Scrolling Back

 

 

Feeling rather blank as to what it was that has filled up yet another year,

I scrolled through the words and photos I've shared in these past twelve months,

including some of the comments accompanying them, and

I could not help but feel blessed in this quiet hour.

Smiles of loved ones seen through birthday parties,

baby showers, the Celebrations book launch, a wedding,

book signings, a trip to Toronto to Hundred Huntley Street and CTV Canada,

trips to Saskatoon, a baptism, a family trip to Seattle, a playhouse project,

dates with grands, a desert get-a-way and Christmas!

 

I felt rather like I'd stumbled across some forgotten treasures

hidden in the pages written for me for such a time as this . . .

a time when there are days I feel I have nothing to say.

For all the times I wonder why I blog,

this exercise was good for me.

 

Remembering there were also days of feeling overwhelmed,

days of physical or emotional pain - days I worried or cried -

I came across an entry in which I wrote about finding an old list of things on my mind -

things to prepare for - and as I looked at my list I realized how God had

given exactly what I needed for each item on my list

. . . not all at once . . .

but one moment at a time, as needed.

When He asked, He qualified.

 

So, once again, I realize that whether in the good or the hard things in life,

it is a good thing to look back and see what He has done!

 

Praise the Lord, my soul;

    all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Praise the Lord, my soul,

    and forget not all his benefits—

who forgives all your sins

    and heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the pit

    and crowns you with love and compassion,

who satisfies your desires with good things

    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle

Psalm 103:1-5

 

Home for Christmas!

 

 

 

 

The best gifts are those not wrapped in shiny paper and ribbon.
They include . . .
doorbells announcing the arrival of family,
grandchildren all under one tree.
giggles around the kid's table.
the spontaneous, uninhibited arm of one around the next,
happy adult conversations
and innocent eyes at the wonder of it all!
 

Christmas Prayer

 

I was reading Bev's Bread for the Journey on the MGCC blog a few days ago and it got me asking myself how I make room for Jesus when I prepare for Christmas.

When I think about the biblical Mary and Martha, I'm quick to admit that I'm a Martha . . . 

busy with so many things and leaving out what is really important.

My house is prepared . . .

 

 

The table is set . . .

and I ask myself . . . how do I make room for Jesus?

Will He be the guest of honor at my table?

Because if He is not, then what is this really all about?

While my thoughts gathered on this question, another thought came from  my daughter
feeling the significance of leaving everything behind to go and serve the poor.
I was reminded of the words to an old Christmas hymn . . .

Thou didst leave Thy throne and Thy kingly crown,
When Thou camest to earth for me;
But in Bethlehem’s home was there found no room
For Thy holy nativity.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.

Heaven’s arches rang when the angels sang,
Proclaiming Thy royal degree;
But of lowly birth didst Thou come to earth,
And in great humility.
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.

Thou camest, O Lord, with the living Word,
That should set Thy people free;
But with mocking scorn and with crown of thorn,
They bore Thee to Calvary,
O come to my heart, Lord Jesus,
There is room in my heart for Thee.

When the heav’ns shall ring, and her choirs shall sing,
At Thy coming to victory,
Let Thy voice call me home, saying “Yet there is room,
There is room at My side for thee.”

My heart shall rejoice, Lord Jesus,
When Thou comest and callest for me.

Janzen Family Christmas 2013

 

This is the time of the year when I lose track of what day it is. A time when every other day feels like a Saturday or a Sunday. And even though yesterday was a Sunday it did not feel like it as we packed up our car in the morning to head to the lakehouse.

 

First thing, I went next door to Abe's place to turn on the oven and then ours, since both were needed to cook the turkeys. Once they were taken care of we had a leisurely prep time, setting up tables and peeling potatoes. I had looked forward to this day very much, especially when I sensed the excitement of others in the family.

As I was thinking about writing this post, I actually thought it would have been nice to have a guest blogger. It would be so much fun to read it from another perspective. But you get me again. . . with very random photos taken quickly while I was on the go. Sometimes someone took my camera, which was very much appreciated.

So here we are . . . the original Janzen kids each caught in a moment with our sweeties. Monika with her youngest granddaughter, Anna. Helmut with his first grandchild, Makenzie and me with two of my youngest, Lacey and Teddy... who were ready for bed by this time.

 

Ah . .. someone took the camera . . . a moment in the kitchen . . . mashing potatoes and fixing gravy.

The littlest ones got to eat first. As they were waiting for their plates to be plated, Naomi read them a story. She was so entertaining, the big people ended up coming back even though we had sent them out of the kitchen.

When the kid's table was cleared it was re-set for grownups, so we had two tables near the kitchen and two in the games room. The small ones went up to watch a video while the big ones got to eat. The scene in the kitchen (getting food) looked something like this!

After the meal there was  a rush to get dishes cleared and cleaned up while the little ones kept coming to ask when we were going to open presents. Carmen brought her significant other, Pierre, who insisted on stacking the dishwasher and washing dishes. I think that if she does not keep him we will all cry.

We finally all made it into the games room! It was practically impossible to take decent pictures, but we get the idea. We did a bit of caroling. Chris and Julene shared about their move to Indonesia, coming up in the Spring, and then Mom and Abe (Oma and Opa / great Oma and Opa) handed out gifts to each great-grandchild. 

They opened gifts in order of age from 5 months to 11 years. Our out of town guests were Brandon and Kelsey with little Piper from Colorado and Ben and Kari with their girls, from Saskatoon. We missed Larissa and Tim with their boys, from Edmonton, as they were with his family on this day.
We also missed Matt, who had to work. 

It was a full house . . . it was loud . . . it was busy . . . it was precious!

 

Family Gathering Circa 1972

My grandfather Heinrich and his brother John, were separated as young men, leaving Russia. One went to Paraguay (single) and one (newly wed - whose wife most likely had connections) came to Canada. John raised his family in Canada and Henry in Paraguay. Letters were sent back and forth and a few times John and his wife visited Paraguay, bearing gifts. This is the connection to introduce this photo.

After my family arrived in Canada, my great uncle John and great aunt Tina invited our family to join them for Easter and Christmas when they gathered with their own grown kids and grandchildren. A brother cares for his brother's family, right? We had no other family connections and they were very kind to include us when their small house was already full to the brim. Not only did they include us, but they bought gifts for us just like they did for their own.  They introduced us to a Canadian Christmas with turkey, gifts, photos around the tree and caroling. I will never forget their kindness and patience with us, as we were learning the language and customs.

 

When I look at this photo (taken about four or five years after we first came) I try to ignore the obvious funny element . . . the wall clock sending out superstar status to one of my second cousins. My mom is the one in the red and navy jacket and sitting in that row with her are her aunt and her cousins. Right behind her, her uncle John and my dad.

 

This coming weekend we three Janzen siblings are gathering with our children and grandchildren. We could be near fifty people (including a few extras) instead of the original family of five welcomed to Canada in 1967. It's a good thing that somewhere along the line they stopped inviting us.

 

Sunday School Program Circa 1963

 

I love this time of year when we get to see our grandchildren go on stage to sing about the story that never gets old. When I was a child we did our program on Christmas Eve. There were poems and songs and candy bags given out. It was a very special night.

This photo is a group shot of not just one class, but all the children who came together for the Christmas service in our little church in Montevideo. Are you looking for me? I am the dark haired one closest to the lady teacher.

This past spring, while signing books in Ontario, I met two sisters, Esther and Sigrid, who happened to come from this same church way back when. It was a very fluke discovery. I have not figured out if they are on this photo, but I'm hoping that if they are, I will soon find out.

Of Christmases Long, Long Ago

I thought that this week I would go over some retro Christmas photos . . .

This one begged to be here several reasons. The first reason . . . that tree!
To be honest, I was embarrassed that my dad would actually come home with it.
I'm sure he got it for half price or something,
because who else would have wanted a tree that wide?
Sometimes I really could not figure out why he could not care less what others would think.
Makes me smile now.
The second reason . . .
there's the chair I just talked about a few posts ago . . .
And does it not look like my mom and dad have something going there?
Also makes me smile.

(My dad often turned his face slightly sideways because he was blind in his right eye.)
 

Homeschooling at Grammy's

  

 Tehya came over late morning for a special history class her mom thought I could teach.

We posed for a picture the way she chose . . . 

 

We began with a book I highly recommend to anyone wanting to explain Russian Mennonite roots to children. Published in 2011 by CMU Press, this delightful book explains Mennonite history stories and interesting tidbits beginning with the meaning of Anabaptist and ending with a recipe of our beloved Zwieback. Every letter of the alphabet is covered.

 

We even had some peppernuts to enjoy while we read. 

The background in the Zwieback  book led us to look through a family album I put together early 2005. Our only grandbabies had moved to Indonesia and the ones soon to be born were living in the States. I began to think on how we could pass on our heritage with our family so spread apart and this led me to do some research that I never imagined I'd be able to share face to face with them. 

 It was obviously a season in my life I had time for this, beginning with great-grandparents on both sides, spanning stories and photos in chronological order, covering about 200 years. We skimmed through the highlights, referring back to the first book.

 

Papa came home for lunch and we had fun around the kitchen island.

Banana oatmeal pancakes with bacon . . .

 

our Tehya loves bacon and I picked it up just for her.

After lunch and baking cookies, we settled in for our fourth episode of a movie we began at the beginning of this year . . .
 

all the while she wondered if Anne would marry Gilbert in this one . . .
It did not look too promising . . . but she had to . . .

Gilbert did come along in the end. Do you remember what happened?
I won't spoil any surprises here.
We both wiped some tears.
And then she told me not to tell her mom that we were done.
We pulled out our Twenty Questions board game
and enjoyed that until the doorbell rang near supper time.

Of sugar and Spice

Can I say this class was especially fun?

Makenna came wearing pearls -  as she had just been at a birthday party.

Her careful use of the rolling pin was quite admirable.

Natalie came with her own apron and hair tied back,
ready to work.

She took on the role of older cousin,
and accepted the large rolling pin without complaint.

They rolled, and cut and floured

and sprinkled.

This part was a bit of a learning curve . . .

if too much falls out when you sprinkle, use your fingers

and lick . . . it's sugar after all!

The giggles

the shared joy

the stories and spontaneous singing were the best!



After sugar cookies and ginger snaps came out of the oven, their joy was almost uncontainable
as they prepared for their tea party.
 

"Grammy, this tea is so good!" she kept saying . . .



"And there are no brothers to bug us!" is what I heard.

 

Sugar and spice,
And everything nice,
That's what little girls are made of.