Hotel Family Weekend

This past weekend my siblings, husband, mom and myself went to a hotel for the weekend. We go each year as a belated Christmas present from my mom. It has been a really fun tradition that we hope to continue for many more years! I think it will be so fun when we all have spouses and children and get away together for the weekend!

We spent our weekend relaxing, resting, hot tubbing, water sliding, eating yummy food, watching Steph, Shaun and Shane "fight", playing cards, watching some tv which we don't do at home, and just spending time together. It was nice!

Here are some fun pictures of our weekend to enjoy!


The first ones to arrive!


Can you feel the love?!


I think our smiles make us look like siblings...


Down for a morning swim!


Steph and I displaying our pedicured feet, as Shaun attempts to eat them!





My handsome husband and myself


The ladies of the evening


The gentlemen of the night


The fam celebrating belated birthdays at Joeys!


One last meal together to end the hotel family weekend!

Until next year!

Wounded me with love?

Some of you may be familiar with the concept of God wounding us with love. I've heard it in some worship songs over the years and must admit, I haven't understood the concept very clearly.

To me, it is similar to the story of the Shullamite in Song of Solomon, when the Lord's manifest presence is withdrawn from her experience for a time, which only leads her to long for more of Him and causes her to arise and run after Him.

Or how about the verse in Hosea 6:1, "Come, let us return to the Lord; For He has torn, but He will heal us, He has stricken, but He will bind us up". Who is this God who tears? Who strickens? Who wounds me but promises to heal me?

I have had some understanding on this topic over the last few days.

Things haven't been easy for me in the last few months.

Back in August, I experienced the Lord in a profound way, from what I can remember, while meditating on Him on my bed one morning or afternoon. It is now stuck in my heart memory as the place that I want to abide in all the time.

For whatever reason, soon after, it felt as though He took a step backward. That suddenly, I couldn't find Him quite so near, yet all the time knowing He wasn't too far away. I know that He'll never leave me, but I know He sometimes withdraws His tangible presence to cause me to recognize my longing and hunger and give up the lesser things to pursue Him for more!

I feel like He's wounded me. With love. Sounds strange, but it's exactly how I feel. He allowed me to experience Him in a deeper way and now I'm left wanting when I'm not living that encounter out regularly.

I pray for dreams, encounters and visitations regularly. I want to see the Lord. I want to experience the things of the Spirit while on this earth. But sometimes I think to myself, if I had a throne room experience, would I be truly ruined forever?

I suppose I would ache to return to that place. I assume I would long with a depth that I haven't experienced quite that deep to have the reality of God with man forever, and now please =)

So, I'm getting some clarity. It hasn't been easy, but I know it's to draw me deeper and closer to Him in love. It's recognizing the depth of communion that I want to abide in all the time. It's not about striving for it, but about running abandon after it. Wanting all things that create roadblocks to be set aside. To purse the One thing that I know is the only thing I really need.

In the Working World

A few more hours until......HOLIDAY TIME!

I'm getting ready for my last shift before holidays =) After today's shift, I'm off for 12 days technically. I say technically, because I actually go back the evening of my eleventh day off, but because it's a 12 hour night they consider it the 12th day. Whatever!

So, depending how you look at it, I'm off for the next 12 days or I'm off for the next 18 out of 20 days or I'm only working 4 more shifts in February! All good ways to look at the month ahead!

Yesterday was a little stressful for me at work. We just started doing part of our patient chart in an electronic way. So, we are all trying to learn how to look at orders, see what meds are due and how to sign for them, without using paper!

Yesterday was my first day working since we went "live" with the program. I sure was hoping NOT to be on the unit that I am the least familiar with, 3B.

It started off ok, as I was assigned to L & D for the first 8 hours of my shift. The last 3 of those hours were quite stressful and sometimes I wish I could magically take the pain away for women =) Then, what did I hope for? Not going to 3B on my first computer day?

Off to 3B for the last 4 hours of my shift. But, I guess God rearranged it so that going to 3B didn't sound so scary because it was actually a break from the situation I was trying to manage back on L & D. It was nice to know that I may be busy on 3B, but the emergent nature of L & D wouldn't be following me for the last 4 hours =) It was busy and a little frightening to learn the computer stuff, but I totally survived and it was fine! Another day on 3B under my belt will only help me feel more comfortable there!

Now if only one of these days I'd actually be able to work with my friend Christina already! That was the motivation to float to 3B =)

Off to work I go! And then it's time to relax and party!

Loving a new month!

It's funny. I don't mind the month of January. It was a fine month. But, I was ready to throw a party when the end came. I'm not sure why but I was so happy to move on to a new month!

February is here and there are a bunch of things I'm enjoying and looking forward to!

Sanctuary is presently in the midst of a 7-day corporate fast. I must say, after regularly fasting for the past almost 4 years, I still don't like it much to be honest. I ask the Lord that He would cause me to love fasting =) But, it is fun to take an extended time as a corporate bunch and do it together! I'm excited to see what the Lord will do in us, through us and what He will speak to us!

At 7:55pm on Friday I begin my holidays! I had to finish up my holidays before the end of March, so I decided to pick the weekend that has the most fun stuff (Feb 13-15). I'm off for 12 days! We're not going anywhere but it's getting packed full already of stuff around Winnipeg and Steinbach.

On Saturday, I'm so pumped to be going on a double date with a good friend of mine! Shane and I don't do a lot of couple-things, as many of our friends around Sanctuary are still single. I'm pumped to hang out with this couple and meet my friend's man =)

Then it's time to party! Next week, I'm going to a baby shower, celebrating my sister's birthday two different days, having a sleepover with my dear mother to celebrate her birthday, having 2 friend dates and celebrating Valentine's day with my hubbie! It's going to be fun!

I'm also pumped about our family tradition. We are off to a hotel for a weekend with my mom and siblings later on in the month! I've been in the mood for a hotel weekend for a few months already!

These are some of the special things happening in February, amongst some other more regular things, that I'm exciting about! I think all these fun things all squished into one month makes for a pricey, but very fun-filled month to come!