Daily 5 - Day 161

Today's Daily 5:

1. Thankful, actually, to have made it through the day.  It was definitely one of those "push through, hard slogging" kind of days, and I'm really thankful to be at the end of it and in okay (if exhausted) shape.
2. Safe driving home tonight in the fog - I came out from the event I was attending to discover super thick pea soup like fog blanketing the entire city.  I had to drive a friend home in an unfamiliar neighborhood, and was quite grateful for safe driving.  Things like thick fog are really challenging for me as they make it a whole lot harder to compensate for my limited depth perception.
3. A smooth exchange process for the two water bottles I purchased yesterday, both of which turned out to have flaws.  I have one new one, and a refund for the second, since they only had one more in stock.
4. Some interesting thoughts and conversations about my living situation, a potential new living situation, and another potentially financially wise opportunity.
5. Haiti Benefit Concert tonight.  If you're my facebook friend, and live in or near Calgary, you likely heard about this from me.  For me, it was sort of a gift to let Haiti, which has so underlied my thoughts all week, simply be my focus for the evening.  To listen to some stories from a Calgarian team from Compassion Canada that landed only an hour before the quake, and from a Haitian woman living in Calgary.  To let the songs flow over me and lift my prayers.  To let Haiti be at the forefront tonight, instead of the "one more thing" underlying everything else going on in my life.  And Calgary - you showed up!  Way to pack that church out, and way to give.  $115,000 was raised tonight for the work of Samaritan's Purse in Haiti, and those funds will be matched by the Canadian governement!  $230,000 dollars!  That number made my night.  Well, to be honest, it made my night to simply be in a room with people who cared, but I was so impressed at how much the church stepped up.  It gave me such a great deal of hope in the church and humanity that I don't always have, and that has left me deeply impacted tonight.  So thankful, too, for the artists like Steve Bell and Carolyn Arends that flew in, and all the others that donated their time to pull this event off so well on such short notice.  It was a beautiful evening.
   

The Adorable Babies A.

Last week I got to hang out with a few adorable baby girls, and their parents.  I think I could definitely grow into this happily doting and cuddling "Aunt Lisa" role!

Let me show you the babies "A".

 

 

 

Things I Liked

This post at Brian's blog was needed encouragement today.  Just hang on.

This post at Marko's blog made me happy.  I loved Sara Miles' first book and can't wait to order this new one and add it to my reading list for the year.

I liked the video in this post at Pete Wilson's blog too.  Fun question: If you could have anything happen by the end of today, what would you choose?

The Whole Earth Groans

I feel like that this morning.

Like I can feel the whole earth groaning.

I hardly slept last night.

In the little time I was asleep, I had an incredibly vivid and intense dream.  A dream about a situation I've been part of for a long time now.

I woke from this dream stunned, and lay for a few moments in the dark, praying desperately.

The first thing I do when I wake is check emails.

The first email I read this morning informed me that at 6:00 this morning, Haiti was hit with a 6.1 magnitude aftershock.

That stunned me all over again.

For a week now it's been like I've been feeling the groans of the Haitians in my spirit.

I feel them still today, maybe even stronger.

I "twitched" this morning.  A weird "spiritual" remnant from my trip overseas, but one that doesn't often happen these days.  (A fact for which I am oh so thankful.)

The day promises to be an incredibly intense one anyway.

Some health challenges again.

Full schedule at work.

Meeting a friend going through the challenge of watching her mother sucuumb to cancer.

And then attending a benefit concert for Haiti.

A later night than I can usually manage.

All on minimal sleep.

I feel the groaning of the whole earth this morning.

I feel that groaning within my own spirit.

And I am reminded again of the verse I was working to memorize a day or two ago "For I know that as you pray for me, and the Spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will lead to my deliverance."  Pray, trust the help of the Spirit, and be free.  That is how I'm going to live this groaning day.

Aftershocks

There were intense aftershocks this morning in Haiti.

BBC article here.

Blog post from a family living in Haiti here.