Life returned to some normalcy this week.
Daniel worked Tuesday-Thursday.  Today was his regular E.D.O. - earned day off.
Caylea had physiotherapy this afternoon and declared to us that she is experiencing some return of feeling and sensation beneath her armpit after these months of therapy!  Praise the Lord!
Walter had several meetings and a trip to city hall with regard to the wood shop rebuild this week.
So I took the opportunity to take a roadtrip to Weyburn to visit my Grandma Cecile Rasmussen.  I phoned first and showed up around 1 pm yesterday afternoon.  She was just putting lunch on the table for my Auntie Janet and her granddaughter, Brooklyn.  I had grabbed a Tim Horton's coffee and breakfast sandwich before leaving Regina but walking in to Grandma's house made me immediately hungry!  It was a lovely lunch, visit and the chance to see a couple of the relatives I have in Weyburn.  Grandma even brought out a beautifully crocheted tablecloth that her mother (my Great-Grandma Lena Kwasnicki) had made.  Each visit is precious because of what I learn from Grandma and because I know she is 91 and who knows how many visits I will have with her?  Just as I was about to leave Grandma's, another aunt dropped by so with a quick hug and brief greetings, it was nice to make connection.

I must say, after the busy pace of Christmas and the events of the season, a drive in southern Saskatchewan was a peaceful and reflective time for me.  I played worship music and would pause it just to pray.  Wide open fields and the huge blue expanse of sky refreshed my soul.  Even the pace of traffic in Weyburn made life seem to slow down and become more manageable.  

On the way home, I simply replayed the conversations and prayed some more for my family and for whatever came to mind.  As I drove, the sun was lowering in the western sky.  The shadows lengthened along the fields that were barely covered in snow.  Stubble showed through in many spots.  A snowy owl perched regally on a power pole along the secondary highway near Cedoux.  Seeing a creature of God's amazing design always revives my spirits.

As I turned onto highway 33, I cranked up a Paul Overstreet CD and sang as loud as I wanted!  

I got home to a dark house but soon three of us were gathered to have a simple taco salad supper.  

It was a good day!

"But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart."~ Luke 2:19
After a big event, my family would always rehash the day.  We would talk about the people there, the fun times, the highlights, what we ate, and at Christmas, what presents we had received!
Mary, the mother of Jesus, did much the same thing, except on an inward, introspective level.  Mary must have pondered the shepherds' visit, of course.  She must have marveled at the angelic visit to them, and the visitations she and Joseph experienced.  Her mind must have mulled over the significance of this Child she had just given birth to: the conversations, the highlights, the difficulties and what would happen from this moment on...
Not just the events, but the emotions Mary felt must have been swirling through her heart.  A young girl, first-time mother, away from home and family, in an animal shelter with her new husband - her heart must have been full.   That she "treasured" the events and the emotions is an indication of her deep and mature faith in her God.  Most of us would have been overwhelmed, anxious, and ready to run from the insecurity and instability of the circumstances.
But Mary let God be in charge.  She let peace reign in her heart.
She also had a son to raise, a son to hold and nurse and change and teach.  She was a mother in practical and spiritual ways.  Joseph was the earthly father to provide for and apprentice this little boy.  To protect from the harshness of the world and the arrows of the evil one.  He, too, had to trust God for the unknown.
Today, I am spending time in quiet, to ponder the things of Christmas and family and the future.  Not to make any plans or significant changes.  Just to enjoy Jesus.

The snowflakes fell softly in a perfect Christmas Eve scene.
We have just come home from all that I wrote about in my blog yesterday.  It is after 11 pm and our family is tired from the eating, games, candlelight service and visiting!
But tomorrow morning, Daniel and Caylea will be eager to gather in our dining room, around the tree with the fireplace/stove warming the atmosphere.  They set the time for 8:30 - Daniel said he doesn't want to just rush through and head off to church.  He wants to hang out with the family!  This warms my heart.
We miss Mark and Amy joining us for the special time.  But they are with Amy's family.  It is important for the grieving process that they all be together to mourn the loss and experience the first Christmas without son and brother, Matthew.  Oh, Lord, can You ease their pain and comfort them in Your loving arms?
Again, it is another Christmas without my Dad and we all mention him as we play cards and eat his favourite mince tarts and other sweets.  It is also the first Christmas my Grandma Cecile will be without Grandpa Glen in over 60 years.  We miss our loved ones.
The joy and hope can only come from the Lord.  As we watched my little niece and nephew playing today, carefree of the adult responsibilities and unaware of the separation of death, I see how God's mercies are shown.  New life; a new generation.
For the Love Lives Here bus ministry, I pray they have had meaningful times with those they encounter on the streets of north-central Regina tonight.  They prepared food and treats to give out along with warm clothes for winter.  I know they will share the meaning of Christmas and will pray with those who are willing.  The team members will pray for those who are not willing!  Lord Jesus, come to those who need You and call to You.
"It came upon a midnight clear, that glorious song of old
From angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold.
'Peace on the earth, goodwill to men
from heaven's all gracious King.'
The world in solemn stillness lay to hear the angels sing."

Today I did the last of the baking I was going to do for Christmas.  I made apple kuchen, a Selke family tradition. It is a sweet bread dough rolled out into a 9 X 13 cake pan, then topped with sliced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon and a bit of cornstarch to thicken.  Then I bake it for about 1/2 an hour.  We often eat it for Christmas morning brunch and as general snacking along with other baked goodies.
The other dish I made today is the red cabbage recipe, which is a Sanders family tradition.  I saute chopped bacon pieces and onion, and add it to a dutch oven of sliced red cabbage, add a bit of water, juice from pickled beets and brown sugar.  I let it simmer until it is all soft and the flavours combined well.  It is nice made a day or two early, as by the time it is heated again and served, the taste sensation is delightful!
This year with Christmas falling on Sunday, we have a busy weekend ahead.  Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, so we plan to sleep in, have a late brunch and then head over to my step-mom, Dinah's apartment for cards and fun.  We'll order chinese food and have an early supper.  Then Caylea, Daniel and I must be at the church for 5 pm so we can practice for the candelight service which begins at 6 pm.  Usually the service is no longer than an hour, so we will have a nice time of worship and then head back to Dinah's for more snacks and card games.
Then Sunday morning, we will get up, have our family time and then head to church for 11 am.  Sometime after that short service, we will be spending Christmas day at my brother, Scott's and his wife Jen's along with their kids, and my sister, Paula.  My brother, Lance will also liven up the party; well, he is the quiet one among us all!  The hosts will prepare the turkey and potatoes.  The rest of us will bring the side dishes and desserts.  Grandma Dinah always brings the homemade buns.
I have been reading in Matthew's account of the birth of Christ.  We learn a lot about Joseph in this Gospel.  Although Mary experienced God in an unusual way, Joseph also went through strange things in order to do what was right.  He obeyed God's commands and directions through angels and dreams.  He protected Mary and the baby Jesus when in danger.  He followed what God asked of him, even to naming the child.  "And he gave Him the name Jesus." Matthew 1:25b
How precious that Name is to me!  This week in my personal worship and devotional time, I sang the hymn "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name" and was struck by the authority and power and impact of His name.  Verse one expresses this so clearly:
All hail the power of Jesus' Name, let angels prostrate fall;
bring forth the royal diadem and crown Him Lord of all.
Bring forth the royal diadem and crown Him Lord of all.
Tonight, before the activities begin in earnest, I take time to meditate on the wonderful Name of Jesus, and adore the One who is Lord of all.

I am a missionary.
Since the first year or so of my Christian experience, when I was about 15 or 16, I had been very interested in ministering to people.  Through music.  To kids.  Visiting the elderly.
As I sat in classes, chapels, missionary meetings and understood my Bible more in Bible College, that interest turned into a passion.  On a Friday night at Canadian Bible College, I remember coming to the front of the chapel auditorium, kneeling as the speaker called those who felt God tugging on their hearts to be involved in missions.  The Holy Spirit was tugging on my heart!
The following summer, I found myself in a Native village near The Pas, Manitoba, reaching out to people of all ages as a summer missionary.  That opportunity opened my eyes to the needs right in Canada and I decided to continue with my Bible school education to prepare for missions.
The next year, at Nipawin Bible Insitute, I also went forward at a missionary conference session.  Through some tears, while the hymn "I Surrender All" was playing quietly on piano, I dedicated myself to missions as a career, not knowing for sure where, but definitely that I was going!
The Scripture in Ephesians chapter 2 verse 8-10 has had an impact on my understanding of serving the Lord.  Among other verses such as Matthew 28 "The Great Commission" and the verse in Matthew 9 about "The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few...", the words in Ephesians motivated me to seek how I could be involved in ministry, especially as a Christian woman.
"For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
I wanted to respond to the wonderful grace I had received from God through Jesus.  This verse seemed to call for action and I was more than willing to be active!  Now I know I have not always acted with wisdom or patience; I have been a "doer", a Martha, and not always a Mary, who sits at the feet of Jesus to learn.  My motives have sometimes to prove I am worth something in the kingdom, in the church.  Sometimes I have been compelled by guilt and obligation, not out of love.
But this Christmas season, I have a fresh perspective on this passage in the Bible.
As our ministry is now more about member care of our missionaries in Healing Hearts, and more administrative and leadership of an organization than the actual hands-on church planting, this verse came to mind.  There are always adjustments in job description and role and we know the future may hold more changes with growth and with changing times and culture.  So I was praying, 'Lord, what are the works you have for me to do?'
And in my devotions, I read Isaiah 61 (and the repeating of the first verses in Luke 4).  I saw that Jesus Christ had this very same calling on His life, that God had good works prepared beforehand, that He should walk in them...His works were to "bring good news to the poor,...to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives...to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour...to comfort all who mourn..." (verses 1-2).  He came as a baby and all along, God had a plan for His Son.  That plan also meant Jesus would have to suffer, in every way, and to give His life at a young age.  His death would be shameful, painful and cruel.  That also was a crucial part of the works prepared for Jesus to do.
And Jesus did walk faithfully in those works, right to the end.  Philippians 2:7&8 ~
"...but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."
It was a very sobering thought to me that the changes and adjustments I have to make in my ministry experience are so minor compared to the cost that Jesus paid in His calling!  But He followed God's will, scorning the shame and gave the ultimate sacrifice.
A special Gospel song I have sung at both Christmas and Easter is entitled, "The Greatest Gift" by Vicky Beeching.  The chorus goes like this:
"The greatest gift I've ever received is the cross, the cross;
for there He gave Himself up for me, on the cross, the cross.
And with the Blood He poured out for me, He has saved my soul.
You have given me the Greatest Gift of all."
After 27+ years of serving as a missionary in Regina and now beyond, I still want to be faithful and active and prayerful in Kingdom work.  I am His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus, and as long as I have breath, I want to keep serving...for my Saviour is so worth my life, my all.

So much has happened in the last week or two...we did travel to Alberta to speak in Walter's home town of Clyde.  The church there is small but vibrant and they were glad to hear updates on our ministry and also on Caylea's health journey.  What a warm welcome and expressions of love and care to us and our family!
It was some of the coldest weather so far this year but we had no trouble with our new Toyota Corolla (2009).  We went from Lloydminster to Edmonton to visit Walter's Mom and also had a quick coffee with his sister Marilee in Sherwood Park.  Then on to Clyde.  Sunday night we spent with Walter's brother, Ed and wife, Brenda in Ponoka.  A short visit but good to catch up on each other's lives and families.
Monday morning we connected with our staff from Big Valley, David and Elizabeth Lilly - meeting them for breakfast in Three Hills at "Joy Kitchen".  We were encouraged by our fellowship and their ongoing vision to reach  Metis folks.  But they had other commitments in the afternoon, so we found ourselves with some time before our next appointment on Tuesday.  Fortunately, Cliff and Gloria Pederson, the pastoral couple doing youth work in Clyde back when Walter was a teen, were available so we met them for lunch at, you guessed it, "Joy Kitchen."  The hostess there looked at us curiously as we came in to meet different people than at breakfast!  (The food was excellent, by the way!)  It was very uplifting to reminisce and to catch up on new developments in both our lives and ministries.
As we parted ways with the Pedersons, we drove south and east towards Brooks.  The secondary highways took us right through the beautiful badlands and the town of Drumheller.  I found the landscape and God's hand in creation to be a wonderful blessing.  We arrived in Brooks, found accommodations and McDonald's chicken wraps and relaxed for the evening.  As it turned out, the heat didn't work properly in the room so they upgraded us into an executive suite for no extra charge!  The room was large, with a separate sleeping area.  There were two fireplaces and televisions.  There was a popcorn machine in the lobby and we enjoyed free popcorn and ice water for refreshments while watching "Back to the Future"!  It was a relaxing and luxurious evening.
Tuesday we checked out of the hotel and drove five minutes to visit with Kevin and Janice Sims and their 4 kids!  They had acquired a new St. Bernard named Penny, who had two puppies, plus they had a new baby only two months ago.  It was a bit of a zoo in their home but we had a wonderful time with their active family.  I played with princess dolls and cars.  I read story books and held a sleeping baby.  We chatted and had lunch and I got a turkey noodle pesto recipe!
We left in the later afternoon, as Walter got some texts about a possible meeting with the engineer and architect for the wood shop on Wednesday.  So we needed to get home by noon if possible.
We drove into the rising moon, a big almost full orb in the winter sky.  I drove part of the way from Medicine Hat and we listened to our Louis L'amour audiobook.
After the lovely hotel upgrade in Brooks, the Super 8 in Swift Current was a bit disappointing.  But we were so tired that it didn't matter.  We were sleeping shortly after 10 pm.
Being middle aged as we are, we were awake early!  We ate the complimentary breakfast and began our journey back to Regina before dawn.  As we drove, we watched the sun rise.  Amazing!
We got back in good time, just to find the men were not actually meeting, so we had rushed home for nothing!  Caylea had her oncologist check up at noon, but went by herself.  But it was good to be home and have a good portion of a day to unpack and catch up on mail and messages.
And that is a typical ministry trip.
Now we are preparing for Christmas celebrations, which is only a week away.
I hope to share some thoughts on Christmas in the next blog.

When Walter checked the highway conditions and weather forecast this morning, it confirmed what we had heard:  no road trip to Winnipeg for us!
The wind howled and the temperatures had dropped in the past day or so.  And when we heard that the Trans-Canada had been closed, we knew for sure that our plans were changed.  So we went on with our Tuesday and let our staff member, Vera, know that we would have to postpone our visit with her.  She understood!  She's a prairie woman and knows the power of winter!
This gave me a chance to get some Christmas shopping done and to wrap a few presents.  I also took a nap in the afternoon as I felt a cold coming on.  An unexpected blessing was that I could participate in the ladies group windup supper so I didn't have to cook tonight.  Bonus!
I caught a ride with our friend and coworker, Gwen, and it was nice to catch up on family and Christmas plans before joining the other ladies at the restaurant.  In the back room of Ricky's on north Albert, a half dozen chatting women plus one adorable baby boy, Ezekiel, welcomed us.  A casual evening of visiting, eating and playing the Chinese gift exchange game was a relaxing windup event.
As Gwen pulled up to our place, I smiled at the twinkling, ever-changing light display on our house.  I had bought Walter one of those LED light units that just sit on a peg in the ground.  No lights to untangle or string up on the eaves.  And the effect of green and red rotating sparkles gave our home the festive look without the hassle.  Yeah, Walmart!
As I look back on the day, I'm not sure how I saw God at work.  I am not overwhelmed by some great and powerful plan as our travel plans were affected by winter weather.  But I can honestly say I am thankful for His presence in my life, in our family's comings and goings, and in the everyday of our ministry life.
This Friday, we have "plans" to travel to Alberta for 3 or 4 days.  We have a supporting church to share in and staff to visit (whom we haven't seen since last summer or even longer).  The Lord is our guide and we hold our itinerary loosely as He superintends all our plans with His purpose.
Proverbs has a couple verses specifically about this.
Chapter 16:9  "In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps."
Chapter 19:21 "Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."
Lessons like this are learned and relearned as we follow Him.
Good night, all!

I have been trying to keep people updated on Caylea's health journey through Facebook, as well as the rebuild progress at the ministry wood shop.  But for those who are following our adventures through the Blogspot, this blog is for you!
Yesterday, Friday, Walter thought he felt well enough to wander over to the work site.  We packed up some leftover stew and fixings for lunch, and arrived to realize the progress had ground to a halt.  Jacob was on his cell phone, meeting us in the parking lot, with his thumb wrapped in a significant bandage!  He had cut his thumb on the metal and was about to head to emergency to get stitches.
Mark was sick in bed.  He seemed to have what Walter was still fighting!
The other guys, Spurgeon and Joel, had committed to helping in the morning, and so it looked like the boys had Friday afternoon off.  I told them if they had wanted to get some time off, they didn't have to go to such drastic measures!
I had warmed up the stew and made some garlic toast, so lunch was still on...for Amy and Caylea who had been painting inside the ministry centre.  Spurgeon joined in and Joel had to leave.
Walter had felt good outdoors in the fresh air.  His sinuses seemed to clear a bit.  But once back inside, he felt stuffed up and sinus pain shot through.  After lunch and clean up, we drove homeward, with one stop to order industrial metal doors for the next steps of closing the building in.  And then Walter settled back in at home!
Caylea had been helping Amy paint for the past two days.  Thursday mid-afternoon, she had swim therapy at the Wascana Rehab Centre's lovely pool.  Friday after school, Caylea went over to Spurgeon & Gina Marie's to take Christmas pictures with their puppy, and their daughters, just for fun!
The last two self-injections of Interferon have gone relatively well.  She is taking the shots at bedtime, so makes sure she hydrates well all the time and takes her Tylenol half hour before the injection.  Within a couple hours, she feels cold and flu-ish.  But at least she can sleep most of the symptoms off and doesn't make plans for early in the morning so she can rest.  This seems to be the best plan for her injection schedule.
Daniel has been working, curling, sleeping...that is his normal life during the winter months.  He will be gone to Saskatoon for March and April, taking his 3rd year apprenticeship classes at SaskPolytech. Tonight, Dan is bringing his" mentee", Nathan, to the Strasbourg Bible Camp fundraising banquet.  (Walter, Caylea and I are also going).
Today is Amy's 25th birthday!  They have plans for dinner and a movie so I hope Mark is recovered well enough for them to celebrate her special day.  Tomorrow, we will have them over for lunch and birthday cake and presents.  Its fun to have the two of them close by to spend these special occasions with them!
They decided not to accept the invitation to pastor at a small town church in Manitoba.  After visiting there, preaching, going through the interview process and much prayer, they felt that the senior pastoring role was a bit premature for them.  As they continue to peruse the ministry postings online, they have not found an associate type position as yet. We pray for them as they wait for God to make it clear what their next steps should be!
Well, finally, PRAISE THE LORD!  I have completed the painting on the main level of our home.  The dining room and kitchen are a nice yellow and suit the old-fashioned decor.  The living room and entry are a "khaki" shade and brighten up those spaces.  I took the opportunity to de-clutter and change up the pictures and artwork in those rooms.  Now I am ready to get the Christmas tree and begin the festive decorating frenzy!  (Mostly, I am just ready to put my feet up and watch Christmas movies!  But there will be time for that soon enough...)
Tomorrow is the theme of "Peace" for Advent, and I am leading the worship time.  Mark will be preaching.  Caylea may play keyboard.  It will be a special Sunday.
Have a blessed weekend!

I write this from our spare bedroom where I have spent the last couple nights
Walter has caught a dreadful cold and I wasn't able to sleep through his sneezing, coughing and being awake!  So he is tucked in for the night and I am almost ready to sleep myself.
Our days have been full with my ongoing painting at home here and Walter's oversight of the construction project at the ministry centre.  Today I had a lunch appointment and then an afternoon coffee with my mentor.  The painting didn't get too far and the living room is still in disarray.  Walter was feeling so rough he didn't leave the house.
Our main concern is that Caylea doesn't catch a cold or flu if it can be avoided.  Although not as sensitive or susceptible to germs as those who have had straight up chemotherapy, Caylea is still more at risk than the average, healthy young adult. So I disinfected the door knobs and hand rails specifically around our house, plus washed my hands numerous times when in contact with Walter or his dishes or his food!  I don't want to be paranoid, just careful.
We have two banquets/Christmas parties this weekend and we want to celebrate our daughter in law's birthday, as well.  She turns 25 on Saturday.  I pray that Walter will be recovered soon and that none of us will catch it over the weekend either!  Am I asking too much?
The building project is progressing well, in spite of some snow and colder temperatures.  The metal roofing is on and by tomorrow's end, perhaps the walls will be clad also.
In the midst of all this activity, I would like to get our Christmas tree.
We will be making a couple brief trips in the next week or two and then the season will be upon us.  That quick!  As usual, by the first of December, I start to panic that I won't get my shopping and preparations done in time...but I do have all my Christmas cards and extra mailings done, with the last batch ready to mail.  In some ways, I am ahead of myself.
As I am about to close my eyes, I give thanks to my Heavenly Father.  He is so good and patient and loving.  I am surrounded by a fun and lovely family.  I have friends who care and are available.  We have amazing teammates in ministry who are faithful.  Our fridge, freezer and pantry are full.  Our home is snug and warm.  Our family all have vehicles and the wherewithal to keep them running.
And I have Jesus.  His birthday is coming up and I do want to enjoy honouring Him this year.
Good night, all.  God bless you!