COUNTING MY BLESSINGS

This has been a rough week.

Everything has been up in the air, so it has been hard to know just what to do. It was comforting to have Dave and Neti come for a visit. After dinner (unfortunately Miles had to return to work), we sat and read through all of the letters I have received from Gramma over the years. They are a poignant collection of her thoughts. Smatterings of wisdom along with some very sweet, funny ideas - life through her eyes in rural Princeton. She managed to make whatever was around her at the time something to be explored and pondered. We are still waiting to see what any arrangements might be as for a formal rememberance of any kind.

Miles has a full-blown cold. I'm immersed in the tail end of our Church Book. This is a book I volunteered to help with. Some days I don't feel particularly 'Christian' about it, but I must admit, creating it through this difficult time, I think, has kept my mind where it should be. Because we don't have the opportunity to attend any chruch services through the holidays, the words and thoughts in the book have spoken to my heart about what Christmas truly should be. We make a choice to spend the time with our family, rather than attend services at Christmas because our parents, so for us it would be going for ourselves only. We only end up with a few quality days with them in the end so we feel that we should BE JESUS to the family - rather than not be with them to satisfy a desire we have to be around the church family. Though we really miss the church, especially at this most special time, we never regret investing the time into our family. They are wonderful, interesting people and we love them with all our hearts. Mom and Dad make a great effort to build traditions around our tiny family. They are a gift from God to us.

These next few weeks will be filled with all sorts of distractions. Pot-lucks, visits and events but I intend to work very hard in keeping the true meaning in focus. I hope all of you out there have a peace through the next few weeks. Remember, You will never get EVERYTHING done, but if you give it to the Lord, He will enable you to accomplish the things that NEED to get done.

e

REMEMBERING GRAMMA

Gramma passed away yesterday.

She was 98 years old, and she had a full and long life. I will miss her very much.

Gramma often took me to church when I was a child. I can still remember the stained glass windows, the hard wooden pews, the benches for kneeling on to pray. I can remember the cadence of the prayers, the crackling of a candy being unwrapped (why does all candy eaten in church come in crackly paper?), of tissues whispering softly from pockets, of coughs echoing coarsely within the cool walls of the chruch.

There was never a doubt that Gramma believed and honoured God. Now that I have found a new life in Christ it brings me an indescribable peace for me to know that Gramma is now at the feet of Jesus.

OUR 2006 CHRISTMAS CARD

This year's card is out.

Other than a few 'stragglers', I've mailed out my Christmas Cards. I was 'beat to the punch' by Aunt Betty, but I think I would have to send at the end of summer vacation to get a head start on her! I've designed our own card again this year, using Corel Painter IX. I used the conte crayons and airbrushes. The cards printed off very nicely on our little printer - surprisingly nicely in fact. I trimmed them to the circle shape and applied glitter along the snowy branch and finished the card off with a loop of gold thread to make it hang like an ornament.

Because I have been so caught up with all this, I lavished my dearest yesterday with a flower and sliver of decadent mousse cake made at our sweet Odelights bakery. We have a tradition started of sharing Dim Sum for breakfast on Saturdays when we can, at the bakery. It is prepared 'squeeky' fresh and is the best way to start ones day.

The weather is cold, and snow dusts the area off and on, but so far, nothing like what everyone else seems to be suffering.

Have a Wonderful Day out there!