Announcing the birth of Benjamin Alexander Ross Caswell

Picton Fair & Rising Stars 2009

It was a very busy weekend for the Rutherford family at the Picton Fair.

The kids and I went to the fair to help set up the church booth in the Crystal Palace





















Then we were off to the Rising Stars competition for Amy's audition. There were 15 contestants, all vocal, with one being a band.

Amy made it along with 9 others to the semi finals after singing "The Water is Wide" an arrangement by the late Eva Cassidy.

On Saturday we were back at the fair for noon for the semi-finals. Amy did a splendid job and even received applause in the middle of her song for a particularly difficult part. She sang another Eva Cassidy arrangement, "Over the Rainbow". I love this song. Judy Garlands version was fine, but Eva really owned it!



















Jay and I were really hoping that Amy would make it to the top 5 finalists as a confidence boosting excercise you know? However...

She did even better by placing 3rd overall with Amy Sedore in 1st and Becky Elliott in 2nd. These girls were all amazing. Beautiful girls inside and out and wonderful voices. Amy Sedore even won the Peoples Choice to open for Shania Twin Saturday night AND she was the judges choice to sing the Canadian anthem (bilingually) for when the Olympic Torch comes to Picton. We are so proud of her!

So, anyways back to my Amy. She was amazing, awesome, fantastic...what other adjectives come to mind, feel free to use them (as long as they're complimentary of course) :)

Here are a few pictures of the girls at the competition and the video that was shot of Amy singing in the semi finals. The sound and colour did not turn out at all...doesn't sound anything like the performance in person, but it's all I've got.

Amy singing "Over the Rainbow"


The 3 finalists with their trophies and prizes


















Amy & Amy























































The girls with Bev & Bill, a lovely couple who are constantly offering support and encouragement to the youth and are probably the Rising Stars biggest supporters.


















I am going to take Amy to the church (hopefully) this Thursday to have her sing on our NEW sound system and record it with our camcorder. I will post that once it's done.

Now to the rest of the weekend. When we weren't in the big tent we were able to get out and enjoy some of the different activities and vendors. Sunday was family day and we just hung out and enjoyed our time together.

Below are some pics of the kids at the fair. They had such a good time this year.

Amy's friend Emily joined her for the day and they had a blast.

Simon on the roller coaster (does he look likes he's having a good time or what?)



















Two beauties

















































































































































































What a great day!

Youth Worship Service

On August 9th the youth of our church organized and participated in the Sunday morning service.

I don't have time to put in a big blog post right now, but I am uploading the skit due to several requests.

So here you go...

Up at 4am...

It's just after 5am and I've been up and wide awake since 4. Why?, you ask. Because satan has a way of sneaking up on us and taking our peace, even when we are asleep.

I've been sitting here crying and worrying over things that just arent' all that important in the grand scheme of things. Let me backtrack a bit here for you.

Jay and I haven't been doing well money wise for a long time. Things have snowballed right into an avalanche that is presently burying us alive in worry, unpaid bills, late mortgages etc. There is a light somewhere in here at the end of the tunnel and I can see it. But here I sit worrying about some things that really, when you think about it, aren't all that important.

Meanwhile, a friend and her sweet soon to be 10 year old son are presently fighting for his life. Sweet little Stephen was diagnosed on July 7th with ALL (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia - Standard). Sweet, gentle little boy. My heart breaks for what he and his family are going through. My heart breaks as I watch my little boy break down into tears whenever he is reminded of what his friend is going through.

I receive updates everyday from his mom via a blog they started at this place. I am so grateful to be able to read daily of his progress and to be able to pray for him. I am grateful that he was able to leave the hospital this weekend to stay at Ronald McDonald house while waiting for more treatment. I am so grateful his mom is able to stay with him during this whole process.

I am so grateful that my children are healthy and sleeping upstairs. There is so much to be grateful for in my life, but mostly, I am grateful for a merciful and understanding Savior who puts up with my insecurities and mistakes.

Jesus, please watch over this little boy and bless him with your healing touch. Give him and his family your strength to get through these coming days and months. I pray God that you will heal him completely of this disease, but I know your will be done. Amen.

All things God can turn into good. Even young Stephen's illness.

Even our financial mess and the situations we are facing presently.

I just need to get down on my knees and lay it all at His feet. I need to let go of the worry and allow my God to work in my life... our lives.

I am feeling somewhat a small modicom of peace right now as I type this. Funny how God can work through our fears and worries even through the spilling of our guts on a blog.

I am going to finish this and go spend some time with my Father, but before I do, I leave you with this.

Wesley Acres Worship Camp

Amy just got home yesterday evening from a week at worship/music camp with her good friends, Emily, Claire and Angie from our church.

The girls had an awesome time honing their musical crafts, spending time in prayer, learning more about the God they serve and just being kids.

There was tubing, kayaking, canoeing, music, food, bonfires, and the requisite ghost story with lots of scared kids lol.

The final evening all the parents met at the big tent and we got to listen to our children perform and praise God. There were five groups and each group performed 3 songs. Unfortunately I didn't think to bring my video camera until yesterday afternoon, so had to rush home and get it. Turned out the battery was completely dead and there was only 2 hours available to charge it. There wasn't enough battery power to record everyone, but we did get Amy's group and some of another group. My friend Karen got some video of 2 other groups, so hopefully I will be able to upload those here as well to share.

In the meantime, here is "The Creation". Consisting of 5 students and the director of their group performing their set. These kids only just met this past week and had 5 days to put this together.

The guitarist hated one song because it 'killed' his fingers and Amy had a dry sore throat because there was no water to be found. All in all, I think they did a wonderful job.

Hope you enjoy.


First song...How Sweet It Is




Second song...Amazed



Third song...Be Praised!

Everyone is telling me to update my blog...

So I'm quickly putting up some pics of a trip the kids and I took to Wellington on May 21st. Amy had a hair appt and we went early so Simon could have some park time.

I'll do more soon (I hope)

Post of Amy singing today

Amy sang today at the Christian Women's Ministry luncheon in Belleville.

Poor child was so nervous but did really well. The only real sign of her nervousness was the fiddling of her fingers on her shirt and the swaying back and forth LOL.

Our very dear friend Michelle Found accompanied us (actually drove as well) to the luncheon, played piano and sang harmony on one of the songs. Unfortunately, Michelle wasn't miked so you can't hear her very well, but her voice and Amy's blend so beautifully when they sing together.

Actually, you can hear them sing the same song here from a previous post.

It started out so well...

Yesterday Jay and I took the kids to a local park for a picnic and some relaxed schooling/family time. It was so nice.

Before Jay and I had kids we would go on 'French' picnics. We'd take a French stick, cheese and wine and just lay in the sun talking. So yesterday, we packed fresh french stick, cheese, carrots and juice (in lieu of the wine lol) and went to Delhi park. It was lovely. We ate, talked, Simon played a bit and then we all spent some time reading. Amy ended up reading a book all about Canadian beginnings. Simon read about Vikings, I ended up reading about the Undergound Railroad (finished it at 1am lol) and Jay read a bit and semi napped. It was so nice. To just spend some time relaxing as a family and being grateful for some time with each other.

Now, move ahead a few hours at home. Our phone is now disconnected and quite possibly our internet will be soon. I am so tired of playing 'catch up' with our bills. The "world" intruded into our little family day. (We received some other awful news as well, but I'm not ready to write about it, I'll try in a few days †)

Our pastor has been preaching about money, tithing, giving etc. Being faithful and good stewards of the money God has given us. Jay and I can both admit we haven't been really good at any of these. We are good at misjudging our spending. We are pretty good at giving gifts of money when we have it (and sometimes when we don't) but we haven't been very good at tithing. It's been so hard to tithe when the amount that comes in is less than what is going out. How does one tithe 10% out of a cheque that is just a couple dollars more than your mortgage?

People have suggested that tithing your time is a good alternative until we are financially stable. Thus my reasoning behind becoming a member of our board and helping out with the Youth Group.

However, we both decided (were convicted) a few weeks ago to start tithing fully again. That first cheque was the hardest one to write. It felt like so much (and it could have paid the phone bill). Malalchi 3:10-12 says ¹⁰ Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it. ¹¹ I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty. ¹² "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.

We are to test God in this. If we are faithful in our giving then He will bless us more than He already does. We are standing on that promise. I am trying to hold back the demons of fear and worry. It's hard, but I keep telling myself that as long as my family is healthy, safe, and together, then all will be fine. God has already blessed me with a wonderful, hard working husband and two good, sweet kids. We have good friends who have been so faithful in their prayers for us and advice given. I am blessed.

I feel greedy writing this next part. Are we ever going to be blessed financially? Will the nighmarish uphill struggle ever ease up for us even a bit so that we can pay off our debts and start over? Pastor said in one of his sermons that having lots of money isn't the answer.

While I totally understand his reasoning and even agree to some extent (no one needs millions of dollars) I can't help but disagree to some extent. Having enough money to be able to cover our debts, utilities, mortgage etc. would be nice. Having enough money to buy a decent vehicle that doesn't break down constantly (and if it does, it'd be nice to be able to fix it). Having enough money to be able to take our children on a real vacation maybe once every couple of years. It'd be nice to be able to stop saying "no, we don't have the money" to Simon when he asks for something at the grocery store or Amy when she needs new jeans. It hurts so much to deny your children things that are just basic like a Yop or a pair of new jeans that actually fit her properly.

How nice it would be to have a little savings in our bank account for an emergency (like when our furnace broke down this winter) and know that we can cover it. Guess I'm dreaming

...but I'm also praying and trusting that God is going to show us the way.

Hopefully I will start to get some more shifts at work (really need 25 hours a week) and that will help.

So, I need to get off this and try to get something accomplished today. Still have to dig up the garden and plant my 'freecycle hostas'.

I'll end this post with some pics from our picnic.

And the winner is....

RED!

Red Mahogany that is.

After all the wonderful advice I received about what colour to do my hair...natural grey versus keep colouring. Keep colouring won. I guess I'm just not ready to go the completely grey look yet. Don't think it will look as nice on me as it does my sil Chris.

I love it! At first when I took off the towel I thought I was gonna bawl. It looked purple! Purple would have been fine 10 years ago, but I'm thinking 46 years old is a little too old for purple.

Thankfully it dried a lovely mahogany colour that makes me smile. Big plus, I get to play with different colours of makeup again. Before as a dark blonde some of the bolder colours had to be put away, but oooh I got some new eyeshadow today from Avon that are sooo fun!

So with no further ado, a picture (that I actually like) of my new hair...what do you think?

Garden Update

With all the rain and sunny weather combined my gardens are flourishing! Remember a few posts back the pics I took? Well, I took some more pics today and the difference is amazing!


















































Remember the Clamatis and how you had to squint to see it? Look at my babies now :-)






















Even my honeysuckle is growing!
















I've decided to put in another garden on the shady side our house where it looks so awful all the time. This side of the house gets the morning sun and then is shady for the rest of the day.

It was truly a wonderful surprise yesterday to receive a freecycle email offering up Hostas.
Check out my score! I believe there are 5 Hostas in there, plus a couple other plants given to me.
















We are going to dig up the area around this bush and put in a shade garden with stepping stones. I have this idea of making my own using concrete and painting bible verses on them. I have this big bag of cement in the garage begging to be used for something and my creative juices are starting to flow. I'll post pics once I make them and IF they turn out.
































This grass is always so nasty looking, what a difference some Hostas and flowers are going to make.
















Simon worked hard on Monday putting rocks all around the border of this "garden in the works". Last year it was full of transplanted 4 o'clocks. I'm curious to see if they come back. Unfortunately, I have to leave it looking pretty much as is until I can tell if there will be new growth (other than the weeds).