So... what are you doing on Hallowe... I mean, Reformation Day?

Some interesting thoughts on being 'missional on halloween', in other words, how to use the day as an opportunity to evangelize. Link here.

Harvest

The sunflowers are now being harvested. "While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease" (Genesis 8:22).

YP's Pie Fundraiser!

Last Sat. saw our yp's group - plus a few moms - HARD at work in the ICS kitchen. The goal: to make 103 apple pies. Why: to raise money for Samaritan's Purse Christmas boxes, which they plan to shop for and assemble together.

They even let Yvetta get in on the action :) She spent about 2 hours straight happily making her own "flour pie". A pie pan filled with bits of leftover dough and a whole lot of flour. Which she was calling "dust" by the end of the day.

This marvelous idea had been hatched months earlier as the yp's tried to think up a "service" activity - a way they could invest their time in helping others.

They decided on a fundraiser and pies became the commodity of choice.

But an idea like this doesn't just "happen". Much planning, work and......shopping!!! went into this success. And Laurie (mom in the green sweatshirt) helped out her daughter Jaiann as these 2 women rolled up their sleeves and got 'er done. (with a lot of other help, I'm sure - but as I'm not privy to all the details, I'll just tell what I know :)

Since the ICS kitchen, though well stocked in many ways, was sadly lacking in rolling pins, we had to improvise. Flavoured water bottles were just about the right size and actually worked admirably - I came to prefer them over a real rolling pin......

The worked was portioned out amongst the crowed - some peeled and chopped apples, some filled the pie shells, some put on the top crusts, some made the crusts.........

........and Brenden laboured in his little corner making most of the dough. Helped out by yours truly, though I didn't know how to work the mixing machine and had to do my batches by hand.

And here is Deanna proudly holding out a finished crust. One of many. 1 of 103, to be exact.

Now about Sheila........what can I say? She's an expert, with her very own.......ummm.....style. Yah. Style. :) She did a terrific job ;)

And these 2....wow. If ever there was a competition for the longest, thinnest apple peels, they'd surely give you a run for your money.

It was a fun day - but very, very tiring! At least for this mom. And I wasn't even there the whole time! But, despite sore feet, it was really neat to see the yp's pull together and work hard on a project that was not for them. It was for others - others who needed what they can give. To be a servant is a big part of our calling as Christians, but it doesn't come easily to most of us. I'm proud of our youth and this effort they made to serve the Lord - even in the act of making pies!

Aurora Borealis

This is what our night sky looked like last night. We were on our way to KP mall when the northern lights came out in all their glory. We had to stop at the side of a dark road and just look up and watch the colours dance. It was amazing! Another perk of living here in MB... :)

Next project

We (Mark Hordyk and I) have been doing some work on our place and are really liking what's been done thus far!! Our entrance is being extended. Extra entrance = more room for winter boots, coats and hats. However the work was halted upbruptly as of 1:36 this afternoon. A bylaw officer rolled into our driveway today to say we needed a building permit to continue (arggg!!). A neighbour who happens to work for the RM of East St. Paul complained that there was no permit. Thanks, neighbour. So the work is on hold until we get the piece of paper. (Argg!!)

He has done all things well

http://vimeo.com/dustinfarrell/landscapes2

Recent expansion work