Katies Place - Where all cats are loved

"What happened here?" I asked a large orange tabby cat named Sunkist as he rubbed against my legs, weaving through them. It looked as if a hurricane passed through one of the cages sitting in the Annex connected to Curtis' Corner.
"Helllloooo puuuussssssyyyy cccaaaattttt." I sang softly into the cage, hoping my gentle singing would calm the cat before I would have to open the cage to clean it up. I was a bit reluctant, you see a sign was posted to the entrance, "USE CAUTION!!!!! Feral Cat Very Scared." I leaned down to have a closer look. Big eyes were starring at me through a slit in the carrier. Then I saw another pair of eyes. Wider and looking more scared than the first.
"There's 2 cats in there. Why didn't you tell me Sunkist?" He meowed at me, pooped in the just cleaned litter box and left me to deal with the frightened feral's.

My family and I have been helping out at Katies Place for a while now. What began as a teaching tool to help our children give back to the community, is now a labour of love. There are many unwanted and abandoned felines in our community and at Katies Place all are welcomed and loved... none are turned away or disposed of.

If you and your family would like to help Katies Place, see this link http://katiesplaceshelter.com/how-to-help/how-to-volunteer/ for more information to help you get started.

Volunteers are very welcome to pet and give me a massage!

Diana says, "Thanks!"

Phobos

In the middle of the journey of our life, I came to myself within a dark wood where the straight way was lost.
Ah, how hard a thing it is to tell what a wild, and rough, and stubborn wood this was, which in my thought renews the fear!
DANTE - The Divine Comedy


It's been a while since I last wrote...




I've been a little preoccupied with fear and got lost in doubt. Funny, it was just after May 21st 2011...around 6pm actually when things deteriated for me.
I was called an idiot because of my beliefs and had been given an ultimatum, "Don't push that Jesus crap on me, otherwise....." I'll let your imagination finish that sentence.
It hurt....it hurt a lot and I began to believe that I was an idiot. Feelings of inadequacy overcame me and fear kept creeping in; lost in a dark wood, far away from writing and blogging.

It hurts when someone has a strong reaction to your beliefs, but I did realized something this summer, it hurts even more to not do what you were meant to do.

Where God's love is there is no fear,
because God's perfect love drives out fear.
It is punishment that makes a person fear,
so love is not made perfect in the person who fears.
1John 4:18 NCV


I realized two things after reading this passage:
1) I wasn't allowing God's love in me, he didn't have my whole heart, so how could He drive out the fear? How could His love be made perfect in me?
2) I was afraid of losing the respect of friends and family (my punishment would be banishment from the relationships I have made over the years).

Ignoring my Goliath wasn't going to work, I could no longer run from it. So what did David do?

He picked up 5 stones and his sling and stood his ground.

*No, this does not mean I'm going to hit you with stones the next time I see you (to those of you who think I have a few screws loose), it just means that I need you to know that I love you, because God first loved us.
*No, I'm not going to thump a Bible over your heads either.... Jesus never did, he used scrolls :) Just kidding!
*Yes, I am here if you need to talk and I will answer your questions to the best of my ability.
*Yes, being and idiot is NOT a prerequisite to believing in God. God would prefer it if you weren't a nut case, but He'd love you anyways.

To those who have lost their dignity,
Lord, may I help you to restore it.
To those who are lonely and forgotten,
Lord, may I help you to be their friend.
To those who are hurt,
Lord, may I help you to heal them.
To those who let fear keep them captive,
Lord, may I help you to break their chains.
Amen


Ciao for now!

PS: Be on the look out for my Aunties Mary and Martha. They wanted to start up a column to help me out a bit. So if you have any questions for them about food or life email me at anoesdelacourt@yahoo.com and I will get the questions to them.

PPS: Breaking news! October 21st 2011 is now the last day on earth. Stay away from fire. LOL!


Jesus speaking about the end of times:
"No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." Matthew 24:36


I guess some people just don't know that yet.

de Nial (French for a river in Egypt)

- Can't we stop talking about it? Talking only makes it worse.

- If we don't talk about it, it will go away.

- Let's pretend that it didn't happen.

- If I tell her that it hurts me when she says that, I'm afraid she'll leave me.

- He really doesn't drink that much.

- It really doesn't hurt when she does that; I'm fine.

- He drinks more than I do! Besides he taught me how to drink.

- She's been married 3 times; I've only been married twice.

- I eat because you make me so mad!

- If you didn't nag me all the time, I wouldn't....

- Look Honey, I have a tough job; I work hard. I need a few drinks to relax. It doesn't mean I have a problem. It's the only way I can get to sleep.

- It's their fault, my parents didn't do their job well. They were screwed up.

Do any of these comments sound familar?

"If I just had one more trip to Punta Cana, I would be fine," LOL! That was what I told myself a few years ago, that was my hang-up, one of many.

"I just need to get away. Go on a trip. Then I'll be able to handle life again." Hiding in a closet would have done the same I supose. It's just running away afterall. For some it's just one more drink, one more smoke, one more bite of food, one more fast ride, one more bungy jump, one more word of praise, one more car, one more piece of jewlery. These 'one mores', have tripped me up. They took the place of me having to take a really good look at myself. The depths of one's soul is a scary place to be sometimes. You may lose control. Nobody wants to lose control of their emotions. Sometimes, they've been locked up tight for many years; and really, who wants to be around someone who is losing control? I know I would feel uncomfortable. 

Effects of Denial:

Disables our feelings

Energy lost

Negates growth

Isolates us from God

Alienates us from our relationships

Lengthens the pain

Here are a few quotes from the Celebrate Recovery Guide by John Baker:

The 1st step to healing is to admit our denial. 

"You can't heal a wound by saying it's not there!" Jeremiah 6:14

Denial freezes our emotions and binds us, but understanding and feeling our feelings is where we find freedom.

Remember it is always better to tell the ugly truth rather than a beautiful lie.

"Stop lying to each other; tell the truth, for we are parts of each other and when we lie to each other we are hurting ourselves." Ephesians 4:25

Truth, like surgery, may hurt for a while, but it cures.

"Know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32

I recently took a really good look at my hurts, habits and hang-ups. Here's my list:

- Bursts of anger (only once a month when my Auntie Flow comes to visit...I may need medication or I'll have to tell her not to come anymore. LOL!).

Okay, the serious list now:

- Self-doubt. Not good enough. I am easily replaced. No one listens to me. Nobody would care if I was gone. I hear the negative comments people have, before I hear the positive and I tend to hold on to the negative far too long.

- Compare myself to other's. She's a better houskeeper, He's a better parent. She's a better writer, He's a better Christian...etc...the list goes on.

- Anger at those who say one thing and do another. I hate people who are 2-faced. I have no patience with dishonesty.

- Seek approval. Am I doing this alright? Is this blog okay? Did I say too much? Did I leave too much out? Should I be so open with my "list"? Is it the way you wanted me to do it? Wherever you want to go, that's what I want to do. Instead of making a decision for myself, I seek other's approval above my own or God's.

"Forget the former things; do not dwell in the past." Isaiah 43:18

" Let us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back, and especially those things that wrap themselves so tightly around our feet and trip us up." Hebrews 12:1

Over the last few years I've learned that God has a unique plan for each and every one of us. A plan for good, not a life full of dependencies, addictions and obsessions. He doesn't want you to stay frozen in an unhealthy relationship or a bad habit. He wants you to do your part in becoming healthy. I am working on my "list". I know it's a process, it's not an overnight "fix". 

If you are ready to work on your own "list", and are ready to admit to denial, and want to work on your hurts, habits or hang-ups, come this Friday night to Celebrate Recovery at 

St. John's, 21299 River Rd, Maple Ridge, BC V2X 2B1. 

1st lesson will be on Denial...and no it's not french for a river in Egypt.

PS: Celebration Station will begin this Friday night as well. It's a kids program that runs alogside the adults program and will equip kids from 5 to 13 years of age to overcome the patterns of hurts, hang-ups and habits. 

I love you guys...

May you be filled with God's abundant joy today.  

Ciao!

My Husband, My Hero

Bonjour Dear Friends,

 I just wanted to let you know, that I'm in the middle of getting my house in order (My house, house...not me personally). You see, I'm not the best house wife out there. Truthfully, I prefer to research, read and write than do dishes. But, I've got some people coming over for a Cinco de Mayo Party this Thursday and I thought I would begin to de-clutter and clean early. I began the daunting task yesterday, I figured 4 days would give me enough time to make my house look like Martha's. I was greatly mistaken...it's going to take me much longer.
 I made an error, yes that's right, a flub, a boo boo, a miscalulation, in my excitement to clean the house.
 As I dusted the shelves above the piano, I found three pictures that had been missing since the renovations of my bathroom downstairs. I had been on my husbands case for years to have this room done, and six months ago we finally had saved up enough money for a new sink, fresh paint and floor tiles. YES! This was the worst room in the house and I was so looking forward to a nice new bathroom. I was so excited!
Rene did an amazing job. It looked beautiful. He has such a talent with these kinds of things, that's why he started up a little part-time business called Brother Odd. Odd jobs are his specialty. I've also on occasion called him McGyver. He can fix anything with a paperclip and duct tape (emergency fix of course...he wouldn't leave it that way).
"That's where you went." I spoke to the three wayward prints, then I found a hammer, three nails and headed to my beautifully renovated bathroom.
"They'll look good right about there." I held up each photo and measured the spot on the wall. I pressed the nail with a little force to etch a mark where each sailboat portrait would hang. I dreamt of putting 3 blue Ikea CYLINDER vases along the top of the toilet with tea lights in them, just to add a little 'Martha' touch.
"And that's a good thing." she would say.
Two pictures went up with no problems, the third nail was stuck. It wouldn't go in.
"Maybe I hit the beam?" I thought to myself and jiggled the nail and pulled it out slowly.
"OOOOOPPPPSSS!" Water squirted out of the pin hole I had made. Lots of water. It gushed out and wet my shoulder.
"OH NO! OH NO! OH NO!" I stuck my finger over the hole and screamed. It's kind of ironic. The story of the dutch boy who put his finger in the dyke, came to my mind. Here I was a 40+ year old woman living out one of the childhood stories I heard so long ago. If I recall correctly, I visited the site when I was about my daughter's age.
"RENE!" I yelled out the bathroom door and grabbed the towel and held it up against the wall.
"RENE! OH NO!" I felt like an idiot. My poor bathroom. All that hard work.
"RENE!" I cried once more and there he came.

My knight in shining armor. My Prince. My Love. He was working on a diesel engine in the carport when he heard my cry. Okay, so he wasn't exactly dressed in shining armor, he had his greasy black hoody on with black streaks across his cheek. He wasn't carrying his sword, but he had a screwdriver in his hand and he knew where the valve was to shut off the water (FYI, for those of you who live in the same complex as me...it's behind the furnace).
Rene had to punch a hole about 1 foot across and 1 1/2 feet down, in my newly renovated bathroom. He let the pipe dry and then he soldered the pin prick shut.
"WOW!" he said when the task was completed. "Suddenly I feel wide awake and pumped!" He smiled and kissed me passionately. In that moment, I realized, it was a very important thing for a man to rescue his woman and fix the mess she has somehow found herself in. It feels good to be needed and to help... feels even better when you've done a good job.
Maybe I should make a mess more often?

Ladies...my house won't be perfect on Thursday. I don't think the hole will be fixed by then (we have to keep it open for a few days to make sure it doesn't leak).
 I don't mind if you don't mind. Just don't touch the insulation...it's itchy.


So much for re-decorating... Doesn't matter anyways, I'm not Martha. 
Think I'll go pick up a book.

Ciao!
Love You!
Anuschka
xoxoxox

Deeds for Needs: Mother's Get All Tied Up

Deeds for Needs: Mother's Get All Tied Up

Mother's Get All Tied Up

 Did You Know?

In Serbia, to celebrate their Mom's, they sneak into the parent's bedrooms and tie the Mom's up. Yes, that's right, Serbian children tie up their Mom's! When the Mom wakes up, they must give their children gifts and treats to be set free. LOL! 

How do you celebrate Mother's day? 

For the last few weeks, I have been wondering what I could do to show my Mother how much I appreciate and love her. You see, I did something that upset her and although it was not my intention, I hurt her feelings. I am sorry Mom. 

Hurting the ones we love is easy to do when we mis-communicate. Mis-communication runs rampant in this fallen world. Some have even mis-communicated God's word, and have made many woman feel to be lesser humans. Perhaps, you have been made to feel the weaker gender, second fiddle, helper, maid or slave?

God says it wasn't good for Man to be alone, there may be some Men out there that feel differently about this, but God made woman in His image too.

"So God created human beings in His image. In the image of God He created them. He created them male and female." Genesis 1: 27

But then He said, "It is not good for Man to be alone. I will make a helper who is right for him." Genesis 2:18

To be truthful with you, I have felt a little irritated and rebellious at this role of "helper". 

"I didn't apply for it!  I've worked 10 hour days downtown and commuted 3 hours, only to come home to dishes in the sink and laundry piled up. Just waiting for me, because no one else can do it? 

"I'm not the help." I would cry myself to sleep sometimes. "Surely, there's more to life than this?"

The many hats a woman must wear in one day's time is overwhelming, and at times, I have just wanted to give up. 

Ezer Kenegdo 

Ladies, this word is going to change how you look at yourself from now on. I know it will, because last week as the 'Deeds for Needs' ladies gathered together to finish off chapter nine of the Captivating series by John and Staci Eldredge, something shifted inside of me. This word, made me see just how much God loves me and how I have a irreplaceable role to play in this life's drama (sometimes it's more of a comedy, but that's for another post). 

When God creates Eve, He calls her Ezer Kenegdo in the original Hebrew language of the Old Testament. The word Ezer is used only twenty other places in the entire Old Testament. And in every other instance, the person being described is God himself, when you need him to come through for you desperately. 

Ezer means strength or power and Kenegdo means alongside or opposite to, a counterpart. 

"A better translation therefore of ezer would be life-saver." Stasi Eldredge from 'Captivating'.

We are a life-saving helper, who is indispensable and irreplaceable, walking alonside Man. WOW! Now, think about that for a little bit, let it sink in. It's hard to believe, I know, because it's goes against everything the world has told us about ourselves. We are not the weaker sex, we are a strength, a power that walks beside man. We have an important part to play. We are irreplaceable. We are made in God's image.

"From the first words of Genesis until the glorious conclusion at the end of the Revelation of John, what flows from every page of scripture is one grand prayer adventure. It is a love story about a God who chooses relationship rather than blind obedience, who allowed his only Son to be tortured and killed so that you and I could be washed clean of the sin that separates us from Him. God does not torture his beloved people. He calls to them." Sheila Walsh from 'Get off your knees and pray'.

If God does not torture us, why do we allow ourselves to be tortured? We allow other's to hurt us by  words or deeds and we allow us to hurt us by our actions or inaction's, then we torture ourselves a little bit more with guilt, shame or anger.

Mother's....Do you hear what God is calling you to be? He is calling you to be life-savers! It's a tough job, but you have help.

"I look up to the hills, 

but where does my help come from?

My help comes from the Lord, 

who made heaven and earth.

He will not let you be defeated.

He who guards you never sleeps..." Psalm 121:1-3

"One thing I know now: It's a privilege to at least try to save each other. It's also a full-time job!" Allan Gurganus from 'Fourteen feet of water in my house'.

On a last note...

 I've noticed, over the years, most of the time it's me that ties myself up...self-doubt, not good enough, worry, comparing myself to other's, seeking approval and many other minute  irritations of life. These things make me stumble and the only way to break free is to give. Give freely with all my heart.

The Son's light feels good,

His warmth sinking deep,

Into my cold frosty soul.

Winter's ice melts away,

Leaving a blazing trail of joy.

The birds songs seem louder

The grass seems greener,

The sky seems bluer

I am alive!

May you find yourself broken free from what binds you this Mother's day. 

May you soar.

PS: Keep all ropes and duct tape safely hidden from little fingers! 

I love you

Ciao!

GPS versus SPS

 In our 20 + years of adventuring and travelling together, my husband always considered me to be his GPS.  You see, I am pretty good with a map, and I have never got us lost... Many detours over the years...but never lost.
 So it was a sad day last fall when Rene came home with an electronic GPS.
"We can take the most direct route now, without detours."
"I have been replaced by a GARMIN nuvi! Pagan contraption!" I huffed under my breath.
 After the 1st trip with a most polite English lady advising us to turn onto a road that wasn't there (she may have seemed polite but deep down she was treacherous, I could feel it!), I had a distinct impression she  wanted to lead us off course,  hoping to leaving us wandering in the wilderness. It was at that moment, I knew my position as head GPS was safe and I continued to bring the map book as a trustworthy hard copy back-up. (Raspberry!!!!!!)

"Shall we try the French lady?" I asked and plucked the electronic doohickey off the dashboard hoping it would slip through my fingers and onto the muddy floor with a satisfying crack of delicate electronic circuitry.
"Could the French be more trustworthy?" Rene asked.
"Worth a try."
"Tournez a gauche dans cinq cents metres." uttered the exotic femme voice.
"Did she just tell me to fermez my bouche?" my husband asked annoyed that she could be so rude.
"DAAAADD!" my youngest daughter rolled her eyes, "She told you to turn left in 500 metres." Good thing we have our girls in the French immersion program, they translated for us the rest of the trip.
To be quiet honest with you, the foreign lady did seem highly agitated when we accidentally missed our turn.
"RECALCUL!" she huffed, pissed off at us for inconveniencing her as if she were at the spa getting a manicure. I could picture her rolling her eyes perturbed and saying to the well manicured lady beside her holding a groomed poodle in her lap, "Deese Canadians, day arrr eeediots....no?"
"Wonder if she's PMS'ing?" Rene laughed.
 Granted....sometimes we need to know where we are physically on this planet, so I can see why we would need a Global Positioning System. It has it's merits...still a few bugs to iron out, but overall a convenient thing.
 Sitting here, looking back over my Easter weekend, I began to wonder how my SPS was working. (Spiritual Positioning System). Was I tuned in and listening to Gods instructions or did I have him on mute as I went along my way? Was I more concerned about the Easter Bunny and how many chocolates he was going to poop out for me? Or were my thoughts overflowing with how much God loves me, and what he did for me? After all, what is Easter all about?...

Here's a little story I wrote about Easter:

"You have more jelly beans than me!" Jeremy cried out, digging his greedy little paws into his brother's basket and taking a handful of candy.
"No I don't!" Patrick wailed and pushed his brother away, sending his brother and all the candies from the two baskets scattering all over the living room floor. Both boys fell to their knees and began to pick up the candy with lightening speed, looking out for 'numero uno', wanting the best pieces for themselves.
"STOP IT!" their father was making coffee just around the corner, wanting his boys to take the initiative to share without him interceding. He had hoped they would be able to figure it out for themselves, after all, hadn't he just read Galatians 5:22-26 to them not fifteen minutes ago?
"You ungrateful children! Drop the candy and go to your rooms!" his deep pack-leader  voice rang out, startling the kids. Then he pointed up the stairs and they listened, knowing their father meant business when he looked at them like that.
"But I don't like chocolate." Patrick whimpered, dragging his feet up the stairs, tears rolling down his hot flushed cheeks.
"Did we do something wrong in our upbringing of them?" He asked his wife of 10 years, as they enjoyed a hot cup of coffee out in their backyard, listening to Patrick cry in the room above. They sat wrapped in a Hudson's bay 4 point wool blanket on the love seat he had made the previous summer. "How do we fix them?"
He had felt physically ill at the moment his cherished children fought, and sadness pierced his heart at the thought of them being so unkind to one-an-other. What did he do wrong?
"I spent thirty five dollars on Easter candy this week." Patsy was irritated, "I  am not doing this again next year Joe." Patsy had lost her job 6 months ago and they couldn't afford to waste money. She was pretty good at coupon clipping and holding onto money, something she had learned young. Her father and mother had 7 children and sometimes there wasn't enough food on the table to feed them all and she couldn't remember ever having a Easter Egg hunt, just no money for it. She wanted her boys to have a great Easter, so she took some of her precious 'nest egg' savings and bought the candy and Easter baskets. She took a sip of coffee as single tear rolled down her cheek.
"How should we discipline them?" Joe asked rubbing his left temple to relieve the start of a stress headache.
"I don't know." Patsy sighed, defeated she took another sip of coffee, then she remembered to pray.
"Dear  Lord, take a hold of this sadness I feel. Let me see clearly your will in how to handle this. What would you do in a situation like this? What have you done in the past? How would you discipline your children?" as Patsy prayed, Joe was reminded of a memory verse, memorized long ago and of an amazing grace that fell on him when he first believed. It was at that time, he came to realize his disbelief and drunken actions so long ago had made his Father sick, but God's mercy, love and grace prevailed. Joe knew what he needed to do.

"Don't be afraid, I've redeemed you. I've called your name. You're mine. When you're in over your head, I'll be there with you. When you're in rough waters, you will not go down. When you're between a rock and a hard place, it won't be a dead end- because I am God, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior. I paid a huge price for you......That's how much you mean to me! That's how much I love you! I'd sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you." Isaiah 43:1-4 (Sheila Walsh paraphrase from 'Get off your knees & Pray')

My wish for you, as you travel down life's highway is,  may you always be plugged in to your SPS.

Ciao Ladies!