I just had to do it !

I love music. I listen to music almost constantly when I'm home. When night comes, all night the computer plays beautiful, encouraging, uplifting music. What a great way to wake up! Well I want to share some with you. I added a music blog - "Music of Timothy" It contains Inspirational, Christian Contemporary, Messianic, Gospel, Quartet, Praise & Worship and a few others. Please enjoy! musicoftimothy.blogspot.com/

11 years ago, my mom gave me this to listen to - Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir - So You Would Know

About 11 years ago, my mom said to me, "Tim, I have a song that I want you to hear." At that time, I was going through probably one of the darkest, hardest times in my life. My faith was being shaken - not lost, but shaken. My life was in turmoil - my wife loved me, I had a very young baby, but I felt like a failure. I didn't know how to deal with all that was going on. I had a pretty good "mask." On the outside I was smiling, positive, happy. On the inside I was depressed, broken and struggling. This song helped. It helped SO much. It was as if Jesus was talking to me. Listen to it and try not to cry. If you are having a hard time, struggling, drowning - turn to the one who loves you so much ! Trust Him, Serve Him, Love Him - You are a child of the most High God. Ask your Heavenly Father for help. Ask the Holy Spirit for peace in the midst of the storm! Ask Jesus to embrace you. The Lord loves you.
Blessings Friends :)

Because He Lives; Amazing Grace My Chains Are Broken - Israel Houghton &...

I saw this and had to share it. It's uplifting, beautiful and worthy of listening to!

What a week this has been - trials, testing and temptation.

Weeping may be at night, but joy comes in the morning :) Psalm 30:5b

"Often after a "spiritual high" you will experience an attack of the enemy" is what my pastor told me this past weekend. I have heard this many times. And it is not that I am to be discouraged by it, but rather to have the awareness of what is going on around me. True words.

I had a great time in the Lord this past weekend. Questions were answered, comfort was given, and peace was experienced. This week on the other hand has been a week of tests, trials and temptations. I'm being honest with you...the heat is on! I can't go into details right now, but it's been a very interesting week. And not interesting in a fun way. But you know, all through this I keep thinking - "The Lord examines the motives of our heart", "Consider it pure joy whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know the testing of your faith produces perseverance," "The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure."

Three things I've been going through this week...trials, temptation and testing...Add to this one more "T" word - testimony. When this is over, I know that this will be a testimony, not for my bragging, but for God's glory. I am looking forward to sharing this once the storms of life settle down :)

Have a great day friends and stay safe!

Clean - up from the snow.

Not as much snow as expected -but there was still a 3 foot high drift the entire length of my driveway. Heard some thunder this morning when it was snowing, that is always cool. Last time I remember thunder snow was December 27, 2007. Then it all melted - fast.
I wonder what my neighbour is going to think when he and his wife get back from the south? I put several stakes with orange on them to  stop snow being blown from the parking lot onto my trees and yard - salt, sand are not very good for blue spruce tree. The branches get broken and when the snow leaves they have huge spaces missing out of them. There is a vacant lot right beside the parking lot and all the operator has to do is make a couple extra passes....anyways, back to my neighbour....He has a small utility trailer in his back yard, or at least he use to have one....between the tractor from the one lot and the blower from the other lot...it is totally buried, so are several other of his items. we'll see in the spring if the axle is still straight, probably not.
I went over to dad's to blow out his driveway and so I had to load my snow blower in the back of the truck. I thought I'd back up to the snow bank, drop the tailgate and drive it into the back...it didn't work. But I want to thank a stranger for helping me. He stopped his car and helped me lift it into the back of the truck. Still lots of nice people around!


The plow just went past...11:30am, so I guess it's time to clean the end of my drive again. Stay safe everyone!

Batten down the hatches....here comes the snow !

A large flock of Snowbirds is often a sign of an approaching storm

A storm is on it's way. A big storm. But we are due. It's been a few years since we've had a large snow storm. Down around London, they have actually issued a blizzard warning - first one since 1993. I remember that storm. I was at Sir Sanford Fleming and I had an early morning class. Mom and dad let me use the Sunbird for that week. I remember driving down the streets and pushing snow with the front bumper. I couldn't stop at stop signs for fear of not getting started again. I actually got stuck at one 4 way stop and there were a couple students walking by...I asked for a push and in return I gave them a ride to school. Good bartering :) 

So what will tomorrow bring? Snow, wind, drifting, canceled buses - those are all a given. What I don't like hearing about is the accidents. If the roads are bad - stay at home. You may miss a days pay, but you'll be alive...and maybe just maybe you'll not take someone else's life either. And don't forget about the emergency workers that have to go and rescue people from stranded, stuck or crashed vehicles...let's not put them in danger also. Stay safe everyone...oh...by the way - I saw one of the largest flocks of snowbirds that I've ever seen before on Sunday...An old wise tale that when you see snow birds a storm is on the way??? I think not :)

How Great Thou Art !

Have you ever noticed that people often measure the size of God by what they are going through? To me, this is a very dangerous way to think of God. I've heard people say - where was God when all those children were starving? Try turning the question around...Imagine God saying to you - "What did you do with the resources that I gave you to help the starving children? Bigger house, newer car, another t.v.? I'm just thinking.....re-adjusting....This thought went through my mind today as I was reflecting on a song that we sang at the men's retreat on the weekend. We sang the song below. Originally written by Carl Gustaf Boberg a Swedish Pastor, it was translated by Stuart K. Hine, an English missionary to Ukraine. The words are still powerful, the message still relevant, the imagery still magnificent. 

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

The Lord has blessed me so much, and I am sure that most reading this blog have more than what you really need. Our God is a Great, Magnificent, Wonderful Creator. One day, everyone is going to have to give account of what they did with what God has provided us with. 

My prayer for today is, "Lord, help me to use Your resources for your glory, and not mine."

Men's retreat

Step into the water - wade out a little bit deeper

What a day yesterday was. I left for Strathroy at 6:45 am. The radar showed that it was snowing down south, so I wanted to leave in enough time so I wouldn't be late. The radar didn't lie. From Elginfield to Strathroy - 60km/hr. But fortunately there was no wind, just snow. I got to the church right at 9am.
It was an amazing day. About 120 men from all over southern Ontario gathering to have fellowship and worship. Evangelist Chuck Price was the speaker. Bold, and straight to the point. He spoke on David's mighty men and their accomplishments in the morning and in the evening he spoke on Ezekiel wading into the water, first his ankle deep, then knee deep, then waist deep...his challenge to us was - "are you willing to take the plunge and go into the water that is over your head !" Very timely word.
The ladies at the church made a great lunch and a very nice dinner. when all was said and done I made it home by 8:15pm. I hit the hay by 9:30pm. It was a long day, but a refreshing day.