Hierachy of the birds

Today at lunch, I sit and watch out the kitchen window in amazement of the birds that still come to the birdfeeder.  Even though I have to clean out the piled snow in the tray from time to time, the birds still come and feast on the treats that await them in the feeder.  My favorite red cardinal, whom squawks at me when the food tray is empty, is now fat with storing up for food for winter.  Why hog it all I wonder, I'll have the food there for you when you want it.  :)  But he is getting fatter and fatter.  The blue jays come as well, the colors are so beautiful in contrast to the snowy background.  The finches come in flocks.  Sometimes they swarm me when I come out to refill the feeder.  The big man on the totem pole however, is the woodpecker.  Whenever Mr. Woodpecker comes close to the feeder or even on any branch on the tree, all the other birds scatter.  They know who is the strongest. There is always a "pecking order" in life.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow....

I never thought I would be sitting here, listening to snow melt.  Wouldn't have even thought that such a sound existed.  The drip drip drip of the icicles on the trees & roof, along with the cracking sounds of the packed snow & ice, and the plop plop of bundles of snow falling from the tree and building.  Amazing.  The weather got alittle warmer today, about 34 or so, so some of the snow began to melt.  Once the sun went down, however, the temps plummeted back to around 23.  So that means ICE.  No driving for me tomorrow.  I just went across campus tonight to be a helpful wife and pick up Roy from chapel, and slid through the parking lot.  It was actually kinda fun, but don't want to chance it again. 

First Winter Storm

The night before Roy's birthday, I started decorating the campus for his surprise, needless did I know, that little snow flurry I told you about did not stop.  Our first accumulated snow was awaiting him for a birthday present on Dec 4th and has not stopped yet.  Each day we have had alittle more and alittle more accumulation.  I shoveled my first walk during my lunch break, then the plows come through to clear the campus lots and roads.  While I was at work in the basement, I heard this load rumbling above and couldn't figure out what it was.  Lo and behold, when I looked outside to the winter wonderland and saw the roads were clear, I got alittle courage.  I took a spin (not literally thankfully) to the gas station to fill up and drop off some Christmas cards at the post office.  Not bad.  Upon my return home, the kids were in the circle building a snowman.  I had to check out the activities.  I pitched in and helped hoist the large balls they were rolling in the snow to make the body and head.  As they were putting finishing touches on it, 5 year old Wil said - I have to make a manger here in front.  So a snow manger was made as well.  I asked, then this snowperson must be Mary then?  He said yes, we must have Mary and baby Jesus.  ahhhh "He is his father's child" Melissa said...  from the mouths of babes.   As the day wore on and the snow starts to come down harder, we are hearing winter blizzard warnings on the news.  Have to keep an eye on internet news alerts, as we still do not have local t.v. stations for such information.   Not to fear, we do have a weather alert radio, that will come on in emergencies.  Heather is hoping for a snow day tomorrow.  Her teacher was very surprised when she asked "how will I know if I don't have t.v." .  The teacher thought she was pulling her leg.  ha ha   Tomorrow night we have a prospective student from FL visiting.  The Morris family will be arriving just in time to "experience Nashotah".   Thursday, Roy and I will be performing in the community choir for Advent and Carols.  Very exciting.  The feel of the cassock and surplus doesn't seem to adjust quiet as fitting on me as it does on Roy,  however.  Enjoy your sunshine, whereever you may be.  I am learning so many things in this new climate!  So far, still fun.  Enjoy the brisk photo's.  Will post a picture of snow Mary tomorrow.  Staying warm in Nashotah... Marcia

Brotherhood of St. Andrew

Today was a great day.  Started out with a normal day at the office "in the basement - getting kinda dark and cold down there"  then at lunch time, I had to run out to pick something up from the store for Roy's birthday tomorrow.  When I came out it was snowing... HARD.  Well, for you northerners, not really hard I guess.  But for this Florida girl it was hard enough!  Not much stuck to the concrete, but there were patches of white in the grass.  I drove home quickly (but not too quickly) my heart was pounding.  It is a weird experience driving in the snow, almost 3-D, big white flurries coming at you quicker than the scenery on the road.  WEIRD.  I don't think I'll be to anxious to try it when it is slippery.  Then tonight at chapel, Roy was inducted into the Brotherhood of St. Andrew.  I would like to share the prayer with you now from pg 185 of BCP.

Almighty God, who didst give such grace to thine apostle Andrew that he readily obeyed the call of thy Son Jesus Christ, and brought his brother with him: Give unto us, who are called by thy Word, grace to follow him without delay, and to bring those near to us into his gracious presence; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

After chapel, we had dinner with the O'Carroll's.  Then while Roy was studying, I went out to play tricks on him in the campus for tomorrow's "OH NO 40 - Birthday".   My friends,  Susan, Danielle, Kaitlyn and I hung "age old antic" signs all along the pathway he walks to school everyday.  We also decorated his stall in the changing area where he dresses for chapel.  A sign and confetti awaits him in his classroom, and many more surprises.  I will upload pictures soon.  What fun!  Hope someone has a camera handy when he arrives tomorrow.  Would love to be a fly on the wall. 

Blessings to all our blog followers.  Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving.  We did and have much to be thankful for.  Love, Marcia

The important moments...

Good day blog friends!  8 days until Thanksgiving and oh, we have so much to be thankful for.  What a blessing life is when we truly take the challenge of naming something we are thankful for each and every day.  Heather's birthday has come and gone.  She is 14 now.  Amazing! How the time has flown, daddy will be teaching her to drive next year.  Funny, it is still a clear memory as yesterday when he was teaching Stephanie to drive!  The picture in this post is of her and the cake that our friend Melissa designed and baked for her special day.  Today, I would like to share the story listed in Wed Nov 18th Forward Day by Day. 
    Pilgrims visiting Poland at the beginning of the twentieth century were often told to stop and see the saintly Rabbi Israel Kagan-more commonly known as the "Chafetz Chaim."  Two pilgrims were surprised to see the rabbi lived in a simple, book-lined room, in which the only pieces of furniture were a table, a bench, and a bed.
  "Rabbi, where's all your furniture?"  the pilgrims asked.  "Why, where's yours?" asked the rabbi in reply.  "Ours? But we're just passing through," they said.  "So am I," said the rabbi, "so am I." 
  So are we all.  May we not miss the important moments and people in our lives because they do not measure up to some heavenly expectation.

A Prayer for Nashotah House

Bless, O Lord, this House, set apart to the glory of your great name and the benefit of your Holy Church; and grant that your Name may be worshipped here in truth and purity to all generations.  Give your grace and wisdom to all the authorities, that they may exercise holy discipline, and be themselves patterns of holiness, simplicity, and self-denial.  Bless all who may be trained here; take from them all pride, vanity, and self-conceit, and give them true humility and self-abasement.  Enlighten their minds, subdue their wills, purify their hearts, and so penetrate them with your Spirit, and fill them with your love, that they may go forth animated with earnest zeal for your glory; and may your ever living Word so dwell within their hearts, that they may speak with that resistless energy of love, which shall melt the hearts of sinners to the love of you.  Open, O Lord, the hearts and hands of your people, that they may be ready to give and glad to distibute to our necessities.  Bless the founders and benefactors of this House, and recompense them with the riches of your everlasting kingdom, for Jesus' sake.  Amen.  Love, Marcia

Time of Thanksgiving

The beautiful colors around us have started to fall to the ground in preparation for winter.  The moments of "waves of leaves" drifting down like a rain fall before your eyes are amazing.  Of course, the ground is covered with yellow and brown leaves, waiting to be swept, crunched, blown or just to sit and gather mold underneith.  Another time for allergy sufferers to prepare for sniffles and headaches - and you thought the pollen season was bad...   Still though, God's creation does not sease to amaze me.  Like the sound of the gaggling geese flying above in formation, or the howl of the wind.  Each day continues to bring us new experiences.  Today, was a busy day for me at work.  I'm learning new reports and processes to support our newly accredidation with URAC that we have worked hard for.  I'm becoming a "numbers person", which I never considered a strong point for me in the past, but the pride of showing progress of accomplishments is rewarding in the end.  We are meeting our turn around time goals and continue to be successful in the utilization review industry, all the while my eyes are spinning with numbers that follow me to my dreams.  Tonight, is a quiet night.  Roy and Brian have flown to Virginia Tech Seminary to participate in the Episcopal Relief and Development conference with other seminarians around the country.   I hope to hear good things about how to keep this extremely important mission alive in the parish, when he comes home.  Heather is at a friend's house.  I am so glad she is adapting well and making friends.  It was pretty tough at first for her, but she is really making some bonds that she will cherish for a long time.  I have to say, I was so excited to get our November issue of The Messenger from Holy Trinity today.  I love reading it cover to cover to stay connected with our church family back home.  A big AMEN to Father Joe's editorial titled A God of Abundance or Another Reason for Thanksgiving.  He reminded me how we fit into God's scheme of things by realizing all the gifts of life to be truly thankful for.  I especially agree with his last statement " Don't believe for one minute you can outgive your resources.  God will replenish, beyond your imagining, what you have employed in His name."  I know this because I am living it.  What we are getting back, here at Nashotah, far outweighs the sacrifices we have given to get here.  Praise His name, alleluiah.   Thanksgiving approaches, and though sad we will not be with our parents and brothers/sisters, we are excited to drive to Ohio to spend with my family of aunts, uncles and cousins.  It is not often that we get to celebrate a holiday with them.  In close, God's blessings to all of you - take time to consider them, count them, and rejoice.

Love,
Marcia