Its a New Day

This past summer I had the priviledge of spending some time in Scotland. It was a stunningly beautiful country to visit and I was especially excited because we would be in the home country of one of my heros - John G. Paton. Though we didn't get to visit Dumfrieshire where he was born, I was in Glasgow where he studied before leaving. John G. Paton was a missionary to the New Hebrides and worked there with the cannibals. His biography is a gripping tale of God's grace, answering prayer and the working out of his plan in his timing. In the face of peril to his very life, John was faithful to the call of the Lord in his life. One of my favourite passages is about John's father and the time he spent in the 'closet' praying. How many hours he languished over giving his son to the Lord for his work. It wasn't until John told his parents of his desire for missions that they told him that this had been their prayer since he was young - they didn't want his desire t...

Yesterday I saw a new neurologist in Hamilton. It is always with great anticipation that I go for my 'first' visits... will I remember all the medication names that I 've had in the past? Which ones worked for how long? What questions do I need to ask this doctor? Fortunately, at least for the questions part, I had Heather - a dear friend who is also a nurse - along with me. She asked questions that I would never have thought of. After a short consultaion wit h the doc and lists of what medications were left for me to try, I left with a prescription for 3 meds. I take 1 (the big middle bottle) 3 times a day and from the two little bottles I take 1 whenever I feel that the headache is getting worse. (I have done the 2 little bottles before - but now we're trying a higher dosage). While the last year and a half have been very difficult, I can look back and see God's hand in this and the strength and grace he has given me. I am not 'sick' when I have my migrain...

This handsome little guy is Tristan - my nephew - and is he ever a boy! He's only 9 months old but LOVES his John Deere tractor (much to Ryan's delight) and scoots around on the floor pushing his tractors. He also has a tractor with animals that makes noise which used to be one of his favourite toys ... until last week. Rachel decided to by Tristan a small piano and as soon as he touches the floor he heads right for it! It plays pre-recorded melodies (which change by turning the page) or he can make his own tunes up. He just plays away and loves when I push the notes down with him. I'll be sure to have a piano so that I can teach him to play for real when he's older. Last night when I came home Ryan had the 4wheeler out with a roller to roll the grass (I don't know - apparently it is a 'country' thing to do) and as I looked closer I saw Tristan with a huge smile riding along! When the tractor stopped he was pushing Ryan with his head to keep going. He just k...

On Friday I was invited to watch the drama "Three Trees" put on by the homeschooling group that a number of the children from Riverside attend. It was great to see Jonathan, Anne-Marie, Miriam, Esther, Jonathan, Hannah, Josiah and Peter up on the stage singing away. I count it a great priviledge to be part of the family of God and to be able to encourage our young children in their different activities.

A few years ago my sister Karen and I went to Taiwan for 2 weeks to teach English at Christ's College for a program called American Villiage. Students from the college could sign up for an intensive 8 day program where they would pretend they were coming to America and were only allowed to speak English. Karen would be teaching one of the 4 classes held each day and I was a room 'mom' and helped with planning different activities. Before we left we got a video to look at from the previous year and there was a girl who had been to American Village to help improve her English. Karen and I immediately hoped that we would get to meet this sweet girls who was touched that people would come from the States to teach her English "They don't even know what Taiwan is... is it a tree?" she said. To our great delight we got to meet Fiona on our first evening! She was going to be taking care of some children that had come along on the trip. Fiona showed ...

Have you ever done something that you never thought you'd do in a million years? Well this weekend I am. Growing up we always had cats in the house... it was just part of the maddenss. At one time we had 6 girls, 2 cats, 1 dog and a bird, so it isn't like I haven't grown up around animals. This weekend I'm dogsitting for some friends... the least I could do to help them out for 1 day and 1 night, right?!? I had been talking to a old landlady of mine and mentioned what my plans were for the weekend. Even she was shocked. Normally, Hettie is the one who is called on the watch the animals. Dogs go crazy with joy when Hettie is around - she'll play, wrestle and snuggle with them. Me, well, let's just say, I don't pet them, don't talk to them, don't look at them... To my pleasant suprise, Winston is a great dog. Basically she has been laying at my feet since last night. She 'runs' outside and then comes obediently. I even pet her last...

This past weekend I was up in the mountains at Bonclarken in Flat Rock, North Carolina for a whirl wind visit (Friday am till Saturday pm). Bonclarken is the conference centre for the Associated Reformed Presbyterian Church (ARP). I was attending a Women's Ministries Executive Board meeting. (I know, I know... it sounds really official and what am I doing there right?) At these meetings the presidents and presbyterial representatives (that's me) come to talk about the things that are going on in our area. We have ladies from Tennesse/Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Catabwa, North East, First and Second presbyterials and I represent the churches in Canada. A lot of what goes on at these meetings is really way over my head. A lot of these churches are celebrating 100 and 200 year anniversaries, so they have a long history of being involved. Some of the ladies had their grandmammies, and great-grandmammies on the board and are carrying on the tradition. I haven't been part of a chu...

Have you ever 'Goggled' yourself? Sometime ago I was passing on an email to someone I thought I knew... but it turned out I was using the wrong domain name in the email address and someone else was getting my emails. Imagine my embarassement when one day I got an email from him saying "Jennifer I loved the cute story you sent to me... but who are you? Where do I know you from? I goggled you and maybe I was at your church one time?" I was goggled!!! So I quickly did a goggle search on this person to find out who he was (a pastor in the states somewhere) and then one on myself to see what could possibly be on the web about little old me. First thing that came up.... "ARP Women's Minstries... Jennifer Hovestadt Canadian Representative..." (that explained why he thought he had been to my church) Second thing... "Pedigree - Golden Lions Jennifer of Hovestadt" This one scared me a bit... then I looked at a picture... it is a very unattractive ...

Well, I've just figured out how to get back to my home page and I thought I'd start off with a note about a great book that I have just finished reading for the second time. It is called "Fine China is for Single Women Too" (it is published by P&R www.prpbooks.com ). It is a gem of a book! It was delivered to me on a Sunday morning and by the evening I was giving it to John (my pastor) to read and get his opinion. A few weeks later we were talking about books again, and this one came up - but he had a bit of a different idea then I did... I mean... he thought the book was great and that I should write a review... so now I'm taking time to read it much more carefully, take notes and write the most difficult book report that I've ever done! Though it talks about single women and how to live lives that better reflect Christ, it is a great book for everyone in the church to read as well. I think that if we can train our daughters (and sons) that marriage, thou...