Tuesday Tunes: Merry Christmas! :)

Merry Christmas Everyone!!

 

 

 

 

I would just like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!!

 

I hope you're having a wonderful day celebrating Christ's birth with family and friends.

 

 

I just wanted to share with you one of my favourite Christmas songs.

 

 

 

 

 

What I love about it is how powerful the lyrics are:

 

"How many kings stepped down from their thrones?

How many lords have abandoned their homes?

How many greats have become the least for me?

How many gods have poured out their hearts, to romance a world that has torn all apart?

How many fathers gave up their sons for me?

 

Only ONE did that for me."

 

God Almighty, who spoke and the world was made, sent His one and only Son, Jesus, to come to this world in the humblest of ways...and He did that so He could die for our sins so that He could have a relationship with you and with me. He did all that because He loves you SO incredibley much.

What I like about this song is that it really puts into perspective the great sacrifice God did. He gave up His Son. Jesus left the throne of Heaven and came to this earth as a little helpless baby.

 

I challenge you this Christmas to just think about these lyrics and think about how amazing and great God is.

 

To think that the God of the universe could love someone like me that much, is unfathomable! But He does! And He loves you too! :)

 

Have a blessed day!

 

-Anna

 

 

 

 

 



Scripture Snack: Living Out Your Faith, Part 2

In Isaiah  58, people were complaining to God, saying that they're  praying and fasting, but He's not answering their prayers. This is God's response:


"For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them.
'Why have we fasted,' they say, 'and You have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?'

Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers.
Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists.

You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high.

Is this the kind of fasting I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself?
Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD?

Is this not the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter--
when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and He will say: Here I am.

If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and the malicious talk,
and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.

The LORD will guide you always;
He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

 (Isaiah 58: 2-11)



WOW!

What a response, eh? God calls them out.  The people in Isaiah were complaining to God, saying that they're doing this and that, but God's not answering them and doing what they want Him to do. They ask Him what's the point.
God's response to them never ceases to amaze me and convict me.
God tells them that they're just going through the motions of their faith (ex.: fasting), rather than really living it out. God tells them, that on the very day they are fasting, they're exploiting their workers and fighting with one another.
In this passage, God says that these people say they want to please God, and yet, they're not really following in His ways. They fast because they want God's help- they want Him to direct them and lead them. And yet, they do not follow what He says. They do not live out their faith.

In this passage, it is clear that God cares about the oppressed and the disadvantaged. He cares about those going through a hard time. He also cares about what we are doing: are we just going through the motions of faith (such as going to church, singing songs, etc), rather than living out our faith?

Notice, that there is a pattern of "if"s and "then"s in this passage. God says that if we help the helpless, then we will be a light in this world.

This Christmas season and in the coming new year, please remember that we are called to live out our faith. Rather than just say we love God, we must show it. Our hearts must break for what God's heart breaks for. We must do what He says. We must be good, merciful, strive for justice, live a life of integrity, and help the helpless.

It is when we live out our faith, that we will be a light in the darkness. 

Scripture Snack: Living Out Your Faith, Part 1

Luke 3:8-18

"Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 

'What should we do then?' the crowd asked. John answered, 'The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.'

Tax collectors also came to be baptized. 'Teacher,' they asked, 'what should we do?' 
'Don't collect any more than you are required to,' he told them. Then some soldiers asked him, 'And what should we do?' He replied, ' Don't extort money and don't accuse falsely--be content with your pay.'

The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Christ. John answered them all, 'I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am unworthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather wheat into his barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.' " 

There is so much to learn from these verses!


In this passage, John the Baptist is speaking to the crowds, telling them to live out their faith. He tells them to produce fruit that reflects their repentance. 

Essentially, in this passage, John warns the crowds that Jesus is coming, and He will gather up His believers in heaven (to gather wheat in His barn), but He will also punish those who refuse Him (burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire). The crowd, not wanting this, asks John what they can do to escape this. He answers them by telling them to live out their faith. 

He tells them to help those in need (the poor, the hungry), he tells them to be fair, truthful, and content. 

 Rather than just say we believe, we need to live it out. Are we helping the least of these? Do we lend a helping hand to someone in trouble? Are we fair and honest in our workplace? 



In this passage, it is so clear what God's heart breaks for, and ours should break for the same things. We need to start living out our faith.

It is so important to ask yourself, are you living out your faith, like God's calling you to? 

If you are, great!! Keep going! :) 
If you're not, then now's the perfect time to start! :)

God bless you!

-Anna

Scrpiture Snack: Give Me Eyes So I Can See

[This passage has had a major impact on my life! Be blessed!]

2 Kings 6: 8-23

The King of Aram was at war with Israel  but he wasn`t making much progress because Elisha heard his plans (because God allowed him to hear), and he would warn the King of Israel. 

When the King of Aram heard this, he was very angry and found out where Elisha was, in hopes of surrounding him and capturing him. What the King of Aram didn`t realize, is that Elisha was a man of God.

When Elisha got up in the morning, his servant told him about the horses and chariots that surrounded the city. His servant was clueless as to what to do. Elisha prayed to God that He open his servant`s eyes so that he might see.

God answered his prayer and revealed how all the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire. It is so incredible that the servant got to see how God was working in his life and was on his side, fighting for him.

Also, God, through Elisha, made the soldiers blind. The King of Israel inquired of Elisha, asking him whether he should kill those men or  not. You know what Elisha said? To throw them a banquet!  
He had the opportunity to have these men killed, the very men who came to capture him, and instead, he shows compassion and hospitality! He orders them a big feast. He also prayed to God to open their eyes (so they wouldn`t be blind any longer) and again, God answered his prayer. 
This shows how we should love our enemies and be compassionate.

Things to Remember:

• God answers prayer (but not always in the way you expect..but remember, He always works for our good)
• Nothing is impossible for God
• Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding
• Love your enemies
• Be compassionate
• Do not seek revenge
• Fully rely on God
• There is a spiritual realm that our earthly eyes cannot see. (In the Bible passage, the angels were there, even though Elisha's servant couldn't see them at first). 

Have a great day! :) God bless!

-Anna

Scripture Snack: One True God

1 Samuel 5: 1-5

The Ark of God was captured by the Philistines, and sent to Ashdod. The Philistines defeated Israel in a battle and captured their Ark.  
They placed the Ark into Dagon`s temple (Dagon was their god). When the people of Ashdod woke up early the next morning, they saw Dagon on the floor, with his face on the ground, before the Ark of the LORD. The people took him and put him back in his place. 
The next morning, Dagon was face-down on the floor again, but with his hand and head broken off. 

I really love this passage. It was just amazing to me how God didn`t slink back like a coward. Instead, He proved He is the ONE TRUE GOD. He proved He is LORD of all. There is none like Him. No one even comes close. An impostor  Dagon, can not stand up to a God like my God. He is the one true God.
This passage really reiterated how every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is LORD.

Things to Remember:

• God is the one true God
• There is none like Him
• God is mighty and powerful
• Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is LORD

We serve the one true God- and He is mighty, powerful, and greatly to be praised! 

Have a blessed day! :)

-Anna

Scripture Snack: Job 1:20-22

Job 1:20-22- ``At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: `Naked I came from my mother`s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.` In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.``

It is absolutely incredible! Job has his animals stolen (how he makes his $), his servants murdered, and his kids all die. He is very sad. In fact, he grieves. What is so incredible, is that He still worshiped and praised God! He didn`t blame God for all the bad things happening. Rather, he praised God! 
Job realized that everything he had and owned was really God`s and a blessing from Him.

• Remember to praise God in every circumstance and situation - even the hard ones!
• Everything we have is actually God`s and a blessing from Him
• God is the Giver of Life and it`s His to take away
• God is always in control

DIY: How to Make a Home-Made Autumn Wreath

This wreath literally took 5 minutes to make! It was so easy and so simple, and I think it looks really great! :)

Supplies:

You'll need to make a run to your local craft store, and pick up:

•  a basic wreath (this one is with branches..makes it ideal to customize and add whatever you want to it)
• decorations (I chose white and yellow twigs/wheat)
• either hot glue gun or string to tie everything to the wreath (I chose to use brown Raffia string. It blended in with the wreath)

Directions:

1. Take the wreath and place it on your table
2. Arrange the decorations on top (before you hot glue or tie anything down)
3. Use a hot glue gun to glue down decorations. Or,
4. Simply use the string and tie down the decorations.
5. Hang it up!

It is seriously that easy and simple! And look at how beautiful it looks! :)

This is great because you can make so many different variations, according to which season it is! 

Baby Shower Ideas: for a Baby Girl

Back in the summer, my oldest sister and I organized my older sister's baby shower. We had a great time getting together and preparing for the big day! Hope you enjoy it! :)

We had the Baby Shower in our church's gym

Please let me know what you think! :)

Tuesday Tunes: Wake Up

Great song. 

Tuesday Tunes: Your Love Never Fails

 

 

 

 

 

It`s a fact of life: at one time or another, you`re going to hit a wall. You`re going to face something that seems more than  you can handle. You`re going to be disappointed and hurt...by a situation or by someone. There`s going to be a problem in your life that will weigh heavily on your shoulders.

     

We all go through seasons in our lives. At times, they are joyous, and at others, they`re filled with pain or heartache or sorrow.

     

I want you to know that no matter what you`re going through, God is with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. He loves you with an everlasting love.

 

It is so reassuring to know, that no matter the trial you are going through, you have someone who knows exactly what you`re going through. You have someone who is with you every step of the way. You have someone who you can lean on and rely on.

  

Many times, people may fail you and disappoint you. Someone will let you down. The neat thing is, God NEVER lets you down. You can stand on His word. He will never break His promises. You can find rest in Him. You can find comfort in Him.

 

Matthew 11:28-30 says: ``Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.``

 

Don`t let your burdens weigh you down. Stop carrying them all by yourself, and give them up to Jesus. Give your worries over to Him..and find rest in Him.

 

And find comfort in the fact that God loves you no matter what you`ve done or said. If you`re truly sorry and repent, He is faithful to forgive. HIS love never fails.



Wardrobe Wednesdays: Dressing for Fall

Fall is my most favourite time of the year!
With the chillier weather, comes super-cute outfits!

I absolutely adore this outfit! How amazing does this skirt look?! The deep maroon colour (gorgeous!) makes it very appropriate for fall. And I love the lace shirt underneath! Pair this outfit with a cute cardigan and belt it, and you're good to go for a care-free style that looks amazing!

TIP: If you're worried about being cold, switch the skirt for a pair of maroon-coloured pants!

In the fall, scarves, comfy sweaters, leggings, and boots are a must-have!! In this chilly weather, you want to be warm, comfortable, and look cute. This is a fail-proof outfit.

TIP: Make sure the sweater is long enough to cover your bottom when you're wearing leggings.

Scripture Snack: Finish What You Start

Have you ever started something,all excited and ready to give it your all....only to never finish?

This is a list of the things I`ve started and haven`t finished:
>I really wanted to learn how to knit. So I started working on a scarf...Turns out, I don`t know how to knit, no matter how hard I`ve tried...I keep coming back to that scarf every few years to see if I`ll magically be able to do it...Hasn`t worked yet! Let`s just say, this scarf wouldn`t cover a new born baby!
>P90X is an intense workout regime. It is supposed to last for 90 days or beyond. How long did I last? ONE day.

This is my list of things that I really want to have finished, but don`t..

Philippians 1: 4-6 says: ``In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.``

I am so thankful to God that, unlike me,  He finishes what He starts! I am so thankful that He doesn`t just leave me the way I am, but that He is working on me.. I pray that I am not the same as yesterday, as a week ago, as a few years ago. My desire is to grow, in understanding, in knowledge, in courage, in wisdom, in compassion, in kindness. 

What are some areas in your character or in your heart that could use some improvement? Think about. Pray about it. Be open to God and willing to have Him change you. Won`t be easy, but it`ll be worth it.
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Love, Love, Love, Love, Love

Our society is preoccupied with love. Hollywood movies and the songs on the radio all deal with love and show their version of it. We use the word "love" in our everyday language: "I love that shirt!" or "I love how your hair looks like that!" [I do this all the time!] We overuse this word, and oftentimes, it loses its value.A boyfriend will tell his girlfriend very early on that he loves her (and then they end up breaking up shortly after). A couple says their vows, and then get divorced a few years later because they "fell out of love". I think that there is a distortion and a cheapening of the meaning of true love.  I want to share with you about the truest love there is...

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A groom pursues his bride. He pursues her, showing her that she is the object of his affection, that he is intrigued by her, that he loves her. He pursues her, showing he cares for her, wants to know her better, and enjoys her company. When a guy pursues a girl, she then has the confidence of knowing that she is sought after and longed for. 

God is like the groom. In the same way, God is pursuing you. He is seeking you out, showing you and telling you He loves you and wants a relationship with you.

God loves us so much, that He sent Jesus to die in our place because He wants a relationship with you (John3:16, Romans 5:8). 

It's amazing to think that the God of the universe, the Creator of all things, could love us that much and want a relationship with us.

Jeremiah 31:3 says, "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness."



When a guy dates a girl, a piece of her heart is given to him, as well as her time and her emotions.
But God doesn't just want a little piece of your heart...He wants all of you. He wants to be the Lord of your life.

However,  God is quite the gentleman. He stands at the door and knocks. He waits to be let into your heart. (Revelation 3:20). 


A relationship is a two-way street. Both people have to be committed to one another for a relationship to work. Time has to be spent with one another, and there must not be anyone else.

In the same way, God wants a relationship with you...but you have to want it too. You have to spend time with Him daily (like through prayer and reading His word, the Bible) in order for your relationship to deepen. There must not be anything or anyone hindering your relationship with God- God must be #1 in your life first and foremost.

Matthew 22:36-37 says, " 'Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?' Jesus replied, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment."

Then Jesus told us what the second greatest commandment is: to love others as ourselves.

Matthew 20:28 says, "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many." 


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Just as a bride is confident in knowing her groom loves her, we too can rest assured, be confident, and secure, because we know that God is pursuing us and that He loves us. 

Question is: Are you willing to open the door of your heart to Him and let Him reign in your life?

I can guarantee you this: His love is the truest love there is, and you will never regret your decision to say "yes" to Him. 

   

Thirst for Adventure

Ever since I can remember, I have had this thirst for adventure. The more extreme, the better.

skydiving

bungee jumping

base jumping



white water rafting

I found out that the highest bridge to bungee jump off of is in South Africa (Bloukrans Bridge), so I'm saving that for when I go to South Africa.

My roommate who I stayed with in Cambodia did an adventure school, where she went to South Africa for 6 months. Here are a few pictures from her trip:

Pretty epic, right? She also went swimming in caves, climbed mountains, and went bungee jumping. Sounds like a dream come true.

Recently, I also found out about obstacle course races...
Here's an article that tells you more about them:
http://www.torontosun.com/2012/05/18/obstacle-course-racing-an-extreme-way-to-get-your-warrior-on

These types of races test your endurance, strength, are fun, and usually have a great cause behind it that you can support.

I would have LOVED to do one this year, but I found out about them much too late...All the races have passed. :(
I will definately be keeping my eyes out for next year.


Although I have this thirst for adventure, whether it be hiking, or all of the things listed above, besides hiking, I haven't completed any of the things above that I really would love to do. It makes me sad to think of that, but I sincerely hope that in this coming year, I can finally check something off that list. :)

How about you? Do you think I'm a pile of crazy for wanting to do these things? Or do you also have a thirst for adventure that you're seeking to quench? Let me know! Leave a comment..I'd love to hear from you :)

Off to Ohio (2011)

 I am so incredibly blessed to have had the opportunity to travel so much last year. 

I went to Ohio in the U.S. to visit dear friends of the family. It was a short but sweet trip. :)


I paired a pair of navy blue high-waisted shorts with a braided brown belt, and an old "hand-me-down" tank top from my sisters, layered with a simple white tank-top underneath.

While we were scoping out some good deals at the outlet mall, we got HUNGRY...To satisfy our hunger, we found an organic burrito-making place. Those things were HUGE!! and VERY TASTY!! All the ingredients were fresh and organic, and that makes me happy! :) 

For Those Lazy Summer Days

When you've got nothing to do in the summer, why not crack open a board game? 

It gets the whole family together, and it's lots of fun :)

Oxygen Intake

 Driving towards Toronto, you can see a haze of smog over the city. It's nice to have a place like this to escape to, to fill your lungs with fresh air and enjoy the beautiful creation God made.

Invisible Problems

It`s crazy how you can grow up in a society where information is available at your fingertips...and yet, important things, like sex slaves and child soldiers, manage to escape our notice.

Last year, I went to Cambodia and had the privilege of meeting young women who were former sex slaves.   I had the opportunity to meet them, and learn how their lives have changed. They were changed because they got help from people who care, by getting fair trade jobs, and having resources available to them for rehabilitation and  reintegration into their society. Knowing a fraction of their past and what they`ve been through, and seeing them now, smiling and sharing how God is working in their lives, is truly incredible.

Before I went to Cambodia, I didn`t even know that this problem existed. I came home, thinking, how did I not know of this sooner??

I came home and started researching. My findings were completely disheartening: There are millions of girls who are tricked into and forced to be sex slaves.

I found out that many girls come from the Ukraine or Moldova (which is where I`m from), and are then sent to countries all over the world.

Moldova is the poorest country in Europe. People are desperate for work. When someone comes along and offers you a good-paying job as a waitress in Greece, for example, you jump at the chance. Little do you know, that instead, you will be forced into a life you never wanted: the life of a sex slave.

This just break my heart. To think about what those girls go through on a daily basis...
I`m from Moldova, and I think, if I wasn`t in Canada, could this have been my life as well? Being tricked into that life, with no hope of an escape? 

But there is hope. You can make a difference, just by being aware that there even is a problem.

Here are some sites you can look at for more info:

http://www.thea21campaign.org/

http://www.daughtersofcambodia.org/

I write these things, so that people are not only aware of the problem, but are abhorred by what is going on presently in their world, and are willing to stand up, and demand a change. Write to your politicians, give out flyers, or just tell your friends. DO something. LEARN more about it.  

I hope that with this, the invisible problems in this world will become visible to you.

``Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow`` -Isaiah 1:16-17

``Is this not the kind of fasting I have chosen:

to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter --
when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will becomes like the noonday. The LORD will guide you always`` -Isaiah 58:6-7,9-11

Mason Jars+Tissue Paper Flowers

When I'm on Pinterest, I see so many cool ideas. I saw how someone used tissue paper to cover a mason jar and put a little tea light candle in it, and it created such a soft beautiful glow. I also saw someone make these big tissue paper flowers, that they hung from the ceiling. It looked beautiful! I had my birthday party coming up in February, and decided to give these two crafts a try. I had my helper (my two-year-old nephew) with me! ;)

It was really easy to make and I really like how they turned out! :) (It didn't take a lot of time either!)

Things you'll need:

• jars
• tissue paper
• liquid glue
• scissors
• string/ribbon

Directions for the Jars:

1. I started by finding two jars.
2. I then washed them with some soap and warm water. 
3. I dried them. 
4. I then found some tissue paper, and cut them up in to squares. 
5. I then prepared the glue..I did this by combining white liquid glue with some warm water, and mixed it with a paintbrush.
6. Then, you dip your paintbrush into the glue, put it on the jar, and put the tissue paper square right on top. You can put some extra glue on top of it if you'd like. 

It's as easy as that! :)

Get all your supplies ready! (I thought it might get messy and used a craft-safe tablecloth)

Mix the water+glue

Put the glue on the jar, and put the tissue paper on top...It's so easy a 2 yr old can do it..without looking! ;)

I left them to dry

I think they look pretty cute!

Directions for the Tissue Paper Flowers:

1. You get a few sheets of tissue paper + put them in a pile
2. Next, fold them accordion style (like you would for a paper hand-held fan)
3. Next, you fold it in half, and tie a string/ribbon in the middle around the crease and twist
4. Take your scissors and cut the two ends, making them rounded (this will help it look more like a flower petal)
5. Separate the sheets, pulling them apart, and voila! you have yourself a tissue paper flower! super easy!! :)

Instead of using these two crafts separately (which you most certainly can!), I just put them together..

I think they turned out pretty cute! I just used them as centerpieces for the dessert table...Let me know what you think! :)

Florida 2011/2012

I went to Florida at the end of December 2011 and beginning of 2012 (we did spend New Years there)..with my mom, sister, and brother-in-law...We were mainly at Clearwater, but we did take one day and go to Siesta Beach as well...It was beautiful and very relaxing :)

at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co... it was really cool how they decorated the place!

me and my mom chose the same thing -we're so alike sometimes! :)

my sister ordered seafood, and it came in the neatest way!!

we rented this bike for an hour, and cruised around town. It was really windy that day, but it was so much fun!! we had such a great time on this bike. So many laughs, and it was a great way to get exercise and explore the town.

fresh calamari... mmm!! so good!

one of the days, it was Clearwater beach day..there were so many festivities - street performers, vendors, bands+cheerleaders...it was lots of fun!

at Siesta Beach