The Life of Mrs. Miles

DEEP BLUE FREEZE mini kit

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I hope you don't mind that I am dusting off a few old kits from last year. I thought it might be time to revive this frosty. You will love the detail of the snowflakes stuck on the green cord holding the bulb! You can't really appreciate them in this teensy preview! Please SHARE this goodie, but send your friends directly here to download it for themselves.

I'm so behind on my Christmas shopping this year. We requested 'no junk mail' in our mailbox, and I think that it has saved me from a lot of temptation – and a ton of recycling. Truly, I used to have a stack a foot high about every two weeks, and now I hardly ever have anything to send. So I am sure I am missing out on a ton of 'great deals' and new gadgets etc. I'm sure I have been sheltered and will suffer from over-whelm-ment the first time we go to the City shopping.

Our stockings are hung by the chimney, with care!

I also have not done any baking. My Mother in Law is THE Christmas baker – cooking up enough to feed an entire army, and then some! Truly, we have to starve ourselves for two weeks before Christmas to compensate for the grandeur and sheer volume of her absolute cornocopia of her groaning sideboards – are you getting the picture here? Lets just say that the festive season necessitates going to the gym daily. The ONLY thing I plan to bake this year is perhaps some cookies for the last school potluck lunch, and for a cookie exchange being hosted by a friend. What about you? Do you have a favorite cookie recipe you would like to share with me? If its a really good one – with a picture – I'd be glad to share it here on my blog so all readers can enjoy!

We have our Charlie Brown tree erected - its so cute! Our friend Melanie will be coming to spend the night and decorate this evening - should be fun.

Reeds with Ice

I thought I might share a sentiment with you, which was passed along to someone who has become a good freind to me over the time we've connected over the internet. I'm talking about KimB, who is a generous, thoughtful and funny, funny, FUNNY person! Kim keeps me ROLF every time I visit her blog – always able to poke fun at herself and see the humour in life. I don't know what exactly powers her, but she's always on hi-speed! The sentiment I'll share though is of another nature. It's a thought provoking piece, and oh so true.

I know some may read this and think – this is coming from a Christian? (me) Being a Christian does not mean you have to LIKE everyone – we ARE human, after all, but we are called to LOVE one another – do you get that? What appeals to me about the following, is it serves to set boundaries for protecting yourself. I would like to think that people would consider me to be a positive and encouraging influence in their lives – and that I would be Christ-like to them too. If I've not been, please, let me know!

It's better to be alone, than in the wrong company. Tell me who your best friends are, and I will tell you who you are. If you run with the wolves, you will learn to howl, but if you associate with eagles you will learn to soar to great heights. A mirror reflects a man's face, but what he is really like is shown by the kind of friends he chooses. The simple but true fact of life is that you become like those whom you closely associate for the good and the bad. The less you associate with some people, the more your life will improve. Any time you tolerate mediocrity in others, it increases your mediocrity. As you grow, your associates will change. Some of your friends will not want you to go on. They will want you to stay where they are. Friends that don't help you climb, will want you to crawl. Your friends have the power to stretch your vision – or choke your dreams. Those that don't increase you will eventually decrease you.

Consider this – Never recieve counsel from unproductive people. Never discuss your problems with someone incapable of contributing to the solution, because those who never succeed themselves, are always the first to tell you how to. Not everyone has a right to speak into your life. You are certain to get the worst of the bargain when you exchange ideas with the wrong person. Don't follow anyone who's not going anywhere. With some people you spend an evening; with others you invest it. Be careful where you stop to inquire for directions along the road of life. Wise is the person who fortifies his life with the right freindships.

Thanks for sharing this Kim, wise words of discernment.

More Ice on Reeds

Thank goodness God allows us to choose our friends – and gives us discernment in choosing wisely! The following are some pieces I found which should be considered.

If you love, you will be loved;

If you respect people, you will be respected;

If you serve them, you will be served;

If you give a good account of yourself toward others,

others will act likewise to you.

Blessed is the man who loves and does not desire to be loved for it;

Blessed is he who respects others, and does not look for respect in return;

Who serves and does not expect service for it;

who acquits himself well of others and does not desire that they return the grace.

Because such things are big, foolish people do not rise to them.

~ Brother Giles

How ridiculous it would be to see the sheep endeavoring to walk like the dog, or the ox striving to trot like the horse; just as ridiculous it is to see one man striving to imitate another. Man varies from man more than animal from animal of different species. ~ William Blake

Tigers and deer do not stroll together. So too is a man known by his friends.

“Show me the path where I should go,

O Lord; point out the right road for me to walk.”

Psalm 25:4

Ok, time to lighten up here -

I received a 'good/funny' from blog reader Bridget, who cleverly changed the names around in this little joke to say Barry and Billy (in regard to the ice fishing kit) Thanks Bridget, you gave me a good giggle!

Bill and Barry went out ice fishing one day. They set up all their gear and Barry started to drill a hole in the ice, when suddenly they heard a loud voice say “There are no fish beneath the ice.” So they moved over a bit further from where they were and started to drill another hole when suddenly they heard a loud voice say “There are no fish beneath the ice!” So they move over still a bit further away, just as they started to drill one more hole they heard yet again a loud voice “T here are no fish beneath the ice.” Barry looked up and said “God, Is that you?” The voice said “No, this is the rink announcer!”

Del and Penny

We were blessed with a visit from our friends Del and Penny last week – I meant to get them into an earlier blog post, but it just did not happen. Penny has a beautiful voice – a link to her website/music is listed in my sidebar – and while she was here she sang, and Miles recorded. Unfortunately he has not had time to process the song yet, but when we do I will post a sample of her new song for you. You can also read a 'rave review' of a concert Penny hosted back in Saskatchewan recently by clicking HERE. It was SO GOOD to visit with you P & D! Enjoy your time down south! We know you will be a blessing to those good folk down there.

Here's a fun link for you, recycled from last year's posts, but still functioning. Its a foldable Santa's Sleigh and reindeer – all from paper! Just click HERE to visit. There are also other projects here at the Yamaha site – even a bikey for MIKEY... (you could fold one up on coffee break at work ;)

I will leave you with a rather strange video. As I've mentioned before, Miles is working with the Gifte Kids in the district, teaching some lessons on robotics. Yesterday he was assembling a powerpoint presentation and he came across this video of a robot that resembles a dog. It gave me the shivers! What do you think of this?