If God is for us...

As I was driving home this morning from the lake, the preacher on the radio did a sermon on God's protection. He cited the song, If God is for us, who can be against, which is a favourite of mine.

I thought back to my childhood and I can't remember a time that I was really afraid, at least not for long. Sure, I get nervous at a new job, or having to speak in front of a new group of people. I've also been afraid for a few moments walking alone in the dark. Saying the rosary usually helps me push those fears away.

I also remember the night prayers my mom and dad taught me, especially the one to my guardian angel.

Angel of God
My guardian dear
To whom God's love entrusts me here
Ever this night be at my side
To light, to guard, to rule and to guide. Amen.

When I was young, this prayer gave me comfort. That and the faith that God made me; Jesus loves me; and I would be looked after.

I see many children that are afraid, in my line of work, and I wonder, do these children have a protector? If their parents do not or can not protect them, and they don't believe in a God that will protect them, what fear they must feel. I know that God does protect the innocent, but the innocent need to know that God is there.

Passing on the faith to our children and grandchildren is so important on many levels. Faith in God gives us the assurance that we do have protection and we need not fear. Faith also gives us a basis for being a good person and living a good life. I can see that our children have hearts that are loving, generous and compassionate and I believe that this comes from a belief in a loving Creator. I pray that our grandchildren grow up also knowing and believing in God as loving creator and protector.

I haven't been to church in a few weeks and I was glad to be there today. The readings, prayers and songs seem to give me strength for another week, but more than that - I have a joy in me that I didn't feel before I went. That joy I know comes from sharing the body and blood of Jesus with a community of believers. I just wonder why I have stayed away this past month. :-)

Canning

This week I made strawberry rhubarb jam and canned peaches. My favourite thing to do in the late summer is harvesting, whether it is the garden, berries that have been picked and cleaned, or fruit. I think my favourite fruit are peaches.

Remembering canning in our little old house on the farm in Fort Vermilion, I believe that we did some of our canning outside over a camp stove. When it was too hot inside or we had too many pots for the kitchen stove, we moved outside to can our garden vegetables and jams. We didn't have much fruit as it didn't grow on our land. Our few acres did provide for us, our cows, pigs, and chickens, who, in turn provided for us. That was a time we all worked hard, for we grew or raised all our own food. I think that we only bought our staples like flour, sugar, salt and pepper, and things like cinnamon and baking powder. The rest we grew or foraged for.

The foraging came in the form of berry picking. I don't know how many times someone got stung by a bee or ended up standing on an ant hill. But I do know that we enjoyed the fruits of our labours: mushed up wild strawberries and cream on homemade white bread, saskatoon cake or pie, and cranberry jelly. I can still smell the high bush cranberries as we walked through the poplars in the fall.

Our roasted chickens and smoked ham and beef roast came to the table from out in the yard, after hours, weeks, and months of work by our parents and us to get the food ready for eating. Dad would butcher the chickens, and Mom and the girls would pluck the feathers, clean out the insides, singe the hair, pick pin feathers, and clean them, getting them ready for freezing. Dad would butcher pigs and steers and dress them, freezing the meat, or mom would can some. Dad would put the hams, hocks, and bacon in a brine and then smoke them for days in the smokehouse. Sometimes, we would go along to 'check' the ham and we'd get a treat carved off. Yum!

Those times and that food will never be fogotten. I know that some of us resented the work we had to do on the farm, and I must have complained a time or two as well, but today, in the age of convenience, I miss the taste of food grown and prepared by hand. I find myself canning, freezing, and foraging for berries in a new way, at the farmer's market or at the fruit stand, in order to capture what I'm missing.

For all of the nostalgia of canning and preserving, the one thing I miss most is the comraderie of the family, yes, sometimes the fighting too. :-) We worked together, played together and prayed together, and for all our little faults, I know my family loves each other and I wish we could spend more time together. That's why, when we get together for family weddings, etc,. we try to forget our disagreements or differences and we remember the fun we had and the simpler times.

Family Reunions

Oh my! We just had a wonderful weekend reminiscing with family!

Jared, youngest son of our brother, David, just got married. I don't know about the rest of you, but I enjoyed myself immensely. The whole thing was held in the back yard of the bride's parents. Everything was set up beautifully! The ceremony was officiated by a justice of the peace, who made everyone feel welcome and at home. There was a bit of humor which added to the informal, family feel, and it was evident that there was love in the room. The food was wonderful and the hospitality shared by Devina's family made us feel as if we'd always known them. We really enjoyed ourselves, all the while, visiting with family that were able to make it. We ended up staying until it got too damp and cold for baby Jordan, as we were riding with Penny and Jamie.

When did we have the last reunion of our immediate family? I think that the sisters were all able to get together for Dad's 75th, but I believe that the last time we were all together was at mom's funeral. That's not good - we need to get together more often. I talked with a few others in the family and I think we are all in agreement on that. I miss all of you guys and I don't want to wait until another wedding, or heaven forbid, a funeral to get together again.

What say we plan the next one? Yearly is too soon and too hard to plan for; five years is too long for some of us; how about in year three? That would give people a chance to plan ahead and for the family to make changes should the need arise.

I don't mind being the organizer for the next one - 2013, I hope no one is superstitious. We could include all immediate family to begin with. If we think it's possible we could also reach out to others in our families that might like to come. I am thinking that summer is the best season, and I'll be in touch with the rest of you to talk about narrowing down the date and the place. I know we won't be able to please everyone and I know that things come up, but if we plan these every three years, we should be able to catch all at some point.

Let me know what you think by posting a comment here, or in a phone call, email, or letter.

God bless you all.