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! :)