Photo Challenge week 1

I keep seeing friends taking part in different photo challenges through Instagram and other sites, and I thought it would be neat to try to do a challenge too. I probably won't do a whole year challenge, but I will try to do as many of the challenge ideas as I can. I looked up September's daily challenges, and will post a bunch at a time throughout the month. It's a neat way to get ideas for photos, and neat to see what others come up with too!

So, to start, here are a few photos from the challenge:

HAPPINESS

This picture exudes happiness... Sue and Mulligan both smiling happily!

LEAVES

Easy to take, as there are leaves all over the ground right now!

MORNING SKY

...Through tree branches

BOOKS

Well that was easy!

SOMETHING FUNNY

What I think is the funniest card ever created

FAVOURITE COLOUR

I love this colour green :)

The Flying Scotsman

(This one's for you Linds!)

I wanted to watch a nice inspiring movie today, so I chose Chariots of Fire - always a favourite! It's inspiring because there's so much more to Eric Liddell's story than just his running. Overall, his story reminds us that we can do all things for Christ... 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God;" and Colossians 3:17 says, "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus." That's what Eric Liddell did... he took something like running, and he did it for God's glory! And look at the impact he made on people all around the world because of it. He wasn't just 'the man who wouldn't run on Sunday.' He was more than that, in his everyday life. Though he's most remembered for refusing to race in the 1924 Paris Olympics because his event was on a Sunday (though he did race the 400 metre race and won, breaking a world record with a time of 47.6 seconds)...he achieved so much during his life. He was a missionary in China, for example, and changed countless lives through his work there. And that's not to say that you have to be a missionary in order to change lives and lead people to Christ. Liddell even said, "We are all missionaries. Wherever we go we either bring people nearer to Christ or we repel them from Christ." It's with that in mind that he lived his daily life. And it's because of that example that he's such an inspiration.

As for his running--like I said--it's just another reminder that whatever we do, we can do it for God's glory. Look at all of the athletes out there today... they are not only athletes, but also missionaries in their own way. Like the golfer Bubba Watson, who won the 2012 Masters Tournament, and used that opportunity to unapologetically share his faith with millions of viewers. Or a number of football players who make it known that they play and do their best for God's glory (Colt McCoy said, "I want to be the best I can before God"). There are skateboarders like Brian Sumner who use opportunities skating to share the the Good News with crowds of teens who are around to watch him skate. There's Bethany Hamilton, the surfer, who has shared her faith with countless people and being an example to them. All of these people remind us that in God's family, you're not "just" a title... you're not just an athlete, or just a teacher, or just a musician, or just a student... because we can take whatever it is we do, and use it for God's glory.

Like Liddell, something as simple as running can be used to glorify God. I love the quote in Chariots of Fire, when he says, "God made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure." Well, God made us all a certain way, and when we do what He made us for, we can also feel His pleasure. :)


p.s. Totally off note here, but I have to say something about how much I love watching Liddell run! Well, I've not seen him personally, but the actor who portrays him studied his "technique" and had it down pat, according to people who knew him. As Wikipedia describes it: "Liddell's unorthodox running style...with his head back and his mouth wide open." haha It's true, and it's great! There's the well-known story that goes like this:
At an athletics championship in Glasgow, a visitor watching the 440 yard final in which Liddell was a long way behind the leaders at the start of the last lap (of a 220 yard track) remarked to a Glasgow native that Liddell would be hard put to win the race. The Glaswegian merely replied, "His head's no' back yet." Liddell then threw his head back and with mouth wide open caught and passed his opponents to win the race.
That was his style. He'd be running and running, and suddenly he'd throw his head back and his mouth would be wide open, arms flailing around, and he'd go even faster! Gotta love it. :)

180

Really good documentary... it's worth the watch (though some of the images are hard to look at)

I Dreamed a Dream

Is it almost Christmas yet?! And no, I don't mean for presents or anything like that... I mean for the new Les Miserables movie that's coming to theatres at Christmas! That's right! A new movie production of Les Miserables, this time based on the musical. How fantastic is that going to be? And as if that's not good enough on its own, it's got an awesome cast in it, including Hugh Jackman playing Jean Valjean (YAY!) and Anne Hathaway as Fantine (one of my favourite actresses)! Russel Crowe is also in it, as Inspector Javert, which I initially wasn't all too thrilled about since I'm not really a fan of Crowe; but as my friend Katie pointed out, he will actually be pretty perfect as Javert, who is, afterall, one of those "wounded," "brooding," "egotistical," etc, characters. It suits Crowe well. haha  Anyway, an actress I'm not familiar with is playing Cosette; nor do I know the actor who is playing Marius. But I'm sure they'll be great. :) And Samantha Barks is playing Eponine, whom she also was on stage and at the Les Miserables 25th Anniversary special.
I am SO looking forward to this movie! Watch the trailer, and you'll see why...  it really looks like it's going to be great!




Here are a few pictures as well:

The police (lead by Javert)

Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean (and young Cosette)

Enemies, Javert and Valjean

Eponine

Movie Poster  :)

Summer Adventures

It's been a long long time since I've been at my blog, so I thought I'd attempt to post every now and then again... hopefully I'll stick to it!
I thought I'd start by posting a few pictures of some of the summers' adventures so far...

One of our first outings was to the Royal Botanical Gardens where there's a trail to walk and feed the birds, squirrels, chipmunks, etc. It's such a fun place to go, and is always so beautiful. 

Of course, I could sit there and feed the birds all day!

Overall, it was a super nice day with mom, dad, Bill and T ~ feeding the birds, chipmunks, etc, and then eating a great picnic lunch... what a perfect way to start off the summer!

Next was a visit to Niagara-on-the-Lake with mom and Aunt Francine. We spent the entire afternoon/evening there, just walking around town and browsing in some shops. Of course we stopped for some Starbucks too (yum!)...

Mulligan came with and was very good! But he did get pretty tired from all the excitement, and for the last half hour Aunt Francine carried him around like this... he was mighty comfy!

We all loved this great little car parked at the side of the road, that happened to match so nice with the tulips beside it, and the overall decor of the town :)

I had a nice morning a few weeks ago with Aunt Ingrid, as we went to Port Dalhousie for breakfast and a nice walk (a summertime must-do!). We met a rather large family of geese there... a mother and father with 13 little goslings!! I've never seen that many goslings in one family before... it sure was cute!

And the next "adventure" was the weekend with the quintuplet squirrels! Mulligan found 5 abandoned baby squirrels in a garden, and so with the help of some of the girls here at the March of Dimes we got them inside, warm and cozy, and kept them well fed! (had to feed them every 4 hours!)

They don't really look like squirrels yet, because they were only 2 weeks old (at the most)... no fur at all, and their eyes weren't open yet. They were completely helpless. We had a great time taking care of them. It was a full-time thing for those few days, but we loved every minute of it! 

I finally got in touch with a place nearby that was licensed to rehabilitate wildlife, and they said they could take the squirrels for us and make sure they got complete proper care and rehabilitation. So off they went to their new home! They will be taken care of there until they're ready to be released in the early fall. :)

^  This is how we fed them - with an eye dropper

So those are just a few of my summer adventures so far! But it's only June, so there'll be lots more to come! Stay tuned!

The Veil

I thought I'd do a random post today to share my favourite piece of art. The first time I saw this sculpture I was awed by it. No matter how much I look at it, I cannot get over how amazing it is! The piece I'm talking about is the well-known "Veiled Vestal" (also known as "A veiled Vestal Virgin"). It was created by Raffaelle Monti (1818-1881), and is dated to 1847. Take a look at the following pictures... you'll understand why I love it!

The detail of the veil is what makes it so remarkable. It looks like an actual piece of material is draped over her... yet it's all marble. Incredible, isn't it?

 

Look how real her hand looks even!

The full statue

High Tea

I'm sorry I haven't updated my blog in such a long time! This summer flew by, and I spent most of it outside, so I feel like I was barely at my computer at all! Now that the weather's getting cooler I'm inside more, so I guess it's time to get posting again. I thought I'd start with a bunch of pictures from a recent outing I had with my cousin...

Last week Maria and I went to Niagara On The Lake's Prince of Wales hotel for High Tea in the drawing room! It was, of course, so beautiful, that we took loads of pictures. And the tea itself was great! We each got our own pot of tea, and lots of yummy food... little sandwiches, a warm scone, and lots of desserts. It was a great experience! So here are some of the pictures from our time there...

The Prince of Wales hotel

The entrance room to the Drawing Room (tea room)

The outer room

The Tea Room

Cozy corner

There were vases of fresh roses everywhere!

Tea Time!

We loved the whole tea set at our table

Maria enjoying her tea

The delicious food

Fresh jam, butter, and clotted cream for our scones

It really was the best scone ever

Yum!

My jewelry I wore for the occasion

We then took some random pictures in the Prince of Wales... what a beautiful place! I loved all of the art especially

Again, fresh roses all around

Lovely hallways!

Reception area

The outside of the building is just as nice as the inside

It was a perfect fall day!