Fireworks...New Years Eve 2011

I've seen fireworks before.

But nothing like this.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI4TTcbOK3g

We were in Dubai for Christmas and New Years. Jon is working there this year at the Meydan stables and race track. The royal family's stable of thoroughbreds for racing.

His apartment is right across the street from the Burj Khalifa, currently the tallest building in the world, and also the sight of the worlds 2nd best fireworks for New Years Eve. I understand Sydney, Australia has #1.

We decided to walk over to the park and find a spot to enjoy the evening. So glad we got the car in it's parking spot early, the highways became one big parking lot and people were pouring in from every street. New Years Eve seems like more of a family event in Dubai. As we got situated in our spot we were surrounded by groups of families, multigenerational, including infants and older grandparents.

Our information said the fireworks would start at 11:00pm but that obviously was wrong. We were kept entertained though by the fountain shows every 15 minutes. Dancing streams of water in perfect harmony with the wonderful variety of music that was broadcast.

But at midnight everything stopped, darkened and then exploded.

And as I watched, I felt like crying. It was strange. As the fireworks exploded from the top downward, and off from the sides and around the ground, and the music rang in my ears and the water fountain danced with joy; scriptures started exploding in my spirit.

And I sensed God's very real presence in that country so far from anything that was familiar, at a very secular event.

Zephaniah 3:17, a scripture that I had been meditating on, became living and real. "The Lord thy God in the midst of you is mighty, he will save, he will rejoice over you with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over you with singing". The music combined with the flashes of light and booming sounds overwhelmed me with a consciousness of how much God loves us and rejoices over us.

Scriptures from Revelation flooded into my mind......"out of his throne prodeeded lightnings and thunderings and voices", "worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing. Blessing and honor and glory and power, be unto him that sits upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever".

The fireworks in Dubai were just man's awesome show of power, engineering, inspiration and creativity. I don't think you can hear the music that was being played on utube, but it was beautiful. And this is just what man can do. We get a little glimpse of God in His power. He gave us just a little, after all we are made in His image, but it shows us how majestic He is. How powerful, mighty, awesome, holy and strong He is. He is over all!

And He gave that all up so He could save us. So He could redeem us.

It's incomprehensible.

To God be the glory.

Traditons/New Adventures

Christmas Eve.

Christmas is my favorite time of the year.

I love to decorate the house with all my wonderful decorations collected over the years. Snowmen, angels, trees of all shapes, sizes, and material.

And lights. My favorite. Candles in all the windows, twinkle lights on all the plate rails in the dining room and among the fresh greens which fill all the rooms. Light to remind us of The Light which shone in the darkness.

We will have a different Christmas Eve this year.

Our tradition is to eat an early dinner and get dressed in our Sunday best and head off to our Candlelight service at church. We've been doing this for 25 years (except one) and I'm going to miss our "family" with whom we celebrate this wonderful night. The church is dimly lite and candles are passed out to all. We sing lovely Christmas carols and hymns, selected children read from the Old and New Testament, telling us of the old familar story. The beginning of our redemption. We have special music performed by a select choir (Ethan, Rob and myself have been a part of for years), a reflective message about the reason we are celebrating, and the lighting of the candles in a dark church singing Silent Night. Then quiet hugs and love to all and a return home.

At home we gather in the living room, pass out hot chocolate and Christmas cookies, enjoy the Christmas Tree, and open one gift. Then off to bed, so Mom can put stockings on the couch, filled with love and a letter to each, refecting on the pervious year and casting vision for the next.

This year it will be different.

We will be in the desert. Jesus spent a lot of time in the desert; praying, fighting spiritual battles, walking through from city to city to heal, help and love.

I'm looking forward to our trip to the desert. The message will still be true and relevant and personal.

Jesus came to this earth as a baby......for me.

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given" Isaiah 9:6

Merry Christmas to all who still read my blog. And I pray that Jesus is the Light in your life.

In Defence Of Winter

Absolutely breathtaking this morning.

Winter.....and snow. And a clear bright sky with the glow of the morning sun.


It's beautiful. Even the chicken pen is draped beautifully with a soft white blanket, gently cascading over the netting and wire fence.

The snow fell softly, quietly last night. No mighty winds, so it lays serenely, nestled into the branches and as a dress among the spruces.


This morning I see remnants of Rob's footprints as he went back and forth from the Inn, feeding the chickens, creating a path for our guests. The snow is not so thick that I can't see the remaining Brussels sprouts in the garden, or the forgotten cabbages, destined for the chicken coop. And the garlic is still visible, sprouting way too early. Go back to sleep my precious fall planted commodity. You are supposed to be gaining strength quietly under ground. Many more months will pass before you should show yourselves.

This year we seemed to ease into winter. And sometimes it's best in small doses initially. We never know how long this year's winter will last. And I think it is wise that we just don't jump into -30 degrees. We have to do that gradually, with some experience. Winter in the North Country takes up over 1/4 of our lives. We do have four seasons but winter feels like it takes up the biggest part of the year.

But the first snow is lovely this year. Actually, beautiful. It turns the landscape monochromatic. A concept we embrace at Lintengard. And seems to turn the landscape into a memory of itself....just painted white, with touches of brown and green as accents.

But growth takes place in the winter. Just as growth takes place in our personal lives when we allow tough situations, personal failures, and tragedies to stretch us and mold us into what God has for us. The seemingly cold and barrenness of winter makes it feel like nothing is happening. But life goes on, under the ground. The foundation is being built and strengthened and fed. Winter is a quiet time. A time to reflect and anticipate. (I'm already thinking about all the brightly colored catalogs I will be receiving after the new year...prompting me to experiment with different seeds and veggies).

Winter is a time to drown out the chaos of summer and fall, and to hang onto what is true. If we allow it to, it reminds us of who we are and if we are really reflective, it compels us to realize what could be our full potential and embrace our divinely ordained gifts and graces. It's a time for excitement about possibilities and adventures. And a time to receive. God is good.

Winter

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving has come and gone! How could that be?

And we hardly had time to really give thanks and express our gratitude to God for our manifold blessings. We're already onto Christmas.

I wish we would change the date for Thanksgiving and move it to October, like the Canadians. It would give us more time to reflect and celebrate this wonderful holiday.

I am so blessed to live in this country. Really, I could have been born anywhere. I own a business, raise a flock of chickens, have plenty of food,(some of which I raised in my backyard garden), shelter and warm clothes for the winter. I was raised by wonderful parents who loved me and my sisters unconditionally. They taught me respect for authority and a love of family and God. We belong to a wonderful church community where we share our joys and sorrows. I have four wonderful children who are the light of my life (although they live too far away). Our neighborhood gives us wonderful friendships where we have parties out on our front lawns. And the North Country is a gorgeous place to live, all four seasons.

God has been good to us.

This is one of our Thanksgiving traditions. The Turkey Bowl. Every year Ethan organizes a tackle football game in the morning. This year one of the players is missing from the picture. Christian was stabbed in the face with a cleat while tackling Greg and had to go to the office for 9 stitches. Nose to lip! And turkey is his favorite meal.


Aunt June, 84, made it up from New Hampshire and Grandma and Uncle Don came over for our Thanksgiving feast: turkey, dressing, gravy, cranberry relish, homegrown mashed potatoes, broccoli casserole and butternut squash and apple casserole. Later it was pecan and apple pie. And of course whipped cream.



And now it is December 2. Our anniversary.

Wow!! We've been married 39 years! I've been married way longer than I was single.

And I am so thankful to be married to this wonderful man. He loves the Lord and me more than anything in the world. He is kind and considerate and thoughtful. He is honest and honorable, traits that are somehow missing in many these days. So many people around the community come up to me and tell me how great Rob is and they are so thankful for the care he has given them. I received a card from our neighbor the other day thanking Rob for the care for her husband. "John aways felt secure with your care. You took such an interest in his well being, and we are so grateful for that." And he has a folder in the office full of like cards. I'm proud of him and his skill. He is so generous, especially with our children, but whenever there is a need he is there with support. He can do anything.....carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, painting, wallpapering, antiquing furniture, car repairs, etc. He's quirky in a very endearing way and we have lots of stories that make us laugh when we remember some of his antics!
He's the smartest person I know, but I beat him in Scrabble the other day!

Yup! Married 39 years. But today is more than just our anniversary. It is more than just the present. It's a time for stuff.... a time to fit our soul for heaven, to love each other, to hear what God wants us to do today, to enjoy his creation, (even the impending winter with it's sounds of silently falling snow), it's a time for not just polishing the outside, but developing the inside.

Seeing beauty in everyday life.

It's Gone

Yes, Fall is gone!

It hung on tenaciously this year in the North Country. It was warm, sunny and lovely way past our traditional fall. But, now it's gone.

Otis and I took a walk around Partridge yesterday and by the time we finished, it was snowing slightly and sporadically.

The grass is still green, but the fields are golden. The red, orange and yellow leaves have fallen, exposing bright purple and red berries. Winter food for birds and squirrels.

The milkweed pods have completely opened releasing their seed children on wings of white feathers. And the woods glisten white as the wind scatters them at will. New life next year.

And the cattails, sheding their sable mink coats, reveal tall plush brown sentinels that will stand guard over the marshes around the trail.

The white birches show their lovely trunks and branches, no longer hidden behind green bushes. And the remaining Canadian Geese are gleaning in the corn fields. Fortifying their bodies with the remaining kernels before flying south.

Fall is really lovely. A transition to a slower quieter time of year.

And this year it was magnificient.

November 8, 2011

Remembering......

Christian

Rigmar Got Her Groove Back

Yes, Rigmar is getting back her groove.

She is looking better, tail feathers growing back, She's gaining weight, she's off her perch in the coop and walking around the pen. She's out and about now and slowly integrating herself back into the group.

She's gaining weight because I've been hand feeding her the best scraps and shoo the other hens away when they challenge her right to have food.

And I've been taking her over to my fenced kitchen garden everyday so she can have hours of scratching, pecking, scavaging and eating the last of the brussel sprout leaves that are still bright green on their big stout stalks. All in peace!

But we had a scare yesterday. Just after I felt so good about getting her back into shape, I lost her.

Rob and I were supposed to go to our Supper Club event across the street. Before changing I had decided to take Rigmar back over to the barn with the other chickens. And there in the garden was a large grey cat. I let Otis out and he chased it fiercely, and it fled rapidly to the backyard and up a tree. I had one item to bring over to Litengard and when I returned, no Rigmar. ANYWHERE!

Rob came out and we searched and searched, for about 45 minutes, making us late for our engagement. All around the house, the bushes, the neighbors, under the house, in the garage back over at the coop. Calling her name, as if chickens respond to their names being called! No Rigmar. Sadly we decided that she must have been taken by a big hawk (too early for an owl). Loosing her after I had congratulated myself on nursing her back to health! A low blow and not much for my ego!

And then after I had changed and was over by the kitchen sink, down by the basement stairs.....there staggered out skinny little Rigmar. Looking dazed and confused but in one piece. I think she was glad to see me. She was willing to be caught and brought back to her safe environment. The cat in close proximity and the ferocious barking from Otis must have scared her away to a great hiding place.

And when all was quiet she came out.

But, no more kitchen garden for Rigmar.