A Heavenly Moment

Sometimes we get to experience what I call "heaven on earth".
You know; those moments that are tender, precious and overwhelming. They come with and a rush of unexpected emotion.

Today, I went with my daughter to look at wedding dresses. I have dreamed of this day, ever since she was born. All the years of waiting and anticipation were upon me. Both of us went, not really expecting to find "the dress" but really looking forward to trying on loads of beautiful gowns and all the fun it would bring.
My daughter looked spectacular in each one and I knew she was enjoying every moment in every dress. She loves being a woman, and that makes me happy. She is a strong, delicate, complicated, intricate, passionate young woman who brings me more joy than my words will ever be able to express.

After two bridal shops, countless dresses and 5 hours of fun, something happened. We saw "the one"
When I saw it, I gasped and spontaneously breathed her name. It had everything she and I both loved.
After trying on other dresses, it was time for this breathless one.

Out she came, and her eyes went from "I'm having so much fun" to "I have found the one"

What a joy to see the spontaneous smile that couldn't be wiped off her face even if you tried. Her chatter went from normal into over drive. She couldn't stop talking about it. She couldn't stop saying, "I like this one, I like it alot"
Then, her eyes became moist with tears of joy and I spontaneously responded only a second behind her.

All of a sudden, the room started getting too crowded for me (as there were other brides and people there) The chatter of a room full of happy women became louder than I could handle.
Something was happening to me. "This room was too small for us all" I thought. I needed help.

I pushed past my fear of what others would think and spoke up:
"Can I have some time alone with Alyssa?" I said.
Immediately a hush hit everyone and they softly said "Sure. Yes, sure!"

This was my moment, our moment, a heavenly moment.
I knew that this was a treaure that I would never forget and never again be able to repeat. I needed to enjoy every second, every word, every look, every moment. This was our moment.

I had her swish and swirl. I had her pose this way and that. Then, I asked her to sit right down on the carpet and I arranged the dress around her precious body. Here, sat my priceless treasure, that was as pretty as a princess.
We smiled, we cried, we imagined the day and we dreamed of how the groom would respond to her beauty.

All of a sudden, my eyes saw my toddler daughter. I saw the innocence of her childhood and I had flashbacks of her looking at me when she was but a babe. I saw the eyes that used to look at me with trust and love. This was a heavenly moment, and one that I will never, ever forget.

Dreams do come true, if you only believe. Today, I experienced heaven here on earth. I am the richest person on earth. It was worth the wait.

Gratitude Tuesday!

Well I missed my usual Gratitude Saturday Post!
I was too busy serving at a huge youth conference here in Kelowna. It was so fun to serve along side my kids.

Over the weekend I have come to realize how very valuable my husband is. So this Gratitude Post is all about him.

These are the things about my husband that I am grateful for

1. That he treats me like a princess
2. That for years, every day he would tell me how beautiful I was, when I could not beleive it or recieve it very well. He kept telling me anyways, hoping that one day I would get it.
3. How he has loved and embraced my handicapped child Lindsay. Whenever he could, if he knew I had a difficult medical appt. or a difficult meeting on her behalf, he would find a way to attend with me, just to be a support and help me lift her when she became too heavy to lift. In the past few years, whenever he was home, he did her diapering and lifting.
4. How he can fix ANYTHING. He can find a way to fix anything that breaks in our home! Sometimes he amazes me with all the creative ideas he come up with.
5. How he can speak the "hard words" to people in a way, that they get.
6. How he is so multi-purposed! He has done just about every type of job known to man, and will do whatever he needs to do, to take care of our family
7. How he is an extravigant worshipper. He is one tall man, who doesn't care what he looks like, and will wave a flag, or dance in reckless abandon in worship.
8. How he is risk taker at heart. I know, I can't believe I am saying this, but over the years I have come to appreciate this about him more and more. Great leaders take great risks.
9. How he loves to mentor others, and will spend any extra time, making himself available to someone.
10. That he loves God, and loves me, and loves our kids with a fearce love.

What My Mom Did Right

We all know that no mother is perfect. I for one, have failed many times, and have had to ask forgiveness. There are often days where I wish I could turn back time, and respond the way I should have, instead of reacting the way I did with my kids. Thank God for forgiveness and a fresh new start every day!!!

In honor of Mother's Day and most specifically my mom. I want to declare and thank God for the many things she did right.

These are the things that have made my mom extra special to me, and things I am truly grateful for. Through the years she has modeled some pretty incredible things to me, and here are a few of the things she has done right.

1. Prayed and prayed and prayed and prayed. I would often come home from school to either finding her on her knees crying out to God, or I would find pages of notes on top of her bible. I knew she had been with Jesus. It gave me a holy fear. I could never pull anything over on my mom. She has taught me to value prayer and the word to be my compass for life.

2. She always made every birthday extra special. Each year I had a unique cake, money in the cake, or a special shape. No one had a birthday in our home without feeling special. Actually every holiday is always an extra special event.

3. She's the Martha Stewart plus any other gourmet person all wrapped up in one. Everyone who has a meal at my mom's home feels like a king and queen. Its her love language. She doesn't try to impress, she tries to make everyone feel extra special and like they have been treated like royalty.

4. How my mom has stepped in over the years at the right time, to help when I was ill and had 3 little kids to care for. Or when we were swamped with ministry needs, mom would come and be with the kids so we could serve. My mom has always prayed for our ministry opportunities and has never interfered, and only given advice when asked.

5. How she embrace my handicapped child and learned how to tube feed and lots of other medical procedures in order to be able to help. Even though she was afraid, she pressed through and learned so she could help me survive.

6. How she is so proud of my dad, and encourages him to pursue his dreams.

7. How she has made ordinary weekends with nana and poppie into super special memories that are still embedded in my kids minds. She was able to give them, what I did not have time for, due the strain of having a special needs child.

8. How she allowed me to be absolutely in love with my Grandma Purves. She never showed any jealousy, and only encouraged our relationship to deepen and grow.

9. How she can organize absolutely anything, and scrub the dirt off of anything!!!!!

10. How she has welcomed my hubby as her very own son, how she carries him in prayer and speaks words of life over him.

11. How she is always trying to learn and grow and to allow the Lord to transform her. I am proud of her pursuit of wholeness and God's desire for her future.

A Mother love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible. ~Marion C. Garretty, quoted in A Little Spoonful of Chicken Soup for the Mother's Soul

Simple Pleasures

I love it how God is in every little detail of our lives. I love nature and the beauty of God that is reflected in plants and flowers. I am mesmerized by how intricately He created so many beautiful flowers and plants.

This is one of my favorite indoor places in Kelowna. Its called Art Knapp. I have never seen so many spectacular flowers and plants and greenery. It is my indoor oasis.


It makes me happy, and stop to thank God for all of the simple pleasures in life.
I have many..........



I am grateful for Lindsay's simple mind. She has been my greatest teacher. She shows me how to be child-like and lean on God to take care of all my needs. She never worries and always loves and smiles. She is simple, and I love her that way. I need to be more like her.

Simple trust, simple joy, simple pleasure.

Riches Beyond Measure

I am a rich woman. Rich, because I am beginning to receive and understand the depths of His great love.

I am also rich because I have 3 wonderful kids who bring me so much joy. (and heartaches too!)
I often chat with mom's who are in the early years of parenting. I remember those days so well. Due to having a handicapped child, I have had the blessing of changing diapers for over 19 years. God has just released me from that responsibility and I am truly grateful!!

My oldest will be 20 years old in a few weeks, and I have been reminiscing about my journey with her. So many times when she was young, I felt like I was not able to give her the time she deserved. Due to her sister being very ill, and severely handicapped, my time was allotted differently than I had dreamed of in being a mom.
I would often worry how she would "turn out". I used to pray and ask God to make up for the lost time, or send someone to help pour into her.

He heard my cry and, He never let me down.

Although I was not always able to see with my natural eyes, He was working.

Today I often look at her and I am amazed. Amazed that she is my offspring. I am amazed how God stepped in and covered every little detail, and even more amazed at the beauty of Jesus that is reflected in her life.
Although she had to be exposed to many difficult situations as a young child, God met her at each one. I had to learn to let go of her, and place her in the the Father's hands. She in turn eventually learned to go to God to help her solve her problems and deal with her issues. I am only a secondary parent. God is her perfect Father.

Yesterday Alyssa made me a card. She carefully plucked all the petals from 2 daisies that were in an arrangement that she bought for me. She intricately glued them to the homemade card, and wrote scriptures and words of encouragement just for me! I was overwhelmed at the detail and the accuracy of the words that she expressed to me.
This is the scripture she wrote in it found in Phil. 3:12-14

I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection! But I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be. No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,

She reminded me that even though I have days where I struggle... when she sees me going to Jesus (with all my faults), she has hope. Hope that I am choosing to allow God to break strongholds, and hope for greater freedom for her. This makes me want to keep pressing on, knowing that all I learn in Christ WILL bear fruit in my children.

To all the mom's who are weary, or discouraged or worried. Remember that despite your greatest efforts, or your greatest failures........... He is there with you, watching over your children. He is guiding them and you. He will not leave you, or forsake you, even when you miss the mark.

Ps 27:10

Even if my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will hold me close.

If you are overwhelmed with the daunting task of parenting...... ask Him to step in and make up for lost time. He is the restorer of all things. He can do what no one else can, not the greatest parenting book, or even Super Nanny.

My Sweet Pea Has Flown The Coup

Well, I'm a lost mother hen right now.
God has miraculously provided the absolute best opportunity for our precious Lindsay. After 17 years of constant care, Lindsay has moved to a Christian home called Bethesda. T
he story is long and miraculous, and later I'll write about it all, but for now, I'm lost.
Although I know this home is God's provision, I am missing all the physical contact of my precious girl. I've seen her every day, and yesterday they brought her to church, so we could enjoy worshiping with her.
Lindsay however, is not missing us! She is being spoiled rotten, and truly cherished like we had always hoped she would be. The staff absolutely love her. Sid and I are truly grateful for God's provision, but we recognize that we are in a huge transition time.
All of my really close friends know how much I love children, and Lindsay has been my forever baby, and the best confidant on earth. She has endured hundreds of kisses and hugs from me daily, and has unconditionally loved and accepted me. My children are the greatest gift on earth to me.
My oldest daughter is becoming a beautiful woman, and I am blessed to be able to share her daily experiences with friends and with the Lord. My son seems to be growing daily, and each day his voice is lower another notch. In a few months, his feet have grown 2 sizes.
Even though all my kids are becoming independent, my mother heart, holds them close, and I guess............... I'll always be a big mother hen!