Enjoy the Journey

    I tend to rush through life. Everything is a checklist waiting to be done. Which works to some degree, but not always. To a type A personality who is also a perfectionist, it looks great on paper. One problem though, on paper and reality are two different things.

    Yesterday, I was rolling up Pillsbury Crescents and putting them into the oven to take with us over to Christmas Eve dinner at my in-law's house. As I was trying to quickly roll the crescents, it occurred to me that I didn't need to go a mile a minute. I wasn't in a rush. I could enjoy the journey. I could enjoy the process. I have fond memories of making the crescents for both Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas dinner as a child, so by taking my time I was able to think back to those memories and enjoy the season. Instead of just rushing through another now grow up chore. I got the first pan in the oven and went to tell hubby what I was thinking. He agreed that I could and should take more time to enjoy life and whatever task I am currently working on.

    Then this morning, after hubby, Blessing, and I enjoyed our family Christmas, I started doing some tidying up. As I began I thought about taking these chores at a slower pace and not running around our apartment like a mad woman. So I slowly paced back and forth through our home putting things back in their place.

    As I folded and put away laundry I was able to take the time and think about what a blessing it is to put away laundry. It's a blessing because it means that I have access to a washing machine and that I have clothing to wash. Not everyone has one or both of these things.

    Walking Blessing is also an item that I look at as a chore to be checked off a list. I love my dog and exercise, but recently walking Blessing has become a checklist item and no longer a fun activity for me. It's one of her favourite activities, but I have not been enjoying it the way I would like to as of late.

    Housework in general is a big ticked item for me. I love my family and taking care of them. I love a clean home and don't mind housework. But how much more would I enjoy it if I slowed down while doing it? It may not become as fun as watching a funny movie, but it does have the potential to be better than it currently is.

    Now, I know that there are lots of activities that require a faster pace, like running or driving down the 401. But lots of things don't require a fast pace.

    I struggle with the idea that every minute of my day needs to be accounted for and productive, and if it's not productive then it's a waste of time, or I am wasting time. Which makes life one long checklist. But that's not what God wants for us. Yes, we are to work both inside and outside our homes. But He also wants us to enjoy life as well. If He didn't he wouldn't have given us hobbies. 😉

    We live in a society that encourages, and let's be honest, glorifies hustle/ fast pace and being busy. Every job ad talks about a fast-paced environment. In some places it is necessary, but not all. And I'm guessing most of our personal life/home life doesn't have to be rushed either. Heck, one of the reasons why I love photography is because it forces you to slow down. To get that perfect shot, especially for beginners using manual mode, you have to go slow. You have to focus on your object and not on your surroundings. Two things that society does not support.

    I suspect that I could also slow down in my kitchen while making dinner and end up enjoying that process a whole lot more. Basically, I need to slow down in all areas of my personal/home life and enjoy the journey.

    So where in your life can you start slowing down and enjoying the journey friend?

    I hope you had a wonderful Christmas yesterday, whatever that looks like for you. We are enjoying a quiet Boxing Day today before I head back to work tomorrow for a couple of days before New Years weekend.

God Bless

~Hannah

Enjoy the Journey

    

Stand Tall When Satan Attacks.

    For a long time, I have struggled to connect emotionally with my husband. As you can imagine, it has caused us plenty of grief over the years.

    Today at work, I was thinking about our situation and trying to figure out the answer. At work, I can be myself with my workers and enjoy the day. But as soon as I arrive home, I turn into a robot and am unable to enjoy any sort of relationship/emotional connection with my hubby. A situation that is understandably upsetting to my hubby. He wants an amazing marriage, as do I, but I struggle to do my part.

    At break today, I was journaling on my phone, trying to figure out what was wrong with me. I can be vulnerable with my coworkers, but not with my hubby, who has never given me any reason not to be vulnerable with him. I returned to the sanding booth after the break and continued thinking about it.

    I started praying. The Holy Spirit quickly responded and said, "Satan is attacking you." Instantly, I threw my hands in the air and said, "Of course!" I quickly prayed and rebuked the enemy and told him where he could go.

    It all makes sense. Satan doesn't want my marriage or any other marriage out there to succeed, so he attacks them. But he doesn't care about our relationships with our coworkers, or at least nowhere near as much as he cares about our relationships with our spouses and other family members.

    John 10:10 NIV, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

    A believing coworker walked into the sanding booth a few minutes later, and I got to share my answered prayer with her and enjoy fellowship for a few minutes.

    I continued with my work day relieved, thankful and praising God for this revelation and excited to tell my hubby after work. He picked me up, and I told him about my day and what I had been praying about. I hold him that I learned that Satan had been attacking me, but now I'm aware of it, and my defenses are up.

    The part that I find "funny" about all this is just how simple it was. It never dawned on me that the enemy was attacking. I just thought I suck at being vulnerable and emotional at home, which is true, and it is something I need to work on. But it never occurred to me that I may be getting attacked.

    It has been five days since the Holy Spirit told me that Satan was attacking me and damaging my relationship with my hubby. Since then our home has been filled with peace and harmony. The last three days hubby has had a cold, and I was even able to care for him. Caring for him when he is sick is one of my least favourite things to do in life. It's not a skill set that I have ever been good at. The fact that I just spent two days nursing him (the third day I had to return to work) with a good attitude speaks volumes. Not of myself though, of God. God is in the business of healing and restoring broken things and that is exactly what He has been doing.

    I share this friend in the hopes that it will encourage you. I don't write and share to show off my spirituality or anything else. If anything, my blog is a written account of all my shortcomings. I write because I love to and to remind both of us that we are all broken and in need of a Savior, who is Jesus Christ.

    I also share this because it never occurred to me that Satan was attacking me or my home. I do believe that he tries to attack and trip us up regularly. The answer was obvious and right in front of me the whole time, and yet I didn't see it. Of which I still can't believe. I guess that is where God's grace comes into play.

The moral of the story is always be on guard.

I pray that there is as much peace in your home tonight as there is in mine.

Merry Christmas friend.

God Bless

~Hannah

We are to stand tall against the devil's schemes.

Discovering New Skirts

    For as long as I can remember, I have preferred skirts that are a few inches above my knee in length or ones that go all the way to the floor. I'm not a fan of shirts that fall halfway down your shin, called midi skirts. There is one particular pattern of midi length skirt called a prairie skirt that I do not like. Turns out I judged all midi-length skirts the same when I decided that I did not like the prairie style.

    I was on Pinterest the other day and found a really cute outfit. Navy midi length skirt with a leather belt, matching flats and purse. The top was a white t-shirt with navy stripes. Even though the skirt was the "wrong" length and not pink, I thought it was a very cute casual outfit. I headed down the rabbit hole on Pinterest looking for other outfits. I found a handful. Midi-length skirt with a relaxed shape. Cute little runners and a matching t-shirt with a twisted knot at the front. Cute casual outfits that still involve a skirt. It made me realize that it's time to get out of my comfort zone with skirts and see if I can create this outfit. I expect to be heading to the second-hand store in the spring. Later I was watching a TV show, and one of the characters had this exact outfit on, and it affirmed that it could be a cute outfit.

    I am naturally a very uptight and intense person. I'm working on being less uptight and intense. I'm starting to wonder if my "preferred length" of above the knee is an "uptight" length and if a midi length skirt would help me to be more relaxed. I'm well aware that a skirt or any other item of clothing doesn't have power like that. But I wonder if it could help. I won't be getting rid of my shorter skirts, simply adding a few longer skirts and adding more variation to my wardrobe.

    After I saw the first outfit on Pinterest I showed my hubby and told him how I felt and that I was surprised by my attraction to the outfit. He encouraged me and told me that this was a step towards getting out of my comfort zone and was happy for me. We further discussed what he thought of the skirt. It's not his preferred length, but he is happy for me.

    I have been struggling to get out of my comfort zone for a little while now. I thought that getting out of my comfort zone meant one thing and one thing only. I thought it meant taking on a new role at my second job and doing a job that I expected would bring on a lot of stress and anxiety for me. I'm still struggling with that decision, to be honest. Hubby has been teaching me that getting out of my comfort zone means trying new things. It's not just about trying things that will cause stress and anxiety.

    So friend, have you been pleasantly surprised to find new things that you now like that you did not expect to like?

    I hope you enjoyed this shorter, lighter and funnier topic today. As you know, usually my posts are about things that God is teaching me. I decided it would be fun to write about this discovery and share it with you. As I'm finishing it up, it reminds me of a segment that the "She Reads Truth" used to do. Called, "Beauty, Goodness and Truth." The hosts asked the guests and themselves where in their lives they were seeing beauty, goodness and or truth that was pointing them back to Jesus. I think this new skirt discovery qualifies as my "Beauty, Goodness and Truth" for the day. What is your "Beauty, Goodness or Truth" friend?

God Bless

~Hannah

Be Content, and Don't Compare Yourself to Others.

    Earlier this week, the Holy Spirit called me out on my inability to be content. He brought to mind Philippians 4:11-12, "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." Paul learned to be content in all circumstances. I struggle with being content. Currently, I am struggling with my job and my wardrobe. I am constantly looking to replace my part-time job with a funner job, a "better" job, etc. My most recent application was to a fabric store in Chatham. With my rekindled relationship with my sewing machine, I figure it will be a fun job. I would learn more about sewing while selling fabric. It would be much more fun than washing dishes at the restaurant I am currently at.

    When it comes to clothing, I'm always thinking about another garment that I would like/need. Am I in dire need of this new garment that is on my mind? No. I also don't spend hrs thinking about and fantasizing/idolizing about the garment in question. I'm simply thinking about another item that I would like to have.

    I told hubby about what God had been teaching me. We discussed it for a few minutes. One of the things hubby said was not to worry about taking things out of my life. I should simply follow after God and spend more time with Him. I spent the next day thinking about that. He reminded me that the more you seek after Jesus and spend more time with the Holy Spirit, the less you want the things of the world. How right he is. He shared how he is getting closer to God and how the things of this world that he loves, like video games, no longer matter as much. Again, thrilled for him. Watching my hubby grow in his faith is a beautiful gift from God. His relationship with God has nothing to do with me of course, but I am privileged to have a front-row seat to watching him grow and that is pretty special.

    The next day, I was thinking about the things in my life that I could continue to get rid of to spend more time with Jesus. Good things. Like learning Sign Language and other such things. I was unknowingly trying to make my relationship with God look like my husband's relationship with God.

    Then I was visiting with a new coworker who is also a believer. We don't work together often, but when we do, the Holy Spirit blesses us both, and I love it. She shared how God is helping her and her hubby to make sure that they both have their relationship with God and of course one with God as a couple. Their recent default relationship with God has been their joined relationship and needed to cultivate their relationships as well.

    After our visit, I was thinking about what hubby and I talked about and making our relationships with God look the same. The Holy Spirit reminded me of a book called, "Jesus + Nothing= Everything." Hubby and I read it in Bible College in a class about spiritual formation. My biggest takeaway from that class and the book was that I wasn't allowed to want things on earth. At the time I was saving up for an iPad. The course made me feel very guilty for wanting an iPad. So much so that I contemplated not buying one. I did in the end.

    Anyway, the Holy Spirit brought that memory to mind to encourage and remind me that my relationship with God doesn't have to look like my husband's relationship with God and that He calls us and leads/directs us all in different ways. He may call my husband to give something up but not do the same for me. The Holy Spirit just brought this principle to mind, do not compare yourself to others. Galatians 6:4-5, "Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load." We are called to focus on our own work and not compare ourselves to others. Comparison is certainly a topic that I struggle with and am sure many others do too.

    It has been a big week with lessons on being content and not comparing myself to others. When Holy Spirit first put it on my heart to write about being content I spent a few days thinking about it before I had a chance to sit down and start journaling. Then He gave me the second message about comparing my husband's and my relationships with God and how there is no need. At first when He gave me the second message I wasn't sure how they were going to combine and if it would flow nicely on paper. Guess I should have known that He had it all mapped out and all I had to do was let Him speak through my pen and then through my fingertips on the keyboard.

Be content, and don't compare yourself to others.

Have a blessed evening my friend. Thank you for taking the time to read what God has put on my heart to share.

I pray this post blesses, encourages, teaches and reminds you just how good our God is.

God Bless

~Hannah

My mom patiently waiting to feed the birds from her hand.

Stay In Your Own Lane.

    Earlier this week I had my two-year review at work. It felt a little bit insulting because, in past reviews at other jobs, I would get a lot more "above and beyond" vs "meets expectations" reviews. I was a little upset but knew I was upset at myself and not my boss even though I wanted to blame her. Because that's how human nature works. Blame the other guy, and don't take responsibility.   

    I asked about ways I could improve, and she gave me a few ideas. She also encouraged me and said that this was one of the better reviews. All I could think was, "Oh boy, that speaks volumes about this company." As my hubby would say, "Welcome to factory life." She mentioned that I could be less talkative in certain departments. My first thought was, "Have you seen the others!? Everyone stops and talks to their friends while they are working." (No, not here to throw shade) Then the Holy Spirit reminded me to "Stay in my own lane." To which I responded, "You're right, you're right."

    I spent the rest of the day a little upset because my review revealed my heart to myself, and I didn't like what I saw. Yes, I will admit, I have no intention of working at this factory until I retire. Hubby and I are planning on moving to the St. Catherines/Niagara area in two years for Hubby's next step in his education.

    Now, getting a "satisfactory" review instead of an "above and beyond" review is not a bad thing. It shows me that my work/life balance is improving and becoming more balanced. I used to be married to work and gave all my energy to my employer. Yes, work is important, it puts food on our table and a roof over our heads, but it's not everything, and I will be the first to admit that I treated it like the most important thing in years past. I like to think I have come a long way since then. Not perfect of course, but strong improvement.

    Anyway, for the rest of the week, every time I would see people stop and talk to their coworkers, the Holy Spirit would remind me to "Stay in your lane" and by the end of the week, I was saying it to myself over everything at work that didn't directly affect me. I should be doing it anyway of course, but like everyone else, I need a reminder sometimes.

    1st Thessalonians 4:11-12, "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody."

    Friend, as much as the world around us encourages us to compare ourselves to everyone else via social media and other such things, it's important to remember who you are and who's you are. As believers, we are called to be set apart from the world and to demonstrate Christ's love to those around us. We are called to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. We are to seek after Christ and His righteousness. Romans 12:2, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will."

    We are not here to seek the approval of man but of God. Meaning that your review at work does not matter in eternity. Yes, we are to work hard unto God. I would much rather hear, "Well done good and faithful servant," from God when I get to Heaven rather than "Thank you for your hard work. You have gone above and beyond." from my employer.

    I pray this post finds you well on this cold and snowy November evening. I pray this post blesses and encourages you this evening friend.

God Bless

~Hannah

Pray Without Ceasing

    One of the many Bible verses I was taught to memorize as a child was 1st Thessalonians 5:17, "Pray without ceasing." Means never stop praying. For roughly a year now, I have been using the sanding booth at work as my "prayer closet," and 90% of my prayers are prayed in there. I listen to a variety of podcasts and pray while I sand away defects on roof rack parts.

    So when I was taken out of the booth and sent to the buffing department I wasn't a very happy camper. Not only am I not a huge fan of buffing but for safety reasons you cannot have your earbud in for podcasts, music or whatever else one might listen to. Needless to say, I was feeling a little out of place. I was taken out simply because we wanted to train more people on how to sand the part that I sand.

    Now, because of what I learned as a child and now as an adult about the Christian faith, I know that God is always with me and that I can pray anywhere I like. And for that I a grateful. But I still have to remind myself of that truth. One morning, I was praying while I loaded the dishwasher before work. I prayed and told God that I know He hears me everywhere I go and is always with me. Yet it still felt awkward praying outside of my prayer closet at work. Later that day at work, the Holy Spirit told me that I was treating the sanding booth as a temple from biblical times. I was getting religious about it and reminded me that I can pray everywhere I go. As usual, when the Holy Spirit told me I was treating it like a temple I responded with, "Shots fired." I hadn't realized that I had become religious about it. Which is the last thing I ever desire to be.

    Now, I know I can pray in my heart in the buffing department. But because I am "on display" at my buffing table versus the sanding booth with four walls, I feel awkward praying at the buffing table. Which of course is the enemy attacking and trying to discourage me from talking to my heavenly Father in public.

    It's at these times when I am struggling with the location of where I pray. Think that God can hear me better in some places over other places. When I get into this head space I remind myself of all the places I have stood in both publically and privately where God has answered my prayers and spoken to my heart. I find this to be a rather encouraging and helpful practice. Because it reminds my soul and the enemy that My God is always with me and is for me.

    It's funny, this past February, my mother and I were talking about the early church in the Bible and how the people had to go to the temple to pray to God. When Jesus ascended into Heaven after He died and rose again, He sent the Holy Spirit to be our helper and counsellor until Jesus came back for us. It is through the Holy Spirit that we pray to our Heavenly Father and hear His voice in our hearts and all the other wonderful ways He speaks to us. During this conversation, Mom and I were agreeing about how thankful we are to have the Holy Spirit living in us and giving us direct access to our Heavenly Father. And yet, this past week, I forget that location does not take away our access to the Holy Spirit. I also really missed listening to podcasts. They help make the time go by nicely. Buffing is so slow and boring. Sanding is not exactly, but it is a much faster pace and entertainment through an earbud is a bonus.

    The moral of the story though friend, is that God hears us no matter where we are. Yes, we are called to have a private place to pray. Matthew 6:5-8, "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reared in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."

    My understanding of this passage is that when we pray in public we are not to be loud and seek the attention of others. One of the ways we identify as Christians is by praying in public, but not loudly and obnoxiously. We are also called to pray in our homes behind closed doors and simply pour out our hearts to our heavenly Father who hears us. Also, the length of our prayers doesn't matter to God. God hears and loves our prayers that are five words long or five pages long. Both are beautiful to His heart.

    The other day a friend/loyal reader of my blog and I were discussing it. We agreed that it is a ministry that God has trusted me with, to which I am honoured to "produce" and deliver to you, reader. We also agreed and had a good laugh over the fact that the content of my blog is about me being stupid and the Holy Spirit and at times a combination of the Holy Spirit and my dear hubby correcting me and directing me back to The Cross.

    I have enjoyed writing since I was a little girl. When I was little I wrote fiction about dogs. I fell away from this interest in my teen years mainly because I wasn't sure what to write about. I started blogging a few years ago but again wasn't consistent due to a lack of content. But over the last year and especially the last five months, God has stirred up my passion for writing and has given me lots of content aka my shortcomings 😂 to encourage you, friend. And has affirmed that it is a ministry for me and for that I am blessed.

 I pray this post finds you well this evening and ready for another work week. I pray this blesses you, and encourages you in your walk with Christ, friend.

Have a good night friend.

God Bless

~Hannah

Follow the "narrow" path.

Finding Joy in Sewing

    At the end of August, I decided that for September and probably October, because it's my birthday month, I would only wear skirts because they make me feel pretty and feminine. After work on August 28th, I went through my skirts to figure out what  I had. What variety of outfits would I be able to put together, and which ones would be "sacrificed" as work skirts? Between both jobs, there is always a possibility that they will get stained or damaged.

    After taking an inventory, I decided I needed a red skirt. Hubby's favourite colour. He has never asked me to get a red skirt, but I wanted one anyway. I tried looking for one a while ago with no luck. This time, I went to Amazon. Silly me was too concerned with the style and length to bother looking at the material used or how you put it on. Elastic vs zipper. So it had to be returned. Back to the drawing board.

    I decided to sew one instead. I already had the fabric from years ago and a sewing machine. I've had a love/hate relationship with my sewing machine all my life. Every time I run into a problem, I get frustrated and stop instead of trying to figure out what went wrong and how to fix it.

    So I pulled out my machine and started working on this skirt that I started years ago. My husband has this "1 hour" rule. When you start something new or try to learn something, you only put an hour a day into the task. That way when you start getting frustrated, confused or any other emotion, you remind yourself that you are only putting an hour into it, and then you will be done for the day. This method allows you to walk away after an hour and revisit it later on. I chose to work on it for an hour, and then take a break for a while, then return when I was ready. Using this method allowed me to complete the skirt by the end of the weekend and be proud of my accomplishment. After completing my skirt, I felt satisfied and ready to continue working on our love/hate relationship. I have always liked jobs and projects where you can see the final result when completed. I quickly learned after making my skirt that sewing would be a hobby that gave me that satisfaction.

    In the last few months, I have sewed a handful of things and attempted an alteration. The alteration didn't go as planned. But that's okay. I learned a lot through that attempted project and that's what matters.

    I still get frustrated sometimes but I no longer get angry and walk away. I am much better at troubleshooting and moving forward through the problems. I have learned a lot about fabric, needles and everything else. Now if I could just translate my ability to work through my sewing frustrations to the rest of my life. One thing at a time I guess.

    For years I thought that I wasn't good at sewing because I get easily frustrated and quit. I figured I didn't have the patience for it. But I always thought that it was a waste that I had a machine and yet never used it. Not anymore though, no more wasted talent or machine.  My "talent" is still very much at the beginner stage, but it's a good start.

    In regards to wearing skirts vs pants. It's now mid-November, and I have no interest in wearing pants anymore. I love feeling feminine in my skirts, and it has challenged me to get creative with my wardrobe. Instead of just wearing the same jeans and shirts every day. Plus instead of simply coming home and putting on track pants after my shower, I now put on a skirt and feel more put together and better about myself.

    The moral of the story is if you have a talent, even if it is small, practice and work through the frustrations that come with it. The result may surprise you.

I pray this post finds you well this evening and blesses you in whatever way you need.

God Bless

~Hannah

One of my first photos taken after getting my Canon. Good to look back sometimes and see how far you have come.

Head to Heart Knowledge

    When I was 17, my faith and relationship with God became my own. I was no longer simply following the rules that my mother had taught me.

    A family friend gave my name to the youth pastor of a local church and said that I might be interested in attending their youth group. Two weeks later, I started attending their youth group. Over the next few months, my faith became my own, and it was no longer just my mother's. I continued to learn and grow, which translated into the things I learned about God going from "head knowledge" to "heart knowledge." Meaning that it was no longer simply information like you get from a textbook in school. It translated into something I believed in my heart then and even more so now.

    Fast forward 13 years to the present. Last week, hubby and the Holy Spirit corrected me and informed me that I had reverted to "head knowledge" and needed to get back on track toward "heart knowledge." It was not a pleasant conversation, but important, and needed nonetheless. Holy Spirit had been nudging me for a few days, but I wasn't listening. So, He brought in reinforcements through hubby and finally got the message across. Guess you could say I'm a little stubborn. Okay, a lot stubborn. I wasn't walking the walk as much as I was talking the talk. Thank you, Lord, for giving me a godly husband who leads me back to You when I wander off course.

    The other evening, I was visiting with some old ministry friends. I shared about how hubby had corrected me. How I needed/deserved it but didn't like it in the process. The husband of the couple I was visiting with said how it's always uncomfortable when we are being convicted of our sins. His wife then added something about it being hard but good to be corrected by our spouses. Or something to that effect. The moral of the story is that it's always best to be corrected by our loving spouses rather than other people. I am so thankful for my husband and all the things he does for me. Including calling me out on my crap when needed.

    As hubby was correcting me and telling me what I needed to do, I felt the Holy Spirit say, "Head to heart." It brought me back to all those years ago when my faith became my own. When it went from, "head knowledge" to "heart knowledge." He reminded me that I needed to get back on track with walking out what I read in my Bible and not let it simply be "head knowledge" like it had been recently. I told hubby what the Holy Spirit had told me and agreed that I needed to get back to walking out my faith and not just believing it in my head.

    Today, God allowed me to love like Jesus and speak the truth in love to a dear friend. We disagree on an important topic. Not a friendship-ending topic, but important nonetheless. In the past, I have either spoken with unkind words towards this topic or went along with the other person's opinion to simply keep the peace. Neither is helpful. Today, with the help of the Holy Spirit, I was able to respectfully and lovingly say that I do not agree with these "choices" but that I still love the person and that agreeing to disagree is a part of life. Despite a few awkward moments, it felt pretty great to be able to handle this situation and topic the way that Jesus calls me to.

So, friend. Is Holy Spirit speaking to you and calling you out on your crap too?

I pray this post finds you well and blesses you in whatever way you need it to tonight.

God Bless

~Hannah

God loves us so much that not only did He send Jesus to the cross for our sins, but then gave us beautiful trails to enjoy His creation. Thank you, Lord.

Take Heart! I Have Overcome The World.

    It's been a rough week friend. I don't feel like sugarcoating it nor am I here for sympathy or a pity party. I'm just being honest. Between a frustrating, out-of-our-hands/control problem at work with bad parts and a wasp issue in our apartment. It's been a rough week.

    

    As I was sanding a part at work and thinking about all the troubles we were facing, the Holy Spirit reminded me of this verse. John 16:33, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." The Holy Spirit reminded me and comforted me that not every day is sunshine and rainbows, and that's okay. Some days or even weeks suck. The week still sucked and left me drained in every way possible, but, I needed the reminder that Jesus has overcome the suck.

    

    At work, we received a shipment of parts from a customer that are no good, and thus, we cannot paint them. At first, it was frustrating, and of course, every department thought it was someone else's fault. Once we realized it was the customers' fault, we all "calmed down" and continued with our work. At the end of the week, and after feeling all the feelings, upper management tells us that we need more of these parts and that they may move people around to accommodate the demand. I nearly burst out laughing at our morning meeting. Because I know that a) it's not doable and b) they are just panicking. 

    Meanwhile, at home, we discovered a hornet's nest outside our balcony door, and somehow, they were getting into our home. At first, we thought they were coming through the windows. We figured maybe the sealing around the windows had some holes. So, hubby kept putting duct tape around the windows, trying to figure out where they were coming from. With no real success. We called our superintendent and told them about the problem. Turns out they already knew about it from our neighbour upstairs and were on it. They offered us a can of raid and said to spray the entrance to the nest. So we did. Oh, FYI, the nest is not visible. It's in the wall of the building. A few days go by with still no progress. A wasp was walking down our hallway one night (they hadn't gotten past the living room/dining room area yet). I had turned out the lights to head to bed and stepped on it, and it stung me. Oh my goodness, I have never experienced so much pain for so long. I had a tattoo apt the next afternoon, and all I thought about that night as I was trying to relieve the pain was, "My apt would be over by now." and "It better not hurt this much." (it didn't) I couldn't walk flat-footed until the next afternoon. Needless to say, we were getting even more upset with our suppers, who weren't doing a very good job of getting rid of them. Hubby finally figured out that they were coming in from the fan above our stove. The nest is in the walls and our fan isn't set up properly, lacking a filter of some sort, and thus hornets are entering our home. Oh, and the more time went on, the bigger they got. Up until we figured out where they were coming from, we were very angry tenants and ready to give our suppers a piece of our mind. We felt like we were prisoners in our own homes. Since hubby tapped a plastic bag over the fan we haven't had any wasps, of which we are thrilled. So between stupid parts at work and a wasp invasion, it has been a trying week friend.

    But I digress. The Holy Spirit has also reminded me over the last year or so that even on our bad days, we are still called to worship God and glorify His name. There was a time when I would pray for something, not get it and get upset with God. Mainly because I thought He was going to do something through the item I prayed for. Plus worshipping God and praising His name is not for His sake. He doesn't need an ego boost. We are called to worship and to remind ourselves that even in the hard times when things such it remind us that God is still good and worthy of our praise. I find this principle helpful at church as well. Sometimes, we sing songs that I'm not really into, then I remind myself that it's not about me, but about God instead. And yes, there are days when this principle doesn't work, and I'm just not in the mood to raise my hands. Which is also fine. I'm not going to hell for not raising my hands.

   

    Our church is doing a series on Jesus's messages to the seven churches in Revelation ch 2. Today we were talking about the church in Pergamum. Ch 2:12-17. The verse that stuck out to me the most was vs. 13. "I know where you live..." Our pastor parked on this verse for a minute and restated that a) God knows where we live. Which is an odd thing to say in a letter. Back when we regularly wrote letters and mailed them to our friends and family, we never said, "I know where you live." Obviously, you know where I live if you mailed me a letter. The next thing our pastor said was that not only does God know where we live, but He knows what we are going through. He knows about the challenges we are currently facing and wants to hear all about them. This friend was my takeaway from this morning's message. God sees my struggles and is here for me as I walk through them. A truth that I already knew, but needed a reminder for.

   

     So, friend, I hope your week was better than mine. But if it wasn't, that's okay too. Just remember that God is with you. He knows all about your struggles and wants to hear from you. James 1:2-4. "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing."

I pray this post blesses and encourages you in whatever way you need today.

God Bless

~Hannah

Thank goodness for photo editing, because like this week, my fall photos from Friday night did not turn out very nicely.

Getting Our of My Comfort Zone

    For the last several months, I have watched my husband diligently work with his therapist on a handful of topics. One of which is his comfort zone. Every day, I am amazed at his progress and am blessed to enjoy the fruit of that labour overflowing into our marriage and all the other areas of our lives.

    Watching him move further and further away from his comfort zone and become an even more amazing man than he already was has encouraged and challenged me to get out of my comfort zone. I have spent the last few weeks thinking about what area of my life I want to get out of my comfort zone first.

    Recently, I have been a little frustrated with the lack of hours I get at my second job and have been pondering changing my second/part-time job to something with more hours. I have applied to a handful of businesses with no responses yet.

    Last week, I drove a coworker home and told him about my desire for more hours. He said the way to get more hours in this business is to be trained in more departments. One problem, I don't want to do other departments. I just want to do the dishes. As I finished driving home, the Holy Spirit nudged me and told me that this would be a good first step to getting out of my comfort zone. I wrestled with the idea a little more and then decided to step out of my comfort zone and be trained in a new department. I thought I would do the chicken wing station for the takeout window. It would be a good first "safe" step. I decided I would text my boss after my birthday weekend and see about learning this new skill.

    The weekend ends, and Monday arrives. It was a busy day, so I didn't get a chance to text him. Finally, this morning rolled around, and I know it's time. I'm nervous and anxious, but I know it's the right thing to do. I texted him and made my request. He responded a little while later and said I could learn the phones and salad station instead. Taking orders over the phone, or in person for that matter stresses me out. But getting out of the comfort zone is supposed to be uncomfortable. When I read the text from my boss, I thought, "Okay God, guess I'm jumping out of my comfort zone with both feet and not just one at a time. Despite the anxious feelings I had after reading his text, I knew it was the right thing to do. I have also learned that when God tells me to do something, I can either be obedient and do it or squirm in my uncomfortable feelings and torture myself until I decide to be obedient and do what I have been told to do. Also, be careful what you wish and pray for because you just might get it.

    In saying all this, it makes God sound like a dictator running my life. But He isn't. He gives us free will and a choice, but actions and choices have consequences. Sometimes good and sometimes bad. The thing is that God loves me and wants to bless me and give me good things. And like any good earthly father, He wants to reward and bless us when we are obedient and follow Him. God only wants good things for us. He wants us to grow as men and women of God and for me, it means getting out of my comfort zone in this particular area of my life.

What areas of your life is God calling you out of your comfort zone friend?

I pray this post finds you well this Tuesday evening and blesses you in whatever way you need today.

God Bless

~Hannah

Calm before the Storm

Be Like Jesus

    It's a thought I have been wrestling with for a few months. Over the last few months, when someone hurt me or acted unkind, whether they intended to hurt me or not, I would think, "I don't want to be like them." Then Holy Spirit corrected me and said, "Be Like me." To which I responded, "Okay." So I worked on focusing on Jesus and less on other mistakes and how those mistakes can hurt others. A week or so later another person did something silly that also irritated me and again I thought about how I don't want to be like them. Again, Holy Spirit reminded me to be like Jesus instead. Be like Jesus because Jesus is God in human form, and therefore a human example of what God The Father desires from His people.

    In my Bible reading plan, I am currently reading through the Gospels and Jesus's earthly ministry. I have also been watching "The Chosen." Watching this series has been a beautiful visual of the Gospel, and I feel it adding to and strengthening my relationship with The Father.

    All this to say that it got me thinking about what passages in the Bible speak of Jesus's character and write them down for myself and share them with you. The first one that most will think of is Galatians 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things, there is no law." When we have an active relationship with God and are actively growing in our faith, these are the signs that the world around us will see and know that God is real and loves us.

    Philippians 4:8-9, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or soon in me - put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." We are to spend our time, energy and thoughts on things of God and not of the world. Now, neither of these passages are describing Jesus. But like I said a minute ago, they describe what we as believers ought to focus on and demonstrate to the people around us.

    "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him." 1 John 4:7-9.

    "When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. Where have you laid him? he asked. "Come and see, Lord," they replied. Jesus wept. John 11:32-35. You can read for yourself the rest of the story of how Jesus raised Lazarus from the grave.

    When Holy Spirit first told me to write this entry/post about the characteristics that Jesus demonstrated. He told me that the first one was compassion. Which is demonstrated in John 11:32-35. When I googled the definition of compassion, it says, "Sympathetic, pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others." I think Holy Spirit is trying to send me a message. 😉 Haven't been as compassionate with hubby as of late. Today, though He gave me a few chances to show him compassion and for that I am grateful.

    What messages is He trying to send you today friend? And are you willing to listen and obey?

    I pray this post finds you well rested and ready for the next week and blesses you in whatever ways you need today.

God Bless

~Hannah

Following Jesus down the path of life.

Thankful This Thanksgiving

 

1. Jesus died and rose from the grave and saved me from my sins. The older I get and the more I get into God's Word and strengthen my relationship with Him, the more thankful I am that He died on the cross for me and that death could not contain Him, and he rose from the grave. It also makes me realize that if He can do that for me, then I can do the hard things in my life that I don't want to do and do them to serve Him.
2. The Holy Spirit. My connection to God The Father until I get to heaven. I am so thankful that I do not have to go to the temple/church and talk to a priest like they did in biblical times and talk to God whenever and wherever I want.
3. My husband. The leader of my home. My favourite pair of arms to hug. He found a new therapist about six months ago, and it has been a joy and a blessing to watch God change him personally and enjoy the fruits of that overflow into our marriage. He is my favourite gift and the biggest earthly blessing from God.
4. Blessing. Our four-legged furry child. My photo adventure buddy and favourite running companion. My sweet girl.
5. My job. I am grateful that I have a job to go to every day that helps me pay the bills.
6. My health. I'm thankful that I am an able-bodied person with overall good health.
7. Good friends. God has blessed me with friends over the years and a few precious ones that have walked me through difficult seasons. 
8. My camera. I have wanted a DSLR my whole life. Hubby and I bought one a few years ago. I love developing my skills and learning new things about photography every time I take it out. I found a beloved hobby in my camera and some self-confidence.
9. My sewing machine. My mother gifted my sister and I with sewing machines years ago. I have had a love/hate relationship with mine for years and did not touch it. I recently decided to start working through that relationship to figure out what has caused me frustration all these years. God has used my sewing machine to teach me to deal with my frustration in a more healthy way, and as a result, I now enjoy sewing and am excited about all the projects I have on my mind.
10. Podcasts. I was introduced to them several years ago but didn't get into them. Finally, in the last year, I started listening more frequently and have since broadened my list of shows and topics I enjoy. I find they pair beautifully with my mundane sanding job. I enjoy a handful of ministry podcasts that bring the Word of God and a few personal interest podcasts. I get to learn more about God and other fun topics, all while sanding car parts.
11. The colour pink. My happy colour. I love wearing it and feeling pretty and girly in it. It has a calming effect that I enjoy. 
12. ASL Bloom app. After a conversation with my husband about bucket list items last week, it inspired me to make my bucket list items a reality. Learning Sign Language is the next on my list. It is a language I have loved since I was a kid and have on and off worked on my vocabulary. After our discussion, I decided it was time to stop making excuses and start learning this beautiful language. So I went to Google and found "the best" app to help me. It is well-designed and encourages you while you learn the language.
13. Our home. I am thankful that I have a place to come home to every day that is clean, warm and safe. I know not everyone has that blessing, so I am very thankful that we have it. 
14. Our car. It needs a little work, but she faithfully takes us everywhere we need to go.
15. Technology and Social Media. I'm thankful that I can send a text to my parents and other loved ones, and in a matter of a minute, they will receive the message and can instantly respond. Social Media and other such technology do have their downfalls for sure, but when used properly, they are helpful.

    The list could go on, but I don't feel like doing that. Besides, I don't believe the act of stopping your day and writing down a list of things you are thankful for is about the length of the list. It's about being thankful for all the blessings God has given you. Happy Thanksgiving friend.

    I pray this post blesses you in whatever way you need today.

    God Bless

    ~Hannah

Beautiful Clouds

Saturdays Are No Longer Scary.

    For seven years, I have hated Saturdays. I wanted to enjoy them, but I didn't. So much so. That I would dread Saturday arriving. Thursday was my "favourite" day of the week for most of these years because it meant that the weekend "aka" rest was on its way but hadn't arrived yet. 

    At first, it was because my husband had hobbies that he enjoyed on Saturdays, and I didn't. Leading me to feel jealous that he had something and I didn't. Of course, I didn't have the language to understand or express my feelings for years. He understood and tried to encourage me, but it never worked. This struggle lasted several years. You can imagine what it did to our marriage as well.

    Fast forward a few years. Now, I have hobbies that I enjoy. I'm not passionate about them yet. One of my struggles at this point is that Saturdays have no routine or schedule. Both of which I love and thrive on. Monday - Friday, I had and still have the same routine. Get up, do housework and get ready for work. After work, I make dinner and walk Blessing. But, no matter how hard I tried, nothing worked. It could be 6 a.m., I've been up for less than an hour, and something has gone "wrong," and now my whole day has been ruined, and I feel depressed. My other struggle during this season is that my self-worth comes from working and earning a paycheque, so if I'm not at work earning a paycheque then I have little to no value. I want to believe I have worth outside of work and simply "doing," but I don't. This season also lasted a few years.

    Finally, fast forward to somewhere in August 2023, when everything changed. I'm not sure of the exact date, but that doesn't matter. Hubby and I went out for the evening with family. Because of my self-worth issues, I said a few stupid things that hubby wasn't happy about, of which he was correct. I decided that night that it was time to start pressing in and asking God to fix my broken heart, and He did. He showed me my God-given value and has been helping me to allow His goodness to flow out of me instead of the muck that used to flow out of me. I've now had almost a month of good Saturdays. Now, I enjoy most of my hobbies every Saturday, including my newest addition, sewing. More on that later. It's been amazing watching God do a miracle in and through me. I believe one of the reasons why they always went "wrong" was because Monday through Friday, my morning routine starts very early and is very strict and rigid. I wanted Saturday to be the same, but struggled to get out of bed at three or four a.m. when I had nowhere to be, even though I wanted to get up that early. But Saturdays have a more relaxed "vibe" than Monday through Friday, and struggled with the different emotions involved in these days. Also, words and language that I struggled with/ didn't have and therefore couldn't connect the dots in my head and heart. It's funny how once we have the words/language to communicate how we are feeling, we can process them and act accordingly.

    I know that a lot of my issues including my ability to enjoy Saturdays, stemmed from my lack of self-worth and not accepting my values as a child of Christ. But I had no idea how much my life would improve once I started living out my true identity and not worrying about what the world thinks or feels about me.

    I wish I could explain exactly what happened, but I cannot. Looking back on these last few months and all the work God and I have been doing to heal my broken, self-conscious heart, I suspect that enjoying my Saturdays was simply going to be one of the many benefits and blessings of accepting my true identity in Christ. Makes me wish I had worked on these issues years ago. I also know that God knew when I would turn to Him for healing in this area and that I would struggle for years with not believing that I was worth anything more than simply a paycheck.

    It reminds me of the scene in Shrek where Shrek is comparing himself to an onion to Donkey and how Ogres have layers like onions. Similarly, as God heals one aspect of my self-worth another layer is revealed to be healed and blessed by God.

    When I started down the path of healing with God, my main intention was to stop disliking myself, okay, fine, stop hating myself. Yes, hate is a strong word, but that's how I felt about myself. My hatred of myself caused me to project all my negative emotions on those around me, and I was getting tired of it.

    But God has healed me, and I no longer project, or at least way less than before, and I now get to enjoy my Saturdays.

     All I know for sure is that God is good and faithful.

    The moral of the story friend, is that we need to accept and believe in our identity in Christ because everything stems from it. So much of how we interact with the world around us depends on how we feel about ourselves. If we choose to believe what the world says, our worth will go up and down with the trends. But if we believe what God says, our identity will never change because God doesn't change.

    Praise God that in a constantly changing world, God never changes. With so much inconsistency in the world, it brings me peace when I remember that God doesn't change

    I pray this post finds you well and blesses you in whatever way you need it to tonight friend.

God Bless

~Hannah

Practicing Self- Portrait Skills

Fighting My Battles in Prayer

    The other day, someone said something to me that was both hurtful and offensive. I told hubby about it before bed, and after he listened and empathized about it, he reminded me to fight my battles in prayer and to give the offence to God. I agreed that he was right, and then we headed to bed. The next morning I woke up still upset about the offense. I decided to follow my hubby's loving instructions and prayed about it. I told God that I wanted Him to take care of it and that I knew it was His battle in the end anyway. I also know that He has already won the battle, and all I have to do is walk in freedom. I "picked" it back up a few times during that prayer time but managed to leave it at the foot of the Cross in the end.

    As I went about my day, I was amazed by how much peace I had over the situation and life itself. Later that day I found myself wanting to vent to my coworkers about the situation but then reminded myself that I gave it to God and therefore didn't need to tell anyone else about it. That too gave me such peace in my spirit.

    I have "known" about this principle for years but have never practiced it. Until now. I came home that day and told hubby all about it and about how much peace I had found in taking my battles to God. He agreed that it's amazing what God will do for you and to you when you give your battles to Him and let Him take control of the situation. Easier said than done of course, but so worth it.

    I didn't realize it while I was praying that morning, but when I was thinking about it throughout the day I realized that by giving it to God and leaving it at the foot of the Cross you are giving up control of the situation and giving up your emotions over it and desire to do anything about it. It's as if you no longer care about it, which was very freeing. When I gave it to God, it felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders and it allowed me to simply worship God and enjoy my day. I was no longer a prisoner of my thoughts and feelings. Again, so freeing and peaceful.

    It's such a blessing to have a man of God for a husband who leads me back to Jesus when I drift off course a little. God often teaches my hubby something new right before teaching the same thing to me, allowing me to look up to and lean on my hubby all the more. The way God intended. 

    Someone once said, " Talk to God before talking to others." Meaning, vent to God before venting to friends and family. We often vent to friends and then pray when we are either in trouble or simply praising God, but I think we miss the mark when it comes to simply venting to God about our daily frustrations and offences. We forget that not only is He our Heavenly Father, but also our friend who wants us to talk to Him like a friend at times. So I'm here to encourage myself and you too, friend, to vent to God first and others second.

    Most importantly, though, I want to encourage you to give up your battles to the Lord and experience the same freedom and healing that I did. There is no need to be held down by the bondage that the world offers when you can enjoy freedom in Christ instead. Of course, not every offence and battle will be as "easy" to give up as that first one was, but they are all equally important to give to God.

As always, I pray this post finds you well and blesses you in whatever way you need today.

God Bless

~Hannah

Choosing To Believe God's Word

    For most of my life, or at least as long as I can remember, I have struggled with my self-worth and physical looks. I have gone through seasons where I do a little better and believe a little more that I am beautiful and worth it. Whatever "it" is.  Overall, it has been a losing battle for many years.

    I have been a hard worker for as long as I can remember. The problem is that I believe I am a hard worker. In my opinion, it is a fact about me. Like my height. I'm 5ft 4in, a simple truth that thoughts and opinions cannot change. I don't believe I am beautiful or worth it. I have read Scripture telling me what God says about me, but it never really sticks. The reason I use hard work as a comparison to my worth and beauty is that between my character and the Word of God, both of these things are facts. Neither of them are opinions or ideas that can be disputed.

    Near the end of August, I started a Bible reading plan about my identity in Christ. I have also read or at least started many reading plans on my worth and beauty, but again, nothing ever sticks. After spending so many years not liking myself and hurting those around me, I'm tired. Looking back, I'm not sure what pushed me to start this plan. But I did. Didn't finish it mind you. Anyways, the first verse in the first day's reading was Psalm 139:14, "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful. I know that full well." A verse  I have known my whole life. I have also always struggled with the word "fearfully." But have never done anything about it. This time, I decided to change that and looked up this verse in other translations to see if anything else sounded better to my ears. Sure enough, The Message version uses the word "marvelously" made. I liked that better. So I sat on that for a few days.

    Then one day at work I was thinking through all these things. I texted hubby and asked him if he thought I was choosing not to believe what God says about my worth and looks. He said yes. That I was choosing to not believe God's Word. Kinda heart to hear, but I needed it. He is such a blessing, and I don't know what I would do without him. So I decided to pray about it. I wasn't in the privacy of the sanding booth though. I was out on the floor in the buffing department. In full view of most of my coworkers. I didn't want to pray because they could see me, but I reminded myself that I was praying in my heart and no one could read my mind. The enemy was trying to discourage me from talking to God because I'm not afraid or embarrassed to be public about my faith. So I started praying. I asked God to forgive me for choosing not to believe Him and take Him at His Word about my worth and looks. Holy Spirit then said to me that by not believing what God says in His Word, it is as if I am spitting on the cross and what Jesus did for me. That hit hard. Right between my eyes. I never have nor ever will intentionally spit on the work of the cross and what Jesus did for me. Jesus's death and resurrection are the basis of our Christian faith. Without it, our faith is null and void.

    So I'm working on choosing to believe in what God says and believe that I have worth as a person created in the image of God and that He created me beautifully. Genesis 1:27 NIV, "So God created mankind in his image, in the image of God he created them." I have believed in God since childhood, but I don't always take him at His word.

    I'm working on choosing my words better when speaking to others and myself. I spent years putting others down in the hopes of elevating myself. To no avail of course. God has also been using a dear friend of mine to remind me of my worth and it's been breaking my heart in the best way.

    It's been a slow and at times painful journey, but I'm slowly telling Satan where he can go and that I no longer believe what he says about me. I am choosing to believe what God says. Because I do believe what God says. I believe that every word of the Bible is true, I just don't always believe it for myself. But I'm working on that, one day at a time. And you can too friend. Whatever lies the enemy is trying to tell you, God's Word has an answer for you, and His Word is true.

    A friend once said to me, "It must be nice to be a size 6 with an hourglass figure". I said, "Just because I am smaller and have a nice figure, does not mean I have self-confidence." She being a bigger girl, was shocked. Guess she figured us smaller girls have it easier. The point is that something or someone might look good to you on the outside, does not mean that they don't have self-confidence issues.

I pray this post finds you well this rainy Sunday evening and blesses you in whatever season of life you are in.

God Bless

~Hannah

God's beautiful creation on a beautiful day that He created.