Resisting the Temptation to Quit

There are times when I am tempted to quit.
Tempted to *throw in the towel*.
Times when I wonder if I should give it all up.

After all,
I have reached 1000.
That was the goal.

BUT...

In the course of regular, daily living,
I remind myself that these are the things to treasure.
These are the moments to *keep*.
So, I....

Keep on counting.
Keep on numbering.

Most importantly, I...
Keep on noticing.

Don't Quit.


Noticing all the little things.
All the moments and fleeting treasures of today.
All too soon,
they will be history.
In the past.

Gone.


Treasure up the the sights,
the sounds...the silence.

Treasure up the imperfect.
Treasure up the ordinary.
Treasure up the beautiful.
Treasure up the important.

Don't miss the moments.


In the flurry of life.
In the bustle of activity.
In the frantic pace to *get it all done*.

Don't miss out.

On LIFE
and LIVING!

Continuing to number.
I am past the *required* 1000,
but I don't want to quit.
Do you mind if I keep it up?
Maybe you will join me soon?
I would *LOVE* to hear about it if you do!

So, the numbering of the gifts continues,
and in the numbering there is joy.

1132. The near-all-nighter deadline is behind us!

1133. When things come together

1134. God ALWAYS answers prayer ~
Not always how we want HIM to...
but ALWAYS for our good and HIS glory!

1135. The dishwasher ~
Again, and again, and again! :)

1136. That the children underline and mark in their
own Bibles when the Word speaks to their hearts ~
JOY!

1137. Waking up to more white ~ So beautiful!

1138. Late Christmas greetings still trickling in ~
Love it! (Written at the fist part of January)

1139. A husband who does not complain about his food
and is easy to please.

1140. That I could get Calvin's RC Helicopter fixed for free!

1141. $25.00 Slippers on sale for $7.00!

1142. A basement couch to sort laundry on ~ Love it!

1143. Being accountable

1144. 100 Days Calendar and the beginnings of progress


1145. Another week of reporting done. :)

Dropping the Ball

Have you ever "dropped the ball"?
Lacked in discernment?
Done something you regretted?

I have.

What a blessing to know that the LORD
gives us fresh starts and a
*clean slate*.

When we first
come to HIM for Salvation,
HE justifies us.

Justification ~
"Just as if I never sinned."

But we don't stay there.
We need to be sanctified.
A daily learning and growing in grace.
This process is not completed until the day we die.

How precious it is to know that the
LORD Jesus Christ has paid for all my past,
present, and future sins.
And that HE is with me
each step of this journey.

I have not arrived.

I must run the race.
One foot in front of the other.
Step by step.
Day by day.
Never quitting.
Never giving up.
Always moving forward.
With HIM.


"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended:
but this one thing I do,
forgetting those things which are behind,
and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of
the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
~ Philippians 3:13-14 ~

Forgiveness is so rich.
Grace is so rich.
We are rich in HIM!
What a PRECIOUS Saviour we have!

The older I get,
the more I *know* this
at the core of my being.
More of HIM.
Less of me.

All is grace and mercy.

"Being confident of this very thing,
that he which hath begun a good work in you
will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."
~ Philippians 1:6 ~

May the LORD bless each of you, kind friends,
this weekend with HIS peace and presence,
and might HE lead us ever unto Himself.

In His Love,
Camille

Braces ON and Braces OFF

Austin wore braces for over
two and a half years.

Was it a joy?

When asked if he was ready to have them removed,
this was his answer ~
"I've been ready for this for two years!"

I suppose that means he endured them.

And so the adventure began for one
and was completed for the other.
The date was November 17, 2010.

Austin in this chair...

And Emma in this one...

Emma's is more of a *preventative* case at the moment.
She only has brackets on six of her top teeth ~
they will only need to be worn less than three months.
It is still very exciting for an eight year old.
She was thrilled with her Christmas coloured ties...
perfect timing!

Austin is looking *all grown up* with his completed smile ~
Braces Free! :)

One happy young man.

Post Script ~
Emma got her braces off today! :)

He Cannot be My EVERYTHING

We cannot, as a wife, expect our husband
to be what he was never called to be.

Our EVERYTHING.


Only God in Heaven can fill that void.
That need can only be met by HIM.

It isn't fair to put that kind of pressure on our husband.
He was never meant to live up to that standard.
We are not called to be his everything either.

But ~ we can be something.
Someone who walks faithfully alongside.
Someone who is there ~ for richer or for poorer,
For better or for worse,  In sickness and in health ~ until death.


How?
Only by the grace of God.

HE is the ONE Who keeps ~ the ONE Who sustains.
We both belong to HIM.  Our all is found in HIM.
HE is our EVERYTHING.

May we live in light of this and follow Him all our days.
All of this is only possible in His strength and with His enabling.
We cannot possible do any of it on our own merits.
How wonderful to be able to look to Him each step of the way.

Seeking to follow Him wherever He leads.
For His glory and by His grace.

Many Blessings, Camille

Of Gingerbread and Other Good Things

It's a tradition.

We *must* bake gingerbread
at least once over Christmas.

And we did.


The rolling.
The shaping.
The sprinkles.
The icing.
The candies.
The tasting.

It's all an adventure.
I find myself becoming a *little*
more relaxed with the whole process.

And OH!

How the children
ENJOY it!

Thankful this Monday for more of the *everyday*.
Thankful for more of the *ordinary*.
How precious it is to number them and
to reflect on HIS goodness!
Have you joined us yet?
Oh, do come along...
it is a JOY!

1091. Family beach walk
on a crisp winter morning ~
R.E.F.R.E.S.H.I.N.G.

1092. Tazo Vanilla Rooibos Tea ~ Yum!
(Notice the tea mug?
It's the one Emma gave me for Christmas,
and the tea was from Fraser ~ precious)!


1093. Bonus Air Miles!

1094. Music teachers for our children

1095. Sleeping in

1096. Catching up

1097. Routine

1098. Admitting I was wrong and making it right ~
with the LORD and others...forgiveness!

1099. Fresh starts

1100. Homemade soup for lunch

1101. Lunch as a family ~ all six of us together

1102. Early to bed

1103. Early to rise

1104. Purpose

1105. Grounding ourselves with the Truth

1106. Dispelling fears

1107. Being able to glue together a broken ornament for at
least the third time (and it's been broken in three places too) ~
Yaay for Super Glue!

1108. Seeing old friends

1109. Being greeted warmly by a teenager who is not related ~
very sweet!

1110. Snow in the night ~ waking up to white!

1111. Furnace that faithfully heats this house again and again ~
I think it's the original...nearly 40 years old!!

1112. Rain that washes all the snow and ice away

1113. Warm, dry home on a cold, wet day

1114. The sound of the downpour as we fall asleep

1115. Chicken Pot Pie for dinner ~ Yum!

1116. Muffins for breakfast

1117. Pre-soaked steel cut oats ready to be cooked up
quickly in the morning ~ Do you notice how much of my
life revolves around food?? LOL!

1118. Casting all my care upon HIM ~
HE cares for me! What a comforting thought!

1119. Freshly boiled water poured over a favourite tea bag
to enjoy just before bed

1120. Little girl asking me to play "Canon in D"
on the piano while she settles down to sleep ~
"Why do you like it?" I ask.
"I don't know, but it is so beautiful!" comes the reply.
A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

1121. When things are not perfect...
points me to the ONE Who is!

1122. The sense of humour in the children evidenced
more and more as they grow...sometimes I really laugh!

1123. Snuggling on the couch with the two youngest
during morning quiet times...
Precious moments thatwon't last forever.

1124. An evening of hockey with our two oldest

1125. A fresh dose of P.E.R.S.P.E.C.T.I.V.E.

1126. Knowing that the LORD not only knows,
but HE also cares

1127. Cheering my husband on from the sidelines ~
I am so thankful for his *never give up* attitude

1128. Book recommendations

1129. The occasional coffee...yum!
(I *love* it, but it doesn't love me back)

1130. Getting the thank you notes done and mailed!

1131. Precious people to thank! :)

It May Look Good ~ But is it REALLY?

I've been thinking on this a lot lately.
How often do I live to please others...
and forget that my purpose is to please the LORD?


I've been looking at the motives of my heart.
Why do I do what I do?
Am I any different when I am alone and
*no one* sees me?
Ah, the litmus test of the heart.

Heart religion.

Am I a Pharisee?
A Hypocrite?

Food for thought.

Our precious Saviour had a few things
to say on this matter.
HE always looks on the heart.

White-washed tombs was what
He called those who looked good
on the outside,
but their hearts were far from Him.

Oh. Dear. Me.


Living for HIM.
Looking unto HIM.
Following HIM.
In everything.

"That no flesh should glory in his presence.
But of him are ye in Christ Jesus,
who of God is made unto us wisdom,
and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
That, according as it is written,
He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."

~ I Corinthians 1:29-31 ~

For HIS glory.
Not mine.

By HIS grace.
Alone.

Homemade Pizza ~ Crust and All!

"Easy as pie"...
or so the saying goes!
More on that another day perhaps.

But for today...
I want to share with you my favourite
pizza crust recipe.

Do you ever buy the premade crusts
for ease of operation
and fuss-free preparation?

Have you ever added a frozen pizza
to your cart at the grocery store?
If so, this post is for you.

Don't feel bad...I've done it too!
But, it isn't necessary...
this pizza recipe is ~

Oh. So. Easy.

Pizza Crust ~
from scratch.
Quick and painless...
I promise! :)


One thing I like about this dough is it's quick.
Really, it is!
The secret is in the yeast.
This recipe calls for *instant* yeast,
and doesn't require a *rising* time ~
you just let it *rest* for ten minutes
before rolling it out.

P.E.R.F.E.C.T.I.O.N.

It's a great place to begin if you've never made bread.
Won't you give it a try?
Please?


~ The Recipe ~
~ Dough for One Pizza ~
FYI ~ I make two large pans (double this recipe)
for our family of six
**Recipe courtesy of my Sister-in-Love**

2 Cups flour (divided)
1 Tbsp Instant Yeast
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
1 Tbsp Sugar
3/4 cup Warm Water

Mix together 1 cup flour,
yeast, salt and sugar
in a large bowl.
Stir in water.
Knead in as much of the remaining 1 cup of flour
as is needed to make a soft and not too sticky dough.
This will take about 5 minutes of kneading.
Let rest on counter for 10 minutes.
Roll dough out to fit your pizza pan,
use a light dusting of flour on the counter to keep
the dough from sticking.
Press into prepared pan.
(I use parchment paper,
but if you don't have it, grease the pan)

Just a little note ~ I don't have pizza pans,
I use cookie sheets...
they work just fine. :)

Once your pizza is assembled,
you bake it for 20 to 25 minutes at 400* F ~
Let rest in pan for 5 minutes before cutting.

Now...how to assemble a pizza?
This is the fun part!
Almost anything goes.


Make it simple or make it fancy.
Pizza is very versatile.


Gather together your toppings.
Mozzarella cheese ~ shredded, of course.
Pizza Sauce or some sort of tomato base.
Pineapple tidbits ~ drained.
Sliced pepperoni or other pizza meat
(You can even use scramble fried
ground beef with chopped onions)
Chopped red, green or yellow peppers
Italian Seasoning for garnishing

Other ideas ~
chopped sun-dried tomatoes,
chopped artichoke hearts (really!),
chopped onions,
chopped jalpeno peppers (for some kick),
etc....


The trick to get a soggy-less pizza is to not overdo the toppings.
Ask me how I know. LOL!

Spread a very thin layer of your pizza sauce on the unbaked crust.
Layer the meat over the sauce.
Sprinkle a handful of chopped ingredients over top ~
if you are using pineapple, do NOT put it on yet!
Sprinkle a large handful of mozzarella cheese over all.
Pineapple tidbits (well drained) if you are using them,
would go on now...on top of the cheese.
Sprinkle with Italian seasoning (if desired).

Bake as indicated above.
Slice and enjoy!

Come Along to Stanley Park!

Over the Christmas break we had the opportunity to
venture into the city.
Daddy took the day off from work.
And off we went!

We live in the suburbs.
Vancouver is an hour's drive away.

Much to the delight of our Calvin,
we pass by the airport on our way into the city.
One of the planes that Uncle Morgan flies was spotted overhead!
B.O.N.U.S.

Over the Oak Street Bridge to the city beyond.
What a gloriously beautiful day it was!

Stanley Park Seawall was our destination.
We usually begin this walk
(when we do it, which is quite rare)
by the marina.

The four children and Howie beside me in the shadows. :)

View of the city's skyline from Stanley Park ~
pretty, isn't it?

City across the water.

View of the mountains from the seawall.

The Lion's Gate Bridge.

Vancouver is a major port ~
Many, many large container ships sail in and out of our Harbour.

Me with my Sweetie ~
Photo by Calvin.

Our four blessings.

This walk is about 5.5 Miles long.
It was such a pretty day for a walk ~
it felt soooo good to get out!

We went to White Spot for dinner ~
A treat!
And then we ended the evening with a little
skate at Robson Square outdoor rink.
I must let you in on a little secret ~
outdoor rinks are rare here in Vancouver...
this was a lot of fun for the children!
It was much more crowded than the seawall was. :)
FYI ~ That's Calvin in the centre of the shot.

Continuing to number the endless gifts ~
The endless blessings that come
from the loving hand of our Heavenly Father.

1070. *Free* family outings (not including gas, parking or dinner) ~
I did bring a pack lunch though! :)

1071. The city is close enough to enjoy and far enough away to avoid!

1072. Rare (for us) excursion into the city to enjoy the
Stanley Park Seawall ~ a 5.5 mile walk...lovely! :)

1073. Dinner out...a treat!

1074. Pink glow on the mountains in the morning

1075. Sun in winter

1076. Ripe bananas to bake with

1077. A pack lunch

1078. Hot cocoa (from the thermos) after skating

1079. Skating outdoors...all of us ~ a rare treat!

1080. Sun streaming in through the window after many grey days

1081. A rainbow on the cupboard door ~
a brief, *chance* moment enjoyed with Emma

1082. Fever to kill bugs

1083. Fever that broke in the night

1084. A message from Auntie Mary on the answering machine ~
her voice is so sweet!

1085. Old stand-by recipes

1086. Green grass in winter

1087. Quiet evenings at home

1088. A quiet street on New Year's Eve...
no big parties ~ What a blessing!

1089. Crisp, clear winter days

1090. Radio Theatre to listen to on long drives

Something to Ponder

Now, this is an amazing verse to ponder.
A wonderful verse to comfort your soul.
A beautiful verse to rest your heart in.
The Lord Jesus Christ spoke these words.   

Have you come to Him?
If you haven't, and you do, He will be true to His Word.
The Lord always keeps His promises!
What a precious thing to hold onto.  Always.

With Love,
Camille 

Cherish the Moments

This post is somewhat of a
continuation of the last ~
A summary of some of the gatherings
we enjoyed with extended family this past Christmas.

We had both my parents and my brother
over to visit during the Christmas Season.
My sister and her family live far, far away,
so we were unable to connect with them.
We did, however, get to chat on the phone...
that's always a blessing!
Howie's siblings all gathered at Sister-in-love's home
for a Christmas celebration.
We made the trek out to visit with Howie's parents
during the daytime on Christmas Eve.

Precious times.

Family is
I.M.P.O.R.T.A.N.T.

Grandparents are ultra important.
We know that these are precious days...
and we are cherishing them ~
the days AND the Grandparents. :)

My Mom and brother came over for an evening prior to my Mom
leaving town to visit my sister and her family.
We had a lovely time together singing carols and exchanging gifts
in front of a blazing fire.


A little explanation about Emma in the highchair ~
No, she does NOT sit in it anymore...
*except* when we have company and need the extra space at the table.
Our table is just the right size for the six of us. :)


Grandma always brings the Christmas crackers...
What fun!




My Dad was here for his birthday
(three days before Christmas)
just like always.

It's a tradition.

First, we do the birthday dinner and gift/card in the kitchen.
Dad always requests Chocolate Log Roll for dessert ~ YUM!



Then, we move to the living room and switch gears to have our
Christmas time together.
Grandpa always wears the requisite hat.

It's a tradition.




On Christmas Eve, for many years, we have
had a wonderful tradition of *Dinner by the Fire*
which included Howie's parents.
This year was a little different.
Dad was unable to drive out to us,
so we went to their home for a special time
together during the day.






What wonderful memories to treasure in our hearts forever.
May the LORD help us each to cherish all
the precious moments HE gives ~
how quickly they are flying by!