Thursday, December 15, 2011

Upon a Snowy Day in the Field.

Well the snow is gently falling from overcast skies as I look out my office window.
It's quiet and things look mostly like they are going to be under control for this Christmas season. Although we are new to the international mailing of gifts thing and we will have to learn the timing of those things, the girls are patient. Thankfully.

I'm working on some plans for Sunday and in an hour or two the doors of the manse will swing wide for the Open House we have each year about this time. Lauralea's been baking and making cider, and cleaning and decorating up a storm. This year she also made the dishes she's serving on, with her mad clay skills. I'll get pictures of them up as I am able. They look awesome.

But we choose to try to keep things simpler this year and so it is.

As I was working at my desk, the radio started playing one of my favourite christmas carols, Once in Royal Davids City. So on this snowy day in the field, I'll leave you with the words Mrs. Alexander wrote to tell the story, many years ago.


Once in Royal Davids city,
Stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her Baby,
In a manger for His bed:
Mary was that mother mild,
Jesus Christ, her little Child.

He came down to earth from heaven,
Who is God and Lord of all,
And His shelter was a stable,
And His cradle was a stall:
With the poor, and mean, and lowly,
Lived on earth our Saviour holy.

For He is our childhood's pattern;
Day by day, like us, He grew;
He was little, weak, and helpless,
Tears and smiles, like us He knew;
And He cares when we are sad,
And he shares when we are glad.

And our eyes at last shall see Him,
Through His own redeeming love;
For that Child so dear and gentle,
Is our Lord in heaven above:
And He leads His children on,
To the place where He is gone.

Mrs. C.F. Alexander (1818 - 1895)



4 comments:

  1. No live web cam this year, eh? Remember those days when we were all full of the blogability of events?

    I will start to do the preparations for family's Christmas here today since I just sent off my final paper for class.

    Merry Christmas to you and Lauralea.

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  2. In the spirit of trying to keep a simpler Christmas, I decided to forgo the added stress of a live webcam this year. Instead I took pictures which I am in the process of uploading.

    Hope your days leading up to The Day are mostly restful and reflective, in good ways.

    Blessings on you and yours Linea.
    Miss you.

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  3. Your entry start, "snow is gently falling from overcast skies". I am sititng in the Seattle Washington area and around here, rain gently drifts from overcast skies. I happened upon your blog when looking up the Malmo Mission Covenenant Church. My great grandfather, Olaf (Anderson)Lydin donated the land on which the church stands. All my life I have heard tales of living in that area from my grandfather. He has been in heaven now five years but his words are never far from my heart. I can envision him as a boy, riding in the sleigh under a vast, cloudy, Alberta sky, wrapped in a buffalo robe against the cold snow. I know he worshiped in your church and celebrated Christmas nearly a hundred years ago, much as you will this Sunday. May you have a blessed Christmas as we will here.

    Dale Lydin

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  4. Wow Dale that's quite inspiring.

    I do often think that for over a hundred years people from the surrounding community have ridden sleighs and wagons and horses and bikes and cars, to meet here in this field year round to worship God.

    Thanks for the connection and the history.

    May God's peace be yours this Christmas and peace to the memory of your great granddad. He is still blessing us.

    -Randall

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