Care

Praise God! In the grass around my cottage are little, wild purple violets. They make me smile. I know He put them there. 

<He gives showers of rain to men, and plants of the field to everyone.>  Zechariah 10:1

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Still creating

When I see the color of a sunrise or a sunset I am reminded He is STILL creating. Creation didn't end in Genesis 1. Despite all the ugliness in our world God is still at work creating beauty.  There is a balsam popular tree in my yard - this type of tree never grew on the island I came from on the west coast. When I gaze at this tree and watch the wind blowing the white, shimmering catkins backlit in sunlight I am deeply moved.  He cares enough to continue to create. Praise God! « All Your works shall praise You, O Lord. » Psalm 145:10

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God as Mother

No more cooking in the barn. I have a thankful heart. I have a new Premier propane gas range in my kitchen and I am using it. This is the 20inch model and it has battery ignition-I use rechargeable batteries. I had a difficult time and it took awhile for me to hook it up but throughout the process I felt again the caring, nurturing, mothering qualities of our God. In scripture Jesus say's, «I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gather's her chicks under her wings. » Luke 13:34. Is God like a mother? As a mother alone with a young child I see the pure form of His nurturing love. He has the qualities of a mother that I aspire to be.
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Tuesday

When I arrived at the cottage I bought unseen on Prince Edward Island I was afraid of getting the U-Haul truck stuck in the pretty red muddy driveway so I backed it off the road and thankfully it was dry there.  Than, I began to pack everything up the driveway into the cottage. I had brought my wheelbarrow with me and as soon as I unpacked it I used it. The next day I was blessed with sufficient strength to pack both the treadle sewing machine that is in a cabinet and a china cabinet that is taller than myself up the driveway and up several stairs before entering the cottage. After two days of unpacking I had unloaded everything except my 500 pound, six foot long floor loom. Five men loaded the loom for me. I'm just a middle aged woman so what was I going to do? I prayed trusting when the time came God would show me how.  The night before I needed to unload it I saw what to do. A north west wind was blowing hard and in the morning the soft ground would be frozen. It was minus four at daybreak. I backed up the truck and extended the ramp onto the deck. Using cardboard and some small appliance rollers I pushed and slid the loom. From the ramp onto the deck and up into the house I lifted one end of the loom and I was given sufficient  strength to lift it high enough so I could continue to slide it. "I will strengthen you and help you." Isaiah 41: 10. On this same day I needed to return the U-Haul and purchase a vehicle as there is no taxi or bus service where I live. I had been watching kijiji for weeks and I had been in contact with the local vehicle insurance company. Within an hour I made the prayerful decision to purchase a used truck. It was well past suppertime when we got back home. The next morning we experienced our first atlantic spring snow storm. It was snowing and there were high winds. I was so thankful to be home and not on the roads.  I will remember this move forever and I hope my daughter does to. The love of God towards me shows me what He wants me to be.

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The drive

I'm almost there. I am in Salisbury, NB. It's only a 3 or 4 hour drive and I will be home- if I don't get lost again. The drive across Canada from coast to coast will have taken me 10 days in this 15' U-Haul truck. The most amusing and irritating thing that has happened is that my daughter and I have been constantly covered in dog hair. The lint brush is somewhere in the back of the truck. There were numerous intense moments. My daughter who was wearing her seatbelt opened the locked truck door (yes- the door's open from the inside when locked) while I was driving in traffic entering the city of Regina, Saskatchewan. Did the wind blow it shut or was it an angel's hand? Other day's there were terrific wind gusts that threatened to pull us off the road. Another  intense moment was when a ferry worker on the horseshoe ferry directed my lane off the boat. Suddenly I realized that if I didn't stop NOW my mirror was going to scrape the car next to me. I got lost in Petersburg, Ontario and Montreal, Quebec. Both times I immediately began praying. I was driving randomly, turning, uncertain where to go. My prayers were answered when I saw signs directing me to the highway/freeway I needed just as I was beginning to feel claustrophobic- which meant it was quick. There was mental fatigue and times I wanted to fall asleep at the wheel. I also discovered I needed a stronger prescription in my glasses. I limited my night driving as much as possible and every night I was directed to a safe harbour. I have never driven a truck like this before, never drove so much before and I was doing something beyond my own comfort and capabilities and the Lord provided every single time. Every prayer was answered. In my time of need He was there. I have a thankful heart. "For He will deliver him who has no helper." Psalm 72:12 Yes- I have left my cabin behind but I know God is here on the east coast with me because of all the answered prayers. I do not understand His love, His care and why I matter to Him. How can God love me because of my flaws when my partner cannot? I will leave you with a picture of the truck parked outside of my gate the morning we left the cabin and the island we called home on the west coast to begin this fantastic journey to the east coast. A special thank you to each person for every single prayer.

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Trust

The moment arrived. It was time to go and get the 15' U-Haul truck I was going to drive across Canada. The actual length of the truck is 25' feet. It was also the smallest truck available. We took a taxi into town. The man at the rental shop patiently explained to me things like how to pull the ramp out of the back of the truck. I jotted down a few notes on my phone like how much air should be in the tires. I payed the bill and he handed me the keys. I buckled my daughter and myself in and we prayed. I needed those prayers as badly as I needed air to breathe. I have never driven a truck like this before. I wonder how I will get this truck on the barge and up the sandy back lane to my cabin and how am I going to drive over 6 thousand kms? That's when I remember I have help from above. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13. It's NOT about me. It's about God and HIS strength. The way forward is to trust and drive the truck. One km at a time.

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Always Indigo

Does indigo remind me of the ocean surrounding this island where I have chosen to live for most of 20 years or is it the mountains and sky? In ten days I sold my cabin. It took three years for an island realtor to sell a similar property. I knew God wanted me somewhere else. Now I am moving to an island across Canada on the east coast. Prince Edward Island will be our new home. As I reflect on the last seven years spent raising my precious daughter on this beautiful island I am thankful to God for his constant care. He has never let me down. While waiting for the lawyer's to do the paperwork on my cabin I made a much needed trip to town. After finishing errands while climbing up the steep hill out of town I noticed I was redlining the truck but there was nowhere to pull over. Soon steam was coming out from under the hood. At the gas station at the top of the hill I pulled over. I soon realized I had blown or cracked the head gasket. I didn't know what to do neither did I have much time. We needed to catch the last water taxi home so I prayed. I have learned it is the best option. I remembered God's faithfulness in all the problems since my partner left me pregnant and alone and I got back into the steaming truck and drove it all the way back - a 40 minute drive and we caught the last water taxi home. I told the mechanic who bought my broken truck the story and he was surprised the vehicle had made it so far.  God's power is beyond our finite minds. Scripture says, "The Lord....sustains the fatherless." Psalm 146:9 and that has been my experience. God does exist and He does care and he is more selfless than myself or anybody I have ever known.  I've given this second, handwoven indigo blanket - which measures 52" wide by 6'5" long to my daughter and she loves it. There is a satisfaction in working with my hands and creating useful things that are made to last. I know I am insignificant in the universe and I am awed the Creator pays attention to me. I long to know this God more. 
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