Hope For Sure

Monday, July 9, 2012

Weekend at the cabin..

Etch-A-Sketch art!..

An afternoon at Lester Beach

Dinner.

Cooking dessert.

View from the dock.

Kay, maybe not all these pictures represent significant highlights of my time back in Manitoba, but they are pic's I deem blog worthy and since I haven't been updating this thing that often, here are a ton of em!

An attempt at capturing lightening.

Fishing with dad..

Opa and two of his great grand kids at the cottage.

Girl's breakfast whilst the guys are off camping for the weekend.

Big bro returned for a wedding.

Proud "uncle"

Defs a highlight of summer..fresh strawberries! A heart shaped one at that!

An attempt at a new perspective.

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Don' t Cry Over Spilt....Cream?

Today, was just another average day at work..

We had been out of cream for the dispenser for almost a week now and the order had finally come in. This event meant that instead of breaking open multiple creamers per coffee, we could now use our cream dispenser that at the press of a button would dispense the perfect amount of cream into our guest's coffee. (YAY!) With the help of the store manager to lift the heavy bag of cream, I managed to get the machine up and running. I cut the dispenser nozzle open and we were ready for business! ..Aaand along comes a customer wanting cream in her coffee! I pressed the button and there went the perfect amount of cream into her coffee! ...and then some more! Cream started to pour out the the machine and onto the floor! (Oh nooo!) It didn't take long for me to call for help and realize that I had cut the nozzle too short! This meant no more cream in the dispenser. We managed to find a way to use up the cream, but that's a whole other story.

While I was in the process of mopping, wiping, and drying up the cream I managed to get quite a bit of it on my uniform. Soon after, whilst changing the mop, I happened to accidentally allow the new mop to rest against my apron which left a mountain of white mop lint very noticeably all over my freshly washed black apron. Next it was the liquid pre-soak hose that grew a mind of its own and just so happened to spray me; then there was more cream that spilled, and then...well the list goes on. At one point in this day I began to become frustrated at all these things and I started to count in my head how many things had gone 'horribly wrong' in that day. As I listed these things off to myself I began to realize how utterly ridiculous it is for me to allow these tiny non-events to effect how I feel and go about my day. I chuckled to myself and kept on with my day with a different outlook.

You may be thinking "DUH! Life happens, get on with it!", and maybe that's what I should have thought too. But I didn't right away and it took me a while to get to that point. It did however cause me to realize (again) that life is much too short to be allowing these small things to bother me or hinder my attitude and the way I see my day. There is no need to allow some silly spilt cream to mess up my day. It was a much needed reminded this week. Thank-You Lord! His patience with me never ceases to amaze me.

Where's ...Mr. Brown?!??

When I'm not enjoying country cruises, lightening storms, and being amazing at Etch-a-sketch (-ing?), I work at a coffee shop in a neighbouring town. My co-worker and I have decided that the town we work in is very much like Starshollow from the T.V. show Gilmore Girls. The reason we have come to this conclusion is due to all the quirky people who either work with us (including ourselves) or come in for coffee and a bite. Mr. Brown, Margarita Chicken Man, The Muffin Man, Luigi , and Yellow Jacket Staring Lady to name a few. This turns what could be mundane into a whimsical, hilarious place to be. Mr. Brown comes into the shop every week day around opening (6:30am) and leaves just before the lunch rush; he and The Muffin Man have become friends and will now sit at adjoining booths so they can talk while they enjoy their breakfast. On Monday, Mr. Brown's nephew came into the shop and asked my co-worker if she had seen him. The nephew went on to tell her that every once in a while, Mr. Brown will go M.I.A. for a few days and no one will know where he went. This started a whole new mystery with an air of excitement for us behind the counter. Where does Mr. Brown go??

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Speak to me

A few months ago I joined a photography group through my church. The goal was to learn how to take better pictures, meet people from the church I would not normally get to meet and study the Word together. Our group decided to do a silent auction fund raiser for a community centre a bunch of churches in our area have worked together on. We submitted some of our photos, the one above is one I submitted. Tonight was our group wind-up. As we sat around the camp fire, one of the women in the group said that she had seen my photo on the wall of one of the businesses in town. A business that builds homes. The man who bought the photo told my friend what God spoke to him through this picture...(this is in the words I remember from my friend so it is not the exact words or message, but it gives you a picture).

He said that a couple designed and built a house. They made it their home and raised their family in it. Eventually the kids grew older and moved away and the couple grew old and eventually passed away. Over the years, the house became worn and dilapidated and it looked a little depressing. The man said that it was kind of a hopeless picture; until he noticed the beautiful golden field surrounding the house. He said that God told him that He was still at work doing good things even in the midst of things that may look hopeless. God is always at work.

This was a unique and special message for me to receive about this picture. I had not looked for a message in this photo when I took it..let alone most of the other ones I have taken. What a beautiful reminder that God is always at work and to keep listening for His voice in all things!