Up 'N' At 'Em, Morning Number 2....YAWN.........

The past two mornings we have set the alarm to be certain we would be up in time for morning commitments.  How spoiled are we that now in retirement we don't have a great many of those mornings most weeks.  Since I am currently in my pattern of sleeping for about 4 hours and then being awake for about 2 more hours before falling asleep again, I have had to be awakened by the alarm yesterday for church and today to get our car to the garage for winter tire change.  Oooh, groggy headed moi!  I have been awake now since 7:30am, shaken from a sound sleep, so I am grateful for the gentle sounds my iPad alarm makes after enduring for several years the BLAAATTTT sound from my last alarm clock that took away any wonder as to why so many people have heart attacks when waking up in the morning!!

Church went well yesterday.  We have been mostly absent from the services since the middle of August due to the travels taken to see family and friends elsewhere, so it was nice to be "back in the fold" with no more plans to travel now, Lord willing, until sometime next spring. The sermon was very good and after hearing a series of sermons on Romans (Thankful for Zoom!) over the past couple of months, where our minister has concentrated very much on the concept of God's transformation of our lives, I realize that detailed sermons on transformation of our characters and lifestyles post salvation have been somewhat missing in my past church experiences.  This series, while also spending sufficient time detailing why as Christians we must undergo these transformations, has brought out more of the positive aspects of the changes God tries to make in us and that has been so appreciated.

After the service we both felt like we should ask someone out for lunch but no one was able to come out with us.  We felt kind of odd that we both felt that so strongly, yet no one was available.  As we got into our car to pull away from the church, out of the side door came a friend we had not seen during our time of asking for lunch buddies. She and her roommate were very happy to come for lunch and afterwards my husband was able to help them figure out some yard work jobs they are working on, so it was mutually beneficial. What a nice time we had together.

This morning when the alarm rang at 7:30am I was so sound asleep I almost missed it entirely.  Ten minutes after it started to ring I finally awoke sufficiently to understand what I was hearing and process what it meant. hahahaha  Fortunately, despite my being late getting going, we did make it to the service garage right on time and got our car registered.  We had a nice long walk to the nearest restaurant for breakfast, then walked back to the garage in time to be able to get a Courtesy Car ride home. Now we wait for the call that the new studded tires have been installed and get another ride back to pick the car up.  Since our first "real" snowfall is to happen tomorrow we are very grateful for the timing on this tire change.  I will feel less grateful when we get our bill today for the four new tires, studding and rims. hahaha  No complaints though. It has been a number of years since we have had to purchase a full set of brand new tires for our vehicle.

This afternoon the exterminator will be here to assist us with our "mouse in the house" issues. We are most grateful that we have gotten up to unsnapped traps two mornings in a row now. Perhaps that is the end of it for another few months?  Let's hope.  The exterminator usually helps us pull out the refrigerator and stove to such up the mouse droppings with his big ShopVac type of cleaner, then we can disinfect the floors and push everything back into place.  My husband and I will empty the rest of the large storage cupboard ourselves and jockey it away from the walls to do the disinfecting under it.  It is a huge job and if we mask up and wear disposable gloves we can easily do our own cleanup there. It has to be moved somewhat gently from its crammed corner in order to avoid damaging the walls surrounding it.  

I am praying that I will finally be able to get myself over to the hospital tomorrow afternoon, despite the predicted snowfall, to see my friend who I have been trying to visit since last Friday!  Between mice and a severe allergy attack I thought was a cold coming on, I have not made it yet. She is going to be wondering where I have gotten to as she used the triage desk phone to call me several nights ago now asking me to visit. Sigh....so many things got in the way.  I hate when that happens as I know what it is like to be sitting in a hospital room for weeks thinking some days that even my best friends have forgotten me.  

At least tomorrow, as far as I know, we don't have to wake up to an alarm.  We have two days this week where we can wake up at our own pace so that is a relief.  We have errands to run in the snow in the morning, but any time before 1pm will be just fine to do those things.  If the predicted snow does arrive it will be a good test for our new snow tires!!  I can easily believe the forecast is correct because the 16 block round trip we took between the service garage and the restaurant was very windy...a biting wind of the type that announces the oncoming winter.  Brrrrrr...so grateful for a hood on my puffer coat and warm gloves! 

 

A Reminder Of Me Mum And Dad!

 When we were in Calgary last week we visited the two long term friends of my parents' who were present for our small time of remembrance just prior to our taking their ashes out to the mountains for burial. This photo was given to me when we visited this time, but since  I was not present for the Friends Event where this picture was taken and their friend couldn't remember the date, I assume it is sometime in the 1990's.  The visits and the photo have had me thinking often in this past few days about all the fun times our families had together.

My parents and I enjoyed many, many entertaining evenings in this particular home, where close friends, members of their 14 years long dinner club, lived for several decades.  When I was growing up I had fun in this house as the oldest of the up to five children present for birthday celebrations and dinner parties...good times and wonderful memories of my childhood.  In this photo both my parents are still fairly healthy, happy and up for having a grand time with their friends.

Catch Up Thanksgiving Dinner! Yum!!

Our church has a number of middle aged and older single women who love to get together a couple of times a year to celebrate festive seasons like Thanksgiving. They are an enthusiastic and fun bunch to spend time with. Occasionally a visiting male relative is invited to participate and at those times my husband and I are also included in the invitation so that the visiting man has a peer to chat with. Last night was one of those dinners but the visiting male relative baled at the last minute. My husband found himself to be the lone male presence at last night’s Thanksgiving dinner….a delayed celebration as a couple of the women had been travelling on the actual Thanksgiving weekend. My husband, being one of the original feminist supporters from way back in the 1970’s, gets along well in groups of women so he was undaunted finding himself in a group of a dozen women last night. 

I hadn’t realized how much I missed having a traditional turkey and ham Thanksgiving meal this year. At the time we were busy packing for our AB trip, making plans for get togethers there with friends and relatives; we didn’t even make it to church on Thanksgiving Sunday. 

So the turkey and baked ham were especially delicious last night. Instead of partaking of the sweet desserts I had a second helping of turkey, stuffing and gravy….oh my goodness, it was a delicious meal. Someone brought a hot potato salad that was fantastic. There was a casserole dish filled with my favourite old fashioned mix of buttered peas and carrots. Growing up that was THE standard veggie mix every Thanksgiving and Christmas, without fail, world without end, amen! 

The food was delicious, the fellowship sweet. Leftovers were sent home with anyone who wanted to take them and the remaining desserts were plated and labelled for use at coffee hour after church this morning. 

We arrived home late in the evening, checked the mouse traps and found no more mouse carcasses, so we are hopeful the traps will still be vacant this morning. Once the exterminator has arrived tomorrow we can get his help to move the fridge and food storage cupboard away from the walls so he can use his large vacuum to clean up the mouse droppings and then we can sanitize the floor underneath. New traps will be set and the exterminator will come back the following week to check things out. Maybe the end of this latest mouse infestation is in sight. 

Oh dear Lord, I just gotta ask,”Why oh why have we not been able to find a different place to move to yet?” We started looking again as soon as we got home from NYC, but the results of our search have not yielded an answer. Trying to weigh out the options for which new set of problems we are willing to take on in the places we can afford to rent is proving difficult. It is a trade off between continuing to cope with the problems here just because we are used to them and exchanging those problems for the new problems we have discovered when viewing alternative accommodations. Thus far moving will not solve the problem of having to park out of doors in the winter, nor of having an extra half 🛁 bath, nor of finding accommodation on one floor with either or both solutions to the parking and bathroom issues. Trades grade finishes do not offend us. Apartment living we can get used to. Well, we will keep praying and looking. I have even been willing to make a move right away, in the winter, before the next hip surgery, but…. Interesting times for us, that’s for sure.

One Messy Mousie!

About two hours after my last post we discovered where mouse number two had been hiding before it got itself trapped during the night: on the bottom shelf of our large kitchen food storage cupboard. Oooooh and didn’t it have the most lovely time chewing labels off cans and starting a nest building project with the soggy bits and pieces! What a mess my husband found in there. It was actually kind of interesting to see how busy and focused the little mouse had been. However it was less interesting to have to haul out all the tins of tomato sauce, beans and chickpeas, a huge box of falafel the mouse had chewed right through, cardboard outer and plastic inner linings….at least we know what it was eating….and I don’t know how many bottles of olive and sesame oils, canola oil, balsamic vinegars, rose water….it took me the better part of an hour to examine the packaged products in order to sort out which products needed to be thrown out due to a mousie breach and which ones had not been compromised, then disinfect absolutely every box, tin and bottle remaining. While I was doing that my husband was busy eliminating the evidence of the 🐭 mouse’s presence, throwing out the nesting materials and disinfecting the space. We checked all the other shelves in the huge cabinet but fortunately the mouse was satisfied to stay where the food and nesting materials were in abundance. The hours between now and Monday afternoon when the exterminator arrives are going to seem interminable! Hopefully we won’t have any more four pawed paper chewing visitors between now and then. From my mouth to God’s ear! All the bottom shelves of our lower cupboards have now been emptied. 

As a result of visitor number two, instead of doing hospital visitation in the afternoon we spent the time giving the basement a thorough going over but could find no )evidence of mice being down there either. We reset the main floor and basement traps and will see what we find between bedtime tonight and tomorrow morning. Sigh….two small mice, one huge disinfecting and baiting project. Blecch!

More Mice….Ugh!

We are less than impressed to have found another mouse trapped beside the refrigerator this morning. Drat! We were so hopeful after catching the first one yesterday that it was a case of “one and done”. Unfortunately not.

My dear husband decided to get his ladder and open the attic access from our hallway ceiling to see if there was any evidence of mice there. Nary a sign of them, but he put two baited traps up there and scattered fresh mouse bait pellets as well. (These are things I am so grateful he is knowledgeable about and capable of doing after growing up on a farm.) He searched the basement diligently and found no evidence of mouse activity or obvious entry point anywhere down there. Surely we couldn’t have had two mice in two days run inside right under our feet while entering or exiting our suite? It is puzzling. 

We will have to remain vigilant and also keep the under the stove drawer up on the kitchen counter now until the mouse issue is resolved. I don’t want to have to disinfect all that bake ware a third time! 

Tonight we will be at a dinner at church so the suite may be quiet and deserted enough to bring any more hidden mice to the traps. 🪤 Perhaps we will make another overnight capture, or while we are at church tomorrow. Looks like we may have to purchase more traps this weekend as the exterminator cannot come until Monday afternoon. Rarely having to deal with mice in my house until a few years ago I find it difficult to relax wondering when the next trap may be sprung on a new victim.

One huge relief here today is the weather! While Central and Southern AB suffered horrific winds, significant snowfall, freezing rain and slush, all we had was a bit of rainfall in the late evening and overnight that was mostly dried up by the gusty winds that continue to howl this morning. We have no ice to deal with thus far on our streets and sidewalks…looks like another few days of reprieve from true winter weather until mid week next week. Yay! 

So...Who Exactly Are Angels Anyway? Prof. Jason Gayoway To The Rescue!

 I find more people than ever these days talking about angels using expressions like:  "my guardian angel" or "my angels must be watching over me" or "I need help from the angels", or "my recently deceased mother is now an angel in heaven".  Some of these people are also church goers and I have found their concepts of angels to be somewhat different than what I see in the Scriptures.  

Recently I read a short article in the PRBI biblical college quarterly magazine "Trumpet" Fall 2026 edition, written by one of their faculty, Jason Gayoway and I have his permission to reprint it here.  It is a succinct, easy to read and understand article explaining what is actually written in the Christian Scriptures about these somewhat mysterious beings:

 "Ministering Spirits: What The Bible Teaches About Angels

One of the students' favourite sections in first-year theology is the study of angels.  This year, I had to expand the section to three classes from two because of all their stories and questions on the topic. They are not alone.  When I searched "angels" in the popular online course-sharing site Udemy, I found a vast number of classes either directly or indirectly on the subject. Many promised a path to communication with one's angel or directions on how to receive guidance from the angelic host.  Our fascination with angels is understandable. But the angels people are looking for are often quite different from the angels we actually find in Scripture.

Angels appear throughout Scripture at some of the most dramatic moments in redemptive history. They announce births, deliver messages, protect God's people, execute judgment, worship before the throne of God, and accompany some of the great events surrounding the life of Jesus Christ. Yet the Bible never encourages us to become fascinated with angels for their own sake. That distinction is important.  Our culture is quite willing to believe in angels, provided we can remake them according to our own preferences.  Angels become comforting spiritual companions, departed loved ones watching over us, or mysterious beings whom we can contact for guidance. Biblical angels are something quite different. They are servants of God.

WHAT ARE ANGELS?

The basic Hebrew and Greek words translated angel mean "messenger." Angels are created spiritual beings who serve God and carry out His purposes. Hebrews 1:14 describes them as "ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation." That one verse tells us much. Angels are spirits, but they are not divine. They belong to the created order.  Colossians 1:16 tells us that all things in heaven and on earth, "visible and invisible," were created through Christ and for Christ.  Angels therefore owe their existence to the Son of God, just as we do.

They are also personal beings. Scripture portrays angels speaking, worshipping, observing, rejoicing, and obeying.  They possess intelligence and tremendous power, but neither is unlimited.  Angels are not omniscient, omnipotent, or omnipresent.  Those attributes belong to God alone. Even the greatest angel remains infinitely beneath their Creator. 

This protects us from two opposite errors.  We should not dismiss angels as primitive superstition, because Scripture plainly teaches their existence.  But neither should we attribute divine abilities to them. Biblical angelology begins with the Creator-creature distinction. 

 WHAT DO ANGELS DO?

The work of angels is similarly focused on God and His will rather than on their wills.  This becomes especially apparent in the earthly ministry of Christ. An angel announced his conception to Mary (Lk  1:26-38).  Angels ministered to Him following His temptation  (Mt  4:11). Angels appeared at the empty tomb and announced His resurrection (Mt  28:2-7).  At His ascension, heavenly messengers declared that Jesus would return           (Ac 1:1-11).

Angels also work in our lives, such as when an angel freed Peter from prison, or as in Psalm 91, which speaks of God commanding His angels concerning His people.  In Hebrews 1, they are broadly described as spirits that minister to God's people.  Yet this is never spoken of as actions done by their own volition or because we persuade them to do so directly.  Instead, they do so out of the will of God and respond to His direction alone.

This is an important point to make because the question people have is how they can find an angel to help or protect them.  I think this desire explains the many Udemy courses mentioned above.  People wish to have their deep questions answered, to be freed from pain or poverty, and more. I think there is a longing in all of us to access a secret knowledge known only to us.  We yearn for a knowledge that will allow us riches or happiness not yet attained. Yet angels are focused on doing God's will, not answering our questions.  They may protect us, but they do so at God's command, and not because we have persuaded them through some special technique.

Scripture has many examples of God sending an angel but none of people seeking an angel and being rewarded.  God is the one who directs their actions.  Searching for answers from angels is not merely misguided.  Indeed, Scripture forbids God's people from pursuing supernatural guidance through the spirit world.  God's people are to seek Him through prayer and His Word. (De 18:10-12;  Is 8:19-20;  Cl  2:18-19). 

WHAT ANGELS TEACH US

If we are not to seek angels, why has God told us so much about them?   In part, angels teach us something about worship.  The mighty creatures surrounding God's throne do not draw attention to themselves but cry, "Holy, holy, holy" before their Creator (Is  6:3).  Angels remind us, first, that there is more to God's creation than what our eyes can see.  We inhabit a universe filled with the works of God, visible and invisible (Cl  1:16).

They also remind us of God's care.  The "ministering spirits" whom God sends to serve those who will inherit salvation  (He  1:14) show His love for us.    We do not need to identify our guardian angel or determine whether an angel intervened in some specific event. Our confidence is far better placed:  the God who rules heaven's armies watches over His people and commands His servants according to His perfect wisdom.

And that brings us to the greatest lesson angels teach us:  look to Christ.  Hebrews begins by placing the glory of the Son beside the majesty of the angels, and there is no comparison.  Angels are servants; Jesus is the Son. Angels are sent; Jesus reigns.  Angels worship Jesus; Jesus receives their worship.  Angels are creatures; Jesus is their Creator.

We are to study the angels. Believe what Scripture says about them. Marvel at their power, their service, and their worship.  But then direct our attention to the Lord.  The faithful angels have never wanted us to stop with them.  They point beyond themselves to the One seated upon the throne. The proper study of angels should leave us not fascinated with angels, but more captivated by Christ."

--written by Jason Gayoway 

The Demise Of Poor Wee Mousie

It always saddens me to wake up and find a mouse dead in a trap.  Overnight we captured our tiny intruder in a trap under the stove and even though it has to be done, I still feel badly about taking another creature's life. Sigh....such is the way of our fallen world.  Me vs the possibility of contracting hantavirus from a field mouse...I don't like it one bit.

The winter weather is pending today. While we are on the far edge of a system that could drop up to 50cm of snow in other parts of the north and central areas of the prairies, we will still get some freezing rain along with a bit of snow, but the worst part is going to be the wind I suspect.

Due to the bad weather supposedly arriving later this afternoon and my husband not feeling quite up to par this morning after last evening's excitement and work setting up traps and moving some heavy items out of the kitchen right before bed, we decided to skip the huge grocery shop we planned to take this morning.  If we had been up and out the door by around 7am we could have done it, but with things being the way they were when we finally did wake up closer to 8:30am, I decided to just make a run on my own to the nearest store and pick up the essentials that we can't live happily without until next week. My husband is currently loading up the water jugs into the car so he can pick up the refills right after lunch now that he is feeling at least somewhat better after spending the morning resting.  

He is really enjoying our new tv channel line up, particularly the Turner Classic Movies and Silver Screen channels.  There are so few tv programmes he enjoys watching, so it is fun to see him laughing so heartily at the old jokes from the 1930's and 1940's and enjoying all the old sets and cinematography in the black and white films.  

The pest control folk just contacted us to say they can't get here until next Monday afternoon, so it is a good thing we have our own traps set.  We will leave them up and preserve the mousie corpse until then so we have proof that we actually caught a mouse and so they can see we are being responsible tenants with our traps set up so well around the house.  Pretty sure this mouse ran in yesterday morning when my husband had to leave the back door open for a few minutes. That is how the last one gained entry in the early spring of 2024.  

I have washed and disinfected under the stove, as well as taken out the under stove drawer to disinfect it and all the bake ware that it stores.  What a task, but glad to have it done.  Later this afternoon we will pull the refrigerator out and vacuum and disinfect under there as well.  The next task will be to clean out the entire food storage cupboard....a gargantuan task as it is completely full of cans and boxes...give the interior shelves a good rinse out just because they probably need it...then pull it away from the wall and disinfect underneath it as well.  We are fairly certain the mouse would have been in behind it at some point if it was here all day yesterday.  Never hurts to pull out free standing cupboards and appliances every few months to clean  under and behind them even without the presence of a mouse spurring a person on.