New House!

It was 16 above yesterday, and this is what it looks like outside.  Oh, Southern Alberta.....well, I'm definitely glad to be inside.

Speaking of inside, we've now been in our new house for a week, and feeling pretty settled.

 Welcome to our home....come on in, and take a look:

 

The kitchen - definitely the selling feature of the house!

Living room, just off the kitchen...

Nathan's room - he's never had his own room, so this is pretty epic.

My room, complete with amazing ensuite.  I love it more than I can even tell you.

Family room downstairs - it's a great space, and I forsee a lot of movie nights here.  :)

Katie and John also have bedrooms, but both need some paint, so we'll post those later. And meanwhile, in the backyard....

Yup.  That's a hot tub.  In my backyard - woohoo!  

Moving day went so well....it's always a lot of work, moving, but I had some amazing help, so it went really smoothly.

Such a blessing - we're so thankful for this beautiful home.  For now, everyone stay home, and stay warm. :)

He Meant it for Good

The beginning of a new year brought with it a new sermon series at Lethbridge EFree - "Eat This Book".  It is a challenge to the church to read through the Bible in one year, with the goal to be spending time with God in His Word.  Sunday sermons have been following the reading plan, and thus far we've spent 5 weeks in the Torah.

Having grown up in the church, I have a pretty solid knowledge of the stories of the Bible, especially the Old Testament, so I've made a point of following the reading plan in a different version than I grew up with, so I can stay focused a bit, instead of just skimming over - Creation, Noah, Abraham, Isaac.....I know how this goes.

Two weeks ago the sermon was on Joseph, another story I know well.  One thing I didn't realize though was the lack of credit that God gets in the story of Joseph.  If you read through the passages of Joseph in Egypt, God doesn't really come up - not until the end, anyways.  And that's the part that got me.  My kids have all memorized this passage for school, and I always kind of thought it was a bit of a random verse to learn, but it's quickly becoming one of my favorites.

Genesis 50:20 reads "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives."  Now, obviously, Joseph was speaking to his brothers about their having sold him into slavery, and it being God's plan that through that many would be saved from the famine in Egypt.  But, as the New Testament church, we can take that into our own lives as well.  I think this goes along well with one of my long-time favorite passages, Romans 8:28 - "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."  And again, in Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you', declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

There is so much pain and suffering in our world - not only out in the world, but right here.  Just this morning we heard of the passing of a member of our church, leaving his wife here on her own.  She's journeyed through so much in her life, and now she finds herself in tragedy again.  A young man from our church underwent two surgeries this week to remove a tumor, and now his parents are waiting with him for the pathology report, praying for a report of a benign tumor.

We can all look at our lives, and see the bad, the hard, the heartache.  But it's not always that we also get to look back and see how God has been working.  I was talking with one of the pastors this morning, and he said "Monica, look at all of the change in your life in the last 2 years!"  And it's true.  It's been a big couple of years around here, and it has not been easy.  And again I'm amazed at where God has taken me.

2 years ago, I felt so alone, and so stuck, trying to search out God's will for my life, wanting desperately to serve Him, and not knowing how.  Fast forward to today, and I am overwhelmed with thanksgiving.

• My kids are doing well - things are not without their struggles, and I'm not blind to the things that we're still working through, but I'm so thankful for these three blessings that God has given me.  
• I have an amazing new career, working in such an important ministry.  It's a job that has all the elements that I love, is challenging, and I'm making a difference.  
• Financially, things are getting settled down - bankruptcy is in the past, bills are getting paid on time, and we're moving forward. 
• I started university this week - who would have thought?  Big thanks to Pastor Ian for the push.  :)
• This week's big news?  We're moving!  Come the end of the month, we're going to be settled into our own house in Uplands - it's beautiful, and it will be ours. The kids will each have their own room, there's a dishwasher, there's even a hot tub.  So blessed!

2 years later, I can see how I'm not alone.  God has surrounded me with so many people - don't get me wrong, there's many lonely times, but I know that there are so many who love me and my kids.  

• My family - couldn't ask for better.  As I like to tell people, we're like a traveling party, there's just that many of us.  And we're growing - just this week, little Emberly Hope joined the Wind family.  :) 
• My church family has become so near and dear - after talking with Pastor Ken this morning, I walked away feeling as though through this whole journey, the church has been standing behind us, cheering us on.  What amazing gift God has given us in community.  
• Good friends who are always there - whether that's for Friday night dessert, house shopping, talking me down off the ceiling when I'm freaking out...you name it, they're there.

2 years ago, I would have never dreamed this is where I'd be - that this was God's plan for my life.  I'm still stunned.  But it just all ties back to Joseph - God meant it for good. And again in Romans - God is working for my good.  And again in Jeremiah - God has a plan.

Going back to my Reformed roots, I think the Heidelberg Catechism Lord's Day 1 sums it all up pretty good.....

Q.  What is your only comfort in life and in death?

A.  That I am not my own, but belong, body and soul, in life and in death, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ.  He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil.  He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven:  in fact, all things must work together for my salvation.  Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.

Wow, God......what a plan You have.  Thank You for letting me see a little glimpse of it.

The Language of Music

Dictionary.com defines music as "an art of sound in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, harmony, and color."

Isn't that beautiful?  An art that expresses emotions...so true.  Music can lift you up, it can bring you down, it can excite, it can inspire. Music has the ability to soothe, to calm, to relax.  Often you can tell how someone is feeling, just by what is playing on their iPod.

When I'm down, or angry about something, you'll quite often find me at the piano.  When I'm nervous or uptight, I unwind at the piano.  When I'm feeling ambitious, I'll pull out Bach or Beethoven.  Somedays I actually have to practice, like the parts of Handel's Messiah I played in church on Christmas Eve.  My favorite repertoire to play at the piano is still the sacred music, whether it's old hymns, contemporary worship - I love it when they're combined.  I think a big part of the reason for that is because I  know the lyrics.  Melodies can be so beautiful and moving, but once you know the lyrics, that changes everything.

Music is mentioned over 800 times throughout Scripture.  The book of Psalms is made up of songs, written mostly by the amazing musician David - songs that speak of God's faithfulness and love.  After being saved from Pharaoh, Miriam burst into song, praising God for His wondrous works. Luke 1 records how Mary, the mother of Jesus, glorified God through song.  Many times we are prompted to praise God through songs, with instruments, using music.

It's through music that I feel closest to God.  I realize that Scripture is God's Word, God speaking directly to us, and prayer is actual conversation with God, but it is through worshiping God in song that I feel direct communion with Him.  What a gift!  I'm so thankful for all those that God has gifted with the ability to write music and lyrics that glorify Him.

One great example of this is my friend Dave Siverns - he just recently released a CD, "Songs for Singing".  He specifically wrote these songs for the church to be able to use in worship. You can buy his album on iTunes....you should seriously check it out.

The song that has most recently grabbed my heart is "Never Once" by Matt Redman.  To be honest, that was the whole point of this blog post.  I just wanted to share that song - it's taken me two hours to come up with all the rest of this.  Apparently I should have just posted the link and called it a day.  Anyways, the lyrics to this song sum up my life.

Standing on this mountaintop

Looking just how far we've come

Knowing that for every step

You were with us

Kneeling on this battleground

Seeing just how much You've done

Knowing every victory

Was your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way

But with joy our hearts can say

Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone

Never once did you leave us on our own

You are faithful, God, You are faithful

That's it!  That's my life, right there.  Both the mountaintop and the battleground - that's where I live.  And I'm so thankful I'm not there alone.

You are faithful, God, You are faithful!  Thanks be to God.

Year in Review

Well, it's New Year's Day, and somehow it seems almost wrong to blog about anything other than the past year, and looking forward.

Looking back over 2012, I have so much to be thankful for.  Some highlights included a little traveling -  Break Forth in Edmonton in January, performing at the Winspear in February, Women's Retreat out at SABC in April, annual grad trip to Edmonton, the big trip to Ottawa in June, Fairmont in October...it's been good.

Another year watching my kids grow - basketball and volleyball, spelling bees and band concerts, surgeries and dentists.  Watching them flourish under the guidance of godly men and women that God has placed in their paths - teachers, pastors, youth leaders, family members.  While learning how to live in two homes with seperated parents never gets easier, through God's grace, they're making it through.

It's been quite a year for the Wind family too - we were happy to welcome three new little people, and mourned with my sister Karen with the loss of little Miguel.  The Ypma family reunion this summer was a fantastic opportunity to get to know extended family. The annual week in Fairmont is always such a treat for all of us.

For me, obviously the biggest change of 2012 was the career change from ICHS to the pregnancy care centre.  This is not only a change in jobs, this is absolutely life changing.

So, that brings us to today - looking forward.  I realized just recently, that for the first time in a long time, I'm looking forward to the rest of my life.  What an amazing place to be.  I am so excited to see how God is going to work through the centre, and how He is going to use me to achieve those purposes.  I put a cheque in the mail yesterday to pay for my tuition - in a few short weeks, I'm going to be a university student!

In April, John will become a teenager.  This June Nathan will finish grade 6, and then I will not have any kids left at Immanuel Christian Elementary School.  In September, Katie will start grade 10 - senior high!

So many things to look forward to......a new niece or nephew in February, a trip to Victoria in May, opening of the centre.....it's going to be great.

Obviously, there will be sad times as well.  My grandmother's health is fading quickly, and there will be goodbyes.  June will mark the end of my time at ICHS, and sad goodbyes there.  By this time next year, my divorce will be final, closing another chapter, not without sadness.

I think it is good to look back, to reflect, but looking forward, I am just so excited to see what God has in store for me, my kids and my family.

Learning to Stretch

That's where I was last week - downtown Calgary.  Now, for the average person, maybe that's not a big deal.  For me?  Pretty huge.  On one hand, it's such a symbol of how my life is changing.  I was able to spend all week at the Calgary Pregnancy Care Centre, learning how they operate, discovering all about this new job that I have.  

But, the really big part of this was the fact that I had to drive there.  Every day.  Right downtown.  Big deal, right? Well, it is.  10 years ago I wouldn't even drive in the city at all, not even the outskirts.  But, necessity said that I had to learn how.  So I did.

Isn't that how it goes?  When you have to do it, you just do it.  That's how we teach our kids, right?  When they need to learn how to walk, we put them down and make them go.  And, sometimes as adults, we have to learn the same way.  Just get in and do it.

I know this isn't the last thing I'm going to have to learn how to do.  There's going to be many, many more.  But this was just such a tangible symbol for me of my new life, of me learning how to do it.

I feel like such a grown up.  :)

New Adventures

While we are called to be content with what we have, it seems that we're always looking for something different, looking for more.  This can cause problems, cause us to be jealous, or covet what others have.  But, it can also be ok.  We are called to use our gifts and talents to God's glory, to work to the best of our abilities.  So, re-evaluating what we're doing can be a good thing.

Where am I going with all of this.  Well, over the past 7 years I've worked at ICHS, and I've loved it.  I've met so many amazing kids, and learned a lot from them.  But this past summer, I felt God leading me somewhere else, to do something else.  Through a lot of prayer, I acted on this, and applied for a very different position from what I had been doing.

That was in August - fast forward to today.  This past week I got the call that as of November 19, I will be the Executive Director of the new Lethbridge Pregnancy Care Centre.   As much as I'm sad that I won't be at school anymore, I am so excited about this new position, I can hardly contain myself.

It's a whole new opportunity, a whole new area of ministry.  It's going to be a huge learning curve, with some major challenges, and I can't wait.

After I got the call, I just sat back and thought, "Wow, God, that's what You've got for me."  Wow.

So, big things going on over here in my little world - I'll keep you posted.

Snow Day!

Yup, I'm pretty sure that we got more snow today than we did in all of last year.  We got about 10 inches here in town, which naturally turned everything into a huge mess. It started last night, and was pretty slippery when I drove home from the members' meeting at church, so I was pretty happy when my phone rang just before 6 this morning, telling me there was no school!

So, I slept in a little, and then thought - what to do with this gift of a day?  So I went to work.  I baked:  ginger snaps, pumpkin raisin and double chocolate cookies.

I got my house cleaned, which made me pretty happy, especially since I was gone last weekend, and couldn't get it done.  All 3 of my kids are sleeping on clean flannel sheets tonight, which is a treat.  They love clean beds almost as much as I do.  :)

All the summer clothes have been put away, and sweaters and hoodies have taken their place.  :(  It's always a little scary, pulling out a new season's clothes, because it tells me who needs what.  Thankfully, other than a couple of warm shirts for John, I think we're good.

And after all that, I even had time to dig around underneath the stairs for my 16 x 20 frame, and planned out what I want to do with my new family pics.  Hoping to get them printed at Costco this week, and then we'll start hanging them!

So, all in all, it was a good snow day - a very productive one.  The downside of snow days is always the fact that I'm not getting paid, but hey, I got lots done here at my "real" job.