Live Laugh Love

I'm procrastinating. I have yet to pack. We leave tomorrow.

I'm wallowing in this amazing feeling of not being prepared and being totally calm. I'm in a zone that feels so peaceful... now this could just be the calm before the storm... I don't feel stress, I feel total peace. It is a very weird sensation. Because I know myself. Technically, I should be freaking out, grabbing extra stuff and shoving it in a suitcase 'just in case' but I'm not... I've checked off my list(s) (-there have been many!),  except a little run to the dollar store to pick up stickers for the teachers at the school to be able to give to the children... maybe another run to the camping store for a towelette that will be used to dab sweat (glorious though eh?) also pick up some Tim Hortons coffee to take over as a little taste of home for the Missionaries...

(i may have just compiled another list- I'd better get packing!)

On another note- I'm not sure what kind of internet hook up we will have while on our Living Life On Purpose 2015 Journey to Uganda. I'm hoping to be able to keep you all updated weekly if not more, we shall see! Keep us in your prayers! We appreciate all of your support!

Share the love,
M.

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Without Love.

"Without love, we are like birds with broken wings"... how true is that?
I believe we were made for love-  made to give love, made to be love and made to share love... like birds are given wings to fly, we are given love to live.

Share the love,
M.

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Share the Love.

Why do I always sign off Share the love ?

Because I believe we are made of love, and for love.  I believe love should be the answer no matter the question. I believe it ought to be what we give, even when we have nothing to give. I believe the more we give, the more we have.

Am I good at this all the time? no. Is love always my first response? no. Should it be? yes. Am I working on it? Yes. When I sign off Share the love, am I reminding myself to share the love... yes.

We were not created to be perfect, we were created to be... and then Jesus said, the most important thing ever... first,  Love God...  and second and equally as important,  Love your neighbour as yourself (Matt 22:36-40)

So Love, love God,
Love your Neighbour,
and try to filter your life through love- what does that even look like?

and...

Share the love,
M.

Ps. we leave in 4 days. It is getting so real!!!

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Put the Kettle On!

We've got 5 days- we are getting packed, running around to pick up odds and ends, we are organized, we are enjoying our friends and family and I am going crazy.

Duy is grand, not a worry in his head... me, a million things are flying about- I can't shut it off... but when someone says, let me put the kettle on, it's like the stress of the world slips away for a few moments, and I can be in the moment, sipping a cup of tea, holding a warm cup and talking to a friend...that distresses me completely...

I'm a coffee lover, I love my coffee, but lately it's been tea for me, I'm not sure why- but there is something about tea, it's part of home for me... my parents are tea drinkers, a 7 minute steep for the perfect cup of tea- "set the timer- dinner is ready when the tea is..." I can hear those words- my mom would be finishing up in the kitchen, we would be scurrying around to finish up what we were doing and head to the table...

I guess for me, hearing, 'put the kettle on', means we're about to sit down and talk, enjoy each other and enjoy a good cup of tea...

Share the love,
M.

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Wander Often, Wonder Always.

Wander often, around your neighbourhood, your community, your country, your world... but no matter how often you are able to wander, make sure you always wonder... be amazed at beauty, let nature refresh you, sit in wonder of the gloriousness that surrounds you... be it God made, or man made, our world is amazing.

Share the love,
M.

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Get off your....

Sometimes we need a little encouragement to get off of our own (ahem) donkey,  AND do something. Anything, something outside of our own personal thoughts, ideals, lives. Do something different. Put the kettle on and walk over to your neighbour's house and invite them in for tea. Take a walk around the block and carry a bag with you, pick up any trash you see, head down town with a case of water and hand it out to the homeless people, talk to them. Remember the story of the Good Samaritan Luke 10:34 says "Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds ..." The Good Samaritan got off his donkey, took one step and changed the life of this man and his family forever. He got off his Donkey.

Duy and I are headed to Uganda in 9 days (Eeek!) (check out the fancy count down I added to the blog over there ->) 9 days. This isn't something that just came up, this has been in the works for a long time. Our Living Life On Purpose journey started long before I ever posted our "It's Time for Africa Post" on July 17, 2014, making it really REAL. At that moment we had no idea what it looked like, no clue where we were going, just that we were going. We were tired of sitting around talking about doing, yet never actually doing anything. So we just started. And here we are, 429 days later, we are packing our bags, and adventure awaits.

Let me encourage you that no matter how big your dream is, no matter what it is, it all starts with one small step. Remember the saying; "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time"... it's true with everything, the greatest adventures in the world start with one step.

So take that step today, even if that one step is just sharing your dream, you can do it.
Just get off your Donkey, and take one step...
Share the love,
M.

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Fear-Love

"My Fear is Silenced in Your Love"

Lately I've been listening to music while I work- generally I work in silence... but I found working in silence my mind wanders and I focus on stupid stuff... so I've started listening to uplifting music. It's changed my thought process... I hear the words and I find myself muttering them under my breath, as if they are an unconscious heart cry... these words: 'my fear is silenced in your love' - they came out unconsciously and then they became conscious... and I kept saying them over and over again... my fears are silenced in your love... silenced... quieted, drowned out... gone... peace...love...joy.

It's true... "perfect love casts out fear..." 1 John 4:18, and when I am fearful, anxious, worried, you know just being human in the world we live in... I quote that verse.

Some of you may not know these verses, you may not know Jesus or the Bible... and that's ok. This isn't to make you do what I do. This is how I get through life, these are the cries if my heart. If you are looking for something,  I want to encourage you... to find peace... to focus on the beautiful in life.

I quote this verse as a daily reminder to my mind "fix your thoughts on what is true, and honourable, and right, and pure, and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." Phil 4:8

You don't need to be anything other than human to find the wisdom in focusing on the positive in life... So today I encourage you to whisper the thoughts of your heart, to focus on the beautiful, to know that there is someone out there who cares... and I'll pray for you that you find peace... joy, and love in your life.

Share the love,
M.

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Let Your Light Shine.

Don't let anyone, or anything dull your sparkle today, 

you are incredible, 

let your light shine.

Share the love,

M.

(2 versions to choose from, one with Matt 5:16 scripture and one without)

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Relax- Don't Do it.

We've got 25 days until we leave (!) we are doing boring stuff like reading travel insurance policies, renewing the mortgage, paying bills, etc. trying to find and deal with everything we might need for those just incase moments. 

And doing a few fun things like visiting my dad, enjoying daddy-daughter time levelling a deck, having ice-cream - I'm allergic to milk, but somehow my dad seems to always be able to convince me,  ice-cream is always a good idea. It isn't. I ought to know better. But he's very convincing! 

We're trying to fit everything that needs to get done into a teeny tiny window of time... and I'm breathing... I'm relaxing, I'm freaking out, and I'm quoting : 

"How many of you can add even one day to your life by worrying?" (Luke 12:25)

along with: 

"do not be anxious [worried] about anything..." (Philippians 4:6)

I know we all have things happening that are bring anxiety, worry and frustration and great joy in our lives... and I know our upcoming Living Life On Purpose 2015 is all me, no one put this on our plates but me. So there is no one to blame, just me (oops) and I've often thought throughout this past year, Miss, what have you done?  (I'm sure the hubby has also thought this, more than once!) But that feeling so quickly passes when I just breathe ... "God, what I have done... I'm not prepared for this..." and I hear "you don't need to be prepared, I'll prepare you" and I'm flooded with peace... I really do feel that this journey is God led. It's only a reality because of that. 

What are you working on that is outside of your comfort zone ? And when you get frustrated, emotional, anxious, what do you do? Share with us, we are all looking for the secret recipe.

So Relax, don't do it- don't worry... just Share the love,

M.

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