Spiritual Gift or Indigestion?

Lately I've had an unsettled feeling about a decision my friend is making in her life... a rather large one, life changing...
Ok, unsettled isn't the word... more like completely against it and will stop it if I can.
Anyway...
The feeling I have isn't a new one to me though. I've had it before, and (without trying to give this feeling a personality of its own) it's always been right. I've been really wondering if maybe this is a spiritual gift God has given me?? Being aware of it and regarding it in the past had served to protect me from harm in certain situations and to allow me to place a "guard" up, emotionally I suppose, before even realizing the actual form of 'danger' that was there.
Maybe this will make more sense if I give you a couple examples....

There was a man at our church once who showed up at my house to return something to my parents he'd borrowed. I didn't know who it was, but when I saw a car pull into my drive way, I immediately had a 'sense' of being unnerved, aware of danger present, of something being "off". Later, I discovered that unbeknowst to nearly all of the congregation (maybe the minister and a select few excluded), this man was being charged with beating his wife, actually had a restraining order placed on him, and would later be going to court. I had no idea of this at the time, but still, something within me said "be careful". So I listened.

Scenario 2 ... one evening, while chatting with some friends after their hockey game, a guy came up to us and joined in the conversation (he knew some of the other people there, but not me). He started talking to all of us, myself included, and I got the same "feeling".... "danger; be aware".... I was courteous but not overly friendly or engaging, and he soon left. Immediately after he was gone, a friend asked if I knew who it was. When I told him no, he informed me that the guy was in fact someone I'd heard of before.... someone who had been accused, and charged, with sexual assault on more than one girl.

I realize that in either of these situations I was not personally in immediate danger, but I'm still thankful for what I believe to have been God's spiritual warnings, making me aware of the dangers around me. Suppose I hadn't listened?? Maybe I become too overly friendly in a situation with the assault guy... who's to say what could have happened? Or with the other man.. he attended our church, and on first glance would have seemed to be a nice, Christian guy. Apparently, the bruises on his wife tell a different story.

Now, I'm facing this same feeling in regards to the decision my friend is making. Unfortunately, she's living in "happy land" right now and not hearing anything I'm saying in regards to the fact that I "have serious reservations about the decision, and cannot support it". It's painful! Because I care about her alot, and don't know how to tell her how much I am against this.

It's also difficult because she's (claiming) that she's prayed about it, and feels peace about it. But, I know her very well. She's great, but very naive and easily persuaded, kind of like a teeter-totter... Up? ok!! Down? ok!!!
And I don't feel a peace about it, and no one else close to her, most importantly including her family, feel peace about it! They're all strongly against it (as they have personally told me)... But again, she's not even listening to them!

God, this is in Your hands! I feel like there's something else at work here, something evil. Am I blessed with the gift of discernment?? Should I listen to this "feeling" that I think is from you? If so, how can I convince my friend of all of this when she thinks she's hearing from You as well? How do we know who's really hearing and following Your will?
Hold onto us all, Lord! I have a feeling we're just beginning one heck of a wild ride.....

Lovin' Internet

I'm taking a break during a lull at work for a minute, and emailing back and forth with my girl friend in Kitchener (Hi Michelle!! :D). It's something I'm sure we all do everyday... take 5 mins, type out some words, hit "send" and off it goes...

Honestly, AMAZING!!! :)

Think about it... I'm sitting here, at my desk, in Wingham, over an hour's drive away from her, and with a few clicks of some buttons, I can be talking to her as though she's right beside me!!! It's wild!!! I love it!!

Have you ever thought about that?? How did we go from hand writing letters that would take months to get to their destination, to this flat "thing" we call a keyboard attached to a "computer" with "internet" and "email" and being able to tap these "keys" and click the "mouse" and hit "send" and communicating over thousands of miles?!?!? It makes my head hurt a little bit!! :) It's so absurd, and yet we use it every day! And it's wonderful!

Another friend messaged me on Facebook this morning to arrange a Skype chat... from the Czech Republic!!! (Hi Jody! :D) Insane I tell ya!!!

All I really can say... is literally, Thank God for nerds!

Veterans Deserve More!

I was watching TV before bed last night, and there was a clip of a man begging on the street with a Navy seal badge on his jacket. Another man asked him if he'd really been in the Navy, and the vet replied yes. The man emptied the money out of his pockets and gave it to the veteran without another word.

Some of you may read this story and feel it's touching that the man selflessly gave all the money he had to the Navy seal. But I want to tell you that's not why I'm writing this post.... I'm writing this because in the span of the 30 seconds it took for that segment of the show to air, I burst into tears thinking, "That's how we treat our veterans?! That's despicable!"

These men and women literally sacrificed everything they had, their lives, the families, their sanity, their homes... and for what?? So they could end up on the street someday begging for enough money to buy a sandwich, if they're lucky!?!? It's sick!! This just made me so mad I seriously erupted into tears of anger! I didn't know what else to do with what I'd seen. Yes, I realize this was a TV show, but you know what!? IT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING, RIGHT NOW!!! These people who gave their everything so that you and I can sit on our butts and be on this very website, at this very minute, without the fear of bombs falling on our heads or an enemy soldier sniping through our front windows. Do you get it!!?? Is it sinking in!?!?

Remembrance Day only comes once a year (side note: Please buy a new poppy every year.. it's a small amount of change that can make a huge difference!), but it should be a daily memory that sticks with us. I challenge you to take time out of your day to do something for a veteran. I am going to take this challenge myself, and I will let you know what becomes of it. Leave a comment and tell me how you partook of the challenge. Maybe even donate to your local legion. Honestly, it's the least we can do!

True Colours

I was listening to this song last night as I was boxing (yes, I box... no laughing!) and something about it really made me listen more carefully. Take a gander at the lyrics....



You with the sad eyes don't be discouraged
oh I realize it's hard to take courage
in a world full of people you can lose sight of it all
and the darkness inside you can make you fell so small

But I see your true colors shining through
I see your true colors and that's why I love you
so don't be afraid to let them show
your true colors, true colors are
beautiful like a rainbow

Show me a smile then don't be unhappy,
can't remember when I last saw you laughing
if this world makes you crazy and you've taken all you can bear
you call me up because you know I'll be there

Not only does this song have a great musical melody to it, but the lyrics... I don't know about you, but to me, they're perfect! In the society we live in, there are so many things these days that can get us down -- the economy, money (or lack thereof), unemployment, sickness, bigotry, war, prejudgices.. you name it!

It's during these times of (what I'm going to call) trials that we need to stop and think, what are we going to do with it? Oftentimes, we can't change the situation, we're in (if you're sick, you're sick!), but we can control our reactions to situations. We can chose to be depressed and sad and just say "screw you" to the world as we wallow in our own self-pity... or we can stand up, and say, "no way! This is my life, and I'm taking it back!"

It seriously frustrates and saddens me when people just give in to the hardships of life and let them take control. Why do you want to be alone? Why do you enjoy the suffering yourself of others? It's sad and pathetic! If only you would realize the love of family and friends. Who are you going to "call up.. to be there" when you have no one left because you've turned everyone away? Be it family, friends, or even God.

I think that's where the lyrics of the first verse fit in. "Don't be discouraged... I realize it's hard to take courage"... How do we ever hope to accomplish anything when it's not even our true selves we're working through!?!? Because we've let the craziness turn us into someone we're not....

Ok, here comes the "sermon" aspect of it... :)
God made us all unique, different, and wonderfully special! He knit us together before our parents even knew about us, before our grandparents knew about them, before our great-grandparents knew about them, and so on... Think about that... We were "known" before time began! This in and of itself it what makes our "true colours" so beautiful... They're unlike anyone elses! Not even close! It's a baffling thought, and so humbling! Even if Cyndi Lauper didn't intend for her lyrics to have a biblical base at the time, I think she's got a pretty good point. One I love to listen to (especially the new "Glee" version! ;)

A New Year has Dawned

It's the beginning of a new year, and I've decided to try something new... so here it is.

This 'blog' is for me. It will be honest, and raw, and sometimes ranting.. but I think we all need those spaces once in a while. I hope that it will also be light and interesting, maybe something as simple as a movie review.

Keep posted and I will be back soon!