The van didn't eat my money.....the rodents did!

So, we've been having van troubles. It all started on Saturday morning, or at least to our knowledge.

We had an oil change Thursday evening and then parked the van, not starting it until Saturday morning. We had the van all packed up for the day in the Steinbach area and a number of people to see. We set out.

Within the first block, I realized the speedometer wasn't working! Strange. Something didn't feel right with how it was driving either. We turned around and went home.

We then thought that we'd just go the speed that the rest of traffic was doing and make it out to Steinbach without a working speedometer, if that was our only problem. The guy we take our van to lives out there anyways so maybe he could take a look at it. So, we set out for round #2.

Within the first block, the RPMs were up at 3000 and not coming down! The speedometer still wasn't working and then the engine light came on! Oh boy! We're not going anywhere! So, we turned around again.

By Sunday morning the van wouldn't even start! What is going on?

By Monday at lunch, we were waving good-bye to our lovely van that has been running like a dream for the last 13 months, now to suddenly be dead, as the tow truck wheeled her away.

By Monday evening, we had been told that the battery needed to be replaced, as the rod was totally loose on our old one, and now it was absolutely dead. The doors didn't even want to lock or unlock. Alright. And, the service engine soon light wouldn't go off. The computer needed to be scanned. So be it.

By Tuesday late afternoon, we had been told it was definitely a wiring issue. The van wouldn't even shift into gears for the garage guy. All kinds of problems were coming up on the scan.

So, we get a call this morning (Wednesday now), saying that the van repairs are finished and we can pick up our beauty.

We trudge through the snow and meet the mechanic for the first time. Nice guy!

Well, lo and behold, it wasn't Mr.Lube's faulty oil change that caused us grief. It wasn't even something that we did.

It was some tiny little rodents trying to find a warm place and a bite to eat! They managed to get into a small place up inside our van and chew away at the wire cables. They ate right through the coating around the wires and exposed all of them in that certain cable, causing about 5 codes of problems to come up in the computer scan!

The electrician had rarely seen such a thing so he took a picture and has been talking with mechanics on the web about the situation with our van! We got to see the picture and were shocked to hear the culprit of all our van issues in the last few days was a rodent! Our van wasn't in bad shape. A mouse or a squirrel just had a meal and disrupted our peace in the process!

So, our van is back to running beautifully again! And our wire cables are coated in Pinesol to hopefully ward off any other hungry animals!

At least we had comic relief for an expensive van repair! All because of a hungry rodent!

A lovely trip to the U S of A!

I'm back in Canada as of last evening from a great little trip to KC. I'm so glad that I went.

Other than the obvious enjoyable things (like friends, good food, Bath and Body Works, the temperature/fall), I had many kisses from the Lord this weekend. That makes anything and everything worth it! I spent most of those moments bawling my face off. It was so good!

Here's some pics of the trip to enjoy!

Weekend Away with the Girls!

Tonight...in the next 5 hours....I'm off to Kansas City with some lovely ladies, Christina, Steph and Camillia, for the weekend. I'm glad I said yes to the invite as I'm getting really excited to go!

Funny random point is that I haven't made a KC trip in a car in a very long time! I'm spoiled with the reclining seats and space in a van! So, this could be a little squishier than I'm used to but at least we all like each other!

I am looking forward to sitting in the prayer room, getting some revelation and prophetic guidance from the Lord, being with some lovely girlfriends for the weekend, enjoying the great Canadian dollar, eating at my favorite American restaurants, seeing some IHOP buddies and such! There are lots of highlights most of the time!

I hope for some kisses from the Lord. I hope for a good time in the prophecy rooms. I hope for a great healing praise report after some time in the healing rooms.

Come and meet with me Jesus!

onething weekend!

Last weekend was the onething conference. It was a great weekend! Almost 800 people walked through the doors of the conference at some point in the weekend. The worship was awesome, the speaking was great and the connection felt between the onethingers and Sanctuary was a blessing and encouragement to our hearts!

We enjoyed hosting new friends in our homes, being chauffeurs, taking people out to eat, and such. It was an enjoyable time of serving both the onething team and the city of Winnipeg on a bigger scale. It was lots of fun so it didn't feel like too much work!

My highlight of the weekend was Sunday. The onething team joining Sanctuary at our little House of Prayer for a few hours together, doing what we do. We sang together, prayed together and encouraged one another through prophecy. It was just what Sanctuary needed! So encouraging!

All in all a great weekend!

Here's some pics to enjoy!

We're ready.

Wow! After a ton of planning, a whole lot of errands and a very large amount of cleaning.....we are ready for the arrival of the onething team for the conference this weekend!

Shane and I have been on the run for the last week or two! Lots of last minute meetings for onething details. This week has been full of errands and shopping, making volunteer phone calls, checking off our to-do list and cleaning our place to host a couple.

Our apartment has never been so clean! The walls are washed, the floors are washed and even under the bed is vacuumed! We did a huge fall cleaning...motivated by hosting! I have a fabulous husband!

So, it is 9:30pm and we are done. Yeah! And I'm hungry!

Tomorrow the fun begins when the team arrives!

Come! Join us at onething! Friday 7pm and Saturday all day at Calvary Temple in Winnipeg. It's free and it's going to be awesome!

24/7 Prayer Room....where are you?

I'm sure Joel, Shane and Camillia will understand this...the ones that don't always sleep.

You know when it's 2am and you wish you could just hop in your car and head to the prayer room for a few hours in the middle of the night?

I wish we had that tonight.

Happy Birthday to me!

Today is my 25th birthday. I'm 24 for 2 and a bit more hours.....birthed at 1:13pm to be exact...which my mom usually reminds me of each year. She tries to catch the minute and think of me at that time each birthday! She's so sweet!

My lovely husband has plans for me for the day. We are going to head for a late brunch. Then he has arranged to send me to the spa for the afternoon! I'm getting a French pedicure, French manicure and a facial! I've actually never had a spa facial before! He is so sweet! I hope he remembers this gift later in life when life and kids bring an increased need for alone time and relaxation! Knowing him, he will!

Then we're headed out for supper to celebrate together! I'm a lucky lady!

On a sad note, we spent part of last night and the first hour of my birthday at the Victoria hospital in the waiting room of the ICU. A close family friend of Shane's family passed away last night and it is really tough on his family. It makes today full of mixed emotions. I'm sad for family members and happy for my birthday all in one. Please pray for comfort for Shane's family and peace in this time.

Now, I'm going to carry on the celebration of the day. It's my dad's birthday too! I was born on his 29th birthday!

So, Happy Birthday to me!

Thankful

I'm thankful. I'm thankful for all that God does. He is really incredible. He really does like me! I have very minimal understanding of this deep in my heart, but I'm wanting to get it!

Looking back over the year, we have so much to be thankful for! I'm excited for right now and for what is to come. God has been so very faithful and it feels great to walk in obedience and have confirmation that we are doing what we are called to!

Thank-You Jesus! You are wonderful!

Sweet! It pays to know the manager!!!

We had a nice meal out with the family tonight to start the birthday celebrations! We saw someone Shane and I knew from high school years and lo and behold he was the manager of the restaurant!

We had a nice evening and he kept coming around to check how our meal was and such. When we got our bills, there was a nice surprise! My meal was free! And he had me pick out a dessert from the dessert menu and that was free too! There were some other treats that he took care of as well!

So, that was super nice of him! What a nice birthday blessing!

Thanksgiving....Here We Come!!!!

Today starts a full weekend of celebration! Tonight, my mom, Shane and siblings are going out to begin the celebration of my 25th birthday which is in one week today! Yippee! I love birthdays!

Then, the next 3 days are packed with Thanksgiving family gatherings. Mom's side on Saturday, dad's side on Sunday and Shane's family on Monday! We're going to eat well! I think we'll be a little tired by the end of the weekend with all that activity!

Generally, with my nursing schedule, we can NEVER make all if any of the gatherings. It's nice to have a holiday where we can actually see all our family before I'm back in the swing of things at work.

So, I'm really thankful for all that God has been doing in our lives. We're in a really exciting place, feeling like we are on track with what He has called us to. That's a good feeling!

I'm going to meditate on the goodness of God and think about all the good things that He gives to us this weekend!

"The Nurse"....aka Shane's mom

We've had a little drama over at our little apartment in the hood the last two nights.

Last night, we were ready to eat supper when there was a frantic knocking at our door. We don't usually have knocking at the door.

Shane opened the door and the middle boy (grade 7) of our old neighbors who moved to another a building in the same complex was out of breath and asking if the nurse was at home. (He had remembered that I was a nurse). He goes on to tell us that his friend needs me and they found her lying down behind the building, unconscious!

I'm total not panicked but want to check out this story right away. So, I grab a watch in case I need to get some vital signs on this young girl and Shane follows with the cell just in case we have to call 911.

I get outside and the girl is walking around but obviously upset, followed by the usual gang of kids. I guess there was a fight and supposedly the story goes that she had handfuls of sand thrown down her throat. She wasn't too interested in talking to me.

So, I concluded to the kids that the girl was walking, talking and breathing so she would live. And, I suggested that if she felt worse to GO HOME TO HER MOM. (remember that part)

Shane and I go back upstairs to eat supper. Our buddy follows. He doesn't want to leave. He promises to return tomorrow at 6pm.

Then there is another knock at the door. He's back asking that the nurse would come and see the girl. I reiterate that she should go home and see her mom. (This whole time we can watch and hear what is going on out the window....knowing that she is walking and talking, but had recently wrapped herself in a blanket and had laid down on the pavement in the parking lot. He says she's unconscious again. We assure him while watching her get up and walk around that she is not.)

Shane overhears the idea yelled out by one of the kids that perhaps they should kidnap "the nurse"!! (We are laughing and trying to hide under and beside the window so that they can't see us from outside)

We continue eating. Another knock at the door. Now the younger brother is at our door....asking Shane if his mom, the nurse is there. So, now I'm Shane's mom! I tell him that I will come down again but only to escort the girl home to her mom.... He goes to relay the message. We hear him from the window yelling what "the nurse" suggested. Too funny!

Then the drama calmed and today we saw the girl walking around outside from our window. Obviously it wasn't too bad.

6:00pm rolls around tonight. We're preparing to have supper. No buddy yet.

6:20pm - I'm dishing out supper. There is a knock at the door. Our buddy is at the door with a playstation controller and some games, prepared to come and hang out.

So, we spent an hour and a half in the living room with our buddy with Shane beating him on every playstation game they played. Strange....but neat. We'll see what happens from here!

There's always a little drama in the hood of St.Vital!

Appointments, appointments, appointments!

This week is full of medical-related appointments! I have 2 sessions of physio and 3 doctors appointments!

This morning I had one with the ear, nose, throat doctor. She is super nice! I had to see her a few years ago for my ear after a car accident when the air bag went off.

Anyways, I saw her because I've had a really strained voice for the past few months. I thought it was all related to singing....maybe I was using really poor technique. So, that is why I'm taking 6 weeks of voice lessons. I realized while resting my voice from singing a few weeks ago, that it still feels strained even when I'm simply talking.

So, my vocal cords look great! The area that connects my vocal cords to the back of my throat appears inflammed and irritated, likely due to my "angry stomach" and the heartburn that accompanies it. So, I have to keep on the new stomach medication I started in August and see if that helps the situation.

The other thing the doctor recommended was voice/speech therapy! So, I've been referred and I'm going to find out if I use my voice poorly even with simple talking! Boy, oh boy!

That's the latest health-related story!

Keyboard....

Does anybody have a keyboard that they could lend out for a little while? I could use it! I want to be able to practice my voice pieces at home and I don't have a keyboard. It could be small or regular sized...doesn't matter to me as long as there is an octave or two!

Let me know if you have a keyboard you could lend me!

Wrist update

I just got back from physio and have a bit of good news.

But first the no-as-good update. Boy, does that scar massage and stretching hurt!!! Ouch!!! I have to bite my finger at the worst parts! That scar is NOT cooperating with us as it should! It is bigger than the ganglion was!

The good news is the pain is paying off! A week and a half ago when I started physio, the physiotherapist measured how far I could flex/bend my hand and extend it the other way. Well, she measured me again today and I've increased my range of motion by 20 degrees and 15 degrees! Yeah! Something is changing!

There is still a lot of work to be done to make my left wrist/hand the same as my right hand! Lord, I ask for complete healing for everything involved, scars, ligament, whatever and the absence of pain during the process!

Building Faith and Becoming Thankful

I'm contending for a breakthrough in trust and faith in God's faithful provision in this time in our lives. I want to be one that trusts fully in the face of need or in the face of plenty. I don't want the circumstances that we confront to change the way I feel. I want to rest in faith regardless of what is in front of us.

I think this is a really important time in the life of Shane and I and in the history that we are building in God. These years of risk and need are critical in the foundation that we are laying for ourselves and our little family. I want these years to build trust and faith that moves mountains for the rest of our lives.

"..for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want...." Philippians 4:11,12

I think I remembered a very important piece in the process of building faith this morning. Thankfulness! If I'm staring at our needs and praying for provision, I can become a little overwhelmed with what is in front of me. I still need to be aware of these needs and bring them to the Lord in prayer but I need to do this with a thankful heart. A thankful heart will do a work on the inner man that focusing on the needs will not.

So, regardless if I have tons or little, I want to be thankful for everything! Thank-You! Thank-You! Thank-You God! Having a thankful heart will change the inner workings of my heart and set me on the path to walking in even more faith!

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful" Colossians 4:2

Needs......

We've got some extra upcoming needs. Shane and I went to the dentist this afternoon and both need to get some work done. Fortunately, most of that should be covered by my benefits. Unfortunately, I need a crown!!! Even with benefit coverage that is going to cost us a large amount. I need to lay that at the cross as I'm feeling a little nervous about that cost at the moment.

On route to the dentist, I got my nursing license renewal in the mail. That is another expense that I had forgotten about!

Jesus, You are our Provider. PLEASE, increase my faith in Your provision. You are the One we trust in. You are the One that will take perfect care of us!

onething is coming to Winnipeg! Best of all this conference is absolutely free! This is not a typo and you are reading the statement right. The conference is ABSOLUTELY FREE!! If you are a Winnipegger or living in Manitoba then this will be music to your ear.

If you are a youth Pastor, or youth leader. This conference I highly recommend you bring your youth too. There is no conference that I have ever been to that is like this conference. It will change and challenge you and your youth group.

The conference is being held on October 26-27 at Calvary Temple in Winnipeg. To register click on any of the words that say onething on this page. For more details click on anything that says onething as well.

What is onething exactly?

onething is a part of the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, Missouri (IHOP–KC). Beginning in 1999, Mike Bickle gathered a few young adults together to start a prayer meeting that has continued night and day since. With every prayer meeting having a full worship team, we total 84 two-hour prayer meetings a week with over 1,000 people involved, continuing over seven years of unceasing night and day prayer, and continue to watch the fire on the altar burn unceasingly.

It is from this seedbed of night and day prayer that we call this generation to a wholehearted pursuit of God, challenging them to seek Him with lives of prayer, fasting and fulfilling the Great Commission. Each year, we have over nine conferences around the nation. Also, we offer two leadership summits and a youth conference, which imparts vision and demonstrates practical ways to living out wholehearted devotion. We desire to see millions of young adults have deep understanding of God’s emotions and profound knowledge of the hour in which they live.

Watch the video below for more information on what onething is.

7 years ago today.....

Funny how times flies when you're having fun! 7 years ago today, September 8, 2000, Shane and I officially started our relationship as a dating couple. 3 years and almost a month later we were engaged on October 3, 2003. Then the big day came on June 12, 2004 and here we are today, over 3 years of marriage under our belts! That last 7 years have been a blast in relationship with my favorite guy! I can't imagine life without him!

On the wrist front, I started physio again yesterday. I am able to see the same physiotherapist as I did February through June of this year. She was shocked that I had surgery so fast (as I was!). Good thing I've gone to see her. The scar is healing nicely on the outside, but definitely needs some work. It is quite raised, actually it looks bigger than the ganglion did! So, I'm on a strict schedule. I have to do 4 minutes of scar massage 4 times a day....and that is painful! It feels like pressing on a bruise over and over intentionally! I have to stretch my wrist every hour and do some of my old putty exercises. My wrist doesn't want to move much because of a big mass of scar tissue! The next 3 weeks of healing are important in my job of working on this scar!

The exciting news is that the doctor and physio told me to play some guitar! I played 10 minutes for 2 mornings without bothering my wrist noticeably! Yeah!

Prayers on My Heart

I've had a prayer on my heart lately. I'm asking that God would strengthen my yes for everything that is of Himself.

I really desire a perspective change. I want to think like Him. I want to process like Him. I want to be willing to do anything for Him.

I want to walk so in-step with Him that I am willing to do or say anything the moment that He leads. Wouldn't that be great?! A partner who walks so closely to Him and knows His heart, that there would be no doubt and no question when He asks things of me. I would do ANYTHING, ANYTIME!!! That's what I want.

Along with that prayer, comes the prayer that God would loosen and release my grip on the things of this world. I don't want to be hanging on to anything else. I only want to be hanging on to the arm of my Bridegroom. I tend to feel busy on the inside. My mind or heart can be so distracted by things of this world that really don't matter in light of eternity. They aren't bad things but the way they effect me isn't right. They don't deserve so much thought, emotion or attention.

In the midst of so many natural, human needs and processes, I don't want any of them to be the main thing on my mind or heart. I want God. I want Him to consume me. Then I can do all the normal, human things that need to be done from that place.

I want to be a wife, sister, daughter, friend, mother (one day), nurse, intercessory missionary, secondary to my first pursuit of being a lover of Jesus.

Provision....

I'm feeling encouraged today.

I've been feeling on the down side lately, really feeling our financial needs somewhat consume my thoughts. I had a really good time in prayer yesterday, with some tears, and feel so much better both yesterday for the rest of the day and today. The encouragement hasn't come from miraculous provision between yesterday and today, but instead from the encouragement and breakthrough that can only come from the Holy Spirit on my inner man.

I don't want to be secure and relieved when the needs are met alone. I want to feel the same way when I'm in need without seeing the provision, as when I have plenty. I don't want the things of this world to consume my heart, soul, mind or strength and rob me from peace on the inside. Whether we have a struggle or a miracle, I want to have the same joy, peace and confidence in His provision in my life.

I sure wish that I could snap my fingers that I would have all the confidence, trust and faith in the world. I do have such small faith and often find myself doubting. How I long to be more mature!

The provision praise report for today is related to physiotherapy. I wanted to see the same girl that I saw for so many months earlier this year. I like knowing that she already knows my wrist so well. The problem, I found out this morning, was that she has moved to private practice and with my limited benefit plan, I'd have to pay her myself. Not going to happen.

So, I made a call to WCB to ask if they would be willing to cover the cost and I could see the same physiotherapist. They had no problem with that at all and told me I didn't even need a doctor's referral, which is usually like gold! I am encouraged that even the physiotherapist I wanted to see has been covered! Thank-you God!