Tonight in Nova Scotia we are preparing to celebrate the close of 2007 and to kick off another year. Snow and freezing rain have fallen most of the day, enhancing the close of the Christmas season with the wintry landscape that inspired "I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas." Dreamers and crooners everywhere fell in love with today, while somewhere an obscure poet wrote about how fitting this all is.
It is in this idyllic mood that we found ourselves at the mailbox today to read about a true Hallmark Christmas. Yes, for the few of you that actually know my dad, his Christmas letter arrived today. And in true holiday fashion, he entitled his epistle "Norman Rockwell is Bleeding." He's always been a poet - among other things.
Some of you have heard me say before that the movie "Big Fish" is about my dad. The first time I saw the main character on the movie I thought, "Hmmm..... He's just like him: witty, wise, active, charming, creative, and a windbag." Yes, windbag. They say today's wind came from a Nor'easter from New Brunswick. I know better. My dad, whom I love dearly, has finally begun to open his grinchy old mouth again.
Merry Christmas, Dad. I love you very much. This one's for you - :)
LE
31 December 2007
12 December 2007
December
A comment from a friend reminded me that we haven't blogged in awhile. It's easy to let Facebook pacify the update need when things get "busy." This will be a little more substantial.
For those who don't know yet, the biggest news in the last several weeks is that we found out our baby is a girl! She's very pretty, too! :) Her heartbeat is strong and fast, and she has a fixation with sleeping with her feet up over her head. Our more "realist" friends keep saying, "Her bones are like rubber right now." The rest of us tend to think that she might be a dancer, an athlete, or something. :)
This month has been much more active than we anticipated. I was happy to be involved in our community choir's Christmas musical last weekend. We had a fantastic time producing a Nova-Scotia-written musical based on the Fezziwig's from Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." Tons of fun! (I'm glad it's over, though, because I have several more hours in my week.) :) This weekend is our joint performance with St. James Presbyterian of "Agnus Dei: Lamb of God Born to Us." (It's a Christmas concert of worship.) Next weekend (the 21 and 22 December) is Symphony Nova Scotia's performance of "The Messiah." Add to that Natasha's birthday on Monday, our anniversary next week, and Christmas, and this is an action-packed month!!!!
Before anyone asks, we have no idea for a baby name yet. We have a list going, but we probably won't give any hints yet.....
In other news, I've been thinking a lot about "testing the spirit" of people who claim and even manifest Spiritual gifts. I know a handful of people who are certainly gifted but who have some pretty serious issues that they refuse to face. (Lest anyone begin guessing or name-dropping, these are a handful of people from various places at various points in my past and present.) It always intrigues me how some of these people claim to be so in touch with God because of their spiritual gifts. Meanwhile, the fruit of their lives doesn't quite resemble love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control - the fruit of the Spirit. It occurs to me that fruit is really the only way we can tell a "good tree" from a "rotten tree." Trees that bear fruit are rooted in God - not necessarily trees that manifest certain duplicable activities. Again, this is the beginning of some interesting thoughts that are going through my head. I'm looking for fruit in my life and in the lives of others. It's interesting what I see....
For those who don't know yet, the biggest news in the last several weeks is that we found out our baby is a girl! She's very pretty, too! :) Her heartbeat is strong and fast, and she has a fixation with sleeping with her feet up over her head. Our more "realist" friends keep saying, "Her bones are like rubber right now." The rest of us tend to think that she might be a dancer, an athlete, or something. :)
This month has been much more active than we anticipated. I was happy to be involved in our community choir's Christmas musical last weekend. We had a fantastic time producing a Nova-Scotia-written musical based on the Fezziwig's from Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." Tons of fun! (I'm glad it's over, though, because I have several more hours in my week.) :) This weekend is our joint performance with St. James Presbyterian of "Agnus Dei: Lamb of God Born to Us." (It's a Christmas concert of worship.) Next weekend (the 21 and 22 December) is Symphony Nova Scotia's performance of "The Messiah." Add to that Natasha's birthday on Monday, our anniversary next week, and Christmas, and this is an action-packed month!!!!
Before anyone asks, we have no idea for a baby name yet. We have a list going, but we probably won't give any hints yet.....
In other news, I've been thinking a lot about "testing the spirit" of people who claim and even manifest Spiritual gifts. I know a handful of people who are certainly gifted but who have some pretty serious issues that they refuse to face. (Lest anyone begin guessing or name-dropping, these are a handful of people from various places at various points in my past and present.) It always intrigues me how some of these people claim to be so in touch with God because of their spiritual gifts. Meanwhile, the fruit of their lives doesn't quite resemble love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control - the fruit of the Spirit. It occurs to me that fruit is really the only way we can tell a "good tree" from a "rotten tree." Trees that bear fruit are rooted in God - not necessarily trees that manifest certain duplicable activities. Again, this is the beginning of some interesting thoughts that are going through my head. I'm looking for fruit in my life and in the lives of others. It's interesting what I see....
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