...a "Merry Christmas"...

I'm still rosy-cheeked and puffing slightly after returning from an invigorating walk in the dusky late afternoon. Every time, as soon as I leave the house, I'm elated that I've begun my walk . I forget about the ubiquitous lists and duties still left undone. Why is it that I even waffled about going for a walk... just because it was dull outside and somewhat drizzly?

The coast was clear all the way down, down, down to the bridge along our brand new not-yet-open nature trail. Going down is fine but I must get back up too without losing too much time. I find I can do it quite easily, certainly better than the first few times. I'm thrilled.

I love walking, alone with my thoughts. This is my "resting" time, my refocusing and regrouping time. I had put a sticky on my desktop last night to remind me to "Enjoy the Sabbath Rest". Not sure just what that means but I wanted to get my mind out of gear. Too many things whirring and sloshing around in that grey matter - time to rest, to worship, to praise, to review the Christmas story according to St. Luke, committed to memory so many years ago. Ah, no mountains visible, no bunnies scurrying, only one human and his dog to exchange a greeting with along the path, nothing striking enough to capture with the camera. But I do capture this hour in my heart.

Having climbed back up the long grade, I like to finish off my walk with four laps around the track - the same track I've walked for more than two decades. No one was on the track, except in the distance I noticed the slight figure of a girl jogging along. It wasn't long before I heard the track shoes behind me. As I turned to smile and wave a greeting, I noticed how young and lithe and beautiful she was - barely a teen I thought- her lovely long hair swishing from side to side as she ran. Whizzing by me she turned and smiled as she sweetly exclaimed, "Merry Christmas"!

I don't know what happens when we become seniors but I was reduced to mush! I wept for joy that she bothered to give me that extra greeting. How beautiful! I started to weep and asked the Lord to protect her and keep her safe all her life and to bless her. I started thanking God for many things: the gift of salvation, His unfathomable and unconditional love, my terrific husband and his great heritage, my wonderful children with their equally wonderful spouses and for our seven beautiful grandchildren!! I thanked God for my heritage, my parents and ancestors.

My parents were Godly people. My father especially, was a global kind of man in many ways. He was an emotional man seeing beauty all around him. In his senior years he would be moved to tears at the sight of a flower, at the sight of Mt. Baker, the view of which he factored into two homes he had built for our family. And he was moved to tears at times by his children and grandchildren, not by frustration as perhaps in earlier years, but in recognizing the richness and fullness that children bring along with themselves.

I remember when Dad first saw pictures of Jennifer and Carlton signing their marriage certificate at their outdoor wedding ceremony more than eight years ago by now, weeping for joy at the beauty of the young couple beginning their life together, repeating over and over with deep emotion, "...you-ti-ful, you-ti-ful"! - he always omitted the "b" when he said, "beautiful".

The "trumpet sounded" for my Dad seven years ago this past week, and he left this world. He was ready. He taught me so much. His values were stellar, grounded on Godly principles - and he was constant as the North Star. His sense of humour remained in tact almost to the end of the last 92+ years God gave him here on earth.

I thank God for my Dad and the rich legacy imprinted on my life through him.

Dad loved music with a passion. He was thrilled with the rich baritone voices of Metropolitan stars from the last century such as Jerome HInes and William Warfield (especially the latter's rendition of "Old Man River") among others. Hines' performance of "The Trumpet Shall Sound" from Handel's Messiah is spectacular. Please listen - you will be blessed. You can find it at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYsls-s4GIw (copy and paste-doesn't seem to want to imbed)

For Unto us a Child is Born

More than 2,000 years ago God sent a Gift, the perfect Gift, a Saviour in the form of a precious little baby boy! Imagine: a world-changing and life-changing gift!!*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQVQOW1c0DQ&feature=related
(copy and paste link into browser to listen to: "For Unto Us a Child is Born" from Handel's Messiah)


40 years ago today, Al and I were blessed with a life-changing event; the birth of our first child, a son- a precious Christmas gift.



Today we embrace our son and wish him a very Happy Birthday and pray God's continued blessing on him. And we embrace the love which our Lord holds out to us today and always - and to all who will accept it - with deep gratitude.**

* Christmas story taken from:
Matthew:1:18-25 and 2:1-12
Luke: 1:26-56; 2:1-20
Scripture to music from Isaiah 9:6
**Picture of Big Al with Colin taken December 17 at Nathan and Megan's school Christmas presentation

How about this?

...and just why are we so excited?

...aha...Christmas came early...what is this?



...a new iMac....wowie!


...Carlton and Daniel help with the setup and onsite tutorial...very necessary and very much appreciated...

...ahhhh...so what do I do now?....
Just turn it on and...




....this is what happened...


...my first post with my new iMac...

...Thanks to Jenn and Carlton for all the help and for guiding Big Al to the right computer!

The first and last photo were taken with the Photo Booth Application built into the computer - very handy dandy.


We all got into the act....where did Jared disappear to?

Christmas Season

During this wonderful Advent season I am grateful for many things. Uppermost in my thoughts recently is the fact that God doesn't change. He remains strong and steady and Holy.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.(Hebrews 13:8)
God doesn't second guess Himself. He is all-knowing, He is all-wise, He is compassionate and forgiving. What a great Anchor and Foundation the Lord has laid for us - He is the foundation.

Four years ago we had the privilege of touring the Holy Land, visiting many Biblical sites. I was revisiting some of those places in my mind, as I reviewed my pictures from that time.*

In Nazareth we visited the Church of the Annunciation.
Here I was drawn to this painting of the angel Gabriel imparting the stunning news to the young virgin, Mary:

Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God...
For with God nothing shall be impossible.(from Luke 1)

We were told by our guide that each holy site is enshrined within a church built many years after the event and when rebuilt, it was always on the same site.

Here a cordoned-off section indicates the "exact" location of the specific event. The picture below shows the purported spot where the Angel Gabriel spoke to Mary.
I was wondering what it was that set Mary apart from all the other Jewish women of her day, to be chosen to become the mother of our Lord.

In Bethlehem we visited the Church of the Nativity.
What a trip that must have been for Mary and Joseph to walk or travel by donkey from Nazareth to Bethlehem - uphill all the way! Here Al is waiting his turn to descend into the grotto.

Again tradition says that the star in this picture indicates the exact spot where Jesus was born.

*With my first digital camera around my neck in tourist fashion I took lots of pictures never quite knowing if I was actually getting a picture. I hadn't taken the time to read my manual and get to know my camera properly. The picture of the painting of the Annunciation is particularly garish because of the flash. I'm still glad I got it. I was trying to locate this painting of The Annunciation among the many that have been painted by many artists but couldn't find it. Neither could I find a picture of the enclosure online, although my records show I took it in the Church of the Annunciation.

The pictures in the Church of the Nativity have been taken by thousands others I'm sure and can be found in abundance on the web along with great descriptions of the history of this church including who is responsible for the church now (what...2 different denominations?!), why the doorways were intentionally kept low. Could it be to keep marauders from galloping in on their horses and trampling this sacred place?

It's a New Day

Good Morning everyone! It's a new day...another beautiful day. It didn't seem as if it would be when I stepped out onto the back deck around 6:15 this morning. But the surprise was coming...it always seems to come through my south-facing kitchen window when I least expect it.

And there, as I placed my coffee mug into the sink and looked out, I saw it...a breath-taking sunrise in the eastern sky awash in dark reds and deep purples lightening into oranges and majentas as the minutes ticked by. Of course I must capture this moment...so out onto the deck I go, zoom in with my trusty little Canon Powershot A720, and hope for a reasonable facsimile. I am pleased...close, certainly not as good as the real thing...but such a reminder of the faithful sun rising every single day whether we see it or not...it rises...we can count on it. The Creator put it into its "DNA" to work perfectly every day-so faithful.

And so as I'm reading now in the great Book of Isaiah the Old Testament prophet I am blessed and uplifted again as I ponder the faithfulness of God:

Even to your old age and gray hairs
I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.
Isaiah 46:4

Western Red Flicker

What a lot of clout this Western Red Flicker wields in his habitat.

As I went over to my kitchen sink mid-morning I was stunned to see the side lawn filled with dozens and dozens of starlings all pecking away with gusto and flurry. As I was trying to figure out just what they were attacking in the lawn I was even more startled to see and hear the whole flock take off in flight as if on cue. Obviously they had not only been searching for lunch before the long trek South but were immediately ready for action when their sentinel alerted them to the culprit. This large Western Red Flicker, without any scary noises, just landed at the edge of the grass and nonchalantly started pecking away. I ran for my camera but couldn't get a good shot through the window. By the time I'd ever-so-quietly opened the door onto the back deck, he also ever-so-quietly hopped behind the hydrangea bush and out of sight.

This is only the second time I've seen a flicker in our yard. My neighbour Lyn, three doors away, feeds the birds and the flicker is a regular visitor to her backyard. He sure knows what he's doing!

I took this picture back in February when I was amazed at spotting him outside. I was always waiting for a better shot but I'll post this one today because it's this fella or his mate or cousin or friend that came to shoo off that multitude of speckled starlings. In the world of feathers, it's only a hawk or eagle I believe, that poses a threat to this large flicker. Quite the pecking order....

As I waited and listened on the deck to see if the flicker would reappear I was amazed and delighted to see and hear many different birds - towhees, robins, stellar jays, sparrows and chickadees- merrily chirping away and flitting through the trees. Are they all getting ready to fly South for the winter or were they anxiously scattering away from the flicker too? What amazing creatures! Reminds me of the childrens' song:

God sees the little sparrow fall
It meets His tender view-
If God so loves the little birds
I know He loves me too!
...and He does

Gingerbread Cake gluten-free

I cut this recipe out of a flyer in our local paper this weekend. It was a regular recipe but I simply used the GF flour mix and Big Al gives me the thumbs up on this.

Now I know why our instructor at the GF cooking class told us to sift our dry ingredients. You can see the bumps on top of the baked cake. These kinds of flours clump together and I should take that extra minute to shake it through a fine sieve...wait, I don't even own a fine sieve anymore! But I don't think it impaired the taste.

I added the glaze using lemon zest and juice -complemented the ginger nicely. Al loves the icing and that's one thing he'd like more of on this cake.

I had the luxury of adding a spritz or two of whipping cream which Al doesn't indulge in, to lighten the strong flavour of molasses. I changed the recipe by:
*.changing it to GF flour,
.omitting cinnamon and using nutmeg instead,
.using oil instead of butter,
.using 2 eggs,
.a bit less water to compensate for the extra egg,
.and no crystallized ginger since I didn't have any.

I decided on the spur of the moment to whip up this cake as I took the roast from the oven. This gave us a nice hot spicy dessert on a chilly, rainy Sunday afternoon.

Recipe

*1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon ginger
3/4 teaspoon baking power
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teapoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1/3 cup molasses
1/2 cup hot water
1/3 cup finely diced crystallized ginger

Blend all ingredients and beat until smooth. Bake in a 9 inch greased cake pan at 350 o for
30-35 minutes. Add icing sugar glaze according to your liking.

Christmas Shoeboxes

Over the past five years or so we've filled at least one shoebox, to be given through Samaritan's Purse, to a child in an impoverished part of the world. Last year we upped it to two boxes and this year to three in recognition of our many blessings and in gratitude to God for our beautiful grandchildren who have been blessed to live in a "have" country, as have we, unlike 80% or more of their counterparts throughout the world. It seems like a paltry contribution...but it's a beginning...an awareness.

This year we were delighted to involve our eldest two grandchildren in this project. Nathan came shopping with me for just the right things for little "Jose" who must live somewhere in this world. We also filled a box with girls things for Megan's counterpart, possibly "Dora" somewhere in this big world. So we had two boxes for boys and one for a little girl which the children cheerfully took to their school where this project is being fostered. It is a good thing to do.

Yesterday we picked up Nathan and Megan after school. Here they are holding up their little treat bag which I like to get ready for them. Remember how hungry you always were after school?

Here they are with their Christmas Shoeboxes:

Last year we filled the boxes in honour of our two grandchildren who live in Mexico and couldn't be with us for Christmas. This is what they looked like then:

Next year, the Lord willing as I should hasten to add, we'll do seven in honour of our seven precious grandchildren who bless us in so many amazing ways! We are grateful.

Beautiful...

A magnificent way to start the day - tune into this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=oPiQE4HjcxA
(copy and paste into your browser-put volume up high)

Isn't that magnificent? Wanting to get a new recording of Handel's Messiah for this Christmas season, I was drawn to an ad in one of our local shops:

Messiah Performed by the Cambridge Singers
with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
2CD Setw/Booklet $24.99 Sale $19.99.

I'm sure it's a great recording but I really wanted to hear an excerpt. I checked out You Tube this morning and although I didn't find that particular one yet, I found lots and lots of fabulous clips. The above clip was the second one I listened to. Now I have lots more to listen to before I decide. Any suggestions?

We have had this particular recording of the Messiah for many years. It's just wonderful and I put it on at about this time of the year and play it through pretty well every day until the New Year. It's wonderful to have this powerful music combined with pure Scripture wash our home with God's message of love, joy, peace and hope.

 

Both Al and I have sung this oratorio and exerpts of it over the years and have our own copies. When I was a student at Mennonite Brethren Bible College in Winnipeg in the early '60's our Conducting Class was given the assignment to perform this work, each student taking one piece to learn and conduct. It was a tremendous experience. Some of my classmates were brave enough, and of course talented enough, to sing the arias! We all sang the choruses. Imagine me conducting the "Hallelujah Chorus", since that was the lot that fell my way when Victor Martens, our instructor, randomly assigned our parts. I'm so grateful to have been a part of that memorable assignment.

A Pilgrim Song

I look up to the mountains;
does my strength come from mountains?
No, my strength comes from GOD,
who made heaven, and earth, and mountains.

He won't let you stumble,
your Guardian God won't fall asleep.
Not on your life! Israel's
Guardian will never doze or sleep.

GOD's your Guardian,
right at your side to protect you -
Shielding you from sunstroke,
sheltering you from moonstroke.

GOD guards you from every evil,
he guards your very life.
He guards you when you leave and when you return,
he guards you now, he guards you always.

Psalm 121 from The Message

Cooking Class - Gluten-Free

Monday night was our designated "girls night out" and so Jenn and I made our way to Langley where we had registered earlier in September for a cooking class on "Gluten Free" - GF- foods. A great variety of cooking and food preparation classes are held in this neat store:



Our professional baker/instructor was Tina Bacon of The Pink Spatula. Tina is an excellent presenter with a great sense of humour. She also can create wonderful recipes. The ones she had prepared for us to follow, as she prepared them in front of our class of about 10, were delicious. We got to sample five different GF baked goods. The recipes I'm including have been developed by Tina. You can find out more about her on her twitter:
tina@the pink spatula.ca

Tina started by giving us a basic mix of flours which she used for all of the items she baked:

All-Purpose GF Flour Mix
3 cups white rice flour
3 cups brown rice flour
2 cups potato starch (NOT potato flour)
1 cup tapioca starch

Measure ingredients into a storage container. Whisk thoroughly until colour is consistent. Store airtight at cool, room temperature.

One of my favourites was the first one we tested:

Crumpets

1 cup lukewarm water
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons yeast
1 ½ cups all purpose GF flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
½ teaspoon salt
3 ½ teaspoons sugar
1 large egg - at room temperature
½ teaspoon vinegar
3 tablespoons butter – melted

Preheat oven to 375o

Grease cookie sheet with oil.
Grease 6 English Muffin rings (about 4” x 1”) and place on baking sheet.

Combine water, yeast and sugar in small bowl.
Sift flour, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt into medium bowl.
Measure 3 ½ tsp sugar, egg, vinegar and butter into large bowl

Whisk together egg/sugar mixture till smooth. Whisk in yeast water. Add half the flour and whisk till smooth. Add remaining flour and stir with a spatula or spoon until smooth.

Divide batter evenly between rings. Cover loosely with tea towel or wax paper and let rise until double, about 20-25 minutes.

When doubled, remove cover and bake until lightly browned and pulling away slightly from rings, about 18-20 minutes. Cool a few minutes on pan. Run a thin knife around the edge, remove ring and finish cooling on rack. Slice in half and place individual buns in Ziploc bags. Store in freezer until required.

Optional: After whisking flour, stir in 1 cup grated aged Cheddan and herbs to taste.

Being of the practical sort, I'm planning to bake mine in muffin tins since I have them...but the size of the crumpet tins makes it special.



We savoured ours with several gourmet jams from the store such as this Tangerine marmalade:



Thanks for the photos, Jenn! It was fun!



... more recipes to follow on another post...

What will I see?

We've had another beautiful day and another beautiful walk. Coming to the last part of the trail I realized I hadn't taken any pictures nor could I see anything really interesting it seemed. Then I noticed this:



I just had to see why the trail was closed off...it beckoned...



...the sign is obviously a warning to be careful since the path, a new addition to the our local Discovery Trail, is being worked on in bits and pieces...and I traversed it with no ill effects

Jenn, who is taking a photography course, showed me yesterday that taking pictures at an angle can at times enhance the results. So I experimented. Some are quite hilarious as I got carried away...

I really like this old fence and I took a lot of pictures from different angles. Of course I also took Mt. Baker since it was right there looking at me...but will leave that for another time...




Off the path by now, I come across these neat abandoned buildings...



...hard to imagine that right across the street is a row of regular houses...



The wind has come up and I can hear the flag whipping in the breeze...



...God keep our land glorious and free...

There's always lots to see and more than meets the eye. I am grateful.

A Lovely Day

The colours of Autumn were brilliant today, this first day of November. A blazing maple welcomes all who pass by along a path near our place.

We were all dismayed when the horticulturists in our town decided it was time to remove all the ornamental cherry blossom trees from our area. For two weeks or more every April, if we were lucky with the weather, we enjoyed the beautiful tree-lined boulevards filled with gracefully arching pink-blossom laden branches. Now with the replacements we enjoy their stunning beauty in fall rather than spring. These ornamental pear trees, pyramidal rather than arching are also very beautiful.

Our little city is often referred to as the city in the country. How far do you think I had to go to get this picture of a pasture, a raspberry field and a beautiful red barn? Drum roll....

...as far as our front bedroom window! I zoomed in and took this shot right through the window...I love this vista... I love red barns...
...yes, a little country just across the way...

Then after a walk through our neighborhood in the late afternoon I noticed the moon, almost full, rising in all its glory. This picture is taken through that same front window as the previous photo.

"Guter Mond du scheinst so helle..."
(Dear moon, you shine so brightly...)

High Flight

This afternoon, on an impromoptu outing to Harrison Hot Springs, we were surprised and delighted to see four small planes roaring right above us. These planes were whirling just above the lake and flying in formation. It was bright and I hoped I'd be able to get a few shots before they disappeared, because it was so impressive. Immediately I remembered the poem, "High Flight" by John Gillespie Magee, Jr. which I'd learned in High School.

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings...

Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds...and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of...

Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air...

Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew...

And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

Check this link to get the complete poem, written by a very young man, and a history of this favourite poem among aviators.
http://www.prazen.com/cori/highflit.html
-click on the airplanes to enlarge photo-