21 Years!!

Yesterday, Dave and I celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary!  As we sat at the table on our back deck enjoying our anniversary supper together, we talked about how even though it seems like, in one way, we've been together forever...it still doesn't seem like 21 years have passed.  I told him that is how OLD people talk and we are getting old : - ) 

We didn't go out for a meal because, with Dave's diet restrictions, it is just too much effort and never quite seems worth what he ends up eating.  We teamed up to make a healthy and delicious anniversary supper with steak, roasted sweet potatoes, steamed brocolli and cauliflower, corn on the cob and sautéed mushrooms, onions and zucchini.  Drool!

The Lord has richly, richly blessed us with all of these years together.  I still think Dave rocks and he has done what a great partner-in-life should do and that is challenge me to be a better person and to get out of my comfort zone.  He's taught me many lessons over the years but a couple of them that have stuck prominently in my mind:

1. People just want to be made to feel important
2. It's not all about you!

I won't go on and on about how fabulous he is....but he certainly is!!  I know that, no matter what, he loves me unconditionally and he is the best friend that I have.  Those are certainly some Christ-like characteristics and I am glad, most of all, for the wise and godly husband that God has given to me.

Counting my blessings again......

May is grey!

Grey is the colour for the month of May.  None of that "April showers bring May flowers"....May has brought more and more showers.  If I am not mistaken, I think we have had one completely sunny day since the beginning of May and perhaps about another 3 days where some sun peeked through briefly.  It hasn't only been raining but it has been very cold for this time of year.  I can't decide how I am supposed to dress.  One day I have a turtleneck on and the next a T-shirt???  I am getting a bit crabby from the lack of sun and am praying that sun is in our future soon or I will be permanently housed in our basement and fed only bread and water : - )

On the positive side of things, the rain has meant that allergies have not been very bad and the grass is incredibly green and lush.  Even on our darkest days, we must try and find that silver lining somewhere!

Hope it is nicer wherever you are XO

Photography

For those who know me well, you know that I love taking photographs!  My nieces and nephews are so used to me sticking a camera in their face all of the time and my camera is always in my hand when travelling.  I had a bit of excitement happen a few weeks ago. 

I received an email on my cruise blog from a publication in Curacao (an island in the Caribbean) asking if they might be able to use one of my photographs for their magazine.  No monetary payment would be given but they would give me written credit in the magazine.  I thought was just the coolest thing that someone actually wanted to use my photography in a real-life magazine...even if it was a small publication.  The publication is created as an in-flight magazine for InselAir which is a regional airline operating out of Curacao and flying to various destinations throughout the Caribbean.  I gave my permission and asked if they could send me a copy of the magazine once it was published.  On Monday, I got the copy in the mail and was excited to see that not only did they use my photo but it is on the cover!!

Here is the original photo that I took of Old Street in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten/St. Martin:

Here is the edited and finished product on the cover of the InselAir Insights magazine:

Credits page:

When you are an amateur photography buff, it is definitely a thrill to see your work published!

International Outreach...

Dave's cousin, Sandra, arrived earlier this week from Qatar where she teaches an administrative assistant course.  She brought along a few of her students and another instructor to attend a conference in Moncton.  Heather had the whole group plus Dave and I over for supper so the girls could get to experience Canadian food and see a Canadian home.

The girls arrived with their cameras and IPad2's at the ready and took pictures of everything that went on.  We had a delicious supper with steak, chicken and salmon so they could try out some different meats/fish.  After, Heath took them for a tour around her house and then over to Mom & Dad's to check out their house with the girls madly snapping pics the whole way.

Heather gave them each a gift bag with a bunch of Canadian treats (Canada mug, notebook, etc).  In return, they gave us a miniature replica of a brass coffee pot that they use when they prepare their coffee, a pin with the State of Qatar seal and a pin with a Canadian flag beside a Qatari flag.  We learned lots about their country and asked them tons of questions.

A couple of the girls did some henna art on our hands as a memento and they told Sandra after they left that they loved shopping but this night was their most favorite. 


Ashwag's henna art...literally a work of art!



We got to see photos of their homes and their families in Qatar.  A real international experience!!



From left (and I probably am spelling their names wrong): Ashwag, Maven, Fatma and Reeme.



Words have power.....

I've been thinking lately about the power that words can have.  Words can hurt, betray, insult, wound and embarrass.  On the other hand, they can encourage, show love, build up and calm down.  In this age of rampant social media, it seems that a lot of people have forgotten about the impact of their words.  The old saying "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me" isn't applicable!  There are too many stories about young people taking their own lives because of the words spread about them on Facebook or Twitter.  I cringe quite often when I am looking on Facebook and I see some of the rantings, ravings or opinions that people put in their status...and I'm not just talking about younger people.

Once words are put out into cyber-space, they are out there for ALL to see.  They cannot be taken back even if you remove the post...people have still seen what you have written.  Just because we have the power of technology at our fingertips and can post our thoughts or opinions right from our cell phone doesn't mean that we should do it.  Just like when you are speaking, it is often a good idea to take a breather between an event and your words.  When I was younger, I didn't take a breather and often said things that shouldn't have been said because I didn't think about the impact that my words would have on people.  I still struggle with biting my tongue at times.  Society tells us that we should be free to express what we think and feel but the scriptures tell us that the tongue is "an unruly evil, full of deadly poison" (James 3:8).

We should all think very carefully about the things that we put out on email, Facebook, etc.  Those are words that reach way more people than we would normally talk to or impact in the run of a day.  You just have to read some of the comments on YouTube or on some of the online magazines or blogs to see that people feel that the anonymity of the internet removes the filter that we all should have on our words.

Never underestimate the power of your words....spoken or written!  Choose kind, encouraging and positive words.....