well FINALLY ... i had my first outdoor sauna of the season ... it had been so cold that my aunt hadn't opened it up yet ... but yesterday was the day ... of course the fast moving cold waters of the river made swimming a future event - which was fine ... it was the solitude of that old finnish way of cleansing the body and soul - that i found so welcoming ...
i was the first one to sit on the wooden benches this season ... fill the tubs with water ... and throw water on the hot stones ... it was like music to my ears to hear the sizzle of the steam rising from the sauna stove ... to relax in the sanctuary of the outdoor sauna, like my finnish ancestors have done for generations ... it was cathartic to sit and sweat my cares away ... i hummed a favourite song as i enjoyed the way my muscles relaxed and my cares left ... all of me was refreshed at the same time ...sweet sweet sweet ...
by the time i got home, i was completely refreshed ... thanking the Lord for loved ones who live close to us, who share good things like their sauna with the "poor relative"! ... then i thanked my Saviour for all things in my life ... *smile* ... ahhhh, that first outdoor sauna, what could be better?* * * * * *
my sister maria continues to do well ... in fact, they may cut her back to 2 times a week dialysis, rather than 3 ... she is just doing the testing for that now ... that would be amazing!!! it would give them a bit more home life to enjoy ...
"Every highway of life descends into the valley now and then. And everyone must go through the tunnel of tribulation before they can travel on the high road of triumph."
~Streams in the Desert
17 comments:
Glad you had this special treat.
Susan
Happy news from Maria! I love that picture and am glad you got to have some sauna time!
I didn't know you were Finnish, Saija. And what a lovely description of the outdoor sauna. To think you had it for free. Wow...
The red flowers were beautiful too
So were the great news about Maria.
Spring brings with it so much hope and gladness.
I'm rejoicing with you.
I love to sit (or lay down) in a sauna...it just makes the cares of the world disappear. When I go to my health club (which is very infrequently) that's the first place I head to!
Glad to hear about Ms. Energizer Bunny. She continues to be amazing! We must remember to hold her up on prayer, God's not finished with her yet!
PS
Love those red flowers!
I know how you look forward to this every year... so glad you took the time to do this and to count your blessings.
:)
Glad you had such a nice treat and that Maria is doing well ~ Hope spring is finally arriving ~
Oh your post did make me want to sit in a sauna! Tonight it was 68 degrees here...so unusal for this time of the year!
Blessings!
I'm so glad to read that about your sister. Tears come to my eyes. Praise to our Jesus! I'd like to try that sauna...smile. Sounds so relaxing...like all tensions melt away. Bookstores do a bit of that for me. I'm so behind today...I should be making a blueberry flan and practicing, cello and here I am online having fun...grin. Oh well. And... in case you'd like an award for your blog sidebar..I've passed along one to you at kkat. *hugs* from Maggie Ann...your devoted blog buddy, these what? 4 years plus? grin. Have a nice weekend my friend.
Wow--love this post--soooo true the refreshing soothing moments to cleanse the body and the soul. God bless you dear sister...
Great news about Maria!
The sauna sounds terrific. I'll bet you'll use that many times this summer.
I hope you had a great weekend, Saija, have a great week.
Have missed hearing from you..How are you both doing? We are fine just a very busy summer so far. I am so sorry that you have not had any warm weather yet. WE have had it for a long time. Would share it if I could..Sandy
Oh I love the cartoon of you and Leo!!
That sounds so wonderful. Mt sis has an outdoor pool, but it has been to cold here in Colorado to use it. I want sunshine (o:
So glad you sister is doing so good.
I use to know someone who had a Sauna and I LOVED IT! It is everything you said and more...(I could sure use one these days....But my friend moved away and so there are no more Sauna's available to me.
Glad to read that your sister is doing so much better! Always good to hear, Good News.
Encouraging news of Maria!!! and I to love a sauna, but don't have any around here.. we had on in our house when I was growing up... so relaxing for sure.. Glad you enjoy it!!!
I would gladly send you some of our already way too hot weather if I could! The sauna sounds wonderful, and I'm so happy to hear that Maria is doing so well! She has remained in my thoughts and prayers.
good morning saija!
ha i guess it IS early morning for you in my beloved manitoba.
i just saw you over at miss patty's and i heard about the rain you were having,
ah!..nothing like a downpour in manitoba!
we golden kids would head outside when it rained and play in it!
just wonderful!
and too, the lightening... you could see it for miles away on the flat land!
i want to thank you so much for sending me those manitoba pictures last week.
usually i am in the front room with my lap top these days and sometimes i don't see my email for a couple of days from the big computer.
if you want to saija, you can use my gmail address.
it is terry.shirkie@gmail.com
i should be working on my ruby tuesday ,but i just thought i would come up and say howdy to you first and i am glad i did because it is nice to hear that marie is getting better...that dialysis treatment is such a hard thing,
when i was working at the hospital, my job there was to be with a patient that was going through the treatment,
the patients used to all be in one big room and my heart used to break when i saw them connected to those thick tubes.
one thing that really surprised me, though was how brave most of those dear people were.
they were in that one spot for about three hours and yet they would talk to each other and encourage each other and tell stories to each other!
i could not understand how they could be so brave...i know that i would be a coward saija!
well you have a good manitoba day and enjoy the sauna but keep looking forward to plunging into the glorious fast moving waters of the river!.....love terry
Dear Saija,
You are so clever finding the bright stars on a dark sky and focusing on them.
Good for you that your aunt has a sauna.
Bad for her that she didn't open it until now.
The Finns use their sauna all years around. They even roll around in the snow after being in that steaming hot thing.
Finnish politicians take their guests to sauna.
It hard to keep distance and a stiff upper lip in a sauna, many good solutions have been worked out in the saunas.
For the rest of the summer; enjoy.
Hugs from Felisol
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