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- Details
- Written by: Alyssa
- Category: Life
- Details
- Written by: Alyssa
- Category: Life
It really feels like Christmas is around the corner now that our tree is up and decorated, we have snow on the ground, and cards are starting to arrive in the mail.
It is fun to have presents under the tree already, since I think last year we had a pretty bare floor for the first half of December. Torre enjoys swatting the little red ornaments at every opportunity and got very excited when he realized one wrapped present makes noises every time he bumps it. That present lives in the middle of the tree now, for my sanity and so the wrapping lasts until Christmas :)
Matt bought these window decals last night, which are SO cute, and I think it will be fun for Torre to decorate the windows in future years. We sure had fun putting them up, and then whaddaya know it snowed!
One innovation I'm pleased with myself over this year is the idea of putting Christmas cards in our window blinds! We definitely don't have enough clear surfaces that are out of reach from Torre's hands (and therefore mouth), and even before we had a baby I always wished we had a better way to display the beautiful cards we receive. At night the candy canes shine through the blinds, and I think it looks pretty cheery from the outside too!
- Details
- Written by: Alyssa
- Category: Book Reviews
Why am I reviewing a book about dating, you might ask. Well, it's because I received a free copy to do so! But I requested this specific book because I was intrigued at the possibility of it actually having something helpful to say. The thing is, Christians don't always do a great job of integrating our religious norms with cultural norms in the broader world, and dating is definitely an area where I think we can improve.
So let's jump in: True Love Dates, by Debra Fileta, identifies itself as "your indispensable guide to finding the love of your life." Of course, the author pulls a bit of a fast one, since the introduction lets you know this book is not actually about finding love, it is about loving yourself, building healthy relationships and pursuing your relationship with God so that your life is in a good state for whenever that relationship with your future-spouse comes along. There is some good material along the way, an FAQ section at the back, and lots of real-life examples scattered through the book.
- Details
- Written by: Alyssa
- Category: suffering
Job is one of my favourite books in the Bible - when I actually take the time to read through it I always get pulled into the story. The conversation comes to life as Job and his friends talk and argue back and forth, and it's always interesting to see what stands out to me each time, what I relate to most, whether Job's desolation or his friends' advice.
I have been failing at actually reading through the book of Job this time, but I made a good push to about chapter 11, and I keep coming back to Job 6:21b - "you see my calamity and are afraid."
When Job's friends first arrive to comfort him, they sit on the ground with him for seven days not saying anything until Job breaks the silence. However, once he does speak, they are quick to offer their analysis and give suggestions to get his life back on track. This verse resonates with me because it challenges something I know I struggle with: not being enough. When someone is hurting, when life is going hard, or when faith is wobbling, I want to swoop in and fix it; I want to make a plan to change their situation or boost their morale.
- Details
- Written by: Alyssa
- Category: Prayer
Here is a clip of my open mic performance at Stay Golden!
- Details
- Written by: Alyssa
- Category: Life
It has been a very busy last few days for our family, and I have been grateful for Torre's flexibility and resilience as we kept him up late away from home several nights in a row. Last night was a show for Stay Golden, a performing arts ministry Matt leads that gives young artists a stage, and as always it was inspiring to hear testimonies and see the passion that high school students and young adults bring through spoken word, song, and dance. I signed up for the open mic part of the show and had so much fun presenting a spoken word piece I wrote this Fall - I'm hoping to post the video before long.
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- Written by: Alyssa
- Category: Parenthood
I gave my notice this week to make it official: I'll be returning to work part-time when my maternity leave is up.
We also had friends over for dinner this week who are expecting a baby in December, and it was amazing to ponder how quickly Torre has grown and developed. He only recently crossed the threshold of being alive outside of me longer than he grew inside me. Now he makes faces and claps his hands and walks along furniture and crams his mouth full with too many cheerios to chew all at once.
I can finally recognize his tired cry before I lose my mind wondering what the heck is wrong with him.
And as I contemplate motherhood pretty much constantly, and reflect on how quickly this year is passing and how quickly I know the coming years will pass, and my heart gets all giddy and achy thinking about milestones, I came across this article: Ten True Things About the First Year of Parenthood, and the very first thing is, "You are going to suck at this parenting gig and be awesome at it at the same time, all the time."
Oh my, yes.
I don't think I have ever experienced so many highs and lows in such short proximity to each other.
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- Written by: Alyssa
- Category: Life
Movember was on my mind today since I saw this comic earlier in the morning, so I was on the ball to capture this picture at lunch time.. You might think that Torre is too young to participate in Movember, but in fact he has inherited a great passion for prostate health awareness, as well as the colour orange from his grandfather. Today, with the help of some carrot soup, he combined these passions.
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- Written by: Alyssa
- Category: Thoughts
Deuteronomy 11:18-21 says
Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates,so that your days and the days of your children may be manyin the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.
Remembrance day is set aside to reflect on the sacrifices that make it possible for us to enjoy the peace we have today. Veterans and their families are celebrated for selflessness and courage, and children are taught about the horrors of war. Leading up to this day many people wear a poppy to show their remembrance.
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- Written by: Alyssa
- Category: Scripture
I have been reading through the book of Hebrews the last little while, and it has been great to remember and reflect on some of the great things I learned when I took a course on this book back in my Tyndale days! Something new stood out to me though, so of course I wanted to share it here.
Hebrews 12:1-2 says Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith...
I felt extra inspired and encouraged reading through Hebrews 11 this round. Really reflecting on the faith that has been expressed by a countless number of people who have gone before me, thinking about the stories I do know from the Bible, from history, from life, and then realizing that a bajillion stories of faith (actually a bajillion :P) have been lived but not recorded, or recorded but not made famous, or are famous but I just don't know them yet.