I came across a prayer.
For peace!
I can’t believe I had never heard about this prayer nor St. Francis.
Our family is going to learn this prayer as we enter into the Christmas season.
Here is the adult version: 
And the family friendly one: 
Praying for peace.
In my boys’ hearts.
In my home.
In my community.
As we live.
Vote.
Breathe.
Shop.
Enter into Christmas craziness.
Prayer for peace.
Thank you St. Francis of Assisi.
I am sure you have heard of a triathlon or a duathlon or perhaps even the heptathlon from Olympic events.
But have you heard of one of the greatest sporting events to hit 2014? 
Papathon!
A weekend of activity.
Celebrating Papa’s 69th birthday.
Lovingly planned over two weeks by myself, thoughtful Sexy Neck and my three insightful boys.
Papathon began with swimming, a backyard eight hole golf course with prizes, cake, dinner out with my dad, sleepover then skating and brunch before Papa headed home. 
We tried to plan a three event weekend, like a triathlon, but it ended up being so much more than what we did.
Laughter.
Joy.
Tears.
Grief.
Wrapping paper.
Gifts.
Necklace for Nana’s rings.
Lottery tickets.
Golf balls in a dump truck.
Steak dinner at our old favourite restaurant.
Swapping lies.
Creating memories.
Celebrating life!
Pouring out love.
For our dear Papa!
Happy birthday Dad!
Every day change occurs.
Inside and outside of myself.
Whether I like it or not.
Seasons change.
People change.
Decisions are made.
Babies are born.
People die.
I am not where I was or who I was a year ago even though I relive last year every day.
Surgery for mom.
Hospital trips.
Watching her in pain.
Watching her die and not even knowing it.
Now I know.
Now I see.
Now I feel.
The numbness is gone.
I live in unbearable pain every day.
Fatigue-inducing.
Gut-wrenching.
Leg-weakening.
Pain.
BUT….
I also live with unimaginable gratitude every day.
Life-embracing.
Life-giving.
God-loving.
Gratitude.
The gift of grief!
I soak in my book club women’s smiles, ideas, disagreements and laughter.
I slow down and look.
Really look.
The ability to see and feel the autumn leaves changing is a time to rejoice.
Being able to walk under a bright red umbrella of leaves makes me stop. 
Listening to the scrunch, crunch, munch of leaves under three year old OC’s tires as he madly pedals his two wheel bike makes me smile and giggle.
And playing in the leaves with my boys is one of the sweetest moments in these last deep, dark weeks.
What will you notice today?
Who will you choose to spend your time with?
The gift of life!
Choice.
Noticing.
Relationships.
Grief.
Gratitude.
Life.
Aren’t you, like me, hoping that some person, thing or event will come along to give you the final feeling of inner well-being you desire? Don’t you often hope: “May this book, idea, course, trip, job, country, or relationship fulfill my deepest desire.” But as long as you’re waiting for that mysterious moment you will go on running helter-skelter, always anxious and restless, always lustful and angry, never fully satisfied. You know that this is the compulsiveness that keeps us going and busy, but at the same time makes us wonder whether we are getting anywhere in the long run. This is the way to spiritual exhaustion and burned out. This is the way to spiritual death.
Well, you and I don’t have to kill ourselves. We are the Beloved. We are intimately loved long before her parents, teachers, spouses, children and friends loved or wounded us. That’s the truth of our lives. That’s the truth I want you to claim for yourself. That’s the truth spoken by the voice that says, “You are my Beloved.”
These beautiful words are from the book called ‘Life of the Beloved’ by Henri JM Nouwen. This is an author that my counselor recommended that I begin reading. His books have tremendously blessed me. And today my prayer for myself, my dear family, my friends and every person that reads these words today would know that they are God’s Beloved.
Uniquely created.
With individual DNA.
Distinct fingerprints.
Exclusive ancestry.
Chosen by God.
Yes.
You.
Me.
All creation shouts His name.
May this fall season encourage us all to see with our hearts, minds, bodies and spirits that we are uniquely His BELOVED.
I am sure if I looked into the history of Halloween or asked one of my non-Halloween-going friends, we may not participate in October 31st activities. But we do and we do it well! 
Decorating the front of the house for trick or treaters.
Getting together with beloved friends to carve pumpkins.
Creating costumes that express themselves and empower our boys. 
Taking snacks to school to share with classmates during the Halloween party. (This year it was watermelon cutouts.)
Going door-to-door to meet our neighbours and share a story or two. 
Giving out chips and chocolates to each person who comes to our door.
Looking at photos of our cousins who dressed up.
Celebrating relationships.
Allowing Uniqueness.
Being a part of Community.
Accepting Neighbours.
Treasuring Friendship.
Loving our Family. 
Pouring out.
Pouring into our boys.
Building roots.
Going deeper.
Eating lots of mini chocolate bars.
Witnessing one of the most incredible sunsets I have seen in awhile.
Glory!
God gets all our praise for this night and the people who surrounded us this Halloween!
"Be" ENOUGH 