the best part about being poor
is getting a big tax return
yipee!!

last night we heard about our wedding rings
and how
they are
covenants of peace

8 more days
and backyard bliss

i can't help but tell you about my
sweet natured laundry man
named Mohammed
this guy is so sweet and I have known him for over a year
always happy and thankful
and encouraging me to take deep breaths and enjoy the day
always wants to chat
and smile

talking in code

is what i am trying to do right now
as my simple bloggy blog
has been gaining a few viewers from
let's just say places
where
i hope they are thinking good thoughts
when they read
i am thinking maybe a should lesson up
on the global ring
as i am a harmless peace dove
who only also wants peace for you

today's

*my daughter is so adorable when she sings to herself in bed in the morning

*we got the house!! i am sooo excited- i am soo looking forward to getting out of here and into there

*mathew 25-When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, ³⁶ I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

³⁷ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

⁴⁰ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. ⁴² For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

⁴⁴ “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

⁴⁵ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’

⁴⁶ “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

(this passage is one of the most searching for me in the whole bible... because the people who were cast into hell did not know they had not done what they should have. somehow in their life they had not remembered others. they had not realized the absolute command and importance of loving and honouring and providing for their fellow people in the church- they were not sent to hell for what they did do- ie. a sin or terrible dark thing- they were cast into hell for what they did not do for Jesus-...)Lorne talked about this on Sunday

*heard the heartbeat on Monday

*freedom is a gift

*don't forget peeps- it's a small world..KYMS :)

how can you not find this interesting and worth a thought?

France's controversial ban on wearing Islamic veils such as burqas took effect Monday.

The ban pertains to the burqa, a full-body covering that includes a mesh window over the face, and the niqab, a full-face veil that leaves an opening only for the eyes.

The hijab, which covers the hair and neck but not the face, and the chador, which covers the body but not the face, apparently are not banned by the law.

OK.. so do we understand the enormity of this law in France- that it is not allowing people to live the way they/their husband feel(s) is right in the eyes of God/Allah?

This is Huge

This is game changer

But then I was thinking about how if I don't believe in their religion, and I were to go to their country I would be forced to dress as though I did. How strange is that?

I am not laying any real answer out here folks- just a bunch of thoughts.

Like last week I went to the zoo and there was a woman(i think she was a woman) fully covered including face with black with sunglasses.(this would not be legal in France anymore).. and I was like.. "I wonder if she has a zoo pass- I wonder what the picture looks like on the zoo pass- I wonder if she stole her friends zoo pass who also wears the same garb- No one would ever know. There is no way the zoo security is going to ask this fundamentalist to de-scarf her face to show here identity. and this is my small point.

I am all about religious freedom. I depend on it. But what if our religious service means that we betray/conflict/deny the proper security of a country/institution? These women could easily be men. They could easily be someone else. Do you want to go on a plane ride to NYC with one of these people on board? Just saying..

and here is my other personal problem with this religious fashion- this has nothing to do with legalities.. but I had this thought. What if I was the last person on earth who was not a Muslim extremist. i was the only one in the supermarket who was not wearing full black garb. I could make eye contact with no one-I could smile at no one- I could connect with no one. (K truth is- if I was the last one left I would be taken and tortured to death- lets be real).. but my point is- there is something against Humanity and Togetherness and Fellow Person-ness in people completely covering themselves and actually Cutting Themselves Off from Everyone Else Around them. That is what bothers me the most. There is no connection. It completely denies the unity of humanity.

i know you think I am going off on this- but it is true. I make an effort to make eye contact with all sorts of different kinds of people- these are the one kind that I find always leave me feelin at a loss.

Not to mention it is scary. Good grief what do you think my 3 year old thinks when she sees that? She thinks what I think. She thinks- there is something wrong. and she is right.

And why black? why not pink? or white? or rainbow? Like why looks so dead? didn't God make you alive? What are you afraid of? Don't you want to smile and share a smile with someone else?

Don't you want to feel the breeze on your face?

I get actually pretty caught up in this topic. I remember the first time I saw women covered in Burqas in the Calgary Herald like 10 years ago- I read it out loud in my University class and you know what - i cried- that's right folks I cried- I cried because I was also a woman. I cried because I knew that it meant bondage. it still makes me sad-

I see no beauty in them. I see no beauty in their faith. I can't actually even see them at all

The only other people that dress with such coverings that I can think of are astronauts, radiation scientists, welders, and of course criminals- robbers or terrorists really like to cover their faces.

Back to the point. I encourage all people to exercise their religious freedom. I am very glad that France absolutely continues to allow these woman to cover 98% of their being. I am glad that I can wear what I feel is appropriate. I am glad that I don't have to wear what I don't think is appropriate. i am very thankful that we can meet and worship and not be afraid. I was just reading last week that all the people that were part of a christian church that was in the home in China were taken into custody. Religious Freedom is a gift.

this is truly meant for no offense to any fundamentalist Muslim people. I clearly don't understand the conviction for full coverage. although I do understand the conviction to live for God.

so lightheaded right now
eating chips chocolate bar
and coca cola
so i can go back to work

ps I love you

but I find it really hard to feel sorry for you

why am i constantly searching for Justice on earth?
why can't i just get over it?

I was thinking about John Lennon today
and his lyrics from Imagine

and I have always like the song
so poetic and dreamy and lovely
but today i was like

hey John Lennon was an atheist

Congratulations Kerri &Bob! can't figure out how to comment on your blog

a bad feeling

when you are going through the McDonalds drive-through
and you are at the order speaker
and the conversation is not going well- ie. not nice
and a car pulls up behind you

you can't reverse and change your mind
you can't say your sorry to the speaker
all you can do is expect that somebody snorted in your orange juice
as pay back

thats the worst

am once again reminded how thankful i am that facebook was not around during my Wonder Years...i am feeling especially sorry for those whose experiences have been documented with photographic evidence all over FB for the world to see

i confess

i've been addicted to the news lately
none of it is good
none of it is fun
none of it is just

there is a wide world of turmoil and pain oozing through the seams of my content North American life..

i've been surprised and sickened mostly
does any one else out there stay on top of this stuff?
i'm not saying that you should
what is the point of reading the news daily anyway?

there is just one story I cannot seem to get my head around
not sure if you heard about the crazy pastor in Florida who burnt a Koran..?
OK - so he burnt a Koran... why? who knows
the problem is that the Muslim world finally got wind of this singular act by some singular
person who happens to live in a free country
and they are hysterical and revengeful
and killing innocent people all over the place since finding this out...
I am serious -its been like 4 days of their wide spread protest against this one act a million miles away.
should anyone burn religious paraphernalia?
not sure
should any innocent person unrelated to an aggressive act against a religious book die because of it?
to me the rage displaying itself in these Muslim communities over this singular act is a sign of a few things-
their beliefs do not center around peace or peace making
their upbringing and culture does not teach rational acceptance of those that are different
their environment is causing, creating, and allowing for grossly aggressive behavior
they are probably unemployed
they have probably never been around people of other cultures in a safe and cooperative environment

here's the thing
I know and you know a whole bunch of people from other countries and cultures. and so what? Do I think my beliefs are right? of course I do or I wouldn't believe them or wrap every ounce of my life around them.. do I think other people are right? no. I honestly don't think other beliefs are right.. so yes, I am pretty extreme. I am like these Muslim people. But the Faith i have teaches me to Love and Forgive and Be Kind. That is my Law.
The Law of Love trumps every other fear or hate or desire to judge.
I must Love. I must not hate. I must not kill. I must not have rage in my heart. I must be free.

(I would like to add here that I know plenty of Muslim people that are happy and peaceful and educated and giving and accepting)

If God is Good and God is Love then what would his Law be?
I am utterly confused and overwhelmed by the caos of hate witnessing against itself