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    Tuesday, January 27, 2004

    Immodest Weather Pixies

    I like Havdala and others' weather pixies and wanted to catch one of my own...I think they are fun and cute...but aside from the fact that I couldn't figure out how to put one on my blog, it seems that mine would pretty much be sporting a middrift most of the time.

    So, I got to thinking about creating my own weather pixie...maybe I could have a nice Russian nun, or a cool old Greek widow, or maybe an housewife.

    I could really have fun with this one...maybe I'll email "the people" over at weather pixie and see what they think.

    Monday, January 26, 2004

    My Favorite Day

    I think Sunday has become my favorite day of the week...car ride to church, matins, liturgy, communion, eat and visit with others, go home, take a nap, read or do something quiet, have dinner, bathe Basil, kiss the Munkee as he goes off to his study, girls come over for ours, have tea and treats, read aloud, talk, try not to gossip, wait for the Munkee to return, talk or maybe watch a movie, go to bed.

    The whole day is filled with worship and relationship...the very essence of life. I can always count on Sunday for refreshment and brightness, full of remembrance of Christ's resurrection.

    No wonder Sunday is the real first day of the week.

    Friday, January 23, 2004

    Happy Friday

    Tonight we are going to see Cirque Du Soleil with my dad and sister...I am looking forward to it. Something out of the ordinary...plus I always wished I could flip around and do cool tricks. But alas, I am even scared to do a cartwheel! I guess I'll just be watching tonight.

    Wednesday, January 21, 2004

    Sneezes and Salvation

    Despite Basil's near-perfect diet of mama's milk, the Eucharist, occasional spoons of holy water, fingertip tastes of ice cream, and the crusty roll we gave him to rub on his gums at a Cuban restaurant, his mortal and fallen body apparently remains unable to evade the certain reality of illness.

    Yes...our little Basil has caught his first cold. The poor guy was very confused as he sneezed thick mucous out of his nose for the first time this past weekend. The darned thing has now settled in his chest, causing him to cough between rattling breaths.

    I'm sure many of you have experienced how heartbreaking it is to watch your child suffer when there is very little you can do. His red, watery eyes keep looking up at me as if to say "Mommy, please make it all better." I get a powerless feeling, knowing that while I can comfort him, treat his symptoms, and pray for him...I can't totally restore him to health (at least I'm not aware of having any healing powers).

    I guess feeling such powerlessness is good for me. It teaches me to wait patiently and trust in Him who loves mankind and in His mercy...the same mercy that healed the sinful woman, the thief, the publican, the prodigal son and the woman with the issue of blood...the same mercy with which He transforms all creation, even our sinful bodies, into glory.

    ...O Thou that takes away the sins of the world, and heals the infirmities of men, and calls all that are weary and heavy laden to thyself and gives them rest; Thou that came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance, cleanse me from all stain of body and soul and teach me to fulfill holiness in Thy fear...

    While we are being healed, I will continue to wipe snotty sneezes and fill little cheeks with pink Tylenol, being reminded that God's mercy is sufficient.

    (Text in italics taken from a prayer of preparation before Holy Communion written by St. Basil the Great)

    Thursday, January 15, 2004

    Putting things in perspective

    Today, I am babysitting for a friend and I found this posted up on the side of her fridge:

    Thank you, God, for this sink of dirty dishes, we have plenty to eat.
    Thank you for this pile of dirty, syinky laundry, we have plenty to wear.
    Thank you for this stove that absolutely must be cleaned today, it has cooked many memorable meals.
    The whole family is grateful for the carpet that needs vacuuming, we all enjoy rolling around and playing together on it.
    Thank you even for that slamming screen door, the kids are healthy and able to run and play.

    The presence of all these chores awaiting me reminds me that You have richly blessed us. I will do them cheerfully and gratefully.


    hmmmm...I believe a little less grumbling is in order, especially since my husband isn't fighting cancer like hers is and I only have one quiet, immobile baby instead of two little ones...

    Please remember Devron and his family in your prayers.

    Wednesday, January 14, 2004

    Looking Around

    Ok, so I haven't left yet...I was puttsing (sp?) around the blogosphere and was overwhelmed by the links to my blog. I just wanted to say thank you for the very warm welcome!
    Seasons...we don't have no stinkin' seasons!

    Today is a bright, sunny, seventy degree California winter day. How strange it is to be wearing a short-sleeved shirt and sandals in January. And yet, it's not strange because this is how it always is. I should probably be thankful, in light of the recent record-breaking low temperatures in other areas of the country...but instead I long for chilly days, sweaters, warm soup, heaters, even socks for goodness sakes! I thought I heard a weather report predicting a chance of rain for today, but the skies are as clear and blue as I've ever seen.

    You know, as I peek out the window again, maybe I'll quit complaining and take Basil out for a walk...The brown grassy hills up behind our house do look strikingly clear in the warm, mid-morning light.

    catch you later...

    Tuesday, January 13, 2004

    Grandpa's Coupons

    During my visit with my grandpa this past weekend, I received the usual care package: thoughtfully photocopied articles and jokes (which have been dubbed "required reading" by family members), an old flour sifter, my late grandma's cake pan set (the cool kind with the removable bottoms), a large Tupperware bowl, and a thick stack of coupons.

    Grandpa has been doing this ever since I can remember. Whenever we saw him, he would always enter with the familiar brown paper grocery bag in tow...full of these sorts of things. In the past, I admit, I was not very appreciative of the calendars that he had gotten from the Cancer Society as a thank you for his recent donation, the notepads with his employer's letterhead at the top, the plastic rosaries, the magnets, or the old books about the Grand Canyon. I would politely accept them and then toss them aside if they weren't very interesting to me.

    In the past few years, I have gradually come to realize how important this ritual is...for my grandpa as well as us on the other end. For him, it is a way to express his love, to show us that he is thinking of each one of us and gathering things that he thinks we may enjoy or find useful. He is giving not cheesy, secondhand bric-a-brac (always wanted to use that term) but bits of himself...of his time, thoughts and energy. He is teaching us not to recycle old junk, but to be thoughtful of others and to show them they are loved in practical ways.

    I wish I had figured out long ago the valuable lessons in these offerings...Let us attend!

    Christ has showed us this very thing...Love is practical. Hugs, laundry, phone calls and yes, giving old flour sifters all show love...they are actions of dying to one another by giving of our time, thoughts and selves.

    Thank you, Grandpa, for the much needed reminder...and the coupons.

    Friday, January 09, 2004

    Why The Blue Canopy?

    This title bears no relation to the blue canopies used to protect wood piles from rain, cover small boats when they are not being used, save carpet from paint splatters, or any other use those sturdy sheets may have been put to. This variety of blue canopy found its origin in the pages of Shakespeare, who poetically used the phrase "blue canopy" in reference to the sky (I must admit I can't remember exactly which play…do help if you know).

    The description caught my fancy when I first happened upon it in my high school days. It became my first AOL screen name and email address (actually, it was Blucanopy) and has served me well as a user name on many cyber occasions. Naturally, when naming my blog, I decided to use my old standard; seeing as I still appreciate the eloquent phrase and the grand 'ole sky itself.

    After participating in the blogoshere as a silent onlooker and very part-time commenter, I decided to jump on the blogwagon and start one of my own. Although I was an avid journal-keeper in the past, I gave it up a few years ago finding it unnecessarily introspective and at times, flat out vain. This time, I aim to avoid such things and instead hopefully try to create a fairly interesting (for myself and readers), wholly sincere, and down-to-earth chronicle of my voyage as wife, mother, daughter, and feeble handmaiden of God beneath the blue canopy.

    ...Ok, I did say sincere so I ought to be truthful...this blog will be perfectly legitimate excuse to not do the dishes, laundry or cleaning while the baby is sleeping!


    Hello blogosphere!

    And whoosh...new blog is born, folks.

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