CALENDARS

The more the merrier.  I thought if I had one in each room I would remember dates and times better.  Now I am told I need to give one to Sandra, Carol and Rick

The Melbourne calendars are beautiful and stir within me a long to visit there again.  They will be very much enjoyed.

The family calendar created by Shawna with family pictures and dates to remember is a living treasure.

Thanks Shawna and thanks Ken and Melina and also the beautiful card signed by all.  I have never seen so many x and  o's

We have had a slight bit of snow here but mostly it has disappeared.  It does feel like winter.  I went and took my decorations off the tree in the park and met the lady who tells me again how much she has enjoyed it.  She has a grand daughter too but she lives away.  She sent her a picture of Morgan and I putting the decorations on. 

Wed. dad and I drive to New West. to see the neurologist and he is now figuring out the route we will take.  We have to be there at 10 and they like you to be early.  I have asked my church prayers to pray for a hopeful visit.

So we have a family of very different people which I think I could call characters.  Our differences are a part of our personalities.  The main thing is to just accept each other as we are!

NO ROOM

Yes a little mouse came walking up to our front door.  I told it in no uncertain terms there was no room here and he is better off to just stay out in the forest.

No room even for the mother of baby Jesus must have made her wonder what God had planned for her and her baby. 

I am telling myself there is no room for those negative thoughts that cause me to feel unsure.  Dad wants me to confess my faults, yes I am well aware of them. When you live with some one you see their faults as a reality. I make mistakes continually but that does not mean that my faith in prayer and my faith in the goodness of God has deserted me.

I do know I am loved unconditionally.

I do know love is healing.

I do know that when I fail and fall short it is love that lifts me up again.

There is no sin that the grace of God cannot forgive.

There is no life that cannot be transformed by forgiveness.

The thoughts I am making room for:
Be still
Cease striving
Seek God's presence even when He seems He seems to be like an inscrutable wisdom far beyond my understanding.
Listen to what the Scripture says to me personally each day!

Love Yourself!  Forgive yourself as I am just as human as anyone else and faaaaar from perfect!

SPOTLIGHT

Yes the spotlight is shining on Ken as it is his birthday!

He was a New Year's baby even though he did not arrive until Jan. 5th.

He has been a wonderful blessing to our family and we are so thankful he has a lovely wife Melina and their combined children make 6 children.  What fun!

Thank you again Ken for coming and being here when I came home from the hospital and through that difficult time but at least you saw your family here too.

We love you and miss you but are thankful you keep us in your day by day journeys.
  Hope this year is good for you all.  You are in our thoughts and my prayers.

It has snowed here over night and looks so bright and inviting.  I will go for a walk with Haiti when Pentali brings her home.  Kim is coming home from visiting her friend in the States.  Praying for a safe trip home.

Love you lots!

`By your words O Lord I can see where I am going, they throw a beam of light on my path.
Ps. 119-105
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FROSTY DELIGHT

The frost makes the whole world delightful.  I am a little afraid the sidewalk may be icy so I walk very carefully and take my cane,  I stop to take pictures and the fresh cold air feels good to breath in.

Home again I am looking for something but have forgotten what I am looking for.

 

Not feeling well enough to go to church.

 

I download some pictures from last evening.  Carol and Panteli came over with Haiti as she had run our of food.  We were delighted to see her.  We order pizza and watched Foyle"s War on D.V.D.

A relaxing visit.

 

My mantra to start this new year is a saying from Louise Hay:

"Life Loves You"

Life is a spiritual philosophy in her mind.

For me I have no trouble saying the grace of God is Life.

Looking at the beauty of nature affirms that the glory of nature is around me and within me as I take delight in all  the beauty.  Now if I could just learn to be patient.

 

Dad and I are off to the Post Office to mail a card to Jasmine.  I am sorry it will be late but I had a card all ready to send but the days are going too fast!

 

FLAWS

Yes we all have them and yet we are still loveable human beings.  I play  game with Lincoln where we both believe no one can see us. 

I start cleaning up and yes I get tired very quickly.  I know it does not need to be done in a day but I just keep on keeping on.  Dad is very annoyed.  Understandably. I am thankful that he cares enough to be annoyed.   I did take time to watch the hockey game.  I did manage a walk in the cold frosty morning with my cane,

 

The T.V. room is vacuumed and dad has cleaned up the dishes after making French Toast while I was out walking.  The dining room is

clutter free.  Beds change .  Dan and I will pack up the decorations later together.

 

  Shawna your calendar is beautiful as usual and I will put a picture I will put a picture on when my camera battery is recharged.  It certainly is the gift that keeps giving!  Thank you for all your hard work it really is a blessing!  Thank You!

 

I now take time to reaffirm myself and to be open to the love expressed by my dear husband.

 

"Learning to live in the rhythm of life by affirming yourself."

to this quote I add flaws and all.

 

 

TRAVELERS

One by one the Christmas decorations are coming down not that we had many.  I love those lights like Sandra and Randy had at the front door.

I have been praying for safe journeys for the travellers.  Mary is very brave travelling with those two adorable children by plane. I hope the roads were good for Stephen and Shawna.

I remember travelling by train with Rick when he was 17 months old. It was an over-night trip to Saskatoon and we both were exhausted when we arrived.  Your dad came a day later.  We also travelled to Regina to thrill my parents with our coming.

To-day when we went to open the garage door it would not open.  I was sure a mouse had got in there some where.  Dad sprayed it with oil and it worked.  It is very annoying if it does not work with our car in there.  We do not travel far these days but we do like to be able to go when the mood strikes us.

So many things we just take for granted.

Happy children at play.

Mary with Sebastian

Shawna with Lincoln

 

No one cuts a roast like Randy

A happy mom and dad

a dazzling sparkling grama

Fresh from the bath smelling so sweet!

 

The fire was wonderful!

 

So here we are all travelling into another year, older and wiser I am sure.

 

Good to have a call from Jane to get caught up on her busy time.

She even went to mid-night mass.

 

There will be some moves this year as Mary and Michael John move to Kingston. 

 

We wish them success in finding a new home!

 

Time for dad and I to get our pj's on and snuggle down for another night!

SERENITY

What a wonderful time we have been having.
Today a little extra time for naps.
Dad is riding his bike in front of the window to get some fresh air.
I will go for a short walk after I write and try to download pictures.

Dad down loaded these for me but I also took pictures of Ava and Jeff and their little guy.

 

Dad and I enjoyed spending New Year's Eve with the family.  The children were have great fun jumping in and out of a box, playing with balloons and running around.  Very happy and healthy children with very serene parents watching and laughing.

 

I was thinking back to my childhood.  I had a good home and loving parents but they took life very seriously.  I did too so I think what I missed was having fun.  You were expected to do what was right and so not many words of affirmation.  I am grateful for my parents and the things that they taught me.  You always do your work first then you can choose what to do next.  Duty before fun!

 

Love is expressed in many different ways and in the end we realize that we are loveable just aas we are.

 

Love is the song in your heart.

 

Love is the music in your soul.

 

It is good when others affirm us like last evening as we left

 there was a chorus of voices saying "We love you!"