Handel's Messiah Love!

I got to be a part of the most amazing thing tonight! I had the privilege to be a part of a choir accompanied by the Tutta Musica Orchestra, performing selections of none other than Handel's MESSIAH!!! Such a highlight for me! Of this and every other Easter! And I was NOT at all prepared for the audience to spontaneously STAND for Hallelujah!! Ohmygosh goosebumps!

Anyways... sorry for the rambling! But I just had to jot this down! What a memory! And to think we get to perform it 3 more times tomorrow!!

Happy Easter, Everyone! Love wins!!
xo

Mary, Did You Know?

love this song! and jordan smith did it so beautifully.
enjoy.

merry Christmas!! from our family to yours!!
be blessed this holiday season and always!!

xo!

tis the season for Christmas playlists!

my friend, mike, does a 'daily Christmas tune' on Facebook and i just look forward to it so much! this one just makes me happy (and just so happens to be the one i suggested to him!).

enjoy!!
x

what's on your playlist this holiday season?!

All is well.

Christmas is about Jesus and celebrating His birth.

So thankful for my Saviour.

All is well.

cheryl | downtown moncton session | moncton portrait photographer

i would so thrilled to photograph my friend, cheryl.  she's an inspiration to me and so many...having lost a LOT of weight (wish i knew the exact total) in the healthiest of ways -- eating right, drinking lots of water and exercise.  so proud of you, cheryl!  and super happy with your photos!

thanks to our friend, jocelyn, for being a lovely assistant, reflector holder and cheerleader!

ahhhhh...what a great day!

i'm inspired...

...by many things.  music.  scripture.  a great quote.  a great photograph.

lately though, i've been incredibly moved by the videos/testimonials that have graced by Facebook/Twitter feeds.  i've laughed.  i've cried.  i've become so giddy excited that i thought my heart was going to explode.

so once again, i'm dusting off the ol' blog (a regular occurrence) to bring you some of my faves of late.  and quite possibly for the opportunity to laugh & cry with you.  because i haven't done that today.  :)

enjoy.  Xo.


1. the story of an English boy who stuttered.
my son, jacob, needed speech therapy when he was younger...  and every now and then, the stammering creeps back.  not a whole lot.  but a little.  they just have so much to say, and they're so excited to say it...  it gets overwhelming.

THIS one really hit home.  (get the tissues.)

2. movies written by kids.
haha!  joe & i near DIED watching this one.  my heart was so ready to laugh after the Mushy (previous) video.

3. two guys rocking out on, yes...cellos.
my background is in classical music.  i started piano lessons when i was 7, and even went on to study the piano in university.  i love classical music.  but i love ALL KINDS of music so much more.  what these guys did here is nothing short of extraordinary.  i think i've viewed the video...oh probably 40x times.  no word of a lie.

so there you have it.  a bit of a random post for a thursday.  :)

hope you & yours are all well on this day.  what did ya think of the #snowpocalypse blizzard yesterday?!  pretty amazing, eh.  and today was the calm after the storm.  quite lovely.

blessings today.

--H

BatDad

have you seen this?!?!?!?!

i laughed and laughed and laughed...  each and every one of the hundred times i watched this yesterday.  discovered stomach muscles i never knew existed.

BatDad, you are a genius.  kinda makes me wish i had given Vine more of a chance.  ;)


HAPPY THURSDAY!!!

what i'm lovin' lately...

...and on my 'press-repeat-as-soon-as-it's-done' playlist.  seriously.  i am moved each.and.every.time i hear this song.  a great lyric (simple) + a great melody (singable) = something to behold.  and experience.

i got to experience these guys when they opened for chris tomlin last year.  their time on stage just flew by.  i didn't even (if i'm being completely honest) want them to leave the stage.  it felt like a warm (and much needed) embrace by a dear friend.

anyhoo.  sorry to gush.  ;)  AS&D, i love this song that you've created.  and the Creator Whom you're singing to.  thank you.

GREAT ARE YOU, LORD

- all sons & daughters -

You give life, You are love
You bring light to the darkness
You give hope, You restore
Every heart that is broken
Great are You, Lord

It's Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise
We pour out our praise
It's Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise to You only

You give life, You are love
You bring light to the darkness
You give hope, You restore
Every heart that is broken
Great are You, Lord

All the earth will shout Your praise
Our hearts will cry, these bones will sing
Great are You, Lord


ps - so excited that AS&D will be returning to moncton on september 18th!!  find out more deets here!

5x12 project | march

hope you don't mind but we added a special guest to march's 5x12...  ;)  meet our new friend, GEORGE CANYON.  ;D

special thanks to caroline rouse for taking the pic!  xo!

just to give you a little bit of background...

George Canyon is a Compassion advocate and he stopped at our church, as part of a maritime tour, for our Good Friday services.  he's an amazing singer/songwriter/musician (came in 2nd on 'Nashville Star'), told some wonderful stories...and it was just so refreshing to hear him talk about his relationship with Christ.

thanks for sharing yourself with us, george!  God bless you for all the great things you're doing in Jesus' name!

:D


ps - funny story...  he'd been standing around for a while, signing autographs and posing for pictures, and we'd been waiting for a bit.  well, i wanted to get a family picture with him (hadn't really thought of using it for the 5x12 series, but anyways...  ha!).  anyhoo...  it's finally our turn and josiah can't be found...  we're looking for him and calling for him...  meanwhile, george is standing there being so gracious...  then josiah's back...  then he's gone again...  and...  well, you get the idea.  then george says, "i wanna do easter at your house."  LOL!!  oh josiah.  you keep us entertained.  ;)

happy easter!

i belong to a ladies' singing group at my church (we called ourselves, 'the SISTERS').  :)  ahhhh...they bring me so much joy and making music with them moves me each time!  thank you, ladies!!  XO

anyhoo...  today, we sang this song at the Easter services.  for the first time, with a live band.  it was electric.

ahhhhh...  i love Easter.  thank You, Jesus, for your sacrifice on my behalf...and ultimately, for Your victory over death!  what a hope we have because of You!

happy Easter!!!!

"VICTOR'S CROWN"

Written by: Darlene Zschech, Israel Houghton, Kari Jobe

You are always fighting for us

Heaven's angels all around

My delight is found in knowing

That You wear the Victor's crown

You're my help and my defender

You're my Saviour and my friend

By Your grace I live and breathe

To worship You

At the mention of Your greatness

In Your Name I will bow down

In Your presence fear is silent

For You wear the Victor's crown

Let Your glory fill this temple

Let Your power overflow

By Your grace I live and breathe

To worship You

Hallelujah

You have overcome

You have overcome

Hallelujah

Jesus You have overcome the world

You are ever interceding

As the lost become the found

You can never be defeated

For You wear the Victor's crown

You are Jesus the Messiah

You're the Hope of all the world

By Your grace I live and breathe

To worship You

Every high thing must come down

Every stronghold shall be broken

You wear the Victor's crown

You overcome

You overcome

At the cross the work was finished

You were buried in the ground

But the grave could not contain You

For You wear the Victor's crown

it deserves a blog post.

every now and then, i come across really great sayings that i just love.  you know the ones.  you pin them, you share them on Facebook, you post them on instagram, etc....  all because they resonate with you.

well...  yesterday at church, i was sitting with my friend, penny...  and we were listening to our pastor speak (about 'simplifying our lifestyles') and the fact that we are a culture consumed with STUFF.  it was great message; a poignant reminder to take a step back sometimes, and reevaluate our priorities.

then he came out with this.

and then it hit me.

i have so much.  and i have no problem going out and buying more.  why do we feel the need to keep up with 'the joneses'?!  seriously.  i need to count my own blessings instead of those of the people around me.

LORD, help me to live simply.  help me to be content.  Help me to be a generous person.  and help me to crave You more than anything.

A devout life does bring wealth, but it’s the rich simplicity of being yourself before God.

Since we entered the world penniless and will leave it penniless.  If we have bread on the table and

shoes on our feet, that’s enough.

                                                             -- 1 Timothy 6:6-8 (MSG)

if you'd like to view the whole message, click HERE.

the man behind some of my faves...

LOVED this interview...and chris' humility. "...more people have heard chris tomlin's tunes than katy perry, adele and kelly clarkson combined."?!! WOW. that is amazing. and ONLY God.

the Church thanks you, chris. your gift has blessed us all, time and time again. may God's anointing and favour continue to rest on you.

"God has given me the responsibility of serving His Church..."

--Colossians 1:25a

10,000 reasons

hey friends.  sorry the old blog has been a little inactive lately. [sad face]  i've been working a few other projects, meeting with clients, updating my portfolio, revamping documents, etc... and then i go and get sick this week. BUH. nothing like a feeling run over by a bus to get you down in the dumps, feeling all 'woe is me...'.

the truth is i don't know how good i have it.

i have such an AMAZING life. i am sooooo incredibly blessed. i have the love of my Saviour, Jesus, living and beating inside me, a wonderful husband who adores me, 3 healthy/happy/energetic/ lovable kiddos to call my own, the love & support of my mom/dad/sister/in-laws/aunts/uncles/cousins..., dear friends who are like family to me, an amazing church family...  not to mention all the other blessings in my life (our home, my business, good health, food on the table, clothes on our backs...etc...).  seriously, what do i have to complain about?!

absolutely nothing. this song is a reminder of that. we have 10,000+ reasons to be thankful to God, '...the Giver of all good things...'

so...  thank You, God, for this tonight. :) You knew i needed it.

breath of heaven

i L O V E this song. it never ceases to get me thinking and pondering again the birth of my Saviour.

Luke 2 

The Birth of Jesus

At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire.  All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census.  And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home.  He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee.  He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant.

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born.  She gave birth to her first child, a son.  She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep.  Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them.  They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said.  “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.  The Saviour—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!  And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”  Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

   “Glory to God in highest heaven,
    and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”  They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph.  And there was the baby, lying in the manger.  After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 

All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.  The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen.  It was just as the angel had told them.

don't forget to breathe.  take the time you need to remember what (and Who) Christmas is all about.  :)

O holy night

as i sit here...editing away, part of what's keeping me going is listening to Christmas tunes.  yes?!  don't you love this time of year, and all the incredible and passionate remakes of Christmas classics?!  GAH.  i love this one.  lincoln brewster's rendition of 'O Holy Night'...

enjoy.  and blessings today!  xo!

--H

happy thanksgiving!

Psalm 100
 A psalm for giving grateful praise.

1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

2 Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs.

3 Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.

4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.

5 For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.

Higher than the mountains that I face

Stronger than the power of the grave

Constant in the trial and the change

This one thing remains

On and one and on and on it goes

It overwhelms and satisfies my soul

And I'll never ever have to be afraid

This one thing remains
This one thing remains

Your love never fails, it never gives up
It never runs out on me

In death and in life I'm confident and covered by the power of your great love

My debt is paid there's nothing that can separate my heart from your great love

today's dose of inspiration.

"...the sun comes up, it's a new day dawning

it's time to sing Your song again

whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me

let me be singing when the evening comes..."

happy thursday, dear friends!!  melanie & justin's pics are comin' right up!  :D

oh happy day!!

happy easter, friends!  Jesus is alive!!!  ...and no amount of a snowstorm can change that!  ;D

what's so 'good' about it?

ever wondered why we call it 'good' friday?!  i have.  and this explains it.  :)

"...but He was pierced for our transgressions,
   He was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him,
   and by His wounds we are healed."

                                                         --Isaiah 53:5 (NIV)

today's dose of inspiration.

from time to time, i like to share what i call, "today's dose of inspiration" - little nuggets of wisdom, words of scripture, inspirational videos that come across my screen and my heart...  well today, i was totally going to blog about something else...but i came across this amazing, bring-tears-to-your-eyes story on katelyn james' blog.  i just have to share it here.

Chapel's Adoption Story | the feature from stillmotion on Vimeo.

obviously, this post isn't about kelly moore camera bags (although after hearing her story, i want one so much more!).  it isn't about MY experience with adoption.  i'm sharing it with you because it touched my heart.  and i know there are lots and lots of people who have tried and tried to have a baby...or maybe even their 2nd baby, and it's just not happening.

i really feel that God wanted me to share this with you.  and may He do "...immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us." (Ephesians 3:20)


...annnnnnnnnd one more quick share.  :)

a couple of weeks ago, joe & i got to see chris tomlin!  he shared his heart then sang this song, one of many favourite moments for me, that night.  may it, too, bless you as it did me.  :D  (btw, go see chris tomlin in concert, if you ever get the chance!  you will NOT be disappointed!)

enjoy!  and happy thursday!  xo!