Celebrating the Decades

He was born in a village in Paraguay on July 12, 1952. His parents had immigrated as teens, coming from Russia by ship, to embrace the freedom that came with being willing to pioneer the hot barren wilderness of the Chaco.  He was their eighth child blessed to be born with breath in his lungs and a willingness to take on the world as it was. His mom was quick to admit that there were times that she did not know how they would feed another mouth, but God always provided. His clothes were hand-me-downs, most likely sewn from left over flour sack material.

Being ten years old meant doing chores such as picking cotton, or whatever was growing at the time, feeding chickens and corralling in the cattle for the night. For fun, he rolled marbles out of clay and let them dry in the hot sun for use in his slingshot that came in handy for killing snakes and pesky birds. He sold the beaks for pennies and cooked the little breasts and thighs over an open fire.

When he finished Grade seven, he had to quit school for a while due to his dad's failing health and his older brothers getting on their own.  Sometime later he moved to Canada with his parents and several siblings.

I love this photo because he has the same haircut there as he does now ... after many different styles in between.

When I met him he had graduated from high school. I'm so glad his blue eyes met mine. I was fifteen and he was twenty. We married when I finished high school. It was long enough to wait.

He built our first house when he was twenty-five. He took me on road trips to the Interior, to Banff and California . . . and after those trips we had babies.

 

The third one was born when he was thirty. He played with them, provided for them and taught them how to ride a bicycle. He instilled in them a love for music and sports through various means, including lessons that would help them realize their gifting.

He showed them that this world is bigger than meets the eye by letting them experience mud pies and ant hills in Paraguay, the cool mist from the Falls De Iguassu, the soft as flour sand on the beaches of Brazil and the crooked cobblestone streets lined by war torn buildings in Eastern Europe. His love for God was lived before them.

 

In his Forties he was carefully handing over the keys to the family car, giving them opportunities to work in the family business and supporting them in challenges that would encourage them to spread their wings. He walked his first daughter down the aisle.

At fifty he proudly held his first grand-daughter with seven more grandchildren to follow in this decade.

He has an uncanny ability to know how to get a granddaughter excited to go on a date, even if it's a trip to get a tire changed. He makes work play.

 

He is known for making them forget why they were crying.  Pictures on the wall are a great distraction.

As are tickling games.



His lap can handle as many as will come.

He's been reminded that he's not quite done with building playhouses and tree houses since his resume is looking pretty good by now.

Grandchildren are his joy and delight . . .

and the love is mutual.

It's evidenced in many ways!

Today, at sixty -

his children, grandchildren and I rise to honor him.

We love you Papa, Dad, and forever my Hon

Second Cousins' Turn

Getting the extended family together in this day and age, begins with sending out an email. For thirty years, not annually, but at various times, the venue has been the cabin at Hatzic Lake. It's a good thing my side of the family is willing to share it with his side because it seems they love to come out.

The horse barn my dad converted into a house many years ago, is situated on one side of the lake and, what the kids have dubbed Dinosaur Mountain, rests right across the lake. The sleeping giant lays there, stretched out so, I could not get his tail into the photo.

The place just begins to feel like home after so many years.

 

Yesterday, grown sisters and cousins, remembered coming as little girls who anticipated the fun for weeks in advance. It was fourteen years ago, that Bonnie's wedding reception took place right here and the bridesmaids posed on these steps. She was the first of these five to get married. (there were numerous others before her .. )

First cousins brought their little ones to check out the place.



It looked like they were having fun.



Our Ben, who grew up with his many girl cousins, brought his family from Saskatoon.



And observing him, I caught another father/daughter photo op. Kristal and her family  have not been at many gatherings in the last ten years.

Julene, our artist, set up a kids corner for face painting and crafts.  Older kids found a football to toss around near the lake, who then had to figure out how to get it out of the lake. At one point we had to get out some towels for dripping wet kids. Sunshine and water tend to to that.

I saw that acquaintances were easily renewed. ( it's wonderful how they just seem to know . . .)

Newlyweds, teens and little girls enjoyed the hammocks.

as well as the swings.

 

Oh, and since my mom and Abe live right next door . . . if you remember that story ... they were happy to join us . . . coming across the shared lawn with a warm Platz. At one point I saw her pushing her great-granddaughters on the tire swing, and something came back to me. 

A photo memory . . . many years ago, regular swings hung under that same tree, and my own children's great-grandmother stood there watching over them . . .  did she give them a push or two? Probably. I know my mom would remember too, and I almost called out to her, "Mom ...remember Omi?"

 

Her new hubby, Abe, brought out his accordion to join my sister-in-law, Elvira, on her harp.

Food got pulled from the fridge and an assortment of coolers . . . and plates were filled.

Potato salad, bean salad, broccoli salad, layered salad, veggies, meatballs, farmer sausage, ham, a cold fruit soup and Zwieback were on the menu.




So many people - meant waiting in line ...



but everyone found something they liked ...

and obviously desserts followed suit.

I overheard some young ones talking as they looked at that table and there was a question . . . and the answer was, "Yes, we can eat it, that's why it's here."

 

 And when I looked out of the kitchen window as I was making coffee, I could hardly believe the sight! It was worth sending out an email. 

When Signs Come True

Why is it that sometimes we do not see the signs ...




until they come true?
After this deer crossed our path . . . I noticed the signs had been there all along.

I could just leave this be, but I began to think about other signs and how easy it is to ignore them. In Matthew 24 Jesus told his disciples that this earth would pass away one day. "Tell us" his disciples said, "When will this happen and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"

Jesus told them about the increase of wars, famine and earthquakes, but what got me in reading the passage was that again and again Jesus warns against deception. He makes it plain that there will be no guessing about the truth. We will not have to go looking for Him when someone tells us "Look, there He is ...." Rather, He says, "For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the son of Man ... immediately after the distress of those days the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky and the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.

Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door."

In all of this there is a wonderful hope in the gospel. The verse in Romans 10:13, is one that grabbed me as a young girl, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." The verses following are verses that give me courage right now . . . "How then can they call on the one they have not believed in; and how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard; And how can they hear unless someone tells them?" The gospel is good news - for sharing.

Rock Balancing

A recent Sunday afternoon walk on the Stanley Park seawall took us on a little detour. The tide was out and it was a perfect time to take on a challenge from another "walker" to top off his rock balancing creation.

It was a dare that gave way to some interesting imagination.

While the boys played,

Tehya and I did our own kind of rock balancing as we made our way toward the water's edge
because she wanted to touch the ocean.

Hunkering down to take a good look at the black mussels stuck to the rocks, I could hardly believe that they looked just like the ones I had seen on my friend's dinner plate the night before.
I decided right then and there that it would be a long time until I'd be convinced to try them again.

When we left the beach

we also left some telltale marks behind.

I think the boys proved their abililty as well as their creativity.

We took our spot back on the seawall, headed to the playground
and then to our favorite spot for dinner.
Downtown Vancouver - it's a beautiful place.

Mailbox Joy

Last week one day, my mailbox . . . the one outside our front door . . .
 held a little surprise other than the usual. A little pink envelope addressed to Mimi.
That alone already is cause of an "Aww ..."

Tucked inside . . . a little bookmark to hold my spot . . .

and the face of our youngest sending her most beautiful smile across the miles.
A ray of sunshine for the soul..