Beauty tips by Audrey Hepburn...

For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.

For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.

For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.

For beautiful hair, let a child run his fingers through it once a day.

For poise, walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone.

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, reclaimed and redeemed.

Never throw out anybody.

A weekend like this...

I just got home tonight from a weekend spent at Muskoka Woods. Muskoka Woods used to be my life. I spent all my summers there. I worked some weekends up there during the year, and at the very least visited lots all year long. I also attended a Muskoka Woods Bible Study group for the last 6 years on and off depending on where I was living. Muskoka Woods is becoming a lesser part of my life as time goes on. My best friends are still from there and I still love it, but I don't spend my summers there anymore (as of this past year) and I visit less. One thing that is still a huge part of my Muskoka Woods life journey though is the memories I have and the bible study group. This weekend 16 of us gathered up at Muskoka Woods for a bible study leaders retreat. It was a phenomenal weekend. Camp was bare of people, except for us and a few of their staff that were around. A camp that at any given time usually has at least 1000 people on property was empty! It was also empty of snow, much like the city, which was sad and good in its own ways. We spent the weekend doing this thing called "life lines". Basically we were given the opportunity to share our stories of our lives and learn about everyone else’s lives. After each person shared we encouraged each other with our comments and through prayer. It was absolutely amazing listening to everyone. God was totally present as many tears and hard things were shared. What a privilege it was to get to share a weekend like this with all the wonderful people that were up there. I completely felt such a renewed since of love for many of my friends that were up there. (I also got to see my friend Emily at MW and have a sleepover with her which was awesome because I love that girl a lot.) God is so good and always knows exactly what we need!

"And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." ~Matthew 6:28-34

I love having visitors!!!

Something that I have picked up from my mom is hospitality. She has always loved having people over for meals and visits. I am very much like this as well. One of my favourite things about having friends who live in different provinces and countries is being able to visit them and even better having them visit me! I have a wonderful friend Jay, who I have posted about on here before. He is from Manitoba. I absolutely love having Jay visit me and when I get to visit him. The time we spend together is always fun and entertaining. I purely enjoy Jay's company. He came 2 weeks ago to stay with me and visit some of his other friends as well. While he was here we went out for lunches, dinners, went trampolining and shopping, went to the ROM and a Leaf game, celebrated the coming of 2007, got a new car and hung out at my place a lot. It was fun laughing with, and sometimes at, him. I love having a friend as good as Jay … He is pretty wonderful!

What happens in a year???

It is 2007 already? I feel like it was just yesterday that I was becoming a blogger and now here I am a year later, wondering about what has changed or not changed in my life....

I am now a college graduate
I have made new friends
One of my dogs died and I now have a new puppy
I don't work for Muskoka Woods anymore
I still love the colour blue, daises, and being creative
I volunteer more
I have learned how to let my heart love again
I have rekindled old friendships that are now huge impacts in my life
I have fallen more in love with God
I have visited friends and had friends visit me
I read more and watch TV less
I try to listen more and talk less
I am consistently trying to be more encouraging, patient, loving and forgiving
I know what I am going to be spending 9 months of this year doing
I am learning how to play a guitar
I still love art, music and random adventures
... I am still me ... another year older, and hopefully maybe a little wiser, but I'm still me