Where, oh where, did 2007 go??

It was a fast and furious year, don't you think? It was for us, at least.

Moving from the old house was, I suppose, the most significant event for 2007.

It was also a very good year. My life seems to be changing. I'm getting different perspectives on life, on God, on living, on myself..........

I shall try and keep up with it all. I'm thinking many things through....regarding my walk with Christ. It's all good.

I don't like to end the year making a bunch of promises I know I won't, or can't keep.

So I shall end the year here by offering a prayer for my family, my friends, for a broken world.

I pray for God to continue his hold on my life and for him to transform me daily.

I pray for health and strength for each of us, in order to meet the days ahead.

I pray for those of you who are searching for "something" in your life, that you would find it and be truly satisfied and never feel empty or alone again.

I pray for all who have "pasts" that keep them there......for them to begin the journey out of darkness and into Light and Hope and Life and forgiveness and freedom.

God gives second chances..........and more........

May God walk close to us all in 2008..........

Sunday with Bob.

I feel blessed to know our retired Salvation Army Lt. Col. Bob Chapman here in P.A.

I say "our" because he has come to our aid many times with a message of hope and peace on a Sunday morning when Pastor Randall has been on vacation or away on business.

He and his wife Elvina are good, God fearing people who want the best for a hurting world. They live out their faith. I've seen it.

Living through the tragedies of their own family and coming out still preaching hope and love from a God who offers it freely, causes me to ask God for that kind of faith.

Faith that walks you through the death of a son, a daughter-in-law and two grandsons.

I don't know about you, but that kind of faith gives me courage to go forward in life.

It also gives me a great deal of perspective on the important things in life.

Family. That's what is important........I know, I've said that before on other blogs. But it's true!

This Sunday with visiting "Lt. Col. Bob", I received a whole whack of humour, plus a three-point sermon on the wise men/persons ;-) of the Christmas story in the Bible................which were the 3 F's......Follow (the star to the Savior).....Find(the infant Jesus and salvation) ..............and Fall (on our knees to worship the King of all creation).

Yes. It was a good Sunday with Bob!

Down time.

That is what today was. Being snug as a bug in a rug with Granddaughter as she got over whatever it was she had. A girl just needs her Grammy when her Mom isn't close by.

I missed going to the Soup on Saturday though. I'll hopefully get there next time.

It's been a very quiet day. Feet up. Blankets all around us. And between naps, DVD's were playing.

I think we all needed time to relax.

Funny how our bodies are made (mine in particular!!). When we begin to fight some kind of bug our bodies go into slow mode until we either sleep or get sick......or both.

I've been in slow mode for a few days now......and naps are the norm.

And it's already Sunday tomorrow.............seems like we just had Sunday a day or so ago.....

Home safe and sound.

The son is safely home in Winnipeg. How wonderful to have him here for a week.

The daughter and husband safely home in Regina. Such a blessing to enjoy their company too for Christmas week.

Granddaughter is with us for another week but has attached herself to a flu bug. Oh my. Grandma skills will be used (I'll just love her back to health).

But, we all had a wonderful time together and we ended the week with a rousing round of Scattergories! I couldn't even think of a color that started with "N"!!!

Now it's all quiet on the home front.

Oh, and we received a digital camera for Christmas. Now comes the many hours, days, weeks, months, dare I say years........ of learning how to use the confounded beautiful thing. First I have to buy a memory card thingy. I wonder if anyone out there gives helpful hints for dummies on how to upload/download (what's the difference anyway???), take pictures, erase pictures, etc. etc. with these babies.

I SHALL BE MASTER OVER THIS PIECE OF CRA....UHHHH....TECHNOLOGY, or I may just have to eat my new socks.

Now to catch up on some sleep before I get the flu bug too and get behind on my digital homework.

Practicing being lonely.

It's Boxing Day and I'm practicing being "family-less" again.

Family all went various ways today, visiting old friends and in-law family members, etc. and it's very quiet in the house, which only yesterday was a veritable buzzing bee hive of activity with noise levels far above that of today's.

It's quiet with only husband and I here.

I was thinking about Easter today actually. The quietness of the day here in our home, reminded me of how it may have been between the time of Jesus death and His resurrection. I think there were those that were stunned into silence because of the lost hope his friends experienced when their friend, Jesus, died on that cross.

But even before that, there were days of much activity in the hills of Judea.........crowds of people everywhere, wanting to hear what The Teacher was speaking about, wanting to be healed of their diseases, wanting their blindness gone, thinking that 'if only' I could touch him I would be made well. There was just a lot of stuff happening. Jesus must have been bushed and the disciples along with him.

The shouts of "Hosanna" only the week before, gave way to shouts of "crucify him". And so it was. The world became quiet. The disciples most likely didn't know what to do without the presence of their friend. They needed to take stock and carry on without him.....and they would. "The Comforter" came to be with them and stayed.....and has stayed with a lost world ever since.

That was my thinking today as the busyness of the Christmas season is over. Another day and everyone leaves for their own city again.......to their own homes. We get lonely for the ones we love but Jesus has left us his living Spirit to dwell within us to take our loneliness and enable us to move forward and be encouraged. We too, will carry on without them.

Good thing He also left us with technology of phones, blogs and web cams!

Something beautiful.

That's what I found this Christmas. Something so beautiful that I cannot possibly describe it.

The beauty is in seeing Christ in action. Seeing him unfold before my eyes the wonder of his miracles.

Watching son becoming something he has not been for a very long, long time. Content. Happy. Comfortable.

Watching children communicate on an adult level that has never been before.

Enjoying seeing love in action.

It truly is the most wondrous of Christmases.

So, on behalf of husband and myself, I would like to thank Jesus for the miracle of Christmas.

A miracle not only took place 2000 years ago in a stable in Bethlehem but one also took place in our home today.

P a r............TY

It's one continuous party and it all began Friday night with the 'Open House at the Friesen's".

From then it's been one feast after another.

Today is no exception. Son has turned 24 today. Another feast of "ribs and ice cream cake for dessert" kind of day.

Twenty-four years ago today it was -40C something. Thick ice on the hospital windows, canceled Christmas dinner at our house until after New Years. Lots to remember that Christmas as my dad was in hospital too and very sick.

Twenty-four years. Son has been a good son, dare I say, an exceptional son......and continues to bless us as his parents.

Here's to you, Matt. May God do all he needs to do this next year of your life and that you would then be changed even more into his likeness.

Your family loves you! Happy Birthday!


mom

I'm different now.

I really don't like saying good bye to people whom I have come to love and appreciate.

I'm going on vacation for a few weeks and today was the last day that Bev and I will work together. She's a gem. She's gentle and serious and funny. She's intelligent and knows her job and does it exceptionally well. She's quiet with an infectious laugh. She's going on to something new, in a different building and she will make more money!! I know she will do well at her new job too. I will miss her. I know everyone will.

Funny how people come into your life at various times. We connect. We learn from one another. We become different people because we have met......and then we move on.

It's OK to do that....to move on, that is, because life is always changing and becoming something new and offering us new experiences.

We grow too, as human beings when we allow ourselves to become a part of someone else's world.

I'm glad God brought Bev into my world. I'm the better for it.

I missed a day.

Not on purpose, of course.

I just get on one of those migraine rides and I'm gone for a day.

Not too pleasant. I was thinking in the night when the pain was raging on and on and the ice bag was not helping that I should simply go outside and stick my head in the snowbank.

It sounded like a really good idea at the time, but in the light of day, now when I can think a little more rationally, I most likely would have seemed like one of those crazy people who go around outside in the middle of winter with little else on than a smile.

But sometimes a headache brings out the weirdness in people.....maybe it's the drugs.......

I don't like missing a day at this time of the year.

Every day around Christmas is so beautiful and people are so friendly and kind and caring, I hate to miss one of those kinds of days.

Guess I'll have to make up for it tomorrow.

Now, hopefully I shall sleep well this night and not be thinking of snow banks and actually WANTING to be cold.

See, to me, that's just weird.........must have been the drugs alright.........

Yep. He uses our inadequacies alright!

Just for the record, I think Jesus loved the songs we sang in his honor this morning.

And not meaning to take over Pastor Randall's prophetic messaging (with Saskatchewan winning the Grey Cup, as he predicted) but between yesterday's blog and today, I had a bit of that thing happening right here.

When you begin singing a song, and you are supposed to be leading the congregation in said song, and you start waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay before you're supposed to, so that you end up singing what seemed like an ever-so-long time as a solo, which wasn't really that long, but seemed like it when you realize no one else is singing............ya, it's a great lesson in humility, just as I supposed it would be. Anyway, I did my best to help and that was all that was required of me. Onward and upward, I say.

Now, as Christmas approaches we, as a church, shall move on to other things like soup kitchens, ringing those bells for Salvation Army, giving to those in need............ and at home - baking, wrapping, cleaning and........waiting.

Waiting for our children to come home.
Waiting to see how they have changed.
Waiting for the candle light Christmas Eve service.
Waiting to host family and friends for Christmas dinner in our little, tiny house.
AND waiting to see how much room I will make for Christ this Christmas season.

It's my choice. God help me to choose wisely.

I just hope Jesus likes it.

A friend asked me if I would help her sing as she leads the Sunday Morning worship tomorrow.

I said yes.

I probably should have said no.

The pastor has been speaking about our gifts - spiritual and other types of gifts. My gift is not singing. I can kind of sing on tune. I really enjoy singing. I find the older I get, the more quickly I run out of breath. Not good for leading people in hymn singing.

So, in light of my inadequacies, tomorrow I go into worship with only one thing on my mind.....Jesus Christ and his worthiness.

I think he even takes our inadequacies and uses them to help us learn and grow and sometimes even become humiliated in the process. Because really, there are ever so many more folks within the congregation who CAN sing........... and sing very well AND actually knowing something ABOUT music.

I just needed to help out a friend, and so, "Lord, use my feeble singing efforts tomorrow to help lead the people in singing your praises...............praises that you will really enjoy."

Amen.

Am I lucky, or what????

Here I was at our church Christmas "un-banquet", sitting at table with 3 gentlemen...uhhhhhum-m-m-m-m-m

One was Dutch-Canadian.....and very handsome.

One was French-Africian.......also very handsome.

One was French-Canadian......handsome too and rich (relatively speaking).

Then there was me.........

Our table had the highest bid for the dessert table so we had the privilege of choosing first.

We chose the 12" diameter coconut cream pie (with real whipped cream on top!)

Just how lucky can one girl get!!?????

And all the folks who attended the "un-banquet" raised $450. to go towards the Rainy River church building project.

It's good to be a part of something so much larger than ourselves!!! (although after eating all that pie, I'm not sure if there IS anything larger than ourselves!!!)

We even discussed the question as to whether God thought it was gluttony, if we were eating like hogs, in order to fund a good cause! It was unanimous......we figured it was not gluttony, only big appetites.

May God have mercy on us all..........and pass the cream puffs............

Yesterday Trifle.....Today Saffron Buns

Being that one half of me is of English stock, I took great pleasure yesterday in diving into a lovely bowl of Trifle. One of the women at work brought it to our "Christmas Gathering Potluck". It takes some time to make one of those desserts too.

She set the bowl on the table, taking special care to find the right spot so it would be available to all.

Then came the LARGE spoon for serving (as opposed to a tablespoon which was nowhere in sight). We are hearty and passionate eaters at the Forest Service, by the way. So, I believe it was gone in the blink of an eye.

I just happened to be standing by the bowl when it was set down and was able to have a SPOONful. Delicious.

I sent her an email today telling her how much her Trifle was appreciated, even though it died a quick and gallant death. And I expressed how much I also appreciated the time she took to make it look beautiful with the upside-down raspberries all evenly spaced out and looking very red and inviting.

My mom used to make this, so it brought back many memories of polishing one of these off, together with my family, at one sitting. Happy days.

Then, today we celebrated Sankta Lucia Day. A Swedish custom. It was hosted by a dear friend who has done this for over 30 years....every December 13th.

The table was set with Swedish ginger cookies, various cheeses, butter, deliciously special saffron buns with raisins, coffee and apple cider......... with the Swedish candelabra lit in the corner.

It's a come and go affair beginning at 7 a.m. One of her daughters is there from Saskatoon to aid in the festivities. When several guests are seated with their treats, Mrs. B's granddaughter, dressed in a white gown with a red sash and a cedar wreath sitting atop her head (with lit candles) beautifully sings Santa Lucia.

It just goes to show you that people care about one another. They do special things for each other. They go out of their way to be of help to those they love.......and to those they don't love!!!

Christmas does that.

But what on earth kind of love makes one do things like that?

I believe it's CHRISTmas love. There is no other love like it......on earth, that is.

Simple Faith

I've been asked to respond to a meme. I first had to find out what a "meme" was so I could respond. I'm not an intellectual type as most of you know. I'm pretty OK with that because we wouldn't want EVERYONE in the world to be book learnin' types.

So, now that I found out what it is, I can respond.........in my "simple" fashion, of course.

I believe that God exists. Not because I can prove it or anything but when I observe the local/regional/world gene pool, I know there must be something else, other than us, to make life happen. Really.

I enjoy reading about the universe with the planets and solar systems, the black holes and stars and how we, as people on earth are so very small in the scheme of things. There are a gazillion stars out there people. With multitudes of galaxies and they are all out there spinning around in their orbits, doing what galaxies and stars do best.........and the universe just goes on and on and on and on.........but here I am in the midst of it all, typing on a computer, on a cold winter's night and having faith, that is believing that God, whom I cannot see, is what he said he is......Creator. I don't know about you but I haven't met anyone yet who could make a star or a planet or a whole universe out of nothing. I believe God did though.

I know God exists because I've seen Him in various other tid-bits of creation. Take a flower. A rose. Have you ever touched it's velvet petals? Smelled its scent? Taken one apart petal by petal to the very centre of it's own universe? Seen them all together in a lovely bouquet? I don't know about you but I haven't met anyone yet who could make one of those beauties out of nothing. I believe God did though.

Then there's the whole conception thing. One minuscule egg uniting with one minuscule sperm and there you go. A person. A person with capabilities to grow and learn and become something of value to others around it. A person who is capable of love and hate and reasoning and thinking.........or the reproduction of any species for that matter. Totally amazing. I believe it has to be God.

Simple faith allows me to read Scripture and know that the words written are true for my life just as they were true for the writers of those Words. I don't know the ins and outs of who wrote what about Jesus' life, or exactly what year they wrote the words, or if the words got changed somewhat along the way, but because in those particular words within the Bible, it says, "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made: without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness but the darkness has not understood it." John 1:1-5 I believe and have faith that those words are true and so I believe that Jesus was with God since the beginning, that he was Creator, that He is eternal and that true life is in Him. Sounds simple to me.

We can easily make our simple faith very complex, I think, too. People look for complicated answers to life's questions. I think it's as simple as saying "God, help me to have faith." Ya. It's that simple.

Anyway, faith allows me to believe in God, whom I have not seen first hand but, I have experienced the delights of his presence within me and I have seen that simple faith lived out in others lives as well. Funny thing about it.........it's available to everyone.

I know me, so I will most likely think more on this and perhaps respond with further thoughts as they get mulled over.

Whooooooooaaah Mamma.

Wheewwwwwww. See. Guess it's not so bad after all.

I'm still able to type. I can make my way around the computer pretty well.

I've not left my car keys in some wretched, forsaken, forgotten place....like in a shoe or under a rug or in the china cabinet.

I can still see and hear reasonably well. My sense of humor is pretty much in tact. Just ask husband!!!

People were really nice to me today too. I had three renditions of "the song" sung at various intervals throughout the day.....morning (granddaughter), mid-day (co-worker duet) and night (worship musicians).

I received hugs, kisses, good wishes, and phone calls from various family members and friends.

I received cards and notes and presents and flowers, candy and clothes.

Spoke with daughter in Regina...... and a good conversation we had too.

Spoke with son in Winnipeg for good, long time as well.

Was taken out to supper by a very loving and generous Aunt.

I am so undeserving to receive such love but I accept it and appreciate all of it.

Thank you.

Perhaps I'd like to turn 60 again tomorrow. It just ain't that bad.....to my way a' thinkin'........

And I would be remiss if I did not mention my dear mother today, who gave me life and put up with me, a colicky, miserable little baby the first six months of my life and taught me many things on my journey through those young years and into my teens. Patience. Acceptance. How to give love and receive it. Perseverance in the face of wanting to give up. The importance of God in my life. All this and so much more. Makes me realize my job as a mother will continue on until I breathe my last breath...... Ya, without mothers.......where would we be?????? (A rhetorical question ;-)).

December at our house.

Between husband, our two grown children and myself we have 3 of the 4 birthdays in December.

Just how did we manage that??!!!

Between Advent programs, Christmas socials at work (3), various church Christmas festivities (3), various other non-church/work functions(4), not to mention baking, shopping, decorating, and church meetings, we somehow manage to sneak in three family birthdays. So that makes 11 events or so, plus 3 birthdays equals 14 events in 14 days!

And I wonder why I'm just a little tired.

But, Something else is always in the back of my mind during December.

It's not only the preparation. It's not just the thought of the celebration. It's not simply the excitement. But much more than that..........

Ya, it's the OTHER Birthday being celebrated.

I'd really like to wish Jesus a very "Happy Birthday" in person, but I'll have to wait for the "in person" part. He'll just have to enjoy my thankful heart and the praises that I offer him......daily.

And I will enjoy all He has given to me....husband, family, friends, a home, a job....everything.

A great month to celebrate all God has given..........I pray I don't get lost in the bows and ribbons.

Today - Holiday Apple Muffins, Tomorrow......who knows????

We have a tradition in our home that we eat "Holiday Apple Muffins" with sweet white sauce, for dessert after our Christmas dinner..........a recipe from my dear Mom who began the tradition many years ago.

Tradition is good. There is a time though, that tradition changes. New traditions begin and the old ones are left behind, not because they weren't good ones but because life circumstances change, people change, and things just do not stay the same forever.

My dear Aunt came over for lunch today. She sat and looked at the decorated tree in our living room. She commented that all those old decorations will most likely get passed on down to our children as they have meant so much to all of us.....to which I replied that no, probably I will be the last one to use these decorations. Our children grow up, marry, have their own families and they have traditions and favorite things of their own. I will keep these decorations, for ourselves. When they come home, they will enjoy them but as for our children, they will have made their very own unique decorations, which have meaning to them as a family.

Yes, things change. Life changes. Our thinking changes too and the way we do certain tasks.

Life has a way of becoming new, with each generation. I pray I will allow that to happen without becoming an old fogey, wanting everything just as it used to be.......because that's just silly.

Anyway, husband says these "Holiday Apple Muffins" are the best he's had yet. Ya, when he was putting them away into a container for the freezer for me, he said "one just stuck to the bottom of the cooling rack and fell apart.......and what do you do with that????? Yes. Eat it of course." He's a pretty good tester for things like that.

But even these delicious muffins, as wonderful a tradition as they are, may one day be traded off for........oh, cheesecake or something just as decadent.

Tradition is good but it's not forever.

TaDaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu


Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh


Sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh


The deed is done.

I think Jesus would like it.

The ever-green.

Twinkling. Sparkling. Shining. Beautiful.

I sit back with some hot apple cider and gaze at........The Tree.

Ornaments hand made by our children and granddaughter. Others given to us by friends and still others getting near 40 years old now.....all bring back memories, glorious memories.

So, I sit and listen to carols and remember the stories that go with those ornaments and thank God I am so blessed a person.

I anticipate all of my family sitting down with me and watching it too....in just a few short weeks.

A hill to die on?

Those of us who have kids know the importance and wisdom of picking those "battles" on which to fight to the end and raise our standard high or die trying. It's not the actual battle that is important but it is whether or not we have thought through the reasons for having the battle in the first place.

Perhaps it just is not worth the effort. Dying after all, is pretty permanent and if we don't end up dying, well, admitting defeat is pretty humiliating. A lose/lose situation.

Do we choose the battle only because it is OUR way of thinking and so, we must win at all costs??

Do we, if we find ourselves in a position of authority, make decisions that are not very popular, and find ourselves getting angry because no one agrees with our decision??

Do we thoughtfully "reason with" the foe??? before everyone gets torn to pieces in the fray.

As I make my way through life, I realize I certainly would NOT have chosen some of the battles I fought........with children or others. It simply wasn't worth it in the end.

There really are more important issues in life than say, well, you fill in the blanks. Could be a lot of things.

As for me, I'll simply sit at home, pour myself a glass of beautiful raspberry wine and think about global warming..........................or poverty.....................or why people are jackasses................you know, important issues.

We must be bonkers....but he's a beauty.

Who, in their right mind, would go Christmas tree shopping for a REAL tree on a Thursday evening, -23C with wind chill of -34C. Who would do that?????...........us.......

And who would do that without wearing long, woolly underwear under their jeans plus two pairs of mitts, a hat on their head, a scarf around their face plus an extra sweater or two under their ski jacket????........us........

I do think we're a wee bit bonkers, eh?? Sometimes Saskatchewan people do things like that!

The sales lady at Gaudet's Trees told us the beauty we picked out was "hefty". A 6 footer too.

He's all frozen and wrapped up at the moment but when we unleash his bindings, I wonder just how "hefty" he'll turn out to be??? 8 feet wide???? Should he spread himself out too far into the living/dining room, we may have a very intimate Christmas dinner AROUND the tree.

Might be nice............

I dare not mention the "pruning" word around him for fear he'll drop his needles. We'll stay hushed for now and hope one side of him is a little thin.

The tree. I think he'll be a beauty.

I do hope the "children" as well as old St. Nick will appreciate him.

How do I buy Christmas lights....let me count the ways.

I asked husband if he would mind stopping at a nearby chain store to pick up some "white" indoor lights to weave around the green fake pine boughs over our archway in the living room.

He wasn't too enthusiastic.....but he went.....and returned.

I opened the single package up. Icy "blue" lights. Not enough of them. I did really want "white" and it looked like I would need two packages.

He wasn't too enthusiastic....but he went back......and returned.

I opened the first package. Oooooooooo. Nice "white" lights. Green strings. Yes. Pulled them out....all 35 of them.

I opened the second package - string #2. Nice white lights. Yes. Pulled them out....all 35 of them.........something looked different.

Well, would you look at that. Nice white lights. Yes. But the strings were white too.

That just wouldn't look right now would it??? White strings weaving their showy selves in and out of the green fake pine boughs. No. I would need the second string of lights to have green
strings too.

He's not too enthusiastic.....but he's going......back tomorrow. Hopefully, he'll come back with "white" lights with green strings.

It's tough being a guy......but really, have you looked lately at how many types of Christmas lights are available????? There must be at least 50!!! more or less.......no wonder his enthusiasm's waning.

I did bake butterscotch and chocolate chip cookies too, as an incentive. When he comes home from the Christmas light trips, he gets to "try out" one or two.

I'd say that's a pretty good deal.

Snow anyone?

Are you from a land filled with sunny warm days and starry warm nights...........palm trees and flowering shrubs.............A L L Y E A R L O N G?

Do you ever wish you could just cool off from all that continuous heat?

Do your eyes ever pine for spruce all shrouded in clouds of white?

Do you get bored with the same old lush, scenic green and yearn for a field of white sparkling diamonds?

In December do you watch "It's a Wonderful Life" and think, "If only my Christmas was as white as that one"????

Well then, if you're nodding your head frantically, do we have the place for you!

We have snow.....lots of snow, mounds of it just waiting for you to enjoy.

So, come to Saskatchewan - Canada!! Your days of scenic boredom will cease.

Oh, and bring your shovel.............or if you have a snow blower, that would be good too!

The lesser of two evils.

Not to complain, as I know of people who are suffering much more than I at this very moment....but, I've been attempting to define my head pain. Is it more..... or less..... than say, a broken toe. Or how about a festering sliver in ones finger, or even a gall bladder attack. Of course there's the regular tooth ache. Migraines are difficult little devils. Just when you think they're gone, they come back on you with a vengeance.

I think I will compare the head pain to a tooth ache.....throbbing, dull pain that's just always there. Annoying. Makes ones whole body feel a little off the mark.

When you've got both happening at the same time, I find myself choosing which one is the best one to have. I know neither are good to have but if I chose the lesser of the two evils, I think I'd pick the migraine. With that, at least you know it's going to be gone in a day or two and it allows you to sleep a good long while (after several Advil) with ice on your head.

With the tooth ache, well, you know it's just going to get worse unless you get to have the old root canal procedure.....and sister, that just ain't no picnic.

I'll go now and take drugs for the migraine and then sleep................. and THEN in the morning I'll have my root canal.

It's all still very do-able......if I want a reasonably pain free body, that is.

Children

They are so spontaneous and natural. I always look forward to the Family Advent program our church puts on each first Sunday in Advent for that particular reason, but not the only reason, mind you.

Beautiful to see everyone use those gifts. Tonight was a real treat. Voices blending. Musicians working their instruments like craftsmen (and craftswomen). Readers articulating. Children being children.

The "Jingle Bells" rendition was exceptional. Little Madeline singing solo while brother Luke shaking his "percussion" instruments like mad but making sure his part was heard.....you know where it comes in:
Madeline: "Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way, Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh..."
Luke: "HEY"
Madeline: "Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way, Oh what fun it is to ride in a one horse open sleigh".
Luke: "HEY" (not needed at this point but he was on a role).

Makes one so appreciative of all the talents that are offered up to God via the Body of Christ!

Yes, the entire evening was a blessing. A blessing indeed.

Getting ready.

We're having guests for supper this evening. They are friends. We know them well. We enjoy it when they come over just to sit and talk and laugh.

I've been busy getting ready to receive them. You know, the cleaning, the preparing various things for when they arrive. Husband will do the Bar-B-Q thingy and I'll do the salad thingy.

Before I got up this morning I was thinking about all of that and how it really is what Christmas is about......the season of Advent, which begins tomorrow.

Advent is really about preparing to receive the Christ, once again, into our lives. A time where we clean up, as it were, on the inside, so that we are ready to receive Him. A time to do some reflection and perhaps some fasting, if that is what you are led to do. "Cleaning up for Jesus" I suppose we could say. Cleaning up and preparing for Him as we would for a friend, so that when we meet him face to face, it will be a time of enjoying a friendship that has long been established. It is good when we know Him, because after all, preparing for a guest whom you know really well is all the more sweeter. You seem to go the extra mile.

Advent, year after year, is a time of getting ready because one day we WILL meet him. I want to be ready for that moment.

So, Happy Advent (tomorrow). My prayer is that when husband and I receive our guests today, we are all cleaned and ready to give them our very best.......as hopefully, we would for any guest.

I have this one room though, that is still a disaster.....................I'll be working on it........