Today finally dawned....after a fitful night of dreaming of food I couldn't have. The worst was that I knew I couldn't have it, even in my dream, and when I asked if there was steak, I was relieved to hear a "yes", only to be crushed moments later as that steak would cost me $64. This saddened me as I knew I couldn't eat anything at all! Good thing it was only a mere dream and not reality. Needless to say, I awoke and was delighted to see that I had lost another 1.8 pounds. This time, however, I did not go back to sleep, but got ready for work as, alas, holidays were officially over.
Today was so much better! I was hardly hungry at all! It may have helped that I had work to keep my mind pre-occupied, but whatever it was, I didn't mind in the least. I thoroughly enjoyed my garlic/dill chicken and asparagus that I munched slowly away at for lunch and I saved my orange and melba toast for a snack later on. I was excited to get home, as my friend, Katie-Lee, had given me a website with fantastic recipes, specifically for this diet! I was elated that I would not get board with my menu, and to say the least, somewhat relieved. After work, I went over to Superstore to pick up a few more menu items. On the list were, fresh garlic, fresh ginger, spinach leaves, lettuce, extra-lean ground beef and a pack of lean sirloin steaks. I was so excited to get home and try out a new recipe, with a bit of my own twist! Who would have ever thought that I, Aryn Werezak, would be EXCITED about cooking? Not I, that's for sure.
Supper was extraordinary! I used 100g of the ground beef, 1/2 an onion chopped up finely, rosemary, Mrs. Dash, fresh garlic, a dash of sea salt and a dash of pepper, and 1 melba toast crushed up. I mixed it all together to create a couple of small burger patties! I fried these up in a non-stick pan with a bit of water. The smell was heavenly. I then wrapped each patty between two lettuce leaves which acted as my "bun" and voila! I had my very own burgers! I fried up a couple for my lunch tomorrow and am excited to eat them! This supper no only tasted amazing, but also sufficiently filled me up. I haven't even had my final fruit yet, but it's calling my name. A handful of tasty strawberries just waiting to be eaten :)
After supper, I pre-portioned the rest of my ground beef and 4 of the 6 steaks (had to leave a couple for Hayden to enjoy) into individual small baggies, ready to grab for an upcoming meal. This will save me time. So, needless to say, I have 19 meals of protein ready at my fingertips, as well as a freezer full of Haddock and a box of shrimp. I think I should be good for a while. I might need to get some more chicken, however, as I think I only have a couple more in the freezer.
The beautiful thing that I'm finding, is that I'm now discovering recipes and ways of eating that I will probably continue after this is all done. It feels amazing to be so healthy. I've had over my daily dose of 2 litres of water as well, though I'm not having to visit the washroom as often as I was on Day 3 :)
I feel like I've gotten over a little hump and now I'm on the upward road to success!
Day 6 here I come!
till next time!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
The Transformation: Day 4
The day began well. I lost 3 pounds since yesterday and that is always a happy idea to wake up to. I got up at my designated time, weighed myself, took my drops, and went back to bed. I figured, this is my last day of Christmas holidays, I'm going to take as much advantage of it as I possibly can. This was a nice start, as I'm not allowed to eat breakfast, so it helped get me closer to lunch.
Lunch....what a failure! A word of the wise, never mix lemon juice and celery....ever!!! It is the most disgusting taste I think I have encountered in a long time, so needless to say, I couldn't even finish my meagre lunch which was quite sad to me. Next time, I will cook my fish and vegetable separately. I held off as long as I could, but today was experiencing some hunger issues, not surprisingly, until I ate my piece of fruit and melba toast.
Supper was much more successful as I thoroughly enjoy asparagus (cooked separately :P) and I had some delicious chicken, sautéed in water, with garlic, a dash of pepper and some dill. It was amazingly good! I actually made that for my lunch tomorrow as well. I'm looking forward to it. I saved my fruit and melba toast till my break at work. It's a good thing I was at work, as it helped not to think of food, at least a little bit.
I'm going to be in need of some variety here, as I don't enjoy some of the vegetables on my limited list, and I don't want to get sick of the few that I do. If anyone has any ideas of good and yummy ways to season and cook asparagus, celery, spinach, chard, white fish, shrimp, chicken, or beef that only includes spices (no sauces or dressings) and water, I would be greatly appreciative if you shared it with me. I'm going to need all the help I can get to make it through this month! But I am looking forward to the outcome. That's what keeps me going. Listen to me....and it's only day 4. Yikes!
Now it's to bed to read, drink some tea and sleep and get ready for my first day back at work tomorrow. Looking forward to it!
Thanks for coming along on my journey with me!
Till tomorrow...
Lunch....what a failure! A word of the wise, never mix lemon juice and celery....ever!!! It is the most disgusting taste I think I have encountered in a long time, so needless to say, I couldn't even finish my meagre lunch which was quite sad to me. Next time, I will cook my fish and vegetable separately. I held off as long as I could, but today was experiencing some hunger issues, not surprisingly, until I ate my piece of fruit and melba toast.
Supper was much more successful as I thoroughly enjoy asparagus (cooked separately :P) and I had some delicious chicken, sautéed in water, with garlic, a dash of pepper and some dill. It was amazingly good! I actually made that for my lunch tomorrow as well. I'm looking forward to it. I saved my fruit and melba toast till my break at work. It's a good thing I was at work, as it helped not to think of food, at least a little bit.
I'm going to be in need of some variety here, as I don't enjoy some of the vegetables on my limited list, and I don't want to get sick of the few that I do. If anyone has any ideas of good and yummy ways to season and cook asparagus, celery, spinach, chard, white fish, shrimp, chicken, or beef that only includes spices (no sauces or dressings) and water, I would be greatly appreciative if you shared it with me. I'm going to need all the help I can get to make it through this month! But I am looking forward to the outcome. That's what keeps me going. Listen to me....and it's only day 4. Yikes!
Now it's to bed to read, drink some tea and sleep and get ready for my first day back at work tomorrow. Looking forward to it!
Thanks for coming along on my journey with me!
Till tomorrow...
Monday, January 3, 2011
The Transformation Begins: Days 1-3
Many people start off a new year with a New Years Resolution! I am generally not one of those people :) I believe that change and resolutions should be all the time, not just at the beginning of a new year, however, there is one thing that I am doing at the beginning of this year which I felt fitting. It's a body transformation! Many of you who know me may be telling yourself "Aryn? Lose weight? What weight?" Yes, it may be apparent that I do not need to lose anything, however, there are layers which are well hidden by the right shirt and pair of jeans that you know nothing of. It is the dormant layer of fat which, no matter how hard I've tried over the years, have never been able to get rid of and have always bothered me. Even when I was training for my triathlon, working out 6 times a week and eating well, those terrible rolls didn't budge.
Thanks to my great friend Christy, who brought me to a Women in Business conference, I came across O.B.C.D. gone, also known as the HCG diet. Some of you may have heard of this diet before, but for those who don't, what you do is take the HCG hormone three times daily, with a very restrictive eating regime for 27 days. This causes those abnormal fat reserves, that lay locked away and untouchable, to unlock and be used up without touching your normal fat reserves, thus causing the disappearance of those pesty rolls and inches that can't be rid of by normal dieting and exercise.
Thus, I wanted to share my journey with you as I aim to finally achieve my long sought after goal.
January 1st was my Day 1. I began it by weighing myself and recording it. The first two days of the HCG diet are seemingly fantastic, as you are required to "gorge", eating as much as you can of the worst possible foods that you can. It was Day 1 that caused me to realize how much I despise fast food and can't handle it. Here I was, allowed to eat anything all day long, and after one meal at McDonalds I could barely eat anything else I was so full! I did manage, however, to eat a bowl of my mother's famous Christmas dessert but could only eat a small bowl of clam chowder at supper. I did manage to eat bits of chocolate throughout the day however.
Day 2: I got up, weighed myself and then I ate a big bowl of granola, at which Hayden laughed at me because here I was, allowed to eat unhealthy food, but my parents didn't have any junk cereal, so I ate healthy granola. Oh well :) I succeeded more on Day 2 then on Day 1 as I then had A&W, some mini cinnamon buns, pizza pops and a triple chocolate doughnut. I think one of the points of gorging is so you will be so sick of food that you don't care to see it for the rest of the month. At any point, I succeeded in making myself feel like a stuffed pig, all the while taking my drops when I was supposed to.
Day 3: Today dawned and I felt ready to take on my challenge. I weighed myself and had my morning coffee with 1 Tbsp of milk and some liquid stevia. Hayden took my "before" pictures today, which I will not post until I have my "after" pictures to compare them too. Lunch was 100g of steamed Haddock with garlic and a couple stocks of steamed celery with garlic powder, an apple and a piece of melba toast. Supper looks to be the same, though maybe some asparagus instead of celery :) I currently am drinking water like a thirsty camel in a hot desert, and I think I need some tea as my limbs are feeling a bit frosty. Other then that, I'm feeling pretty good for my first day of "real" dieting. I'm not too hungry right now, which is nice and my thoughts reside on the end of this time, when I will be bikini ready for our trip to Hawaii!
Let's see how the rest of the day pans out and what tomorrow will bring! I think it will be a challenging, yet very rewarding endeavour.
till next time!
Thanks to my great friend Christy, who brought me to a Women in Business conference, I came across O.B.C.D. gone, also known as the HCG diet. Some of you may have heard of this diet before, but for those who don't, what you do is take the HCG hormone three times daily, with a very restrictive eating regime for 27 days. This causes those abnormal fat reserves, that lay locked away and untouchable, to unlock and be used up without touching your normal fat reserves, thus causing the disappearance of those pesty rolls and inches that can't be rid of by normal dieting and exercise.
Thus, I wanted to share my journey with you as I aim to finally achieve my long sought after goal.
January 1st was my Day 1. I began it by weighing myself and recording it. The first two days of the HCG diet are seemingly fantastic, as you are required to "gorge", eating as much as you can of the worst possible foods that you can. It was Day 1 that caused me to realize how much I despise fast food and can't handle it. Here I was, allowed to eat anything all day long, and after one meal at McDonalds I could barely eat anything else I was so full! I did manage, however, to eat a bowl of my mother's famous Christmas dessert but could only eat a small bowl of clam chowder at supper. I did manage to eat bits of chocolate throughout the day however.
Day 2: I got up, weighed myself and then I ate a big bowl of granola, at which Hayden laughed at me because here I was, allowed to eat unhealthy food, but my parents didn't have any junk cereal, so I ate healthy granola. Oh well :) I succeeded more on Day 2 then on Day 1 as I then had A&W, some mini cinnamon buns, pizza pops and a triple chocolate doughnut. I think one of the points of gorging is so you will be so sick of food that you don't care to see it for the rest of the month. At any point, I succeeded in making myself feel like a stuffed pig, all the while taking my drops when I was supposed to.
Day 3: Today dawned and I felt ready to take on my challenge. I weighed myself and had my morning coffee with 1 Tbsp of milk and some liquid stevia. Hayden took my "before" pictures today, which I will not post until I have my "after" pictures to compare them too. Lunch was 100g of steamed Haddock with garlic and a couple stocks of steamed celery with garlic powder, an apple and a piece of melba toast. Supper looks to be the same, though maybe some asparagus instead of celery :) I currently am drinking water like a thirsty camel in a hot desert, and I think I need some tea as my limbs are feeling a bit frosty. Other then that, I'm feeling pretty good for my first day of "real" dieting. I'm not too hungry right now, which is nice and my thoughts reside on the end of this time, when I will be bikini ready for our trip to Hawaii!
Let's see how the rest of the day pans out and what tomorrow will bring! I think it will be a challenging, yet very rewarding endeavour.
till next time!
Looking Back
As I sit and ponder 2010 I realize that it was quite a year, full of joy and tears, laughter and frustration, high highs and low lows, trials and accomplishments, restraining and branching out. 2010 was, I believe, by far the toughest, yet most rewarding year I've had yet. I went from having one of the most stressful, frustrating, and emotional jobs I've ever known, not wanting to get out of bed for fear of what the day may bring, to the absolute best job I've ever had, where I cannot wait to get to work and enjoy my day with every fibre of my being. I went from a dark recession of absolute creativelessness, to forming a new business and almost selling out completely of my first wave of pottery creations. I went from writers block to creating a blog and sharing my heart and life with whomever would choose to stop and read. I went from musical apathy to engaging in playing and singing on worship, strengthening my vocal skills, playing my piano more and purchasing a cello to expand my musical ability and knowledge. I also succeeded in training for and completing my first ever triathlon, but hopefully not my last. This was a HUGE accomplishment for me and one that I am proud of indeed. A shining moment amidst much turmoil at that time.
From the bleak, meagre beginnings of 2010, the year ended with a shining dawn on the horizon. A dawn with hope for what this next year will bring. I now have an established, though baby, business that I am able to build on with fervour and passion, with orders waiting to be filled and ideas flying around that I'm excited to put to the test. I have my job to continue for at least the rest of this school year, which is bound to be filled with much laughter and delight as I continue working with a most amazing staff and students. I have a family vacation to Hawaii to look forward to, finally being able to show my parents where I lived and where Hayden and I were engaged, and all the fun bits in between. Also, being able to be together as a complete family for about 9 days will be so wonderful.
Then there is the possibility of heading out West at the beginning of summer to do an art show in Kamloops on July 1st (depending on the costs involved). I also am becoming an auntie around the end of June, so it would be fun to see Hayden's brother and sister-in-law and our little niece/nephew. What next fall will bring is still unforeseen. Will we still be in Medicine Hat or will the time to move be upon us? Is this the year to begin a family? What will work look like after the summer? How will our art take off and proceed? These are the unanswerable questions. The questions that bring about the excitement of the unknown. The things I have to look forward to as the days progress. I mean, if we knew everything, there would be no adventure in life....right?
So here's to saying good-bye to 2010 and hello to 2011. May this year bring you happiness in great measure, a new adventure of vast proportion, and delights at every new turn.
from my family to yours, Happy New Year.
never forget to stop, Hear the Whisper, Taste the Sun
From the bleak, meagre beginnings of 2010, the year ended with a shining dawn on the horizon. A dawn with hope for what this next year will bring. I now have an established, though baby, business that I am able to build on with fervour and passion, with orders waiting to be filled and ideas flying around that I'm excited to put to the test. I have my job to continue for at least the rest of this school year, which is bound to be filled with much laughter and delight as I continue working with a most amazing staff and students. I have a family vacation to Hawaii to look forward to, finally being able to show my parents where I lived and where Hayden and I were engaged, and all the fun bits in between. Also, being able to be together as a complete family for about 9 days will be so wonderful.
Then there is the possibility of heading out West at the beginning of summer to do an art show in Kamloops on July 1st (depending on the costs involved). I also am becoming an auntie around the end of June, so it would be fun to see Hayden's brother and sister-in-law and our little niece/nephew. What next fall will bring is still unforeseen. Will we still be in Medicine Hat or will the time to move be upon us? Is this the year to begin a family? What will work look like after the summer? How will our art take off and proceed? These are the unanswerable questions. The questions that bring about the excitement of the unknown. The things I have to look forward to as the days progress. I mean, if we knew everything, there would be no adventure in life....right?
So here's to saying good-bye to 2010 and hello to 2011. May this year bring you happiness in great measure, a new adventure of vast proportion, and delights at every new turn.
from my family to yours, Happy New Year.
never forget to stop, Hear the Whisper, Taste the Sun
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Galathilion Earthenware
The past year has opened up new and incredible possibilities and ideas for me. An unleashing of a new creative flow. It started with a class, a pottery class. I found it through the Medicine Hat college and decided I needed a new and fresh outlet, so I signed up for the 9 week course, little knowing it would alter my way of thinking and change the course of the year. I love clay, the feeling of it between your fingers as you mould it into something new and sometimes unusual. The calming and relaxing effect it has. I learned much over the course of those 9 weeks, and after they were done, let this new skill lie dormant for the next several months. Then, as my creativity burst forth once more, along with my desire to continue pursuing those skills I already had, came the desire to continue with pottery and hone this new skill.
Thus, this past August I joined our local pottery club at the Cultural Centre. There I became surrounded by experienced potters and their plethora of casseroles, sets of bowls and mugs and other beautifully crafted pieces. Not being my best friend, the wheel was completely avoided at all cost and I decided to challenge myself with slab work and hand building. What could I create using this technique?
My friend Christy, brought me to a women in business conference, where I was inspired to start selling my pottery and paintings, to venture forth and write more books and turn a thought into reality. I said a little prayer, asking God to help me create in a way completely unique to what others made. To help me stand out with my work. To be different.
I began making trays and bowls, flat platters, wall hangings, and I even ventured forth and created a mug, all with hand-building. My dear friend Stephanie, had also given me the idea of pottery jewellery, so I ran with that, and they all turned out quite lovely. Then came this idea. Christmas was coming. Why not try to sell some of my pieces. Could it really be possible? Only veteran potters sell their wares, and I had been doing this a mere couple months. Who could possibly want my "out of the box" pieces? Then I remembered my prayer, and scared though I was, I took the next step. Hayden, who was also venturing out on a new limb of art, had decided to take part in the craft Co-Mingle and encouraged me to continue making pieces to sell. So I did. I aimed for the Medalta Heritage Christmas event which was a few weeks after the co-mingle. I got excited with my new wares and the night before the Medalta event, I excitedly went to the studio to unload my kiln after it's final firing. Sadness fell upon me at the sight of many of my pieces. Warped pieces were everywhere, much to my dismay. A valuable lesson learned....at an untimely time. Still, there were good pieces which had survived, so I decided to take what I could and fly with it.
Before the show dawned, I had to find a name for my new venture, and it had to be unique, catchy and ultimately...me. After searching and contemplating for many days, Galathilion Earthenware won my heart. It took me right up to the night before the show to settle on a name, as names are so important to me. This one I fell in love with, and was pleased to make my own.
The day of the show dawned, and we packed up our wares, Hayden's wood pieces, my pottery and my paintings, and off we went. The day was so wonderful, selling many pieces to many wonderful people. I realized, looking around, that my wares were completely unique to all the others, using a contemporary look. People seemed to like that and commented on it. My painting, also, were completely different, using bold colors and abstract ideas. All around, it was a great day, for us both.
I then started a facebook page, and due to this, have sold some more pieces, and then my mother so wonderfully has put up some of our art and my pottery at their restaurant, which as resulted in another 5 sales! To my wonder and amazement, this idea, planted in me by God, is beginning to take off! I'm running out of pieces and must once again begin inventing. I have more ideas in my head and am excited to see them come to reality.
Thus, Galathilion Earthenware is born, and though flying on still very young wings, wobbling through the air, has indeed taken flight and will, to my hope, only grow stronger. Feel free to check out my facebook page for more details and pictures.
Even in this crazy Christmas season, stop to hear the whisper and taste the sun.
till next time
Our booth set up at Medalta
Some of the necklaces
Christmas Ornaments
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Dream come true...
It started about 15 years ago, when I developed an immense love for the most beautiful instrument, the cello (pronounced chello). Now, I have been playing the piano for 21 years, so music is definitely a huge part of my life and for my birthday last year, my husband surprised me with a 1920's upright piano. It's beautiful. However, the cello has always been in my heart and has been my dream instrument to play. The rich notes of the strings sends chills up my spine.
Now, I say "dream" because the actuality of every owning a cello in this life was up there with becoming Queen. Not going to happen. this is not because you can't find cellos of all sizes at most music stores, but because of the cost factor. Cellos are an investment. A good beginner cello starts at about $1000 and can be upwards of over $80,000. Plus a bow, which can cost several hundred dollars for a good one, and then of course, the case (which is just as essential as the instrument itself). So you can see how this was more a "dream" then a believing I would one day own a cello. I figured, maybe down the road, once we have kids and they're grown up enough, I could rent a cello and learn. But that was the extent of that far away thought. And thus, a dream it remained.....that is, until about 3 weeks ago.
For whatever reasons, I still cannot figure out, I decided to google "used cellos" online. I have never in my life done such a thing, because a cello has never been in my budget. Well, google them I did and my findings brought me across the ever loved (for most) e-Bay. I started to look through what was listed, most seeming to be fairly cheap and good prices (not knowing names of brands or anything) coming in all sorts of colors and sizes. I've never been interested in a blue cello, so I quickly bypassed those and moved on. That's when my eyes caught something. A cello....for bid....by an antique dealer....currently sitting at $1.24. As you can imagine, my first thought was pure scepticism, but curiosity got the better of me, and I delved in to see what else I could learn of this cheap cello, which must be a hoax.
As it turned out, the dealer claimed it to be an estate find (someone died or lost their house), and this antique dealer believes that everyone should have the benefit to bid and the chance of a deal, so everything they post on e-Bay starts at $.99. No Reserve! The pictures of the cello made it look amazing and I talked to Hayden about it, and he said, for that price, you can't NOT bid on it. So I did! I had my limit of as high as I would bid. There was still 14 hours left and so I wasn't holding my breath on this one. I was bound not to be the only one to find this deal. So I said a little prayer, placed it in God's hand and said "Lord, do this....or something better". This prayer is something I've learned from my ladies Bible Study at The Link. They talked about believing that God has limitless resources and can do infinitely more then even we can possibly imagine. I may have faith for something, and God not only goes beyond what we think....but He goes beyond our beyond. So here I was, bidding on a cello, thinking, "ok, if I get this cello, God has definitely gone beyond even what I ever thought possible." But God didn't just want to go "beyond"....He wanted to go "BEYOND my beyond". So He did! And with that, the bid ended at 7:35am marking ME as the winner!!!! For a whopping total of $48.06 CND!!!! The cello also came with a hard case and a bow. God went beyond my beyond!
I was in such an excited daze I could hardly believe it! My dream was coming true! So I made my payment and on it's way my cello came. The package arrived just last week, and with much excitement I opened the box and pink styrofoam chunks went everywhere! But there is was....my new baby! the bridge was taken off for shipping and the strings in disarray, but that is easily fixed.
I then phoned around to a few music stores in town, to see if anyone knew how to string and tune a cello and one music store does. He said he won't even charge me! How lovely!
I then decided to read up on cellos and make sure this was the right size for me. I set it up, and it's the perfect size for me! Then I read up on how to place the bridge and what to look for when buying a cello (something I didn't do before I actually bought a cello). I learned that some brands may look good, but are just cut out moulds that are badly glued and sound as good as rubber bands on a cigar box. There are specific specifications to making a proper cello (hence the high price). They must be hand crafted, not mould punched. Some cellos may have fancy German names as a cover, but are cheaply made, and not in Germany.
I began to look for all the specifications on my cello, hoping I didn't purchase a dud. Everything they said to look for was in order and in place. Next, I thought to google the brand on my cello. It's Cecilio. I was delighted to find that my cello is a good brand, was hand crafted and also to find a manual on how to work my cello. Thus, I was able to get my first sound out of the low C string. It was a thrilling moment.
This week I shall hopefully have the strings fixed and tuned, find a beginners book on learning the cello, and maybe even start playing around with it. I do have a lot going on this week with my art show coming up next Saturday, but one can never be too busy for a dream come true.
Now, I say "dream" because the actuality of every owning a cello in this life was up there with becoming Queen. Not going to happen. this is not because you can't find cellos of all sizes at most music stores, but because of the cost factor. Cellos are an investment. A good beginner cello starts at about $1000 and can be upwards of over $80,000. Plus a bow, which can cost several hundred dollars for a good one, and then of course, the case (which is just as essential as the instrument itself). So you can see how this was more a "dream" then a believing I would one day own a cello. I figured, maybe down the road, once we have kids and they're grown up enough, I could rent a cello and learn. But that was the extent of that far away thought. And thus, a dream it remained.....that is, until about 3 weeks ago.
For whatever reasons, I still cannot figure out, I decided to google "used cellos" online. I have never in my life done such a thing, because a cello has never been in my budget. Well, google them I did and my findings brought me across the ever loved (for most) e-Bay. I started to look through what was listed, most seeming to be fairly cheap and good prices (not knowing names of brands or anything) coming in all sorts of colors and sizes. I've never been interested in a blue cello, so I quickly bypassed those and moved on. That's when my eyes caught something. A cello....for bid....by an antique dealer....currently sitting at $1.24. As you can imagine, my first thought was pure scepticism, but curiosity got the better of me, and I delved in to see what else I could learn of this cheap cello, which must be a hoax.
As it turned out, the dealer claimed it to be an estate find (someone died or lost their house), and this antique dealer believes that everyone should have the benefit to bid and the chance of a deal, so everything they post on e-Bay starts at $.99. No Reserve! The pictures of the cello made it look amazing and I talked to Hayden about it, and he said, for that price, you can't NOT bid on it. So I did! I had my limit of as high as I would bid. There was still 14 hours left and so I wasn't holding my breath on this one. I was bound not to be the only one to find this deal. So I said a little prayer, placed it in God's hand and said "Lord, do this....or something better". This prayer is something I've learned from my ladies Bible Study at The Link. They talked about believing that God has limitless resources and can do infinitely more then even we can possibly imagine. I may have faith for something, and God not only goes beyond what we think....but He goes beyond our beyond. So here I was, bidding on a cello, thinking, "ok, if I get this cello, God has definitely gone beyond even what I ever thought possible." But God didn't just want to go "beyond"....He wanted to go "BEYOND my beyond". So He did! And with that, the bid ended at 7:35am marking ME as the winner!!!! For a whopping total of $48.06 CND!!!! The cello also came with a hard case and a bow. God went beyond my beyond!
I was in such an excited daze I could hardly believe it! My dream was coming true! So I made my payment and on it's way my cello came. The package arrived just last week, and with much excitement I opened the box and pink styrofoam chunks went everywhere! But there is was....my new baby! the bridge was taken off for shipping and the strings in disarray, but that is easily fixed.
My new baby! Notice the stings are wonky as the bridge is not in place
The bow
I then decided to read up on cellos and make sure this was the right size for me. I set it up, and it's the perfect size for me! Then I read up on how to place the bridge and what to look for when buying a cello (something I didn't do before I actually bought a cello). I learned that some brands may look good, but are just cut out moulds that are badly glued and sound as good as rubber bands on a cigar box. There are specific specifications to making a proper cello (hence the high price). They must be hand crafted, not mould punched. Some cellos may have fancy German names as a cover, but are cheaply made, and not in Germany.
I began to look for all the specifications on my cello, hoping I didn't purchase a dud. Everything they said to look for was in order and in place. Next, I thought to google the brand on my cello. It's Cecilio. I was delighted to find that my cello is a good brand, was hand crafted and also to find a manual on how to work my cello. Thus, I was able to get my first sound out of the low C string. It was a thrilling moment.
This week I shall hopefully have the strings fixed and tuned, find a beginners book on learning the cello, and maybe even start playing around with it. I do have a lot going on this week with my art show coming up next Saturday, but one can never be too busy for a dream come true.
My baby after I put the bridge in place
All ready for the strings to be reattached and tuned!
always stop to Hear the Whisper, Taste the Sun
Till next time
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Stop and Remember
Today is a day where, united, all from across this beautiful, vast Country, stop to think about and remember those who willingly fought on the front lines for our freedom. To remember those, who standing on those front lines, knew that each breath could be their last. This knowledge didn't halt them, didn't intimidate them, and thankfully didn't change their course of action. We've been told, our whole lives, that they made the ultimate sacrifice for us. Nothing could be truer. 1 John 3:26 says "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers." Our soldiers are more Christlike then many would admit. How many of you would do the same? I know I would have a hard time laying down my life, especially for people I didn't even know! What these soldiers did, and are still doing today, takes strength, courage, valiance and true bravery. We are ever grateful and know we own our freedom to those who fought, those who lost their lives, and those who still fight for us today. Those brave men and women. To you we deeply thank with all our hearts, and we honor you.
The following is an excerpt entitled "War", from my book "Hephzibah", a compilation of poems and writings. (if you would like more info on my book, please feel free to contact me) As you read, take time to remember those who fought for us, those who died for us, and those who are still fighting and dying, and for the freedom we enjoy because of their sacrifice.
WAR
"...We in North America really have no idea what it's like to have war in our backyard. To have the fear that in an instant, any instant, we could lose everything we know, or everyone we know....
I'm bringing this up because war is an ever present thing in our lives these days. We all seem to know at least someone who's involved, or been involved in years past. If we haven't lost someone to war, we know someone who has. It effects us all...
...So now, I will share with you the poem that God put on my heart to write, keeping in mind the amazing men and women who give up their lives, everyday, for our freedom. Our country is saved by their blood, just like our spirit is saved saved by Jesus' blood. I pray that this poem stirs up your heart, makes you think, and causes you to have a new respect for what others are doing for you.
A distant rumbling
The sirens begin
A panic arises
Airplanes coming in
I run for a shelter
Somewhere I can hide
A place of protection
Where others have cried
Bombs all around
The place in upheaval
Buildings come crashing
At this unleashing evil
Our boys go and fight
Though many are lost
Trying to save us
At a very dear cost
Gunfire now starting
It's here all around
Screams and loud shouting
You can feel in the ground
Tanks coming in
I have no where to run
We're completely surrounded
In the hot, blistering sun
A fear I've not known
Is here in this place
My heart is just pounding
As tears streak my face
Sons, fathers, husbands
Are out bravely fighting
To give us a freedom
From all that is frightening
As I lie here alone
Amidst gunfire and smoke
I struggle to breath
Beginning to choke
I worry so dearly
About family and friend
Out there now fighting
Possibly meeting their end
how would I live
If they were to die
My heart would just break
I'd lay down and cry
How would I ever
Move on without
That warm love embrace
That erases all doubt
The dust is now settling
The bullets have ceased
All is quiet and eerie
But the tension has eased
I fell all alone
As I cautiously move out
Nothing is stirring
It seems no ones about
The scene set before me
Is filled with dark pain
Death and Destruction
All this for our gain
I then start to search
With overbearing dread
For one living soldier
Among all the dead
I looked and I looked
From morning till night
Despair taking over
I prayed with my might
I was aimlessly wandering
In the hot, desert sand
When a young soldier found me
And offered his hand
I then fell asleep
In the safe, warm embrace
Of one brave, young soldier
With a drawn, dusty face
We then left that place
Of destruction and loss
But remember it quite vividly
With each new, white cross
I'll remember these days
And all that went on
It'll stay in my heart
When these days are gone
I'll remember the men
Who gave up their lives
Who left home and comfort
Their children and wives
Who never came home
But paid a great price
For this our new freedom
A great sacrifice
The only reason we have the freedom to hear the whisper and taste the sun and enjoy all things good in our beautiful country, is all owed to those who never again were able to do those very things.
Till next time
Aryn
The following is an excerpt entitled "War", from my book "Hephzibah", a compilation of poems and writings. (if you would like more info on my book, please feel free to contact me) As you read, take time to remember those who fought for us, those who died for us, and those who are still fighting and dying, and for the freedom we enjoy because of their sacrifice.
WAR
"...We in North America really have no idea what it's like to have war in our backyard. To have the fear that in an instant, any instant, we could lose everything we know, or everyone we know....
I'm bringing this up because war is an ever present thing in our lives these days. We all seem to know at least someone who's involved, or been involved in years past. If we haven't lost someone to war, we know someone who has. It effects us all...
...So now, I will share with you the poem that God put on my heart to write, keeping in mind the amazing men and women who give up their lives, everyday, for our freedom. Our country is saved by their blood, just like our spirit is saved saved by Jesus' blood. I pray that this poem stirs up your heart, makes you think, and causes you to have a new respect for what others are doing for you.
A distant rumbling
The sirens begin
A panic arises
Airplanes coming in
I run for a shelter
Somewhere I can hide
A place of protection
Where others have cried
Bombs all around
The place in upheaval
Buildings come crashing
At this unleashing evil
Our boys go and fight
Though many are lost
Trying to save us
At a very dear cost
Gunfire now starting
It's here all around
Screams and loud shouting
You can feel in the ground
Tanks coming in
I have no where to run
We're completely surrounded
In the hot, blistering sun
A fear I've not known
Is here in this place
My heart is just pounding
As tears streak my face
Sons, fathers, husbands
Are out bravely fighting
To give us a freedom
From all that is frightening
As I lie here alone
Amidst gunfire and smoke
I struggle to breath
Beginning to choke
I worry so dearly
About family and friend
Out there now fighting
Possibly meeting their end
how would I live
If they were to die
My heart would just break
I'd lay down and cry
How would I ever
Move on without
That warm love embrace
That erases all doubt
The dust is now settling
The bullets have ceased
All is quiet and eerie
But the tension has eased
I fell all alone
As I cautiously move out
Nothing is stirring
It seems no ones about
The scene set before me
Is filled with dark pain
Death and Destruction
All this for our gain
I then start to search
With overbearing dread
For one living soldier
Among all the dead
I looked and I looked
From morning till night
Despair taking over
I prayed with my might
I was aimlessly wandering
In the hot, desert sand
When a young soldier found me
And offered his hand
I then fell asleep
In the safe, warm embrace
Of one brave, young soldier
With a drawn, dusty face
We then left that place
Of destruction and loss
But remember it quite vividly
With each new, white cross
I'll remember these days
And all that went on
It'll stay in my heart
When these days are gone
I'll remember the men
Who gave up their lives
Who left home and comfort
Their children and wives
Who never came home
But paid a great price
For this our new freedom
A great sacrifice
The only reason we have the freedom to hear the whisper and taste the sun and enjoy all things good in our beautiful country, is all owed to those who never again were able to do those very things.
Till next time
Aryn
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