"I'd be so happy for you if you lived there someday"

So, a few weeks ago I had a fleeting moment of being a lot like my Mother (ok...so I have a lot of those moments), and I thought, "I wish something exciting would happen."  And then a lot of things happened all at once (isn't that always the way?).  Some exciting, some not so exciting, but life suddenly became very busy.

It all started when we finally sold our house, and consequently became very busy with planning to build a new house.  Building a new house is very exciting, but it is frustrating and stressful at the same time.  Over the past couple of weeks, we've been packing up our lives here in Douglas, and I'm suddenly feeling a bit sentimental.  It's kind of sad leaving our house.  This house, after all, is the site of many memories, such as the evolution of my relationship with Mike.

I clearly remember the first time I saw this house.  It was almost 5 years ago when my mother had her eye on Mike as a potential husband for me.  She had attempted to set me up with people several times before, and it was usually disastrous (sorry Mom).  One day she had me captive in the car, and said, "I just want to show you Mike's house."  There was nothing I could do to stop her at that point, so off we went.  As we drove by I had to agree that this Mike Jones did indeed have a very nice home, while also saying things like, "Yes, Mom, I'm sure he's a very nice guy. Yes, you've told me how ambitious he is. Yup, you mentioned how nice his family is, etc."  Then she said those memorable words, "I'd be so happy for you if you lived there someday."  Of course my reaction was a scoff, followed by something like, "I don't think that'll ever happen."

As it turned out, my mother's matchmaking abilities were better than I thought, and I did get to live in this house...and my parents were not just happy for me, they were overjoyed.  I remember visiting here for the first time, accompanied by lots of that "new relationship" awkwardness.  On Mike's 31st birthday he proposed to me here.  We renovated together, and made this house our own.  And then we created many wonderful memories together, and also with our friends and family.  My Nana only got to visit our house once, as she became ill just before we got married.  But I will never forget that one visit, and how excited she was to finally see our house (she thought it was beau-tee-ful).

So now I'm going to get back to my packing and try not to be too sad about leaving our first house together.  Because I'm so excited about the future.  And I'm also kind of wondering what prophetic words my mother will say when she sees our next house...Either way, I'm sure she'll be very happy for me that I get to live there.

Christmas in Heaven

          As many of you know, we lost my sweet little Nana, Faith LaPointe on October 28th. We miss her dearly, and we will continue to struggle with our loss. She has left us with a wonderful legacy, though. She lead us quietly and with great strength, and showed us all what it means to be a Christian, and truly live a life of faith.
          Today I joined my Mom and my Aunt Judy as they went through some of Nana's special belongings. I was very honoured to receive one of her Bibles, and as I leafed through it, I found the following, which some of you may have read before:

My First Christmas in Heaven

I see countless Christmas trees around the world below

With tiny lights, like Heaven's starts reflecting on the snow.

The sights are so spectacular, please wipe away the tear; 

For I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.

I hear the many Christmas songs that people hold so dear.

But the sounds of music can't compare with the Christmas choir up here.

I have no words to tell you that joy their voices bring

For it is beyond description to hear the angels sing.

I know how much you miss me, I see the pain inside your heart

But I'm not so far away--we really aren't apart.

So be happy for me dear ones, you know I hold you dear

And be glad I'm spending Christmas with Jesus this year.

I send you each a special gift from my heavenly home above

I send you each a memory of my undying love.

After all, love is a gift more precious than pure gold

It was always most important in the stories Jesus told.

Please love and keep each other as my Heavenly Father said to do;

For I can't count the blessing of love He has for each of you.

So have a Merry Christmas, wipe away that tear

Remember I'm spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.

(Author Unknown)

As we keep saying, Nana was so excited to get to Heaven. Even though we all miss her so much, I know this will be her best Christmas yet. I'm so happy for her!

Lessons in Patience

So, it has been FOREVER since I've posted anything on my blog. I definitely lost touch with blogging over the summer. I'm both happy and sad that summer is over. But I just LOVE the fall, and all that his has to offer (the colours, the smells, the food, and Christmas just around the corner!), so I'm welcoming this new season with open arms.

I'm hoping that not only am I going into a new season in terms of weather, but also into a new season of my life. Lately I feel like my entire life is one big lesson in patience. Every way I turn, I feel like God is telling me "just wait." I feel like I'm in a waiting room with a whole bunch of doors I want to go through, but God keeps telling me it's just not time yet.

I'm waiting for a lot of things.

1. We put our house up for sale this summer. So I'm waiting (not so patiently) for it to sell so we can build the beautiful home we've been planning for months. But it's not time yet, and I'm guessing, like all things...there must be a reason. Patience.

2. I'm waiting to see what my career has in store for me. I know my entire career can't be rolled out in front of me right away, but it would be sort of nice to know where I'm headed. A job with more stable hours (no weekends, evenings or holidays) would be a dream come true...but it's not time for that yet either. Patience.

3. The biggest thing I've had to muster up patience about is my recent diagnosis of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) (google it if you want more info). I kept telling my doctor I had PCOS, but it took him a few months to actually get a clue and realize I was right. It's since been confirmed, and I've begun a lifelong journey of trying to stay healthy by exercising and eating right in order to keep myself from "having a heart attack at 40" as my endocrinologist so delicately put it :) (The good news is, if I do keep myself healthy, that probably won't happen.) Aside from my increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc., the diagnosis also means that I struggle with infertility. Again...Patience.

I often wonder how much more difficult this whole patience thing would be if I didn't know for sure that God has a plan. He knows what he's doing, and exactly why and how long I have to wait for all of these situations to become clear. So, Fall is a new season in my life. And if it doesn't bring the answers I want, hopefully it will bring more lessons on the importance of patience and the comfort of faith.

My Temporary Home

I am, and always have been, very self-conscious about my body. I've never liked my size, or shape, and I don't like how hard I have to work to keep weight off compared to other people. My notorious LaPointe sweet tooth (or in my case, several sweet teeth) doesn't help with that either! I know that there are people out there who will disagree with me, but it doesn't matter what you say...I still feel this way! 

But don't worry, I have been working on this over the past few years. As I grow older (key word there...grow older, not get older), I am trying to be more comfortable in my skin. I try to take care of myself, exercise, etc.

Working in a nursing home has really changed my perspective on this too. Recently I read a news story to my residents about a face transplant that was done in the States. We thought about whose face we might like to have if we had to get a face transplant. In the end, we all decided we wanted to keep the face that God gave us. I looked around at my residents, and admired them for coming to that conclusion. I, of course, think they are all beautiful. Each and ever crease in their faces tells a story, and I am fascinated by that each day. (My fascination with life stories is a post for another day!)

A lot of my residents are in late-stage dementia, and many of them can no longer speak, or even move. We do an aromatherapy program with them in which we wash and massage their hands. Each time I do this, I look at their withered hands and think of all the things those hands accomplished during their lifetime...how they must have made meals, caressed babies, cared for sick children... And then I think of all the things my own body can still do. Unlike many of my residents, I can walk, talk, see, hear, smell, taste, get out of bed on my own each day, bathe without help, eat without help, remember who my loved ones are, go out for a drive whenever I want to, complete all my activities of daily living, I can have my own pets in my home...and oh yeah--I can actually go to my own home, rather than just wish I could go home.

So, how fortunate am I?? Really, really, beyond-measure-fortunate.

I went to my great-uncle's funeral today. At the end of his rich life, he was in the same condition many of my residents are. He's home in Heaven with the Lord now. During the funeral the pastor gestured toward Millard's body inside his casket, and said, "Millard used to live there. But not anymore. He lives in Heaven now". I really liked that thought. I know that thought will comfort me when I undoubtedly will lose one of my own grandparents one day. 

This body, the one I sometimes don't like very much, is just my temporary home. And God gave me this temporary home for a reason. Shouldn't I be thankful for it, and all the things it can do? Yes, I should. So, I'm going to keep trying to remember to be thankful for this body, to take care of this temporary home until I don't need it anymore, and use it how I think God would want me to use it. Because, usually when I borrow things, I try really hard to take good care of them...

What brings a little sparkle into your life?

So, here I am...I told myself I would never have a blog. I thought blogging was kind of silly (and I guess I kind of still do!) For one thing, who would want to hear about me?? And for another, I don't really like talking about myself anyway.

And then there's the question of, "What in the heck am I supposed to name a blog??" I pondered this for a little while. Then I thought of a little "slogan" I came up with to label the jewelry I make when I give it away or sell it..."a Little Sparkle." It's a good phrase to sum up my life and myself. Anyone who knows me well knows that I love things that sparkle...not to the point of me wearing blinding sparkles everyday like a Vegas showgirl...no. But if I put on just "a little sparkle", like a pair of earrings, it really gives me a boost.

There are so many things, though, besides jewelry that can give us a little sparkle in our lives: people, feelings, knowing that we have helped someone in some small (or big) way. I have a Christmas decoration that says, "We can't all be shining starts, but we can twinkle a little." I've always liked that thought. Even though I might not be an all-powerful executive, I know that I twinkle, sparkle, at my job as an Activity Director. I can feel it each and every time I make one of my residents smile. That smile, to me, is a real example of "a little sparkle" in my life. 

How are you going to add a little sparkle into someone's life today? I'm going to go make some people smile...and maybe put on a pair of earrings ;)