For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

John 3.16

More Then Just A Facebook Friend

Post written by Chris at "A Cloudy Mirror"

I'm sure this has never happened to you before.

You meet someone at a party or some other event and when you get home, you have a friend request on Facebook from this random person with whom you had a five minute conversation. Do you accept or reject the request? Thankfully, there's always the third option. You can ignore the request entirely and hope the person forgets about you. Not that I've ever done that before…

Now if you're anything like me, there are probably a few people on your "friends" list that you hardly see. Maybe you don't even talk to them at all. You'll check out some of their photos and comment on their status updates, but you don't really have an active friendship. You may know a lot about them, but you don't really know them. At the heart level, you have no idea what's going on inside.

If there's one thing that we as humans crave the most, it's relationship. Part of the reason why Facebook is so appealing is because we all want to be connected. We want to know what's happening in people's lives. Social networking has enabled us to stay in touch with hundreds of people with only a few clicks of the mouse. But to what extent can it really help develop authentic relationships?

For the longest time, that's the way it was between me and God. He was just a Facebook friend. I first accepted his friend request when I was only five or six. Then I began following his updates. I read all about the amazing things he had done through people like Joseph, Moses, and David. I talked to God occasionally, but I really didn't get to know him all that well. I knew a lot about him, but I didn't know him. I didn't know his heart.

Over the last eight months, I've come to know God so much more intimately. As he's revealed his Father heart, I've begun to understand the width, depth, and height of his love. It's not about what I can do for him, but about what He has done for me through his son Jesus. I don't need to perform for God because he already accepts me. And I don't need to worry about the crap that life throws at me because I know that Father will take care of me.

God doesn't just want you to know stuff about him… but to truly know him. To know how much he loves you. He wants to be more than just a Facebook friend.

Christmas Is Coming!

It's a snowy wet day outside and the trees are weighed down heavily by icicles. Inside it is nice and warm by the wood stove as I type. I have missed blogging lately! As our family computer is still "out of order", Dad kindly lent me his laptop.

Dad bought some pretty blue Christmas lights to put along the front of our house! We haven't had lights for a few years... we are enjoying their friendly glow.

I have been doing the in class portion of my Drivers Ed since last week. I will be done on Wednesday. After Christmas I will be doing the in car portion. I am enjoying it, there are a lot of things that are good to know.

I have been learning Christmas music the last few weeks on the piano! "Angels We Have Heard On High" and a new one that my teacher Emily gave me, it's called "Christmas Is A Time To Love". It's very pretty. Shawn is learning it on the guitar to play with me too.

Baking will start this week (Lord willing!), I am hoping to make the family favorites as well as a new recipe or two. I have set up the wrapping center to start wrapping this week as well.

Have a wonderful 3rd week of Advent everyone!

I am typing this from the local library. Our internet and family computer are not working at the moment... hopefully I will be able to do some more blogging soon.

Have a great week everyone!

A man and his wife were awakened at 3:00 am by pounding on the door. The man gets up and goes to the door where a drunken stranger is standing in the pouring rain asking for a push. "Not a chance", says the husband, "it's 3:00 in the morning!" He slams the door and returns to bed. "Who was that?" asked his wife. Just some drunk guy asking for a push and I'm not helping him, its pouring rain" he answers. "Don't you remember last month we broke down, and those guys helped us?" I think you should help him. God loves drunk people too. The man gets up and calls out into the dark, "Hey are you still out there? "Yeesss," comes back an answer. "Do you still need a push?" he asks. "Yes, please!" comes a reply. "Where are you?" asks the husband. "Over here on the swing set," replied the drunk.

Christmas Food Court Flash Mob, Singing The Hallelujah Chorus!

Alexia

Six little ducks

That I once knew

Fat ones, skinny ones,

Fair ones, too

But the one little duck

With the feather on his back

He led the others

With a quack, quack, quack

Quack, quack, quack,

Quack, quack, quack

He led the others

With a quack, quack, quack.

Down to the river

They would go

Wibble, wobble, wibble, wobble,

To and fro

But the one little duck

With the feather on his back

He led the others

With a quack, quack, quack

Quack, quack, quack,

Quack, quack, quack

He led the others

With a quack, quack, quack.



Back from the river

They would come

Wibble, wobble, wibble, wobble,

Ho, hum, hum

But the one little duck

With the feather on his back

He led the others

With a quack, quack, quack

Quack, quack, quack,

Quack, quack, quack

He led the others

With a quack, quack, quack.




Into the water they would dive

Over and under the other five

But the one little duck

With the feather on his back

He led the others

With a quack, quack, quack.




Home from the river they would g0

Wibble wobble, wibble wobble,

Ho hum hum

But the one little duck

With the feather on his back

He led the others

With a quack, quack, quack.

Our time with Alexia is going well, she is so cute and fun to be with. She is also a very busy little person which is why my blog has become so silent! She loves ducks which is why Mom and I picked this fun song to include with her pictures. Have a wonderful week everyone! God Bless.

Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

Luke 18:15-17

A Weekend Away/ Hunting

Mom and I went away for a ladies retreat this past weekend in Quebec. We had a lovely relaxing time together. The theme of the weekend was, "I have called you by name, you are Mine!"

- Isaiah 43:1

Shawn and Dad hunted very faithfully the whole two weeks of the season and on Saturday Shawn got a nice doe! Thanks Shawn, it will be good eating this winter. I couldn't help putting up this picture of Bambi...

Have a wonderful week everyone! Baby Alexia is getting a picture post soon.

- And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

Romans 8:28

Happy Birthday Mom!

I love you, Mom! Thank-you for always being here for Dad and us kids. I hope you have a lovely day.

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.

1 Thessalonians 3:12

IMPORTANT NOTICE!!!

I am going to be putting my blog private. If you wish to keep reading my blog I ask that you please email me at, theviewfrommywindow.erin@gmail.com and I will send you a confidential login password.

Please email me by Monday November 15th if you wish to receive the password. Thank-you!

Time with Tannis

Thursday evening, Tannis came to for a visit and the night. We had dinner and then went over to my Nana and Papa's house to use their basement to watch a few movies and spend the night.

We had both wanted to see this film for a while, we loved it!

A classic and one of my favorite films... Tannis had never seen it but she loved it too.

Wonderful to see you Tannis!

A friend loveth at all times. Proverbs 17:17

An Interesting Find!

Well, as of tonight we have all of our apple sauce made up!

We bought 5 bushels, 4 1/2 which we made into apple sauce. There seemed to be a lot of apple sauce in the freezer so when we did up the last half bushel this evening we figured out that you get 50 cups per half bushel of apples.

Which equals 450 cups of apple sauce! I think we have enough Mom...

Getting ready for hunting

We (meaning Shawn and Dad mostly) have been getting ready for hunting the last few days. The season started today, they are both out 'till dark. I will be going out with them too over the next two weeks. I don't know if Scott will be back for the hunt this year or not... maybe next weekend, we'll see. Good luck guys, I hope you get one just like the picture!

Mom took this yesterday after we had been working on the deer blinds and Dad had been sighting in his rifle - it was a cold evening!

"Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. The fear and dread of you will fall upon all of the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air, upon every creature that moves along the ground, and upon all the fish of the sea; they are given into your hands. Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, now I give you everything."

Genesis 9:1-3

Shawn's 23rd Birthday Post

In the morning we let him open one gift



Before dinner...


we took some pictures

Shawn with Nana and Papa P.

The Birthday Table





The fries - they turned out so nice I had to show you! For dinner the menu was - Barbequed Hamburgers, Ceasar Salad, Homemade Fries, junk food and Chocolate cake with ice cream.




Gift opening






Blowing out the candles, all 23 of them...



There seems to be more smoke every year! :)

Have a wonderful year Shawn! I love you.

Pumpkin Pie Wins!

On my sidebar I did a recent blog poll asking your favourite type of pie. Here they are in order of favourites. Thank-you for participating!

Pumpkin ~ 4

Lemon Meringue ~ 3

Apple ~ 2

Chocolate ~ 2

Strawberry ~ 1

Bumbleberry ~ 1

Happy 23rd Birthday Shawn!

This is the day the LORD has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

Girls Lunch Out

We had a lovely Birthday lunch out yesterday for Louise! It was so great to see all of you. It is always so nice to get together with such good friends. I love you all!

We also got a new group picture. From L - R Caroline, Rosemary, Louise (the Birthday girl), Tannis and I.


"A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart, and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words."

- Unknown

Scott's 20th Birthday Post

Scott and Ralph - Scott played his violin at a wedding today, he normally doesn't walk around in his suit!

The Birthday Table

Decorations

Scott before dinner

Making Pizza

Opening gifts

Scott's cake - carrot with cream cheese icing

Blowing out all the candles...

... all this smoke!

Cake is so fun!

Taste and see that the LORD is good, blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

Psalm 34:8