Spring...Right Around The Corner...Or Is It?

  

Being from BC I have to say, I am not a fan of winter.  If you have read my previous blog posts, I can guarantee you would immeditely come to that conclusion about me.  It's no secret I am anxiously awaiting spring.  BC spoiled me rotten!  And I know I'm not helping any by being a brat about wanting spring NOW...something I should work on I guess...

Anyway, last Sunday my mom's parents were here and we were able to go to an indoor floral conservatory.  It was a nice break to get away from the -30C weather we have been having, with not much of a warm up in sight. 

Here's a few of the pictures I took:  If you are somewhere that is COLD and has more snow than you can imagine...maybe you'll appreciate these pictures!  ;)

Purpose

I just finished watching "The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader" for the second time.  I have to say out of the three, this one is my favourite.

There is a line that really stood out to me from the end of the movie.  Prince Caspian is given the opportunity to leave Narnia behind and go to Aslan's land.  Caspian walks to the wall of water, but turns around and says something along the lines of "I've spent so much time looking for what I lost that I forgot about what I've been given:  The people...  I'm going to be a better king." 

This line really got me thinking.  As a Christian how often have I overlooked those around me.  Those who are broken.  Those who are confused.  Those who are searching.  Those who are walking through life without a true purpose.  Those who need Jesus.  How often have I been just like Prince Caspian and have looked at what I "lost" (selfish desires) versus what I have been given.  There is a purpose for why I am here.  There are people in my path who I need to reach out to.  Why hold in the Light when there is darkness all around?  Why keep the worlds best Gift to myself when it was meant to be shared with EVERYONE? 

I desire to be faithful with what I have been given.  I don't want to waste my life and find when the end comes that I did nothing.  I want my life to be used fully.  I want my life to be used to radiate the love of Christ.  I want to become a better steward of what I've been given:  grace and salvation from Jesus.  Because that is really what the purpose of life is...

Ready For Spring...

Can you tell I've been so bored lately!?  I've been writing on this blog a lot over the past couple days...and in the moments when I haven't, I've been thinking about things to write about...how sad is that! 

Until recently I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that winter is such a depressing season for so many.  I know it has to do with the amount of sunlight, and vitamin D levels...but even then I couldn't understand how it could be "THAT" bad...well, until I moved to SK and have been experiencing winter for what seems like FOREVER!!

I am more than ready for spring.  Spring is my favourite time of the year.  I love hearing the birds sing outside my window.  I get all excited when the flowers begin to surface.  And in BC, I would marvel at the beauty of the blossoms on all the beautiful fruit trees.  I don't know how I am going to survive not seeing those blossoms this year...

Over the past few weeks the weather has been 'taunting' us here in SK...we will have 2-3 days of warm weather (warm being anywhere between -3 to +3) and then it turns brutally cold (meaning -30 or so...).  CAN SPRING PLEASE JUST BE HERE ALREADY!!!!!!!  I don't want to see the white any longer!  In some places the piles of snow are almost as tall as me...100% different from where I lived in BC.  Snow would come for a day or two...maybe a week...and then it would all melt...and the snow really wasn't that deep at all...

I was doing alright with living here...but over the past week I've been really missing BC.  I've been missing my city, my home, my life there, my friends...  For awhile I was okay...but really nothing can ever replace it.  In life you can never have the 'best of both worlds' like I often wish I could have.  If I live in BC I'm so far from my wonde

rful extended family, but if I am here in SK I am so far away from the mountains, the early spring, friends who have known me the longest of anyone outside my family...

I think it's just me missing the spring and feeling the winter blues that has made me feel down about missing BC...and I think that is what has also contributed to my brain turning to mush and being random all the time (much to the expense of my blog posts...).  I've been trying to pretend that spring is on it's way (though it really isn't yet) by planting a few plants inside, and by having pictures of flowers and fruit blossoms everywhere I look...

Going To Israel!?!?

Now that my trip to visit my friend out east is no longer going to happen, I need to plan something to look forward to...

I have always wanted to go to Israel (though never alone...) and my mom suggested that I put the money I was going to use for my trip to New York towards my trip to Israel.  The problem is though that I have no clue where to start looking for trip packages...so I need your help.

I want to take a Christian tour...one of the ones where they take you to different places mentioned in the Bible and they tell you about what it was like in the Bible days and then read portions of the Bible that that place is mentioned in.  I want to go for as long as I can.  I know I've heard of people who have gone on these types of trips, I just can't remember who they are...and there are so many different websites offering similar trips...I want to choose the best one! 

Yesterday I wasn't even thinking about Israel...I was thinking about New York.  If I could have my way I'd choose going to New York to see my friend over going to Israel by myself  (anyone want to join me!! :)...but since I can't have my way, I'll go to Israel...  Really when it comes down to it there isn't really any comparison between the two...so why am I trying to make one!  Haha!  New York and Kim is New York and Kim...Israel is Israel.  Two completely different things really!  Okay, I'll stop at that... :p

So, let me know if you have gone on a trip like this or if you know someone who has.  Israel...I hope to be seeing you SOON!! :)

One Of Those Days...

Have you ever had one of those days where you feel like everything has been pulled out from under you.  The plans you made/were making fell apart.  The dreams you had were crumbled.  The thing you were looking forward to no longer is going to happen...

That's my day today.  Days like today are heart wrenching.  Days like today remind me of the song "Something To Say" by Starfield. 

It's days like today where everything I stand on gets shaken...just as much as the situation in front of me... I'm not perfect, and I admit I have my weak moments.  It's just so hard to have faith when something I prayed for, something I really truly believed God was arranging, falls apart... 

It's in moments like these that I need to remind myself of the lines in the song... "faith might mean there won't be answers, and hope might mean enduring through the night, but help me not forget in darkness, the things that I believed in light."

Things in life, well my life at least, hardly ever turn out the way I hoped for...or the way I prayed for.  Maybe if I reverse my desires they actually would happen!  Haha!  Maybe I should have said "I DO NOT want to go on a trip out east" ...then I would still be able to go!  But as it turns out, apparently my plans fell apart again...

Well, at least I have my passport now...and it even came early.  Get that!  Now that it looks like I'm not going out east anymore... :'( ...I'll have to find somewhere else to go so it wasn't a waste of a passport...

It's just been "one of those days"...and I'm sorry if this post makes absolutely no sense.  There is nothing that's making any sense in my brain right now.  I hope you are having a much better day where all your hopes, plans, dreams, and prayers turn out! 

So Full...

This week has been an off week.  It was one of those weeks where it felt like everything that could go wrong was well on it's way to going wrong... It was a week that I entered with anticipation, expecting great things...but as so often it's when I expect it that I end up becoming disappointed because things hardly ever turn out the way I think they should.  It was a week of frustration and stress.  And I am SO glad this week is almost over! 

Yet in spite of everything this week held that was discouraging and disappointing I was able to have a few hours today of pure joy! 

No matter what life throws at me there are always a handful of people that always put a smile on my face...my favourite people...my extended family...specifically for today my Auntie Danielle, Uncle Arlyn, Nevaeh, Aiden, and Trae and my Grandma and Grandpa Janzen.

There is nothing like laughing with Nevaeh to the point where tears roll down our faces.  There is nothing like cuddling with Trae for hours.  There is nothing like snuggling with Aiden while he's still trying to wake up from his nap.  There just is nothing like being with three of my favourite kids.  It makes my heart full...no matter what else is going on in life. 

There is nothing like knowing my cousins KNOW me...  There is nothing like seeing the joy on their faces when someone they look up to and love spends time with them.  There is nothing like experiencing the milestones of a 3 month old.  There is nothing like being close to family.  There is nothing like having a friend in my aunt and uncle.  There is nothing like visiting with my grandparents.  There just isn't anything to compare it to.  It's the best thing in the world. 

For a moment today I was able to forget the stress.  I was able to forget the frustration the week held.  For awhile I was able to put it all in the back of my mind as I spent the day with those I love. 

Though I'm still feeling stressed and though it still seems like everything I've been working on is falling apart before my eyes, seeing my family today filled me up.  I feel full...  Full of love, laugher, smiles, and memories of a better day...

My Book!!

This is what I have been working on for just under a month...

Stand Firm by Breanna Janzen

Make Your Own Book

 
I found "Blurb" really easy to work with and I like that I was able to customize my pages!!  My dad's parents don't have internet, so I thought it would be nice to put together a hard copy of my blog so they can read it!  I may just have to do this every year!  :)