A Time to Cry...

Well, if the title of this blog drew you in, sorry to disappoint, but there is no sadness here. I just wanted to mention that my eyes have been dripping lately-seemingly from allergies. They have also been very itchy, and I have dark circles underneath them (also from lack of sleep).

This week-end is going to be very busy, but exciting and eventful. By Tuesday, I have to finish a lecture, study 9 lectures, write a mid-term, and a 6 page paper on 1 & 2 Chronicles. As well as travel to Toronto on Fri-Sat, go to a missions night, visit a friend, and spend some time with my husband. Let me say it again: FULL WEEK-END. I can't wait for this semester to be over. Not that the busyness will go away, but I will be able to rest my mind again for a little bit.

God is so good. He is teaching me more and more about the little things that I need to change in my life, and how to become a better wife.

Love,

Ashleigh

The Wednesday That is Called "Ash"...

It's the beginning of Lent. All around the world, thousands of people are giving something up for this auspicious tradition, for the next 40 days, most of them not even knowing the reason behind it, or even why. It's merely "tradition".

I cannot claim innocence in this, as I, too, am giving something up for Lent, and I don't know many of the reasons behind it. I have heard, however, that the idea was to give something up and replace it with something else that will bring you closer to Christ. To prepare for Easter, when we will remember His death and resurrection.

This year I have decided to give up Facebook and other web-sites that hinder valuable time with God, as well as watching movies (either alone or just with Jake). I am making allowances for Sundays, but that's about it. I felt very compelled to use the time I would have spent on Facebook as time spent in prayer for the world, for missions.

I own a book called Operation World Missions. It's not the most updated version, but it works well enough. Within its pages, it lists countries alphabetic, with statistics on religions, economy, and people groups, as well as answers to prayer and prayer requests. As I cracked open the pages this morning, pages which haven't been opened in many months, I turned to today's date and discovered which country was up for prayer: Brasil. I thought, "Ok, God, very funny. There have been so many memories of Brasil on my mind, and now this." Oh, and that's not all. The book suggested I pray for the country from March 9-11. Looks like I've got my work cut out for me. Brasil it is.

Today was my first day off in five days, and I had decided it would be a homeworking day. Be that as it may, I don't think I was very productive. I did sift through three commentaries on 1 and 2 Chronicles, however, and the information I gleaned on those much-avoided books was well-received. I am writing a paper on them for a course, and the instructions were to discover how 1 and 2 Chronicles fits in the Bible as part of God's redemptive plan for humankind. I will update you once it's finished (it's due on March 15!)

That's all for now; Jake is picking me up soon for a rendezvous at the grocery store. Thanks for all your prayers!

Love,
Ashleigh

Back to Bloggin'...

Yes, yes, I know. It's been a while. In fact, this has been my worse blogging year to date. And we're going on five years now. I just checked, and it was five years ago yesterday that I wrote my first blog. Wow, so much as happened since then. Being married is probably the biggest change that has happened in my life. I defy anyone to challenge me on that!

This past month has been filled with so much stress, mostly due to school. I'm set to graduate on April 30th, and have to finish all my homework by April 15. I have a lot to do in that time. Jake has been a good help to me, offering to bring well-seasoned and timely advice when I need it. Not only that, he is my biggest supporter, and he wants me to graduate as much as I do. It's been five years, and I'm so ready to move on to the next step. I am intending to do get my certification in TESOL in the next coming months, so that I will "have a clue" when teaching English. That is a must for me, since I hate doing anything without being fully informed.

Tim Horton's is going alright. I was feeling somewhat content for about a week, then last night, something snapped, and I am feeling rather stuck once again. I think there is a huge fear that with all the work that I'm doing there won't be enough time to do homework. Valid enough.

One of the girls that I was specifically praying for got fired last week. That was a huge blow for me, since I don't have any contact info at all. I was very concerned about her, and hope that she is going to graduate highschool. Since then, a new girl has been hired, and she was sweet enough to drive me home tonight. I hope that I can be a good influence on these guys (they're all between the ages of 16-19). I know that when I come to work with a lousy attitude, it sends the wrong message. I want God's light to continue to shine through me. Please pray for my attitude in that place, as well as whether I should stay there or quit and concentrate solely on homework. It's not only the homework time it's killing, but also time with Jake. Either we were spoiled the first three months, or I'm a liar. Neither of us have been home long enough (or lucid long enough) to cook a decent meal in a long time. Because he's been working nights for the past two weeks, we only see each other a bit in the morning and then he would visit me for my half hour break at four. I guess I have a lot on my heart right now, but I know that only people who really care read my blog (since I don't feed it to Facebook). Please pray for us. This next month and a half is going to be a big haul, and I need every ounce of motivation to get my butt in gear and finish my assignments.

In more positive news, I have been able to read some more fiction books, and one that I just finished reading was called A Mother's Hope, by my fav author Francine Rivers.

It was about a girl who grew up into a woman and mother, basing her decisions and treatment of her children on her past experiences. It really helped me to think about how I will be as a wife and ultimately a mother, and how the way my parents treated me will affect my actions.

Speaking of babies, my sister, Mel, is expecting! She and Nathanael will be proud parents (I personally think they will have a son) in September. This will be my first "nephew", and I am so eager to be a doting "auntie" (however doting I can be living two hours away).

Well, I wish everyone a pleasant evening. Perhaps my next blog won't be so far away...

Love,

Ashleigh

Thought for the Day...

"Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord." Ps. 31:24

This verse stood out to me during Bible reading this morning:

"I will dwell among the children of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the LORD their God who brought them up out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them. I am the LORD their God." Ex. 29:45

It's so interesting, because in Genesis, God originally desired to dwell in the garden among the people He created . However, Adam and Eve's sin created a separation between God and all of mankind for as long as we live on this earth. In Exodus, with the introduction of the tabernacle, God created a way that He could dwell among His people once again, but there was so much sacrifice to be made to atone for their sin. That's why it's so beautiful that Christ became our sacrifice, so that the Holy Spirit could, not just dwell among us, but in us. I love that!

Love,

Ashleigh

Bleary Eyed Wonder...

How often have I thought that staring at the computer is a massive waste of time? How often do I say to myself, "I should be doing homework..." or "I should be doing the dishes..."?

Well, it only happens every time I'm on the computer. I never feel guilt free while staring catatonic at the screen. And tonight, I have more important things to do. Like finishing my Bible reading for yesterday AND today. And doing some more reading for that book report that's due on Feb. 15.

However, I will say one thing before I go. This week-end was a blast. I drove up to my hometown and spent some time with one of my besties Ruth-Ann. It's her birthday tomorrow, and we wanted to celebrate in style. And if celebrating in style means watching "Maid in Manhattan" and sinking our teeth into gooey spelt cinnamon buns, well, that's perfection :) I also had a chance to visit Mom, Dad, and the whole gang, including Zena, their new German Shepherd puppy. She's so cute! Then I headed on over to Mel and Nathanael's house, where I expertly received a parking ticket for parking on the street overnight. It was well worth it to catch up with the newlyweds, and even sleep over there.

Needless to say, it was wonderful to reunite with Jake this afternoon over a lovely lunch of grilled cheese sandwiches after church; then, since naps are where it's at on Sunday afternoons, we slept and let the sleep fairies dance across our eyelids, not caring a bit about the Superbowl that was about to commence.

I must away, and apparently speak in a language one likens to Jane Austen. *Sleep, please come swiftly tonight!*

Love,

Ashleigh

Blank...

I have wanted to blog for a while, but here we are, a month later, and I am still feeling blank. I have started reading some other people's blogs, and have been feeling very underqualified. In some ways, I suppose I feel like my blogs aren't "every day" enough, or aren't descriptive enough. I struggle with comparison a lot. It's so hard to remember that I am unique, and God created me with passions and topics to write about that no one else does. Ai ai ai. Hopefully it will sink in soon.

On a lighter note, Jake and I both have full time jobs again. Jake got laid off a week ago, and I haven't had a full time job since-well, I can't remember. We were both rather downcast, but I suppose that our wonderful Creator had some other plans in mind-to remind us of His love and provision for us. It was literally only five days that Jake went from being laid off to having another job. If that isn't a miracle from the Lord, then I don't know what is! I have a job at, yup, you guessed it, our most beloved coffee shop. I have no time to remind myself of that relentless, clingy smell that lingers long after one leaves. I am simply marveling at God's grace, and His timing couldn't be better. So, if you think of us, please pray that God will provide Jake & I with some time to ourselves, as well as the energy to press on and complete the tasks we need to (like me and my homework that needs to be done as I type).

I've started doing a pilates video, which is by Denise Austin. It's called Shrink your Fat Zones, and I hope it works, because I have been in so much pain for the past 3 days. The three places it targets are your upper body, your core, and then your legs/butt/thighs. Jake was surprised I've been so diligent with it, since most of the other work-out vids have been collecting dust and cobwebs. The trick is this: she wants you to do it for 21 days to see results. I've heard that you can form a habit if you do it for 21 days. I suppose the reason I am eager to do it every day is because I have a goal. I have something I can look forward to completing in 21 days. Hopefully it works :)

I hope everyone has a great week-end!

Love,

Ashleigh

Learning How to Live...

Happy New Year, 2011!

It's hard to believe that a decade has passed since I first entered highschool. Now I am married, and learning how to live with my husband. God is good, indeed!

Jake and I have been trying to find some ways to keep one another accountable with exercising, reading our Bibles, and taking our vitamins. We decided to put up a little calendar in the kitchen, and then designated three different coloured pens to do the trick: Green=growth, so this represents our Bible reading; Orange=the same colour as our vitamin bottle; Red=represents heat, and that's how you feel after exercising. For each day that we complete these things, we will simply mark down our first initial in each colour to keep track of how we're doing. I think this will help us out a lot!

Right now I'm working on making some turkey soup. It might be a bit bland, since I don't have all the necessary spices. However, I am eager to see how it turns out :)

May God grant us all another blessed year!

Love,

Ashleigh

Christmas Memories in the Making...

After a broken car, some tears, and a $79 God-send of a flight, Jake and I made it to Quebec City where we spent five days with the whole clan (my side of the family).

Pack 28 people into a massive chalet, and enough mini-stick tournaments to make your head spin, and you've got a fun family Christmas. We had a great time, and aside from wishing I'd saved enough money to ski the slopes of Mont-Saint-Anne, I was so happy that Jake could get to know everyone better. He is now familiar with the names of my aunts and uncles, and had some fun trying to walk around with little cousins attached to his legs. Both Jake and Nathanael (my sister's husband) quickly learned that beards and being married to the coolest sisters this side of the St. Lawrence makes one a popular commodity.

Needless to say, I gained 7 pounds. The food was delicious, and constantly abounding. I couldn't escape it if I tried, so I gave in. And delighted myself in star-shaped chocolate cookies topped with peppermint, and pumpkin cheese-cake, and warm, savoury apple crisp. Yes, this is what I lived for. Not to mention the endless amounts of chocolate covered almonds and gingerbread cookies.

It's safe to say that Ashleigh will be implementing a strict diet of... well, you know how I feel about diets.

*sigh*

It's time to go for a walk...

I am so grateful to the aunts and uncles who made it possible for Jake and I to go (chipping in a little bit to make the unexpected expenses a bit more bearable). I am also grateful that God is always teaching me things, not to mention that he provides in ways we never expect. Oma lent us her car until Saturday, which is such a blessing.

Today was kind of stressful, as we, once again, had to think about what to do about a car. We decided that fixing it up was the best route to go, instead of getting a new one. Please pray as we continue to look for God for strength in such a crazy time!

Love,

Ashleigh

Book Readings...

Since May, I decided I wanted to read more books. I have been out of the fiction scene for a while, but in highschool, my sister (who is still an avid reader) and I would consume Christian fiction books. We would raid the church library, eating them up as if they were wonderful morsels filling our starved minds. I was amazed at her propensity to read, and watched as book after book was written on her tracking sheet; I'm sure she still does it, but she used to rate the books to remind herself if she would ever read it again. I was just as enthralled by books; I remember one time in particular, I was supposed to be studying for my Grade 9 exams, but was instead caught up in a whirling Roman times Christian romance trilogy, each book consisting of easily 500 pages. The captivating words of Francine Rivers in the Mark of the Lion series enlightened me to the world of fiction, and I would be forever enchanted by the way she encorporated the love of our Saviour into her works of writ.

Since May, I have read 19 books. Among those are some non-fiction titles, although my appetite for fiction has grown steadily as I have become more accustomed to reading once again. It truly is an art, and only over time can one get used to sitting for long periods, staring at letters on a page.

I started and finished a book today, and let me tell you, it didn't take much for the author to rivet me with his words. The book is called "Immanuel's Veins", by Ted Dekker. I enjoy this author immensely, as his suspense and mystery is quite thrilling. This book in particular was different than any other I have read, and his allegory for Christ's love and ultimate sacrifice for us was written in a most unusual manner. It is not for everyone, but I encourage you, if you would like to experience a thrilling and captivating story about one man's journey in pursuit of saving his one and only love from the grips of evil, you must read this book.

Once again, I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday. I am leaving for Quebec tomorrow, and most likely won't be online until a week from now. Be blessed by the hope of our loving Saviour!

Love,

Ashleigh

Hope...and what Christmas really means...

This Christmas is a little bit different for me.

#1 I'm married. Naturally, my first Christmas as a married woman will look just a tad different than the last.

#2 I'm not celebrating Christmas in Ontario. For the first time ever. This year, the Winder clan (including said husband and my new brother in law) will be spending five days in Quebec from Dec. 23-27, celebrating this wonderful season in a massive chalet with 9 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms, etc (you get the picture). Since it was my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary this year, they decided we should celebrate in style, and have a smashing time chilling with the fam. I'm looking forward to it :)

#3 Jake and I had our own little celebration on Saturday. We decided to do it up family style and had Christmas morning this past Saturday by opening our gifts, reading Luke 2, and making some fantastic cinnamon buns; then we roasted our first turkey that evening, after watching The Dawn Treader at the movies. It was so nice, and we're happy we could celebrate this holiday, just the two of us, before joining the rest of the fam later on this week.

Here are some pics of the past week-end:

Jake and I were also talking about what we want to focus on at Christmas. There are so many cliche phrases one could use, "Jesus is the reason for the season", "He sees you when you're sleeping", (that last one was a joke)....

seriously now...

How does one recognize Jesus' birth as the catalyst for the salvation of the world? That He was born human yet divine? He was not conceived a human way; as was told to his mother, Mary, who had very legitimate doubts as to her pregnancy without "knowing" a man: "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God."

The Son of God. Who came to save the earth. Doesn't this fill you with hope? In a few short months we will be mourning his death, yet remembering it was that death which saved us... then rejoicing at His resurrection, reminded again of the new life we will one day receive in Christ.

No matter what happens this Christmas, let's continue to remember this hope...the hope of salvation for a dying world, and the hope of the new life in Christ.

Pass on the Good News to everyone you meet!

Merry Christmas!

Love,

Ash