Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Hallelujah Chorus - Must See!

Awesome! REALLY Brilliant, it made me tear up, I can't even tell you why.
I guess my spirit was just acknowledging how right it is.
Amen.

Fire

It's Chanukah. The time when Jewish people everywhere light candles (1 everyday for 8 days) remembering a great Miracle. God in his mercy rescued the Hebrew nation, once again, from spritual slavery. He gave them back the temple so they could worship and at the same time the nation could be rebuilt.
Well, God is rescuing them again at Chanukah.
Haifa, my old "home town" is being evacuated. A huge forrest fire is blazing across the top of Mount Carmel, it's already threatened homes in the druze village of Isfiya and Denya (an affluent subburb of Haifa, very close to Kababir where I used to live) and keeps on blazing. Normally when something like this happens you can trust your neighbours to come to your aid, but what you do when you are basically surrounded by enemies?
Every so often I am reminded of the difficult position Israel finds itself in, and my heart just aches for it.  Although God has set them apart as special, or perhaps because He has, they often come under attack from every direction. We see it in the story of Chanukah, not only had the Greeks taken over the land, they had taken over the temple; sacrificing a pig on the alter and defiling the Holy of Holies. But as the Helenistic culture and religion began to spread through the nation God worked in the hearts of men to stop what to Him is an abomination. The men listened to God and became the heroes of a nation.
God works in the realities in which we live. He will use whomever and whatever is available to him in order to carry out His unchangeable will. 

Here is an unmistakable truth. "He who watches over Israel, will neither slumber or sleep." Again and again Israel makes it through, and in some cases is even aided by their enemies. It reminds me that no matter what we think of World Leaders, whether they seem to be men that would listen to God or not, He can speak to hearts. He knows them intimately and can inspire them to act with mercy! Such is the case today, when Israels neighbours come to their aid.

I am so comforted when I see how prophecy written thousands of years ago is coming true today. God will accomplish what He wills to accomplish. I can't mess that up, no matter how badly I listen sometimes. I remember how clear that was while I was living in Israel. Somehow it is so much harder to see while living in Canada, but just because I don't see it with my own eyes does not mean it is not happening. God is accomplishing miracles everyday, He is revealing himself through prophecy and signs and wonders. If I turn my eyes on Him and less on myself, I will see these things; and somehow... just in seeing them I feel like I am a part of them.  It is quite awesome.

Today, I will keep watch and I will pray. I will pray for my old home and for the safety of my friends (and other residents) there; and I will pray that God will use this fire to shine light on who He is and what He is doing in the land. God is Good; Majestic in Holiness and Awesome in Power!

Learning.

I have a new "passion" - writing screenplays.  I started with one, a mystery/suspense story that I just couldn't get out of my head. I had got about a quarter of the way in when an idea came, fully formed, for a romantic comedy, and so began script #2.  Half way through, at page 62, I was told a true story of an amazing, older woman in Africa whose story just begged to be told. And so I have started with number 3.

The thing I love most about the screen play format is that you can cut to the chase. As long winded as I can be when I write, when a story is in my head begging to be told, it's nice to be able to tell it succinctly and without all the pomp and "how-do-you-do" of prose.  I also really enjoy the learning experience. With prose I can pretend I know how to write. It's hard to admit my deficiencies because I feel  I should have learned it all by now... I should be better. However, writing for the screen requires learning. What is the protocol for subtitles, or splitscreen?  How does one introduce a new character? How much description is necessary? Can I really advance the story relying on dialogue? Is the dialogue "realistic" without being boring or long winded.  How do I pace the various genres of screenplays that I want to write?

I am amazed that the answers to all these questions really can be found on the Internet. Sure, it takes a little bit of time to really search and find more than a hopeful screenwriter in yahoo.answers BUT if you can spare the time there is a host of resources available free of charge.

So who knows... maybe someday you will go to a theatre and you'll get stuck in your row behind that obnoxious teenage couple that made out the entire film, you'll glance up as the credits roll and there will be my name. Maybe... God willing of course. :)
   

So that my world revolves around the Son

I am an ocean away from where I thought I would be this week.  I mean that quite literally.  I know I haven't posted for ages; between packing, and remodelling, visiting family in the States and saying goodbye, there just wasn't any time. NOW, I have so much time I don't quite know what to do with it.

Last Tuesday, the day before I was supposed to fly to the UK and start a new chapter of my life, I was grounded.  I went to the doctor to check out some flu like symptoms and hopefully get an antibiotic and they noticed my bloodpressure was incredibly high.

That was it. Plans changed. Life changed.
They put me on some meds right away, and told me I will be needing a myriad of tests and highly suggested I do that here where I have a family doctor.

A funny thing happened when my life turned upside down... I realized I had been living it the wrong way around.  The only thing right, the only thing that made sense for me in the last few days and now... is God.  Somehow, knowing that, it's almost like God's turned me the right way round and the upset and the shaking up of my plans and even the way that I thought about my life was exposed as a fake and although it's upsetting I am still much preferring to live a life that is true.

I had thought I was living right by including God in everything I did (or at least most things). But it turns out that isn't right at all... it is to be my future, my family, my friends, my "time" that is to be brought into my relationship with God and not the other way around.  It is Him that should be my focus.

The reason fear still often controls me is because I focus on it and then try to bring it to God, if instead my focus was God and fear tried to worm it's way into that focus the incredible love and power of God would repel it and I need not even try to handle it myself.

The last few days I have felt pretty sponge like... I just want to hear things that edify, that speak of God's goodness and draw me close.  Despite dealing with a brand new heart healthy diet, and pills and tests and possible tests; I really feel like my life is more the right way up, than it has been for a long time.  I am positive that has much to do with what my mind has been occupied with. The medical stuff, although important and not to be neglected, is not why I'm still here right now.  I think my spirit is in much greater need of health and healing than my physical self is.

Praise God He is doing the work and I know that HE who began a good work in me, will be faithful to complete it!

MOVING!

I've been here four years.  I know to some people that sounds like no time at all, but it is the longest I have lived in any one place in my whole adult life.  When I came back here I had nothing.  Well, very little anyway.  Most of my furniture had burned in a fire.  I left much of what I owned in the UK back in the UK.  I had been working as a volunteer, so I had almost no money.  In a way I was almost starting from scratch... apart from one very significant thing, family. I came back to family and it has been so good to be living and working with my family and learning from and with them.  I am so grateful that during the darkest parts of the last few years I have had family to walk beside me.  I am perhaps even more grateful that during some of the brightest moments of the last four years my family were there to walk beside me as well.

I am so blessed to have a family that knows and loves God and are seeking to follow him.  That isn't a very popular road to be on, even to some other Christians.  It can, in fact, be incredibly lonely... an alien pursuit by the worlds standards.  But God, in His goodness, brought me back home and kept me close to like minded people as I grew and healed and hoped.

Somehow, as all that was happening I also acrued a lot of possessions.  Vehicle, furniture, clothing, masses of books, linens, etc,etc, etc..  and not just cast offs that were given to me so I wouldn't look poverty stricken, but my own "things."  Things that I like, that are my taste... things that somehow represent me.

Since it's the first time in my life that I've had so many "things" of my own; I was surprised when I decided to move the power these things had to hold me.  Decisions had to be made on what was to be done with them. What I take with me, what I sell, what I give away.  I thought I wasn't very materialistic, but then I found myself not wanting to give everything away.  As I went through my belongings I came up with very ligitimate reasons WHY I should keep everything,  WHY it would be fine to store all my stuff and decide at a later date what should be done with it.  But then... then my mum reminded me again of God's call on us to take of the poor, the widowed, the orphaned.  She was doing a clean sweep, selling what she could so she could give the proceeds to Hands at Work Africa (A VERY worthwhile charity, check it out!) and I realized it profited me nothing, nor helped anyone else for me to hide away my possessions. 

Well now, here is the very cool thing about selling what you have to give to the poor.  You feel free!

I don't have all this stuff to worry about any more. (I still have some, but at least 9 boxes less than I did)  I can start fresh (again) knowing that my heavenly Father can, and does, provide for me. On top of that you feel great knowing that this stuff that tied you down is now blessings someone else here in Canada AND the small fee they paid for it will go a long way to helping those in need on the other side of the ocean!

 I am so excited to move forward and see just where God directs my path.  I am heading back to the UK but this time to a little town called Thame.  I'll be joining my cousin Sarah in her catering business, which seems like it will be an wonderful fit. I'm also looking forward to getting involved with the church in Thame;  I'm excited to meet my Christian family there and get to know them. I'll let you know how it goes, shall I? ; P

Take On Me: Literal Video Version *ORIGINAL*

literal music videos, my new bff

This weeks most shocking/interesting/fascinating Pictures

Two Volcanoes are erupting in Central and South America spewing out lava, rocks and debris, forcing thousands of people to flee their homes.

The volcano known as Tungurahua — Throat of Fire — came to life Friday morning, 130 kilometres southeast of Ecuador's capital, Quito, and exploded continuously through the night.

Guatemala's Pacaya volcano, 50 kilometres south of Guatemala City, began erupting Thursday afternoon

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/05/29/volcanos-ecuador-guatemala.html#ixzz0pkCLzxpZ

Between these two and the Icelandic Volcano it's going to be hard to fly anywhere!
(*see below)

Also...

I know it looks an awful lot like the streets of Cold Lake these days, but this 300 foot deep sink hole opened up in Guatemala this week.

(The enormous crater appeared in the Central American country's capital, Guatemala City, as it was being ravaged by torrential rain and mudslides during Tropical Storm Agatha.)

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1283066/Guatemala-sink-hole-Tropical-storm-Agatha-blows-200ft-hole-city.html?ITO=1490#ixzz0pkCw0olV

Edmonton seemed to want to get in on all the action as THIS sink hole hefty enough to consume a large truck opened up on Dovercourt Ave and 135th Street

What is it?? Strange looking thing isn't it... Well for all your pest questions check out - http://pestcontrolcanada.com/Questions/pest_photos_201.htm

there is some fascinating stuff, if that's what you're into ;)

AND speaking of insects...

Check out what Mr. Fly has been up to...

A secret that is ready to be shared

You don't want to miss this!

In a mirror darkly...

No matter how active you are, or full your life is, there is always going to be a certain amount of time each day spent waiting. This morning I was waiting rather anxiously for the toilet to be free. Then for my toast to pop. Around here we often have to wait for our cars to warm up. Maybe you wait for the train to arrive or the bus to show up. We wait in line at stores. We wait for elevators. Some (like myself) are still waiting for that special someone to make their appearance in their life.

Waiting... waiting on the world to change! (how can you not think of those lyrics when talking about waiting)

I don't know about you, but I am not a huge fan of waiting. I always want to redeem the time- multi-task, or at the very least find something that will entertain me while I wait. A good book, my DSi, blogging.... Right now I am waiting rather impatiently for the arrival of my first niece or nephew.* My brother and sister-in-law even more so, I'm sure. Its exciting, but time, especially these last few days, has seemed to drag by more and more slowly.

That expression, "a watched pot never boils..." I TOTALLY GET THAT!

The more you concentrate on the thing you are waiting for the longer it takes or the more time seems to slow down. And, the more time drags the more weary you become. Which is why the verse in Isaiah 40 is so important... (31).

"But those who wait on the LORD

Shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings like eagles,

They shall run and not be weary,

They shall walk and not faint."

It offers a solution to the weariness of waiting.

Recently I was reading a story called "The Great Stone Face," by Nathaniel Hawthorne. In it, the protagonist, an earnest young man by the name of Ernest, waits his whole life to meet a hero from an ancient prophecy; "a man that would be the very likeness of the Great Stone Face." A face that God himself had carved into the mountainside, in the valley where Ernest lived. He loved the great stone face because of the promise that it held. He saw in it noble, strong, perhaps even divine features and thought to himself that a man that resembled it in any way must be as close to God as man could get.

He waited expectantly his whole life for the prophecy to be fulfilled... but he didn't just wait. Though men came and went from the town, men that many thought may be the one... none were. All of them, without exception disappointed. All fell short in some way. As Ernest waited, he contemplated; he spent time getting to know the Great Stone Face. In time that stony visage, and the prophecy of the man that would be like it, became of greater influence to Ernest's education than any school teacher or passing preacher could be. The waiting, with eyes fixed on this mute teacher, became transformational. The more Ernest contemplated the nobility of it's brow and the strength and divinity of those stony features the more Ernest himself grew to resemble them... Until at last the other inhabitants of the valley could clearly see that Ernest himself was the man of prophecy - the likeness of the Great Stone Face.

SO... what does it mean to wait on the LORD? I think it means we have much time each day that can be redeemed. So many minutes, even hours of the day that we spend waiting that can be better spent with our eyes fixed on Jesus, the Author and Perfector of our faith. If we really did that could it even be possible to be weary? If my thoughts are fixed on the one who came to offer me life to the full, doesn't it stand to reason that my strength will be renewed? That I will "mount up with wings like eagles."?

It is inevitable that the more time we spend with someone the more we become like them... Christ is eternal and because of Christ so am I... with that in mind, time loses it's power. Pretty awesome huh?

*note: since first writing this my sister-in-law and brother were overjoyed to welcome into the world their daughter, and my first niece, Adi!! Now I am just waiting for opportunities to see her :D

Home Grown Swiss Spaghette

The Rains are Coming.

Maybe you've been following the ongoing devastation in Haiti, maybe you haven't... but in brief here it is. A new disaster is on it's way for Haiti. It's the rainy season. Many of the temporary camps housing hundreds of thousands of people have already been flooded out after only a couple of hours of rain. But it's only the beginning. With the rains, it becomes increasingly difficult to control the spread of disease. Those who are still in the process of healing are in particular danger.

The actor Sean Penn, along with a woman named Diana Jenkins have started a relief organization and effort to relocate these at risk tent communities as quickly as possible to lessen the effects the rainy season will have on these quake victims.

Although I haven't been a fan of Penn's liberal politics, I am VERY impressed with what I have seen of his organization. You can check it out for yourself here and see what you think.

Not long after the quake Penn was interviewed by Campbell Brown on CNN...

CAMPBELL BROWN: Let me ask you, it's been a month since the earthquake, I mean, first struck. In your mind right now, given what you've seen, what do you think the most pressing concern is?

SEAN PENN: The rain. When the rain comes, it's going to be a public health disaster. They could easily be on the scale of the earthquake itself. Disease is spreading already, tuberculosis, typhoid, tetanus, malaria. The place, you know, which already had incredible hygiene problems within the neighborhoods, now with the earthquake, this is a new disaster waiting to happen.

He was interviewed again tonight by (one of my favorites) Anderson Cooper, speaking from Haiti Penn again reiterated the presssing need for immediate relocation. Sadly politcs seem to be standing in the way and much of the good that was done early on after the quake is being undone by the rains and the petty squabbles of governmental employees.

I don't mean to rant. But I do. I can get easily frustrated by these things. I hate when real people, in desperate need, are treated as pawns in the career advancements of those who are, by all apearances, living a rather sheltered life... I want to go and knock a few heads, tell them to get over themselves and relocate these people already. Worry about more permanent solutions when the immediate dangers are resolved.

Instead I will pray. I pray that God holds back the rain until they are able to relocate. I pray that miraculously and surprisingly the spread of these diseases is stopped. I pray for quick healing for those that are recovering from major surgeries and illnesses. I pray that God prompts those in authority to do what is right for these people. I pray that those with actual giftings in administration will be in place to actively, quickly and effectively moderate the relocation of these at risk tent cities... and further still the rebuilding of homes, hospitals, schools and businesses in Haiti.

Won't you pray this with me?

The Handsome Men's Club

Oh Jimmy, you make me smile!

The Red Cross are making me cross!!

Where in Haiti is the Red Cross? ... They have now surpassed the $100 million mark in Aid money/pledges for Haiti, but they don't seem to have a presence there... No visibility on any news stations... and some very evasive answers on the BBC as to how that money is being spent. How can we hold them accountable??!!

Newsnight discovered that two years after the tsunami disaster, billions of pounds were sitting unused in Red Cross bank accounts. No joke, here's a link to the video.
Really no laughing matter.

I know they have some people there setting up tents etc... but their presence, when compared with the finances and manpower behind them, is sadly lacking.

Most of this seems due to TERRIBLE organizational skills, policies and red tape.

Perhaps I am biased... My Mother, a nurse/midwife who worked for the Red Cross in Africa, has a plethora of stories of the Red Cross administration's blunders and their poor understanding of what is actually essential in a Crisis.

While working in Africa, and desperately needing medicines and food, they were sent boxes and boxes of tinned food, with no can opener. To aid her in her work the Red Cross "generously" provided her, and those on her team with a kit, no larger than a small make up bag, in order to provide medical care for the people she met... it included bandages (small plasters) a small pair of scissors, and some aspirin... BUT they were given many stickers and badges so that they and their vehicles could be clearly marked.
There were even fur coats generously donated to the African people, who neither needed nor wanted them. That, I'm afraid, is just the tip of the iceburg!

It seems that those "on the ground" working for the Red Cross are talented, caring people who really do want to do all that they can, but the organization of this talent and the provisions given them are so limited it that they are severely inhibited.

I would include Unicef in this rant... they seem to be not much better at the moment... but I have less information on them so maybe I'll save it for later :D
BUT I do pray that there will be more accountability for this organization (and others like them). That they won't withold much needed aid. That the organization will soon be run by capable, level headed, sensible people that really do care more about others than they care about themselves.

HOWEVER.. I do still recommend to you Doctors Without Borders... despite their supply planes continuously being turned away from the Port-au-Prince airport, they have already done thousands of surgeries... even though forced to buy a saw (locally) they are doing what they can! Check out this video from Amanpour... you can hear their frustration... tinged with a tiny bit of joy in what they have been able to accomplish despite these ridiculously terrible conditions.

UPDATE

At about 3 am... my usual time to be wide awake and wondering what to do with myself... I was watching CNN and the reporter on the ground there in Haiti was talking about the difficulty some of the Aid Organizations are having with communication and also with distribution of aid.

HOWEVER...

He went on to say that "a faith based NGO called WORLD VISION" seemed to have a well developed system, and seemed to not only be highly effective in reaching out with aid to masses of people, but that they seemed the most organized and the people receiving aid from them were much more calm and orderly than at other sites.

SO KUDOS to World Vision. for getting the job done!

LET ME ADD, Anderson Cooper and Sanjay Gupta have sealed their positions in my book of heros this week!! He's a clip of Anderson being BRILLIANT as per usual... and another of Sanjay equally if not more brilliant.

It's heartbreaking.

I know I have nothing new to say that can make a person decide whether to do something to help out in Haiti or not. I'm not George Clooney, so I can't hold a telethon with my A-lister friends... I'm not a celebrity of any sort, so if I say I would send you a personalized video you wouldn't care.

If you want to do something, you probably will and if you don't ... well no matter what I say you probably won't.

BUT I like to think, that my friends and people that may or may not randomly visit this blog are also the kind of people that WOULD want to do something. SO, in order to make it easier for you, here are a few links to help you to give, support or go.

1. They are in desperate need of clean safe drinking water...Filterpure Water for life

2. I always appreciate how quickly World Vision mobilizes - World Vision Email

3. Doctors Without Borders seem to be Johnny on the Spot, I haven't donated through them before, but there are several people I respect very much who are big fans.

Doctors Without Borders

If you're wondering what to pray for... other than the obvious... The Port at Port-au-Prince was severely damaged, so that although aid is coming in... getting off boats is near impossible... air is the best option, but of course makes for more complications and large cargo planes can't deliver what a cargo ship can. So pray that much needed supplies can actually reach them.

Pray also that the false rumours that are driving people away from their homes, leading to looting will be stopped. Pray that God will give them peace and help them to discern the truth.

1. The situation in Haiti is catastrophic, and Filtepure is responding with clean water. We have heard from our group in Haiti and they are asking for filters. They say this... "Roman, Lubens, Paul Emanuel, Jean claude and families and Seb MP and I all OK. schmiliguen and Rony are in south away from earthquake. nobody hurt at MSH. no internet at house, house cracked but standing. Tell Charles. Roman couldn't get into factory this morning - we will try again this aftn to see if there are any intact ceramic filters we can distribute. Situation is chaotic, terrible number of deaths and severe injuries. Almost all medical supplies are gone, some people already out of water and food and many will be shortly. Pressure your government to get aid in here quickly."
2. "The need is staggering and the situation is getting worse. I see heart-breaking scenes of devastation and need all around me. Children without parents. Parents with injured children. And virtually no way to make them safe or well.
We need your help now—while the Canadian Government will match your donation!

Those who survived the quake need help urgently—food, water, shelter and more. Please give now. (AP)
One of our staff, Willard Metzger, was staying in Port-au-Prince when the earthquake hit. His hotel quickly became a makeshift hospital.
"Desperate parents tug on our shirts to help their children, but we are only guests here. We're not doctors. But we have bedsheets which we use as bandages. So we are the only ones to give them hope." "

3. "Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) medical teams in Port-au-Prince have been treating very large numbers of people who come to them with fractures, head injuries and other major trauma from the 7.0 earthquake that hit Haiti’s capital on Jan. 12. Well over a thousand patients been through the four tented facilities that MSF has set up near the damaged buildings that it used to work in.
The main concern at the moment from the medical staff in those clinics is that the need for wound treatment and major surgery is overwhelming. One of the teams is moving into the major public hospital in the district of Cité Soleil, where MSF has worked previously. There is an operating theatre in that hospital, which will help the team cope with some of those cases. "