Especially at Christmas

Christmas ought to be a time of peace.  A time of quiet reflection.
However, it often isn't.  In fact, just the opposite can be true.
As Christians, we are called to live in the moment.
Even at Christmas.  Perhaps especially then.

To focus our attention on what is right before us.  And, give ourselves to it.

Just this day.  Not yesterday.  Not tomorrow.

"Take therefore no thought for the morrow; for the morrow
shall take thought for the things of itself.
Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."  Matthew 6:34

It's so easy to borrow trouble from the past or from the future.

We don't have grace for the worries of either.  We are promised grace for now.

"...but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind,
and reaching forth to those things that are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling
of God in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 3:13b-14

We aren't guaranteed a tomorrow.  Today is all we are given.
And, by God's grace, we can live fully present in it.

We can trust our Great God for His provisions for this day.

He promises that He will supply all the needs of His people.

For today.  For always.  Forever.

As I've pondered these things in recent days, some things have become more clear.
We each have enough on our plates to deal with in the day in which we
find ourselves without looking too deeply into the past or the future.
We ought not to dwell in either of those places for long.

We have grace for today.  For this moment.
And, really, what more do we need?

Not that grace isn't available for the past or the future.  It is.
But, grace and strength are given by our gracious Heavenly Father
exactly when they are needed.  He is faithful to provide them to His children.
Not a moment too late.  Rarely early.  Always on time.

"My grace is sufficient for thee;
for my strength is made perfect in weakness."  I Corinthians 12:9a

We can trust our Great God to meet us where we are.  If we belong to Him.
We are called to seek Him for wisdom to know what it is we ought to do.
And, we are able to request His strength to accomplish the task.

And, that is it.  Nothing more.  Nothing less.

What a liberating and freeing way to live!  Simply wonderful.
By His grace and in His strength.  Day by day.
Moment by moment.  All for His glory.  Alone.

So, this Christmas, may we find the peace that only
the Saviour can give.  And, may we follow Him wherever He leads.
May the Manger lead to the Cross in our hearts as we worship Him.

Now and throughout the coming year.

Merry Christmas from our home to yours!  I'm taking a little blogging break
and hope to catch up with you all early in the New Year.
Sending you big hugs and warm wishes for all things wonderful!

With Love,
Camille

A Beautiful Reminder

This anonymous poem is a beautiful reminder of the fact that it  

is not all about me!  (Where did I get that idea, anyway?)

It's a constant battle to die to self, isn't it?  But, oh so necessary. 

My heart is blessed and challenged each time I ponder these thoughtful words.

I would benefit from revisiting them often. 

"When you are forgotten or neglected, or purposely set at naught,   

and you do not sting and hurt with the insult or the oversight,   

but your heart is happy, being counted worthy to suffer for Christ, 

THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed,   

your advice disregarded, your opinions ridiculed,  

and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart,   

or even defend yourself, but take it all in patient, loving silence,  

THAT IS DYING TO SELF.  

When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder,   

any irregularity, any unpunctuality, or any annoyance;   

when you stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance,   

spiritual insensibility, and endure it as Jesus endured it, 

THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation,  

or to record your own good works, or itch after commendation,   

when you can truly love to be unknown,  

THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you are content with any food, any offering,   

any raiment, any climate, any society, any solitude,  

any interruption by the will of God,

THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you can see your brother prosper and have his needs met, 
and can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy nor question God, 
while your own needs are far greater and in desperate circumstances,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you can receive correction and reproof from one of less stature 
than yourself, and can humbly submit inwardly as well as outwardly, 
finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heart,
THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

Are you dead yet? In these last days the Spirit would bring us to the Cross. 
"That I may know Him...being made conformable to His death." Philippians 3:10

Christ, only Christ, no needless bustling sound,
Christ, only Christ, no self important bearing,
Christ, only Christ, no trace of "I" be found."

Author Unknown

With Love,
Camille

**Photo courtesy of Calvin ~ 

Thank you my love.  XO

Two and a Half

Tomorrow marks two and a half years since 
our Austin was called home to heaven.

It's an incredible thing to ponder.  An amazing thing to consider.

It cannot fully be comprehended this side of eternity.

I am not sure if it will ever be fully comprehended.

Heaven is too wonderful for words.

(Austin, Howie and Calvin ~ 2011)

There are, however, things we know for sure about where our Austin is.

What we do know has been revealed to us through God's Word, the Bible.

Only a few men were shown some of the wonders of heaven.

And, they were told what could and could not be written about what they saw.

Paul said it was not lawful to speak of the magnitude

and magnificence of it all.  John had similar sentiments.

   

The things we have been told are wonderful. 

Sin, sorrow, suffering, sickness, death, and every evil thing are all absent. 

Only goodness, peace, joy, love and every perfect thing are present.

The Lord is there.  What else could we want?

HE is Everything.

(Fraser, Howie, Austin and Calvin ~ 2008)

What is our boy experiencing?  All good things.

He is with the Lord.  He worships Him perfectly.

Along with all those who have gone on before.

"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,
neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God 
hath prepared for them that love Him."  I Corinthians 2:9

But, we miss him.  Oh, how we miss him!
His laughter and music.  His quiet presence.  His voice and smile.
His chair sits empty at the table.  His room is now occupied by Calvin.
His things wait to be sorted.  His violin sits silent in its case.

We are taking everything step by step.  Some things just have to wait.
And, that is okay.  There is no time-table for this process.
We rest in the Lord's perfect timing in it all.
And, He continues to give grace and strength.

He continues to give joy in the midst of sorrow.
Smiles through the tears.

 (Calvin, Austin, Fraser, Camille and Emma ~ 2006)

One day, we will be called home to heaven, too.  One day.
Until then, may we be found following our Saviour.
Wherever He leads.  For however long He has us here.
We are in His loving hands.  There is no better place to be.

So thankful that our Austin is safely Home.
Eternally grateful for the peace and comfort that knowledge brings.
Resting in God's perfect time when He will take us Home as well.
Together with the Lord.  Forever.

With Love,
Camille

Campbell's Substitute

This tomato soup is a wonderful Campbell's substitute.

It's gluten free and yummy and made up with simple ingredients.

Quickly put together, and satisfyingly good ~ it's a win!

Comfort food at its finest.

What you need:

3 - 15 oz (398 ml) tins Tomato Sauce
(I use Costco's Kirkland brand Organic Tomato Sauce)
*2 and 1/2 cups Water
*1 Tbsp Chicken Bouillon Paste
(I use Organic Better Than Bouillon)
1 tsp Sea Salt (or to taste)
1/3 cup Sugar (I use evaporated cane juice)
1 and 1/2 cups Heavy Cream

*Homemade stock could be used in place of the
water and bouillon.  Increase the amount of salt to compensate.

What you do:

Pour three tins of tomato sauce into medium pot.
Turn heat on to medium-low.
Add in the water, bouillon (or stock), salt and sugar.
Stir and bring to just simmering.

Remove 1/2 cup of simmering soup and add it to the cream to temper it.
Once the cream has been tempered, it can be slowly added to the pot.
Stir constantly.  This step will prevent curdling of the cream.
Heat through and serve to six of your favourite people.

Enjoy!
With Love, Camille

**If desired, the amount of cream may be reduced to 1 cup
and the water increased to 3 cups in order to cut back on richness.

The Quotidian (25. 11. 15)

Quotidian: daily, usual, or customary;

everyday; ordinary; commonplace. 

Fraser and Pizza.

Fraser and Howie in Whistler on business.

Olympic Rings from the 2010 Winter Games.

Quality Time with Brother #3.

Quality Time with Brother #2.

On a Sunday afternoon.

Warms my heart.

Nothing beats a real fire.

Sheets on the line in November!

Ready for giving.

Twice per week for ten years.

Piano recital ~ Emma...

...and Fraser.

Calvin's creative outlet.

Happy Wednesday Y'all!
With Love, Camille

Temporary and Eternal

We had an opportunity to chat with one of our neighbours.
He lives up the road and around the corner.
We'd never met before.  So, we introduced ourselves.

The house right next to us was in the process of being destroyed.

At that moment, he came riding up the street on his bike.

He was angry that he had not been allowed to salvage

parts of the house.  And, he wasn't shy about saying so.

We watched the demolition.  Together.
Within an hour, the house was a pile of rubble.
It was shocking how quickly what seemed solid and stable wasn't.

A visual illustration of redemption was unfolding right before us.
This whole thing has played in our minds and hearts ever since.
Two extremes.  Two outcomes.  This analogy can be applied to any of us.
Into which camp do we fall?  Whose side are we on?

None of us deserves to be saved.  We are corrupt.
We cannot do anything to save ourselves.  We need rescuing.

The hedge tree on the far right
in the photo above was dying.

With no effort at all, that tree was removed.
Subsequently, two trees from the neighbour's yard were dug up
and laid on the grass in front of our home.
All it took was an effortless few seconds.

For Howie and the boys, it would have meant hard work.
But, it was done quickly and easily as we stood by and watched.
Those trees were saved and ready for transplanting.
The dead tree would be replaced with the living one.

What a picture of mercy!

 

The house was destroyed from the top down and the outside in.
That powerful machine collapsed it all in a matter of minutes.
While we watched, our neighbour expressed his anger over
the destruction of the things that could have been sold or salvaged.

He was outraged.

Within my mind an eternal picture was forming.
What was happening right before our eyes
was a natural spring board into talking about the real things.
The eternal things.  The things that matter most.

It was such a vivid picture of this verse:

 "While we look not at the things which are seen,
but at the things which are not seen:
for the things which are seen are temporal;
but the things which are not seen are eternal."
I Corinthians 4:18

 
 This is the lot of this world.  This universe.
Certain destruction.  We are not told when.
But, we are told that it is coming.
 However, there is hope.  Certain Hope.

The Lord Jesus Christ said this:
"...I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh to the Father, but by me."  John 14:6

The time to consider these things is now.
The time to set our house in order is today.
We are not guaranteed tomorrow.
We depend on Another for our very next breath.

And, it is to Him that we owe everything.
It is to Him that we must run for everything.

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,
 and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him
from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

For with the heart man
believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession
is made unto salvation.  For the Scripture saith,
Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.

For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek:
for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him.
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord
shall be saved."  Romans 10:9-13

The Lord promises that if we will come to Him, 

He will not turn us away.  We cannot come in our own merit.  

We only bring our brokenness.  The Lord Jesus Christ

is our only Hope.  The only Way.
 

"All that the Father giveth me shall come to me;

and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."  John 6:37 

"And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one

which seeth the Son and believeth on him,

may have everlasting life: and I will raise him

up at the last day."  John 6:40

The living tree was placed in the dead tree's spot.
What a beautiful picture of redemption.

So, in the tearing down of a house, and the replanting of trees,
there is an analogy of something much greater.
Something much more permanent.

We are living souls.  Though this world will perish,
our souls will live on forever.
Where will we stand on that final day?
Whose are we and where will we find ourselves?

These are questions that must be answered.
We are not guaranteed tomorrow.  It is not ours to hold.
We can, however, trust in the One Who holds the future.
There is no better place to rest our hearts.

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me;
for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest for your souls.
 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."  Matt. 11:28-30

Run to the Lord Jesus Christ.
True and lasting peace is found in Him.
He is the Answer we need.  The Answer we seek.

With Love,
Camille

Stepping Back

Winter is on its way.  I feel it in my bones.

The winds and rains have arrived.  Our furnace is up and running.

We've had milder than normal weather which has resulted in a new record.

It's always a challenge to see how long I can wait before caving in.

The other day, Emma was wearing her winter coat indoors.

I don't think she was hinting at anything.  She was just cold.

The time has come for change.
A few adjustments are needed here and there.

Stepping back from the blogging world is necessary
from time to time.  At least, for me it is.

To refresh and refocus.  To set things in order.
To attend to a thing or two.  To reflect and be still.

I'm learning to embrace it.
It is what it is.

Lord-willing, I will be back in a week or two or three.
In the meantime, may you know the loving hand of
our Heavenly Father always to be upon you.
And, may you know the peace that only He can give.

With Love,
Camille

**Photo courtesy of my very own Calvin ~
Thank you my love.  xoxo

The Quotidian (2. 11. 15)

Quotidian: daily, usual, or customary;

everyday; ordinary; commonplace.

My girl is making progress on one of these.

Crossing more off my list.

Seeking advice.

I ended up getting the right stuff to make this ~ YUM!

Officially Fall.

Second year well under way.

Honing their skills.

Blurry but CUTE!

Destruction next door.

Salvaging with permission.

Transplanting.

Muddy Miss.

Happy Monday!
With Love, Camille