about me

Thank you for visiting, friends! I’m so glad you've come across this little virtual space of mine. I started blogging in July 2007 when mom-blogging was all the hype. I've written on here about my faith, my family and my favourite things! You can also find me on Twitter and Instagram.

These days, I'm not actively blogging on here anymore. Instead, I am writing shorter thoughts and reflections over on Instagram. I hope to see you over there!

I am a daughter of the King and I love Jesus. I am on a hunt for grace-gifts in my every-days… counting my many blessings, naming them one by one!

I am married to Floyd, my best friend, the man my soul loves. He is the better half, the wind beneath my wings, the grace of my life… a man who “fears the Lord, who greatly delights in His commandments.” ~ from Psalm 112:1 NASB.

I am mama to two amazing young adults, the #twogreatsibs — Alyssa and Jon.

May 1991: When we started dating.

Summer 2017

Summer 2017

Alyssa found her calling as a Communicator when she hosted True Story: What God wants us to do about poverty, Compassion Canada's youth curriculum designed to help teens discover their role in God’s story of restoring the world. She is a graduate of the International Development Studies (Co-op) Program at the University of Toronto's Centre for Critical Development Studies. She now serves as Compassion Canada's Manager of Content and Public Relations.

Jon is the genius of the family. He has held the North American Record for the one-handed solve of the 3x3 cube at 7.57 seconds (2nd best time in the world at that time). He is currently working towards becoming a Software Engineer via his Engineering Science undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto, majoring in Machine Intelligence.

We are a family that seek to live out Micah 6:8 each day… believing that compassion is a command, an act of worship... our song of thanks to our Heavenly Father!

We have been Volunteers/Advocates for Compassion International for many years and we absolutely love this ministry. One of our favourite family activities is representing Compassion at events in and around our city!

Our family so love and believe in Compassion's ministry that, in January 2016, after much prayer, contemplation and soul-searching, I accepted a position with Compassion as Regional Relationship Manager for the Greater Toronto Area. It is a huge gift to be able to work for an organization where every.single.day I get to live out Micah 6:8 in the most tangible and realest way. Today, I serve as Compassion's Regional Team Manager for the Ontario South region, overseeing a team of passionate Regional Relationship Managers!

In my spare time, I love to read and I love to garden!

Christmas 2017

Archives of our family's annual year-end newsletters:
2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015
2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020

Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with God.
~ Micah 6:8
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Eucharisteo means "to give thanks," and give is a verb, something that we do. God calls me to do thanks. To give the thanks away. That thanks-giving might literally become thanks-living. That our lives become the very blessings we have received.
I am blessed. I can bless. Imagine! I could let Him make me the gift!
I could be the joy!
In an endless cycle of grace, He gives us gifts to serve the world. This is how to make a life great and eucharisteo embarks us on the path: "Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave" (Matthew 20:26-27).
It's the fundamental, lavish, radical nature of the upside-down economy of God.
Empty to fill.
Here I can become the blessing, a little life that multiplies joy, making the larger world a better place.
God can enter into me, even me, and use these hands, these feet, to be His love, a love that goes on and on and on forever, endless cycle of grace.
~ Excerpts from Chapter 10, One Thousand Gifts, Ann Voskamp.
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I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc, is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charitable expenditure excludes them.
~ C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity.

17 comments:

  1. Hi! I am also a mom but just for one :-) A friend of mine sent a link from your blog just last night. Love it!!! I am from the Philippines and it's funny how God links His people of the same passion. I am recetly being nudged by the Holy Spirit into the Compassion and Justice issues. And Micah 6:8 is my life verse. I am from the Philippines and thanks for giving your time to our people there. I will be following what's going on in your trip. God bless you and your family!

    Odette

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  2. It's nice to "meet" you, Odette! Yes, it is indeed awesome to see God at work in connecting His people everywhere, but especially here in cyberspace. Hope to see you around here so that we can be an encouragement to one another!

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  3. i clicked over from another blog where you commented about your daughter graduating from 8th grade. the music i heard was crista wells. i love her music and it was great to click over and hear that playing in the background. i enjoyed poking around a bit and plan to visit again soon.

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  4. Thanks for visiting, Sandi. I just recently discovered Christa Wells and loved her music instantly! Hope to *see* you around these parts again. :-)

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  5. Hi there,
    love your blog and all the beautiful acts of love you and your family do! Will add you to my bloglist and hope to visit you often! thanks encouraging the rest of us to to be a light and salt :)
    Sharon

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  6. What an inspiration you and your family are. I have added you to my blogroll and will be visiting often!

    Laura

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  7. I appreciate your heart (and have listed your blog on my newer blog). I praise GOd for the ministry of your kids and what your are sharing to others!

    Anna http://kidswithaglobalvision.wordpress.com/

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  8. Thanks for dropping by, Anna! It is nice to *meet* you. :-)

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  9. So nice to meet you! I found you through Anne. You have a lovely family! I love your thankfulness! God is so good!

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  10. Finding your blog today will be listed as one of my 1000 gifts :) I'll be back.

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    1. Thanks for dropping by today, Julie... and so honoured to be listed as one of your 1,000 gifts. Counting gifts is such a blessing, isn't it?

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  11. Let me first appreciate you for the great work you are doing with all the members of your family. Thank you so much and for sure i believe that as you are putting the great God as your number one every thing will be okay towards you. Let me first introduce to you my self so that you can understand me well. Am by names Nsubuga Godfrey living in Uganda Africa, am a pastor leading a church well known Divine Ministries and a director of the orphans charity by the names of The African Children's Orphanage Organization. And am doing a great work with other board members so, my request goes to you and your friends around the world to take a visit to orphan charity on www.tacool.org.ug and we will be happy to welcome you with joy and we will be happy to join us in doing this great work. Be blessed brother and sisters and hope to hear from you all via www.taccol.org.ug

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  12. Dear Mama:
    You have always been a great encouragement to this blogger. Recently a profile was done of the blog and its writer (see http://www.thegridto.com/city/people/deacon-of-hope/) which probably would have never happened had it not been for your encouragement.
    Having spent the last 20 minutes going through some of your posts, I say 'keep it up!' All the best to you and your dear family.

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    1. Just read the gridTO article... so awesome! Thanks for sharing the link, JD! You are an inspiration!!!

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  13. Hi! Just got done reading up on your blog and had a quick question. I was hoping that you could email me back when you get the chance. Thanks!

    Emily : )

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    1. Hi Emily. Thanks for visiting & thanks for your comment.
      You can reach me at this email: compassion at mamaof2greatkids dot ca

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  14. Just come across your blog while looking into sponsoring children. Wonderful. Praise God! Love from England xx

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