Micah gave me the most beautiful “pre-surgery” gift and I love it. Perhaps it is the meaning and the words of “Silent Night’ that I need right now. I need to hear: all is calm, all is bright, sleep in Heavenly peace and tender and mild. Those words alone calm a troubled mind thinking of what my next week will be looking like. It is amazing how a phrase, a thought and that tranquil music can soothe one into another sphere where those words “everything will be alright” are truly believable.
I set my blanket, my hook and skein of yarn on the floor by my chair and did a few things in the kitchen. When I returned I found a huge yarn mess. This is the first time Ovi has done this so I was quite surprised although aren’t cats notorious for doing this with yarn? I walked to my chair to survey the mess and Ovi sat there by the yarn. That look on her face told me exactly what she was saying. “Who did this?? It wasn’t me. I would never do this to your yarn. Never.”
“In New York harbor between Manhattan and Staten Island is a sunken shoal called Robin’s Reef. A small lighthouse stands there to warn of hidden dangers to those who go by sea. For many years the keeper of the Robin’s Reef lighthouse was a woman, an elderly widow, by the name of Mrs. Jacob Walker. Mrs. Walker was once interviewed by some newspaper men. She told them the story of her life. It is a story of inspiration and devotion that shines out like the beams of the beacon she has so long minded.
She said: “I was a young girl living at Sandy Hook, New Jersey, when I first met Jacob Walker. He was the keeper of the Sandy Hook lighthouse. He took me there as his bride and we were very happy. Some years later we were transferred to the lighthouse at Robin’s Reef. After four years my husband caught a cold while tending the light. The cold turned to pneumonia and they took him to a hospital on Staten Island. I remained behind to look after the light. A few nights later I saw a rowboat coming through the darkness. Something told me the message it was bringing. We buried my husband two days later on the hillside of Staten Island not too far away to be seen from the lighthouse. Every morning since then when the sun comes up, I stand at the porthole and look out across the water toward Jacob’s grave. Sometimes the hill is green, sometimes it is brown, sometimes it is white with snow. But I always get a message from him. It is the same thing I heard him say more often than anything else in life. It is always the same, just three words: ‘Mind the light.’”
That is a very short message, but it has an important meaning. The significance of its message is in some ways comparable to that other three-word message wherein Jesus said, “Come, follow me.” Or it might be compared to the message that comes down to us from the morning of creation when God himself spoke a four-word command, saying, “Let there be light.” With each new rising of the sun we might try to imagine what it must have been like to feel the oppression of that brooding, unbroken, unrelenting pre-creation darkness, and then picture to ourselves the contrast when in the forward march of progress God first said, “Let there be light.”
The need of the world for more light “minders” and more light “carriers” is very great. Mrs. Jacob Walker spent her life directing the saving beams of her lighthouse beacons out across the dark waters of Robin’s Reef. She was always faithful to her trust. She could always be depended upon. Each morning as the sun came up and God’s day was renewed in the world, she stood at her post by the porthole and received her charge anew, “Mind the light.”
Those who “mind the light” must always have foremost in their hearts the interests of others. Mrs. Walker translated that interest into service as the shafts of light reached out across the dark waters to bring safety to those who sailed within reach of the hazards of Robin’s Reef.
Jesus was the chief light-giver of the world. He lights our lives and sends us out to light others. We are both givers and receivers of light.” (Sterling W. Sill)
I’m thinking Home Depot might not sell a lot of their covered sheds with this one as their floor model. Shelter Logic might want to see this. Never fail all of us Alaskans buy this sort of shed trying to be positive and optimistic that it will survive our Alaskan winters but either it is blown to shreds because of the wind or the snow is too heavy and to hard to keep up with that it collapses. Never fail – they fail. The poor guys that assembled that whole shed probably have to take it down now. Do you think that price will be discounted due to slight damage?
I had Belgium waffles on my mind ever since our continental breakfast in Cody, Wyoming when Kyla and I made our own. You know the kind, the big machines that you pour your own batter in and cook. Then I saw the Black Friday special for one and then and there decided I really needed one. Mike and I had Belgium waffles for a little breakfast and they were divine – I froze the rest for my breakfasts down the road. I like mine warm, crispy with just a little powdered sugar sprinkled on the top. Mmmm.
I did a thing. On a whim I got a big crochet hook, some chubby blanket yarn and crocheted a throw. It was therapeutic for me. It kept my hands busy, my mind calm and was a great activity to keep my thoughts off my congestion and sniffles. I laid it at the end of my bed in my office and Ovi took a leap up to check it out. She wasn’t sure what her paws were digging into and by the look on her face she might have thought she was sinking into craters.
Oh these many many weeks – where have they gone? At first I stayed home so I wouldn’t get sick before the surgery. Then when we went out to Wyoming – we came back sick. Now I’ve been home getting better from the sickness and trying not to make it worse before my next surgery date of December 6th. This secluded world can be a little daunting at times and I’m getting antsy to go and “do.” Every day I get out of the house to do pick up order or just the get mail and it feels so good. The fresh air, the wave to a friend and the surprises in the mail. Today I received the sweetest card from a friend and it picked me up more than she will know. Being mindful of others – it is crucial. Thank you sweet friend.
It is the little things of a Thanksgiving that make them so memorable. The gathering at Bret and Britta’s, the feast of food including two turkeys fried by Granddaddy and sitting around laughing and playing a game. The cousins are off playing upstairs and only surface when their tummies signal it is time for dessert. However, the sweetest thing of all was getting my picture of Rhea’s picture perfect apple pie made just her like momma does. The end of a memorable Thanksgiving.
The ducks at our IHOP in Wasilla are iconic and legendary. For kicks just go to Youtube and see how many videos there are on our ducks. I drove by today to do a pick up order from Joanns and there they were all bundled in the cold and wind. These ducks certainly know how to brave the elements Alaska brings. I enjoyed the comments in the videos I watched, “Spontaneously decided to go out to breakfast @ihop and was greeted by a whole flock of ducks What in the world!?” and “Instead of seagulls and ravens the Wasilla IHOP has been attracting a large flock of mallard ducks.”
All she really needed was a little play time with some kids. Oaklee and Mayvie came over while Hatcher was skating at the Big Lake Rink and Ovi had her moments to show off. She got in her house, stuck her paw out and played her round ball game with them. One swipe with the paw, one swipe with the hand, one swipe with the paw and one swipe with the hand They were in heaven and Ovi needed some extra special attention lately. I’m trying to get over being sick and life has been super dull around here. Thanks cousins for the play time.
Tara Truly 