Dini and I were part of a crew of four women cleaning up a few things in Georgina’s apartment. Once in a while Georgina needs a few women to help her get her place in order. The person who arranged our clean-up duty, conveniently happened to be somewhere else.
“You know, I won’t be there,” she sheepishly admitted when she recruited us.
Next time, I'll be the recruiter.
We were ruthlessly going through Georgina’s second bedroom, tossing some things in the garbage, sending some things to the laundry and putting other things in donation bags. I volunteered to bring the garbage to the garbage room. Carelessly I swept up Dini’s $90 coat (all the more valuable because she only paid $10 for it) and included it with the garbage pile.
As we were leaving, Dini asked, “Marian have you seen my blue coat? It has a hood.”
I knew immediately where to look.
I’m glad Dini is good-natured, but I’m still blushing.
Yes, next time I'll be the recruiter.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
A Robin With Big Plans
...a robin with its own building plans. The robin hijacked the string used to line up the deck's foundation. Is this the beginning of an elaborate nest? 
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
13 Fruits of Blooming
1) An acquaintance from Owen Sound emailed to say, “I just finished reading your book-- BLOOMING--and thoroughly enjoyed it. It made me laugh and it made me cry and it has also challenged me to be more open about my faith. I admire your honesty and openness. Your willingness to share some very personal stories is commendable.
2) A relative told me reading my book makes her want to pray.
3) Blooming was product of the week at Virtual Christianity.ca last week.
4) John Arnott invited me to be his guest at the I Need More Conference at Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship. For me this turned out to be one of the most fantastic conferences ever—healings, impartations and just plain drunkenness.
5) Several people told me they are reading Blooming for the third time.
6) A writer friend phones regularly to share her writing and we pray for each other.
7) My mother-in-law bought a copy of Blooming to put in her church library.
8) Blooming is part of Word Alive’s Great Canadian Authors promotion in over 60 bookstores across the country.
9) My daughters and daughter-in-law all enjoyed reading the book.
10) I’ve joined The Word Guild and am making new friends.
11) I’ve joined Facebook and reconnected with lots of friends and acquaintances.
12) Phyllis was healed after reading Blooming and deciding that if God could do it for me, He could do it for her.
13) My Grade 4 teacher reintroduced herself to me and bought a signed copy of Blooming.
2) A relative told me reading my book makes her want to pray.
3) Blooming was product of the week at Virtual Christianity.ca last week.
4) John Arnott invited me to be his guest at the I Need More Conference at Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship. For me this turned out to be one of the most fantastic conferences ever—healings, impartations and just plain drunkenness.
5) Several people told me they are reading Blooming for the third time.
6) A writer friend phones regularly to share her writing and we pray for each other.
7) My mother-in-law bought a copy of Blooming to put in her church library.
8) Blooming is part of Word Alive’s Great Canadian Authors promotion in over 60 bookstores across the country.
9) My daughters and daughter-in-law all enjoyed reading the book.
10) I’ve joined The Word Guild and am making new friends.
11) I’ve joined Facebook and reconnected with lots of friends and acquaintances.
12) Phyllis was healed after reading Blooming and deciding that if God could do it for me, He could do it for her.
13) My Grade 4 teacher reintroduced herself to me and bought a signed copy of Blooming.
Do You Want to Read a Thought-provoking, Disconcerting and Well-written Story?
She walked with a slight shuffle, her long pleated dress swishing against the backs of her round calves. Her curly hair was black but had a purplish tinge when it caught the light a certain way, betraying t... (continue at Boerishbwoy)
Monday, May 25, 2009
How to Buy That Perfect Dress
This story is dedicated to my friend Ellie
who likes shopping as much as I do.
Shortly after Amanda was born, Marty looked at the unbecoming bulge still camouflaging my waist and announced, “You deserve a new dress. Go out and get one...when your weight goes down.”
Now I like a new dress as much as the next woman, but when my weight went down I didn't rush out to buy one. The truth is I dislike shopping: I hate looking for things on racks; I can never remember my size; I don't know prices; and I don't like trying on clothes in those little cubicles they call dressing rooms.
The only way to make shopping bearable is to invite along a helpful friend. Most of my friends love shopping so it's not difficult to get someone to come along. Even so, I was quite content without the new dress; thus after several months the shopping trip was still only a vague notion.
But then on my birthday I got a card from Marty, who really likes to see me in a new dress. It said “You are hereby entitled to buy one (1) new dress.”
I gently reminded him that I was already entitled to one new dress for losing the weight. Now I would have to go out and buy two new dresses.
I figured I better get this bit of shopping over with or I might get a new dress for Mother's Day, our wedding anniversary and Christmas. On paper, Marty could go on giving me new dresses; and as long as he kept giving me new dresses which never quite materialized, he probably wouldn't be giving me anything else–-like a microwave or a dishwasher.
I immediately got on the phone to my trusty friend, Marnie. She understood my dilemma and took me to the mall.
In the first store the dresses were too old womanish. The second store was aimed at young girls. I would have walked right by the third store for everything I could see from the entrance was either bright red, black or white: colours too bold for my complexion, but Marnie pulled me into the back of the place to the softer spring colours.
We had come to the right establishment. The saleswomen informed us of the store's super buy-one-get-one-free sale.
Marnie took control. “What size are you?”
“Fourteen,” I guessed.
We proceeded to pick a pile of mix and match items in size 14.
The saleswomen noting the half dozen articles I wanted to try on, quickly waived the rule about only allowing three items in a dressing room at one time. She must have seen that we were honest and serious buyers.
To my delight, everything we picked was one or two sizes too big. It's much nicer to go into a dressing room with clothes that are too big than to begin with a size too small. I suppose this works on the same principle as Jesus's teaching about not picking the most honoured position at the banquet.
There was no mirror in the dressing room: it was out in the store. This must be so the sales staff can help you buy things. As I twirled in front of the mirror everyone nodded approval. Marnie was saying, “You wouldn't know she has five kids.” My ego soared.
The saleswoman waited several seconds to say, “You have the skirt on backwards.” My ego landed with a plop.
I tried on various combinations. We agreed I should buy a skirt, matching top, jacket and walking shorts. (Don't ask me how the shorts got involved.) That's when I began seriously looking at prices.
The prices seemed high, but then again at this kind of a sale in which you buy one item and get one free, the higher the price, the better you feel about the free part. I mean a free $10 pair of shorts doesn't feel nearly as wonderful as a free $60 pair of shorts.
The bill came to $200.
Marnie gasped.
The saleswoman explained, “It's the tax.”
Then as she carefully pushed the articles into a bag, she quietly mentioned, “These are non-returnable.”
I bought them anyway. I liked the things and figured one good outfit was the same as two dresses. Besides I had done enough shopping.
I modelled the clothes for Marty that evening and thanked him for the presents. He thought I looked stunning.
The next night we happened to be going out to a play. I proudly put on the new outfit. There was a certain distinction about the clothes that spoke of me as a women of means.
Before we could get out the door, Baby Amanda spit up on the jacket. There are plenty of ways to keep a person humble.
Next pruned story
who likes shopping as much as I do.
Shortly after Amanda was born, Marty looked at the unbecoming bulge still camouflaging my waist and announced, “You deserve a new dress. Go out and get one...when your weight goes down.”
Now I like a new dress as much as the next woman, but when my weight went down I didn't rush out to buy one. The truth is I dislike shopping: I hate looking for things on racks; I can never remember my size; I don't know prices; and I don't like trying on clothes in those little cubicles they call dressing rooms.
The only way to make shopping bearable is to invite along a helpful friend. Most of my friends love shopping so it's not difficult to get someone to come along. Even so, I was quite content without the new dress; thus after several months the shopping trip was still only a vague notion.
But then on my birthday I got a card from Marty, who really likes to see me in a new dress. It said “You are hereby entitled to buy one (1) new dress.”
I gently reminded him that I was already entitled to one new dress for losing the weight. Now I would have to go out and buy two new dresses.
I figured I better get this bit of shopping over with or I might get a new dress for Mother's Day, our wedding anniversary and Christmas. On paper, Marty could go on giving me new dresses; and as long as he kept giving me new dresses which never quite materialized, he probably wouldn't be giving me anything else–-like a microwave or a dishwasher.
I immediately got on the phone to my trusty friend, Marnie. She understood my dilemma and took me to the mall.
In the first store the dresses were too old womanish. The second store was aimed at young girls. I would have walked right by the third store for everything I could see from the entrance was either bright red, black or white: colours too bold for my complexion, but Marnie pulled me into the back of the place to the softer spring colours.
We had come to the right establishment. The saleswomen informed us of the store's super buy-one-get-one-free sale.
Marnie took control. “What size are you?”
“Fourteen,” I guessed.
We proceeded to pick a pile of mix and match items in size 14.
The saleswomen noting the half dozen articles I wanted to try on, quickly waived the rule about only allowing three items in a dressing room at one time. She must have seen that we were honest and serious buyers.
To my delight, everything we picked was one or two sizes too big. It's much nicer to go into a dressing room with clothes that are too big than to begin with a size too small. I suppose this works on the same principle as Jesus's teaching about not picking the most honoured position at the banquet.
There was no mirror in the dressing room: it was out in the store. This must be so the sales staff can help you buy things. As I twirled in front of the mirror everyone nodded approval. Marnie was saying, “You wouldn't know she has five kids.” My ego soared.
The saleswoman waited several seconds to say, “You have the skirt on backwards.” My ego landed with a plop.
I tried on various combinations. We agreed I should buy a skirt, matching top, jacket and walking shorts. (Don't ask me how the shorts got involved.) That's when I began seriously looking at prices.
The prices seemed high, but then again at this kind of a sale in which you buy one item and get one free, the higher the price, the better you feel about the free part. I mean a free $10 pair of shorts doesn't feel nearly as wonderful as a free $60 pair of shorts.
The bill came to $200.
Marnie gasped.
The saleswoman explained, “It's the tax.”
Then as she carefully pushed the articles into a bag, she quietly mentioned, “These are non-returnable.”
I bought them anyway. I liked the things and figured one good outfit was the same as two dresses. Besides I had done enough shopping.
I modelled the clothes for Marty that evening and thanked him for the presents. He thought I looked stunning.
The next night we happened to be going out to a play. I proudly put on the new outfit. There was a certain distinction about the clothes that spoke of me as a women of means.
Before we could get out the door, Baby Amanda spit up on the jacket. There are plenty of ways to keep a person humble.
Next pruned story
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Striking the Ground
"Then he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, Strike on the ground. And he struck three times and stopped. And the man of God was angry with him and said, You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Syria until you had destroyed it. But now you shall strike Syria down only three times. II Kings 13:18,19 Amplified
Until very recently, when I read these verses, I suspected this to be a royal set-up. I thought Elisha (on behalf of God) was asking the king to do something totally asinine: hit the floor repeatedly with a quiver of arrows. How stupid is that? The king didn't want to damage his arrows. Arrows aren't made for that kind of abuse.
Thanks to the book Manifestations & Prophetic Symbolism by John Arnott, I now realize when the instruction is taken in context with previous verses, Elisha (on behalf of God) is asking the king to strike the ground with the arrows by shooting them from his bow through the open east window. Totally obvious, Duhh.
How often do we misinterpret the Bible?
Until very recently, when I read these verses, I suspected this to be a royal set-up. I thought Elisha (on behalf of God) was asking the king to do something totally asinine: hit the floor repeatedly with a quiver of arrows. How stupid is that? The king didn't want to damage his arrows. Arrows aren't made for that kind of abuse.
Thanks to the book Manifestations & Prophetic Symbolism by John Arnott, I now realize when the instruction is taken in context with previous verses, Elisha (on behalf of God) is asking the king to strike the ground with the arrows by shooting them from his bow through the open east window. Totally obvious, Duhh.
How often do we misinterpret the Bible?
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
10 Things Steeltown Toastmasters has Done for Me
Now that our season is winding down, it's time to review what Toastmasters International and specifically The Steeltown Club has done for me this first year as a member. Thanks to Toastmasters:
1) I've made new friends whose company I thoroughly enjoy.
2) I've gained confidence speaking to an audience.
3) I've acquired skill at impromptu speeches.
4) I've learned how to evaluate others' speeches.
5) I've become a better listener.
6) I've learned how to best organize a speech.
7) I've learned how to use gestures, facial expression, and eye contact.
8) I've experimented with vocal variety.
9) I'm becoming comfortable with visual aids.
10) I've practised using speeches to inspire and to persuade.
I am definitely signing up for a second year.
1) I've made new friends whose company I thoroughly enjoy.
2) I've gained confidence speaking to an audience.
3) I've acquired skill at impromptu speeches.
4) I've learned how to evaluate others' speeches.
5) I've become a better listener.
6) I've learned how to best organize a speech.
7) I've learned how to use gestures, facial expression, and eye contact.
8) I've experimented with vocal variety.
9) I'm becoming comfortable with visual aids.
10) I've practised using speeches to inspire and to persuade.
I am definitely signing up for a second year.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Would YOU Buy a Book By This Woman?
According to those who know, a writer must be able to promote her own book. Nobody has time to read even 1/10,000th of the books available. Bookstores don't have room to present all the published works. Thus potential readers will need help discovering my book.
I must present my work and myself. A good impression is what I'm after. That is why I tried to sign up for an image consultation at The Word Guild's upcoming Writer's Conference. I say 'tried' because there was only room for six consultations and I was the seventh in line.
So, I am going with an alternative. I am posting my picture here and soliciting your honest opinions. Would you buy a book by this woman? At her age? Married to that man?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)