Chaos and Rain, and a Simple Sweet Gift

"Hi there, what do you think about abortion?"

I've asked this question...more times than I have cared to count.

I'm going to tell you a little story about my day yesterday, which I love.

After doing GAP, (the Genocide Awareness Project, now called the Human Rights Project) twice, I became a part of a group in my own town, called Windsor Against Abortion, which does... pretty much what it sounds like.

We are out on public sidewalks every week showing the truth about abortion, and having educational conversations with anyone who will stop at our invitation.

We always run into problems. Every week. It's basically a given, I believe because the devil does NOT appreciate our work, and will try every angle to stop us from being out there. So this week we lost one of our members, spent half of our activism time searching for her, (well at least I did, the others thankfully were able to set up right away) stood in the POURING rain with our signs, and didn't have very many conversations.

It just happened to be the week that a bunch of new people came to join us.

"We look SO unprofessional," I couldn't help feeling. "They're never going to want to come back."

So in our debrief time, I made sure to mention that we will be much more organized in the future, and I felt that it was most important to thank them for coming, because this work is not easy. It's not inviting. It takes guts and courage to step out of your comfort zone and come. They need to be appreciated, and FEEL appreciated.

However, before I could even say thank you, we hear a car honking near us. We thought we knew who it was, so my younger sister runs over and talks to them through the window, I watch as a loaded tray of Tim Hortons cups are handed out the window.

She returns to tell us that it was not who we thought, it was my brother in law's sister, who we don't know very well, but she saw us and bought us all hot chocolate, without even knowing who we all were and why we were out there.

I felt, as my wet hands closed around the warmth of the cup, that God was saying, "Thank YOU for coming today."

He wanted to say thank you first, because He knows that as much as its good for the new people to be appreciated and feel that appreciation, it's the same for me. Sometimes I would really like to know that my effort is not in vain, and God sees me wandering around the streets of downtown in the rain looking for a lost team member, trying to make this thing run in order to stand up for children that so many don't care about, but He does.

If anyone who was standing there with me on the wet sidewalk today is reading this, there's a reason I wasn't the only one who got the hot chocolate. God appreciates your effort just as much.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” James‬ ‭1:17‬

No, I'm THE Big Fat Panda

This week has been similar to the previous ones here in Crystal Beach, lots of laughing amidst dancing, eating, school, dancing, pain, housework, and more dancing.

I will say though, it definitely had it's moments to stand out from the rest. For one thing, I have officially become The Dragon Warrior. Well, Po anyway.

One day I was thinking about how much I am like Po from Kungfu Panda, seriously, the more I thought about it, the more clear it became. We are the same.

I'm all inspired by other dancers, and wish I could be just like them.

But then I try...

"There is now a level zero."

But I am determined to improve!

"Don't worry master, I will never quit!"

And then my weakness was discovered.

And so Carolyn assumed the role of Master Shifu, and made me pirouette in a circle of chocolate bars on the ground. No word of a lie.

I couldn't help but laugh, as I had JUST been comparing myself to Po, and then she came up with that. Totally independently, I didn't say anything about Kungfu Panda before the chocolate bars.

So yes. This is my life.

But one day, I will BE the Dragon Warrior. I believe it.

In the meantime, God has given me so much to be thankful for!

The other day I was sitting in the loft above our garage as it rained. The rain was pelting down on the roof just above me, I had epic music playing, which mixed really well with the rain, until you couldn't hear the music anymore because the rain was so loud! It was lovely.

Anyway, it was the perfect time to just pray and be alone with Jesus, and a verse came to mind that I had read the day before.

Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. (Psalms 30:4)

I love how this verse encourages us to give thanks just at the very remembrance of His holiness. Every time it comes to mind, it is the perfect time to thank Him.

Because no matter what is going on, whether you are dreaming about ballet while making noodles in your father's restaurant, or sitting in a loft enjoying God's presence, or fighting an evil kungfu master, God is holy, and unchanging, and good.

The Sky's Song

Sometimes I write books. Actually I write books a lot.

So I have just started this new book, I don't know what it is going to be called yet, but in it there is an old man who tells a story to a little girl when she is afraid of a storm, and I thought I would share it with you. It is called The Sky's Song. :)

“Let me tell you a story,” he began, “There once was a little girl who had nothing. She lived in a cardboard box, she had no parents, no friends, no food, nothing. But she was always happy, because she loved to sing.” He smiled, she was no longer clutching his arm, her hand was just resting on it, she was not paying attention to the storm anymore, only to his story. “One day she saw a bird sitting on a tree branch, but it was not singing. She frowned, birds are supposed to sing. She scolded it, 'Bad bird! You are sitting there enjoying yourself, when you owe the world a favour!' 'What is that?' the bird asked. 'It is your duty to sing. You have a voice, so use it! What are you doing just sitting there?' 'Everything has a voice, why do I have to sing?' The bird asked. 'Because your voice is beautiful.' She said. 'So are the others,' the bird replied, 'but it is because my voice is different that they don't sing. They are taught to think that their voices are not as good as mine, so they never sing. I think that is more a crime than me not singing.' 'You are right,' the girl said, 'I never thought of it that way. Why, everyone should sing!' The bird smiled, 'Yes, everyone should. But first we must get rid of the notion that they can't, because if they go on thinking their voices are inferior to mine, they will let me and never try it themselves.' The girl did not reply, she was too busy thinking of a way to get them to sing. 'I've got it!' She exclaimed, and hurried off to try out her idea. She ran to a field full of flowers and sat down. She waited. And waited. And waited some more, but not once did they sing. She looked at them with tears in her eyes, 'You wretched flowers! I came all the way here by myself on foot and you did not welcome me. I shall tell my friends never to come here.' She stood up, and heard a faint voice, on of the daisies calling out, 'Wait! How should we welcome you? All we can do is sit here and wait to be picked!' 'That is very wrong of you to say that!' She scolded, 'You could sing for me.' 'We can't sing,' another one said. 'That is wrong, I have heard you. You have beautiful voices.' 'Really?' One of them asked. 'Honest!' She said, then she waited again. Presently she heard a humming noise, thousands of daises all singing in chorus, just a slight whistle, she had to strain to hear it, but they were. She clapped, 'Lovely! You should always welcome people to this field by singing, it is the most wonderful sound.' She then went to a stray cat in the alley, then the dogs in the neighbourhood, she spent her whole day spreading joy and singing to everyone who would listen. When the sun began to set, singing a happy tune, she sat down, Now, is there anyone I have missed? 'Well done,' she heard someone say. 'I can almost sing again.' 'Why don't you?' She asked the bird. 'Because,' he said, 'Everyone is singing but the sky.' She felt raindrops on her head, 'See, he is crying because he is left out. He still believes he does not have a good voice.' She grinned, and then looked up to the darkening sky, 'Naughty sky,' she whispered, 'Why are you not welcoming me?' It began to pour, her grin widened because she knew it was tears of happiness. Then she heard a sound she had never heard before, thunder. The sky's song. It was so happy to be singing it flashed, and this was called lightning. She loved all of the songs of the day, but the one she loved the most was the Song of the Sky. The bird began to whistle and fly away. The End."

What do you think? :)