#OSCARSOWHITE

Like Will and Jada, I am boycotting the 2016 Academy Awards. And all Academy Awards from here on out if things do not change, because this year is no different than any of the years before it.

Let's take a spin through the best picture nominations since 2010, shall we? Disclosure - my source for the list of nominees is Wikipedia but it has never steered me wrong before. Or you know...not often. There have been 52 nominees for best picture since 2010. How many of these starred a person of colour or had what I would personally consider to be a diverse cast?

2010
2011
- The Help
2012
- Beasts of the Southern Wild
- Django Unchained
2013
- 12 Years a Slave
- Captain Phillips
2014
- Selma
2015

Of the FIFTY TWO nominees for best picture since 2010, SIX have starred a person of colour or had a diverse cast.

FOUR were specifically about slavery or the civil rights movement - The Help, Django Unchained, 12 Years a Slave, Selma.
ONE starred a Somali-American actor as the villain of the story - Captain Phillips.
ONE portrayed extreme poverty among mostly African Americans in the deep south of Louisiana - Beasts of the Southern Wild.

In 2016 as a black actor, the only Oscar worthy parts available to you are those where you must play a slave, a villain, or a person fighting for your civil rights?!?! Really?! Not to mention that none of these movies star Latino or Asian American actors!

What can you even say? So I am going to watch Chris Rock's monologue and then turn off the television (I just finished watching it and have to say - fantastic that he did not briefly mention the issue but just stared it in the face the entire time. And to me, even though it was Chris Rock, the monologue wasn't funny. Because it ISN'T funny).

Heaven help us. Sheesh.

MAKING IT RIGHT

Have you ever done the wrong thing?

I mean done something you knew was mean or spiteful or hateful or sinful and you felt guilty before you did it but you did it anyway? Sounds like a chapter from a CS Lewis book, right? Or a chapter from your (my) own life?

I had one of those moments recently. I felt guilty before my action and felt even worse after. I spent the next 24 hours pondering and trying to make it right when, in fact, I had known better in the first place. Sometimes it's hard to follow God. Some days I see myself for who I truly am.

My prayer for us all is that we more often stop ourselves before we take those actions. When we fail, may we try to make it right. Amen.

CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR 2016

Let's talk about two things, shall we?

Christmas and New Year.

First off - I am the biggest Scrooge. This Christmas I found it hard to buy presents. The older I get the more I feel most of us have enough "stuff". We have too much "stuff". And I am starting to become skeptical... I buy presents because society tells me I can't be empty handed when I see my family or friends in the month of December? Does anyone else feel this way?? Does anyone else agree that is not the point of Christmas??

Don't get me wrong - I love picking items up for family and friends throughout the year if I see something I think they will love. (I bought my friend J Mariah Carey's new Christmas storybook because I knew she would just love it - and she did.) And I'm very thankful for the things I receive. But to buy for the sake of buying when others are in need...

Little by little I hope to wear down my family this year (ok - really my mom) until they (she) agree we can stop buying presents for each other. Or at least get them to stop giving me Christmas presents because I truly am happy to simply have a couple of days off work and enjoy a good meal with those I love!!

Leroy, on the other hand was so excited about his Christmas presents that he fell asleep hugging his new Turkey. Does it get any cuter than that?

The next order of business - the New Year.

I never make any true "resolutions" but this year I have a few goals in mind. At the end of 2016 I'd like to be able to do a push up and a pull up. I'd like to go on two trips this year. (We have one booked!) I'd like to spend a little less money on eating out (I am a takeout monster). I'd like to live with my husband again. I also have some ideas about where I'd like my money to go (besides those trips - ha!).

Last year I bought a journal to document our favourite memories of the year on New Year's Eve. I'm really excited about it and I can just picture looking back on it years from now and remembering all the happy moments that stood out each year. I recommend doing it! It was even fun this year to look back at last year's memories!

I hope 2016 brings you all kinds of blessings.

THE WORLD TODAY

It's been a few weeks since I blogged in part because so much has been happening in the world it's leaving me a little emotionally drained and uncertain of what to say but fairly certain I should say something.

Let's show each other more love, shall we? To humankind near and far. To people regardless of their religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, gender, hairstyle, shoe size... Let's all consciously make the effort to help others, serve others, give to others. Let's think less of our own comfort and safety and more of the comfort and safety of others.

Can we please just try to be better humans and show more love?

I recently read Matthew 11:12 which really inspired me.

And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now 

the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing..

We can all choose to wake up every day and forcefully advance the Kingdom of Heaven!

There isn't much else to say. I don't usually share thoughts like this on the blog but I've been so frustrated with the world lately.

To leave you with a picture, I framed my grandfather's library card this week and put it on the shelf with all my prized possessions, most of which are grandparent related. :)

BEING THANKFUL 2015

Today is Canadian Thanksgiving and in the spirit of being thankful I wanted to share some of my thoughts on the subject.

The last year has been a fairly difficult one in a few ways - living a long distance marriage again and losing two loved ones. Lucky for me working in Medicine I am constantly surrounded by people who "have it worse" and it keeps life in perspective. Absolutely no matter what you are going through things could always be worse and I have that reminder almost daily.

Over the last six months I have started to catch myself when I find myself complaining and instead I thank God.

"I'm so tired" instead becomes "I am so thankful I have a job to go to every day."

"I miss Hubby and Leroy" instead becomes "I am so thankful I have two people in my life to miss."

"We waste so much money on gas driving back and forth" instead becomes "Thank you, God, that we have a car and the money to pay for gas."

I have the tendency to be a little bit on the pessimistic side of things - although I consider it being a realist - and this has really been helping me. If you're like me and sometimes forget to count your blessings, I hope you take this as encouragement to do so.

Top photo taken in Bern, Switzerland. Bottom photo taken in Lucerne, Switzerland - atop Mt Pilatus. Summer 2014.

THINGS THAT LAST FOR SEVEN YEARS

All photo credit in this post to Jordan and Judith Photo/Film. 

Hubby and I celebrated our seventh wedding anniversary last month and every time we reach a new year I always think about what I've learned about marriage since we wed in 2008. I was nineteen when we got married which is just shocking to me now but thankfully I would do it again a hundred times over. Even more thankfully God must have really guided that decision because holy - nineteen!! I don't like anything that I liked when I was nineteen!

I certainly am no marriage expert - heaven knows I lose my temper far too often and to be honest I don't think anyone ever accused me of being low maintenance (oops!) - but I do feel like we have learned a lot together over seven years of marriage (three of those being long distance).

We think the most important thing is to keep God at the center. If both people focus on their relationship with God and being more Godly themselves you will be a better partner. And we believe that being focused on God (and spreading His love) is what is most important in life.

Though one can be overpowered , two can defend themselves.

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:12

Don't get me wrong - marriage can be really hard. We have had difficult days and difficult months/years, to be honest. Thankfully we always get back to good days eventually but at times that takes a lot of work. Once we were at a wedding and a groomsman said, "Most people say marriage is easy." At that point we had been married for a few years and maybe only just began to live together. The two of us looked at each other incredulously as if to say, "We must be doing this all wrong." HA! Hubby and I still laugh about that.


So to take a totally different direction (I'll quit while I'm ahead sounding very sage and wise and hope you skimmed over the temper and high maintenance part - hehe), this anniversary has got me thinking... what are things that last for seven years? I know you've been wondering the same thing. :)

1. A high quality vacuum - we spent almost all of our wedding money on an Electrolux Oxygen vacuum. We bought the Oxygen 3 at the time - the link is for the Oxygen 12. Worth every penny.
2. Santa's Solution Tree Stand - we have this baby which was created and fabricated near my hometown. It's called Santa's Solution and we swear by it. It holds more water than any other tree stand by far and your tree will not fall over. It is literally THE BEST. Made in Canada. (Just like me!)
3. Books - some of my best friends are books! Books will stand the test of time, I tell you. They are beastly to move though. (My apologies to all of our friends who have ever helped us pack!)
4. Hubby's free tshirts - I actually typed this last week and then tonight got hubby to cut back to max ten free tshirts. After we counted them I realized he had less than I had thought...I would have been better off to ask him to keep five... :)
5. Childhood stuffed animals - Dumbo and Theodore (mine and his) are still sitting beside each other on our dresser. Besties. Dumbo is far better looking.

And of course to complete the list, things that do not last seven years!

1. Sheets/towels - I followed someone's advice when we first got married and I only used some of our towels so those ones are pretty much worn out and now we can move onto the stack of unused wedding towels. My mom bought us really nice sheets and we used them exclusively for three or four years. I threw them out about a month ago - just shy of seven years.
2. A futon - the bane of my existence. We watch TV while sitting on the futon in the basement literally every night. I mean, it doesn't owe us anything but let's just say one of the supports has been held together with butter knives and duct tape for many, many years now. It will not be making the next move with us.
3. Drinkware/coffee carafe - we broke all of those suckers in the first year or two of marriage. Glass cups? One by one we slowly whittled them away. Coffee carafe? Lasted less than a year.
4. Unity candle - this momento from our wedding survived three moves. The fourth time we moved (ugh) was one month after the third move (ugh). Strangest life decision yet. Sorry unity candle. I hope this doesn't mean we're not unified anymore.
5. A coffee table - it would have held up for seven years (and it's just from Zellers or Wal Mart!) but unfortunately I was talking to my best friend on the phone and spilled nail polish remover on it. Better days, better days.

NOAH THE MOVIE AND A KIMONO

We don't often see a movie on opening night mainly due to the annoyance of long lines, but this weekend we ventured out for the opening night of Noah, as per hubby's request.  He was very excited to see it and read the (small) section in Genesis earlier in the week as preparation.  I re-read it a few days after seeing the movie and here are the things I took note of from the Bible and movie:

1. Nephilim. I'm sure when I originally read Genesis I had probably never heard of the nephilim and didn't bother to look it up so didn't really grasp what the Bible was talking about.  "Nephilim" are the offspring of an angel and a human.  Genesis 6:4 says "The Nephilim were on the earth in those days - and also afterward - when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown."  Huh.  The movie focused a lot on fallen angels and their role in the building of the ark.  That, however, is not in the Bible.

2. Men were bad.  Like - really bad.  After the movie I asked hubby if he thought humans now were any better than before the flood, and with that train of thought it's probably important to note Genesis 6:5. "...every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time."  Every thought was evil - all the time.

3. All the sons had wives (it seems).  As we were watching the movie which focused very heavily on the fact that only one son had a wife (and therefore the other two sons wouldn't have the chance to pro-create and become "men" - Tim Allan grunt) I was pretty sure that was different from the story...and I was right.  Genesis 6:18. "...and you will enter the ark - you and your sons and your wife and your sons' wives with you."  So as you can see that is wives - plural.

4. The animals. They were my favourite part, I think. I had never thought about how the animals got onto the ark and the movie showing them all swarm the ark together was pretty cool!  The Bible says, "Pairs of clean and unclean animals, of birds and of all creatures that move along the ground, male and female, came to Noah and entered the ark..." That's pretty awesome.  And I had forgotten that there weren't just two of each (as movie Ham tells us).  There were seven of every kind of clean animal (a male and its mate), and two of the unclean animals and birds.  Who knows how they kept the animals alive and fed - the Bible doesn't go into that - but I thought the movie version of putting them into a drug induced sleep was a cool idea.

5. Hollywood, a flare for the dramatic.  As far as we're told in the Bible story, none of the daughters-in-law were pregnant and there was no stowaway on the ark.  Nice try, though.

6. Vegetarians before the ark?  It seems to me (with zero Bible college education) that they were vegetarians before and now, post-flood, they can eat meat. Genesis 9:3.  "Everything that lives and moves will be food for you.  Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything." 

7. The naked scene?  Yeah, that basically happened.  It's true that Noah planted a vineyard, got drunk off the wine, and got naked.  Genesis goes into a little more detail than the movie, showing that Ham found his dad like this and told his brothers.  Shem and Japheth covered Noah without looking and then Noah cursed Ham for not covering him and telling his brothers.

Those are the few things I noticed from the story of Noah (Hollywood version vs Bible version).  And to add a couple of photos, I thought I'd share my movie going outfit.

Coat from Zara, old.  Kimono from Top Shop. Similar here. Tank top from Banana Republic outlet.  Jeans from J Brand.

Skull bracelet from Shop Bop, old (I can't remember the brand).  Rubber turnlock bracelet by Marc Jacobs , old.  Still available on the Marc Jacobs website here.

Booties from Aldo.

JEREMIAH 29:11 ALSO KNOWN AS I WANT YOU TO BE HAPPY ON MY BIRTHDAY

You may already know from facebook we had some unpleasant news last week. March 5 was "Match Day", or the day Canadian medical students find out the results from CaRMS - the Canadian Residency Match Service - or something along those lines.  To give you some background, after we interview for residency programs we "rank" these programs, or submit a list in order of where we would like to do residency.  All the schools across Canada also submit a rank list, theirs of the students (in order) they would like to have in their program.  The magical (flawed? frustrating?) computer program then matches you with your top available choice based on the spots that are already filled with applicants who ranked above you.

We had hoped to stay exactly where we are.  We have lived here for four years now, have a home, a church, volunteer weekly at youth group, and I feel like after four years I finally made a couple of friends here...things are good.  It's the first time in our relationship we've actually been able to live together, even.  (We spent all our dating relationship and first two years of marriage apart - count 'em - that's four years long distance already.  We put in our time.)  I guess we felt rewarded for our time apart in being able to live together for the past four years.  Heaven forbid married people actually be able to spend time together.

So, needless to say, we were disappointed (understatement of the year) to find out I will be moving (alone) an hour and a half away for two more years of long distance marriage.  Modern marriage?  (Not to mention doubling our cost of living.)  Just call me Amy Two Two.  And for the love of Canadian authors, I hope you got that reference.

This is less than ideal.  Far less.  I threw myself a little pity party for a few days and thankfully have climbed out of the hole I was living in at the end of last week.  (And as a little side note, I might do a post at another time of why I hate "silver linings" sentiments when I'm upset.  Just part of my weirdness, perhaps.) 

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "Plans to help you and not to harm you.  Plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11

I believe this verse with my whole heart.  It has always been one of my favourites and there have been other times in my life when I have relied on it.  And after a few days of feeling sorry for myself, I knew it was time to put on my "big girl panties" and lean on God.  This is His plan for me.  I don't understand it, but I don't have to.  I have faith it is a plan to help me and not to harm me.  If you want to hear God laugh tell him your plans, right?

The photo I'll share with you today is from Match Day, which unluckily also happened to be hubby's birthday.  Ironic?  I made him a carrot cake as per his request and covered it with ombre shortbread cookies.  (He loved it because it was two desserts in one.)

To all of my classmates who have residency placements they are happy with - congratulations, I am very pleased for you.  And to those who are not happy with residency placements - I get it, and just know that somehow, for some reason, it's part of God's plan for you for hope and a future.  Someday hopefully it will all be clear!

CROSS CANADA TOUR: POST THREE

In my last post I referred to some big news around these parts.  It's in the category of life plans.  Last Monday I started my first Plastic Surgery rotation of fourth year.  For the past 12 months I have wanted to be a Plastic Surgeon... I set up all of my electives, found a research project, and was working towards this goal.  Last Monday when I started my rotation I should have been over the moon but I just... wasn't.  There was just this overwhelming sense of "I'm not supposed to be here", and for me, anytime I have such a strong feeling about something, I believe that's God telling me something.  I had a sudden realization this wasn't what I want to do with my life and I would be so so so much happier being a family doctor and getting to see these faces every day.  These two make me the happiest.

I feel happier than I have felt all year.  I just have this huge sense of relief and a weight off my shoulders.  When I'm working I'll still be able to be an assist in the OR and remove lumps and bumps which I realized is the part of Plastic Surgery I like best - and it translates to family medicine.  And I can live life with hubby, travel, decorate, make art, have doggies... I can have it all!  Phew!  Thankfully I figured it out now.  Who wouldn't want more time with those faces, anyway?  So that's the big news.  It's pretty huge in our world - it's going to create a very different life for us and we're very excited about it!

FIVE YEARS

Happy anniversary, hubby.  Can't wait to see what's in store for the next five years.

"Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken." Ecclesiastes 4:12. 

FORGOTTEN GOD

A photo taken at a friend's cottage last summer.

 I recently finished "Forgotten God" by Francis Chan.  You may remember a couple of months ago I did a little review of "Crazy Love", also by Chan.  Crazy Love is a novel about how to go deeper into your relationship with God...how to take the next step and really follow Jesus.  Forgotten God is completely different and focuses on the Holy Spirit.  Chan analyzes the Holy Spirit's importance and role in our lives.

For me, one of the most interesting sections of this novel speaks about God's calling in our lives.  Often you'll hear people talk this way, saying God has a purpose for them.  Sometimes people claim to be waiting for this purpose to be made known to them.  Chan states waiting for God's calling can be an excuse Christians use.  He says God doesn't care so much what we do ten years from now, He really cares about what we do today.  By waiting for our future purpose, we might be making excuses not to take action in the present.

This reminded me of something my high school ISCF (Inter-Scholastic Christian Fellowship) leader/biology teacher told me.  When I was in grade twelve, I found deciding which university to go to quite stressful.  I had approached Mr. D for advice because I thought him to be a man of God (who had been making the same decision a few years before me) and I greatly respected his opinion.  As a seventeen year old, I did not expect the answer I received.

Mr. D asked me, "Have you prayed about this?"

My response was, "Well, of course I have!!  I want to know where God thinks I should spend the next four years!  He must want me to be somewhere specific!"

Wisely, Mr. D then told me, "God wants you to raise up your decisions to Him.  He wants to be a part of your life and He wants you to look to Him for guidance.  However, God isn't going to send you a miraculous sign from heaven to show you which university to attend.  He won't send a lightning bolt to University A so you know that's where you're supposed to be.  He wants to be included in your decision and He'll make sure the decision you make is the right one."

Wow.  As a teenager, I thought that was the most awesome thing I had ever heard.  I think he was totally right.  That's my "God's purpose" story.  God wants to be a part of what you do today.  You don't have to make decisions for the next ten years because you think they are part of God's will.  Maybe they are, maybe they aren't.  Allow Him to be part of your daily decisions and He will make sure you are doing as He wants.

And back to the Holy Spirit, remember: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self control are the fruits of the Spirit.  I'm certainly not someone who memorizes Bible verses, (although I can paraphrase quite a few - ha),but in high school I took the time to learn these.  They're what you should be producing if you are living a life of faith with the assistance of my man, H.S.  They seemed like something to strive for and so I thought it was important I knew what they were.  Quite often I recite them to myself and think about the ones I'm not doing well (which is often all of the above).  Regardless, they're something to strive for!

HAPPY EASTER - HE IS RISEN!

Happy Easter!

As I've gotten older, Easter has replaced Christmas as my favourite holiday.  It's so awesome to have this reminder once a year about how much God loves me (so much he calls me a child of God)!  I know it everyday, but on Good Friday and Easter Sunday it really sinks in that Jesus has saved me.

To celebrate, I wanted to share the song I have listened to probably ten times today (by David Crowder Band called "How he loves us").  My favourite line is:

If His grace is an ocean we're all sinking.

And thank heavens for grace!

THE ARMOUR OF GOD

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  Ephesians 6:10-17.

The Armor of God. Ink and watercolour on paper, 2012.

CRAZY LOVE

I recently finished all of the novels on my book club's list (and then some).  When we were in Europe, my friend S was reading "Forgotten God" by Francis Chan and so upon completion of my current reads, I asked S if I could borrow both "Forgotten God" and "Crazy Love".

I started with "Crazy Love" because I think it was written first.  The tagline for the novel (if novels have taglines) is: overwhelmed by a relentless God.  This was written for Christians who want more than what they are currently getting in the church our society provides.  In the foreword Chan says this book is for people who don't want to plateau.  Hey - wait a minute... I don't want to plateau!

In the first chapter Chan mentions attending his high school reunion where all of his old friends were amazed by his wife.  Apparently he's the one who married "up" in their relationship (there's always one).  His friends couldn't believe Chan ended up with someone so beautiful.  Although he was attracted to his wife and thought she was stunning when they were dating, some of her beauty had been lost to him because they have been married for years.  When you see someone every day it's hard to be in constant awe of them.

Sometimes when we have been a Christian for a long time, we can get in a similar rut with God.  We know God is awesome (the book makes note especially of God being holy, eternal, all-knowing, and all-powerful) but as we go through the motions of our daily lives, read the Bible as we do every day, attend church like we have our whole lives...sometimes we forget just how awesome He really is.

Stop and think about it.  Really think about it.  God made everything - from the moons of Jupiter to the neurons of your brain (which I can attest are extremely complicated).  And He is eternal.  Eternal.  That means He has always been.  What's up with that?!  When you really stop and contemplate what it means to be eternal...we just can't comprehend.

Today why not stop what you're doing and ponder God and His creation.  Marvel.  That's what I'm doing.