Happy New Year 

Weary Pilgrim

Do I write today to a few weary pilgrims?

Is the road getting long

and hope wearing a little thin?

Listen to the Master's whispering:

Let us not lose heart in doing good,

for in due time we shall reap

if we do not grow weary. (Gal 6:9 NASB)

from Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life by Charles R. Swindoll

Waiting for a storm

i'm just listening to the 10 a.m. news . . . they are forecasting a winter storm for us, possibly a blizzard . . . staying indoors sounds like a good option today!

yesterday was the day to make sure the wood carrier was full (check out my fancy snow suit ... only 27 years old! no not me - but REALLY, the SNOW SUIT) . . . our loyal feline was supervising as i got my exercise . . .

and yesterday was a day for reading . . . my quiet time in some fictional world . . . it's my elixir . . .

and today? well today we'll see how the storm plays out, hopefully just stay indoors - the cat, fire and husband should be all that i need . . .

woodpile 

supervising 

Come sit with me

quiet reflections


come sit with me for a bit . . . just quiet your heart . . . despite what may be happening a world away, the Lord still gives us simple pleasure to make us smile here in our world . . . not that we forget those in distress, but just a gentle reminder that God is still in control ...

i woke up to a winter wonderland this morning . . . the snowflakes were large and gently falling . . . the coffee pot was ready to go, as i stumbled into the kitchen (a cat swirling around my feet) . . . the fire only needed a log thrown in, it caught and roared to life . . . i looked out the window and marvelled at the beauty of newly fallen snow, the quiet of a world at peace ...

i took my hot cup of coffee to the computer room, read some e-mail from family and friends, then checked out Debra's blog and sure enough - God used it to bless my heart ...

now the fire needs tending again, my cup needs refilling and soon i will wake Leo so we can have our devotions together ...

it's the simple things in life that we take for granted . . . yet it is the simple things that sooth our hearts when they are troubled ...

thank you Lord for your reminder.

Asian Devastation

i've always been a news junky - the major story yesterday, however, was just devastating . . . the tidal wave (tsunami) that struck the countries that rim the Indian Ocean was horrific . . . i watched the BBC station . . . they had the best coverage.

CNN didn't have the non-stop coverage, like BBC . . . CNN did have an interview with "Nate" (the Oprah design guy) . . . he was talking from a cell phone, in some field on an island that had been hit by a tsunami, he was without his passport or any personal belongings - pleading for help (water is really needed) . . . so the scope of this touches everyone . . .

last night i happened to get an e-mail from missionaries who we know in Indonesia . . . they were fine, as they are inland . . . they don't e-mail very often . . . Leo and i had been wondering how they were . . . voila, an answer!

2 organizations that we feel comfortable with giving support to when things like this happen are Samaritans Purse and World Vision . . .

when a world catastrophy happens, it gives me a fresh perspective on life . . . our world is so small now a days . . . we are connected . . .

sigh . . .

just thought i'd blog what i'm thinking about this morning . . .

Three Sundays

Peace


i'm sipping my coffee, sitting here in the dimly lit computer room - wee hours of Sunday morning . . . reflecting on our 2004 Christmas . . .

this year it felt like we had three back to back Sundays . . .

we went to the big meal at my aunt's on Friday (which felt like Sunday) . . . there was a family gathering of 20 or so mismatched relatives, it was a sweet time because of the presence of children (a special favourite of all - a chatty, 20 month old toddler - she was fun) . . . Saturday (which felt like Sunday), we made and received tons of phone calls, and just vegged at home (eating, eating, eating) . . . by this time Leo was pretty sore and mostly lieing down (the sitting and visiting of Friday night played him out) . . . and today (hey this really is Sunday!) - well it feels like the quieter of the Sundays . . .

on the first 2 Sundays, we did read our bible and talked about the Lord's birth . . . but somehow, in even our low key merriment - Jesus seemed to be pushed out and made to feel like the "surprise guest" at His own birthday celebration . . . i don't know why that is . . . we didn't plan it that way.

maybe the world and it's holiday expectations do creep in, whether we want them to or not . . .

thank goodness this is the week of 3 Sundays - we have this opportunity to regain what we may have lost . . . a chance to say "Thank you Lord . . . thank you Jesus . . . thank you". . .

"unto us is born . . . a Saviour . . . "

* * * * * * * *

well i began the day blogging and i'm ending it blogging . . . which is nice . . .

i felt somewhat restless today - i think it must be a time for decompressing after all the flurry of the Season . . .

i also felt SO BAD for all those folks in Asia that are dealing with the tidal waves after that 9.0 earthquake . . . yikes . . . and the tourists too . . . man alive . . . we were watching it on the BBC news channel, they had pretty good coverage . . . and then Reggie White died today - he was only 43 . . . lots of different happenings . . . our world seems so small, and we seem so connected to one other . . . major events and the death of celebrities that i have never even met - seem to hit home . . .

well enough musing . . . off to crawl into my flannel PJ's and snooze between flannel sheets . . . with the fire still burning in the woodstove . . . that should give me comfort . . . and knowing that the Lord is aware of ALL these things and then some . . .

nite nite . . . oh, it's a balmy -22C . . . :o)

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!!!!

from our house to yours . . .

Leo and Saija

hyvaa Joulua

It's helpful to remember that Jesus didn't arrive on a white stallion, wearing shining armor and yelling "Follow Me!" He came as a tiny baby, born behind an inn in Bethlehem, and placed in a feeding trough. Humble beginnings make us grateful for whatever comes our way.

- Charles Swindoll

Betty Crocker?

Christmas baking


ok, so i'm not betty crocker . . . but i do love to make pies . . . the French Canadian Sugar Cream pies displayed above (baked today) are ones that i have been making for 31 years, from a recipe that is well over a 100 years old . . . and despite leo feeling yucky - there are some traditions that need to be done to make Christmas HAPPEN . . . the pies are it for our household . . . leo stirs the mixture for me while i get the dough ready . . . the whole house smells wonderful . . .

despite the -37C temps (it is supposed to warm up to -7C for Christmas), our wonderful neighbours brought more firewood . . . and despite the chronic health problems in our household, 95% of the days we feel like our cup is overflowing . . . the Lord ALWAYS gives us the strength needed for the day . . . we may ask for more prayer on the extra bad days - but that just helps to keep us humble . . .

well the kitchen is only half cleaned up, so i best "get tuit". . . wishing you a day full of sugar cream pies . . .

* * * * * * *

up-date, it is now 40 below . . . that is the temperature where the Celsius & Farenheit scales are the same . . . brrrrrr . . . Michael was trying to get more wood for us on his blog! how thoughtful, eh!

gifts

good neighbours are just pure gifts from God . . .
if it weren't for our neighbours we might have sold our cottage by now . . .
they help us out and don't think twice about it . . .
our driveway is usually cleared of snow even before the grader clears the street . . . and now the latest way the neighbours bless our hearts is by bringing truckloads of ready to use firewood! which is exactly what happened this evening . . .

now i'm tired and need some sleep ... i can hear leo snoozing and our faithful feline is twirling around the computer chair trying to get me moving towards the bedroom ...

Christmas is upon us soon . . .

** * * * * * *

Check out this site that debra found . . . by Kathleen Parker on the crazy political correctness (or INCORRECTNESS is i think of it!) that swirls around us . . . it is an excellent read!

all at peace

the shortest day, the longest night . . .
the expectations are high, the children's excitement is growing . . .

i remember a story i heard as a little girl in Finland, about a boy who got lost in the woods on Christmas eve . . . while trying to find his way home, he happened to stumble on something marvellous . . . the animals Christmas party . . . it was the one night of the year that the wolf didn't try to devour the jackrabbit, the animals all got along and celebrated the birth of the Christ child . . . i can't remember the whole story (i was only a little girl!!), but the thought of enemies at peace, stayed through the years . . . the feeling that this time of year is filled with "magic" and anything can and will happen . . .

to try and always find the wonder in the Season is what can keep a grown up girl's Christmas spirit alive as well . . .

what if?

new day



i was just thinking . . .

"what if" the Lord returns this Christmas Season . . . what if we spend Christmas in our heavenly home, singing and praising God, getting to know Him who died for us . . . getting to know the rest of our brothers and sisters in Christ . . .

and all our blogs are left behind . . .

left behind to be read by those who didn’t know the Lord . . .

hmmmmm, isn’t that an interesting thought? what would they learn about the believers who blogged? hopefully our faith would shine through and give birth to tribulation Christians . . .

"what if?"

chronic illness

yesterday was a good day for Leo - today is a bad one . . . this of course starts a domino effect and i get down too ... i find it just wretchedly awful to watch my husband in pain to the point where he is nauseous with headaches . . . he has meds for the pain, nausea, etc . etc. . . . but there is a point where they don’t help . . .

the Lord knows what kind of day it will be and sends a Word in due season . . . today’s devotions were:

Tried By Fire

You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined. —Psalm 66:10

"The main end of life is not to do but to become," F. B. Meyer said.

And for this we are being prepared every day. As silver is refined by fire,

the heart is often refined in the furnace of sadness. The psalmist said in his sorrow,

"We went through fire" (Psalm 66:12).
The refining process may be very painful, but it will not destroy us,

for the Refiner sits by the furnace tending the flame. He will not allow us

to be tried beyond our endurance; it is for our good.

We may not understand why we have to endure such misery

year after year. The ordeal seems endless and pointless.

Our days are wasted, or so it appears. We feel as if we are

doing nothing of lasting significance.
But God is doing what matters—we are being refined.

He is placing us into a crucible in which we acquire patience,

meekness, humility, compassion, and the other "quiet" virtues

our souls naturally lack.
So don't be afraid and don't fret. Your present trial, as painful as it may be,

has been screened through God's wisdom and love.

The Refiner sits beside the crucible tempering the flames,

monitoring the process, waiting patiently until

His face is mirrored in the surface.

—David Roper

"As thy day thy strength shall be!"

This should be enough for thee;

He who knows thy frame will spare

Burdens more than thou canst bear. —Havergal

The fires of testing can produce a shining testimony.

now i don’t know how shining our testimony is, but i do believe that even tho’ i can’t see the purpose . . . the Lord does have one . . . i just need wisdom, love, faith to be the wife Leo needs ...

It was a good day

wintery scene



here is the weather report . . . it was -35C when i got up and it has now warmed up to -20C, with light snow and winds . . . hmmmmm . . . sounds like a heat wave for Christmas!!

speaking of which, even tho’ Christmas may be hustling and bustling all around us, i was still able to read today . . . if i don’t read a book or two a week, well i get crabby and have terrible withdrawal angst . . . the book in hand at the moment, In the Presence of My Enemies, the Martin and Gracia Burnham story . . . excellent reading . . . makes a suburban type Christian weigh in on some lifestyle issues . . . i’m about half way through ...

i thought i would be reading all evening (while throwing a log in the fire every now and then), but my husband wanted to spend some tv time with me . . . shock shock, i mean this was instead of watching football!!! now guys, that is how you tell your wife you really really love her - by saying "why yes dear, i would much rather watch a mushy romantic movie with you tonight, instead of my grid iron heroes!!"

despite the cold, despite the Christmas anxieties - it was a very good day . . . it almost felt normal . . . and in our world of chronic pain, that is a very good thing indeed . . . thank you Lord.

Be Still

this last week of hustle and bustle before the big Christmas weekend . . . running to get the last gift, getting up early to bake, making the phone calls, cleaning . . . running running running . . .

"be still and know that I AM God" . . . He tells us . . .

i know, things still "have to get done" . . . but stop for just a few minutes, talk to Him who’s birth we celebrate . . . breath in, breath out . . . you need that time . . . then you can finish the task at hand . . .

be still . . .

Christmas sauna

the last saturday of shopping before Christmas . . . my aunt and i went into our small town . . . there must have been atleast 15 cars parked on main street . . . well there should have been 20, but it is bitterly cold today - with windchill - so only us brave folks were out and about . . .

i actually had my Christmas sauna today (did you know sauna is a finnish word?) . . . that is one Finnish tradition i love . . . we don't have a sauna in our home - so i go to my aunts . . . i am a week early with my sauna - but, beggars can't be choosers . . .

every home in Finland (including individual apartments - no kidding!) has a sauna . . . there are more sauna's in Finland than bathtubs!!! saunas are places where Finns reflect on life, sweat out their troubles and feel rejuvenated and ready to face the world again . . . at Christmas it ties into that holy of Seasons . . . so today was my day to sweat out my problems . . . pray a bit . . . throw more water on the hot rocks . . . and face the world, clean inside and out . . .

my wish for you today? why a Christmas sauna of course!

Attitude

The longer I live, the more I realize

the impact of attitude on life.

Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more

important than the past, than education, than money,

than what other people think or say or do.

It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill.

It will make or break a company ...a church ... a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day

regarding the Attitude we will embrace for that day.

We cannot change our past.

We cannot change the fact that people

will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable.

The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have,

and that is our Attitude.

I am convinced that life is 10% what happens

to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you ...

We are in charge of our Attitudes.

- Charles R. Swindoll

Christmas Traditions 

Leo has this wonderful microwave PEANUT BRITTLE recipe that he has been making for 17 years or so . . . we give it to our neighbours, family and friends . . . it is really yummy (the secret is the PURE Mexican Vanilla, but don't tell anyone) . . . he was busy making it when i got home, and the house just smelt terrific . . . . mmmmmm . . . it is a Christmas tradition we started for our little family of two . . .

another tradition - sugar cream pies ... now there is about a zillion and one calories in just one pie . . . i have a sliver, leo eats the rest!!!

what kinds of different things do you have?

memories

anticipation

Christmas is a unique experience for each of us . . .
for a child it can be magical . . .
for new parents a first family Christmas to treasure . . .
for a large family, it is a time to see one another . . .
but for some it can be so stressful that it results in death . . . the news last night backed that statement with graphs and statistics . . .

i remember happy childhood Christmases; the aroma of Christmas baking, anticipation of gifts, warm fuzzy feelings . . .

i remember sad Christmases, where fear coloured everything with dread . . . "please Lord, i pray that daddy doesn’t drink too much".

i remember Christmases that were filled with guilt . . . how can i be happy when dad is all by himself? i wonder if he is ok? i hope he’s not passed out in the cold somewhere . . .

and i remember those very rare of Christmases when all who i loved were near me . . . there was no guilt, i could freely enjoy the moment ...

yup, this season sure muks with the emotions and makes us all go to places that we hadn’t thought about in awhile . . .

maybe it's good to revisit Christmas past . . . if the memories are sad, then we can appreciate the present ... if the memories are good, then it's lovely nostalgia time . . .

either way, we are who we are - because of where we’ve been . . .

Perfect Christmas Home

Christmas Home


here’s my idea of a perfect Christmas home . . .

there is enough sparkling snow to give that clean crispness to the air, yet it’s not so cold that the vegetation around the home is destroyed . . .

the place looks lived in, not entirely perfect - with the window frames needing a touch of paint ...

there is just something that beckons the weary traveler to stop in for a spell, knowing that there’ll be a seat by the fire and food to fill his stomach . . .

have you been a weary traveler in this life?

do you need a place to rest?

may i suggest this perfect Christmas home . . . it can be found any where Jesus is ... He alone can give us that perfect place to rest . . .

Sweet Dreams

sweet dreams


i have this peaceful little picture tacked to our bedroom mirror . . . just one of those scenes that makes an adult smile and wish once again for the sweet dreams of a child . . . another old Christmas card that we received years ago, but one i couldn't bear to throw out . . . i'm glad that i kept it . . .

Christmas should be a time of wonder . . . and a time of joyful anticipation . . . and a time of rest . . . i know for most women, it is anything but a time of rest . . . but???? well it should be!

so i'm sharing my peaceful picture with you . . . i've had many years to look at it . . . and think of all the different things it makes me feel . . . and all those things have been pleasant ones . . .

hope you have a peaceful day full of Christmas anticipations . . .

The Mender

this blessed my heart . . . so i'm sharing . . .

quoted from page 139-140 - "Legacy of a Pack Rat"
by Ruth Bell Graham

He had built for himself a great house on one of the Caribbean islands. It is a thing to behold. Tall rusty iron columns, collected and resurrected with an ingenious homemade device. This Great House is a masterpiece of salvaged materials.

A collector and seller of scrap metal as well as antiques, he was also fascinated with broken bits and pieces of china dug from his front yard. His friends, John and June Cash, laughingly remarked it was the first time they had heard of a yard sale where the man had sold the yard itself. Carefully he fitted and glued the pieces together. Few ever came out whole. They remained simply the collection of one who cared.

When I expressed interest, he gave me a blue-and-white plate, carefully glued together - pieces missing.

"You remind me of God," I said. By the look on his face, I knew I had shocked him and I hurriedly explained.

"God pieces back broken lives lovingly. Sometimes a piece is irretrievably lost. But still He gathers what He can and restores us.

"Perhaps it gives pleasure to no one else, but to Him." . . .

. . . "God cares about broken lives, broken people. Lovingly, painstakingly, He puts them back together.

Some may be of no practical, human use because of some missing piece, but they can be a comforting reminder that God cares deeply about broken people and wants to piece them back together - painstakingly and with love.

And GOD, the Mender of broken lives, will take pleasure in them."

unsettled weekend

"Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become disturbed within me? "
Psalm 42:11a

Good Question!

i had a very unsettled weekend . . . after enjoying a truly wonderful 2 weeks in December - where my heart sang (did you notice all the hymns in the posts?) . .. this weekend was just a heavy emotional one for me . . .

the world outside entered my cozy bubble and burst it ...

the news of an old friend dieing started the emotional roller coaster ride . . . he was well on in years, but still, we felt such sadness . . . then a melancholy mood entered my heart and there was no hope for a joyful weekend ...

and wouldn’t you know it, Leo had a nasty pain flare up (we had snow again - dampness - not good for chronic pain folks) . . . and a grouchiness flare up accompanied it as well . . . sigh ...

i did try to blog, but blogspot wasn’t cooperating, i kept getting error messages . . . well, you get the gist . . . there’s more, but no use listing the "sad stories", i don't want to mess up your Monday!!!

suffice it to say, i’ve been doing a lot praying . . . because i have:

"Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance, and my God"
Psalm 42:11b

Christmas postcards

Christmas cards


i'll let you in on a little secret regarding Christmas postcards (and i'm really not a skinflint when it comes to sending postcards . . . honest!) . . . once the season is done, i look through the cards that we received and i save the ones that can be recycled and used as Christmas postcards . . . then a few years later (when i have enough), i cut them nicely, draw postcard type of lines in the back and resend them to friends/family . . . i can't bear to throw away pretty pictures, so this is my way of recycling them . . . i've done this maybe 4 times in my lifetime . . . not all cards are made of heavy stock, the type to withstand the arduous journey through the mail system . . . so only the best will do . . .

i'm not even a very artsy crafty person . . . this is just one of my quirks that i thought i would share ... :o)

blessings on your sunday . . .

Kitty

Kitty



the Christmas countdown has begun for me . . . which means that i am being bombarded with memories ... the good and the bad ... i find Christmas is the time of year that i reflect on life the most ... i guess everyone’s emotions are set at high ...

this will be our first Christmas without our trusted guard cat, Kitty . . . we had just moved into this cottage and we wanted a loveable feline to complete the picture . . . we drove 2 hours, in a snow storm no less, to pick up our "blue eyed, black, male" kitten . .. which turned out to be a "yellow eyed, almost black, female" who spit at us for 2 days! i chuckle as i think of the tiny, fuzzy, bundle - who later grew into a regal, 20 pound, queen among cats!!! . . . she loved us unconditionally . . . oops, now i’m getting teary - told you emotions are high at Christmas . . .

anyway . . . last march, after 12 years of living with us and loving us, we had to put her down . . . Kitty was in so much pain (she came from a poor gene pool we later discovered, her brother died at the age of 5) . . . now all we have are the lovely lovely memories . . .

do you think there are animals in heaven?

Family Weekend

Christmas Kitchen


i started typing a few different ideas, that i thought i might post . . . but my heart wasn't in any of them, so they are saved for another day . . . i think this is a reading night ... i'm almost finished "Babylon Rising" by Tim Lahaye . .. it is a so/so story, but the biblical archaeology they talk about, really fascinates me!

i am giving you this tedious blow by blow, just in case someone checked my blog . . . i also posted a cozy family scene for your viewing pleasure . . . made me nostalgic anyway . . . well i must finish my book, it's from the library and that always gives me incentive to not dawdle!

as the book worm departs . . .

sharing some treasures

here are some unsolicitated gift ideas . . . i thought i would mention these books because they are "older" ones, but such good reads that i didn't want them forgotten . . .

the first book on my easy read list is: "It's My Turn" by Ruth Bell Graham . . . she would have made a great blogger because she tells beautiful stories about her family, of being a young mom with kids to raise and a husband who was too frequently absent . . . she made me laugh, cry, and truly feel the Spirit ... plus this is a "stop and go" type of read for those that are too busy for the tomes!

A Voice in the Wind


This is the first book in the "Mark of the Lion Series" . . . Francine Rivers does Christian fiction like no other . . . she weaves a story so effortlessly, that i could hardly put the book down (good thing Leo likes cereal!) . . . during the time frame when i read these books, Russell Crowe's Gladiator movie came out, and it helped me visualize the cruelty of the whole "Chrisitans being fed to the lions" period in history . . . i found the first 2 in the series most encouraging, and the first 2 don't need the 3rd to complete the story . . . but anything by Francine Rivers is a good read.

and to end my helpful holiday hints . . . there is always Decision Magazine . . . i started receiving Decision Magazine when i was 12 . . . and it has enriched my life . . . there are no coupons, or recipes, no hints on how to make your home more beautiful . . . just stories about people - every day folks like you and me - and their walk with the Lord . . . it also has bible studies by the "great teachers" of our time or from a time past . . . i highly recommend it . . .

well now my work is done, i can go to sleep knowing that i may have helped someone with some last minute gift ideas . . . :o)

Legacy of a Pack Rat


when it comes to bits of scribbling on paper, articles cut out to look at later, cute postcards, old Christmas cards . . . well i do tend to be a pack rat, so i related to the title of this book immediately! in it, Ruth Graham shares stories that she's collected . . . again, this is a great book to give someone who has a busy life ... a book you can read on the go, since some articles are really really short . . . everyone who has borrowed my copy, has gone out and bought one for themselves or given as a gift . . . published in 1989, it is a most uplifting read . . .

i'm satisfied with . . .

i'm satisfied with ... just a cottage below



Mansion Over the Hilltop

I’m satisfied with, just a cottage below,

a little silver and a little gold;
but in that city where the ransomed will shine,

I want a gold one that’s all silver lined . . .

CHORUS:
I’ve got a mansion, just over the hilltop,
in that bright land where we’ll never grow old;
- and some day yonder we will never more wander,
but walk the streets that are purest gold . . . . .

Tho often tempted, tormented and tested
And, like the prophet, my pillow a stone,
. . . And tho I find here no permanent dwelling,
I know He’ll give me a mansion my own . . .

CHORUS

Don’t think me poor or deserted or lonely,
I’m not discouraged . . . I’m heaven bound;
I’m just a pilgrim in search of a city,
I want a mansion, a harp and a crown . . .

by Ira Stanphill

* * * * * * * *

i hum this song to myself often . . . especially the part about "i’m satisfied with, just a cottage below". . . since that is exactly what we have and i don’t long for mansions down here on earth ...

Leo teases me about my choice of hymns . . . and often asks why my reach couldn’t be just a bit higher than "just a cottage below". . .

but in the end, my reach is MUCH much higher, one day i WILL have a "Mansion my own" . . . where Jesus dwells (which is the BEST part) and HE is even now preparing a place for us ...

awwww, blessed assurance . . .