Here are my contributions to the fourth month of Project 365.
I love the month of August and it's hot lazy summer days. We spent a week in the beautiful province of Nova Scotia this month - so there are some fabulous memories in this set. There were days from our vacation that I had such a hard time choosing just one photograph, but then when we came home I had quite a different problem - I felt a little pictured out! Oh well, I scraped a few from different days and it all came together.
The Canadian Seed Sowers took place in Ottawa this summer. This past week, approximately 120 young people delivered 100,000 Gospel texts to several neighbourhoods in the city of Ottawa. Absolutely incredible. We are praying the Lord blesses His written word to those who received this John 3:16 text, either in person or in their mailbox.
We've been driving out to the campsite each evening where they were all staying this past week. The evening schedule includes: ministry, campfire (singing and testimonies) and of course, dessert! It's been an absolute blessing to sit around the campfire at night, singing of our Saviour and listening to these young ones share their personal Christian testimonies. If you've never heard a testimony before, there is an amazing one on the 'Heaven 4 Sure' website. Here is the link. It is the testimony of the late Peter Orasuk - just click on the left were it says 'listen online'.
Lilah has loved every minute of her time at the campsite, even though she was only getting to bed at 11:30pm every night, she could talk of nothing else but going to "The Fire Camp" - her words.
One night (around the campfire) we were singing...
O happy day, that fixed my choice on thee, my Saviour and my God!
Well may this glowing heart rejoice, and tell its raptures all abroad.
Happy day, happy day, when Jesus washed my sins away!
He taught me how to watch and pray, and live rejoicing every day.
Happy day, happy day, when Jesus washed my sins away!
Lilah got the two words "Happy Day" out of all that and was singing them at the top of her voice. When we'd finished singing, Vinny leaned over and said to her, "Were you singing 'Oh Happy Day?" Without batting an eye she replied "It's 'Oh Happy Night'!"
Also, Lilah was very pleased to get her very own personalized copy of the Seed Sower text in our mailbox, from her Vinny Boy. I sticky tacked it up in her crib!
Granda & Granny Brown (Leslie & Ellen) on their wedding day ~ 17th March, 1954
Death leaves a heartache no one can heal.
Love leaves a memory no one can steal.
Granda Brown died today. (My Mum's Dad)
He was 78 years old: 1932-2010.
He was involved in a car accident (not at fault) several weeks go - July 18th, and was left paralysed and in serious condition. He did have his full mental capacity though, which I'm sure made it hard for him, because of the helpless condition he was in.
The machines that were supporting him were turned off today.
I haven't known or seen my Granda Brown for about 20 years now. My Granny Brown died with cancer when she was 54. My Granda remarried a year or two after Granny died, and just a few short months later, he disowned his children and their families. Sadly, that was his new wife's wishes.
Today I feel very sad. Granda Brown didn't have much time for God or the Gospel. We can only pray that during those weeks that he lay in the hospital bed, he came to know Christ as his Saviour.
John 14:27 - Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Give our Lilah Gracie a watering can full of water and she could play for hours - with maybe a refill or two in between. Her imagination is exploding at the moment, she runs around chattering away to herself, making up stuff and stories like you wouldn't believe. She has SO MUCH confidence now, it really is beautiful to see her so full of confidence and trust.
This summer has made some big development changes in our girl.
With her confidence and trust, she has started expanding her circle of close friends. Up until a few months ago she just had a handful, but that has changed immensely over the past summer. She'll readily go into our friends and loved ones arms now. And she'll act quite silly with some of them, I notice it's the ones she knows better. She'll chatter away - answering questions and telling stories, some that even involve our family life!
Just last week all the c words that she used to pronounce with t. For instance crib was trib, car was tar, coffee was toffee, etc. Well, not any more. She says all those c words perfectly now. Just another sign that she is developing and growing up.
She has a profound understanding that I never thought was possible for a young 3 year old child. Like when I explained salvation to her and I explained the concept of money to her. It's like she totally gets it, you know, to a certain degree. She really does amaze me.
On one hand I absolutely love watching her develop. But on the other hand I'm really not so fond of this growing up business! I guess I should just be thankful that she still loves to be called, "Our Baby Girl".
A conversation initiated by Lilah after bedtime prayers tonight:
Lilah: Some day we will go to heaven Mama.
Me: Yes, some day the Lord will give a shout and everyone that is saved will go up to heaven.
Lilah: Will we drive there?
Me: No sweetie, we can't drive there.
Lilah: Will we swim there?
Me: No sweetie, we can't swim there.
Lilah: Will God just pull us up there?
Me: Hmm. Yes, that's kinda like what will happen.
Lilah: I'm going to go to heaven and tell God sorry for my sins Mama, but we have to be saved - we still sin.
Me: Yes sweetie, we are sinners. That's why the Lord Jesus died for us on the cross - to forgive us our sins.
Lilah: Heaven will be so happy Mama. I'm going to have so much fun there.
We had such a hilarious time making these faces together today.
Each time she'd make one, she'd come running over and check it out on the camera.
And then we would laugh and laugh ...and laugh.
This one is my favourite. It is so 'put on'. I think Auntie Carol may have taught her this expression!
She can't hold it for long, because she totally cracks herself up!
She makes this face a lot now. It's when Colin and I are laughing about something.
And she thinks we're laughing at her, which is quite possible! She is so funny!
[ more pictures here ]
Two weeks ago today, our beautiful girl had the honour of being a flower girl. I posted about the big day here. I am totally being a biased mother here, but she was gorgeous. On the outside and the inside she is a beautiful girl. She overwhelms me on a daily basis with her sweetness and love.
A few weeks before the wedding she tried on the dress and I curled her hair, kinda like a little pre-wedding run. I took some picture, because I knew I wouldn't get too many on the big day. Oh and the little dress is from Fattiepie on Etsy. I mailed Tiffany the material for the top part of the dress because we wanted it to match one of the bridesmaids - Tiffany is an excellent seller, I highly recommend her if you're on the lookout for a sweet little dress for a special occasion.
Yesterday evening we went up the street for a evening stroll. There's a consignment store that we walk by and occasionally drop into, called Boomerang Kids. Well, just sitting outside the door was this sweet little second-hand Radio Flyer scooter. Lucky enough I have an account there, with credit (that covered the purchase), because I didn't have any money on me!
When we looked at it and I said "Oh dear, I don't know if I have enough money", Lilah was quick to pipe up that she had money at home in her purse!
It was my husband that came up with this term and action when we brought Lilah home from China. He'd cross his fingers and tell her 'We're tight!', or in other words 'We'll always be here for you'. We did it a lot back then, but it seems we haven't been doing it so much recently, probably because Lilah can say the words now. Anyway, that was until last week, while we were on our holidays in Cape Breton. We were sitting in a little café waiting for our food to arrive and I told Lilah I loved her, I didn't notice she'd just taken a mouthful of water at the time and couldn't speak, so she held her hands up at me and crossed her 'we're tight' fingers.
She melts my heart.
"When everything in our lives and experience is shaken that can be shaken, and only that which cannot be shaken remains, we are brought to see that God only is our rock and our foundation, and we learn to have our expectation from him alone." - Hannah Whitall Smith
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{ see more black & white pictures at 'The Long Road to China' }
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We just got back from our holidays in the beautiful province of Nova Scotia - Halifax and Cape Breton to be more exact. It was amazing, we've had many an adventure together over the past week, lots of wonderful memories made. I'll be posting about each day and backdating all my posts to correspond with the correct day/date, because that's the kind of person I am!
Here's our new little photographer in her I'm-taking-a-picture-stance! And she doesn't say she's taking a picture. Nope. She says, "I'm taking a shot!" Next she'll be talking about aperture & shutter speed... and educating me!
Yesterday evening we drove back down to Halifax because this evening we are flying home and we didn't want to spend the day driving and then get on a plane. Well, what am I saying, we kinda did that anyway!
Today we set out to see Peggy's Cove, which is a pretty huge tourist attraction in this area. It was just beautiful and the gorgeous blue sky backdrop gave us plenty of reason to snap a few pictures. We even got a family shot! After Peggy's Cove we drove to Lunenburg, it was a very rushed visit. We had a delicious dinner and then drove to the airport, only to find out our plane was delayed for 2 hours! Ha! That'll teach us to call ahead of time!
We had a fabulous vacation. I'd move to Cape Breton in a heartbeat.
Lilah in Theodore's arms. (Ciela's Dad)
I took this picture after Sunday School (in Baddeck, Cape Breton) today.
Do you think she likes him...a lot?
Definitely.
She made a lot of new wonderful friends on this trip, and they were all boys!
