Tagged

So I've been tagged by Anna and Kaleigh at Facing the Waves.  I haven't done one of these in a long, long time, but it's a good one, and these girls are my favourite.  :-)  Here goes!

Here Are The Rules

1. Post these rules.

2. Post 11 random things about yourself (optional).

3. Answer the questions the tagger posted for you in their post.

4. Create 11 new questions for the people you tagged to answer.

5. Go to their blog and tell them that they have been tagged.

11 Random things about me... hmm...

1. I would still spend all day every day in a giant maple tree if I could.  Or close, anyway.  ;-)
2. Every time I learn something new about Jesus or understand something about His Word better, I get really excited and really thoughtful.
3.  I like the texture of pansy flowers on my tongue.
4. Spring is my favourite season.
5. When I was about 4 I mixed together a whole bunch of colours of playdough and made... ugly brown playdough.
6. I've never attended a whole day of 'out-school'.
7. I work at a greenhouse.
8.  I like brownies.
9. I have a birth mark on the opposite leg from my Mum.
10. I'm going to South Carolina in the fall.  (YAYYY!)
11. I'm always dreaming.  And dancing.  And singing.  At least in my heart.  ;-)

 Kaleigh and Anna's questions:

1. Do you like your Mac or PC? Why?
Um.  My PC is fine.  It was cheaper than a Mac.  Yep.

2. Do you like to listen to music when studying? If so, what kind?
Sometimes I need to, sometimes it's terribly frustrating.  Usually classical.

3. Do you play any instruments? If so, which ones?
Piano, flute, voice.  Yay!

4. Can you describe each of your siblings personality/character? (doesn't have to be a long answer ;))
*crickets chirping*

5. What do you like about our blog?
It's sky-y and bouncy and beautiful.  :-)

6. What's your favorite color and why do you like it?
Green.  Because all the most beautiful things that God made are green: Trees, leaves, moss, grass... 

7. What book besides the Bible has changed you spiritually in some way?
Changed me?  None.  But there have been lots of books that made me think and that thinking and the subsequent praying may have changed me.  I'm thinking of books like The Pursuit of God by A. W. Tozer, and books like the biography of Hudson Taylor or other missionaries.  Terribly humbling.

8. What books of the Bible do you tend to read from the most?
Psalms, Ecclesiastes, and the epistles.  But I'm trying to read a bunch of other stuff.  I'm finding Ezekiel absolutely fascinating lately.

9. In what way have you grown the most spiritually in the past year?
Wow.  I'm not sure.  But I know I've grown a lot.  I think I have grown the most in my desire to seek God and hear His Word.  Mostly in written form (the Bible).  What I really need to want more is to pray.  Prayer is so vital.

10. Who is your favorite Bible character? Why?
That is a very hard question. Can I cheat and say Jesus?  Because it's totally true.

11. What event/circumstance made your favorite Bible verse(s) "favorite"?
I don't have a single favourite.  Maybe that sounds terrible, but there is so much amazing scripture!  Lately my favourite Biblical 'catch phrase' has been from Nehemiah 8:10 which says at the end of the verse "The Joy of the Lord is your strength".  How important to realize that as we go about our everyday lives!


My questions for YOU:
1. What is your favourite book?  Why?
2. What are you currently reading?  Are you enjoying it?
3. If you could instantly have a whole other language in your head, what language would you pick?
4. Where are you currently reading in Scripture?  What are you learning there?
5. Career/school plans?
6. Favourite historical story?  Why?
7. Why do you have a blog?  What does it mean to you?
8. If you could see yourself in any specific, hands-on ministry for the sake of the Gospel, what would it be?
9. Do you prefer baking or cooking?  Or if you do neither, do you prefer sweets or savoury foods?
10. Puppy dogs or kitty cats?
11. The number one, most important thing in your life?

And that is it.  I tag:

Sarah
Daniel
Bailey

That's it.  :-)

Sheila

Bananas, Nutella, and Handfulls of Flowers

There seem to be a bazillion things to be thankful for right now.  Not all of them might seem like things one would be pleased about at first glance, but I am, and the Lord is so gracious to me, His little daughter.  Let's begin with number one.

1. I have a job.  I wasn't sure there for a little while, and I do, and it's been super hard, and super good, and I feel like I haven't even worked full time because of all the crazy things I've had to be doing, but I am working full time, and it's intense and wonderfully fulfilling.  (And that was a really bad run-on sentence.  Forgive me.)

2. I am sick.  This is still true, although it was a lot truer yesterday.  I actually thought about staying home from work on Monday, but I made it through the workday.  Tuesday morning (yesterday), I felt exceptionally horrific, and stayed at home all day, most of which I spent in bed, lying there like some sort of globular space creature.

Let me elaborate on that one for a second, because it still really doesn't sound like something to be thankful for.  I stayed home today too, even though I've started to feel a bit better, because my job is quite physical, and my congestion is still pretty bad.  When I get up quickly or move around without being very slow and deliberate, my head pounds.  And this morning, especially, there were gobs of goop clogging my passages.  Lovely, I know.  :-P

Still not sounding good.  But it is!!!  First of all, it's made me more thankful for health.  Second of all, it's made me more thankful for my family.  Finally, today, it's given me an immense opportunity to enjoy.  I'm all alone in the house, and I have simply been resting my soul; in the Word, in a nice, warm, soak-y bath, in pretty skirts, in playing the piano, in my newly found favourite treat of banana chips with nutella, and in gentle kitchen cleanup.  I weirdly like kitchen cleanup.  How good it feels to be slow and meandering, finding myself bare-footed in the sunshine, cupping a handful of tiny flowers close to my face, and drinking in the scents and gentle delights of early spring.

The tiny, gentle, beautiful things in life are much more noticeable when you've been feeling goopy and groggy for 24 hours or more.

Recap:

1. I have a job.
2. I am sick
3. Warm, toasty baths and the lovely clean feeling afterwards
4. Playing Debussy when I'd almost forgotten that playing the piano can be fulfilling
5. Long, beautiful, colourful, twirly skirts
6. Banana chips with Nutella (Seriously, you've gotta try it)
7. Dishes to wash (it makes me feel like a Mama)
8. Bare feet
9. Tiny, baby blossoms
10. The smell of fresh-cut grass
11. Itty bitty puppy dogs that cuddle you when you feel icky
12. An amazing family
13. Dancing in my heart
14. Tea ;-)
15. Jesus

There are so many more, and some of them don't have words.  They just are.  They exist.  In beautiful bubbles of joy they exist.

And so I'm happy that I'm sick.  And I'm happy that I'll probably be able to go to work tomorrow.  And that Jesus is the High King!

In His Royal Service,
Sheila

Blue Puddles

Blue puddles are witnesses to sunshine.  They are bringers of hope.  They are evidence of blue sky.  Today, amidst the cloud, wind, and rain, I saw a blue puddle, and it made me smile.  It brought me hope.  In that challenging, fruitful world of labour, it encouraged me to have joy, to be thoughtful, and courageous.

I saw a blue puddle.  What was your blue puddle today?

Sheila :-)

The Workforce

It's a crazy world out there.  I suppose in some ways, that is why I haven't been writing here very much, yet I know there are still little readers strolling through my pages, and I figured an update and encouragement would be apropos.

So I have been working a lot.  By working, I mean, going to work, spending the entire day at work, working hard, coming home tired, going to bed, getting up early, and going to work again.  Essentially, anyway, perhaps with some wonderful family time or reading of the Word, and a little reading thrown in for good measure.  Sometimes I think I can't go on.  Sometimes I wish I could go on more.  Yet day in, day out, the Lord is my stronghold, my courage, my place of shelter.

So often I must repeat under my breath "The joy of the Lord is my strength!"  So often I must remind myself that "When I am weak, then I (because of HIM!) am strong!"  And I sing, I sing not to pass the time, but to keep my heart in check, to remind myself of the unfailing greatness of my Lord.

Over Spring Break I've been working two jobs, and that has been the hardest, with the varying schedules and different coworkers, but even in this I have been blessed.  Already I have learned so many lessons, and seen so many things.  Working full time is very different from working part time!  Yet even in that difference, I sing:

"Be strong in the Lord, and be of good courage;
your mighty Defender is always the same....
Be strong, be strong, be strong in the Lord,
and rejoice for the victory is yours. 
(hymn of unknown origin) 

And I shout loudly in my heart:

"Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” -Deuteronomy 31:6

Praise God!  With that, I must go to sleep, it is already much too late, and... I must go to work in the morning.  :-)

Sheila

Dreaming Beautiful Dreams

I wish I could nail down who I am, what I am, where I am to go, what I am to do.  I know my purpose is in Christ, but sometimes I feel that there is no way to define me.  My thoughts are way too scattered, my heart is way too dreamy, and my steps too often end up being uninteresting and real.  One day I'd like to be the dream-maker that I so deeply feel I am.  I'd love to be the joy-maker that my heart cries out to be.  I'd love to be the gospel-spreader that my spirit yearns to embody.

Each night that I dream a beautiful dream, I can't help but let it influence my day.  I think about those events, almost wishing them to be true, and think on my need for perfection, spiritually, in order to accomplish the beauty that my mind creates while I sleep.  One day, I know that will be.  Perhaps it is only then, when all is made new, when we live physically in the new creation which will be for those who believe on the Lord now.

I am a pilgrim.  Yes.  I know.  I know there will be valleys of shadows of death, and beautiful, dreamy, sunny places, but I also know there is a coming kingdom!  I know there is an existence awaiting that is full of the praises of God!  That is the existence that allows me to be the princess twirling barefoot in a field that every little girl dreams of.  Because I am Jesus' little princess, cliche as that is.

One day.  :-)

Sheila