Christmas for many

 

Picture from two year ago.
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I have been enjoying every one's
posts about Christmas.
*
Mr. Husband and I will have our first Christmas
in early January
and are looking forward to this!
*
I have been doing a huge computer over-haul
and am hoping for a much better
computer soon...
*
I stopped doing the daily Reverb
posts as it seemed to be often
to centered on one's self
and that did not seem overly helpful
in the long run
though I enjoyed doing some of the posts.
It can be a great tool for writing
and I appreciated this.
I may do some of them yet
but one thing at a time.
*
Hoping every one's Christmas now
and/or in January
is a blessed time.

Day 22 - gifts given, received and what is sought for

What was the greatest gift you received in 2012?

Marrying Mr. Husband; our wedding day.

*

 What was the greatest gift you gave?

I can't judge this fully

but being able to invite many to our wedding

was something that brought me great joy.

*

What do you intend to give yourself in 2013?

I find this to be a dangerous question

for as a Christian we know

that it is better to give than receive

and that focusing one's self is a hazardous to one's

spiritual life.

It is something I still have a lot to learn

and if anything the greatest gift

I could give would be to

learn to not do this!

*

This said,

I think one of the best things one can do

'for one self' is to go to a

good monastery to continue

seeking to begin on the endeavour to have

a spiritual life.

To seek growth in Christ and 

to seek out one's salvation is the most 

needed;

to seek the one thing needful. 

Day 20 (lists, I love lists!)

 

What items did you tick off your dream list in 2012? What other, unexpected, dreams came to fruition?
*
~my spiritual father married me to my beloved Mr. Husband
~my wedding day was one of great joy and beauty
~I got to wear my Grandmother's dress and she was
alive to see it
~I married a man that is so much of what I wished for
that I could say he is the man of my dreams :)


What are the top three items on your dream list for 2013?

Keeping it simple, I can think of the following:

~continue building our routines as a new couple
~continue working towards our goals as a couple
(we are the nerdy planning type)
~bake more sour dough bread
~bake cookies for church (since I did not do my
St. Nicholas cookies as I wished)
~cook and bake for Mr. Husband
~have more dinner parties
~have a small garden this summer for Mr. Husband
who loves this sort of thing (just like my Dad and other family!)
~continue making new friends in my new life here
~continue building my friendships with my beloved friends
of old through emails, phone calls, snail mail and
visits when I can
~lots more phone calls with my Mom and Grandma
~get back to reading books, including one I have
been reading with a good friend
*
I got news that the way Mr. Husband used to commute
to work is working again!
It was a long haul after hurricane Sandy
and so much still needs to be done for so many people.
I am really hoping that as the New Year comes
that we can feel a bit more 'normal' and
get back into better rhythms.

Day 16 - inspiration

 

Who inspired you in 2012? And why?

What gifts did they give you? And how will you carry these forward in to 2013?
*
Mr. Husband inspires me.
*
His love.
*
How can I carry this forward to the new year?
Only with the help and mercy of God.

Day 15 (backtracking again)

What was the most extraordinary dish you sampled in 2012? What made it so magical?

*
It needn't be the most extravagant dish, just the one that knocked your socks off with its flavour, texture, aroma, freshness, colour, significance, timing… whatever. Relive the magic and help us savour it with you here.
*
Mr. Husband and I honeymooned in
Quebec City.
It was beautiful and we have lots of
different meals
that were quite good.
One fancy meal, one yummy fish meal,
some great vegetarian meals and
one good breakfast
but the one that I think stands out for both of us
is the crepes.
*
Breton style crepes.
We joked about the word crepes and liked them so much
that we went back a second time!
*
I especially loved the dessert crepe
with french vanilla ice cream
and strawberries.

We loved them so much
that I told one of my new church friends about it
and was suprised with
my very own crepe pan and mix
to continue our honeymoon :)
*
I blogged about the first time
I made crepes at home
near our one month anniversary;
now we are past the three month anniversary;
Mr. Husband and I have had many
adventures together and I know
we will look back at these early married
times with a lot of joy and fondness
one day...
*
I am looking forward God willing to
the Christmas season in January
at home and
making lots of yummy festive food;
I think I should make crepes as well!
*
I know we are really blessed!

Day 14 - the path that brought me here

what was the most important thing you learned in 2012?

*
Well, this past year was a huge
whirlwind of change, excitement, transition and joy.
Lots happened and here I am
with just over 3 months of marriage.
I went from looking for work while
dating Mr. Husband,
finding an engagement ring
and telling you about it
getting full time work for all of Lent and into the summer
traveling almost every month
being engaged at Pascha
getting married on September 9, 2012
moving to NJ
and starting a new life.
*
So how to summarize one thing that I learned?
I think it would be to be patient with myself
and our process and building a new life together
as Mr. Husband and I have just
gone through lots of changes
even joyful change
is still change.
*
I am really hoping to start well in January
after our Christmas time and
continue to build my life here
with my beloved
Mr. Husband.

Day 12 - emotion

 

Picture by our wonderful wedding photographers.
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Day 12
*
A question of intense emotion
What made you dance in 2012? What made you weep?
*
Intense joy and happiness - Mr. Husband and I's wedding day.
*
Cry tears - watching the beginning of my wedding on video.

(back tracking day 2)

 

(earlier picture of our wedding crowns)
*
Day 2
 What was your most significant expenditure in 2012?
It doesn't have to be necessarily the biggest expenditure, just the one with the most impact.
What difference has it made to your life?
*
That is quite a question.
*
A misleading question actually
if you think of it in dollar amounts.
*
I can tell you this right now
the biggest expenses are
what is called
blood, sweat and tears.
*
The biggest impact first is seen in Christ
who died to save us.
The second is the blood of the Martyrs
who I am reading of often and
the horrific ways they died
continue to startle and convict.
Being a Christian is
if anything
truly
not for sissies.
These stories and Saints are vitally important to us.
Do we realize that we we take for granted
as Christians?
are we ready to give like they and not deny?
*
For me
it the biggest expenditure is time and energy directed
towards people and learning to love.
*
My Grandma has said many times
God promises strength for the day
and we must trust that God will get us through
today and that we must pour ourselves out
and not worry
but at the same time understanding our
strength and when to rest and when to run.

(#7 - taking with me)

 

Photograph at our reception by our
stellar photographers
*
# 7 - 
What's the one thing you want to take with you into 2013?
*
Just one thing?
I am like the Catholic Saint
Little Flower
that Kathleen Norris writes about
when offered to take a ribbon from
several says
I choose all.
*
I am not much of just one thing
type of gal.
*
I want to be with God in 2013;
I want to take the love I have for Mr. Husband
and nourish it so that we can
continue to build a good foundation
for our marriage.
*
We were married 3 months
yesterday.
*
I want to take all the hope, all the beauty,
all the goodness, all the prayers
with me into 2013.
*
The laughter, the verve,
the daring and rejoicing
and visits with family and friends.
*
If I had to take one thing only
it would have to be the only thing I need.
God's mercy.

(backtracking, day 9)

 

Picture by our amazing wedding photographers.
*
Day 9
What was the best book you read in 2012, and why?

  *

 Mr. Husband and I had each table at our reception named

 for a character or moment 

in CS Lewis' Narnia books 

after I talked with one of my book-loving friends 

while having great lavender tea late

 in the summer... 

 * 

As I was packing I re-read various Narnia book

s and both the magicians nephew and the last battle 

 reminded me and brought tears 

as I saw again the beauty and hope in the world in the long awaited ending 

when things are made right things 

are explained and the King of Glory comes

 Pascha but the greatest Pascha... 

*

 I gave a set of these to one of my dear friends in Ottawa

 later yet that summer and told her she must read them for beauty...

 * 

Everything in my life was shifting; 

I packed house moved prepared to become a wife 

did tons of wedding prep prayed 

had thoughtful parties

 and said many goodbyes

 without it meaning a last goodbye 

but knowing it was a goodbye 

I will only return for visits type of goodbye 

and reading these books reminded me of all that I have been given 

 and all that I will be given if I can stay strait on the road 

and look to Christ;
they also reminded me of the goodness in Mr. Husband 

who was then Orthoman 

as he loves these Narnian worlds as well.

Joining in...

 

For a few years
I've enjoyed the December reflections on the year
that I have read at RW's blog...
*
The prompts are from here.
*
I am in ways a pretty cautious blogger
in other ways not...
but here it goes...
Am starting on what is Day 10.
*
 What was the greatest risk you took in 2012?
What was the outcome?
*
Well,
what felt like one of the biggest risks of 2011
continued in 2012
and that was being vulnerable to another human being
and marrying the man I fell in love with
after 1000s of emails and phone calls and meetings
I knew within days and within months.
Shoot, I talked to my spiritual father about marrying him
in a year's time
when we started dating.
(we did just that by the way)
I was so in love.
But it is more than being in love
as I read enough books
to know that one surely must not do this based on
a fleeting feeling;
besides I and Mr. Husband are not fully that type;
more the dig deep, seek truth, weigh it and go with it
though in another way
it happened so fast that one could say
it was done winging it
but only with the prayers of many and visits to monasteries
and prayers and talks...
*
The biggest risk of 2012 began just over a year ago
when I told Mr. Husband that I would move
to New Jersey.
We knew Ottawa was out of the question
and after thought, prayer, and talking with some
close friends,
I told Mr. Husband before I went to NJ
the first time to see him
that I would come to him.
*
I am now living that risk.
Making a new life for myself
for us, together
and getting to know the area.
*
An additional risk to me personally
was leaving my church.
*
What is the outcome?
It is still ongoing and forthcoming.
*
Mr. Husband and I ordered swim caps yesterday
finally choose one and went for it.
I went to NYC
and was helped by St. Nicholas
I feel it warmly
in getting that outfit for Mr. Husband's
office Christmas party.
*
Sometimes I forget what I saw all at once
suddenly and yet over time
the beauty of coming here and
all that can be gained.
*
The hurricane
the shock of leaving Ottawa that I knew
well for 7 years and is and was in my bones
and then the sickness after
American Thanksgiving
weighed in at times
a bit heavy
and I know that there will always be
challenges
but right now I see again
in a rush
what I have been given
and remember that
it is good and
a risk well taken
with what is needed for such a risk
prayer, spiritual father's blessings, and the Saints.
So on one hand perhaps I took the risk
but on the other I pray it was God
leading me, going in front of me and
I feebly following
while being supported along the way.