Lady Mac an Rothaich is what Garnet is calling our newest, updated, version of our first song recorded together; Fairest Lord Jesus. Click HERE to check it out. We have come a long way from our first rough draft of the song and Garnet did a beautiful job. He is very very excited about all the possibilities and I am happy to be doing music with my man.
TTFN
(The unusual apple trees we have in our yard are almost unnoticeable from the yard, because they are hidden by our row of healthy cedars… but leave through the back gate and have a look from the alley and you have something so much bigger then you would have thought… beautiful!)Okay…
so let me get this straight…
I have to fight for myself…
with in the health care system…
I am sorry… I am writing these incoherent thoughts after a walk to try and clear my head… which came after a rant that didn’t help it make sense and all that after a day of trying to de-stress about it… which was needed after the second call where I was treated like a pain in the ass for asking for help and advice and some clarity from health care workers… which followed, of course, the diagnosis and wanting to know ‘what next’…
To be honest… I am intimidated… don’t like the idea of ‘fighting for myself’ in this area…
The best I can come up with is perhaps cliché to some but it is all I’ve got right now… cuz I certainly don’t feel strong enough to fight at present…like everything else I am going to give this to Jesus and pray for his words and timing in relation to this and just trust… cuz this gut wrenching stuff is not even close to a healthy alternative…
TTFN
I assume not wanting to write something on easter, about that holiday, on the actual holiday, because it is to be expected and what is to be said is likely well know, would mean I lean more toward not being a special day type of person. It would also have a little to do with the fact that I missed out on the special holiday church services because of an ill little one in the clan…
A simple internet search and I found an easter Sunday message to listen to. A reminder in the form of a pod cast was given to me…
…a reminder that this story at this time, about Jesus… his death, his resurrection… it is also my story…I am made alive together with him. He might be the prototype of what I will become but I can live in that now too…
This is a grace story. Everything that every religion is trying to accomplish Jesus accomplished for us already and has offered it to us as a gift… This act of Christs ended the law, religion, and replaced fear and works with love and grace.
This is a fellowship story. Christ broke all the divisions and we, The Church, are supposed to fellowship in him in spite of all our outward differences; that includes our denominations and our doctrines CHURCH. Christ is our peace, there should be no divisions in us.
I was encouraged and reminded to grow… grow in my understanding of this story that is celebrated specifically at this time, about Jesus and his death and resurrection. I was encouraged that it is indeed my story but also all of my brothers and sisters story… may we all find our faith in one another, the members of the body, faith that we can learn how to truly love one another… as Christ does… he has sacrificed so much for us to be able to do just that.
TTFN
I assume not wanting to write something on easter, about that holiday, on the actual holiday, because it is to be expected and what is to be said is likely well know, would mean I lean more toward not being a special day type of person. It would also have a little to do with the fact that I missed out on the special holiday church services because of an ill little one in the clan…
A simple internet search and I found an easter Sunday message to listen to. A reminder in the form of a pod cast was given to me…
…a reminder that this story at this time, about Jesus… his death, his resurrection… it is also my story…I am made alive together with him. He might be the prototype of what I will become but I can live in that now too…
This is a grace story. Everything that every religion is trying to accomplish Jesus accomplished for us already and has offered it to us as a gift… This act of Christs ended the law, religion, and replaced fear and works with love and grace.
This is a fellowship story. Christ broke all the divisions and we, The Church, are supposed to fellowship in him in spite of all our outward differences; that includes our denominations and our doctrines CHURCH. Christ is our peace, there should be no divisions in us.
I was encouraged and reminded to grow… grow in my understanding of this story that is celebrated specifically at this time, about Jesus and his death and resurrection. I was encouraged that it is indeed my story but also all of my brothers and sisters story… may we all find our faith in one another, the members of the body, faith that we can learn how to truly love one another… as Christ does… he has sacrificed so much for us to be able to do just that.
TTFN
I spent my Valentines evening with a girl friend. We both enjoy music and so we went to a performance by two local artists. I got a kick out of the looks I got when I told people I went out with a girlfriend instead of my man. I can be fine with him NOT being a holiday kinda guy and he can be fine with me going out that day, with out him:) You have to give marriages room to be different from what yours is and I am sure we are different in this area.
Oh truly enjoy local music and have great respect for local musicians! It is no easy thing to try to make it work in our province, perhaps even in our country. There is a wealth of great artists in our area but it seems to be really difficult to pack the house.
The audience was smaller but we where all really happy to hear them. To put it in my friends words ‘ Stellar heartwarming performance last night. You guys rocked Valentine’s for us. Thank you!’ One of my top life experiences is sitting in a cozy local haunt, listening to a singer song writer perform unplugged. Dim lights, great food and the essential good company of a friend or two.
Well my valentine, ‘C’, was grand company. Chatting, laughing, trying to finish a massive nacho platter together, frothy well brewed coffee and margarita Monday to boot!
Take the time to check out Jen Lane, link RIGHT HERE, and Smokekiller, linked RIGHT HERE. I have been singing along to my signed CD all day!
TTFN
I listened to a speaker a while back and had used her idea to encourage a friend of mine to see herself as an artist and to enjoy her art, to engage her artistic side fearlessly… So easy to be generous to others in that way! The concept was we have all been taught to doubt our artistic side, to compare it and thus hide it… believing it never adds up too art. She believed it was healthy for EVERYONE to explore and enjoy their artistic side, to call it art and express it because that is part of being us.
(The producer.)Garnet would never say it but I think he is finding me a bit on the ridiculous side. He is being very patient with me this time round, as I take my time warming up to the idea of being involved in music again. I don’t want to go for the mainstream feel so here is what I decided to do to get my feet wet again… hymns… we are going to work on the hymns I learned last year and started with one I know really really well to just get me going.
He put it up on his myspace and I guess that is when I became ridiculous. I asked him to leave it up for my mom and dad cuz I knew they would love it and not judge but then when I heard he shared it with a couple friends I insisted it COME DOWN. It’s nerves okay! I didn’t used to have them when it came to singing but I also always did it live and that seemed different… recording and hearing your own voice is kind of unnerving, I don’t think I have ever really listened to a recording of myself before.
Anyhow, this is a project for my man and me. I really do love him and love doing this with him so here is the link to our first version of ‘Fairest Lord Jesus’. I am putting this subject under the label of romance because I am blessed to have a husband who encourages me to enjoy my artistic side and under my adventures because getting back into music is just that, a big adventure for me. I haven’t always been thankful for the pull at my heart to engage in artistic expression… it was often a stress to me because of low self esteem. Today, lately, I am honestly very thankful for my artistic side, just as I have been very thankful for others artistic sides for years.
TTFN
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Been involved in more conversations then I can count about what worship should look like… To be honest I am really tired of worrying about music and service style. I feel like praise is what often happens on Sundays but I am not convinced worship has a regular place there, not the worship Paul expresses… I still don’t understand our current church cultures idea of worship. Thus I have been craving a clear definition and as you go through Paul’s teaching he lays out worship as not a song and dance thing but a LIFE SACRIFICE thing. Being able to trust so clearly in the love and mercy of our God that we willingly offer ALL OF US in true worship.
By dwelling on this truth and then going through a journal of mine from a few years back I was able to see a pattern in my walk that has held me back…
MY CHRISTIAN WALK WAS ON REPEAT!
Influenced by the church culture I came into when saved I was a high seeker. Selfishly viewing church and all possible Christian experiences as for me and my spiritual mountain climbing benefit I was completely missing the boat! It took many many ups and downs; dry patches or apathetic patches and then flying high experiences for me to grow tired with this rat race… Looking back at my scribbles in my journal I am even more horrified at the futility of it all.
Today I can honestly say I am looking for lasting consistent joy or happiness in all circumstances and I like to think that even back then that was my goal. What I lacked was an all consuming relationship with Christ. I wanted to drive and he was a passenger… I would only start to give it , or more honestly, bits of it all up to him once I was again bludgeoned with my own shortcomings! That isn’t worship! That is about me still!
This was my way not Christs. In order to grow Christ requires ALL. He requires my true worship as the message puts it; ‘Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.’
So what now? Well Paul covers that in the following verses in Romans 12. A wealth of opportunity to break bad habits and unlearn incorrect lessons. This true worship of my Lord will lead me to the place where I can understand his will in my life and will be able to willingly follow him.
Worship is sacrifice and so I think I finally see why last years word was sacrifice. I am thankful for Christ’s changing power in my life and thankful that he loves me so much I CAN trust and lay it all at his feet.
P.S. Link RIGHT HERE to the last message in a transformation message series, check them all out! I hope to go through them with a fine tooth comb because I have come to realize there is so much more to becoming and being a Christian then saying a little sinners prayer. I am SO ready for this!
TTFN
(My Dad and his eldest daughters.)My family grew by 8 in one day! My sisters found us and with them we gained their husbands and two nieces and two nephews! It all started with the call Kathleen made. Then there was a search on
(There they are! MY FOUR SIBLINGS! Funny thing about this picture is I am pretty sure Jesse is the tallest of the five of us and he is sitting while the other three try to look like the tallest!)
(ALWAYS wanted sisters!)Amber joined
(Kathleen and Amber catch up on their big sister duties, poor Jesse…)
(Amber being a bossy big sister… well actually we where playing some ridiculously embarrassing game the first time we got together, to help lighten the mood I suppose! Too fun really!)
(Sibling love, at our first rock concert together! The first rock concert is very important when getting to know family!)What a wonderful way to be reminded to be so thankful for all the members of your family, even the ones you have always known and had regular contact with. We always knew we where a crew of five kids but to go officially from the three to the five was a dream come true.
Related link RIGHT HERE:)
TTFN
(Our 4 generations photo when my eldest daughter was only a few weeks old.)For many of us it is a shock when we finally realize and must admit we are like our mothers. For others we strive to be JUST like them because of our overly positive perception of the woman who raised us.
I just might be a little unique in my willingness to let my mother and my grandmother inspire who I am, mostly because I have been like this all my life, yes even through my teen years! I had to learn to just be myself when keeping up with my ‘perfect mom ideals’ became impossible and yet I am pleased to see areas where Mom and Grandma Smith have directly added to who I am. My children already are unlike me in so many ways, and like me in other ways. Perhaps my daughters will not be as excited to spend a whole Saturday at formal teas and yard sales with their mom and grandmother. Perhaps they will not be so thrilled to dress in vintage and second hand attire. But then again, perhaps they will like those things.
Stuff is stuff… however, their stuff, my moms and my grandmothers, reminds me of our similarities and I LOVE TO BE REMINDED OF THAT! My house is speckled with stuff that reminds me of them and my heart is as cluttered with memories of them.
(A photo of best friends! My grandmother and her aunt Ruth, taken the summer I got engaged when I stayed with them for a while. I can’t leave Aunt Ruth out of a conversation about my clans women! LINK HERE!)There is a warm feeling in my heart when ever I wear my grandmothers clip on earrings. I enjoy her cheery yellow bread box and take pride in using her bread bowl to make my weekly batch. Her hands pounded down the dough in that bowl!
The red apron Mom made me is just like the yellow one she always put on and so I feel like a REAL mom when I wear it. 
I buy my pants from her favorite shop because she is right, they are so comfy and sharp looking! When she tells me it is okay, she made the same errors as a mom I realize there is hope! I don’t remember her screwing up, I have so much grace toward the women in my clan… I pray my girls will be the same.
When I look in the mirror and see my mother I am thankful. I look, hoping, to see my grandmother too… When I say something one of them always said I chuckle and hope that means I am tough and yet feminine like they where.
As much as I have put my own stamp on this families female collection I realize deep down I still like to try and be like my mom and my grandma…
P.S.
For more related links CLICK HERE and HERE and not to leave my mom out of the link thing, HERE🙂
TTFN
