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Today is my getting older day. Of course, every day is my getting older day but today, especially, marks that once a year date of the passage of time since I arrived in this world. I'm planning to celebrate the day with my family at Black Creek Pioneer Village. Given that I was born 100++ years after the time represented in the village I will, hopefully, feel very youthful when the day is done!

Only days before Darryl left for England I stood angry and hurting before God: why am I enduring such painful news when he is leaving?

With great patience and gentleness He answered through His word and Paul Percy's message from Acts 27: there will be storms, "a wind of hurricane force", yet I am with you. As my broken heart surrendered to the circumstances which God was allowing the closing words of "Footprints In the Sand" were given to my mind by the Holy Spirit: "... when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you." Peace settled over me. I received a confidence that we were safe within His hands and a hope in His timing and provision.

How precious that promise has been to me. He knew in advance that my "hurricane" was far greater than I had any knowledge of. Last night, as I held Christina's thrashing, unconscious frame to ease her spasms for air, He carried me and left me with no doubt that we were safe within His arms.

"You never know how much you really believe anything until its truth or falsehood becomes a matter of life and death to you."

C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

Oh the grace that brings heavenly strength to desperate circumstance.

For some time now Darryl & I have indulged in an occaisional shipment of Peet's Coffee. While the shipping costs add a few green backs to the price the small roasted batches, shipped within 24 hours of roasting, were well worth the premium.

While travelling on our holidays this summer we discovered a Canadian purveyor of coffee that, in our mind, provided ample competition to its american competition: Kicking Horse Coffee. How does a truly dedicated coffee enthusiast not respond to a blend titled "Kick Ass Coffee"? Beyond the cool blend titles and great website design I am strongly drawn to the company's philosophy:

We buy our organic coffee through small cooperatives. By doing this, we ensure the farmers a higher premium for their hard work. The Co-ops have more bargaining power and can demand a higher price for their coffee giving farmers a better standard of living. The growing of organic shade grown coffee results in better water quality and health conditions for farmers. They do not use pesticides, herbicides and/or fertilizers which can be harmful to both the producer and the environment.

Kicking Horse Coffee is, like Peet's, sold online. Also like Peet's, the cost of shipping adds some extra coin. And so began a search for a local merchant carrying Kicking Horse Coffee.

Voila!! Browsing around the newly opened Shoppers Drug Mart - only a 5 minute walk from our house - guess what I find!!

YUP - Canadian "Kick Ass" Coffee and a few other blends to boot! Really great coffee for real coffee lovers a stone's throw from my front door. Stop by sometime if you're in need of a good cup of joe!

[ps Even if you abhor the taste, smell or thought of coffee, the legend of Kicking Horse Coffee is worth a read!]

Found through Relevant:

"Lord, take me where you want me to go. Let me meet whom you want me to meet. Help me to say what you want me to say, and keep me from getting in your way."

Father Mychal Judge, FDNY chaplain, d 9-11

Over the past few years my Aunt and I have shared what has now become a small tradition. Some years ago, when she was ill, a friend sent her a poem of hope & encouragement along with a dozen white roses. Later that year, when I was not well, she sent the same along to me. Time passed and it was then my opportunity to bring the same gift to her.

Today I went to visit my Aunt. Along the way I stopped to buy a dozen white roses. There was only 1 dozen that were truly "white", rather than some shade of pale pink, and with great care the florist arranged the bouquet in the vase and packaged it. I recognized the hand of God at work in the smallest details of our lives.

In years gone by hope existed for both this life and eternity. Now, that time for her is passing. When faced with the certainty of death's near approaching only one hope remains, only one thing is sure. My living, death-defeating Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is the only hope.

An inheritance of loving memories, 12 white roses, 1 hope.

I am beginning a study on the words of Christ and I have started with the book of Matthew. It wasn't hard to spend time chewing on the implications of this first statement found in ch 3:

But Jesus said, "It must be done, because we must do everything that is right(or, we must fulfill all righteousness)." So then John baptized him.

No compromises. No personal ambition. Raw focus.