time's running out...

I only fear that I don't have enough time left
To tell the world that there's no time left

~Forgive Me - Group 1 Crew~

This fall Megan, one of the beautiful people in my dorm this year, gave me a CD she put together with the song Forgive Me on it. This song has really touched me in the last while especially. 

I am not afraid because God is holding my breath, but knowing that time is running out, knowing that the world will end soon and awaiting Christ's return, makes me fear that I have not enough time to tell the world that Christ wants to be found. Now. And I can be part of this witnessing, this Gospel work, this commission Christ called me too. I have the privilege to work in His Kingdom in more ways then one, and I often take them for granted, think very lightly of them.

I just want to go big, or go home. I want to go places very far away and do very big things. Like safe the world or something. But that's not really where I am called to right now. Perhaps later. Who knows. I am thankful though for the opportunities that I do have right now. God has given me an awesome opportunity here everyday of my life. To live. For Him. In all things to glorify Him. I have this wonderful position to be involved in the lives of many. And not only that, but to grow in so many ways through walking alongside people, and even more so walking with Jesus. He has walked with me in these last 8 months. Every.single.step. He was there! O wow! He led me every step of the way, and now I am here. Not the same person as 8 months ago. Grown so much. Learned so much. Stretched so much. And given so much. I have been so blessed! I don't even know where to start. Yet must remember to in all things thank Him. For His work and His love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and faithfulness towards me. I have been so blessed, and so often I complain. I find this hard.

How do I work in His Kingdom, how do I say I glorify Him all I do, while I complain? Sin? Don't trust? Get angry?

How does God give me the blessing and works in me again and again so that I dont have to be afraid? God has blessed me and made me grow, changed me and worked in me in so many ways, and why? Because He loves me!

Next school year, DV, I have the opportunity to work in the school among students, with students and for students, in God's Kingdom. I am so pumped.... and so very thankful that the Lord has put this on my path and led me here. I am so thankful that the Lord has given me this opportunity and a way in which I can learn, grow, and love Him, glorifying Him in all I do.

Remembering that time is running out, is scary. Especially since this semester is running out so quickly. Two exams left, and then going home. I am so excited. And yet it's weird. Time is running out here. My first year at Redeemer, 2nd year of post-secondary is done just about. Time is running out with people here, as some are leaving Redeemer for good. Time is running out. Not just at Redeemer. But for us in life.

We must remember, and live as if every day is our last. To the fullest! All for Him and for His glory. Witnessing and preaching to all nations, telling the world that there is no time left...!

Lord I don't know what I'm struggling for
There's go to be more
Than this life I know
But still I'm here fighting to never give up
I find strength in Your love
And You will see me through

~ Forgive Me - Group 1 Crew ~

I am looking for answers..!

Goodness, they call it reading break. Before reading break started I had some very stressful, very hectic and busy weeks. It was chaotic, intense and crazy. There were a two consecutive days, with an essay, a sketchbook, and three midterms due or to do. It was nuts..
And then you have reading break. Glorious. Beautiful. Time off...
O wait! They recommend you read. Read tons. Work ahead. Start things that aren't due till, oh say mid March or early April. (Who's the crazy one?!) Don't they call it reading break, like a BREAK from reading?

Reading on the West Coast one summer... :D
now that was a break! 

Know what.. I don't get this. When you walk through the grocery store, or the Market at Redeemer, or any place where they sell fruit and vegetables they 'fresh' produce or something like that. Now I've been trying to see where my food is coming from. The other day I was buying bell peppers from Mexico!!! Frick, Mexico are we for real people? I worked in a greenhouse just this Christmas that grew peppers, and that's in our own country!!! Oh, and then the FRESH strawberries, from California.. How fresh can they be.. Were they picked like four days ago and that's why they're bruised, mushy, and not fresh? How about the U-Picks with strawberries here? Oh and don't strawberries grow in greenhouses here? Then there's these bags of frozen fruit we have in our freezer.... The frozen fruit brand 'Europe's Best' has strawberries, raspberries, and mixed frozen fruit... It says Europe in the brand name.. And they are all products from Chili!!! CHILI for Pete's sake.. Even the grapes are from Chili.. Guys that's South America!!! Like what in the world.. Wait -- where in the world do we live do we want to get our food from on demand?
Mini-carrots are product from the USA... That could be close by, I mean the US is ~2hrs from here, so not too bad. But they could be from Montana or Texas, that's not exactly close by.
The blueberries I just ate - they're fresh and cool right.. they're from Cali too. And the orange from Florida, the Pineapple from who knows where...
I LOVE FRUIT! Don't get me wrong. I LOVE VEGETABLES and if I could would eat them all day everyday. But really. Does it need to come from Mexico, California, Florida, Brasil, Chili?
At least the cucumber was from ON Canada, and the eggs were from inside this province as well. But seriously.. How far will we go to get our food..? How much money are we willing to spend, how much fuel burned in the planes to get food on our tables...? Is there a way to eat closer to home(if that makes sense)

WATCH THE VIDEO!
AND THINK ABOUT IT.. WHERE DO YOU LIVE?
WHERE DOES YOUR FOOD COME FROM? 

I know it's hard but just think about it.. please!

Also.. I went to buy some stuff at the Shoppers (drugstore/pharmacy) and found two of the same products right beside each other. Same brand, same product. O wait. Different price. Face cosmetic pads (you know those white round disk shape things to remove make-up with...) anyways.. the one kind was made with organic cotton. I checked the packaging - contents: 100% organic cotton. I checked the one that did not have organic on it, so the regular. It had no contents apparently. The non-organic were $4.29/pack of 80, the organic was $4.79/pack of 80. I bought the organic. I hope it's better for the environment, for the earth. I hope it is actually greener, like the packaging implies with it's green colour ink printed on the yucky plastic...

Organic Cotton

Have you ever realized how large packaging is for small products? The other day someone in my house was eating chicken wings. The box was on the the counter, it was at least 10x7x5 inch. It pissed me off. There were 12 chicken wings, inside a bag, inside this huge box that wasn't even half full. Like - Do we want to make it look like there's more food in it? Can we not use less cardboard? Or only plastic? Why two wrappings for one product? Same with cereal, crackers, KD (btw.. I DO NOT EAT KRAFT DINNER!). And when you buy a bag of chips it's only 2/3 filled. Or M&Ms and the like.. Like what are we doing? Making it seem like there's more in the bag than there actually is. I THINK WE'RE MISUSING OUR RESOURCES. NOT BEING GOOD STEWARDS. LYING TO OURSELVES AND THE REST OF THE WORLD. PRETENDING. 

Cereal in a bag in a box

HELLO!! WAKE UP!! WE'RE IN THE REAL WORLD. 

STOP PRETENDING! GET REAL!

PS. can someone tell me what Dutch Cocoa is? I see it everywhere on recipes. I have never heard of cocoa beans in the Netherlands. I had never heard of Dutch cocoa until I got to N-America.

Dutch Cocoa

Matthew 5

Who hasn't read this chapter of the Bible? Everyone knows the be-attitudes right? I don't remember how many times I have gone through Matthew chapter 5, without really noticing verse 13. "Ye are the salt of the earth but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men." The verse right after says that we are the light of the world.
Sure I have heard that many, many times, that I am to shine my light in the darkness of this world, of the city we live in, the community I work in. But to be salt? However can I be salt?

Salt, it's not that great an ingredient is it?

After hearing a sermon on how to be a salt, and a light at the same time - with the be-attitudes 'in the back of my mind' I realized that I am in the 'perfect' position.
I have a job among 'Gentiles'. I kind of dislike using that word, but it is true. To show love, to show kindness, be truthful, faithful and patient in all things. To fight the good fight of faith, to set an example, as Christian.

I said to my sister, who works the same position as I do, we've got quite the salty position at work eh?! She nodded her head, 'yes we do indeed.'

We both have a calling. I can't say what her calling is. But for myself I know that I have to be more salty. Be a salt, because to the Lord that is sweet smelling, because salt has the power to preserve, and because of the permanence of Christ's sacrifice.

I have a calling to be a witness, and to set a pure, good example. Not as one who is with the world because then our testimony means nothing. We are to be a true witness. Wherever we are, whenever we have the opportunity to witness in word and deed. Not for our glory, but for the glory of God!

I pray that I may be a salty salt, with lots of savour. And that we all may be salty, because the Lord asks us to witness, to be a city upon a hill side that cannot be hid.

Where will we go?

It has been quite the experience, being a nanny. In an non-Christian home.
I guess I have been pretty sheltered, or am just not used to things that go on in the world. Sure, when I went to college I met many girls that didn't believe, many people that just lived for themselves, or believed in a higher power, but had no idea what that even meant.
Now I am a nanny. In a household where there is no faith, there is no dependence on God, there is no trust in the Lord. I find this very trying. It is opening my eyes, and it making me think. It is making me question things that perhaps I shouldn't question, or perhaps I should have questioned many times ago. Questions that the family asks me, that I have never even thought about..

You know, as you turn a year older, you wonder what will happen this new year. What joys will we be able to celebrate? What barriers to face? What roads and paths to walk? What will happen, really today, tomorrow, or years from now? No one knows, except One who is All, in all, and with us always. What if you don't believe there is a God? What if you believe that you are in control? Then where will you go? With questions, fears, and through trials? Then where will you go, when things get 'out of control'?

How sad it is to see, to see the family I work for struggle, and look to mankind for help. They cry out and complain, but to men. What can men do, when God is in control of all things, in heaven and on earth? Where can they go, when men leave them, and they are left alone? What can they do, when men fail to help or haven't helped enough. No where but to themselves.

'I live for myself and for my kids. Why else would I alive, to live for the world-yeah right, I ain't helping people that make my life a pain, that put me in danger, and that don't believe in me. I ain't living to be a good girl, but to have fun in life, bring up my kids so that they have fun and can enjoy there lives.'

How that makes me wonder, cringe, cry. What life, what hope do you have? Where will we go then, when we think that way?

Instead I told her what I believe. That I believe God gave us all a purpose, that He created us for His glory, for His honour and for His will! That He is in control over my life, and that we can depend on him, that we may go to Him when we face trials and temptations, when we struggle, or are unsure about what way to turn. That He is here for us, any time of day, night, and for all of us. That I live for God, and my desire is to glorify Him, that is what makes me happy, that is what I live for, that is what gives me a contentment, that is what gives me peace. He ALONE is the Creator and Sustainer of life. We can not control what will happen to us, to our loved ones, our kids, our family and friends. We can not control what will happen today, tomorrow or next year. But there is one who can, and will, and shall, when we are in need. Even when we face death provide us with everlasting life, if we only believe in Him! (Psalm 68 - Dutch)

I think all people have many questions, about where we will go, after this life. Where we will go, and where we believe in. But not to have the comfort of God, what a sad life one must live. What hope is there then? What comfort, what peace?

Where will we go? Where will I go? Where will you go?