receiving and giving

A new week, a new year for me. Yesterday I received some very nice things for my birthday, a day I spent with my sister helping her manage a table at a craft fair. On our table we had mostly donated items to sell to raise money for Missions in Rwanda. We did well for our first effort and it was a fun day. I am quite tired today though, and plan to 'turn in' early tonight.

While we were at the craft fair, sometime in the afternoon the wind picked up to almost hurricane strength and it rained heavily. Some areas lost their power but at the school we were not inconvenienced except that for some of that time less people arrived to shop.

In my last post I mentioned that I am thinking about 'supporting' a deployed Canadian soldier. A few days ago I remembered that one of my Valley Sunshine publication readers has a son who has been sent to Kanduhar (do I have that spelled correctly?), and I called her to tell her what I want to do. I could hear the excitement in her voice and she said she will be getting back to me this week with details on how I may send packages. I am looking forward to hearing from her about that.

Interestingly, my mother-in-law gave me a book for my birthday, a book of poems written by soldiers from WWI. What a timely gift and such confirmation for me! This book, in case you are interested, is called In Flanders Fields and other poems of the First World War, and is edited by Brian Busby. One paragraph on the jacket reads: "Selected from the work of soldiers killed in action - starting with Rupert Brooke in 1915 and ending with the tragic loss of Wilfred Owen seven days before the Armistice - the poems capture a broad range of emotions, contemplations and states of mind, ranging from anthems about the brutality of war to wistful evocations of home and loved ones left behind." I find it difficult to read, and by difficult I mean sad, revealing, and insightful.

I feel that yesterday was a great beginning to my next year of life, which I hope and plan to be a successful and satisfying one as I learn what God has in store for me and what He will do through me.

What are your aspirations when a new year begins in your life?

Thanks for reading and ... Blessings on your day! :)

Remembrance Day

It has been two weeks since I last wrote! Where does the time go so quickly?
I have been going to my sister and brother-in-law's each Wednesday for five weeks now, and I plan to go tomorrow. Last week the kinship group surprised my nephew and me with a birthday cake and a card for each of us signed by the group. Both of us have a birthday this month.

The past few days I have been busily working on Valley Sunshine, the Christian publication I publish quarterly. (I don't have a website for it, but if you want to ask about it you can write to me.) I have to get this issue completed, put together and into the mail before the end of this month to keep up with subscription dates.

Today has been a somewhat sobering day. Remembrance Day - or Veteran's Day in the US - always does this to me. My dad is a WWII Veteran and I am so proud of him. On this date each year we gather with hundreds of other people for a long but meaningful service at Acadia University. The service is conducted by the local branch of the Legion of which Dad is a member, and Dad is in charge of the many memorial wreaths that are laid by family members and other representatives. He has a lot to keep track of, but does it so well, keeping things moving along.

The service consisted of singing by the Annapolis Valley Honour choir, music by Acadia University symphonic band, Scripture readings, prayers, reading of the Honour Rolls which contain the names of our local soldiers lost to World War I, World War II, Korean War/Conflict - and then comes the laying of wreaths. This is a long process but so good to do as part of the remembering.

Of course the two minutes of silence near the beginning of all this sets the mood. For me it is a time of contemplation, prayer, thankfulness, and some emotion welling up. War is horrible! How wonderful instead to be at peace and not lose anyone to such travesties, but unfortunately our part as a nation is sometimes necessary. For that reason it is not sensible or beneficial to condemn anyone sent on deployment. I have, in fact, been thinking today about some way I may personally support a deployed Canadian soldier so far from home and loved ones. I will have to look into that. Many will not get home for Christmas and I am sure they can use some cheering up.

Following today's memorial service, certain friends and family members of the Veterans who belong to the Royal Canadian Legion met at our local Legion hall, the Dr. C. B. Lumsden MM Branch No. 74 in Wolfville. There we were served a tasty meal and our Vets were awarded medals and certificates. And, did I say? - I am so proud of my dad. :)

Please feel free to be in touch. I would love to hear from you.
** If you know of any organization that sends care packages to deployed Canadian soldiers I would be very interested in knowing about it. **

Thanks for reading and ... Blessings on your day! :)