Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Christmas Time

I hope you had a blessed Christmas!!!

Rebecca and Anastacia singing carols in the dark, enchanted by the fairy lights.


Christmas Eve... the children love it!

The aftermath.

Christmas Baking


Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Social Holiness

Jesus was and is, a social revolutionary.  When he healed the sick he did more than cure diseases: he healed the sickness in a society that would cast these people aside.  When he pronounced his beatitudes upon the people, he was taking up those classes and categories that society deemed to be unblessed and unblessable.  He told these 'sat upon, spat upon, ratted on' people that they were precious in the kingdom of God.  He blessed the children, he spoke to an outcast woman, he hob-nobbed with a wealthy crook.
We are to do likewise.

~ Richard Foster


This time of year should remind us not just of those who are dear and precious to us but those who are alone and forsaken. Where we have opportunity to pray, smile, offer kindness or hospitality, the love of God compels us to do so.


Tuesday, December 18, 2012

At the Cherry Farm


Walking around the farm

 
Cherries = Christmas
 
 
 
After a long day, a nap on the way back home.

Friday, December 14, 2012

Loquats

This is the first time we have seen fruit on the tree.  A rather large sized loquat cluster. This tree arrived in our garden by accident as a seed and survived much neglect.  Loquats remind my so much of my childhood.  My mother loves them. 




And now for the best part, eating! Sweet and soft.



Thursday, December 13, 2012

The brightest season

 
The shopping is done and the house is festive but the baking is not complete...
will don an apron over the weekend and enjoy the kitchen fragrance.

 
Becca is faithful to happily do the countdown.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Unexpected timing

My hens were broody for a long time.  Finally we put some fertile eggs under them... might as well make use of their disposition. 


Henny-Penny is clearly agitated that I have come to check up on her newly born babies.

The unexpected part was that they all decided to hatch early and arrived the same week of Becca's burn.  What a week it was!  I was running back and forth.  Like Becca, they have grown stronger (& bigger) over the last few weeks.

This was taken this afternoon.  I think Wayne is enjoying them the most.  He has a soft spot for babies.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Time to heal

Its a day like any other.  The phone rings and I can't really make out the words but my limbs feel like jelly as I try to piece the loud words and cries.  I get the unpleasant ones, they seem real clear, 'come', 'hospital'.  I leave everything around me as is, and drive not really knowing what I will find. 

The hospital staff were so great.

I ring back and she whispers through her pain and tears "Mommy, speak words of comfort over me."  I don't know what I said but I know that I told her everything would somehow be okay. 

It's almost three weeks now and everything is going to be okay.  What was a raw square of burnt flesh from the top of her chest to past her belly button, is now new pink skin, thin and sensitive but flexible and no longer sore.

Its all under wraps beneath the green vest.
 
'Keep walking the walk one step at a time' ~ Joyce Meyer
That's how its been, one step at a time.  On one doctor's visit he said 'This might take longer than we thought'.  I told my friend that I would probably cancel our holiday.  She looked straight at me and said "You will not, she will be well" and then she prayed for the healing to quicken.  We have to walk with people of faith.  The next time we saw the doctor he said that her chest looked 'wonderful'.  We are moving forward. 
 
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. ~ Ps 46:1