The "tell-tale" heart

I'm off on an adventure in just a few short hours, and I cannot sleep, because my heart beat is keeping me awake! Of all the things to keep me awake; something as steady and usually unnoticed as the lub-Dub of my heart. I'm really enjoying the circulatory system at the moment. Valves. I'm hearing valves within me shutting! It gives new meaning to "as one door closes another one opens". To think that such a truth is within us, and that our own moving forward requires this opening and closing of doors!

I have a grand adventure planned! And I'm trusting God with my plans and even with how He may tweak them. "Rejoice, young (wo)man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young (wo)manhood. And follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes. Yet know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things. So, remove grief and anger from your heart and put away pain from your body, because childhood and the prime of life are fleeting.
...fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. " Ecc. 11:9-10, 12, 13

God is good my friends! I am going out in faith, knowing that He is faithful and He is trustworthy. He will keep me safe, and lead the way, and He always blesses abundantly. Just think of all the heartbeats He has already given!

discovery

I am reclaiming my room. I think it is an universal truth that when you leave, your room becomes something else. A guest room, a storage space, a catch all... in some cases all three. So as I go through throwing out all manner of things and wondering what it is that makes us save useless stuff, I found some of my old notes, which in which I just happened to have been brainstorming on paper the pros and cons of whether or not to go to Stettler. It's neat to look at the concerns I had then and how God provided for those concerns over and above what I would have expected... God is good!
The things on my list are somewhat silly and I'm slightly embarrassed to share, but I will anyway.

Feb 2009
Why do I want to make this move?
-for the change
-to be independent
-to have an adventure
-to meet new people
-to not be pining
-to get experience
-to make money
-to live in a small community
-to become a good generalist
-to see Western Canada
-to learn how to curl
-to take better care of my health
-to get away from media (watch less tv)
-to possibly meet a man (as in, my man)
-to grow in my faith
-to learn how to be still
-to accumulate stories
-because it's not the easy thing
-because I want to leave

Of the things on this list, I think the most important were accomplished. Isn't that funny? I didn't, of course, meet my husband but who knows where my next adventures will take me? I did learn how to curl though, and I can assure you that it was a short lived endeavor. I do not like curling.

So then, what's next? Time for a new plan, a new list of goals. Hope for tomorrow.

shopping!

Yesterday I found out that the moving truck may or may not arrive with all my stuff. I'll admit that it was most definitely poor planning not to put the things I intended to take with me to Australia in a suitcase in the car with me. Hindsight, they say, is 20-20.
Speaking of 20-20, that's what my eyesight will be with my new sunglasses! Yes that's right. In the face of potential stress, I went shopping. And I bought a hat too! At least my bag will not exceed the weight limit.

thanksgiving

Yesterday was thanksgiving, and the house was full of family and friends and good food, and it was lovely. And as we were sitting around the table we started talking about earthquakes, and one that happened here recently. One of my uncles described the fear that resulted from hearing the concrete groan as is absorbed the impact of the building following a lurch of the ground. The orderly, but fear gripped exodus from that building. And then how the authorities assured them the the building standards are such that they can withstand a much greater earthquake and that there was no need to evacuate. However, in my opinion, responding to danger, taking action when we get the warning signs, that is the right response.

"You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs." Matthew 24:6-8

'And He was also saying to the crowds,
"When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'A shower is coming,' and so it turns out. And when you see a south wind blowing, you say, 'It will be a hot day,' and it turns out that way. You hypocrites! You know how to analyze the appearance of the sky, but why do you not analyze this present time?"' Luke 12:54-56

There has been a lot going on in this world and it does seem to be getting worse and worse... If this is only the beginning of birth pains, I had better be ready. Because what comes next is pretty scary:

"Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved." Matthew 24:9-13

This is Christians He's talking about! Lord, let my love not grow cold! Keep me in Your word that I will not be led astray. Help me and all those that follow You, stand firm in You. Let us be ready!

"Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door." Matthew 24: 32-33

And so I am reminded, just days after getting home, of why I came home. Of how necessary it is for me to be a faithful steward and an intercessory prayer here for those whose hearts do not yet trust in You Lord, and for those whose love is growing cold.

"So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you." Revelation 3:3

Let those of us who believe stand firm. Let our hearts ever be opened and receptive to the Lord our God. And let us pray, because there is great power in prayer.

"... I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Jesus Christ, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time."
1 Timothy 2:1-6

Thank You Lord that You have made a way for us to reconciled to You, and that You have given us time to tell those we love about You.

Thoughts from a cross country drive

So much time for thinking has left me with some discombobulated thoughts. They are not entirely random, each of them stemmed from something I saw or thought I saw, nor are they particularly cohesive... but they were things that I wished I had someone to share them with, and if you're reading this, then you my friend, are that person.

As I was driving I was noticing that rivers tended to wind rather than follow a straight path. I think that our lives are somewhat similar in the course that they follow. The most direct route (I had been going to say directest but clearly that is not correct) is not necessarily the best one.

Age is merely a page marker in the adventure you are living. It does not determine where you will go or what course your life will take. It does not limit your hopes, your dreams, your plans. Regardless of the story line, or the length of the narrative, live well.

Less than a week ago I tried to do something without following all the steps. I took a short cut, because it was going to take time to do it the long way. But guess what. It was more complicated and time consuming than if I had just done it properly from the get go. In the process, something broke and I caught it as it was falling, but it cut my hand in several places. My hand is now completely healed, and save for a small gouge in the wall there's no real evidence that I took that "short cut" except for maybe I'm little bit wiser.

You should not speed in a construction zone when there is a police car directly behind you. You should also not answer a cell phone in the same situation.

Driving the speed limit is a bit like watching everyone get married before you. Frustrating.

There are a lot of annoying voices on the radio.

Gas prices go up and speed limits go down as you travel east across the country, is there a correlation?

signs on the road:

Moose on the loose

Daze Doze Dead

Ontario is very serious about speeding. Speed fines are posted often.

I'm really glad that I'm not walking.

on the road again

I am driving home; from Stettler, AB where I have lived and worked for 2 years, to Kanata, ON where my family is. It was somewhat difficult to leave, as I have been so blessed there. To go in faith that there is a reason to move on even though it is painful to go. I have been glad of the drive, it has been beautiful, every day. A chance to slowly watch the landscape change, rather than leave it abruptly. The sun has shone brightly on the fields mostly harvested and then on the leaves as they turn umber, and golden; celebrating the end of a season with me.

 Ontario

Foliage in Rouyn Noranda, QC

It is a beautiful Wednesday morning and I am lying in a lovely little B&B in Rouyn Noranda, Québec. Lying because my ichiums are still a tad tender from the thirteen hours of driving it took me to get here.
I am visiting with a dear friend from school, and we are speaking French and enjoying the subtle differences between Québec and Ontario.

Only 546 km, or approximately six more hours of driving separate me from family and home as I knew it and will know it once again. I am enjoying the reprieve from driving and the luxury of not needing to get anywhere.