Being part of our church choristers and serving at 10 care homes and hospice was one of the most rewarding memories. To bring a few minutes of peace, hope, love and joy to those who are shut in or in their last days of life was so rewarding.
Early in the month it was time to put winter photos and paintings on my nook shelf.
Simple decor and cookies baked for family and our annual Living Nativity at church.
A day with our sweet littlest granddaughter when we painted Christmas trees on canvas, decorated with buttons from Great grandmas button jar. Setting mine on the window sill with the sun casting reflections on the window pane there was the beautiful reminder that the birth of our Saviour continued to his sacrificial death on the cross and the brilliant light of resurrection to give us hope and certainty of eternal life.
A very fun day teaching the oldest two granddaughters who are cousins to make traditional zweibach for our family dinner. They did such an excellent job, and as my baking also does sometimes, there were some zweibach which nodded off in the oven. And there was the inspiration for a little nativity set with sheep and a cow surrounding Joseph and Mary who was still great with child!!
Christmas morning with my love. A collaborative meal with him making delicious omelettes and my plumi moos and eggnog scones. We are a great team!
 |
On the 26th our whole family crowded into our small condo, around one long table and feasted. Again each family contributed something to the meal including those zwiebach so proudly baked by Miss K and Miss A |
Time for a walk on a sunny December day.
and then
December ended on a low note which continued into January.
THE INTRUDER
IT settled into my innermost being
like an unexpected, unwanted guest,
dragging a heavy suitcase filled with a nasty infection.
I wanted to party on that eve, to be joyful with family
and yet here it was interrupting life
making me miserable, staying far too long!
Day and night it jangled my body with fever, rigours and pain,
my brain foggy, my body curled up
whimpering and groaning under a mountain of duvets.
IT fought against a cure.
How long oh Lord? Please help me God!
Pitiful, yet sincere prayers rose from a damp pillow.
I fought back with little strength
pills around the clock, transfusions of antibiotics
slowly pushing the INTRUDER with it's baggage
out into the frigid winter!
Alone at last
a time to rest, to restore
to pray a new prayer,
God, may your strength be made perfect in my weakness.
Trudy Peters
On our December walk
"Remember, we all stumble, everyone of us.
That's why it is a comfort to go hand in hand."
Emily Kimbrough
1 comment:
What sweet memories of Christmas but then the not so sweet experience of illness as expressed in your poem. May you daily experience the presence and strength of God.
Catherine
Post a Comment