Come, O Long-Expected Jesus

Happy New Year, Christian friends, for Advent marks the beginning of the liturgical church year! 

Christians have reason to lament how Christmas has been taken hostage by secular culture, downgrading it's importance to feeling "holly and jolly" while (usually) mom is running around like a chicken with her head cut off. Christmas is celebrated by many who never intend to include Christ in their celebration. It's simply an occasion to put up with the in-laws, give and get gifts, bake cookies, and enjoy another turkey dinner. 

And because we Christians live and rub shoulders with our culture, it's all too easy for me to get sucked into this too.  Enter Advent: Advent keeps my course and focus on the reason for the season. 

Alas, Advent too seems to have been hi-jacked by our secular culture. It's been downgraded to simply calendars with candy hiding behind the numbered squares. Anticipation certainly runs high with the focus being that Santa is coming and you better be good! Advent seems to have been redefined as any "countdown" to a holiday or event shown in the "Advent" calendars I've seen for Halloween and Valentine's Day. 

While I'm up here on my pedestal getting ready to play a mournful violin tune, let me just say ... There's nothing wrong with candy filled Advent calendars (we enjoy them too!), family turkey dinners (although we personally do seafood for Christmas), and exchanging presents (yay!). It may even be possible to include Santa in your celebrations (though we never have) and manage not to lose track of the fact that God sent His Son to earth as true God and true Man,  - that this baby would be perfect throughout His whole life, teach others about their sins and Savior, and ultimately die on the cross for the sins of the whole world, rising from death in three days and triumphing over sin, death and the devil so that we, His children, might have eternal life in heaven. 

That is the challenge, friends. 

Our church practices the historical tradition of Advent.  The wreath is on display and the candles are lit every Sunday (some churches have midweek services but ours has a Wednesday Bible study) and in our church each Sunday in Advent we focus on the theme for that week - hope, peace, joy, and love. You can see the last sermon on joy here. 

We also try to have daily readings/devotions at home, usually after dinner. We've used Meditations, various books over the years that were age appropriate for our kids, and WELS has one online this year. MLC has a fantastic one on the names of Jesus! There's Counting to Christmas for young elementary school families and a free Family Christmas Devotional at littlehousestudio.net that has the sweetest coloring pages and simple devotions for the littlest ones. 

I read this one a few years ago. You might recall I did a book club here and the author even piped in every now and then! I'm reading this one again and man, is it good!!! It is incredibly well written, insightful, and Biblically rich in content. 

There's a popular trend among some of our WELS churches in hosting an Advent by Candlelight. These are wonderful! Usually this is a women only event done with seasonally decorated tables, candles, sweets and treats, and an atmosphere meant not only for members but one that encourages guests to the enjoy the evening. The service portion focuses on a theme always based on the real meaning of Advent and Christmas - acknowledging our need for forgiveness and repentance, and rejoicing in God's plan of salvation through His Son, Jesus! 

I missed last years because I was so sick. Our current church doesn't do them - yet. So I am really missing this event in my Advent preparations. Hopefully next year:)

I know Advent is almost over and Christmas is seriously around the corner. May the remainder of yours be focused on Jesus' coming ... as a baby 2000 years ago, in His Word and Sacrament where He continues to feed and nourish our faith, and His second coming when we won't have to wait anymore to enjoy all the benefits of our inheritance rightly ours through faith in Jesus!

Come, O long expected Jesus, born to set your people free!

From our sins and fears release us By your death on Calvary.

Israel's Strength and Consolation, Hope to all the earth impart

Dear Desire of every nation, Joy of every longing heart.

CW6

Thanksgiving 2018

Now that Christmas is next week - how did that happen - I will go back in time to share our Thanksgiving. Not to be confused with Canadian Thanksgiving that we celebrated in October, this is American Thanksgiving that offers us another opportunity to be super thankful and eat a lot of turkey and pie. 

The three of us flew up to MSP, rented a car, and drove to the northwoods of Wisconsin where my parents live. We hadn't seen Will since we dropped him off in August and we were looking forward to reuniting there for the week! We could tell he beat us there because of the tell tale donut marks in the snow on the circular drive leading up to Mom and Dad's place. I refused to believe my son would do such a thing even though his father seemed at peace with it. But once asked about the aforementioned skid marks, dear son gave a sheepish look that confirmed his father knew him better than his mother, who apparently lives in denial. 

airport selfie

To prepare for this trip I had to storm the attic and find the Rubbermaid container with our winter gear. I also had the opportunity to wear my sweaters, corduroy pants and turtlenecks that are collecting dust in my closet. That's because it looked like this:

Beautiful, yes? With that comes cold. We definitely got our snow and cold fix. I'm good now. 

If you've ever read my other posts about Thanksgiving, you basically know where this is going - our celebrations included Grandma's apple pie, the official first viewing of A Muppet Christmas Carol , games of hand and foot, bottles of 14 Hands, Friday night fish fry, Black Friday in Rhinelander, and bowling on Saturday. This year we added a pecan pie made from the pecans off our tree, watching the movies Holiday Inn  and Christmas in
Connecticut, Mom's broken ankle that encouraged her to order a turkey dinner from the local grocery store, and a plane ride instead of our previous car rides. 

Yes, Mom broke her ankle (again) the week before Thanksgiving. This was upsetting on several different levels. It was her right ankle again and would keep her from driving. It was also hunting season and while Dad was willing to sacrifice his favorite time of year, Mom was not willing to be the reason. Our family would be descending on the house for Thanksgiving and her hostess duties would be seriously challenged. On top of all of that, they were scheduled to leave for Germany right after the holiday weekend to visit brother Reid and family and to attend some of Germany's Christmas markets. 

It all worked out and for all of that was more reason to be thankful! Dad got to go hunting and had a successful season. Mom ordered the grocery store meal but Zanna and I still did green bean casserole and my pecan pie. The dinner ended up being so tasty that we've really started to question why we haven't done this before!! It may be a new tradition ... And Mom and Dad made it to Germany and back although I have yet to talk with them and get the details on how it went. 

It was wonderful to see Will again and I always breathe a sigh of relief and thankfulness when my little family of four is all under the same roof again, safe and sound. Will is enjoying Martin Luther College and has been recently juggling a job at a dairy farm just outside of New Ulm. He's thrilled to be driving and have his own car! He's home now for Christmas holidays and is already enjoying the break. 

It was also wonderful to share another Thanksgiving with Grandma and Grandpa. They're in their nineties now and I'm just soaking up every bit of time I get with them. It's humbling grace that allows our four generations to celebrate together, commune and worship side by side, and continue to laugh and love each other. Thank you, Jesus! 

Another blessing has been moving closer to family. Wayne's brother, Brent, and his family are in nearby Dallas/Ft Worth area. They have been extremely gracious in hosting us overnight for reasons that bring us into the city but in not enough time to drive home. Brent's made our airport runs and has met us for the occasional lunch date. The cousins get to see each other more often after all these years! We are grateful to reconnect with our family now that there are two "Texas Halldorsons". 

Advent and Christmas has seriously snuck up on me mainly because I keep waiting for it to get cold and/or snow. We have been enjoying some really beautiful weather and still can't get over not needing a coat some days. We're working on the yard in December and are going for walks without needing mufflers and boots. My brain has been tricked and I'm learning I need to look at the calendar and not base my planning on the weather. Everything continues to be new and different and a learning process!  

Exploring our Neck of the Woods

What's the difference between a Texan armadillo and a regular armadillo? The Texan has a gun holstered around his waste ... duh! 

Turns out we don't have to venture all the way to San Antonio to see the Alamo. We've got our own version in these here parts!!! So check that off the to-do list;)

Sure it's a little smaller and not it at all but ..... it has it's own charm to it, don't you think?
They hosted a community event with a chili cook-off for lunch and some red neck games for the kiddos. 

I joke but really it was a beautiful day and a fun way to meet some locals. Things are just a bit more laid back around here and there's something to be said for that!

My parents came for a visit in November. We enjoyed showing them around and introducing them at church. Mom did a presentation for her Comforter Ministry  there on Sunday and our sewers really took an interest! 

Mom, Z, and I headed down to Canton for the First Monday Trade Days which is truly a Texas sized flea market!! It was crazy and we only saw a part of it but it was lots of fun and I look forward to going back.

We all took a day trip over to Jefferson, TX on the Bayou. We took a trolley tour of the city and walked the downtown, dropping in on the stores and eating ice cream for lunch! 

We opted out of the gator feedings, btw.
We also showed them nearby Mt Pleasant, shopped the antique stores in Winnsboro, and cheered Z on at her basketball game! 

We are looking forward to venturing a little farther out from East Texas and exploring other parts of the state when we can get away for a little longer. Any suggestions? 

Thank God I'm a Country Girl

You know you live in the country when ...

• your internet stinks!!! We have two jet packs that barely get us through the month and once it's gone we might as well have dial up. 
• your neighborhood bookclub reads Where the Crawdads Sing. It actually was a pretty good read but sounds so southern, doesn't it?
• aside from discussing the book at bookclub the ladies also discuss how to kill snakes while sipping on wine and enjoying hor d'oeuvres
• everyday you come close to running over a chicken, dog, pig or deer crossing the road
• there are no street lights and once the sun goes down it's as dark as the inside of a cow out there 
• you can see the stars on a clear night
• date night includes a trip to the Texas farm supply store where you each pick out large bags of poison designed to kill something
• date night dinner cost less than $20
• an hour or two to get to Costco seems like nothing and totally worth it
• you greet your neighbor out on their lawn with "Whatcha killing?"
• your husband runs over the carcass of an armadillo just for fun
• when the troublemakers in the neighborhood are a herd of deer
• when an email from the local homeschoolers email tree is wondering if anyone wants a pot belly pig - the caveat being not to eat but to maintain your garden
• you start using the phrase "going into town" regularly 
• you have no cable!!!! We've been watching DVD's of old TV series rented from the library. Z and I are currently into Victoria  from PBS and W and I are watching the old Kiefer Sutherland series 24. No more Dancing with the Stars, The Voice, and This is Us. At least until it comes out on DVD and our library gets it. Or we give in and get satellite television. 

It was my goal initially to get Zanna involved in a few activities as soon as possible to integrate her into the local community and get to know some kids. I had narrowed down my focus to finding a violin teacher and getting her into something swimming related. We found a violin teacher but there didn't seem to be anything for her level of swimming in the area. We considered traveling an hour and half several times a week for a swim team but that seemed extreme. It just wasn't working.

Truth be told, I was starting to panic. She was missing her friends back in Ontario and questioning our sanity in bringing her here. Funny ... I was missing my friends and questioning my own sanity. After joining some homeschool Facebook pages for the area, I started making some connections. There were a few very friendly moms that were willing to give me help and pass on some information. We were also invited to come check out the local homeschool group's girls' volleyball team. We were too late for her to join volleyball but basketball is the winter sport. I made the executive decision then to sign her up! 

Meanwhile I got wind of a new Classical Conversations (CC) group starting in the area. I had heard about it before but had never participated. I figured we could check it out and at least meet some people. Needless to say I was surprised (since we live in the middle of nowhere) to realize that the group met down the street from me about five minutes away. It's a small group - just two families - but they both live down the street just outside our subdivision. They each have a girl close to Zanna's age. They're both very nice!

Not only have we met some great people but the program is amazing! They meet once a week. In the morning all ages work on memorizing and singing subjects like math facts, history facts, geography, timeline, science facts, english, and latin declensions. They'll also do a science experiment or art lesson. It's crazy!!! The afternoon is for the older three girls and they play math games, work on a writing project based on Institute for Excellence in Writing (which we've used for years), and work on grammar and diagramming sentences. 

Meanwhile these two mamas have been gifts from God and totally inspiring! Between the two of them they make their own bread, steep kombucha tea, raise chickens, work full time, raise 7 kids, have gone back to school, steep iced coffee, can produce, kill snakes, and one is a Master Gardener. Take note of this last one...because we bought a home from a Master Gardener who landscaped the heck out of this property. I am the complete opposite of a Master Gardener. I'm more like the Master Killer. I've killed a cactus before. 

These gals remind me when I start freaking out about all the weird stuff around here and whine how I'm a city girl, they remind me that now I'm a country girl and for crying out loud to pull myself together!! 

So Zanna's started basketball practice and is having a great time!! Homeschooling is serious business in these parts and because there's so many, it makes for a very substantial sports program. She has fantastic coaching and is learning the basics of basketball. The girls are so sweet and I'm struck by how much they encourage and support one another. 

Then there's life on the church front!! We have a very active sewing group that I'm pretty sure expected me to participate in when they initially mentioned it to me. However, I'm not a sewer but my 12 year old is! So she's been going once a week to that and learning how to sew "quillows" which is both a pillow and a quilt. She is loving it and is learning how to "stitch in the ditch" and hopes to "meander" someday. Not only that but she's brought her friends from CC with her and they are having a blast learning what has threatened to become a lost art.  

My girl is something special. Our church doesn't have an active children's ministry right now. There is no one exactly her age. She is the Sunday School. But those retired ladies who sew with her love her and she loves them back. She is being mentored by some strong, mature Christian ladies! She's being taught Sunday School by a retired district president pastor. She's ministering to a few families with small kids and organizes little craft projects after church for them to do. When I start to lament the fact that there's no Lutheran Girl Pioneers for her, no more Upper Canada Village overnight experiences, or synchronized swimming group I am reminded of all the new opportunities she has here and how it's developing her into the woman she'll become. 

Wayne is falling into his routine at church. His main office is over there and that has taken some getting used to. He also has a church secretary that he really appreciates! His schedule has been busy this month with a lot of traveling almost every week. He's also busy with every member visits, some of which Z and I are invited along to. 

I love these beginning days of a new ministry! It's such an honor to be invited into people's homes, to get to know their stories, and start making an eternal relationship. We've been able to do more entertaining that we've been able to do for years. Wayne isn't busy in the evenings like he was in Ottawa with meetings and Bible studies, etc. We can have people over for dinner or at the very least not have such a crazy evening! The change of pace and different ministry opportunities have been nice. 

I still pinch myself that we live here. I still find myself mentally tallying up my Target purchases and grocery runs for the border until I realize there's no border to cross! I still revel in the fact that I can do the laundry any time of day on any day I want and not be charged extra during peak hours. I continue to savor morning devotion time on my screened in porch even as the temps cool off as we get deeper into fall. I'm still enjoying the flowers blooming and cutting off enough to bring inside. I still feel like I'm sinning when I'm in people's homes and don't take off my shoes. Often I will take them off just to appease my conscience. I'm learning to think in Fahrenheit again even though my vehicle keeps me posted on what it is in Celsius.

This life ... this new life in the country ... ain't so bad. It's just different. I miss apple picking but I've got a pecan tree right outside my door! I miss the fall colors but I'm still picking flowers! 

Crystal Gayle gets it;)

Deep in the Heart of Texas

Word on the street is that East Texas (and El Paso) is not considered Texas by Texans. This is because (according to a source) we are too redneck. Too redneck? Is there such a thing? And if that's really the reason, isn't that something Texas is proud of? 

These are the questions that keep me up at night ... 

not really. But if you happen to know why East Texas is not Texan enough, please comment below. 

I had the opportunity to journey farther into the state and experience a whole new area. I was invited to attend a Pastors' wives retreat on a ranch somewhere in (real) Texas. I think I was somewhere near Austin but I'm not sure. There was cacti. So it was legit. ;)

Now before I share with you how wonderful this new group of ladies is, keep in mind how much I love the p w's I already know. The bar is pretty high!! I may have called Karen in Ottawa midway and cried because I miss her so much. That's beside the point. My point is ... there's still room in my heart for more p w's and people to love. 

It was a rustic atmosphere but comfortable which is wonderful! We were fed delicious food by some lovely ladies and a guy who knows his way around a smoker, deep frier, and grill. We studied God's Word led by Naomi who facilitated our conversation and kept us pointed to Jesus and the cross. 

It was just so peaceful, contemplative, and refreshing. I kept having to stop myself and wonder again, how did I get here?! As Wayne and I struggle to learn a whole new mission field, I soaked in all the wisdom these ladies had to offer on what makes Texans unique. I also related to another pw recently new to the area like we are and starting life over in an all new place.  One gal is Chinese and we bonded over conversations about Chinese New Year food and celebrations. I shared my ride with one of my own members who is a former pastor/district president's wife. This lady makes the walls crack with her laughter and is the epitome of encouragement. I was surrounded by a variety of uniquely gifted and talented women!

The one item not on the agenda was feeding the cows. I found myself riding on the back of a pickup and holding on for dear life over the bumps and ruts in the road out to the acreage where the cattle was kept.

Seriously, the sensation of the cow's tongue was a mixture of sandpaper and drool. A lot of drool. But the babies were so cute!

This bull was getting a little aggressive for my comfort level. Apparently he's never heard of personal space!!! 

After all this country air and the Word of God refreshing my soul, this city girl could not ignore what was sitting and waiting for her off of Interstate 35E in Waco on the way home. 

The dream is real.

Yes, it was every bit as wonderful as you've imagined in case you're wondering. 

Were were told by more than one person (so it's a thing!) to get a cupcake at the Silo bakery. They were right. I may have ordered 6. 

I also got a tea from the Alabama Sweet Tea Company which is one of the food trucks on the property. They serve their tea in mason jars with their logo and the shape of Alabama waiting for you to finish at the bottom. Unfortunately for me, I bought if before we left for home and it wouldn't fit in my car's cup holder. Add to that tea makes me pee so I may have not made the wisest choice for the three hour drive left for home. But it looks good on my kitchen counter!!! 

I have so much more to share about how other things are going here. I'll have to make it another post but all I have to say is - God provides!!! Zanna and I are part of things around here I didn't even think to pray for! It's all so exciting! We continue to laugh at each other's "quotable quotes" as we get to know the area and make comments we never would have uttered six months ago. For now I leave you with the photo that Wayne sent to me while I was away at the retreat. Some father/daughter bonding Texas style. 

Back in the Saddle Again

Seeing as Wayne accepted the call to Grace the end of March and got installed the end of August, this was a long time coming! 

The last time Wayne was installed (and ordained) into the ministry was 16 years ago. Here's a flashback just for fun:

We were babies. We really were. All I remember about that day was how overwhelmed I felt. I had no idea what I was in for, what the ministry would be like, or how blessed I'd be by the strangers that surrounded me. 

I remember fellow pastor's wife, Karen, approaching me - her husband's own installation and ordination just a year before - offering to guide me on where to find what in this crazy new country of Canada. I should have know then and there as she offered to show me where to find shoes that we'd become the best of friends! 

My in-laws had been in town for the occasion and I also had a two year old running circles around me. All of this to say, I didn't get much out of it 16 years ago.

But this time ...

I soaked it all in. This time I was overwhelmed by emotion and appreciation. This time I held in my heart the verses spoken over Wayne by the 14 different pastors that attended. I was able to listen intently to the sermon words of direction, encouragement and Godly wisdom written for this occasion. This time I had 16years in the trenches of ministry to give context. 

For a few moments I lost control of my emotions as we sang the hymn, "Speak, O Lord" because that's a hymn I didn't even realize until that moment I equated with my Divine Word family. How I missed them (and Our Shepherd) but in serving them for all these years they have helped equip us for the tasks ahead. My naive 28 year old self never imagined how precious those members and fellow called workers would be to us. I had no idea how they would change us, challenge us, and shape us. I didn't know that by serving them would in turn bless us - even in the hard. I could never have foreseen the many moments of sharing life's joys and struggles that bonds would run so deep. 

Speak, O Lord, as we come to you to receive the food of your Holy Word

Take your truth, plant it deep in us; shape and fashion us in your likeness

That the light of Christ might be seen today in our acts of love and our deeds of faith.

Speak, O Lord, and fulfill in us all your purposes for your glory.

Now we were surrounded by strangers again, people we were just beginning to get to know. But these are now our people. We're going to get to know each other very well - the good, bad and ugly. It will stretch us, challenge us, and bless the pants off of us. It won't be in the same way, but it will be God's way. 

There's something about the ministry that offers palpable grace - undeserved love. I wore it in the wrist corsage made for me and another kind for Wayne and even Hosanna. I read it in the cards given with Scripture encouragement and words of wisdom. I felt it in the hugs offered to me, still a relative stranger to them. I heard it in the many versions of, "we're so happy you're here".  It's all so very humbling and makes me want to let them know ... yeah, I'm not that great ... don't get your hopes up!! I'm going to disappoint you a million times before we're gone. They'll figure that out on their own soon enough - haha. A family in Christ knows that in spite of each of our weaknesses, Christ still loves us and clothes us in His righteousness. When we look at one another the way He sees us, it gives us a different lens to see each other. I treasure this gift and know we all have a lot to learn about each other. This is our people. 

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:

where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek 

to be consoled, as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love;

for it is in giving that we receive,

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Prayer for a life of service