The Life of Mrs. Miles

Happy New Years, Everyone!

I'm back and refreshed from the holidays. Not caught up, but back and refreshed.

Before I launch into my first post of the year I want to thank each of you who blessed me this Christmas - you know who you are. I am a bit overwhelmed and it will take me a bit to properly thank everyone.

I feel so blessed, and at the same time, I'm hyper-aware of those who 'don't have'... of the economy and how so many are losing their jobs and my heart is moved. I'm going to really work hard in 2009 to find ways to minister to the needs I see. I'm not into 'resolutions' as such, rather into filling the needs I am able to. Instead of a resolution, I'm working towards filling this scripture - making it come to reality in my life and the lives I'm in contact with:

His divine power has given us everything we need
for life and godliness
through our knowledge of Him
who called us by his own glory and godliness.

Through these He has given us
His very great and precious promises,
so that through them you may participate
in the divine nature
and escape the corruption in the world
caused by evil desires.

For this very reason,
make every effort to add to your faith goodness;
and to goodness, knowledge;
and to knowledge, self-control;
and to self-control, perseverance;
and to perseverance, godliness;
and to godliness, brotherly kindness;
and to brotherly kindness, love.

For if you possess these qualities
in increasing measure,
they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive
in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

But if anyone does not have them,
he is nearsighted and blind,
and has forgotten
that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

Therefore, my brothers,
be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure.
For if you do these things
you will never fail,
and you will receive a rich welcome
into the eternal kingdom of
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:3-11

In other words - in clear language that applies to my own life, my desire is to simply LOVE - love my friends, my neighbors, the world. To open my eyes, to open my heart, to get my hands dirty, to waste less time on judging people and their actions and to spend more time helping.

I long to become more 'real', to be prayerfully bold and open when I need to, and to 'shut up' in other instances. That is a real hard one for me, when to speak out and when to hold back. Both things can really be a problem at times.

One thing I must say, I learned so much about love from my unsaved friends, who selflessly gave to me - teaching me some very Christian values. So many of you have impressed me and moved my heart!

So, on to the New Year.

A quick recap to the holidays - We went to the coast to be with our family. We left on a bitterly cold day, cold even for here (could have EASILY froze you a huge iceberg, Kim *wink*) We made it to a Princeton, thats a 1.5 hour drive from here - and at that point we considered turning back. It was SO cold and our van's inside heater was not putting out any heat. We had to keep what little heat there was on the engine so the gas lines would not freeze. Our toes and fingers were frozen and Jack Frost was painting up the INSIDE of our van windows. I heated some warmers in the microwave of a service station and Mr. Miles fired up our portable propane camp heater, enough we could stare moving around again.

We eventually did make it to the coast, and a good thing too, for it was the only day we would have been able to drive in the conditions.

The rest of the time there we were pretty much snowed in. With Mom and her fantastic and generous cooking and our sister in law and daughters, and our daugther Dez (who braved the drive all the way from Calgary in the bad conditions *spank* then hugs) It was a wonderful time of family. We came home the day before yesterday, after having to spend one extra day because our van Sabastian acted up on the freeway, but got him looked after with an oil change and checkup.

Good to go, good to be home. Its snowing here and looks like we're staying put here too.

I'm going to keep this brief but will return in the next few days. In honour of the new year I've created this New Growth Alpha for you - it symbolizes the new growth I'll be striving for this year. I hope you enjoy - and be looking for some coordinating add-ons in the coming days.

Personal Use
(I've used this alpha in my new blog header!)

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