I love LIFE!

I went for a walk this morning in the snow down to the Boat house. As I enjoyed the gorgeous view of the lake and the trees covered in snow, I thought about the things I love. I got out my little pink book and started to write them down. I started with I love God and ended with I love LIFE!

That was a bit of a shock for me to write that 'I love Life'. It was only just over nine years ago that I hated life. It's true that in the last nine years, God has changed me a lot and I have loved many things about life. But I had not expected to write 'I love Life.' I cannot deny it though, with all my heart, I do, yes, I really do LOVE LIFE!

God is just sooooo amazing. He is awakening my heart everyday. This year, my heart is becoming more alive everyday. As a reult, I am loving life and Him even more everyday! Thank you Father for giving me Life and for pursuing and waking my heart!

Here are a few other things that I love:

I love pens that write smoothly

I love the snow

I love waterfalls, lakes and rivers

I love the sunshine

I love walking in the woods

I love mountains

I love swings

I love lilies, roses and pretty flowers

I love beauty

I love walking with a friend

I love children

I love chocolate

I love families

I love parents

I love little sisters

I love good friends

I love people who make me laugh

I love nice clothes

I love people

I love laughing

I love real wood fires

I love strawberries

I love nuts

I love hugs & kisses

I love tomatoes

I love people smiling

I love reading, writing, dancing, singing

I love adventures

I love pretty curls

I love straight hair

(etc. the list goes on...)

I LOVE LIFE!

I'm back!

Hello everyone,



Well, yesterday was a very long day! I was up at 5:30am English time (after only having 4 hours sleep). We left the house at 6 am - my sister kindly drove me to the airport before she had to go to work. I had to kill 5 and 1/2 hours at Heathrow airport before my flight at 11:30 am. The plane was half empty, so I sat on my own which was cool, as I was too tired to be making conversation with anyone. I was able to read and to have a soak which was cool.

We landed in St.Johns (New Foundland - Canada) at 1:30pm Canadian time (which would've been 5:30pm English time). We had to go through customs there and collect our luggage and then put it back on the belt to go back on the same plane. We left there at 3:30pm Canadian Time (7:30 English Time). We landed in Halifax at 4:10pm. After picking up my luggage, I waited until about 5:30pm for Brandan and Jenn to pick me up and we drove back to Yarmouth (we stopped at Chapters and Starbucks in Dartmouth on the way - that was nice). By the way 'Chapters' is a really cool Canadian bookshop that I really love - but we don't have one in Yarmouth yet! I was so tired in the car and just wanted to sleep. I went straight to bed when I got to the house. It was 10pm Canadian Time (2am English Time).

The girls were really excited to see me this morning. I am really glad to be back home. I never thought I would refer to Canada as 'home' but that is how I feel now - which is really cool I guess.

And guess what!!! Yes. The snow is back!

I really enjoyed my time in England, and I loved catching up with friends. I am still excited about 2006. This is going to be a good year! God is really awesome!

Love to you all,

You are all so precious!

Ash :)

Nine Years!

It has been nine years today since I gave my life to Jesus. He has SO completely changed my life! Wow! Nine Years! Doesn't time fly by when you're having FUN! I honestly am so much more in love with Him now than ever before! He really is just soooooooooo cool and so lovely!

h

If you don't know Jesus, you're SO missing out!

j

I love you Daddy! You are so awesome!

l

Surprise! Surprise!

This week has sure been full of surprises! I had been praying for a while now to be able to go home to visit my parents and surprise my dad for his 60th birthday. God totally surprised me this week when some very kind friends offerred to pay some money towards my airfare back to the UK. I knew that my sister was also willing to pay half the airfare to fly me back home.

So literally, it all happened so quickly and within a couple of days, I managed to find a flight, book it, and I left Yarmouth yesterday morning, and finally got home this afternoon. I am still so jetlagged and tired. I've had like 5 hours sleep in the last 3 days. To summarise my trip: I left Yarmouth yesterday at 7.45am Canada time and took the 4 hour shuttle drive to Halifax airport. Waited around the airport for about eight hours. Got on the flight at 8.20pm Canada time. Sat next to a Canadian Russian guy who was very nice and we talked the whole time. Landed in Heathrow airport at 7.30am this morning London time. Finally got home at 12 noon.
I didn't tell my family that I was coming home, so they had no idea. I took the underground from the airport and walked home. I turned up at my parents' front door and my dad opened the door for me. He was so surprised. My whole family family were. It was so nice to be able to surprise them like that!
My dad also surprised me, by telling me, that he got offerred a really good job in London. He has accepted the offer and will start there in April. He finishes his current job in the Middle East in March. So it will be very nice for him and for us, that he will finally come home, after working abroad for 3 years and that he will have a good job too. I love surprises like that!

I'm really glad to be home for two weeks. I haven't told people from Riverside Church that I'm back either. I plan to turn up at church on Sunday and surprise them. That will be really cool! If you are from Riverside Church and you are reading this before Sunday, I look forward to seeing you then. Please don't spoil the surprise for others though!

Love you all,
Ash x