push the envelope

this is one of those phrases that i always sort of knew what it meant, but wasn't ever fully sure

so i googled it (which is my solution to figuring out most things that I don't know about)
and here is some of what I found:

• To exceed the existing limits in a certain field; be innovative.
• This means to go to the limits, to do something to the maximum possible.
• push the envelope, to stretch established limits, as in technological advance or social innovation.
• to exceed normal limits. Pushing the envelope is a term adapted from aviation. The term implies a sense of risk at transcending the normal safe limits of operation.
• idiom to go beyond established limits; to pioneer

which is basically what i thought to begin with. i don't think that i'm much of the "pushing the envelope" type, although i have been known to be strong willed and stand up for what i believe... maybe perhaps exceeding the limits people would like me to have. But i think that pushing the envelope is a good thing to strive for.

my mom likes to say "go big or go home" and has chosen to live that out in her life. in my opinion, my mom is an envelope pusher (that makes it sound like it could be a negative thing, but its not), you see she exceeds the limits, she moves beyond her comfort zone, she stretches herself to serve Jesus, and to serve others, sometimes even stretches too far. But she does not settle. and that, is a gift!

i would think that would be one reason why she fell in love with my dad, because he is a guy that is always striving for more, to do better, be faster, serve more. he is an encourager, and a do-er. he is the definition of non-lazy, and has the best 'get it done' attitude. my parents have modeled for us a lifestyle to strive for more, especially in ways to know, love and serve Jesus.

i actually think that most of my family is the push the envelope type, and maybe i shouldn't have been so quick so say that i'm not that type, because in many ways I am. I just feel like i have so much room to grow and become more like that, so i'm not quite there yet

but i wish everyone in the world could have known my grandpas. it is no wonder to me that my parents are the way they are. poppa was always thinking of new ideas, starting them and nurturing them. he dreamed big and followed through. anyone who knows my brother in a way knows my poppa, in so many ways they are one in the same!

grandpa klassen was the hardest working man i know, hard working, tough, persistent but gentle, and loving and servant hearted. he pushed the limits for himself all the time.

what a rich heritage.

i think it is good to set goals for ourselves, and to push to exceed them. to go big or go home, rather than sliding in and out of one day to the next.

i think my mom's retreat vision is pushing the envelope, but we are so blessed that we will be able to see that come to fruition, and see the joys and blessings of letting God push us even further than we know how! for anyone that isn't sure what i mean about the retreat vision, check out this website: http://womenrefreshed.wordpress.com

pushing the envelope. seeking after more. pioneering. exceeding. maximizing. risking...
time to go for it!

go barefoot

hmmm this is my habit
and well, it's just me!

this one is an easy reminder, because even as i write this, i'm at work, with my nice dress pants and curly hair, and i'm barefoot.

i kick off my shoes as soon as i walk into my cubicle, or as soon as i get home i take off my socks
i normally only wear socks in the winter, although not always even then and you will know that i am comfortable in your home if i take off my socks when i get there
sounds kinda gross i guess to some people, or weird maybe
but that is how i am, and it's comfortable!

maybe if i had weird looking feet it would be different, but fortunately for me, and everyone else i guess... my feet are pretty a-o.k.

on a separate note... chad is back!
we are so excited to be able to see him, and give him hugs and tell him how much we missed him
but more importantly than that (and chad, i hope you read this... although we intend on telling you again in person) we are so excited to hear stories, and put faces to names with all the pictures, to see how God has used you, chad, and how he has stretched you. it's so exciting to see how your faith and love for Jesus has deepened, and widened, and has spilled out of you onto the "statistics"
it's weird coming back from things, and seeing people, and feeling in ways like nothing has changed or that no one will ever fully "get it", but i'm/we're so excited to even get a glimpse!

plant trees... (lots of them)

so, i've never actually planted a tree myself
nor have i ever had the desire to be a "tree planter" and go basically live in the mud for a few months
but i do like the idea of planting things, and more recently planting things in my yard

my caregoup came over the other day and laughed at my sad little flower bed, with one teeny tiny plant in it. my flower beds are actually quite large, but all i had at the time was this little purple plant that has since died, ok not a good start

so yesterday michael and i went to rona and roamed around their garden section
we didn't stay too long because it was cold, and we were hungry... it was 8:30 and neither of us had eaten since lunch time so, we were on the verge of hunger grumpiness.
but we roamed for a little while and plan on going again next week

we are going to pick out 2-3 shrubs, and as many colorful flower plants as i can fit in my front flower bed. not only that but we are going to build a little flower bed in the backyard against the fence and fill that with color, and life!

we are very excited. and... i even contemplated an apple tree. and then i could get my grandma to pass on her recipes for applesauce, apple juice, pie filling and just general mennonite apple goodness!! it would be a good investment...


i could go into a different spin on planting trees, talking about the way that God allows us to plant seeds in the lives of other people but quite frankly i have to be out the door in 3 minutes and really shouldn't be writing right now anyway!

if you are reading this.. come over in a week. maybe i'll be ready to show you all my colorful flowers by then!! :)

enjoy simple pleasures... seek out the good

so, i've already missed a day... not a great start but oh well
i'll do two pages in one post, kind of cheating my own little schedule, but it doesn't bother me, so i think we're ok.

see, i've realized that there are 120 different "daily inspirations" and that could take me a good 4 months to complete, so sometimes I'll have to do two in one, so that I don't get too far behind.

enjoy simple pleasures...
this is me! i'm kind of a no fuss kind of girl. i mean, i love doing extravagant things, or making a big deal out of gifts and events etc but when it boils down to it, i love simple
examples:
i love doing the same thing over and over again, going to the same places, eating the same suppers, watching the same movies because it's simple, and no fuss, and it's peaceful

simple pleasures to me are: sitting in my parents gazebo, sipping giant mugs of peppermint tea or black coffee, watching you've got mail, fever pitch or bewitched, driving to the lake, camping in a tent, grocery shopping (most days), ordering chinese food and watching friends with michael, mowing the lawn, singing, listening to josh and leah's jokes, hugs, sitting with my grandma

no fuss, just natural. simple simple simple and so life giving and.. peaceful. i know i said that already, but it pours peace into my soul!

which i guess naturally leads into the second one, seek out the good.

things, simple things, can become so enjoyable when you seek out the good in them. for example, seeking out the good in ordering chinese food and watching tv with michael looks like this (to me): we put on our comfy clothes, and don't worry about "dressing up", my husband never looks better than he does in his sweats and t shirts, just being him. we sit on the floor and jokingly argue over what to order and who has to actually call. we trade food from our meals so that each person gets extra of what they really like. we attempt to eat with chopsticks, and laugh when we make a mess. we watch the same old familiar show and recite the lines before they happen. we sip some wine and pretend to be fancy, we laugh and enjoy and go to sleep later feeling like that was a good night. it is something we enjoy, because we've found the good in it.

i also feel like God has given me the gift of being able to see the good in people, even in bad or stressful situations. i think that is part of empathy and sensitivity. i also know that sometimes that opens a person up to be hurt, because it's often linked to being too trusting. BUT 9 times out of 10 if you choose to look for more good things in a person, you will find them. and how could that not be worth it?

life is something to be sipped and savored

a couple of months ago i went to starbucks (well... i do that weekly, but this one specific time) & bought a journal.
i felt like i hadn't journaled regularly in a long time, and i really liked this one, and thought maybe it would inspire me to write more
see... i love to write, but sometimes feel like i am either on repeat or have nothing of value to write down. but i really do love to write.

the journal is called life's little reminders and this is what it says on the back:
the best journeys are always about laughing together, loving each other, seeking adventure, believing in our dreams and making a difference... but sometimes we forget. so we offer life's little reminders: a journal filled with daily inspiration - wise and wonderful little ways to reconnect with life's pleasures and appreciate one another. take it with you on your journey. and always remember that life isn't something to be hastened or hurried: it's something to be sipped and savored.


as it says in the description, there is a daily inspirations, or reminders of things to do to enjoy life even more! i've decided that to inspire me to write, i will use one daily inspiration per blog post, and see where that takes me.

so, the first one is: care deeply
i've realized that caring deeply is something that comes very naturally to me. sometimes to my dismay! right now i'm in a stage where i feel like i want a friend to come that cares about me as deeply as i care about them
don't get me wrong, i have a lot of people that i care about and that care about me, my husband being the most caring of all!
but i'm talking about a girlfriend, someone who thinks to call me first and that i think to call first
it's been hard having jo move back to ontario permanently and i feel like there is a hole that is staring me in the face
caring deeply... this is something that i appreciate about who God made me. and i think he put me into the right family, (and now another right 2nd family). i feel like i would do well in a caring profession, and i've been mulling that over in my mind a lot more lately
i laugh easily, and cry even more easily, sometimes i feel like i can feel other people's emotions that they aren't speaking about. i get that from my mom (and my dad too...). i'm learning to not hide that, but to share it with people.

i care a lot, and about a lot of things!

i decided to finish this post by sharing three things that i really care about: my family, my friends and photography... and here is some of my recent melding together of those 3: