Macleod's Books-a booklover's paradise

I am literally lost in the bliss of thousands and thousands of books @ MacLeod's Books located at Pender St, Vancouver.

Macleod Books is a mind-blowing labyrinth with real gems hidden inside! The moment you enter the bookstore, you will be welcomed by books packed, crammed & stacked from floor to ceiling. It is an unbelievably-awesome-mess! I would call it an organized chaos! LOL! But I don’t really mind as I love stepping over, around and through the piles of books that are everywhere. I just like to meander around and breathe in the pleasantly musty scent of ancient-vintage books. To me, this place is an oasis on a perfect sunny afternoon or a Mecca on a rainy day but either way, I can totally find myself immersed in a booklover’s paradise like this!

So, if you are in town and a "truly lover of books" --particularly literature and vintage collectibles, then this place is a must-see! It’s a great place to find something no one else is going to have. One can find a marvelous hardbound first edition of Jane Austen Collections, Oscar Wilde play, Yeats, Kipling, R. Browning, Edgar Allan Poe, Charles Dickens, complete works of Shakespeare (Abbey Library 1st edition), Tolstoy and a lot more....the place oozes with rich history and adventure. One can find a wide array of choices, from Opera to Physics, from Poetry to Gardening...yes, it’s sort of messy but I think that’s part of the charm. Yes, it is chaotic and crowded but it’s also a literary bliss! Make sure you visit this place because it's absolutely incredible!

The Ant

Photo taken @ Silver Lake, Hope, BC

An ant works extremely hard, very industrious, patient, feeds and protects its family. An ant can be able to carry a leaf or a crumb for miles no matter what just to get back home to anthill....this creature has the characteristic of PERSEVERANCE!

Dictionary defines perseverance as a steadfast persistence of a cause, action or a belief for a purpose....... For me, Perseverance is an amazing quality. It is a commitment, hard work, patience, endurance. It is being able to bear difficulties calmly and without complaint. It is a day-by-day decision not to give up. And eventually, it is what drive us to the end.

I believe that perseverance embraces discipline to actually know where we want to go. When we persevere it shows our fatihfulness and consistency....when we persevere, we must be strong and choose to win as it is not about today but it is about the journey of life.....

We live in a world of people who “don’t get it.” They don’t understand that while we strive to be the best at what we do, the most important thing in life is to please God rather than to please ourselves..... It is for GOD’s GLORY that we persevere…..It is for God’s glory too that we diligently send kids to school, do our daily chores, we toil, we work 8 hrs a day, run errands, keep our family safe and our home in order, and at the end of the day, it’s not about the moment but about eternity......

Thank God that I stand on the promises and the word of God for He helps us when we have a situation in our lives-- strength to strength. He is always there to help us not to give up until we finish the race!

caught up in grace like an avalanche!

My husband and I are being caught up in blessings and grace like an avalanche! God is so good to my children that He is the One who is worthy to be recognized and praised!

We are incredibly blessed and happy as our son Andrew was recognized with eight awards on his 7th Grade graduation ceremony and was awarded the Top All-Round Student of Class 2010-2011. Top All-Round Student award is given to a student who worked hard and met all the subjects exceeding expectations and with outstanding performances both academic, social and extra curricular activities. It was such a great honour to receive it....

Before the award was given, the teacher gave this brief introduction........"This student is such a blessing to me and Mr. Edwardson. This has been a phenomenal year for him and for us. He has an outstanding performance on all subjects throughout the school terms, receiving straight A's on all his subjects... His maturity, humour, intelligence and natural leadesrship make Andrew an outstanding student. Rarely do we have the privilege of teaching a student of his calibre and it is definitely what makes teaching worthwhile. He will leave Grade 7 with our best wishes and we look forward to hearing his accomplishments throughout the years. We hope you will always strive to do your best and challenge yourself to push for your personal best. The Top All-Round student for 2010-2011 is awarded to ......Andrew Memije!" when andrew's name was called, noel and i was so surprised and teary-eyed that noel missed taking video while i missed taking good pictures...:)

God is so awesome, gracious and good all the time. He never ceases to amaze and bless my family with great things - especially my children. All the praises and honor goes back to Him. To my son Andrew --- your exuberant thirst for learning and success both inspire us to thrive for better .......thank you for the joy you gave me and your dad today, a gift that is both pleasing and rewarding. I pray that you will make a difference and that you will use your God-given talents and gifts to be a blessing to other people......son, you rock, I am so proud of you and we love you!!!

I am happy for my son because not only he loves to learn and values the importance of education, but he also learned to love and care even more about his peers, elders, mentors, friends and family…

Thank you God +