Celebrating 2008

Reflections

I have ideas and ideas of things to write about this last day of 2008, but no one wants to read a long blog. Nor would what I have to say be all that profound, but I'm going to get started anyway!

I read through the ESV of the One Year Bible every year. Everything finished up today. Revelation has me contemplating the idea of eternity. 22:4 "they shall see his face" v.5 "and they will reign forever and ever." Remember Moses could not or was not allowed to see God's face, but in eternity, we will see his face. Matthew Henry's commentary sums it up:

The supreme felicity of this paradisiacal state 1. There the saints shall see the face of God, there they shall enjoy the beatific vision. 2. God will own them , as having his seal and name on their foreheads. 3. They shall reign with him for ever; their service shall be not only freedom but honour and dominion. 4. All this shall be with perfect knowledge and joy. They shall be full of wisdom and comfort, continually walking in the light of the Lord, and this not for a time, but for ever and ever. (italics his)

Contemplating eternity at the END of a year puts things into perspective for me. We are already living forever. We will never stop being. Things that bug and bother me now, puh, what are they? Nothing should bother me!

It was a winner!

See the last blog. The hat and scarf were a hit. Pink is a favorite color, which I knew, and they both fit exactly like I was hoping they would. I did go with tassels, too, by the way. Check the photo out that I've uploaded since I posted the blog. Yes, it was Stephanie. She's the perfect model, no?

Finished another

I crocheted another hat last night. This time it turned out like I wanted it to. After doing two and ripping them both out, this one turned out. I wanted to make a hat that fit close to the head and down over the forehead. The patterns I had just weren't working. So I ripped them out and followed one pattern for the first six rows, then I made it up the rest of the way. I wanted something open around the lower part anyway. I'm hoping to get a photo later on today of someone wearing it.

To change the subject. Den has a friend at work who is crazy about kids' movies. He keeps loaning them to Denny and then asking if we've watched it yet. Last night's movie was KungFu Panda. It was pretty cute. Evil guy subdued by witless warrior trained by a Yoda character. Jack Black is the voice of the "Dragon Warrior". He so fits the part.

I got started on another scarf.....

Coffee with a friend later. No other plans this week. I got the house all cleaned up yesterday. With all that gorgeous sunshine, I couldn't help but feel like spring cleaning! Then I went for a walk.

Holiday handiwork

Like I mentioned earlier, I've picked up crochet and cross-stitch again after a 20 year hiatus! Guess I was too busy homeschooling and raising kids to do it.

This is what got accomplished so far in the last week or so. To give credit where credit is due, however, I only did the outline on the cross-stitch. It took me FOREVER and it is not very clean looking! My dear daughter picked it up while watching John Adams and whipped it up perfectly! sigh. Oh, for young eyes again! I thought about giving it away as a gift, but since it has Linnea's loving touch, I'm keepin' it!!

The hat my boys have dubbed a "Gramma hat". Guess it's not too chic, but it's warm. Better keep it and hope for the Gramma part some day! The scarves were really fun. Shall I put tassels on the pink one? I think I'm giving that one to Andrew's girlfriend. It's made with a kind of soft suede wool/yarn. It was really easy to work with. The blue one is really soft, but has a thread around the yarn that catches occasionally making it a bit frustrating. I've started another scarf made of that same stuff only warm yellows, greens, browns and oranges. Maybe I'll send them to the Ukraine....

It's been really fun to sit and do this. I feel like I'm learning something new as well as making something useful while using my time better. No more just sitting and watching movies! Well, I take that back. We watched Mamma Mia the other night and the scenery and action are so fun, I couldn't take my eyes off. It's only about an hour and a half....

Boy, do I wish I had a couple of fun girlfriends like that....!!! I can think of a couple of sisters that could get into Dancin' Girl!! *smile*

What do YOUR gingerbread look like?

Linnea and Will have a tradition of making gingerbread "men" every year. Many times the theme of the men is the movie series that is currently going. One year it was The Lord of the Rings series, so we had Aragorn, Eowyn, Gimli, and so on. You get the idea.

So you must be guessing what this years' theme is, John Adams. They decided they would do United States Presidents. The lower photo is of George Washington (get the hat?) Abraham Lincoln (hat is also a giveaway) and of course they had to do the president-elect Barak Obama! He has a modern tie and his arm is raised. That's how you can tell who it it. The top photo they will have to describe. I know the one in the dress is Abigail Adams, and I THINK that's John colored the same. The guy in the glasses, hmmmm, he's the only one with a face. Who could that be? Maybe it's Ben Franklin. So they must've done others besides Presidents!

Andrew walked by them and said, "What other family makes Presidents gingerbread men?????

Flaming Christmas Pudding

The joy of eating plum pudding for Christmas dinner is not in the eating, but in the fire! We pulled the blinds shut, poured on the brandy and torched it! We have quite a show because we kept adding brandy because we couldn't see the fire at first.

The second photo is family photo (ach, do we HAVE to do this??) number two, taken before we went out for our annual Chinese Christmas Eve dinner.

To explain the tradition....

When we lived in Italy we had a wonderful, close chapel community. Probably for at least four years, maybe more, we had a Christmas fellowship dinner as a chapel community. The menu was set so we had a normal meal instead of "potluck" food. Afterwards we had our Christmas Eve service followed by dessert. By this time it probably was around 9pm. We drove home on absolutely deserted streets because every Italian was at home celebrating their Christmas Eve with family before going out to midnight mass. We then opened one present before going to bed.

When we moved to America our church didn't have a Christmas Eve service. We don't have any family living nearby, so we decided that we would go out for Chinese and then go to a local church's Christmas Eve service. That has continued since, and this was our 10th year!!! Only difference this year was that our church had an early Christmas Eve service. We went home after Chinese.

Now we drink champagne, eat panettone, open a present, and then watch "It's a Wonderful Life". Some of us get too tired before It's a Wonderful Life get over. Will and Linnea are our tradition watchdogs!

Trial run for family photos

This year we're starting off early. Last night we had a Christmas Eve Eve service at our church. Lots of music, readings of the Christmas story and a good message from our minister. Since the whole family was there and dressed up, we thought we'd try for a photo. Not everyone likes this one, but we still have tonight to try again! At least all five of us are together in one place for a change. It's great to have all three of our children together. They seem to have so much fun! Seems like the boys caught up to "big sister" Linnea.

Yesterday Linnea and I got some last minute shopping done, for ourselves this time. We had gift cards, coupons or whatever and the sales are amazing. I bought that jacket and pants in the photo for $11 because I had a gift card and they were on sale. woohoo!

Today is baking day. Mince pies, sweet rolls for breakfast tomorrow, gingerbread men. And Linnea and Will still want to watch all their Christmas movies like Christmas Eve on Sesame Street and.....ending with It's a Wonderful Life after dinner tonight.

The sun is shining brightly. The temp is 6!! But it's suppose to warm up today. At least we have a white Christmas. Aw, there's a junco on the deck!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Let the celebration begin!

Linnea arrived home LATE last night, maybe I should say EARLY this morning. Denny and I began our 29th anniversary very early this morning. We went to the airport about 12:30am and were home again an hour later. She was detained in Detroit for four hours. We wondered if they were even going to be able to leave.

So I gave Denny his anniversary present after we got home. Hey, it WAS our anniversary already! It was a DVD of the John Adams program that was on HBO last spring. He really enjoyed it, so I thought that would be a good surprise. And it was! I also had another motive for making it his anniversary present: Linnea had said that she wanted to see that while she was home this week.

We usually have some movie series that we watch through Christmas break like Jeeves and Wooster, Monarch of the Glen, Gilmore Girls, The Storyteller, All Creatures Great and Small...just to name a few, so this needed to be the one for this year. And Denny needed to open it early in the week so we could watch it all week. :)

It's a brilliant sunny morning, -7 when I got up, but climbing and that's a good thing! Instead of going out for our anniversary dinner, I'm going to make an Italian dinner for the family with all the courses, fancier than our regular fare. Well, that's the plan at 10am this morning. We'll see how it goes once I get out of here!

Have a biscuit!

Too cold for ya? I just curl up with my pot of tea and my special treat, chocolate Hobnobs. Every once in awhile I can find one of my Scottish favorite. I found these at World Market last week. I rationed them out. Who cares if it's only 5 degrees outside; inside there's a good book, a hot pot and, mmmmm, a chocolate Hobnob!

Presepe

Well, I got it out and put out the people. I just need Linnea to come home and fix it up! It's a snowy morning, so the light coming in the window is white. I'll add some individuals for you.

From my spot on the floor in the sun

Taken through sunlight while sitting on the floor in the sun while eating breakfast and listening to Christmas music on Pandora radio. Lovely and warm.

Disappointments, His appointments

I think that title came from a Phil Keaggy song that we heard way back when. I thought it sort of fit what I read this morning in my devotions.

Jonah was part of the reading, and I was struck with the phrase, "God appointed". It's used several times. I take great comfort in God's sovereign control over all things. It gives me peace to know that HE APPOINTS, not fixes! In the book of Jonah God tells Jonah to go to Nineveh. He doesn't, but tries to leave the presence of the LORD. He even tells his shipmates that's what he's doing!

However, God always gets His work done so, first of all He (I like this translation) "hurls a great wind". God controls the wind. Eventually the sailors decide to throw Jonah into the sea and "God appointed a great fish".

Jonah repents, goes to Nineveh; they repent. And Jonah pouts. But God still has lessons for Jonah to learn so "the LORD God appointed a plant" to keep Jonah cool, then "God appointed a worm" to kill the plant. Jonah's mad again. Then "God appointed a scorching east wind". Wow. God controls fish (the Bible also says God talked to the fish!), the plants, the worm, and the wind. All to help Jonah to see His sovereign control in all things and love for His people.

What has God appointed for me today? "Despise not the day of small things!"

It's COLD!

Our computer has a link to the time and temperature and this is what it said after I got up this morning! I knew it was cold! The wind is also blowing about 20 mph. Welcome to winter. Wait, it's not officially here yet!
We also have a running photo album that rotates all the photos in our computer. It happened to be on Luisa in Nebraska City when they visited.
Looks like it's a good day to do some baking. Stay warm, now!

They're in!

Yes, they finally got started about an hour after they said they'd be here, but by 5:15 that afternoon, all three windows were in place, thoroughly insulated and the mess cleaned up. It's lovely to have tight, smooth windows. And I only have to take out two panels to wash them instead of 5 in the other windows. These are double-glazed, so I don't have separate panels. And the warranty transfers to new owners if we sell our house. All in all it was a good deal. There are lots more bits that need to get tidied up around here, but this is a start!

Waiting for workmen

Waiting for scheduled workers is a real pain. They give you a window, but rarely show up within the window. And speaking of windows....We are getting three new ones today. We started this process in October! Yes, Columbus Day holiday we went to the Andersen windows place and got started. A few days later a guy came out and we signed papers. Two weeks later another guy came to measure the windows and order the custom-made windows. That guy was supposed to come at 2. He showed up at 4. I didn't sub that day because of the scheduled appointment. I could have. Now, nearly two months later they are scheduled to install them. I'm thinking that maybe Lowe's wouldn't have been such a bad idea after all. It would have saved us lots of money. These windows aren't cheap! However, we did need them replaced. They are metal sliding panel windows where the air blows between the panels on windy days and the windows frost up in the cold. We usually just put plastic over them in winter.

I enjoyed first grade yesterday at OCA, for those of you who don't read my Facebook! :) They phoned me at 8:20 and asked how soon I could be there. The teacher had an emergency. There are only 11 students, 4 boys and 7 girls. Very cold outside, so the three recess duties I had were inside. Not too bad. Kids hug you at this stage. Nice.

I've taken up, well trying to, a couple of old hobbies. Crocheting and counted cross-stitch. I think the projects I chose were ill-suited to my first attempts. The cross-stitch project is a book mark on dark blue 22 count. How does one even SEE the threads? And that doesn't even count the challenge of just threading the needle. The crochet might've been OK except that I chose this really cool looking yarn that is all knotty and variegated. HA! What was thinking??? I've ripped it out about five times. Think I'll go find some nice smooth even-colored yarn. I'm trying to do a hat. Winter evenings seem to call for some kind of hand work.

Ah, the window man just phoned. He'll only be about a half hour late. :)

Yuletide scenes

Decorated the mantlepiece for the first time.









My very amateur attempt at a centerpiece!















Taken from outside the front of the house. The stained glass looks great with the white Christmas lights!

Young artist

At hint of where I've been the past couple of days, subbing in elementary school. Ft. Crook both days which is really nice because then I don't feel like the new kid BOTH days.

Whenever I sub for elementary, someone, generally a girl, wants to make a picture for me.

This one was done by a lovely brown-eyed, brown hair girl named Sophia. What a lovely name!

I'm still caught up on my December photo project. Maybe I'll do food tomorrow. Jeannette's over at Moot Thoughts...is making me hungry!

O Divine Redeemer!

I heard this song on the radio yesterday. AMAZING!! I heard it in high school, and I don't think I've heard it since. Where did we hear this, Melinda? As soon as I heard it on the radio, I melted.

Listen AT LEAST until you get to the chorus. It sent my soul into the heavenlies!
I've lost the words to describe my feelings.

Fire and Ice

OK, now I've caught up my December photo project.

I took this one on the 2nd, the night I grilled out chicken and it was 50 degrees!

We have brilliant sunsets here in Nebraska.

Dusty miller dusted with snow

A cold winter morning, December 3rd. I haven't dumped these pots yet, obviously.

The squirrels like digging in there, so I'll leave them, I guess! Really the dusty miller was pretty hardy until we got a couple of nights in the low 20's!

Golden light

Well, I was going to do the December photo thing Jeannette's doing, but I've already missed a day or so!

A good friend of ours made this stained glass and tonight I put a votive candle in it and set it on top of the piano. It won't hurt it, will it, Chuck?

Old music New Style

This morning I found some old music in the cedar chest and just started playing through it for fun. I found some of my dad's old favorites. He used to sing this one, although not quite like this!! I also found "Fill My Cup, Lord". He had a BIG fantastic baritone. Used to scare us when we were little if he sang RIGHT AT US!

It's a good week to remember Dad.

Has Kelsey sung this in church? Seems like I remember her singing it. If not, she needs to sing it. I'll sing it with her!

Celestial wonders

Tonight's sky holds an amazing view. The crescent moon clustered with Venus and Jupiter. From what I've read, Venus is the brighter star.

I heard about this earlier in the day, but it was so dark and cloudy, I didn't think it would clear off for us to see it. But, sure enough shortly after sunset, the sky cleared and this first photo is what I captured.

It was still so amazing after dinner, I had to go out and try to get another one.

This last photo is intended to give some kind of perspective. I zoomed the lens in for the first ones, but this one I left it a little wider in order to catch the neighborhood lights in the distance.