A quote from Maureen Trainor, I believe...

'May today there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you have receLved, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance and love. It is there for each and every one of us.

Quote for today.

"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else" ~C.S. Lewis~

A quote from the blonde of all blondes:)

I'm selfish, impatient, & a little insecure. I make mistakes, I'm out of control & at times I'm hard to handle; but if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best! ~ Marilyn Monroe ♥

I hear ya Marilyn:)!!!

Night Before Christmas 2009; 20 years of NBC at Nothview and the end of a Era:)

This week starts the final run of NBC; the Christmas program at Northview church. My husband Chris Janz, is producing all of the music for the production and it is sure to be as memorable as the 19 years before it. But this will be the last one:( There will be no more NBC so this is the last time to buy tickets and volunteer.

There are still many tickets available and many volunteer positions open that need to be filled. If you want tickets or would like to volunteer call the church 604-853-2931 and be a part of the magical Christmas experience of NBC that ignites your spirit for the holidays!!

The shows run from the 3rd of Dec to the 13th. Thursday and Friday night there are one showing at 7pm and on Sundays there are two, at 3:30 and 7pm. Tickets are only $10 and include a beverage and dessert at intermission. It's great for families as well; our girls have loved in for years and they are 4 and 6.

You will enjoy a drama, music and hear my husband sing some traditional songs he has redone and brand new songs he wrote just for this show. He will be singing his heart out with his band.

Hope to see you there:)

Happy Holidays!!

Oh how I "love" our medical system; I say through gritted teeth.

I've been waiting over a month for a follow-up ultrasound of my ovaries ( which are kicking up some trouble)and it's been a hard wait wondering what these growths are doing and if they are going to be making my life even more difficult or perhaps threatening my life. The test was to be this Thursday with results for not another week; when I got a call this afternoon that my appointment had to be bumped and couldn't be rescheduled in Abbotsford until March 2010!!! AARRGGhhhhh!!!

With the adreneline of frustration I set into action. I got 6 numbers of other ultra sound clinics from Vancouver to the Fraser Valley and started calling. It looked as though January 14th was going to be the best I could do and I was discouraged, so much waiting:( Then I found a cancellation In New Westminster on Monday, this monday the 7th of December!! YEAHHHH!!! So everything is going to work out just fine. I have to drive a bit further, but I'm use to that.

Though I can't help but feeling sad and frustrated for all the folks who are being canceled ultrasounds in Abbotsford today; those that will have to wait now until March or later because they don't have transportation somewhere else. Apparently a Ultrasound tech of some sort quite their job all of a sudden which has caused hundreds of appointments to be bumped another 2-4 months. Those that have no other support, and may perhaps a cancer that needs to be detected sooner, these folks are slipping through the cracks of our medical system and it is possibly a life altering or life ending result. My heart and prayers go out to these strangers who suffer because they have no other way out. While I thank God that my prayers were answered and I was able to get in when I did.

Dec 7th is my Dad's birthday, Happy Birthday Dad, I pray I get good news for your birthday:)
Dec 8th is my brother's birthday, Happy Birthday Forrest!!

Thought for the day.

An apology is a great way to have the last word.

Nov 5th...two weeks ago; we had to say good-bye.

Two weeks ago it was a blustery day and also the day I lost a friend to cancer. Late in the morning on Nov 5th, I kept thinking about my friend Kristie. I`d been meaning to connect with her for just over a month, since I`d served her and her husband, Ben and their 5 year old daughter Laura, at abc. I kept having this nagging feeling that I should send her a message on facebook. So I logged on to facebook and saw a message saying good-bye to her, that had just been posted. I was in shock I couldn`t believe it; that she was gone. Kristie was gone, she had passed just over half an hour before I logged on to her facebook page. I couldn`t help but think that my spirit had been tugged in her direction as she was letting go. I was overcome with grief. I had no idea that she had gotten so ill so quickly; I was so sad that she was gone and that I didn`t get to visit with her one last time. But that`s the thing with youth lost, there`s never one last visit that could ever be good enough; you are always left wanting more. We all would have wanted more of Kristie, especially her family and loved ones.

I found out through her facebook page that Kristie`s Grandmother was barely hanging on to her life, after a long fight with cancer. Thelma Stewart was 80 years old and 35 years earlier she was anticipating the arrival of her first grandchild, on her 45th birthday. Four days later her granddaughter Kristie was born, on August 26th; two birthdays in one week, which they often celebrated together. Then in January 2005, in the same week, they found out that they were ailing a mutual deadly foe, cancer. They fought this beast for some time, often side by side. Thelma Stewart, an incredibly loving and caring Grandmother, surrendered her fight six hours after her granddaughter did.

In the weeks before their passing, they were just down the hall from each other in the hospital. They visited as much as possible and preempted their own fears, for their care and concern for each other. The family believes that Thelma let go when she knew there was nothing else she could do for her first grand. They also believe that Kristie let go first so she could prep the place for her grandma:) She was always incredibly organized:) Nov. 5th was her other Grandmother`s birthday. She passed away at 46 years old from the same cancer that took Kristie`s life. Kristie had life, because her Mother`s Mom was born on November 5th. The same day that Kristie`s Mom would remember her Mother, Nov.5th, she will now also remember her daughter and Mother-in-law. Please pray for Linda and Alex Stewart, they have lost so much.

A week later, Nov. 12th, a week ago,it was a bright and beautiful day.And I had the honour of attending a combined service celebrating the lives of these two amazing women...women who were both taken to soon. Women who are desperately missed by their families and who will always be loved.The service was an incredible and beautiful portrait of an amazing family; a family broken by cancer...broken but not destroyed. In the midst of their deep grief and pain, they could find hope and reason to celebrate.

The service was held where Chris and I got married 11 and a half years ago.Sitting where I`d made vows to be with my husband until death, made this service particularily emotional. Tears that had bundled up for awhile, came freely flowing. It was time to say good-bye. With courage and sadness I wrote cards for the family and a special card for Kristie`s daughter. The family had requested that we write a memory of Kristie for Laura, for her to read as she grows up, so she can know her Mother, like we knew her Mother.

This was a wonderful idea that I hope my family will never have to recreate for my daughters; But if they must, I think it`s a life giving idea.

Think of something you can do that can be `life giving` to someone today; in honour of Kristie and Thelma.