Grace

I am pregnant again, and this time I am sure I am due to have a boy. Dr. Morris says the head is big, the baby generally quite large ,so - here comes my third son....But...No...God has given us another little girl. Well, that is quite lovely, too. We will call her Grace Elizabeth. Grace because it is a nice name, plus we have become familiar with it in the "Little House" books, Elizabeth after Aunt Liz...All is well.

While still tiny, Grace is baptized by Mike Goheen. An interesting woman has recently called me to become acquainted with me and obtain friends for her son. I ask her to come to the baptism in order to get to know our family. I meet her while walking into the church. And thus begins my friendship with Nancy Pearcey - a rich one I am still enjoying. She is one of many people we have over after the service to celebrate the birth of our new daughter. We are cutting- edge in the entertainment we provide the children: we rent a movie screen, projector, and film from the local library. It is cumbersome, but keeps the children happy -and quiet- in the boys' basement room. And our event is a success, although Grace doesn't know it!

Grace is well-loved by the many big and little moms and dads that fill her life. There is always a hand to steady her, arms to hold her, laps to receive her...And she takes full advantage of them all. She is trusting and affectionate...our little Gracie - Face: Baby Grace, You've got the cutest little baby face. No one else could ever take your place. Baby Grace. Baby Grace...

After our return from Scotland, we settle into Ancaster. Grace is now old enough to branch out and make her own friends, and she does. She and Tanya are Bambi and Faline - by the hour, by the day, by any amount of time they can find. Tanya moves away and Nicole takes her place. She and Nicole play Barbies, animals, insect hunt - are always busy with imaginative play - again, by the hour, by the day, with any amount of time they can find. And they become sisters with interchangeable families. Then....Ashley arrives on the scene. And she will not take second place to anyone. In she squeezes and becomes sister number three in their trio. She is not sedate and demure like Nicole. No. And she brings out the naughtiness in Grace. Watch out! What are they doing now? Where are they?...And I often kiss an extra girl or two goodnight. Where we go, they go...To church, to the market, to the cottage...They become indispensable parts of our family...And then come Ashley and Alicia, Emily and Rachel...And so on...

Which illustrates Grace's greatest gift. She loves people well. She rejoices when they rejoice and mourns when they mourn. She observes and shrewdly understands, but always with grace and forgiveness. And many turn to her for sympathy, understanding and wisdom - which she gives fully and freely...

Is she stubborn? Yes. Can we butt heads? Yes. We have and we probably always well. But Grace, I love you and appreciate the fine, generous, and noble woman you have become. My life, like that of so many others, has been enriched by your compassion, common-sense wisdom, and humour. I am so glad that God decided, twenty-three years ago, that we needed a third daughter! And I can't wait to meet your own little one, our beloved tenth grandchild, in due time!

Off Again

I was up bright and early again to be off to Tom and Jeannette's by 7:30, or so. I hope to go from there to Maryanne's for the night so I can see her children tomorrow, then be back here for midweek study...Spent yesterday cleaning and organizing for Christmas company and dealing with interminable paper work. I hope all bureaucracy terminates with the new Heavens and the new earth! In any case, all is in order for the time being....Have been having alot of fun with Face Book...So much fun to see vignettes of different peoples' lives!...Dad went to the counseling center Sunday night, so has now submitted a formal application. Keep it in prayer...(As though you wouldn't!)...So, just a note in haste....

Friday

Off to Tom and Jeannette's, with a live nativity tonight, virtually in our front yard!!! Looking forward to meeting local people ...Anne Fisher phoned yesterday and they hope to be through next Saturday evening. Hooray! What faithful friends they have been over the many years we have known them!...Anne said their son, Nick, really wants to move here and invest in the US to support it. I said to contact Henry Paulson and he would gladly take whatever Nick has!...A couple of notes from yesterday: I went to a mall area here in town to finish my Christmas shopping - not much to complete as most done well before...But how strange to have so many stores available...Am not used to that anymore....I had to take back routes, with Dad on the phone directing me as there was an accident on the direct route - part of the cost in living near a major US artery! Also, at the Bible Study on Wednesday, Dad talked at length with one of Justin's friends. He is soon moving to Las Vegas to start a mission church, and was wondering if Dad wanted to apply for his job - part time phone counseling with young people - in the evenings. Do keep this in prayer. Off to breakfast and my lengthy commute!

1 Peter

I have begun to read 1 Peter - an epistle I do not read as often as others. What a gem it is! In just the first few sentences he had my mind and heart welling up with such thankfulness because:

God's own power guards me, through faith. I am not my own. I have been bought with a price. No more is my faith my own,, but a gift renewed over and over. Therefore it is and will be sufficient to carry me through life and to Him.

My trials are necessary, not fortuitous. My particular trials in my particular life. All of them. And God brings them only if they are necessary.

Trials are grievous. Mine certainly are. They hurt, alot. They would not be trials if they didn't.

My trials are tests. Think school tests. They show whether or not you have learned something well. What do they test? The reality, the genuineness of my faith. And what is faith? Believing that what God says is true. Do I? Do I not? I can see for myself as God tests me


What happens with gold that is tested in the fire? It survives, but ultimately perishes anyway. What about me? I will not perish. In Christ, my faith will be found genuine and all deficiencies filled up by Him.

To His praise and glory and honor...

What was that?

Dad and I had just gone to bed last night, when I heard a sound I didn't recognize. What's that?, I asked. Rain, said Dad...Oh, I remember that...Barely. We have had more rain since moving here ten days ago than we had in the several previous years, I think. How wonderful. I love the mellowness of rain, so have enjoyed the change...With the rain, though, came thunder and lightening. I like storms, as well - but not at three o'clock in the morning! That was the last of my sleep for the night...So I got up and read my latest missionary story - on the Lisu, who straddle the border between China and Burma - were converted by the thousands at the beginning of the twentieth century...One interesting thing the missionary involved noted was that he could not pressure the people to come to faith. They were so childlike,cajoling disturbed them too much. Thus, while wanting their conversion more than anything, he had to assume an air on nonchalance...In any case, the book wiled away a couple of hours.

My day has progressed slowly because of fatigue, but did get plum puddings made. I do love them above all other Christmas baked goods. Then walked in the neighborhood, vacuumed the church, and quickly went to Andrew's to drop him a couple of things. On the way home, I stopped at the local cheapy supermarket, Save - a Lot...Actually quite expensive. It was an interesting cultural experience - seeing person after person, overweight, leaving with expensive , prepared "food" items with no nutritional or aesthetic qualities. Wow! I came home and began my vegetarian chili, feeling very thankful for real ingredients.

This evening, we have mid-week church. Justin has to do sound preparation after the meeting, so Grace will come over and help me with the Christmas tree. Andrew opted to go to his own group for singles at New City. Good for him!

Tomorrow I will hang around here and try to finish the last odds and ends of shopping - got a $10 gift certificate for JC Penny toward any purchase $10 of more. Eat you heart out, Maryanne! Adieu, all!

December 7th

The end of another Lord's Day, and it has been a good one...I can't describe how lovely it is to again be part of a local body of believers that we trust, and who share our high view of Scripture...Truly like water to thirsty people. Wayne and Catherine, pastor and wife, have just left after coming to tour through our wee domicile here...So,more about that....

I have ended up decorating the main rooms myself and must say they look great - the "feel" is very cottagey, like Chaffey's to me, so very comfortable...We have made two central rooms- one should be a dining room - into sitting areas which flow into each other ...pleasing visually as you enter the house. Maryanne and Grace transformed the quaint little attic room into a charming playroom for kids as a birthday gift to me...Have the computer there, as well, so is a cozy and bright space to spend time in...Kitchen is natively unattractive, but well disguised so perfectly acceptable...Bedrooms continue to need work so will be my next project...The space here is limited, but every inch is usable -a pleasant and interesting change from previous homes...

Now that we are more or less settled, I would like to go out into the community and try to meet neighbours. This is a sketchy neighbourhood so would have an interesting diversity of people, most certainly in need of the Gospel....I may just bang on a few doors and introduce myself.

Have been skimming through a book on Reagan that David (of David and Ellen) gave me...Interesting...did not know he almost died when shot as president. Apparently, Russian ships were not far off the coast of the USA and was considered unwise to give out compromising information...Weren;t sure whether assassination attempt was part of a conspiracy, or not, and - if so - who was involved....Hw was perfectly lucid most of the time and kept joking with all about him....Another little fact - apparently he had a photographic memory and was an absolute encyclopedia of knowledge about just about everything...

In any case, my little post for now before I head to bed...