As I wrap up the final hours left of 2012, I'll reflect on the last week! We so enjoyed our time with Wayne's parents and we kept busy with a trip to the museum, several trips to the Quebec church and time spent indoors watching the snow fall outside.
The kids played Farkle with Grandpa and Grandma along with Monopoly and Zanna's newest game, Mousetrap. We made fun memories like an evening of rum and eggnog drinking while watching a silent Charlie Chaplin movie (which is funnier with rum and eggnog).
Here's my little angel and shepherd. They did a great job on Christmas eve with their memorized parts and music singing! We had great attendance at church that evening breaking our record - 124 jammed into our tiny church - praise God! For Christmas Eve dinner this year I tried something different - Shepherd's pie. To be fair, we learned in England that real shepherd's pie is made with lamb (duh). So if it's made with beef it should be called cottage pie, but that just doesn't go with my theme, OK?
I love my Christmas Eve table - Grandma's retro tablecloth dressed up with some flea market finds and a center piece of ornaments. Christmas Day's table is a bit fancier using my fancy dishes and gold silverware -
And here we are eating after opening our Christmas crackers! Do we look like we're having fun?!!! What on the menu? Well, let's see..
Our tradition for Christmas dinner is to keep me out of the kitchen as much as possible so it's IKEA Swedish meatballs and gravy! We love it! Once a year and everyone's happy. I try to spruce it up by having some lobster tails on the side with melted butter. Yum! And I'm not even going to show you Jesus' birthday cake for this year. Let's just say, it was good to eat but not the prettiest cake you've ever seen.
We've continued to get dumped on so the kids have been working on a super cool fort in the front. We've also been sledding and attempted a family outing of ice skating. We realized we're stupid parents. You know the ones - who don't love their children enough to bring helmets for them to wear? You've seen them - they can't even spring for some decent skates for their poor children? One kids got some hand me down "training" skates that strap on to her boots only to have them constantly fall off. The other child has been forced to wear his grandfather's skates from 1975 and is flopping all over the place - with no helmet, may I remind you. Yep, that's us. We lasted 5 minutes and spent just under $7 for this family friendly outing. We will not give up! We went directly to Sports Check for their after Christmas sales and purchased some decent skates for both children. We may even bring helmets next time. And on a personal note, I've decided to go with a new look for the new year. You know, spice things up a bit? What do you think?
OK. Before you say anything, let's just all take a deep breath. The story is this - it's a wig and I got it for a Christmas present from one of our members. What?!! Lutheran pastor's wives don't usually get a wig for Christmas? The gal that got it for me is super fun, super cute and quite frankly, I'm honoured. The fact that she would think I'd be groovy enough to try something like this is now pressure - where I am going to wear this?!!! "Off to choir, kids, and mommy's going to put on her hair!" or "I need to clean my floor. Maybe it'll be more fun with some hair?" or "I think I'll wear it to my home school support group tonight and see if anyone notices." I'm also thinking that the likelihood of ever having a conversation with another pastor's wife that would include something like "Oh, I remember the time I got a wig for Christmas..." is pretty slim. Yep. This'll be a hard one to top! It's really a gorgeous colour and I wish my hair would grow that long and curl in those lovely waves! So if anyone has any suggestions as to the appropriate time and place for me to wear this, or if you have a wig and wanna come over to just hang out in them let me know! Happy New Year!!
We're buried in snow here in our little part of Canada! Wayne just busted out the snow blower and cleared off our driveway. The kids have made a couple of snow men and I've got a bowl out back collecting the fresh fallen snow for a treat of snow ice cream for later.
My mother in law and I ventured out a bit this morning to do some last minute shopping. Thank goodness for snow tires!
We're happy to have family visit for Christmas and the kids love having Grandpa and Grandma to play with!
I had intended to do some school at least for a few days this week but instead opted for doing some much needed baking, cleaning and crafts with the kids like decorating oranges with cloves and cutting out paper snow flakes.
Every year in his stocking, Will receives a nutcracker for his collection. He's up to quite a few!
My brother has a nutcracker collection also but apparently they freak his wife out. Guess it wasn't a question he thought to ask until it was too late... haha! And on the baking front this year, I haven't done my usual nor did I participate in any cookie exchanges but I did do the wreath cookies - they're always a favourite! I also discovered what will be a new tradition - Eggnog Rum Bread.
As I was scraping the last of the batter into my bread pans, I snuck a taste just to make sure it was all right. I don't usually do this to be honest - I let the kids attack it. But since this batter included rum I thought I better take this one. At first taste I started groaning enough to make Wayne peak around the corner to see what was wrong. What he witnessed I can only imagine was a most unfortunate sight of his lovely wife licking her mixing bowl clean with the grace of a cat. My point is this - go make this right now. I mean it. Right now. I have never.... Do not pass go, do not collect $200, go make this RIGHT NOW. I managed to give some of mine away to my neighbours but kept the big one for myself. I hide it in the corner and sneak bites of it for a treat.
I love how the snow covers up the dirty ground and covers it with it's clean white. The snow covered evergreen cathedrals remind me of how baby Jesus didn't stay a cute baby but lived a perfect life for lost mankind, grew up to suffer and die and proved his victory of sin, death and the devil by his resurrection. The dirty ground of sinners is covered with his white perfection through faith in Jesus. This is the gift.
The first Sunday in Advent has passed, the calendar has been turned to December, we've had our first snowfall - is it that time of year already?! Our choir debuted with "Prepare the Royal Highway" and we continue to practice more songs. Choir practice starts at 6:30pm and goes to at least 7:30pm but has been going later due to the amount of music we're trying to learn for Advent by Candlelight on top of everything else. The problem for me is this - my uselessness after 8pm but sometimes a little before. I'm not a night person. I'm not a morning person. I regret to discover of myself I'm about a 10am - 1pm kinda gal. Not ideal. Anything asked of me outside these peak hours is really a crap shoot. Crap. We thoroughly enjoyed (I was enraptured) with our visit to the theatre to see Pride and Prejudice. We had FRONT ROW SEATS! Zanna was swooning by the time Elizabeth and Darcy declared their love for each other, Will was hiding behind his turned up collar so as not to witness this embarrassing scene of affection and I was willing to go on the road and be the cast's groupie.
Also included in the same busy week was a field trip to the Aviation Museum for workshops on "air". Zanna and I also attended a local ballet schools version of the Nutcracker. Last year, we didn't put up our tree due to our England trip. I admit to missing the ornaments and the memories we recall of obtaining many of them. I also admit my delight in not having to take down the tree and wrap up each individual ornament after returning from our trip! So I was excited to get all 200 ornaments (or so) out this year. Most of them are mine from childhood, having collected them since birth. I entered my marriage 14 years ago with enough ornaments to fill up a tree by myself. My husband brought nothing - except his witty personality and you can't exactly decorate a tree with that now can you? So many of them say Rachel 1988 or Rachel 1981 or Rachel 1979 .... you get the point. So fast forward 14 years and in an effort to tip the ornament owner scales, everyone in the family has gotten at least one new one every year.
New additions include Big Ben in memory of our England trip.
From our trip to Quebec City last fall
An oldie from our honeymoon
Earlier this week, my friend Ruth and I made a run for the border and shopped our brains out for a day. It was totally worth it for several reasons.
We got lots of Christmas shopping done - much cheaper.
We got carded at Olive Garden for the complimentary sip of wine they offered.
We ate lunch at Panera. Sigh.
We wandered up and down the aisles of Target. She freaked out in the candy aisle and I lost it when I found the perfect tablecloth for $14.
I mailed my US addressed Christmas cards and packages from the US Post Office there. I saved a ton of money on this and I've already heard word that the package made it in 2 days. Score.
I may have screamed in the grocery store as I read the signage for the price of turkey per pound at $.49. I don't really remember, I think I blacked out for a moment. Ruth tells me I screamed.
Tomorrow I will be declaring a day off of school and naming it a PB day - parent baking. Tis the season for church bake sales and I'm on coffee hour. If you need me tomorrow you can find me in my kitchen with my William Sonoma red apron on and covered in flour.
This year for Advent our family is using the book "Celebrate Jesus at Christmas" along with our advent wreath in the evening. Also rereading "Martin Luther's Christmas Book" which I find profound yet again! A free resource offered online and written by my Mom is called "Advent Ponderings". A free audio book from christian audio is "God is in the Manger" by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. In a season often rushed and stressful, it's important to take time daily and contemplate the Saviour that is to come!
Zanna makes Cranberry bread from the book "Cranberry Thanksgiving"
The kids table is set for the evening meal
The table is set for our soon to arrive guests!
Bring on the turkey! Note to self: next year buy turkey in States for $.69/lb as opposed to the $2.99/lb I spent.
Looking for a way to reinvent turkey dinner leftovers? Remembering last years trip to England, I was inspired by a soup I had from Marks and Spencers - a seasonal variety called Christmas Soup. Since our family doesn't usually have turkey for Christmas, I've renamed my version "Thanksgiving Soup". The result was yummy!!!!
Thanksgiving Soup
Chicken broth - enough to fill your stockpot to about 3/4'ths full
1 onion, carrot and celery finely chopped
1 cup (or more if you want meatier) chopped leftover turkey
Let this come to a boil and simmer covered until veggies have softened (about 30 min)
Add to pot:
1 cup leftover stuffing
1/2 tsp sage
1/2 tsp savoury
2 tsp Bisto turkey flavoured gravy granules
Simmer another 20 min. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve and enjoy!
What to serve with this? Try a baguette spread with warmed brie and leftover cranberries on top. Viola!
Isn't she the cutest Dorothy EVER?!!! Honestly, I want those shoes. I got this costume from Target when we were in the States so she wasn't walking around with a bunch of other Dorothys. Except one who dared to come to our door...... You may notice my sad excuse for a mum behind her. If you could only see it now. I gave up watering it about 3 weeks ago. I just lost the will. It's as dead as a doornail now but I won't put it to the curb yet. I'll keep it up for Thanksgiving so I have something on my porch. It blends in to everything else that's "sleeping" for the winter. Around here, Thursday will just be another day. In this house, it will be turkey central! Our community moves onto Christmas right after Halloween. Yesterday was the Santa parade (we've never gone) and pumpkins have disappeared from front steps to be replace by tacky lawn ornaments and colourful lights. Not so in this abode! First things first!
I like to celebrate it because first of all, you can never have too much turkey. But more than that, it keeps me connected to my roots. I think of all my family celebrating on that day and pretend that it's a holiday here too! We watch the Macy's Thanksgiving parade, have a random football game on in the background and officially bring out the first Christmas movie of the year - A Muppet Christmas Carol. In the weeks leading up to the big event, I like to incorporate American history of the pilgrims and meanings of the traditions that may differ from the ones here. Will doesn't remember living in the US and Zanna never has. As usual, we are opening up our homes to guests and I'm most excited about that! I love welcoming people into our home and serving them for an evening however I can. It's also an important exercise to teach the children - biblical hospitality is a way to express our faith and love for one another. It doesn't always come naturally and often includes some sacrifices to be made. But when we consider the grace we've been given, it's not hard to extend that to others!
In school news, Will's wrapped up his SHEP classes in Chemistry and Canadian History. He did some "cabbage chemistry" for his science project and showed how the colour of cabbage changes when an acid or base is introduced. We also FINALLY finished our almost 3 month study of India. We had a lot of great resources and we were enjoying it that we all learned so much. Our final resource was a biography on Mother Teresa. Next stop - the Arab world. We're learning about the history of this area, the rise of Islam and culture. Very interesting. We've been up to some fun new things at church and after 10 years the words fun and new are readily accepted! A few of us ladies had a morning of cooking in my kitchen in an effort to have a casserole and several soups to offer to those members that are sick or in need in some way. We call it "Divine Morsels". We enjoyed the cooking together among friends and looked forward to passing on our mornings work to people we might just help in a little way.
We also started a choir! This is a ground up endeavor but we're trying our best to glorify God in song! So now we have a choir night and we'll start singing in front of people for Advent. Finally, next week we look forward to attending the play "Pride and Prejudice" and the ballet "the Nutcracker". Let the holidays begin.......
“First, I do not sit down at my desk to put into verse something that is already clear in my mind. If it were clear in my mind, I should have no incentive or need to write about it. We do not write in order to be understood; we write in order to understand.” C.S. Lewis
So here’s the thing with Halloween and me. I hate it. I haven’t always felt this way. There was a time when I dressed up as a kid to go trick or treating. I don’t recall all the costumes I wore except for two - the year mom made my sister and me matching pilgrim costumes (gosh, were we cute. Let me take a moment........OK.) and the year I was Jon Tetzel - seller of indulgences extraordinaire!!! The latter one due to having been in a Reformation play earlier that day. The pay off of the night was the candy. For sure the candy. And maybe staying out later than usual.
Now I’m the mom. For Will’s first Halloween I dressed him up as an adorable pumpkin, took him to a pumpkin patch, threw him in and quickly snapped as many pictures as I could get away with. For his second Halloween, he was Tigger. He wore his little costume to the playgroup we attended and he and the other little 2 year olds screamed as we mom’s attempted to line them up on the couch to take a picture of what turned into Scream 4. (Is there a Scream 4 yet? I wouldn’t know.) By the time his third one rolled around, we had moved to Canada and were settling into our life as the pastor’s family. He wore a fuzzy dog costume - practical for a potentially chilly October night- but he never saw the dark of night anyway. It was this year in particular I can pin point the hesitation I had with the holiday. I didn’t dwell on it too much though and just had him help hand out candy to the trick or treaters who came to our door. He never put it together that he wasn’t going around collecting candy. And so went year four and possibly five. I’m thinking that at 5 Wayne may have taken him to a few neighbour’s homes but nothing big. We had the advantage of not having the peer pressure from school being a major influence on him begging to go out and making a bigger deal of it than we were willing to make. Meanwhile, my conversations with Wayne about my uncomfortableness with it all revealed that it was shared by him also. Together we struggled to find a balance between not over-reacting about something that no one else around us seemed to be bothered by and reconciling the holiday with what we knew God’s Word says.
Zanna joined our family and at that point we dressed up both kids - the unspoken rule being nothing evil- and Wayne took them out while I handed out candy, along with a Christian tract on how the goopy inside of a pumpkin is like the sin inside of each of us and how Christ has made us a nice, smiling pumpkin. I figured if people are coming to my door I might as well take advantage of the opportunity for a little witnessing. And while I was at it, we invited their kids to our Christmas for Kids program. Last year, we took a bit different take and moved out of the house. Not literally. We just set up camp at the end of the driveway and served hot chocolate to our neighbours we only see this one time of year. Offering them a warm drink and a friendly greeting solicited a great response from these seldom seem inhabitants of a community we share. Despite these attempts to make the most of this seemingly lost cause of a holiday, the question still nags me and makes me downright angry. Am I settling? Is this the best way to glorify God? Are we in the world and not of the world? Where does this fit into Philippians 4:8 Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.
If Halloween were solely about the cute costumes and hordes of teeth rotting candy, I’d be totally OK with it. Bring on the cavities! But the fact of the matter is that there’s more than that. The very essence of the holiday stems from satanic, evil roots. I can’t ignore that. Futhermore, it continues to be a presence in the celebration of the day. When I consider that my uneasiness didn’t start until we moved here, I consider that maybe the way I perceive it to be celebrated here is darker than other places I’ve lived? Maybe I’ve become more sensitive? I see nothing fun or amusing by dressing up a precious child into a satan costume complete with horns. What’s funny about satan? He’s real you know. And if he can make people think that he’s one funny joke and not to be taken seriously - gotcha! That’s exactly what he wants. And what’s so cute about witches? Hello! They work with satan, and for satan. In a recent email sent to me by Vision Ministries, I read the following with a big AMEN!
Instead of hating evil, Americans toy with it. We toy with holidays like Halloween that were conceived in evil and that promote the “cute-ification” of evil, whether that evil takes the form of witchcraft, sorcery, ghoulishness, or some other form of malevolent imagery paraded before our children. We laugh at the very things that the Lord describes as “abominations,” and we find ourselves obsessively fascinated by, and attracted to, all things dark.
Yet we do not fear the Lord.
Knowing that I’ve struggled with this, my Mom passed on a recent webisode of a very well done, evangelical chat on a Word for Women concerning the Christian celebrating Halloween. I agree with what she says. But I still struggle. We want to reflect Christ’s light in our life and sometimes that’s going to stand out as different and weird to those around us. We want our kids to express their Christian freedom and feel free to participate in the costume/candy part of it if we feel that it can be separated from the evil part. And that’s the big question. Can it? Christians will arrive at different answers and there’s a lot of grey area. It would be too easy to just go along with what everyone else considers “normal”. So if we’re not “normal”, what’s our alternative that can glorify God?
I don’t know what the answer is and I wish I felt some peace about it so we could just move on. But I believe God wants us to struggle with these issues. He wants us to question things in the light of eternity. He tells us to test everything. He challenges us to have discussions on the traditions of the culture we live in and hold them up to truth. If we don’t, then we’re playing with apathy. We don’t have to be fearful of anything because His perfect love drives out fear. But often times, when we’re bold enough to make our own way and create new, intentional traditions that seek to glorify and honour God, he blesses us with memory making, hearts bonded experiences that far outweighs the empty, shallow traditions of the world (santa Achoo!). So for this year, I could pray for torrential rain or maybe a debilitating snow storm to take care of the problem at least until next year, but I think I’ll keep praying for some wisdom on this matter and some peace in knowing that however we choose to let our light shine, his light lives in us by faith. Our pumpkin face is a happy one!
It was 16 years ago this fall that Mom was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Praise God for these many years of her health!!! I'm so proud of the courage she's shown and her desire to help other women deal with their cancer. In 2005 she started the Comforter Ministry sending handmade, donated quilts wherever they are needed. Along with each quilt there's a journal to accompany it filled with encouraging Bible passages reminding the recipient who their real Comforter is. Last year she launched her official website found here. She's also been recently featured onA Word for Womenin her first webisode. Scroll down to "Wrapped in the Love of the Comforter" to watch! Love ya, Mom XOXOXO
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:15-17
Learning to read - a whole world opens up and one can learn anything!
The joy of teaching her to read, her eyes lighting up in excitement, hearing her laughter in the story
Pumpkin Patch picking
trips to the Farmers' Market
fresh colourful produce
a son begs for brussel sprouts
fall is in the air
cool evenings, windows open, fresh air
learning something new
ballet! and ballet shoes - the memories
hair in a bun
twirling and spinning girls
his science experiment and mine - homemade chicken noodle soup - on the same stove top
stepping outside his comfort zone
the sound of instruments attempting to play together for the first time
learning new music
being challenged
school with Zanna in the hallway on Saturday mornings
fall flavours
homemade pumpkin lattes
pumpkin waffles with Quebec maple syrup
hot apple cider
Thanksgiving!
harvest center piece
fall dishes and flea market goblets
turkey and Bisto gravy
a houseful of visitors
inspiration found in my dear 85 year old Grandma who travels alone on a plane to visit us here across a border - could I be that brave?
Dad and Mom
flowers given to her at church from Brian
crunchy leaves
nature walks with friends
cold, soup days
fireplace warmth
Sunday afternoon - me, a chick flick, glass of wine, fireplace
warm days spent outside
clear, blue sky and bright sunshine
carmel apple making
baby news - a niece on the way via brother Reid and sister-in-law Brenda!
