You Will Know Fully

 

"Perhaps, as you look back at the end
of another year, you find yourself asking, 

'Lord, what are you doing?'

"It might be that you can see glimpses
of the good that He is doing -- you know
His purposes "in part". But take comfort
in the thought that one day, when you
look back on your life from the vantage
point of eternity, you will know fully. You
will at last see the details of your life in
the context of God's grand narrative."

· Sinclair B. Ferguson

"Now I know in part; 
then I shall know fully" 
· 1 Corinthians 13:12

Excerpt from our advent book for the year:
Love Came Down at Christmas by Sinclair B. Ferguson 

Can You Prove it False?

 

While the storyline of There and Back is full of memorable characters, suspense, conflict, love, life, and growth... George MacDonald never fails to weave in thought-provoking conversations.

[Please never take his word for ultimate truth, but rather check it against the Bible, as MacDonald was a fallible man with some unorthodox beliefs. That said, his works contain many gems that draw me closer to the Saviour.]

A God that could be proved, 

would not be worth proving.

There and Back by George MacDonald

"That the unprovable is necessarily the unknowable, a thousand beliefs deny. 'You cannot prove to me that you have a father!' says the blind sage, reasoning with the little child. 'Why should I prove it?' answers the child. 'I am sitting on his knee! If I could prove it, that would not make you see him; that would not make you happy like me! You do not care about my father, or you would not stand there disputing; you would feel about until you found him!'...

"If a man say, 'I cannot believe; I was not made to believe what I could not prove;' I reply, Do you really say, 'It is not true,' because you have no proof? Ask yourself whether you do not turn from the idea because you prefer it should not be true. You accept a thousand things without proof, and a thousand things may be perfectly true, and have no proof. But if you cannot be sure, why therefore do you turn away? Is the thing assuredly false? Then you ought of course to turn away. Can you prove it false? You cannot. Again, why do you turn away? That a thing is not assuredly true, cannot be reason for turning from it, else farewell to all theory and all scientific research!...

"But," said Barbara, "perhaps the man would say that we see such suffering in the world, that the being who made it, if there be one, cannot possibly be both strong and good, otherwise he would not allow it." 

"Say then, that he might be both strong and good, and have some reason for allowing, or even causing it, which those who suffer will themselves one day justify, ready for the sake of it to go through all the suffering again. Less than that would not satisfy me."

There and Back by George MacDonald

The entire audiobook can be downloaded for free at https://librivox.org/there-and-back-by-george-macdonald/

There and Back

Breaking News:
There and Back, published by George MacDonald in 1891, is now an audiobook! Several volunteers helped me record this for you all, and it can now be downloaded for free from LibriVox.org.

Book Summary: 
An unscrupulous baronet is left a widower and couldn't care less what happens to his ugly newborn heir. But when an icy stepmother moves in and the child is stolen away by his loving nurse, what can unfold but a riveting account of the years of mystery, drama, love and lessons for which MacDonald's writings are known. 

Quote: 

"I would move a long way to see that Mr. Tuke cared to do right: that is my business. It is not much to me, and nothing to my business, whether Mr. Tuke be rich or poor, a baronet or a bookbinder; it is everything to me whether Mr. Tuke will be an honest fellow or not."

While it can be read as a stand-alone work, There and Back is a sort of sequel to Thomas Wingfold, Curate and Paul Faber, Surgeon in that they all include the character of Wingfold. The three have been abridged by Michael Phillips and republished under the names: The Curate's Awakening, The Lady's Confession, and The Baron's Apprenticeship, but these are not in the public domain, as are the originals.

His Blessings Flow

Doesn't it appear that this world is reeling under the sin-birthed curse more and more every year? 

And so, I find it wonderful to come back to the carols of Christmas once again and sing hope-filled truths, such as:

He comes to make
His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found.

Do you recognize that carol?

As my family and I sing through the Christmas section of our hymnal this year - one carol each evening with our advent reading - we came on Sunday to the familiar clarion-call of George Frederick Handel's one-octave scale. 

  

Joy to the world!

"Why?" you may ask. What is there to bring joy this Christmas??

Thankfully we have the same reason for joy this year as for twenty centuries past: Emmanuel - God with us!

The Lord is come!

Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift! 
- 2 Corinthians 9:15

Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And heav'n and nature sing.

Joy to the earth! the Savior reigns;
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love.

Isaac Watts, 1719 

As a bonus, read Psalm 98, on which these words [written 301 years ago!] were based. You can find the Psalm by clicking here.

Jack and Jill

 

As the snow falls again (and we saw some great sledding hills among the Mississippi River bluffs!), my mind turns to one of my very favorite books for children/youth: a lesser-known story by Louisa May Alcott (of Little Women fame).

Jack and Jill by Louisa May Alcott

Don't worry, it's not a cheesy spin-off of a nursery rhyme! Neither does its subtitle of "A Village Story" give a clear idea. But on second thought, I guess this story is much broader in range of characters than, say, Little Women.

Readers of Jack and Jill come to know and love a whole group of friends among the girls and boys of the village, some crossing into the decisions of young adulthood and others still full of pranks. We dig into the lives, joys, and challenges of several different girls while also having whole chapters dedicated to the boys' doings and plenty more where they learn and play side by side.

Life is not all fun and games as the story begins with a sledding catastrophe! Various challenging, yet sweet, lessons are learned through the following year. But the tone never stays too heavy, and you'll laugh at the many jokes and lively personalities, root for your favorite friends, and enjoy the unfolding of a variety of characters - all in Louisa May Alcott's warm-hearted style.

Plus, if you're a Charlotte Mason follower, you'll love the main mother-character of this book and her unconventional way of guiding and schooling Frank, Jack, and their friend Jill.

It's a loose connection, but the opening of this book also brings back memories of my own.

I also had a sledding accident in my senior year of high-school on one of the few hills in our area. Eye-socket made violent contact with cousin's hip-bone, resulting in a trip to the ER, a concussion, and nearly complete double vision that lasted for days (or was it weeks?) and lingers 20 years later if I look far up or left. Many of my senior pictures that winter had a squint, and the left side of my face remains a sort of built-in barometer... aching and getting a dry eye as the result of various triggers.

Amusingly, that was only one of several accidents that year... all involving outdoor, winter activities such as downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. But I'd do it all again if I had the strength!

----------------------------------------------

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A Cosy Cottage

 At the end of our frosty drive was waiting a cosy cottage in a setting so vastly different than our wide open prairie that we enjoyed the novelty. 

Wildlife spotted during our 4 days at the cottage included several deer, a rabbit, chickadees, nuthatches, cardinals, and more birds.

Though I didn't get pictures of them, we loved seeing pastures full of sheep within a few miles! Not many people enjoy raising our old hobby-farm livestock. They are admittedly a lot of work and not the smartest creatures, but we enjoyed them much more than the angora goats that would never stay in our fences! (And then there were the angora rabbits that fought each other and had to be separated into different cages...)

I loved lambing season so much that weeks in advance I would carry an empty 5-gallon bucket into the pastures, make it into my stool, and sit waiting, watching and begging the ewes to "have your babies!" Since our Lincoln/Finn cross usually had 2-3 lambs each (and sometimes 4), we ended up with several bottle-lambs each year (pictured above). What fun pets they were!

But I have wandered far astray from our frosty drive and cosy cottage. :-)

A Frosty Drive

Our December drive to spend much of a week away from home for two sets of regularly-scheduled doctor's visits began with such beauty!

He sends out His command to the earth;
    His word runs swiftly.
He gives snow like wool; 
    He scatters frost like ashes.

Psalm 147:15-16 (ESV)

And though I have shared this quote before, it's worth sharing again:

"Oh, Matthew, isn't it a wonderful morning? The world looks like something God had just imagined for His own pleasure, doesn't it? Those trees look as if I could blow them away with a breath - pouf! 

"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are white frosts, aren't you?" 

Anne of Green Gables, chapter XVIII

Chewy Nutter Butter Cookies

 

Chewy Nutter Butter Cookies
(gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free, egg-free, nut-free)

1 c. coconut flour
1 c. tigernut flour
1 c. shredded coconut
2 T. gelatin
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

1 c. coconut oil, melted
1/4 + 1/8 tsp Sweet Leaf liquid stevia
2 tsp vanilla extract

Optional:
1 c. craisins
1/4 c. orange zest

Mix dry. Add wet. With electric mixer
add water slowly, starting with 1/8 c.
- only until dough sticks together
when squeezed into a ball.

Press small balls on baking sheet and
criss-cross with fork tines.
Bake 8-10 min. at 350 degrees.

It Need Not Hurt

"Nothing from without does hurt!" said Ethel, "unless one lets it."

"Hurt what?" he asked.

"The soul," returned Ethel. "Mind and body may be hurt, and it is not possible to know one's mind from one's soul while one is alive, but as long as the will and faith are right, to think the soul can be hurt seems to me like doubting our Protector."

- from Chapter 27 of The Trial by Charlotte Mary Yonge

To better understand some of the main characters in this book, start with The Daisy Chain, to which this is a sequel. Though I just learned of this author in my 30s, I would think the first book could be enjoyed from age 12+ and the second a little later as it deals with heavier themes.

Keep checking back for more book and audiobook ideas on
Instagram: @storytime.with.hannahmary

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Good Fiction

 As a reader and a sailor, I love this quote I once heard attributed to C.S. Lewis:

"Good fiction is a ship carrying a cargo of truth."

During these 7 years of disabling chronic illness, Elsa and I have probably read more books and audiobooks than in the combined decades preceding. But while we used to read a higher percentage of heavier books both for school and for leisure, these years have leaned toward more fiction - especially children's fiction. 

If you have dealt with chronic illness, you will understand the ways it can weaken the brain and nerves - to the point where we still can't handle many good books and movies we used to enjoy. There are even whole sections of the Bible that I cannot listen to in a dramatised version, and historial non-fiction and biography often needs some fast-forwarding nowdays.

In a way it is a gift to be extra sensitive to any hint of evil, sin, and violence, but it also makes it harder to live as an adult in this world where every day's news can be gut-wrenching nightmare-material to our adrenally-exhausted bodies.

To find enough books to keep enjoying and learning from in a low-key way, we often turn to LibriVox.org. As mentioned in the past, it has also been a joy for me to occasionally record books or chapters for free audiobooks that others can then enjoy. This is the fulfillment of a long-ago dream which I had given up for years. How amazing that this dream was given back to me when life as I knew it had crumbled.

For the last many of Grandpa's 103 years of life, he was nearly blind. This was hard for a serious reader, so audiobooks from the library became a part of his daily life. But the options for good audiobooks were much more limited back then. How I wished I could record favorite books for him, but copyright issues prevented that idea. It wasn't until I ended up couch-bound and dependent on audiobooks myself that I learned of LibriVox. By then it was too late for me to record for Grandpa. But what a joy it is to now see others being blessed by the work, even while I am still learning to improve these skills.

It has also been neat to gain new friends around the world through this work, some of whom have led me to even more new [old] books. 

In hopes that this combined experience can help others, I have begun sharing family-friendly book and audiobook ideas, samples, and reviews under the name "Storytime with HannahMary." (HannahMary is my reader name on LV.)

Keep checking back for more book and audiobook ideas on
Instagram: @storytime.with.hannahmary

YouTube: Storytime with Hannah Mary

Come, Emmanuel!

December 1st signaled the time to resume our family advent readings. Sometime between supper and bedtime in our long, dark, northern evenings, we light the candle(s) and turn our focus to the Light of the World. A special part of our times together this year is ending with a Christmas carol, a cappella.

 

In our hymnal (not the pages pictured here), hymn #100 begins the Christmas section. As we wait for Christmas and remember God's children waiting centuries for the first advent of Christ, we began, appropriately, with "O come, O come, Emmanuel." Translated from the 8th or 9th century Latin by John M. Neale in 1861, this has long been one of my favorite Christmas carols.

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

    Rejoice! rejoice! Emmanuel
    Shall come to thee, O Israel!

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan's tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save
And give them vict'ry o'er the grave.

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
And drive away the shades of night,
And pierce the clouds and bring us light!

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heav'nly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.

O come, Desire of nations, bind
All peoples in one heart and mind;
Bid envy, strife and quarrels cease;
Fill all the world with heaven's peace.

    Rejoice! rejoice! Emmanuel
    Shall come to thee, O Israel!

Hymns Ancient and Modern, first edition 1861, edited by William Henry Monk

_________________________

Yes, Emmanuel has come! Rejoice!

And yet we yearn for Him to come again...

Abiding Joy

'Tis the season for warm, wool stocking caps!

 

Last year I decided to design my own hat to combine a couple of motifs with some verses I had been memorizing.

First was the Viking runic letter "wunjo/wynn," which means JOY. (I learned this, of all places, from a plaque on the wall of my favorite, small-town hospital lab. Being mostly Norwegian, it caught my interest.)

Next was the delicate vine pattern from a sweater in Kofteboken 2. 
[published by Sandvik&Samsoe, 2015]

And finally, the verses:

"I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 

As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in His love. 

These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full."

John 15:5, 9-11

Can you see why I named this hat design Abiding Joy?