Monday ~ Feast Day Blessings and thanksgiving

Thanksgiving list! 

1. We were able to go to liturgy today! My Oma passed away 6 years ago and it is so meaningful to be in church on this day 

2. My Husband is my valiant Best Friend. 

3. So I have had reports that the cardamon cake I baked (The one with more sugar) was quite good. I am hoping next week to try a yellow coffee cake with cinnamon and cardamon.

4. Seeing kids at church being happy at church and playing church (today again a little young boy was play priest, holding up his book, etc, it was so so dear). 

5. Husband and I stocked up on a few things we needed at the grocery store and that's always a blessing. 

6. Laughter and good humour.

 7. St. Nicholas day (new calendar) is soon!!! (I do it twice here, one can never have enough of St Nicholas day in my book!).

8. A dear friend sent me a card with a beautiful magazine with an article by

beloved Mat. Rebekah!

Tuesday ~ Taking the good with the bad ~ a relapse has happened...

My Husband woke up looking and sounding worse.

It pretty much was 'official'... after a month of flu,

then substantial needing lots of medicine respiratory illness,

my poor sweet Husband, who was feeling a lot better towards

the end of last week, has a cold... 

We were both very tired this morning and napped...

I made lunch and was so happy to make a new pot

of Chicken Bone Broth for my ailing husband...

it was humming away and smelling up the house so nicely,

but then later it changed and I did not think right away

what and why and by the time I did,

the water had boiled out and it was in the beginning stages of burn...

I immediately turned off the burner and poured water into my poor

pretty red pot and the water turned smokey black...

I was fortunate that it was not smoking when I opened the pot!

 ***

Later I called my Mother and told her about it

and she commented that once Oma (her Mom) 

almost burnt the house on Railroad Street down.

I must tell you the story so that it is not forgotten... 

My Oma, even back then, cleaned houses for others...

my Mom was probably in grade 8 and her old brother,

my Uncle H, was in grade 10.

My Oma was cooking soup bones on the stove

when she left to go clean house,

not realizing that the burner was set on 'High' instead of 

on 'Low', and when my Uncle H came back from school,

the smoke was so dense that he could not get to the phone 

that was in the hallway past the kitchen...

he had to go to the neighbours house to call the fire department.

The pot, a thick aluminum one was from Holland,

where my Mom and her family had immigrated from probably about 14 years

before this time, and the pot was burned though, the bottom of it

being totally gone.  The cupboards were scorched, the kitchen had 

to be repainted and my Mom's lunch, the next day,

when she opened it, smoke came right out of the bag,

right there at school, and she had to throw her lunch away,

it was so damaged!

Thank God that the house did not burn down.

My Oma must of been so distressed by this,

as I know her to be a very careful woman and she was probably

very distracted that morning, maybe running late or something

worrying her. She had 8 children and I am sure always had much

to think about and even more to do... 

Anyway, there's the story and my Mom comforted me,

that it could of been much worse.

***

I will have to be more careful when making broth and not put the 

temperature so that I can here it cooking but be careful to have a much lower

simmer.... lesson learned

and I am so THANKFUL that my beautiful red rooster pot is still OK...!

My Husband and I were talking about that pot as we drove our

now fixed car (battery went, taking the alternator with it), how

we find that pot so beautiful, my Husband esp. loves the rooster on it,

as do I... we got it at 65% off about 2 years ago and I am so glad that

I did not ruin it, as it would be costly to replace at full price!!! 

So thank God for that!

***

So my Husband had a online consult with a doctor this morning

who told him to monitor his temperature and breathing. 

By tonight he had an elevated temperature, just over 100F.

So he called our medical place again and now will see

the doctor tomorrow.

***

He's quite unwell, the main thing we are hoping and praying for 

is that this cold stays in his head and does not descend into his lungs.

***

So tonight, after I cleaned up while Mr Husband did prayers early,

and then we did what we call 'prayers for our marriage' and he had

tea ready for him and we did the oils for respiratory health...

and then I finally had time to read quietly the 

much loved Akathist to Saint Luke the Surgeon...

***

Tonight we talked again about how we must seek

to be thankful to God for all things and if we are,

then we can still have the joy that God brings,

our heart can still have lightness...

***

I forget sometimes and feel discouraged and dismayed,

but God is our Father, He loves us and will take care of us...

and we have so many many things to be thankful for!

Friday: Oma's knitting basket and my first dish cloths

The other day I was
looking for a place in one of our bookshelves
for some photo albums.
*
I happily found a place for both the
albums and finally found the
small knitting bag that
my Mom had from
her Mom.

Above is the first thing I ever knit
back when I was a teen.
I always did love Christmas time
so no surprise that my colour choices
were greens, red and cream.

This was what I worked on next apparently.

So now I have size 6 aluminum needs to use
as well. 

Here's the small knitting bag.
Most likely my Oma made it.
Fun, hey?

I admit I still find these colours to be cheery!

Here's the scarf I am working on
for one of my nieces.
I am slowly making progress on it!

And:
Ta Da!
The finished
dish clothes -
one is a actual dish cloth and the
other is the dish/cleaning towel.
*
I am pleased.
They are a gift for a special occasion for
someone who I love.
I can't say more,
what if the word got out? :)
*
What are you working on today?

Christmas Eve - December 24, 2011

Today my is my Oma's 103 birthday

(I say this because she is still alive in heaven).

I am asking God to send my Oma

my love to her this day

through the Holy Spirit.

It is nice to know that we can do this...

*

I have been feeling unwell for a while

and now have a head/chest cold.

Drinking lots of tea and resting.

Don't know if I can make it to the Christmas dinners

I was to go to tomorrow.

All this is in God's hands.

*

Still praying for Noah,

no new news yet...

Lord have mercy on him

and his family.

Reflections and Rememberance

Reflections about my Oma

Part I

It's funny how you can know that

you are hearing the end of one's story.

My Oma surprised everyone

earlier this year

by going with at least 4 or 5 of her 8 children to Perry Sound;

I knew somehow she was her last acts of love

for her children.

She never stopped knitting.

She finished those 7 scarves and

gave them to my Mom to give to us.

After we said goodnight she told my Aunt

that she was going to finish up the slippers

she was knitting before going to bed.

Within an hour of finishing those

last slippers

a shade of purple with a lot of red in it,

yellow knit on top of them,

she fell.

While they were waiting for the ambulance and she was

in bed, one of my Aunts called from the room

by my Oma's bed,

to my other Aunt (the oldest who is in her late 70's)

in Michigan to tell her

that Mom fell and would you like to talk to her

and so they did and my Oma told her oldest

daughter not to worry about her

that she would be fine

and that she should go to bed.

Mother to the end to her grown children,

that is my Oma.

The last conversation my MI Aunt, the oldest daughter,

ever had with her Mother.

My Mom would often go once a year to Brampton

when I was young and would eagerly wait

my Mom's return

to see what my Oma gave her for us.

Knitted slippers, socks, mittens, hats;

small blankets,

doilies, little booties for babies, tea cozies...

At home I still have a lovely edition of the book

beauty and the beast

that my Oma gave me and she used to send all of us

cards for our birthdays.

With 8 children,

at least 25 grandchildren and well-over 10 great grandchildren

not to mention some

great-great grandchildren

this is a lot of people.

My Oma stopped some years back but when I was a child

I always got a card from her.

I have one from just a few years back

when my family went to Brampton for Christmas.

*
I have a lot more to write about my Oma

who grew up in Holland on a farm

and was faithful to her Lord,

our Saviour Jesus Christ.

She would ask me from time to time

to make sure I was still trusting in God for everything,

praying and reading my Bible.

*

I really appreciate each of you;

your words, love, encouragement and prayers

for my Oma, my family and myself

are a real blessing.

*

I seek to remain thankful,

for our God,

for each of you,

for my family and

for my Oma.

Family, Grief and prayer requests

This was our family Christmas tree this year;

we did not have time or the energy to put up

our tall tree this year;

we did the presents for Christmas and our Christmas dinner

early since my sister and bro-in-law

are leaving tomorrow...

we had our early Christmas dinner Sunday night.

It was a fish day for me so we all had

really nice salmon for dinner.

My sister and bro-in-law leave tomorrow

for Romania.

I will miss them...

*

Today was a bit of a 'recovery' day for me as last week

was so intense with grief, traveling, family gatherings

and a 10 hour work day on Friday

to submit the proposal...

and we had not gotten home until 1 AM Friday morning

from Brampton so it really was a very

great effort the next day.

My family helped or I would of not even made it...

*

I had a hard day today;

getting back to things and not having a lot of energy.

I hope tomorrow is better and am taking things

one moment at a time.

*

Asking your prayers for Noah as he had to have a

painful procedure done today

and also for Jan, the Mother-in-law of Katherine who

many of us in the blog world have known

and loved for years;

my heart was heavy to read that Jan had fallen

broken her hip and was struggling,

esp. as this is what happened to my Oma just

days ago...

*

I am thinking that I need to read some things on grief;

in our fallen world all die;

my Oma was 20 days from being 103 years old;

but as my spiritual father has said many times,

no matter how old the loved one is when

they die, they still die too young.

I wear the scarf my Oma had just knitted and mittens

that she knitted a year or so ago.

At some point I will do a service for her at my church;

I have prayed the Akathist to the Lord for the departed;

but I still feel like there should be something

more I can do, somehow...

I hope in time to be able to do so.

For now all I can say is that

I still miss my Oma...

Nativity Fast Day 5

Keeping up with numbers of the Nativity Fast

is proving hard;

so much going on right now.

*

No news on my Oma yet ...

don't know if she had surgery today;

with how health care in Ontario goes I am guessing

that if the surgery was not today

it may not be till Monday.

We are all inwardly standing still

waiting to see what will happen.

*

The two book in the picture above are

my Nativity reading for this year's

Nativity Fast/Lent.

*

I am almost totally packed for Michigan.

A friend from church is bringing me to the airport.

My Mom already had my future DV birthday presents

(I turn 35 DV Dec 29) and had wrapped them

so she brought them to Brampton so

that there will not be problems flying home

back to Ottawa

with them,

since now airports have the 'right' to unwrap gifts.

*

I am very blessed with all the love and support

from everyone.

Thank you.

*

Let's keep Noah and Mat. Anna in our prayers.

Lord help and comfort us all.

Home, my Oma and other reflections

I am God willing going home

in early December

to see my sister and brother-in-law.

I booked the ticket a few weeks ago.

I don't think I can go home for actual

(new calendar) Christmas

and, worst of all, I don't think I can go to my

most beloved monastery for New Years

like I always do.

Just not wise to spend the extra money.

I am still wishing for this,

but not counting on it.

But I am seeking to go for at least one night

while I am home in earlier December.

It will be good to be home.

*

A few days before I go home God willing I am

going to see my Oma.

The last time I saw her was about 2 years ago

and the last time I saw her with all of my family

was in late 2008.

I even found one in which I flew out to see my Oma

when she was 99; she is now 102 years old!

*

The hard thing about that I am going to Brampton to see my

Oma with my family is that she will be

God willing

103 on Dec 24 of this year.

One of my Aunts is visiting her right now;

my Mom said that Oma (her Mom)

is showing more signs of decline.

I hope and pray that she will not go too quickly

and that my family can have at least one more time to see her.

*

My Oma is worthy of many blog posts,

to say the least!

*

It was quite something,

seeing those old 2008/2009 blog posts today.

I was in the seemingly slow process of losing my job in 2009.

Now I have lost another one.

I am glad my friends are quick to tell me that this does NOT mean

I am a failure.

My Mother I think has the best words on it;

not only am I not a failure but that God took the job away...

it is all in God's hands,

not in the end, even in my employers hands.

*

We go through a lot of trials in this life

but God is with us in them.

It is a continual and constant battle of the mind

to rejoice and be thankful;

one step at a time,

picking oneself up each time

that a step is missed.

*

Lord have mercy on us!

Hopeful Morning!

We looked up my sister's flight on British Air:

The flight says "departed"

so they should be in the air to Chicago right now!!

*

My parents and I are enjoying time this morning;

I continue to enjoy my Dad's teasing;

he said if I tried to reassure you all that he gives hugs

that I would merely make him look worse :)

Lots of laughter here...

They wish they could adopt my friends who need

more TLC at Christmas...

I am very blessed.

God willing I will see my sister soon!

Very excited.

These are my new slippers from my Oma;

she does such fine work

and she is 101!

She knit the white socks too.

She turns 102 tomorrow!

Moments in three pictures

Do you see the sunshine?

The pink and white under the plate

is a lovely doily that my Oma made,

part of my photo shoot of Oma-creations.

I got the pillows in Halifax;

just like the picture...

Doily by my Oma

painting from and by a friend.

***

About the French quiz.

Well.

I can't spell that well yet

and so

ahem,

(semi-blush)

I didn't do that well.

(really like under 70%).

That's why I am blogging.

Yeah.

Okay.

Back to French studies...

(midterm in a week!)

Three Things ... Sunday Evening

We've had some sunshine on and off

the last few weeks.

I was so taken by the fact that the sun is not already set

when I walk to church for vespers

that I stopped and took a picture.

I love the golden-ness of the setting sun.

I made the beef stew for last week;

super easy recipe:

can of tomato soup, can of water

beef chunks (sorry to all those vegetarians)

carrots potatoes

caramelized onion

salt and pepper.

It was great and lovely

for the fast free week.

(I am sure I am not the only one that has a hard time

preparing two type of meals with a Wednesday

as a fast day;

I always find meal planning in this regard

difficult!)

My Oma is 101 years of age this year.

She is slowing down

though still doing really well considering her age;

she is mentally fully present

and can still walk short distances.

I am working on a photograph project

of all the things she has made for her grand kids

and that I was the lucky recipient of.

The socks and slippers are

one example of her knitting.

My idea is to make a mini little book of pictures

and mail it to her

with a picture of her and myself as well

as a surprise Thank You and I Love You card.

So often I have been well meaning but not following through on

showing her my love

so I hope to actually do this.

Meanwhile I did get a card in the mail this week to her,

which I am grateful that I was able to do.

I am blessed to have her in my life;

My Mom told me how she can remember when she was a kid

that my Oma (her Mom) would be washing floors while

singing the Psalms in Dutch

which she knew by heart.

She would always counsel me to always pray to God,

read my Bible and go to church

and love my family.

She is such a strong example of a Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother and

given her age

even

Great Great Grandmother.

I wish I could see her more

but am glad I can at least send cards her way.

I am so blessed!

***

On a different note,

I have a quiz in my French class tomorrow,

prayers requested!

My Time in Brampton Ontario

The first part of my Christmas holidays was with my Oma celebrating her 100th birthday. My parents, sister and brother-in-law, two of my Aunts and myself stayed a few days in Brampton. Most of us stayed right in my Oma's retirement complex, which is full of many Dutch Christians. For Christmas the "Glory to God in the Highest" hymn is sung mostly in Dutch at the end of the Christmas service (they are lovely Protestants).

The retirement complex is very nice and we took various walks in the halls. Here are some pictures of nice sitting areas that are scattered throughout:

This one is one (above) is one of my favourites, as it has so much light and space.

This is a very typical site - the Today devotional book is read daily by many Dutch CRC (Christian Reformed Church) Christians. My Oma and Opa always read the Bible and a devotional piece with a prayer after every meal - breakfast, lunch and diner. Their faithfulness is lovely to see.

Here is a smaller sitting area - I love the rug! The Today book pictured above is from this little nook. I am always impressed by this complex - always clean, orderly. One of the cleaning woman was praying and singing hymns under her breath. It is a special place.

I got a kick out of the elevators, which had the emergency instructions in English and in Dutch. Here is the Dutch instructions:

It is a comfortable clean world for me to visit. I was inspired by the cleanliness of my Oma's apartment - there is no clutter anywhere. I have a lot to learn from her! My goal is to have a more orderly, clean and clutter free apartment... once my furniture is in and assembled.

I hope you enjoyed the tour of where my Oma lives! I am blessed to have her in my life. She always counsels me about reading my Bible, getting along with others, and family. She has good practical wisdom and I am thankful for her. My Mother once commented that my Oma has seen a lot of changes in her life, but that she never changed. I hope someday someone can say this about me - that I was steadfast and unwavering - especially in my hope in God. May the Lord so grant His mercy to all of us!

home again

Thank God I am home again. I had a nice trip; it was really good to see my Oma. She is still knitting, and at 99 that is pretty good. I know that she will not always be alive, which is hard. It was reassuring to see everything still the same; other than that everyone keeps getting older.

I saw my parents, more aunts and uncles, my Oma. I was surrounded by people speaking Dutch; it was wonderful, even though i do not know the language. I grew up visiting my Opa and Oma and it is almost second nature to be around people speaking in more than one language.

And I saw a lot of pictures in the hallways, and a lot of beautiful things.

It is strange always now, though not to see Icons.

but I saw many other signs of God's kingdom in the faithfulness of my Oma's people.

and, on smaller notes, the tea pot, sugar and creamer that I got from my Grandma (not to be confused with my Oma) over Christmas are now with me; my parents brought them up, with a silver mirrored tray that I bought at an antique store when antiquing with my Grandma. They are adorning one of my bookshelves and that is lovely.

I have been thinking about identity and what we surround ourselves with. I am the type that surrounds myself with things that are linked to my family and friends. I do not have the minimalist IKEA-only apartment. I have IKEA things along side of family dishes, pictures, knitted things from my Oma, and Icons from my various Orthodox churches and from the monastery that I love in Michigan. To me these things show and tell me where I am from; my Church, my family. And to me having things I bought with my sister, Grandma and Mother; or slippers, scarves, mittens, and tea cozies from my Oma, is like being surrounded with their love. and it shows me that others think of me, that I am remembered.

How I wish Protestants knew that we can pray for those who have died! when we, Orthodox, says Memory Eternal, we are praying for God to remember the person who has died. It is such a comfort that someday, if my Oma dies before me (the statistical view would be this way) the grief will be real, but I have been given a great comfort in the church, to pray for her and to have a service for her.