and Maty's Chicken

2008-06-24T18:56:00.005-04:00

Anyone remember 'The Mike and Maty Show'? The show aired in about 1994 and wasn't on for very long. My sister-in-law was a big fan and taped the show while she was at work to watch in the evenings. She was still living at home with her parents, so if my hubby and I were visiting his parents on a week night, inevitably we ended up watching 'Mike and Maty'.

I was recently having one of those "what in the world are we going to have for dinner" nights, when I remembered that a long, long time ago I had written down a recipe from an episode of 'Mike and Maty'. I had made the recipe once or twice over the years, but not for a long time. This prompted me to get out my favourite cookbook and begin going through all the recipes I have shoved in the front over the years. The recipes I've shoved in the front may actually exceed the actual numnber of recipes in the book! I was looking for that light pink piece of paper that had been torn in half. Isn't it funny how we can remember the silliest details, but can't remember where we left our cell phone? I found the paper and to my delight, I had all the ingredients for the recipe. Since I have been helping my oldest get her Grade 9 credit for Home Economics, I decided to have her make the majority of the recipe. (When you homeschool it's amazing what you can classify as "school"!) MacKenzie did a great job and the recipe turned out even better than I remembered. No one else in my family remembered ever having eaten it before!

So, if you are wondering what to have for dinner and want something easy and tasty, why not try "Mike and Maty's Chicken".

3 or 4 boneless breasts of chicken cut in bite sized pieces
Shake in 1/2 cup of flour and a bit of salt
Brown in 1 tbsp of butter

All in one bowl, add ...
1/2 cup of chopped celery
1/2 cup of red pepper
1/2 cup green pepper'
1/2 cup onion'
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp pepper
1 cup ketchup (She used 1/2 cup ketchup and 1/2 cup chili sauce)
1 cup water

Mix it up, add to the browned chicken, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

We served it with basmati rice (my personal favourite!) and canned peas.

YUM!

Father's Day

2008-06-16T14:33:00.003-04:00

Father's Day was this past weekend. I am blessed to have my dad (and mom) here for a visit from Iowa and so we spent the day together. I am blessed to have a father that was always pro-active about providing for his family and teaching us right from wrong. My dad appears to be very staunch and business-like, but I know what a tender heart he has. He is man enough to let the tears roll without being ashamed. For the first 9 years of my life, my dad was a banker, but since then he has pastored.

My Dad and I ... Father's Day 2008

In honour of Father's Day I'll share a story that happened recently to my hubby. He was standing talking to his friend Jeff about very important "musician things". Jeff was holding his 2 year old beautiful daughter, Celeste. The two men were deeply engaged in discussing the benefits of the latest model of ear monitors, prices, upgrades etc. etc. As they talked, Celeste kept trying to interrupt. "Daddy, daddy ... I want to tell you something."

And then again ... "I need to tell you something, Daddy".

Jeff gently kept reminding her, "Just a minute, Celeste." The two men continued talking.

Finally, Celeste couldn't wait any longer. She put one of her tiny hands on each of Jeff's cheeks, turned his face towards her and said, "Daddy, I just need to tell you that I LOVE YOU!" Both men completely melted in tears.

I'm thankful for a heavenly Father who is my provider, my peace giver and my protector. Abba ... Daddy ... I just need to tell you that I LOVE YOU!

Thoughts ...

2008-06-01T08:28:00.003-04:00

Over the last few weeks the Lord has been highlighting some things to me over and over again. There haven't been flashing neon lights, but the same things keep jumping out when someone is speaking or when I'm reading something. Thought I'd share.

TRUTH (see this previous post) My mom always ends up with a "word for the year" ... Truth is my word for 2008.
Use wisdom
Get the facts before you jump to conclusions
My children will inherit one of two things: my fears or God's promises (Lisa Bevere)
When God asks me to do something, I MUST obey immediately ... no matter how much people won't understand
How can anyone have a proper relationship with God when their earthly relationships are so messed up ... and yet, we can't fix those earthly relationships on our own, we need God to help us
I can't do anything on my own, but I can do all things through Him who gives me strength!
There is a school bus company from our town that uses the logo "On the Journey of Learning" ... I feel like that wraps up my life in a nutshell

Life Lessons ...

2008-05-21T17:01:00.002-04:00

Some thoughts to ponder!

1. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
2. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.
3. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have,or sleep all you want.
4. When you say, 'I love you', mean it.
5. When you say, 'I'm sorry,' look the person in the eye.
6. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.
7. Believe in love at first sight.
8. Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams don't have much.
9. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.
10. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling..
11. Don't judge people by their relatives.
12. Talk slowly but think quickly.
13. When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, 'Why do you want to know?'
14. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
15. Say 'bless you' when you hear someone sneeze
16. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
17. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions.
18. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
19. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
20. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.
21. Spend some time alone.

(sent to my husband from a friend by e-mail)

Turkey Dinner

2008-05-14T08:31:00.005-04:00

My husband and I have been blessed in many ways over the years with people giving to us. God always knows exactly the time and He has directed folks to meet our needs in all kinds of ways. Well, about a month ago, a distant relative of my husbands showed up on my doorstep and told me she was grocery shopping and she felt led to buy us a turkey. I thanked her and thought to myself, "I don't know how to cook a turkey!" I put that thing in the freezer and left it there. The only freezer we have is the fridge top one and the turkey was taking up about 1/6 of the room in it! I'd see stuff on sale at the grocery store and want to stock up, but I didn't have room in my freezer! So, this week I thawed that thing, called my mom and found out how to cook it. I had opted to not make dressing, but my husband said he had watched his gramma lots of times, so he tried his hand at making it. By suppertime we had a nice, juicy turkey, delicious dressing, sweet potatoes, veggies, yummy gravy and even cranberries! My husband and I 'high fived' each other and commented that you COULD teach old dogs new tricks!

BUT ... now I know why turkeys are cooked for family get togethers! There was certainly enough turkey for an army!! Now, gotta figure out what to do with all the leftovers!

Before He Speaks ...

2008-05-13T07:53:00.004-04:00

To all my friends who are pastor's wives, worship leader's wives, evangelist's wives ... anyone who has been used as "the illustration"! These ladies have hit the nail on the head!

ps. After seeing the acting abilities of Shari and Tammy on Sunday, I think they could do a great job acting this out!

DEPARTURES has arrived!

2008-05-08T22:30:00.004-04:00

Here's a sample from my hubby's brand new album, DEPARTURES. This album is the result of something God put on my husband's heart about three years ago. The journey to get to the final product has been bumpy, but the end result is more incredible than we even imagined! What a joy to work with such gifted musicians and artists and watch as God created this beautiful tapestry.

To launch this new album, we also created a new website. Stop by for a visit at:
http://www.andrewmartinmusic.com/. Listen to clips from the rest of the album by clicking on "In-flight Entertainment". It will be available to order from our online store or from iTunes by the end of the month.

Last September God placed the desire in Andrew's heart to write a song about reaching out to those around us. Andrew worked on that song for two days straight and couldn't come up with something. The kids were busy with fashion shows all weekend and had no idea he was trying to write a song. Early Monday morning when I woke up, MacKenzie (then 13) was already awake. When I asked her why she simply answered, "God woke me up with a song, so I got up and wrote it down." She had written two verses, a chorus and even a bridge. The lyrics were exactly what Andrew had been trying to create all weekend!! Here's a sample of the final cut ...

The journey has been long, like we've been in a holding pattern. DEPARTURES is such a fitting name because it does feel like we're about to take off!

Couldn't resist!!

2008-04-30T05:30:00.000-04:00

This morning ...

2008-04-24T08:18:00.004-04:00

This morning I had to sew a button on my winter coat. I wish it was because I was so organized that I was fixing stuff as I was putting it away for the summer. But, nope ... it's because I am leaving this summer weather behind and heading to Edmonton where they had nearly 3 feet of snowfall last weekend! uugghh. At least it's only for a few days!

Somehow this is all wrong ... aren't you supposed to leave COLD weather and go somewhere HOT for a few days?

Oh well, hopefully the good concerts and spending time with friends will warm our hearts!

"Child of God Gives Back"

2008-04-12T17:36:00.000-04:00

I have spent two evenings this week with my family watching American Idol's "Idol Gives Back". We are all big fans of the show and were thrilled to watch the many entertainers, singers, celebrities, athletes and politicians join together with one voice and compel the public to donate to the needy, hungry and sick both in Africa and the United States. In total over 60 million dollars has been raised and they are still taking donations! What an incredible amount of people will be able to be helped.

I was thinking of us, as Children of God. What if we all set our own mandate to be part of "Child of God Gives Back". There wouldn't be any famous names begging people to make large donations or even donations of pocket change. No, this would be that "still, small voice" prodding us to engage in random acts of kindness -being Jesus to everyone we encounter. In "Child of God Gives Back" each one would show the same amount of mercy to others as God has shown to them. In "Child of God Gives Back" each would love their neighbour as themselves. In "Child of God Gives Back" each would treat others as they'd like to be treated. In "Child of God Gives Back" each would share what they have (hint ... it really isn't ours anyway. It actually all belongs to God.) In "Child of God Gives Back" hate e-mails disguised as prayer requests would be obsolete. In "Child of God Gives Back" each would offer and receive forgiveness. In "Child of God Gives Back" each would display the fruits of the spirit in every situation. In "Child of God Gives Back" they would know us by our love for one another.

Even in the words of some of those who were guests on American Idol, we can be encouraged be part of "Child of God Gives Back" See how fitting these words are ....???

"Help people out. It'll feel good." Adam Sandler

"Keep giving. Keep caring." Gloria Estevan

"Sometimes to help someone, we have to travel outside our comfort zones." Brad Pitt

"Get involved." Dr. Phil

"We can't just leave this up to our parents. We've got to get involved too!" Miley Cyrus

"It would mean so much to so many." Reese Witherspoon

"Give whatever you can." Tyra Banks

"Let's do it together." Forest Whitaker

What a mandate! I am so thankful for second chances! Lord, help us to slow down, hear your still, small voice and begin affecting the world around us.

Truth ...

2008-04-07T14:59:00.010-04:00

After reading part of Roxanne's blog last week and also being inspired by Rhonda's posting of simple, yet powerful, scripture, I have been thinking a lot about TRUTH.

From the time we are toddlers we are scolded, "Tell the truth". Yet, there are times when we know that if we tell the truth we will be punished and will have to face the consequences, so we don't. It is easier to deny the truth and escape the consequences.

As adults, we do the same thing, except it isn't about stealing a cookie or taking a toy from a sibling. Usually it has to do with relationships. If we simply deny the truth, we escape the consequences. But, this will only go on for so long before we lose the relationship or we face the truth and make things right. This applies to marriages, friendships, work relationships and even to ourselves.

We immobilize situations by refusing to face the truth. We deny that there are problems that are unsolved. We deny that there are feelings we haven't dealt with. We deny that we have made bad decisions. We deny that we have addictions. We deny that there are relationships that are not whole. We deny that marriage isn't everything we thought it was going to be. We deny the financial crisis we are in. While we live in denial, situations go from bad to worse.

I think of people sitting in counselling sessions time after time after time while the counsellor simply waits for the truth to be told or revealed. Until there is truth, even a professional counsellor's hands are tied.

I like to think of John 8:32 as "... you will know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free ..." (a bit out of context, I know). I really believe that knowing the One who IS Truth is imperative for facing truth in every other situation. I like to think though, that when we come to Jesus (Truth), spend time with Him and get to know Him, then we would see ...

"... that I'm precious, and I would know that I'm prized
I'd know Your love never changes
If I could look through your eyes.
If I saw my value to you
I'd see your love for me remains
Despite the foolish things I do
And I'd see your love for what it is
Unshakable and TRUE
If I saw my value to you." (written by Dan Cutrona, sung by my hubby yesterday morning at DSCF and recorded on his new album "Departures")

Oh, the incredible things that happen to us when we know the one who IS Truth ... we become FREE! Yes, Mona, we can trust Him because He cannot tell anything, but the Truth!

When we know the One who Is Truth, He can speak the truth to us. I remember one very confusing morning a few years ago when God revealed some truth to my husband and I. A ton of feeling came with the revelation and we really didn't even know what to do with it all. We went to our friends, Todd and Tammy who listened and then reminded us that, "The Lord reveals to heal". He speaks the truth to us to heal us!! I can't tell you how many times I have quoted that phrase to other people since that time.

When we know the One who IS Truth, we can begin to speak the truth about everything else in our lives. We are able to speak the truth about hurt and mistreatment and then forgive! We can speak the truth about unhappiness and dissatisfaction and then work towards a solution! We can speak truth about our financial situation, rework our budget and make better financial decisions. We can speak the truth about disappointments and failures and then trust God to help us become better people! It all begins, though, with telling the truth. Yes, there may be consequences ... we may have to admit that we aren't perfect (gasp!). We may have to struggle through some ugly feelings. We may have to step out of our comfort zones. We may even have to work very, very hard. The results, though, are so worth it ... we can be ... FREE!!

TRUTH = FREEDOM

Disclaimer: I am only speaking from my own experiences and want to encourage others towards freedom. In no way have I meant to shame anyone. If this post seems harsh, it wasn't meant to be.

Welcome My Sister, Charlene

2008-03-31T22:57:00.006-04:00

My sister has joined the world of blogging! She is ...

a wonderful mom to Alandria (almost 4)
a supportive wife
a pastor's wife in a tiny town in Iowa
very intelligent (Double Honours in English and Philosophy from McMaster University)
my little sister (even though she's just a hair shorter than 6 feet tall)
known for being sarcastic ... just a wee bit!!
a gifted artist ... painting, drawing and even decorating
one of the most frugal people I know! She knows how to get a deal on almost everything!

Visit Charlene at http://www.witandwishdom.blogspot.com/.

2008-03-31T09:14:00.003-04:00

Alpha Marriage Course

Desert Stream Christian Fellowship

March 30 - May 11, 2008

Your Chef ... Ted Shepherd

Your Sous-Chef ... Andrew Martin

Your Assistants ... Sharon Shepherd and Vicki Martin

Ted and Sharon are our wonderful friends and it is a joy to help them maintain the standard of excellence they have established cooking for this course. Last night was the first of eight nights. Don't let the spiffy outfits fool you ... we were having a blast!!

Enjoy!

2008-03-25T08:51:00.006-04:00

Found this today and it made me giggle ... thought you might enjoy it too!

The Bra (Cowboy Poetry)
By Bill Hirschi

You know, I've never been much for shopping,In fact I try to stay away from town -
Except when shipping time comes, I ain't easily found.

But the day came when I had to go, And I left the kids with Ma.
But before I left, she asked me,"Would you pick me up a bra?"

Without thinkin' I said "sure,", How tough could that job be?
I bent down and kissed her and said, "I'll be back by three."

Well, when I done the things I needed I started to regret
Ever offering to buy that thing, I was working up a sweat.

I crossed the street to the ladies shop, With my hat pulled over my eyes,
I wasn't takin' any chances, On bein' recognized.

I walked right up to the sales clerk, I didn't hem or haw.
I told the lady right straight out, "Ma'am, I'm here to buy a bra."

From behind I heard some snickers, So I turned around to see
At least fifteen women in the store, And they's all gawkin' at me!

"What kind would you be looking for?", "Well," I just scratched my head.
I'd only seen one kind before, "Thought bras was bras," I said.

She gives me a disgusted look, "Well sir, that's where you're wrong.
Come with me," I heard her say, And like a dog, I tagged along.

She took me down this alley, Where bras was on display.
Well I thought my jaw'd hit the floor, When I seen that lingerie.

They had all these different styles, That I'd not seen before -
I thought that I'd go crazy, 'fore I left that women's store.

They had bras you wear for eighteen hours, And bras that cross your heart.
There was bras that lift and separate, And that was just the start.

They had bras that made you feel, Like you weren't wearing one at all.
And bras that you can train in, When you start off when you're small.

Well, I finally made my mind up, Picked a black and lacy one.
I told the lady, "Bag it up," And figured I was done.

But then she asked me for the size. I didn't hesitate.
I knew them measurements by heart, "Six and seven eighths."

"Six and seven eighths, well sir, That really isn't right."
"Oh yes ma'am, I'm positive, I just measured them last night."

I thought that she'd go into shock, Musta took her by surprise.
When I told her that my wife's bust Was the same as my hat size.

"That's what I use to measure with, I figured it was fair;
But If I'm wrong I'm sorry ma'am." This drew another stare.

By now a crowd had gathered, And they's all crackin' up.
When the lady asked to see my hat, To measure for the cup.

When she finally had it figured I gave the gal her pay
I turned to leave the store, Tipped my hat and said, "Good day."

My wife heard the whole story, 'fore I ever made it home.
She'd talked to fifteen women, Who'd called her on the phone.

She was still a-laughin', But by then I didn't care.
Now she don't ask and I don't shop, For no more women's underwear.

2008-03-22T22:18:00.003-04:00

CD GIVEAWAY

2008-03-17T09:40:00.002-04:00

In the spirit of Spring Cleaning my husband (International Award Winning Artist, Andrew Martin) is giving away a few CDs!! We have found a box with some some of Andrew's Award Winning CDs in it that have not been in circulation for over 3 years and decided to offer them to you!

The rules are simple:

~Visit Andrew's blog ANDREW'S RAMBLINGS
www.martinmusicgroup.blogspot.com

~Have a look around and then leave a comment on the post called CD Giveaway

~Your name will be entered into a hat

~If you advertise the CD Giveaway on your blog or website, simply say so in your comment and get your name in the hat twice!

~Let your family and friends know so they have a chance to win as well

~The draw will be held on Sunday, March 30, 2008

I can't wait to see who wins!!

Here's hoping that Spring really IS on it's way!

2008-03-15T15:13:00.000-04:00

It Started with a Phone Call .... or .... Giving and Receiving

2008-03-15T11:25:00.001-04:00

Wednesday morning I got a phone call from my friend, Brandy. She was crying. She was sooo sick, her hubby had worked nights and was sound asleep, her baby, Abby, needed a diaper change and Brandy couldn't even lift her and she needed gingerale. I got to her place as soon as I could delivering gingerale, getting Abby cleaned up and fed and ready for an afternoon nap and waited until Jason had showered and was ready for the "afternoon shift". When Jason went back to work that evening I went and spent several hours with Brandy looking after Abby, tidying up, emptying the dishwasher and loading it, fluffing Brandy's pillows and tidying her bed, feeding supper to Abby, bathing her and getting her ready for bed. I left after Abby was tucked into bed and Brandy was ready for bed. I was glad to help ...

Over two years ago now, I spent 7 weeks in bed and I had friends who came and helped the entire time. Friends from church and my homeschooling group delivered meals for my family, offered to taxi my kids back and forth to events, and even brought one daughter a new swimsuit when they noticed hers was getting thin at swimming lessons. One friend from church delivered a whole box of movies for me to watch while I was laying in bed! Many friends came by or e-mailed that they were praying for me. So many researched and offered solutions to my health problems and many of them worked. One friend connected me to an Osteopath who was vital in my recovery.

So, when I had the opportunity to give back to a friend in need, I was glad to do it. What I didn't plan on was that the flu is the gift that KEEPS giving!! (Just for the record, this isn't the first time I've helped a friend in over 2 years, but it's current so I decided to blog about it!)

Andrew and I both invited folks to our house last night ... two different families who had never met each other. When I realized it and tried to get one to come a different night, it wasn't possible. So, they all arrived here for the afternoon and evening yesterday.

Problem was, I woke up in the morning knowing I was getting sick!! I wasn't sick enough to cancel ... until they were in the driveway and I was in the bathroom!! YIKES. Too late. Thankfully, I have wonderful friends who helped get supper ready and one husband even barbequed the burgers because by late afternoon, Andrew was also starting to feel sick.

By bedtime I was feeling a lot better, but my poor hubby was as sick as a dog. He was sick all night long and has been snoozing on the sofa all morning. He was supposed to sing at a funeral this morning, but had to cancel.

So, I've learned ... the flu is the gift that keeps on giving!!! My advice ... try not to get it!

PS. not for one minute do I regret helping a friend in need. It was a joy to do it and I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

Add a smile to your day: Stories about my nearly 4 year old niece, Alandria

2008-03-07T08:13:00.001-05:00

Earlier this week Alandria had the hiccups and she kept saying, "Excuse me, I have the cupcakes!"

My sister sent this story this morning ....

When I was putting Alandria to bed I began praying with her about God getting all the 'yuckies' out of our heart. When I was talking about God taking the 'yuckies' out of our hearts she said "like that blue thing what you use to get the yuckies out of my nose? that hurts me when you do that!" Of course, I went on and on about God taking them out, and Mommy can't do that, etc, etc. She said, "God is in my heart? With Jesus?" So, I asked her God's name . . . and she said "Jesus." Then she proceeded to tell me that there wasn't room in her heart for God. "Mommy, I don't have any room in my heart for God. I don't have any room in there. Well, maybe at the bottom of my tummy. No, there isn't any room in there. " So, I started to attempt to explain that God is actually in our heart . . . but I hardly got started and she sat up (she had been lying on the floor while i rubbed her back) and, "Mommy! Mommy! I have a great idea! God can go in my ear . . . where you clean it? He can go in there. He can go in there and slide down into my tummy!"

Writing

2008-02-27T11:43:00.000-05:00

In my daughter's grade 9 Literature course there was a statement that stuck out to me last week. In the study of Unity, the author was saying how it isn't hard to decide WHAT to write, but it is hard to decide what NOT to write. My thoughts exactly! I wonder if other people start a blog, save it and then decide to delete it as many times as I do?! Honesty lends itself to vulnerability, so I often decide not to publish some of my thoughts. I wonder if others will misunderstand what I'm saying. I wonder if some of the things God is teaching me are just for me and not for me to share. I wonder if I admit my weaknesses if others will remind me about them later. I wonder if maybe I should just stick to the facts rather than share feelings.

Maybe I'll just delete this instead of publishing it ... or maybe not!

Quick thought ...

2008-02-23T22:21:00.000-05:00

" ... hear from Him, apply what you've heard, and watch what happens." (Steve Shultz - ElijahList)

Wow ... there is so much TRUTH in those few words. Lord, help me to hear You, help me to apply what You've said and I can't wait to see what will happen!

Day of Blessings ...

2008-02-20T22:11:00.000-05:00

I began the day waking early and spending time snuggling in my warm bed praying for several friends who are going through difficult times. The morning proceeded as normal with breakfast, lots of schoolwork, house tidying etc. and a quick trip to town to pick up a few groceries.

Near the end of schooltime this afternoon I got a rare call from an old friend who now lives in Saskatchewan. We spent about an hour and a half chatting about her pregnancy, her kids, my kids, and mostly about all the incredible things God has been teaching each of us. We cried together, challenged each other and comforted one another. While I chatted, my hubby made a great pot of coffee and brought me a cup of it in my favourite red Starbucks mug. He also made sure the fire was stoked up and the family room was nice and warm and then left me to chat. What an absolute blessing to have such incredible friends!

For supper I made a recipe I haven't made for about 4 years. I even remembered what page (224) the recipe was on in my Betty Crocker cookbook! The Beef Stroganoff turned out soooo good! One of the best things was that I got the steak for the recipe for a great deal at the grocery store this morning ... I love getting a good deal!

After supper we headed to Belleville to attend a Belleville Bulls hockey game. We ran into an old friend last week and he is working in the Bulls' office and offered us free tickets to tonight's game. We had great seats and I was so impressed with the level of skill, the speed and even just the excitement in the building. Best of all, the Bulls won 4 -1!

On the way home, we were able to enjoy a lunar eclipse as it was happening. We got home just in time for MacKenzie to run in and get her telescope and some binoculars to witness even more of the eclipse. She and her dad came inside to get hats and mitts and even wrapped up in blankets and headed back outside in -12 C weather to watch God showing off!

God is sooooo good to me!

Family Day

2008-02-18T11:17:00.001-05:00

Today is officially a new holiday here in Ontario called Family Day. Because my hubby works from home and I homeschool both kids, pretty much every day is Family Day for us and I wouldn't change a thing! So, my girls chose to each invite a friend over after church yesterday until this afternoon. There is nothing quite like a housefull of giggling girls! (At least they all slept from about midnight until nearly 9am)!

"SLEEPY BEAUTIES!"

I decided I felt like cooking and baking, so after we got home yesterday I put on a nice pot of homemade beef stew and made a loaf of homemade bread. By the time everything was ready the house smelled sooo yummy and the show we wanted to watch was just about to start! While we watched TV I decided to make peanut butter cookies. I must admit, they were the best cookies I've ever made! This morning when all the girls were ready for breakfast, I sliced up some fruit and we ate it with homemade banana muffins still warm from the oven! Yum ....

So, in honour of Family Day I continued to do what I do best ... serve the ones I love ... my family!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2008-02-14T08:40:00.000-05:00

"For God so LoVed the world,
~~~~That He gAve~~~~~~~
~~~~~~His onLy ~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~BegottEn~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~SoN~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~ThaT whosoever~~
~~~~Believeth In Him~~~~~~
~~~~~Should Not perish,~~~~
~~~~But have Everlasting life."

John 3:16

Captivating ...

2008-02-02T20:14:00.000-05:00

About a year and a half ago I felt the Lord drawing me to the word "captivating". I knew that there was a book by this title and I asked a few friends if they owned it because I wanted to borrow it. A couple friends had read the book, but no one owned it. I looked for the book at the library, but they only had the workbook. Since I was having a difficult time finding the book, I figured I must have been wrong about being drawn to it. Within a couple days, I opened a magazine about Homeschooling and there was an article entitled "Captivating" ... it was exactly what I needed at that time.

Still, I have kept looking for the book Captivating and even had it in my hand at a couple stores and then decided against buying it. About 3 weeks ago I renewed my membership at the Belleville Public Library and was enjoying filling my bookbag with lots of stuff to read. I headed upstairs to the Non-fiction section to see what I could find and right in front of me on the "New Additions" shelf was the book Captivating!! I snatched it up and was looking forward to reading it. About 2 days later I had an e-mail inviting me to the second MomTime Book Club with Lisa Welchel. The book to read, study and discuss is ... you guessed it ... CAPTIVATING! I tried to participate in her first book club, but had a tough time trying to get computer time. Tomorrow, the day the second MomTime Book Club starts, our new computer is being delivered to our home and the old laptop with officially be ALL MINE!!!

I just LOVE how God handles ALL the details! I've been reading ahead and I am looking forward to sharing thoughts with lots of others. Wanna join us?

Snow Days!

2008-02-02T20:01:00.000-05:00

I captured a couple pics from my back deck of the weather this week. I am always intrigued by trees and often wish I had a camera with me. This week I remembered to take a few shots while at home.

Snow, snow and more snow! It was fun to be snowed in ... we rented movies and relaxed by the woodstove. No complaints from me!

Ravin' About One of My Faves!

2008-01-30T16:58:00.000-05:00

Over the last few months I have been introduced to and enjoyed some excellent books and movies. It's my turn to recommend one of them to you!

I asked for the book Mosaic (by Amy Grant) for Christmas and was thrilled when my hubby bought it for me. I wouldn't say I've been a big fan of hers over the years, but I have enjoyed different aspects of her career. I thought the book was an autobiography and was looking forward to delving in. I was wrong. This book is several beautiful glimpses into the very public, as well as the very private, life of Amy Grant. It is neither chronological nor complete. Each "section" is a new thought, a story about part of her life, lyrics to songs, poems, truths shared from lessons learned, encouragement shared from personal growth and joy shared from friendships. Each page points to the Father's continual love and guidance. One of my favourite lines from the book was, "Nothing is wasted in life. Grief and pain enlarge our capacity for compassion and perseverance." Amy Grant

After my recommendation, two of my friends, Rhonda and Brandy, already have their own copies and the list of people wanting to borrow my copy of Mosaic is growing. Get ready to curl up and savour this book. You'll want to read it a bit at a time and then take time to reflect on your own life. Enjoy!

Check it out!

2008-01-21T08:29:00.001-05:00

My wonderful hubby joined the world of blogging a few months ago and I wanted to honour him by inviting you all to see what he's writing about. Anyone who really knows Andrew (see his post "December 20"), knows that he is a very deep thinker. Where most of us are afraid to think deeply and really analyze the deep parts of our hearts, Andrew accepts this as a challenge! Honestly, he never stops thinking! In every circumstance, everywhere we are, everyone we meet, he sees beyond the surface ... incredible insight ... and he is bold to share what he thinks and sees (and does his best to be gentle about it).

Stop by for a visit. Bookmark his blog and come back often ...

www.martinmusicgroup.blogspot.com

Get thinking ....

Vicki

Surprise!!

2008-01-19T16:45:00.000-05:00

My hubby has been in the studio in PEI since last week and we were expecting him home later this evening. He (and our friend, Mark) drove all night to get home yesterday for noon ... they arrived home a day and a half early!! Yippee!
Since my girls and I thought that we would be home alone last night we had a "Movie and Foot Spa" night planned. So, Andrew relaxed with the rest of us watching Bridge to Teribithia while getting our feet soaked, scrubbed and massaged. We let him skip the nail polish step!!

Kids say the Funniest things!

2008-01-14T09:18:00.001-05:00

I have written about my niece, Alandria, in previous posts. This is a recent pic of her (3 1/2 years) with her dog, Pheobe.

Her mom, my sister reads to her each night as she is falling asleep. A couple months ago, after my sister had read to her The Ten Commandments, Alandria sat right up, looked at her mom and asked her, "Mommy, what is A DOLL TREE?"

This was the e-mail from my sister this morning ...

I was just putting Alandria to bed and we were reading the last 'Psalm' in her kids' Bible. I told her, "Alandria, this is the last poem we are going to read. Tomorrow night we will be reading stories again." She said, "The poem that Dabid wrote?" (I have been telling her that David wrote these poems we were reading every night). I told her yes. Then, realizing she probably hadn't made the connection, I said "Alandria, remember David that looks after the sheep? Remember 'Only a boy named David?' Remember David that killed the giant Goliath? Well, that is the same David that wrote these poems!" She looked at the book, then at me. She said "You mean the Dabid in my mobie? Dabid that is in my book? The Dabid that is in my mobie?! Maybe he wrote them when he was in the book. Maybe he pop out of the mobie and wrote them. Yep. He popped out of the mobie to write the poems. "

I hope that makes you smile! Maybe even laugh! A reliable source (Kyler, the son of our friends Mark and Patti) told me last night that laughing helps you lose weight!! Ha ha, ha ha, ha ha ....

Who God Wants Me To Be

2007-11-29T18:50:00.000-05:00

Lately I've been thinking about this statement, "I am on a journey to discover who it is God wants me to be."

Last year I stood by and supported my girls while they worked hard to learn the world of modeling and to be models. I stood by proud as I watched them win awards, be recognized for their inner and outer beauty and even accomplish getting modeling contracts.

This year I have stood by and supported my hubby as he has had the opportunity to work together with some incredibly talented people to collaborate on a album that is a dream come true for him. I've seen him work hard, learn new techniques, and then be able to sit back listen to the beginning stages of an incredible album that God has ordained to take us to places we've never been before.

But ... what about me? Do I get a turn? I have LOVED every minute of seeing my very most favourite people in the world see their dreams come true ... but still .....

Some of my dearest friends know that it has been a desire of my heart to join with other believers in a small group setting to study and learn together and pray together. When our girls were babies the group we were traveling with got the band together often for these times and kept promising that the mom's of the group would have the same opportunity while the dad's watched the kids. It never happened. About 2 years ago a friend invited a few of us to her home and we were able to bond, begin learning from each other, study the Word and pray for each other on a fairly consistent basis. Unfortunately, this time ended. I decided that with my schedule, the best way to join a small group would be an online group. I found one, bought the book, got my user name and password and began reading. Unfortunately I travel with a hubby who runs his business off this laptop, with one daughter who is taking an online course on this laptop and another daughter who keeps her "social life" running with this laptop. I'm last to get to use the computer. I've only been involved with my book club a couple of times. One more disappointment.

But ... my Father knew what I needed all along! The last week and a half have been spent at the beautiful Shell Lane Studio in Kensington, PEI where we are surrounded with nothing but water, red sand and incredibly talented people. Just the setting is enough to make you relax and take time to reflect. I was in charge of keeping the meals on the table, the house tidy and the kids moving forward with their schoolwork. One morning, while drinking coffee in the comfy country kitchen, God began to speak to me through Dan (our producer and good friend). I can honestly tell you that more was accomplished in those couple of hours than years of small group could have accomplished. The difference was in the timing and the attitude. Bottom line ... I do know who God wants me to be ... and I am already everything He wants me to be! I am a spiritual being with the purpose of intersecting with human experiences. So simple, so deep, so completely life-changing. Everything I do, every encounter I have is by Divine Purpose. I AM everything HE wants me to be!! I am already accomplishing His purpose for my life ... simply by living my life as a spiritual being and having human experiences.

I'm not sure if that speaks to you or even if you understand it, but for me it has been life-changing!

Fortunately/Unfortunately ...

2007-11-28T20:47:00.000-05:00

I distinctly remember being in grade 2, sitting in a circle with my classmates, with my teacher reading a book to us to teach us the meaning of the words "Fortunately" and "Unfortunately". It was something about a man who ... "Fortunately got to take a ride in a hot air balloon. Unfortunately the balloon failed and began falling. Fortunately it landed on something soft". You get the idea!

Well ... the last couple of weeks have gone something like that! Fortunately we planned a great fundraiser at our home church to raise the money to finish the new album my hubby is working on. We had some great things planned for the concert. Unfortunately on the morning before the concert, the company we were getting the snow machine from called to say the snow machine wasn't working. Fortunately we were able to locate another one on the morning of the concert. It was on a truck travelling on the 401 and had already passed Belleville, but fortunately the driver agreed to pull off and drive back to Belleville to drop the machine off! Fortunately we had some great help getting the concert to run smoothly. Jeff and Carolann McCann have joined our team and they were instrumental in getting out the advertising, securing the snowmachine, helping serve coffee and cheesecake prior to the concert and making sure the concert was LIVE via the internet. Fortunately all aspects of the concert seemed to run smoothly. Unfortunately we came in quite a bit shorter financially than we had hoped.

Fortunately we had a completely uneventful drive to Charlottetown over the next couple of days. Fortunately the guitar player, Tom Vitacco from Chicago (worship pastor at Willowcreek) arrived just fine as well. Unfortunately the plane our producer, Dan Cutrona, took from Toronto was delayed by two hours.

Fortunately Tom spent the next two days laying down all the guitar parts to the drum and bass tracks Andrew and Dan had recorded in Toronto the previous week. Fortunately they sounded amazing! Unfortunately while Tom was flying home on Wednesday morning we discovered that somehow the hard drive would not transfer the guitar files! Unfortunately we spent the next two days trying to figure out what was wrong. We finally gave up! Fortunately Tom agreed to record the tracks in the Willowcreek studio and send them to us as soon as possible. Fortunately Andrew was able to add his vocals to the tracks over the next several days without any trouble.

We packed up and were ready to leave mid-afternoon on Monday, but decided to listen to what we had accomplished in 8 days first. The van was completely packed, the kids were ready to go and yet here we all sat in the studio listening to this incredible production! Words that come to mind are "stellar", "sensational" and "brilliant". We were all moved to tears. When we had finished listening, I honestly felt like I had been to the best concert in my life! Fortunately, you too will be able to enjoy this production in the spring of 2008! Andrew along with Dan Cutrona and Paul Milner are a winning team! I'm sure the Father was grinning from ear to ear!

Fortunately we live in the beautiful country of Canada. Unfortunately, if you are travelling in Canada in November you can expect to experience all kinds of weather within a 24 hour period. And we did!!! On the drive home we experienced dark clouds, sunny skies, heavy rain, fog, freezing rain and lots of snow! Fortunately we arrived home to our sparkling Christmas lights (see previous post!) without any trouble ... tired, but with a sense that we had accomplished what God had set before us to do.

Countdown 'til Christmas

2007-11-02T18:35:00.000-04:00

Just the other day, in the middle of a busy homeschooling morning, Savannah took a break and left the schoolroom. I heard her pause outside the door, gasp and then whisper, "Does Mom know?" At that moment I knew my Christmas-loving hubby had started the decorating for Christmas! My hubby has always LOVED Christmas and so I always let him do every bit of the decorating. This year, since our schedule is so hectic, he decided to decorate early so that whenever we ARE home, we can enjoy the season! By evening on OCTOBER 22 our entire house was completely sparkling waiting for Christmas to arrive! What a joy it is to come home after a concert and/or a long drive to a beautifully decoarted home!

ps. Just for the record, he also disassembles all the Christmas stuff!!

Where did Summer go?

2007-09-14T06:32:00.000-04:00

Wow! I can't believe how fast summer came and went! It's true that "time flies when you're having fun!"

In July, we flew to Alberta and took part in a couple really fabulous events. The Canadian Gospel Music Celebration happens every year in Red Deer, AB and it is always a joy to get together with so many other people who do exactly what we do. We connected with some old friends, made some new friends, and poured into the lives of some friends who have been hurting.

The next weekend we had the opportunity to be at the Sandy Creek Gospel Jamboree and what a pleasure that was! Again ... new friends, old friends and the opportunity to watch my hubby in action. This event was outside and it was about 37 C the entire weekend! All the "performers" stayed at Briercrest College, which are great accomodations, except they are not air-conditioned! We managed to get a little fan for our room that sounded like a Cessna plane getting ready to take off. Don't ask the Beene family why they had one less fan in their room and we had one extra!

Of course, we also did concerts in several churches as well. It is always a thrill to sit back and watch my hubby take people on a journey. He really can make people laugh, make them cry and he is always sensitive to God's leading and is able to say the right thing at the right time to make a difference in somone's life. What a joy! He has also added some new songs to his repetoire this summer and people are LOVING them!

Back at home, we took a couple days of "family" vacation. We drove to Niagara Falls and met my hubby's parents and his sister and her hubby and kids. On the way there I chuckled to myself as I looked around our car ... Andrew was listening to a podcast on his new iPod, Savannah was watching a movie on her portable DVD player, MacKenzie was listening to her MP3 player while playing her Gameboy and I was reading a book. Interesting way to take a "family" vacation, but at least we were all in the same place! We enjoyed a couple days of swimming, campfires, shopping and a bit of sightseeing.

The last few weeks we've been home getting our office in order after having both computers crash!! uuggh! Andrew has been busy on the phone and making arrangements for our fall tour dates. We're got some great new additions to our team, some great new opportunities and some great new ideas! It's been exciting to watch as God has put this all together and it will continue to be exciting to watch where He's going to take us with it all!

The girls and I have been concentrating on schoolwork and I have to admit that I LOVE it when our house has a smooth running routine. Both girls are diligent workers and I really do love spending time with them. I'm so thankful that God put it in our heart to homeschool and then gave us the abilities, tools and schedule to do so.

Just a bit of an update .....

Winnipeg

2007-06-30T23:25:00.000-04:00

These are some pics of my family together in Winnipeg ....

Our travels recently have taken us to Northern Ontario and to Winnipeg. The reason for the trip was a bit of business, a bit of ministry and a bit of spending time with family.

My mom and dad drove up from Iowa and brought my sister and her little girl. Them coming to Winnipeg was especially poignant because Andrew and I were on tour in Winnipeg on the night my mom called to say my sister had been rushed into the hospital for an emergency C-section ... at only 24 weeks pregnant. Alandria Grace was born weighing only 2lb 4oz. I was able to visit her once she came home from the hospital nearly 3 months later. I have seen her a few times since then and my sister has been faithful to e-mail pics nearly every week and even a few videos, but Alandria has always been too young to really remember me or know who I was. Not anymore!!

Alandria is now a beautiful blond, blue-eyed, feisty 3 year old. Despite being born so early, she has no physical or mental limitations at all! She talks just about as fast as her mother and has a stubborn personality, ALMOST as strong as her mother's!! We enjoyed a few short days together going to church, playing in the park, playing in McDonald's Playland, reading books, playing with Polly Pockets, visiting the Manitoba Children's Museum and the Assiniboine Park Zoo. What wonderful memories that I am sure she will remember as well!

My Mother's Day Gift

2007-06-25T23:19:00.000-04:00

So, my 13 year old daughter saved her money and bought me the most wonderful gift for Mother's Day ... a trip to my friend Tammy's Spa for a facial! Now, Tammy and I could talk for hours about absolutely nothing, but when she started the facial, I was so relaxed that my brain seemed to turn off! There was no need for words! I came out feeling wonderful and my skin even looked much better! Wow ... I highly recommend that you indulge yourself or at least you'll know what to ask for when Mother's Day rolls around again!

2007-05-16T12:23:00.000-04:00

Canadian Model and Talent Convention

2007-05-10T09:52:00.000-04:00

After 6 months of planning, my hubby and I had the opportunity to go with our daughters to the Canadian Model and Talent Convention (CMTC) in Toronto. This is a 4 day convention where 250 of Canada's top models and actors/actresses (and their parents) come to learn, compete and meet with over 50 of the world's top agents. Our girls each competed in a few competitions and Savannah even took home First Runner up in Runway and First Runner up in Photograph! MacKenzie's age group (12 - 15) was huge and the competition was very stiff. We attended every seminar possible and met many wonderful, wonderful people!

At the end of the 4 days, 8 agents asked to meet with MacKenzie and 13 asked to meet with Savannah!! Lots and lots of girls were leaving in tears because no agents had asked to meet with them, so we felt very, very honoured. Some of the agents want to have indepth interviews with the girls right away and spoke of possible print jobs and some acting ones for Savannah. Other agents just wanted to say that one or both of the girls were beautiful and they were looking forward to watching them grow and working with them in the future. We will have an interview next week with our local agency, Mode Elle, and get direction about which opportunities to pursue.

We had decided that just attending the convention, learning all we could and competing to the best of their ability would be enough. Getting 21 call-backs between the two of them at the end was certainly the icing on the cake!

Several things about this process have amazed me ...

*God provided every single cent we needed to go to this event! The details about how the money came in, the exact amount and at exactly the right moment could only be accomplished by God Himself!
*There are so many very normal, but wonderful people that are part of the modeling industry.
*How my girls were so very content to be themselves and did not feel pressure to wear what the others were wearing or look like some of the other girls.
*How my girls came running to me after each competition with smiles and hugs to let me know how it went when I didn't see any other kids hugging their parents. (we must be doing something right!)
*How many people knew us by name! Every day there were two or three families or agents that approached us and called us by name. I think that's Favour!
*How excited the agents were to find out the girls were homeschooled!
*How exhausting sitting in seminars and waiting in lines can be!

From the moment we began this process we have asked the Lord to open the right doors, close the wrong ones and to give us wisdom. He's been Faithful to do just that and we will continue to be sensitive to His leading.

Home ...

2007-04-29T23:11:00.000-04:00

I'm thankful that the Lord has CALLED us to do what we do. I can't imagine trying to do it without His strength, guidance and provision!

*7 days away from home
*7 nights in motels
*sharing a motel room with the 3 people that I love more than anyone else in the world, but still, that's 3 more people than me in one small room!
*setting up, sound checking, "performing" (see a previous post!), and tearing down gear 6 times
*listening in awe as my sweet hubby expelled every ounce of energy each night to give folks an unforgettable concert. His voice still makes the hair on my arms stand up!
*sharing our testimony over and over, watching hope spark in people where there hadn't been any hope for a long, long time
*listening to heartwrenching stories of heart ache, disappointent and, of course, mental illness
*driving hundreds of kilometers and seeing thousands of acres completely flooded and knowing how devasted the farmers must be
*encouraging a hotel clerk who had been married to a youth pastor who abused her
*encouraging the grandma beside me on the plane who seemed frightened by every bump ... her hubby of 52 years had recently passed away and she was learning to live life alone
*encouraging the young dad beside me on another flight who woke up in the morning in Calgary and decided to move to Toronto that very day to be close to his little girl. He was so disraught about his decision. He was from a broken home and was fighting hard not disappoint his mom or dad and at the same time be a father himself
*doing laundry in a filthy little laundryroom in a tiny motel in the middle of nowhere (the INSIDES of the machines were clean!)
*dragging bags of groceries from motel to motel in an attempt to eat a bit healthier and save the expense of restaurants

We also did get to connect with my cousin and her sweet family over a meal. We reconnected with some awsome fans. We had a picnic in a hotel room with some old friends. We got to share the stage with one of our all time favourite groups ... Double Portion! We got to spend some time with our dear friends, Dr. Richard and Elaine Horner, who drove in from Edmonton to be with us.

We flew from Saskatoon to Calgary yesterday afternoon before catching our connection to Toronto (I know that route doesn't make sense, but try and tell that to WestJet!). In Calgary airport they have a Chili's, one of our all-time favourite restaurants, so we sat back, relaxed and enjoyed a delicious meal. We were wandering around, doing a bit of shopping afterwards when MacKenzie came running out of a shop saying they had just called our names over the loud speaker. I walked calmly to the gate wondering if they were going to upgrade us or something. The desk clerk picked up the phone and started yelling, "Cancel baggage removal ... they're here!" She asked me for our boarding passes. I gave them to her and reminded her that we had another hour before we flew. Oh no we didn't! There is NOT an hour time difference. The plane was loaded and they were waiting for us! In fact, they were just getting ready to remove our bags from the plane because we hadn't shown up! We nearly missed that flight!

We arrived in Toronto at midnight, got our bags (yes, they were all there), jumped in our van and headed home. We pulled into our driveway at 3:00am ... tired, but with a sense that we had accomplished what God had sent us to do. We are blessed indeed!

Adventure to SK

2007-04-24T10:37:00.000-04:00

Just a quick overview of how our quick tour to SK is going.

-we left for the airport a tiny bit late and 10 minutes down the highway, the traffic was STOPPED. There was a huge accident and they were rerouting all the highway traffic. Thankfully my hubby knows the back roads and so we were able to make up some time on them.

-In the middle of Toronto, in bumper to bumper 140 km/hour traffic, a man decided to run across 16 lanes of traffic. We were in the 8th lane across and he ran in front of the car in front of us. We all jammed on our brakes, but thankfully we were fine. Unfortunately sirens started screaming right afterwards, so I think his venture across the Westbound lanes was not so successful.

-We got to the airport 50 minutes before our flight, so were anxious, but everything seemed to go fine.

-After checking in, we noticed our boarding passes weren't right. I didn't have the seat the my hubby had paid extra money and spent a bunch of time on the phone to get.

-After boarding, the lady who had my desired seat, realized I wasn't with my family and offered to change seats with me! Yahoo. Great flight, nice movie.

-Got into Saskatoon and went to pick up our rental van. They wouldn't accept our 25% coupon because it was issued in another province even though we had called ahead to check.

-Went to baggage claim and got our lugguage ... all but our gear box arrived safely. After much frustration with Air Canada Baggage Claim, we left without our box. They assured us it would be in Prince Albert by the morning. It wasn't. It didn't arrived until 4pm and our concert started at 6:30pm!

-Everything else has been wonderful! The people, the pastors, the concerts ... incredible! Looking forward to what God has in store for the rest of the week!

Thank you Lord for Freedom!

2007-04-20T10:51:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Teena's hubby for the reminder!

Listen to "Ordinary Miracle"

2007-04-15T17:37:00.000-04:00

Amazing ....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMqn0pdCNRM

Ordinary Miracle

2007-04-15T08:28:00.000-04:00

This week the girls and I had a movie day while dad was away on business ... just us girls, take out pizza and a couple movies we've been wanting to see. One was "Charlotte's Web". My mom had read the book to my girls once when she was visiting, but we hadn't seen the movie. When the movie ended with Sarah MacLachlan singing "Ordinary Miracle" I was so drawn in! Time stopped and the hair stood up on my arms as I listened to the beautiful words.

Lord, open our eyes to see all the "Ordinary Miracles" you've provided for us.

Sarah McLachlan Ordinary Miracle

It’s not that unusual
When everything is beautiful
It’s just another ordinary miracle today
The sky knows when its time to snow
Don’t need to teach a seed to grow
It’s just another ordinary miracle today

Life is like a gift they say
Wrapped up for you everyday
Open up and find a way
To give some of your own
Isn’t it remarkable?
Like every time a rain drop falls
It’s just another ordinary miracle today

Birds and winter have their fling
But always make it home by spring
It’s just another ordinary miracle today
When you wake up everyday
Please don’t throw your dreams away
Hold them close to your heart
Cause we’re all a part
Of the ordinary miracle
Ordinary miracle

Do you want to see a miracle?
It seems so exceptional
That things just work out after all
It’s just another ordinary miracle today
Sun comes up and shines so bright
And disappears again at night
It’s just another ordinary miracle
It’s just another ordinary miracle today

How to weigh yourself ...

2007-04-11T10:02:00.000-04:00

I'm glad I found this out! I can't believe we've been doing it wrong all these years! We've got to get the word out!

HE IS RISEN!

2007-04-07T20:13:00.000-04:00

How can two kids be so different?

2007-04-06T09:10:00.000-04:00

Anyone who has been a parent for any length of time knows how incredible it is that kids can be so different. We have two beautiful children who have the same mother and father, same geneology, same home setting, even same schooling and yet, they are soooo different.

A friend was playing in hockey finals this last week and the reaction when the game was tied was hilarious!

MacKenzie ... "Well, that's nice. Then they BOTH won!"

Savannah ... "Kyler's team should have won. He should NOT have been given the 3 minute penalty for only standing up for himself! If he hadn't had that penalty, THEY WOULD HAVE WON!"

I suppose it's the same with our Heavenly Father ... he's done the same miraculous things for all of us, provided a way of salvation for all of us and yet we all react in such different ways! I wonder if He chuckles at it sometimes?

Testimony Recorded

2007-04-05T19:33:00.000-04:00

While we've been able to travel and share Andrew's testimony from coast to coast, it has always been a dream of ours to have the testimony recorded so that it can go where we cannot. This past Sunday saw that dream become a reality. The power of God was so strong and following the testimony we had the opportunity to pray with several folks!

Andrew has the most phenomenal friends on his worship team and they all were so supportive. It really gave him strength to be honest in front of our home church.

We had a chance to listen to the first copy today and it was just as powerful today as it was on Sunday morning! I'm always amazed at how the anointing can be transferred via CD!! How does God do that??

I'm just believing that so many people are going to be encouraged, given hope and SET FREE from this!

Spring is in the Air!

2007-03-27T22:01:00.000-04:00

Today we enjoyed the first day that it actually felt like spring ... there's even that special smell in the air! The kids rode bikes all afternoon, we opened all the windows and aired out the house, we BBQ'd for supper and, of course, the first chance I had, I threw a load of laundry in so I could hang it on the line! That has to be my favourite thing in the world ... hanging laundry out and seeing others do the same. I have no idea why, but it just feels good!!

Here's a poem sent to me by a friend last year. I love it!

A clothesline was a news forecast

To neighbors passing by.

There were no secrets you could keep

When clothes were hung to dry.

It also was a friendly link

For neighbors always knew

If company had stopped on by

To spend a night or two.

For then you'd see the fancy sheets

And towels on the line;

You'd see the company table clothes

With intricate design.

The line announced a baby's birth

To folks who lived inside

As brand new infant clothes were hung

So carefully with pride.

The ages of the children could

So readily be known

By watching how the sizes changed

You'd know how much they'd grown.

It also told when illness struck,

As extra sheets were hung;

Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe, too,

Haphazardly were strung.

It said, "Gone on vacation now"

When lines hung limp and bare.

It told, "We're back!" when full lines sagged

With not an inch to spare.

New folks in town were scorned upon

If wash was dingy gray,

As neighbors raised their brows,

And looked disgustedly away.

But clotheslines now are of the past

For dryers make work less.

Now what goes on inside a home

Is anybody's guess.

I really miss that way of life.

It was a friendly sign

When neighbors knew each other best

By what hung on the line!

An Alien on our Roof

2007-03-24T21:48:00.000-04:00

If you are driving anywhere near our home, you might think there is an alien on our roof! It's a funny looking silver thing that appears to be hugging our old TV antenna. If this is an "alien", then I've suddenly taken quite a liking to these intruders! This one in particular
allows me to access my e-mail in an instant, download a video of my niece in Iowa in about 10 seconds, and help my kids do research for their schoolwork. It also allows my hubby to connect with his ministry team, download new songs, and send posters for upcoming concerts in an instant. Oh, this alien is the most beautiful of all creatures! It's actually a receiver for our wireless internet! This little creature delivers 799 kilobytes per second onto our computer. Oh, if I could, I'd hug that little creature!

Savannah has a Beautiful Brain!

2007-03-17T12:13:00.000-04:00

Savannah was invited to go with her good friend, Brittany, to participate in a study being done at our local university. Their involvement included showing up, laying in an MRI machine for about 75 minutes, watching cartoons, following some lights with their eyes and GETTING PAID FOR IT! They each came home with $50 and a CD ROM with nearly 200 images of their brain! What is so amazing is that we had just finished a whole Science unit about the brain! I love the way God orchestrates the paths of our life!

At the end, when Savannah was handed the money, she was happy to inform them that she would be available any time they needed her!

Well said ...

2007-03-10T08:31:00.000-05:00

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, giftedness, or skill. It will make or break a company . . . a church . . . a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past . . . we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude . . . I am convinced that life is 10%what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you . . . we are in charge of our Attitudes.”

Charles Swindoll

First Fashion Show

2007-03-08T12:05:00.000-05:00

So, last weekend both our girls were in their first fashion show! I thought preparing, setting up and doing a concert was a lot of work, but a fashion show is an unbelievable amount of work! Thankfully there is a whole team of people working together to make it happen.

MacKenzie and Savannah had to be at the mall early to get hair done, then it was off to make-up, grab a bite to eat and be ready for the runway by mid-afternoon. The show was complete with lights, dry ice (smoke machine), loud music and a huge audience! Both girls did fabulous ... knew their cues, held their heads high, walked with confidence. We were the proud parents in the front row with the video camera!

I am confident that the "X factor" that people see in the girls is actually the light of Jesus shining through them!

Performance or Ministry

2007-02-28T09:20:00.000-05:00

My hubby's thoughts ...

"When Savannah our youngest daughter was 6 she did something that I will never forget. She went out one summer day and got a couple of my speaker stands, cables, microphone and a couple of empty boxes. She put the empty boxes on the top of the speaker stands, hooked up the cords to them and set up her microphone. She placed some chairs on the ground because she was set up on the deck. She plugged in her CD player and put on some music (can't remember who) and then invited me and my wife to come enjoy the show. For the next few songs we sat outside in the summer heat and watched Savannah (cowboy hat and all) sing and dance all over our deck. The joy that I felt as a father as I watched my child perform for me was outstanding! Now others who may have walked by or drove by on the street may have laughed or thought that it was so amatuer and immature, but to me, I was lost in her performance (show). In fact to this day I still have pictures in my scrapbook right next to pictures of different friends of mine from the Gaither Gospel Series and awards and such to remind me of that day. The funny thing is, the picture of Savannah means more to me than all of the awards and the so called fame that I have received so far. The reason why is because she loved me so much that she performed or put on a show for me. In my concerts I take people on a musical journey, but I perform for only one and that is my Heavenly Father. I think that He has a picture in His scrapbook of all of us from concerts and it is there because He knows just how much we all love Him."

Smarts

2007-02-26T09:31:00.000-05:00

A lot of people seem to think that intelligence is a score you get from taking tests at school. However, tests only cover little bits of your vast and complex nervous system.

Some people are quick learners. Others have great memories. Some are real good at getting answers to math problems - so long as they're not geometry.

Some people are socially smart. They can wrap anybody around their little finger, while other people are always stepping on somebody's toes.

Some people have perfect pitch. There are the mechanical geniuses who can fix anything with a screwdriver and some bubble gum.

Some people write wonderfully creative stories, and still flunk English because they have bad memories when it comes to remembering spelling and commas.

Some people have extraordinary coordination and can perform fantastic gymnastic feats. There are some who have a hard time learning to type.

Some people have great intuition, or a foolproof sense of direction, or unbreakable concentration.

The next time they pass out tests at school, ignore that sinking feeling in your stomach. Remember, you are getting tested on certain abilities - but there are a whole lot of ways to be smart.

Taken from: Blood and Guts by Linda Allison

Friends ...

2007-02-17T08:39:00.000-05:00

I am so blessed to be surrounded by friendship! I'm not talking about the kind of friends who ask how you are, but really don't want to know. No! I'm talking about the friends who say, "I know something's wrong so let's talk!" I'm talking about friends who we can share absolutely anything with and know that they really do want to know.

Our family has friends who have stuck by us in the best of times and the worst of times and have never ever failed to rejoice with us or to sympathize with us. We've walked along beside them and wept or triumphed with them as well. I really doubt that most people in life ever are blessed with this deep of friendship ... the "drop everything to be there" kind, the "rescuing" kind, the "here's my shoulder ... go ahead and cry kind", the "I know you're facing something that scares you to death ... let me walk beside you" kind, the "don't worry about anything ... I've got it under control for you ... you just get better" kind. Ahhh ... we are blessed!!

We also have friends whom we've know for a little while ... maybe a couple years who have the same wacky sense of humour as we've got! People from coast to coast who we get together with and it feels like no time has passed since we were last together! We've created so many memories with so many incredible people ... usually over food!

And then there are friends that we've only met, even this week, whom we feel like we've known forever!

I celebrate you ... all my friends!

" A friend is one to whom one may pour out all the contents of one's heart, chaff and grain together, knowing that the gentlest of hands will take and sift it, keep what is worth keeping and with a breath of kindness blow the rest away."- Arabian Proverb

Ahhh ... we're Canadians!

2007-02-05T08:37:00.000-05:00

This weekend we have had the most winter weather I remember in a long, long time! It snowed and snowed and snowed!! And then it blew and blew and blew! Now it is very, very cold. I decided it was a good time to stay indoors and read a good book, however my family disagreed with me.

We bundled up in the warmest coats, snow pants, mittens, hats, scarves and boots we could find, picked up a couple of the girls' friends on the way and headed over to the local golf course for an afternoon of tobogganing. We were freezing cold, but the laughter was contagious! There's nothing like kids with rosy cheeks laughing their heads off! What a memory we created! We only decided to leave when it was snowing so hard that we couldn't see the kids at the bottom of the hill while we stood at the top!!

Then we headed home to shovel out our driveway ... again! Ah, yes, we are Canadians!

A thought for today ...

2007-01-25T08:28:00.000-05:00

The last few days I can't get out of my mind how we, as "church-goers", are quick to fight against "issues" (homosexuality, abortion, divorce), but we have forgotten that it is our mandate to LOVE! We have no idea who may be struggling with this in their lives, past or present, and our first and foremost mandate is to LOVE them. Just a little food for thought.

John 13:34 and 35 ..."A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (NIV)

More exciting news for my husband ...

2007-01-24T08:21:00.000-05:00

Artist Hits #90 on US Charts (Powersource Magazine)
Press Release
.....

"Candle In The Window"
from Andrew Martin's Christmas CD "The Gift Of Love" has hit #90 on the US National Charts. This is an amazing feat for an independent Artist!
"Congratulations!" From MSB Agency

Mark Shaw
email: mark@msbagency.com
phone: 613-572-2041

MSB Agency

Exciting news for my husband!

2007-01-14T08:11:00.000-05:00

CMC Distribution To Release “First Stage” Project ...

This March CMC Distribution (Canada’s largest distributor of Christian music) will be releasing a compilation of Canadian Southern Gospel and Country Music to be called “First Stage”. The project, set to release March 6th, 2007 will feature 15 songs from artists from across Canada. The roster of featured performers will include multiple (GMA Canada) Covenant Awards winners like The Torchmen Quartet, Marlene O’Neill, Andrew Martin, The Master’s Four and Canada’s Double Portion. The project will also include tracks from The Young Street Vocal Band, Freedom, High Valley and Sweet Presence. Executive Producer Martin Smith describes the project as an introduction to the great wealth of Canadian Southern Gospel and Country Music. “Our hope is that through First Stage retailers, music fans, the media and concert goers will discover the diversity and strength of Canadian music. We believe that the album will be a great introduction to the abundant talent to be found in Canada”, says Smith. The album will feature both original songs and songs made famous by artists like Rascal Flatts, The Isaacs, Josh Turner and Gerald Wolfe. For a retail store near you visit www.cmcstorefinder.com

We are excited that Andrew's song, "BRAND NEW START" will be included on this album! Be watching for it in your local Christian bookstores!

My mom and dad

2007-01-05T07:59:00.000-05:00

My dad and mom, Rev. Charles and Janice Rutter, live in a small town in Iowa and pastor a thriving church. My dad is an excellent leader and anointed preacher. My mom is his "right-hand man" at home and at church. She also works part-time at home teaching piano lessons as well as at a facility for mentally challenged people. This May they will celebrate their 40th Wedding Anniversary! They were able to come and spend 8 days with us at Christmas and it was just wonderful!

The Year in Review .... for our family!

2006-12-02T09:25:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe that 2006 is on the verge of being over!

Our family began the year with me convalescing after spending 7 weeks on bedrest and a mirage of medications because of two protruding discs at the bottom of my back. Just before Christmas the orthopedic surgeon informed me that because I had followed every instruction given to me (and because the Lord touched me!!) I would not need back surgery! It was still several months before I felt completely well, but have been 100% free from pain since the spring! I never, never want to have to go through something like that again!

Once I was feeling up to it, our family began to do some traveling and ministering again. In May we did something new ... we packed up some sound equipment and FLEW to beautiful British Columbia to do some concerts. What a time! God's favour just completely surrounded us the entire time! We did 7 concerts in two weeks, visited several friends and some relatives, and covered about 2600 km in our rental vehicle! We then flew to Winnipeg, Manitoba where our good friend, Mark Shaw, met us with our tour bus. He had driven the bus from Ontario, then handed it over to us and flew home. We spent the next five weeks traveling Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta in our bus doing concerts. We also had the opportunity to spend some time with some friends and relatives on that part of the journey as well ... making good memories! The highlight of the trip was when my mom and dad met us in Red Deer, Alberta for the Canadian Gospel Music Fan Festival. We were able to spend about 3 1/2 days with them introducing them to lots of our friends and enjoying the great singing! Andrew joined some friends on the main stage on Thursday night and brought the crowd to it's feet! Following the convention we said good-bye to my parents and headed towards Ontario. We did a few concerts on the way. We spent the end of July and August doing concerts close to home so our kids could have the chance to spend some of the summer with their friends.

MacKenzie and Savannah had their first opportunity to go to camp! They spent a whole week in August at Joy Bible Camp with several of their friends and had a wonderful time! They made lots of memories which they still talk about nearly every day!

At the end of August MacKenzie and Savannah both entered a local contest hosted by Mode-Elle Model and Talent Agency. Each of the nearly 100 contestants had the opportunity to meet with top Model scouts from Velocci in Toronto, answer a few questions and be critiqued. What a joy when they announced the winner in the 12 and over category ... "MacKenzie Martin"! We were still wiping away tears when they announced the winner in the 4 - 11 category ... "Savannah Martin"! It's the first time in 16 years of having this competition that siblings have won! The girls each won a $100 gift certificate to the mall and then a free photoshoot with a top Toronto photographer, Richard Sibbald. In October the girls began a course at Mode-Elle called "Professional Modelling, Acting, Image and Self-Enhancement" which is Tuesday evenings until February. At the end of October they each auditioned and were accepted, with only 250 top models and talents in Canada, to meet with over 50 of the world's top agents at the Canadian Model and Talent Convention (CMTC) in Toronto in May. They have begun to take CMTC preparation courses on Friday evenings. They had their first photoshoot in October complete with wardrobe, hair and make-up and huge lights and big cameras! The prints just came in last week and we were shocked at how each photograph captured so much beauty! Their portfolios have begun!

On September 3rd, Andrew and I were just finishing watching a movie when we received a phone call from our local police department asking if we were the owners of the bus parked on the edge of town. It was engulfed in flames. After several weeks of investigations, it was discovered that the fire started because of some faulty wires in the bulkhead running between the floor of the bus and the top of the luggage bays. The fire followed the paths of the heating ducts, engulfed the couch and then the curtains on the passenger side and then just surged through to the back of the bus. Almost everything was consumed. Thank God for insurance! We got a fair settlement, but decided not to buy another bus. We purchased a beautiful, top of the line Savanna Van with an Explorer conversion. The van is very, very comfortable and has been a joy to drive! We are presently hoping to buy a cargo trailer so we can haul our sound equipment behind the van.

Homeschooling continues to be a joy for our family! MacKenzie is in grade 8 this year and Savannah in grade 6. We continue to use a menagerie of curriculum. Last year, because I was unable to do much of anything with my back situation, the girls learned a lot about self-discipline and independent learning. It's been nice this year to be able to supervise the independent learning, but also to be able to be more involved again. They both continue to excel in every subject.

This fall we have continued to travel and minister in Ontario as well as one trip to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia and then another trip back to New Brunswick. It's been a few years since we've had the opportunity to be on the East Coast and we had almost forgotten how wonderful the people are and Andrew had almost forgotten how wonderful fresh seafood tastes!

Over this year, our concerts have evolved even more into not only excellent singing, but real heart-felt sharing. We've added some new aspects to our concerts including a question and answer time with the audience which has been soooo well received! We continue to see God moving each time He opens a door. What a joy to hear how music can change a person's outlook on a situation or how God uses our testimonies to give others hope! This month we are busy doing a bunch of Christmas concerts and 2007 is already filling quickly. By the looks of things already, we'll have the opportunity to again travel coast to coast next year.

I must mention our families. Both sets of parents continue to be well for which we are very thankful. My dad had the opportunity to have laser eye surgery in February and has been able to see things this year that he hasn't seen since he was a little boy! Thank God for medical advances that make things like this possible!

My sister and her husband are in Iowa and we haven't had the opportunity to spend time with them, but Char and I often chat on the phone. More recently when I call, the phone picks up and I hear "Hello, Bicki!" Our niece, Alandria, is now 2 1/2 and although she was born 12 weeks premature, she has caught up to, and I'm sure passed, other kids her age! What a joy to hear her chatting away on the other end of the phone! She loves to sing, so maybe she'll take after her Uncle Drew!

Andrew's sister, her husband and their kids live close to us in Ontario, but because of our schedule it's been hard to spend time with them. Our neice, Michaela,is almost 8 and our nephew, Brandon, is 6. Whenever we get together they surround us with warm hugs! We made a priority of spending Thanksgiving weekend together with Andrew's parents, his Gramma and his sister and her family. We all went to the family cottage and spent the weekend playing games, watching movies and enjoying Andrew's sister's cooking! We all bring a bit to the Thanksgiving Dinner, but Lisa does the majority of the work and we all appreciate it sooo much! The leftovers were just about as good as the original meal!

Andrew's maternal grandparents just celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary last month! In a world where people give up on relationships so easily, we have been blessed to have been surrounded by marriages that are examples of enduring love.

My parents will fly in to spend a week at Christmas with us so we are looking forward to that! We will also be able to spend time with Andrew's entire family which is always a joy!

Andrew and I will leave MacKenzie and Savannah with their Auntie Lisa and we'll fly out to Spruce Grove, Alberta to sing in the New Year with Freedom and High Valley. Should be lots of fun!

Our wish for you this Christmas is that you would remember the reason for the season ... our Saviour was born ... and that you would have the opporunity to celebrate with those you love!

From our family to yours ... Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

With much love,
Andrew, Vicki, MacKenzie and Savannah Martin

One of my favourite things ...

2006-10-03T18:45:00.000-04:00

At a get together this summer we were asked to name the three simple things that bring us joy. I knew immediately that I LOVE seeing laundry on a clothesline ... mine or anyone elses! It just makes me feel warm and cozy all over! Then a friend sent me this poem which put into words some of my thoughts ...

A clothesline was a news forecast
To neighbors passing by.
There were no secrets you could keep
When clothes were hung to dry.

It also was a friendly link
For neighbors always knew
If company had stopped on by
To spend a night or two.

For then you'd see the fancy sheets
And towels on the line;
You'd see the company table clothes
With intricate design.

The line announced a baby's birth
To folks who lived inside
As brand new infant clothes were hung
So carefully with pride.

The ages of the children could
So readily be known
By watching how the sizes changed
You'd know how much they'd grown.

It also told when illness struck,
As extra sheets were hung;
Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe, too,
Haphazardly were strung.

It said, "Gone on vacation now"
When lines hung limp and bare.
It told, "We're back!" when full lines sagged
With not an inch to spare.

New folks in town were scorned upon
If wash was dingy gray,
As neighbors raised their brows,
And looked disgustedly away.

But clotheslines now are of the past
For dryers make work less.
Now what goes on inside a home
Is anybody's guess.

>
>I really miss that way of life.
>It was a friendly sign
>When neighbors knew each other best
>By what hung on the line!
>

Welcome ...

2006-09-22T22:26:00.000-04:00

Welcome to everyone! I am excited about sharing my life with you! My plan is to share experiences from life on the road in ministry, homeschooling, my personal journey in God and anything else that comes to mind. I hope you will join me on this journey!