1st Sunday of Advent

Advent- (L) Adventus ad-to + venire-come

I love celebrating Advent, the coming of Christ as a babe. I love lighting the candles of the Advent wreath each week, reading scripture, special prayers, and singing songs that correlate with each week. For me it adds to what Christmas is all about, and less on what the world has made it to be.

Today at church we celebrated the beginning of Advent. A family came up, read scripture, lit the candle, and prayed. We then, as a congregation sang, O come O come Emmanuel, one of my favorites. I had the privilege to be part of the worship team today, so as I sang, I was paying close attention to the words, to make sure I didn't mess up. As I did, it hit me that the words of the song weren't just for the month of December, but they are for every day. Daily I am to ask the Lord to come, to fill my very being, to lead and guide me each moment. But more than that it struck me that I am to daily be in anticipation for His coming to my heart. As believers we long for His return, we go through the motions of remembering His first coming as a baby, celebrating with all the traditions year to year, but do we long, really long for His daily coming?

Oh, Come, Oh, Come Emmanuel
Translated: John Neal, 1818-66

Oh, come, oh, come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel, shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come, our Wisdom from on high, who ordered all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show, and teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come, oh, come, our Lord of might, who to your tribes on Sinai's height
In ancient times gave holy law, in cloud, and majesty, and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel, shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come O Rod of Jesse's stem, from ev'ry foe deliver them
That trust your mighty pow'r to save; bring them in vict'ry through the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel, shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come, O Key of David, come, and open wide our heav'nly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel, shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come, our Dayspring from on high, and cheer us by your drawing nigh,
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death's dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel, shall come to you, O Israel!

Oh, come, Desire of nations, bind in one the hearts of all mankind;
Oh, bid our sad divisions cease, and be yourself our King of Peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel, shall come to you, O Israel!

Are these not words we can pray every day? Emmanuel, God with us. Never leaving, or forsaking, not seasonally, but daily, minute by minute.

O come, Emmanuel. Renew in me, today, a true wonder at Your presence, and power in my life.

O come, Emmanuel. Renew in me, today, a joy responsive to the Father's joy.

O come, Emmanuel. Renew in me, today, the joy, and love, and peace that is right to bring to the manger of my Lord.

O come, Emmanuel. Renew in me, today, humble reverence for the God who acted there, and sincere gratitude for the Life begun there.

O come, Emmanuel. Renew in me holy obedience, to walk as You walked, to love as You loved.

Joy

Family. Fun. Food. Babies to hold. Grandson and books. Conversations with nieces. Laughter, lots of laughter. Daughters. Son-in-laws. Mugs of hot tea. Hats and Mittens. Games. Fudge. Hugs. Kisses. Pictures. Charades. Music. Mothers and daughters, fathers and sons. Cousins. Aunts. Uncles. Grandparents. Love. Joy.

Day 12- Happy Thanksgiving

"O praise the Lord, for it is a good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant and praises is becoming.
The Lord does build up Jerusalem, and gathers together the outcasts of Israel. He heals those that are broken in heart, and binds all their wounds.
O sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praises upon the harp unto our God: Who covers the heavens with clouds, and prepares rain for the earth; and makes the grass to grow upon the mountains, and herb for the use of men; who gives fodder unto the cattle, and feeds the young ravens that call upon Him.
Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion. For He has strengthened the bars of thy gates, and has blessed thy children within thee. He makes peace in thy borders, and fills thee with the finest of wheat."
Verses from Psalms 147

'O Most Merciful Father, who has blessed the labors of the husbandman in the returns of the fruits of the earth; We give Thee humble and hearty thanks for this Thy bounty; beseeching Thee to continue Thy loving-kindness to us, that our land may still yield her increase, to the Thy Glory and our comfort; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen'
Book of Common Prayer

A blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving to you all~!

Day 11

I love Psalms 103. It is a Psalms of comfort, therefore, to me a Psalms of thanksgiving. It was one of my G'pa Fraser's favorites. It was also a favorite of Dale's. He had me read it to him often in his last days. It was hard to read it to him without tears, as he usually was in tears as he listened.

Yet, this is a Psalms that after reading, one can't help but give thanks for the blessings of mercy we have from our Heavenly Father.

'Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits' ~

• Who pardons all your iniquities
• Who heals all your diseases
• Who redeems your life from the pit
• Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion
• Who satisfies your years with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle
• He performs righteous deeds, and judgments for all the oppressed
• He made known His ways to Moses
• He acts to the sons of Israel
• The Lord is compassionate and gracious
• Slow to anger
• Abundant in lovingkindness
• He will not always strive against us
• Nor will He keep His anger forever
• He has not rewarded us according to our sins (praise Him!)
• Nor rewarded us according to out iniquities
• His lovingkindness is great toward those who fear Him
• As far as the east is from the west, so has He removed our sins from us
• He knows our frame
• He is mindful we are but dust

After that, how can we not but be exceedingly thankful!

Day 10

'And He took the seven loaves and the fish; and giving thanks, He broke them and gave...and they all ate, and were satisfied, and they picked up what was leftover of the broken pieces, seven large baskets full.' Matthew 15:36, 37

Provision and abundance. Jehovah-Jireh.

• Fee paid for me to attend the Ladies retreat
• Zucchini from Ande
• Kari Jobe cd from Julie
• $500.00 from church
• Dinner at D and A
• Encouraging words from Pastor

Snow...

Day 9

'Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.' Psalms 107.1,2b

More snow today, and I am grateful for a cozy home, and old movies.

• M helping me with my website
• N cleaned the house gutters and changed the oil in my car
• Pears from S
• H and M bought me lunch
• Wood from daddy

Day 8

'Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before His presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His cours with praise, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting, and His truth endureth to all generations." Psalms 100

So, can you tell I memorized it from the King James Version? This is a passage of scripture I memorized as a child, it has always been a favorite of mine.

My blessing today, is a warm home, a woodstove and plenty of wood to burn. Why?

From my blessing book:

• $500 from M and D
• Assistant Surgeon bill covered
• New Fridge from M and D
• Mom took me for lunch

Day 7

'O give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples. Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; Speak of all His wonders. Glory in His holy name.' I Chronicles 16.8-10

Today, my biggest blessing was Emily and Evan arriving at my house this morning! A 19 hour car ride from CA so they could be here for Thanksgiving with the family. We had a quiet day, visiting, going for lunch, and them having a bit of much needed nap. It is good to have them home!

From my blessing book:

• Bill helped with plumbing


• Daddy gave me 2 new doors for upstairs rooms


• Tea cups from W and S


• Rose start from C


• $50 from E and E
  

Day 6

''Help us to rise to a fit gratitude for the overrunning blessings which Thou givest ever...Make us sing Thy song in the light, and in the night to touch Thy hand, and be at peace. Grant, we pray, with all other blessings, Thy best gift, thankful and trustful hearts, that Thou mayest be our Lord and King for evermore~Amen." Henry W. Foote

"...to practise the grace and virtue of praise.." Harriet B. Stowe

• Fresh eggs from Dorothy



• Bill cut up Pine tree



• Craig, Ande, and Blake split wood



• Fresh Strawberries from Cindy

Day 5

I digress, sort of. Today I won't be drawing from my blessing book, as today my house was full of blessing. My mom, Hannah and Joshua, and Caitlin, Grace and Aubrey, and Hollie and Emma came for lunch and of course, tea. Today was an extra blessing as it was the first time, sisters got to met their new nieces. So, I give you a pictorial of today's blessings.




l-r Auntie Grace holding Caitlin, Auntie Hannah holding Aubrey.

Joshua meeting his new cousin, Aubrey

Joshua and the very uncooperative girls

Hannah and her babes

Joshua and Emma

Emma, who we have 'adopted', along with her parents.

Truly a blessed day for this Nana.

Day 4

'O God, Thou art Life, Wisdom, Truth, Bounty and Blessedness, the Eternal, the only true Good! My God, and my Lord. Thou art my hope and my hearts joy...' St. Anselm

'...so also enlarge my heart with thankfulness...' Jeremy Taylor

• More kindling from Bill
• Flowers from A.
• Wood from S and L
• Daddy took a load of stuff to the garbage dump, wouldn't let me pay
• Mama and Daddy took me to lunch

Day 3

'Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart, in the company of the upright and in the assembly.
Great are the works of the Lord; they are studied by all who delight in Him.
Splendid and majestic is His work; and His righteousness endures for ever.
He has made His wonders to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and compassionate."
Psalms 111.1-4

As I turned the page to see the blessings written in my blessing book I saw that only one entry was made.

• Kindling from Bill

That was all. No other. But I know it was a huge month of blessings. I had many who prayed for me that month. I started February with having surgery on my arm, perhaps that is why no other entries were made as my arm, my right arm, was in a cast and I couldn't use it. Then it dawned on my that the meals mentioned on day 2, should have been for February. O well, when one is drug induced, you don't thinks straight. Regardless, having the prayers of so many during that time, the extra help, like a niece coming to clean house for me, definitely warms the heart and shows the goodness of the Lord.

Day 2

'For I proclaim the name of the Lord; Ascribe greatness to our God! The Rock! His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He. Remember the days of old, consider the years of all generations. Ask your father, and he will inform you...When the Most High gave..He separated...He found... He encircled...He cared...He spread...He carried...He guarded...He made...'
Deuteronomy 32. 3, 4, 7-13

Jan. 2010

• Family helped with insulating attic, mom made lunch
• Meals from church ladies after breaking my arm
• Jasmine Vine from Hamiltons
• Kindling from Ande

Today a huge blessing from Cathy, who helped me organize my office.

12 Days of Thanksgiving

During Dale's first pastorate, I started a blessing book. I took an old binder notebook that had been my grandmother's and began to record in it the blessings we received from others. How I wish I had started it when Dale was in college! I always have kept the book visible, so we as a family only had to look at it to be reminded of God's goodness and faithfulness to us. Anyone of us could add to it, though that task was mostly mine. Whether a card of encouragement, firewood, help with a project around the house, financial blessing, to tomatoes. Though out the book of Deuteronomy we are reminded to 'remember'... what God had done, what He had provided, how He had lead, so at times, at the dinner table, I would take the blessing book and read from it to remind us of how the Lord had blessed us.

I have had to add pages to it over the years, again showing God's faithfulness. A blessing book is has been a traditional wedding gift for us, I wonder how many have used it as such.

I still write in it when I have been blessed by someone, so I recently decided on a new tradition for myself; The 12 days before Thanksgiving, I will go back over the entries of the past year, and record a few blessings as a reminder to me, of how the Lord has cared and blessed me, I hope this little exercise will remind you as well, of how gracious God has been in the provision of life. Blessings.

December 2009
-Flowers from Church, marking one year since Dale's passing
-$40 from D.
-Kindling from Daddy
-Kindling from Bill's class
-Wood from Pastor

Thank You

As I woke this morning my first thought was that it was Veteran's Day. Then I start to recount all those in my family who have served our country.

Cousins, Uncles, Father-in-law; marines, sailors, soldiers, airman; male and even a female. Thank You.


My dad was in the Marines for a short time at the very end of the Korean War. He says that they signed the cease fire when they knew he was on the ship headed their way. We humor him. Thanks, Papa.


My brother-in-law David is in Afghanistan, in the heart of it. Though he is retired military, he now works for Department of Defense. He oversees the condition of the vehicles our soldiers use. Thank You.


My nephew, Ryan, is in college and in the ROTC program, he wants to be a pilot. His dad is the one that is in Afghanistan, and knows the hardship of military life, yet he chooses to someday serve his country. Thank You.


My newest son in law, Evan, is in the Navy, as a Corpsman. He is detached to the Marines in CA. He has not been deplored, for which we are grateful, and selfishly pray, that in his remaining 2 years, won't be. Thank You.


Dale served 9 years in the army. He first served in Germany, where he came to know the Lord. We met when he was stationed at Ft. Lewis, WA. We lived in CA, NJ and AL. He never saw battle, though I know he wanted too. He always wished he could have rescued POW's, and was always greatly moved when he spoke with men who served during WWII. We went to air shows, military museums, watched war movies, and he always recognized the Veterans in the churches he pastored. Growing up in the Air Force, and his time in the military, gave him such a love and respect for the men and women in our military force.


When Dale passed away, he was given a military service since he was a Veteran. Whenever I would see a graveside service, only ever on TV, with Taps playing, the coffin draped with the flag, the mother or wive given the folded flag, it always made me weep. This time it was my turn. I remember as we pulled up to the graveside, and seeing Dale's coffin with the flag over it, my heart dropped. It was a reality, not a dream. As my girls, SIL's, my mom, and my SIL's family gathered around the graveside, Taps was played in the distance, by a lone trumpet. After that, two very well rehearsed soldiers, took the flag, and in slow, precise movements folded it. It was then given to a Staff Sergent, who came to me to present the flag. With the most painful lump in my throat I have ever had, I listen as he spoke gracious words of thanks for Dale's service to his country. I took the flag, thanked him, and hugged that flag tightly. I was grieved and grateful all at the same time, having Dale honored so. So, to Dale, Thank You.


To any reading this who have served, or have loved ones who have, or are serving, Thank You.

10 on 10

Morning tea with my Little Man

Toys

He does love to sing and play

Don't know how many times we had to dig through the shredded paper to find his car.

I need a secretary

Need to create

Tasting of Holiday blend. Just about there.

My Master Taster, nephew Nathan

Time to enjoy the fire and end of a day

Of New Things

I never wanted a career, save that of being a wife and mom. Today, however, was the beginning of having a career, so to speak. Today I shipped my first of 3 tea orders for my new business. It was exciting and a bit frightening all at the same time. After doing the paperwork involved, getting the tea boxed up, and getting the boxes shipped, I had a bit of a headache. My wee office was a mess, but I'm okay with that. There will be tomorrow to clean it up, unless the Lord comes, and I'm okay with that too.

It was a good day. I felt rather proud of myself. Taking such a huge step, out of my comfort zone and familiar element, and walking into the business world. I thought of Dale. I know he would be proud of me, if he were here. Then I thought, I wouldn't have to be doing this if he were here, I would still be doing what I love; being a wife and mom.

Deut. 10.20-21
You shall fear the Lord God; you shall serve Him; and cling to Him, and you shall swear by His name.
He is your Praise and He is your God, who has done these great and awesome things for you which your eyes have seen.

I wrote that verse out on a 3x5 card awhile ago, and have been carrying it around in my pocket. It is worn and wrinkled now, but it is in my heart, and today, was reminded that He is my Praise and my God. Today, I saw great and awesome things. Today, I clung even tighter.