Winter Reading Challenge

 The local library has a winter reading challenge from Jan 15-March 15. The theme this year is Missouri, either about the state or an author that lives here.  I have chosen my books and mapped out how many pages I need to read per day in order to meet the challenge.  We have to read 5 books.  Each year they design a coffee cup and then there are some grand prizes.  It is fun to see if I can find books to meet the genre. Last winter it was science fiction which is not something I read but I did find 5 free books for my Kindle and I did enjoy them, but still not my genre.  I prefer murder mysteries and westerns, and nonfiction.  It is a windy snowy day so what better day to start the reading challenge.

New Year's Snow

 We started the new year with an inch of sleet followed by 3 inches of snow.  This morning the fog coated the trees.

Goals for a New Year

 

Merry Christmas

 Christmas was my dad's favorite holiday. On Black Friday he would get the tree out and find the right place in the house.  Out came all the ornaments and the lights and the tinsel.  The tinsel went on one piece at a time, never just throw it on cos you will be picking it all off and made to put it on one by one where dad told you to.  I finally convinced him not to have tinsel with a cat in the house.

When we lived in Carlsbad, New Mexico we would go to the rich part of town.  We had cocoa and cookies and we would look at the decorations< I drooled over the houses and dreamed one day I could live in one.  Before we went home we drove up to the top of a large hill and looked down on the city, it was so beautiful.  This was our Christmas Eve celebration.  

For the past few years I had bundled my dad up with cocoa and cookies and off we drove to the rich houses.  Rich people often have really cheap ugly decorations.  I had my favorite houses in the 2 places we went and dad would often comment on the decorations or if there was a house he really liked he would yell stop and we would just sit for a minute and watch the decorations.  

This is my 2nd Christmas without my dad and the first one that really has hit me hard.  Last year he had died in November and I was so busy moving my mom to a smaller apartment one she could afford and do all the paperwork and get my dad interred I did not really have the time to sit and think about what it would be like to not have him here for Christmas.  I did not put up much this year, I was going to go all out for dad but I just couldn't get past him not being here.  Maybe next year.

So dad, I hope you found some favorite decorations across the country and that grandma made you cocoa and cookies.  Merry Christmas Dad, I miss you and love you.

Oh The Smell

 There is nothing better than baking something with yeast in it.  The house smells good for hours first with the several risings of the dough and then the actual baking.  I needed to make some cinnamon rolls for a brunch tomorrow for knit group.  I have a book with nothing but cinn roll recipe in it.  I know I could go buy some but really when you can take 4 hours and make a batch.  I will put a slight cream cheese icing on them.  I hope there are one or two left for my breakfast the next couple of days.  I love to bake but hate to clean up the mess.  

My Dad Loved Christmas

 

Christmas Star

 

In the year when Jesus was born, there was violence, chaos, political and social unrest. It was dark.

The Magi found him by way of the star, which was the "meeting" of 3 stars: Jupiter, Saturn and Mars. They followed the star until it rested on where he was and they began to worship him. In a time where is was dark, Light was brought in to our world. Jesus stepped in to the chaos and brought peace.

Fast forward to this year, 2020. It's a time of violence, chaos, political and social unrest. It is dark. Winter Solstice, December 21st, being a time where the day is the shortest and night is the longest...it's literally the "darkest day" and is the beginning of what most would say the cold, dark winter season.

But on the darkest day this year, Jupiter and Saturn meet, giving us the Christmas Star! How fitting...that in the moment of time during the Christmas season that we get to see this beautiful reminder...that even in the darkest of times...Light will, and has, stepped in. In our chaos He is there. In our darkest time, He is there. He brings Light, and makes all things new.

So as you look out on Dec 21st for the Christmas Star, may we be reminded of His power, and His Light that he brings for all mankind. He is perfect at stepping into chaos and bringing it into peace. Trust him and He will carry you through.

I am a Great Aunt

 My niece just had her baby, she is early like Jan 9th early.  My niece has had quite a time with her pregnancy and Friday she was admitted to the hospital because her BP was stroke/seizure level.  Meds brought it down and she came home Monday only to be sent back this morning.  The baby was induced and she is here, at 32 weeks, so the due date is most definitely wrong.  All are well and I thought I had 2 more months to get all my knitting done, so I am off to do some marathon knitting.  Please send someone by daily to throw food at me.  I am beyond excited.  I know my dad was right there with her.  Thank You Lord for giving me someone  new to love and spoil.

WELCOME TO THE WORLD, TESSA MARIE

The Warrior's Prayer

 

THE WARRIORS PRAYER

Heavenly Father,

Your Warrior prepares for battle.

Today I claim victory over Satan by putting on

The whole Armour of God!

I put on the Girdle of Truth!

May I stand firm in the truth of Your Word

So I will not be a victim of Satan’s lies.

I put on the Breastplate of Righteousness!

May it guard my heart from evil

So I will remain pure and holy,

Protected under the blood of Jesus Christ.

I put on the Shoes of Peace!

May I stand firm in the Good News of the Gospel

So Your peace will shine through me

And be a light to all I encounter.

I take the Shield of Faith!

May I be ready for Satan’s fiery darts of

Doubt, denial and deceit

So I will not be vulnerable to spiritual defeat.

I put on the Helmet of Salvation!

May I keep my mind focused on You

So Satan will not have a stronghold on my Thoughts.

I take the Sword of the Spirit!

May the two-edged sword of Your Word

Be ready in my hands

So I can expose the tempting words of Satan.

By faith your warrior has put on

The whole Armour of God!

I am prepared to live this day in spiritual victory!

Amen

The Prayer

 This song was sung on the Masked Singer last night.  It is one of my favs and I love the Josh Groban and Charlotte Church version.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUp_T71-g34

First Year

 A year ago my dad went home. It has been the toughest year of my life.  I miss him so much.  I talk to him daily but he is not physically here.  It is cloudy and the election has gone off the rails and I just wish my dad was here, for this day so we could go get fried chicken and forget the world exists for just one day.  I know he is well again and spending time with his mom and siblings. I hope he and his brother are behaving but I know they are not and my grandma has her hands full.  Someday dad we will have lunch again. 

Election Day

 It is election day, finally here but it just does not seem the same as previous years.  I do believe in only voting on that particular day.  Yes there will be lines and who knows what the weather will be like, but let's face it the rules change daily on how and who can vote.  Used to be you had to live somewhere for 6 months before you could vote there, now they register the same day and then vote, really?  Whatever happened to felons not being able to vote, you commit a felony you lose your rights.  I understand absentee voting, my parents did because my father was not able to stand in lines to vote and my mom did because she had to stay with my dad, same with the military they can not just fly home to vote and go back to the war.  HOwever these mail in ballots are a fraud and the way to sway the votes when needed by one party in particular.  We see them in the trash every state has different rules do you notarize your signature, or just drop them in a box and hope they get to where they should to be counted.  And now we have many states who won't report for 10 days, really this just puts more fuel on the "protestors" to destroy even more of our country.  We have lost all respect for law and order and the laws on the books that are all about voting legally and not having boxes of ballots in a car trunk waiting to trot out because the election is close the left can't let the right win too may seats.  

I got up early and got to the polls early to get in line and was home in an hour, and when i left the line was snaked around getting close to the main street out in front of the church.  Things that used to have meaning have been trashed and now who knows what is what and what the rules are anymore.  I want my law abiding country back.  

Transmitted Eagles, Where Are They?

 

Hello eaglets...thank you so much for phoning home! D35, D36, and D27 all sent airmails this week. D27 shifted a little northwest of Decorah, passing within a mile of Bob's old falcon breeding facility in Bluffton! She's currently about eleven miles north of the nest - the furthest she's been since arriving back in town.

D35 continues to explore east central Minnesota. I checked out her coordinates and was fascinated by the area she's currently staying in. Her forested bed and breakfast is on a beautiful, large parcel of land owned by Northrop Grumman. It contains several lakes - this is a large parcel of land! - and is nearly contiguous with the Rum River, which connects Minnesota's Mille Lacs Lake with the Mississippi River. The unseasonably cold weather is sealing lakes over with ice a little early up here in Minnesnowta, but I'm hoping she'll stay in the area long enough for us to go looking for her one more time!

Homebody D36 remains close to Decorah. Brett writes: "D36 has remained in the area between Postville and West Union, IA, for much of October focusing on the Turkey R. and, lately, Otter Creek.

His solar-powered transmitter has been working very well, despite the shorter days."

Who traveled the most in October?

- D27 traveled about 128 miles, although she never got over about ten miles away from her natal nests. Her short flights really added up!

- D35 traveled about 244 miles. She two long flights, three medium flights, and a whole bunch of short flights. She's a young eagle off her natal territory who doesn't tend to spend very much time sitting still.

- D36 traveled about 216 miles! He didn't have any long flights but, like D35, moved around a lot. Although we were hopeful that he and D27 might run into one another, they didn't that we know. We'll see what happens if D35 comes back to town.

Thanks again for checking in, everybody...fly high and stay fierce! A thousand thousand thanks to Brett Mandernack and the staff of Eagle Valley. We wouldn't be able to follow the eaglets without their hard work, knowledge, and expertise! If you'd like to explore the travels of any of the eaglets we've tracked, please go to https://www.raptorresource.org/learning-tools/eagle-map/.